Pneumonia

Happy holidays: 'tis the season for more rehab work

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L December 08, 2011

It's that time of year again, the when our hospitals and nursing facilities start to fill up with patients suffering from new fractures, falls, pneumonia and other cardio-pulmonary diseases. However, have we ever thought to provide additional therapy services to our residents (and their family members) who plan to go out for the holidays?

Nursing homes better for handling dementia patients, study suggests

November 18, 2011

Nursing homes and hospices are better alternatives than hospitals for elderly dementia patients, experts said this week. Investigators estimate that between three and seven million dementia patients will be hospitalized each year by 2050.

Inhaled corticosteroids extend life of COPD patients

April 22, 2011

Inhaled corticosteroids can lower the mortality rate of elderly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who have been hospitalized with pneumonia, a new study finds.

Nursing homes to be judged by 21 new quality measures on federal website

March 04, 2011

The National Quality Forum on Wednesday came out in support of 21 measures to be used to care for both long-term nursing home residents and short-stay patients. These measures will be included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Nursing Home Compare website.

Acid suppressive medications may be linked to pneumonia, medical journal says

December 24, 2010

Those who take acid suppressive medications may increase their risks of developing pneumonia, according to a review in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Residents need flu and pneumo- coccal vaccine

Dr. William Hall, Dr. Susan J. Rehm and Dr. William Schaffner August 17, 2010

You don't want to mess around with pneumococcal bacteria, which causes pneumonia, and even worse, sepsis and meningitis. That's why nursing home residents should receive two vaccinations: the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and the influenza vaccine.

One in five long-term elder care patients have MRSA in their noses

April 27, 2010

The secret to identifying people with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isn't right under our nose—it's in it, new research suggests.

Common steroid treatment could harm patients with pneumonia, research shows

February 25, 2010

Prednisolone, a steroid commonly co-prescribed as a treatment for pneumonia, has little benefit and may actually worsen patient outcomes, researchers say.

CDC recommends pneumonia vaccine and flu vaccine for seniors this year

October 02, 2009

Seniors aged 65 and older should consider getting vaccinated against pneumonia as well as the seasonal influenza strain, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend in a new report.