Staffing in nursing homes is a chronic problem that has been greatly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to get worse. Staff shortages, high turnover and the necessity to often work two...
Why Five-Star ratings should measure staff retention, not staff ratios
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 26, 2019
If we shift to a system that measures staff retention rather than staff ratios, the whole picture changes.
The added value of social workers and psychosocial services
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 26, 2019
It might be a surprise to some, but social workers will pay for themselves — as in bring in enough revenue to cover the cost of their salaries.
Where were YOU when CMS changed the Five-Star rating system?
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 20, 2015
Some things will always stay etched in our mind. Where were you on February 12, when CMS publicly announced immediate changes to the Five Star Quality Rating System for Nursing Homes?
Three stars will be the new one star
By
Betsy Rust
Dec 07, 2016
Nursing home operators call it low occupancy. Medicare insiders call it a declining census. Economists call it excess capacity.
CMS sneaks a trick in with its treats
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 21, 2015
With so many regulatory changes kicking in on Oct. 1, it’s no wonder providers were likely too distracted to notice the latest “trick” by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 14, 2022
It’s a curious day when I lift a lyric from the Spice Girls to title an article. The Spice Girls’ first single, “Wannabe,” was released in 1996 and rocketed to the top of the British singles chart....
Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 24, 2018
Residents and their family members are likely to expect that when they enter long-term care, staff members will provide compassionate medical treatment. Instead, what they frequently find are stressed...
Agency staffing on the rise? Believe it — and plan for it
By
Steven Littlehale
Nov 21, 2016
The use of contract agency staff to fill nurse aide and licensed nurse vacancies is escalating. This increase is seen across many states, not to mention across the nation as a whole. Yes, we have a well-documented...
Biden’s regulatory Death Star
By
Brendan Williams
Sep 11, 2023
Despite federal data showing that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to massive job losses for nursing and residential care facilities – with the workforce 218,200 workers smaller last month...