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Treatment Update

Study shows simple foot exercises significantly decrease seniors' risk of falls

March 10, 2009

Seniors who perform simple ankle and foot exercises a few times per week can noticeably improve their strength and balance, according to recent research.

Ask the treatment expert: recognizing stage II and III pressure ulcers

Donna Sardina March 01, 2009

Donna Sardina, RN, MHA, WCC President, Wound Care Education Institute

Guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention to be introduced at conference

February 27, 2009

New international guidelines for performing prevalence and incidence studies on pressure ulcers will make their debut today and Saturday at the Biennial Conference of the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel.

Study: Internet stimulates the elderly brain

November 04, 2008

The Internet contains many important things--instantaneous communication, unlimited access to information and the often-honored McKnight's Web site (www.mcknights.com), among them. But researchers at UCLA have discovered there may be other bonuses for Web-savvy seniors: It also might stimulate brain function and improve cognitive ability.

Nursing home quality coalition heading into overtime

October 23, 2008

The Advancing Excellence in America's Nursing Homes campaign-a nationwide, voluntary quality improvement initiative-celebrated its second birthday this week.

Let there be light: New therapy could fix damaged, aging skin

October 22, 2008

A new type of light therapy could repair old, sun-damaged skin on the molecular level, according to a recent study.

Study kills theory, discovers vitamin B not as helpful as thought against Alzheimer's

October 16, 2008

Vitamin B may be a general guardian of good health, but new research finds that it does little in the way of reducing the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease.

New infection control guidelines released; MRSA, c. Diff and urinary tract infections figure prominently

October 10, 2008

Many of the nation's most prominent infection-control groups on Wednesday released a new set of "consensus" guidelines to help curb the spread of six potentially fatal facility-acquired infections.

Study: More affluent ZIP codes consistently see higher rates of surgery survival among the elderly

October 01, 2008

Seniors in more impoverished areas of the country are significantly more likely to die after surgery than their wealthier neighbors, according to recent research.

Study: Seniors getting shorted on emergency care

August 20, 2008

An apparently unconscious age bias among emergency room services personnel, along with a lack of knowledge on how to care for the elderly, could be leading to a distinct lessening of care for seniors, researchers say.

Seniors don't raise many surgical concerns with doctors, study finds

August 01, 2008

Whether or not to undergo a surgical procedure can be a tough call, and most patients come armed with many concerns to talk through with their doctors. But a recent study finds that seniors just aren't asking many of those questions.

Genes cause aging? New research suggests so

July 25, 2008

While no one knows for certain what causes us to age, prevailing wisdom suggests it's a buildup of stresses and the cumulative effects of disease. The surprising results of a recent study, however, say otherwise.

Elderly more likely to survive planned surgeries

May 30, 2008

Very elderly patients who undergo planned surgery are more than five times as likely to survive and live longer than very old patients who require emergency surgery or treatment in the intensive care unit.

CDC recommends shingles vaccination for older adults

May 19, 2008

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a recommendation that adults aged 60 and over be vaccinated against shingles.

Study: Ibuprofen reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

May 07, 2008

Study subjects who took ibuprofen for at least five years registered a 40% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. Some medicines in the same non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) class cut the risk of Alzheimer's by 25%.

Nurses, staff should receive MRSA screenings, researchers say

April 23, 2008

Leaders of healthcare facilities should seriously consider having staff members screened for MRSA, the drug-resistant infection that can wreak havoc on senior populations, Swiss and South African researchers say.

Study: Mammograms still helpful for women over 80

April 23, 2008

Regular mammograms for women 80 and older cut the risk of discovering late-stage breast cancer, according to results of a new study. But only 1 in 5 American women in that age group get regular screenings, researchers said

Study: Age not a risk factor with some procedures

March 20, 2008

Procedures and even some drug trials once thought too risky for people aged 80 or higher are safer than previously thought, according to a new study.

Researchers: Resident violence in Canada "out of control"

March 12, 2008

Aides in Canadian nursing homes are being assaulted by residents at "appallingly" high rates, according to university researchers. Physical attacks were made daily against nearly half of workers surveyed, their studied revealed.

Report: Medication mismanagement leading to nursing home stays

March 11, 2008

Up to half of all seniors will mismanage at least one of their medications, which can account for "about 23 percent of nursing home admissions," according to a new analysis in the Baltimore Sun.

Researchers: We have dementia diagnosis method 94% accurate

March 10, 2008

Researchers in the United States and Europe have developed a new technique for detecting and diagnosing different forms of dementia that is accurate "more than 94 percent of the time," according to a new study.

Antibiotics for advanced dementia patients questioned

February 27, 2008

Nearly half of advanced-dementia residents in nursing homes receive antibiotics during the last two weeks of life, but it remains unclear whether such treatment helps, authors of a new study say. Pain from administering the drugs intravenously, as well as unwanted side effects, are among the chief concerns.

Ask the treatment expert

February 06, 2008

Is the rumor true that Accuzyme® and Panafil® ointments are no longer reimbursable? If so, what should we do?

Pain-relief patch available

January 30, 2008

Alpharma has announced the availability of the Fletcor Patch. The adhesive patch delivers medication directly to the pain site, offering a safe and effective alternative to widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, according to the firm.

Weighty matters

January 30, 2008

Tanita's PW-630U wheelchair scale is designed to make it easy for residents to get on the scale and be stable. The durable, portable unit is equipped with wheels, allowing caregivers to bring the scale wherever elderly or wheelchair-bound residents are. Other features include body mass index, an integrated thermal printer, memory, recall and RS-232 output so data can be captured electronically.