Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody drug may be less effective against omicron, drugmaker says … Pandemic taking toll on healthcare workers’ sleep patterns … Ambulance staffing shortage frustrating nursing...
Palliative care study highlights importance of psychosocial support for LTC workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 30, 2023
Even the most confident of long-term care staff, sure of their knowledge and skills, reported “notable difficulties” providing palliative and end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
Assisted living residents with dementia had higher all-cause mortality during pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 10, 2022
Assisted living residents with dementia were more likely to die from any cause in the early months of the pandemic than AL residents without dementia, a new study has found.
CMS: End to pandemic waivers helps nursing homes ‘redirect efforts’ to meet residents’ needs
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2022
A sweeping phase-out of early COVID-19 pandemic allowances, such as the nurse aide certification waiver, addresses concerns about SNF residents’ physical, mental and psychosocial well-being, the agency...
Geriatrician survey: Swift telehealth adoption was ‘instrumental’ to pandemic patient care
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 18, 2022
Responses by Genesis HealthCare physicians offer insight into the dramatic shift in care delivery that took place as COVID-19 raged in 2020.
CDC to fund LTC infection control strike teams nationwide starting in October
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 20, 2021
The initiative will allow states and other U.S. jurisdictions to “staff, train and deploy” strike teams to help long-term care operations with known or suspected COVID-19 infections, CDC says.
Support needed to improve health outcomes in nursing homes that serve Black residents, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
May 06, 2021
A new study in more than 11,000 nursing homes has shown that facilities with Black residents have higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death. The results suggest that the disparities are rooted in structures...
Pandemic paves way for mobile dentistry, teledentistry in long-term care, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 12, 2021
Mobile dentistry for people with dementia, teledentistry, and vaccines by dentist are some of the opportunities that have arisen from disruptions to residents’ oral healthcare during the pandemic, according...
Residents face ‘broad array’ of worsened health outcomes during pandemic: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 23, 2021
The pandemic’s effect on nursing home residents goes well beyond cases and deaths, investigators say. Unplanned weight loss, depression, incontinence, and loss of cognitive function stand out — with...