From talk to action: Moving forward with nursing home quality improvement
By
Isaac Longobardi
Alice Bonner
Jasmine Travers, Ph.D., R.N.,
Aug 30, 2023
This May, the Senate Special Committee on Aging released a report on the shortcomings of nursing home oversight in the U.S. “Uninspected and Neglected” found that nearly one-third of nursing homes...
New tech for not-so-new people
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 24, 2023
Do you yell at your Apple Watch? I do. All the time. Out loud. This happens most often while hiking, when I’ve dutifully set the device to track my activity. I’ll be laboring up the trail, trekking...
More residents with opioid use disorder are coming. Are we ready?
By
Dina Besirevic
Aug 23, 2023
The 55-year-old female resident with multiple wounds on both of her arms wasn’t this nurse’s favorite. Yes, the nurse had provided wound care over the years to many people who were irritable...
Another week, more Medicare dis-Advantages
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 22, 2023
It’s starting to feel like every week brings another reason to begrudge Medicare Advantage plans their market-dominating growth.
Achieving next-level quality improvement in skilled nursing facilities
By
Stephanie Mercado
Lenard Parisi
Aug 18, 2023
Today’s skilled nursing facilities face many challenges in the delivery of high-quality and safe care for vulnerable patient populations. Significantly, the very limited resources available in...
Nobody plans to fail, except these guys
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 18, 2023
The story of a certain Connecticut long-term care provider that “won” more than $4 million but didn’t collect it is a crying shame.
Staffing for skilled nutrition support
By
Tracy Blazer
Aug 14, 2023
It’s not news that staffing shortages are rampant at all levels in senior care. Many registered dietitians working in long-term care are spread thin, working at multiple facilities to provide even the...
The urgent need for better grief support for SNF management
By
Frances M. Hawes, Ph.D.
Jul 31, 2023
Grief and loss are a natural part of life, and they are particularly prevalent in nursing homes where residents often have advanced age and multiple health conditions. Data from my recent research...
Can an employee refuse overtime? More often than you might realize.
By
John O'Connor
Jul 31, 2023
One consequence of this long-term care’s perpetual staffing shortage is that employees are sometimes — or in some facilities more than sometimes — told they must work overtime.
An unwelcome warning
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 27, 2023
While plodding a narrow, precipitous path high on the flank of Mt. Rainier this week, I saw a father and his young daughter approaching on the trail. She was an adorable child of maybe 4 or 5, all decked...