Excessive daytime sleepiness predicts mortality in nursing home residents
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 16, 2023
Excessive daytime sleepiness predicts both mortality and the presence of age-related comorbidities in the long-stay nursing home population, investigators report.
CMS: Seniors to benefit as feds slash Medicare Part B co-insurances for 27 drugs
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 16, 2023
A provision of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will slash Medicare Part B co-insurances for 27 drugs between $2 and $390 per average dose beginning April 1. Certain vaccine cost-sharing will also be...
Diabetes indicators improve with use of health incentives, CDC study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2022
Incentivizing patients to follow a lifestyle modification program helps them to improve a full range of diabetes-related health measures, according to a new meta-analysis.
Need for liver transplants soaring among older Americans
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 19, 2021
The number of older Americans needing liver transplants has skyrocketed, with some of the increase due to rising cases of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a fatty liver disease that can cause liver...
Long-term care facility docs vs. aides: CDC study finds wide vaccination gulf
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 03, 2021
There is a 30% difference in COVID-19 vaccination coverage between LTC physicians and facility aides, CDC reports. And rates among aides are lowest in zip codes where vulnerability to poor health outcomes...
COVID vaccine protects elderly; delivery program has buy-in from nearly all U.S. nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 19, 2020
Fully 99% of skilled nursing facilities nationwide have signed on with the federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program vaccine delivery initiative, HHS says. The news arrived just as Pfizer...
Staff, residents get on-site infusions in unusual COVID-19 drug trial
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 04, 2020
Eli Lilly and Symphony Care Network have partnered to test a COVID-19 antibody drug in long-term care communities. The drugmaker is deploying recreational vehicles retrofitted as mobile research units...
CMS: Pandemic relief to nursing homes tied to infection control training, weekly testing
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 24, 2020
To qualify for CARES Act funds, eldercare facilities must take part in CMS’s online COVID-19 training program. The agency also expects to require weekly staff testing in certain cases.
COVID-19 roundup: Ventilator use questioned, staff immunity testing, meds shortages and more…
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2020
Ventilation may be harmful for certain COVID-19 patients, say some critical care doctors. Plus: immunity testing may help staff return to work.
Study: Air purifiers lower virus infectivity by nearly 100 percent
By
Kristen Fischer
Nov 27, 2023
Commercially available air purifiers can reduce the power of airborne viruses to infect others, according to a new report.