April 11, 2013
The best med aides I've ever seen have an almost spooky knack for getting nursing home residents to take their medicine. It's an art form, really. A mystical mix of command, humor and good, old-fashioned charm.
Bipartisan bills introduced Wednesday in both houses of Congress propose tightening access to hydrocodone painkillers such as Vicodin.
March 21, 2013
Encouraging residents to talk to animated agents could improve adherence to medication, reduce the need for restraints and lower rehospitalization rates. That's what Timothy Bickmore, Ph.D., said during his Wednesday webcast on the first day of the seventh annual McKnight's Online Expo.
Skilled nursing facilities are making progress in reducing the off-label use of antipsychotics but are expected to fall far short of an overall 15% reduction goal.
A new oral antibiotic may effectively treat MRSA-related skin infections more quickly than the only oral drug currently approved, according to research published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
January 07, 2013
No matter your role in healthcare, medication safety is a challenge that has caused you concern. In my job as co-owner of SureCare Rx, an independently owned and operated pharmacy partner to long-term care communities in the northwestern United States, this concern is a central focus. Recently, we took bold steps to overcome common obstacles and reduce medication errors almost completely, capitalizing on cutting-edge technology to lead the way.
A federal appeals court has ruled that the jury in an improper medication suit against a nursing home was given proper instructions by a federal trial court. The decision put more responsibility on the accused facility, which could not supply medication reports from a 2007 incident.
The class of sleeping medications thought to be safer for nursing home residents than traditional anti-anxiety drugs puts them at a 70% increased risk for hip fracture, a study found.
The medication has shown promise in strengthening the heart, new research suggests.
April 03, 2012
Federal regulators have reversed a controversial proposal that would have required facilities to hire consultant pharmacists to review residents' medications.
The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists' 2011 annual meeting and exhibition will take place Wednesday through next Friday at the Phoenix Convention Center. Kicking off the event will be a keynote presentation by Bill Thomas, M.D., founder of the Eden Alternative® and the Green House Project®. On Friday, renowned researcher Howard Friedman, Ph.D., will present "Findings from the Longevity Project: Discoveries for Health and Long Life from an Eight-Decade Study." Numerous educational sessions, exhibits and networking opportunities also will take place, as top senior care medication professionals gather to learn from one another.
Adults aged 50 and older made more than 1.1 million trips to the emergency room for adverse drug interactions in 2008, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report.
The Institute of Medicine on Tuesday released a report calling for a larger role for nurses in the delivery of healthcare and in the implementation of healthcare reform.
October 04, 2010
"Seven-day-or-less" dispensing requirements have resulted in new long-term care medication distribution models.
Seniors who neglect to take their medications as directed can significantly increase their risk of falls, according to new research.
May 18, 2010
Medication dispensing technology has evolved in the long-term care pharmacy field. Remote dispensing is a new model that speeds up access to medications and allows nurses to spend more time with residents.
There is more and more talk in state legislatures of finding new ways to dispose of unused medications at healthcare facilities. This is an idea whose time has come.
January 04, 2010
Long-term care residents should reevaluate their Medicare Part D plans for the new year. A plan should correspond to a resident's individual pharmacy-related needs.
Nearly 9 in 10 hospitalized seniors could not name a single take-as-needed medication prescribed during a hospital stay, according to a recent study.
Assisted living providers and advocates are cheering this week after Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced an amendment to the healthcare reform bill that seeks to improve some assisted living residents' access to the Medicare Part D prescription drug program and Medicaid benefits.
A lot of Americans suffer from chronic pain. This group includes many nursing home residents. Which is why some new developments on the pain front are encouraging.
The Food & Drug Administration this week introduced the Safe Use Initiative to reduce preventable harm from medications and improve patient health.
Lawmakers are stepping up efforts to close the Medicare Part D doughnut hole, a coverage gap in the prescription drug program for seniors. Political pressure may be driving them to change their timetable.
Seniors aged 65 and older can significantly reduce their risk of falls by taking vitamin D supplements every day. But they need to take more of the vitamin than previously thought, according to the results of a new study.
Manufacturers are expected to begin shipping a new kind of heparin product on Thursday.
A large number of physicians don't know when they are prescribing drugs, including antipsychotics, "off-label," according to a recent report.
Two therapies commonly prescribed to seniors carry some significant risks, according to reports presented in Chicago during this week's Digestive Disease Week.
Spending a day basking in the sun no question is good for the soul. Now new research suggests it might also be good for reducing the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes among seniors.
Treating seniors' chronic pain with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cox-2 inhibitors is potentially more dangerous than opioid therapy, according to new pain management guidelines released by the American Geriatrics Society. The practice of using NSAIDs initially should be seriously reduced or eliminated, the guidelines say.
Two newer antipsychotic drugs have negative side effects in Alzheimer's patients. Both promote weight gain and one lowers levels of HDL "good" cholesterol, according to a new study.
