CMS seeks to ease COVID staff testing burden on rural operators
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 01, 2020
Some nursing homes have been required to conduct staff testing at a higher frequency than necessary, the agency said in explaining recent changes to its testing methodology.
One person with COVID infects 4 to 5 others, double WHO estimates, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 01, 2020
Each person who contracted the coronavirus early in the pandemic likely transmitted it to four or five others, according to a new analysis.
Delirium a telltale sign of COVID in frail older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2020
Clinicians should keep in mind that delirium is an early warning sign of COVID-19 in frail, elderly adults — even when cough, fever and other classic signs are absent, physician researchers say.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, Oct. 1
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 01, 2020
Early trial finds Moderna’s COVID vaccine effective, safe in older adults … Hydroxychloroquine no more effective than placebo in preventing COVID-19 … Disparities in Canadian nursing home COVID deaths...
AHA highlights game-changing benefits of newer diabetes drugs
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2020
Newer classes of diabetes drugs reliably protect patients from heart and kidney damage associated with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, an American Heart Association analysis finds. Increased...
Falls, disability in seniors with Afib tied to lower anticoagulant use
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2020
Fully 82% of seniors with atrial fibrillation in a new study experienced falls and functional disabilities. The rate of anticoagulant use decreased as the number of problems rose, researchers found.
Proton pump inhibitors may heighten type 2 diabetes risk
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2020
Regular PPI users are 24% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-users. What’s more, the longer participants use these drugs, the greater their risk, investigators have found.
Clinical daily briefs for Wednesday, Sept. 30
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 30, 2020
Digital stethoscope helps avert resident ER visits: McKnight’s Tech Awards winner … Vaccinate nursing home and assisted living residents and staff first, AHCA/NCAL urges states … National study to...
Brookdale’s ‘massive’ flu vaccination push includes employees’ family members
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 29, 2020
The organization is now offering onsite, scheduled flu vaccination clinics run by Omnicare in all of its communities, home health agencies and corporate offices. Associates’ family members will be able...
Seniors are absent — but necessary — in COVID-19 vaccine trials, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 29, 2020
With older adults frequently excluded in COVID-19 clinical trials, investigators are concerned that they will ultimately be denied treatments and vaccines due to safety concerns.