Dream big: Supporting the next generation of therapists
By
Renee Kinder
Oct 26, 2023
Do you ever have a recurrent dream? One that comes up every so often but in the moment seems to be on repeat. One I have had for the past 20 years goes something like this … I am ready to graduate, walk...
Falling by the wayside
By
Steven Levenson
Oct 24, 2023
This month’s column invokes several previous columns, one about medications and the other about knowing if we know what we don’t know. A recent medical journal article concluded that falls in...
A day that made an indelible impact on me
By
Martie Moore
Oct 20, 2023
The room was packed, with tambourines and drums in individuals’ hands. A resident had passed, and we were gathered to walk alongside the man named John. They called it a walk-out. In the past,...
The hypocrisy of staffing mandates
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 19, 2023
Absorbed as you probably are in fighting through the long-term care staffing crisis while parrying a CMS mandate, I wouldn’t blame you for not noticing. But at airports across America, big planes are...
AI: Living in the future
By
Jean Wendland Porter
Oct 17, 2023
Artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is a rapidly growing field that has the potential to revolutionize the way medical professionals diagnose and treat patients. The use of AI algorithms and machine...
Who benefits behind the scenes from high prescription drug prices?
By
Alan G. Rosenbloom
Oct 16, 2023
If there’s one thing most Americans still agree on, it’s that the ever-increasing cost of healthcare is simply unsustainable. And while there is plenty of blame to go around, one must look at who benefits...
CMS gets it right: Individuals receiving care will benefit from RN staffing mandate
By
Nancy Haugen
Oct 16, 2023
Skilled nursing and assisted living facilities have long relied on licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVN) as the “backbone” of care to keep nursing salary costs low and increase profits,...
Fasten your seatbelts: It MIGHT be a bumpy ride
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 13, 2023
It’s been a flurry of activity leading up to the implementation of the “new MDS.” For months our industry has been doing what we do best — rising to the occasion. Countless MDS training sessions,...
The job we get to do: A glimpse into the world of skilled nursing therapists
By
Renee Kinder
Oct 12, 2023
In meetings recently I heard perspective from a colleague about the “job we get to do” as rehab professionals who are entrusted with caring for our patients — who are not just patients. They...
Armed intruder and active shooter preparedness in LTC facilities
By
Stan Szpytek
Steve Wilder
Oct 09, 2023
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires skilled nursing facilities to plan for emergencies and disasters to protect the vulnerable population they serve. The regulations cited in Appendix...