Many people shudder when they think about the 9/11 tragedy, and rightfully so. The four suicide attacks carried out on September 11 of 2001 caused nearly 3,000 deaths. But imagine if there were 10 such...
Falls can cost more than an arm and a leg
By
John O'Connor
Oct 31, 2014
Long-term care operators have many good reasons to keep resident falls to an absolute minimum. Yet it’s amazing how blasé we’ve become about the damage that falls inflict.
What are the scouts saying about your long-term care organization?
By
John O'Connor
Jul 25, 2014
There is no draft in senior living, nor really a need for one. But what if its three most dominant players were to be sized up? How might the scouts rate skilled care, assisted living and home care, respectively?...
Feeling a bit run down? Blame the third shift
By
John O'Connor
Jan 31, 2014
Long-term care professionals must be on hand to work the dreaded third shift, given the 24/7 nature of the job. For some caregivers, that means extra difficulties getting through an overnight shift. New...
What should long-term care make of these scathing reviews?
By
John O'Connor
Apr 23, 2018
Two stories that resonated the most over the past year have been personal blogs from long-term care operators who have left the profession. That’s a very interesting fact.
Chilling out
By
John O'Connor
Mar 11, 2008
Last week’s NIC Western Regional Symposium in Las Vegas was as good a place as any to take the market’s current temperature. Unfortunately, one didn’t need to step outside to notice a...
A pro-union move that will put ‘democracy’ to the test
By
John O'Connor
May 14, 2018
A newly proposed bill could give unions quite a boost. At your expense. Called the “Workplace Democracy Act,” don’t let the name fool you. From an operator’s perspective, there’s...
The lawsuits are coming! The lawsuits are coming!
By
John O'Connor
Jul 24, 2015
Given the nature of what they do, it’s not surprising that nursing homes sometimes find themselves targeted in lawsuits. Unfortunately, it appears that this discomforting reality is about to become...
Why 401(k)s are bad for the future of long-term care
By
John O'Connor
May 04, 2012
We live in a world of unintended consequences. Consider a 1978 change in the tax code designed to let corporate executives supplement their pensions with extra cash.
A rare opportunity to address the sector’s labor woes
By
John O'Connor
Dec 14, 2015
It’s safe to say that the long-term care field could use lots of workers happy to take entry-level jobs. If only there were a sudden supply of willing people who would salivate at the prospect. As...