Blogs, Guest Columns, Things I Think and Living Leadership
Sticking to the plan of care pays off
By
Renee Kinder
Jun 06, 2024
Raising children, like providing patient care, requires a plan. The older our children become, like when patients show progress, the more freedom they should be allowed. The guide book for plan of care...
Stop using the F word already!
By
Julie Thorson
Jun 05, 2024
Words matter. It’s amazing to me that today some still use the “F word” to describe where we work. “Facility” is such a cold harsh word and yet, for some, it’s still tossed around without a...
Laughter — thoughts on truly the best medicine
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jun 04, 2024
We’ve all heard it: “Laughter is the best medicine.” And I tend to agree with that for the most part. I mean, after surgery, I prefer something a little stronger and, honestly, laughing right after...
Getting your steps in
By
Gary Tetz
May 30, 2024
I and most other humans I know are obsessed with steps, and not just of the 12 variety. We wear tracking devices 24/7, like an entire society under house arrest, and monitor step counts with religious...
‘Plateaued’ is not a medical description
By
Jean Wendland Porter
May 28, 2024
I’m starting to sound like a broken record (vinyl is coming back; the kids know what I mean), but I recently heard a therapist say the patient’s progress plateaued, so we have to stop therapy. Again. ...
The impact of survey delays on nursing home quality and consumer information
By
Steven Littlehale
May 24, 2024
In a column published by McKnight’s in December 2023, “Revamping CMS Survey Data Integration Amid Regulatory Lag in Nursing Home Oversight,” I urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
Human Understanding Metric: Enhancing patient-centered care in skilled nursing facilities
By
Renee Kinder
May 23, 2024
I took my seat for a daylong meeting on Tuesday this week, a little tired, up since 4:30 a.m. But with coffee in hand, I was ready to learn. I was surrounded by a variety of interdisciplinary team...
What a night for women in senior care
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 21, 2024
On May 13, the 2024 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Forum and Awards were held in Chicago, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate some outstanding professionals. A certain NFL kicker would have...
Victory in assisted living case does not mean facilities can turn a blind eye to resident harassment
By
Jennifer Long
Neville M. Bilimoria
May 20, 2024
By now, if you’ve worked in a skilled nursing or assisted living facility for any substantial period of time, you are bound to have endured, at some point, offensive verbal epithets and slurs spewed...
Implementing the federal staffing mandate will do more than just stir the pot
By
Zach Shamberg
May 17, 2024
How’s this for a truly perplexing recipe? Nursing homes are closing, access to care for seniors and adults with disabilities is being restricted, Medicaid reimbursement can’t keep pace with the true...