Tips for training staff to prevent norovirus outbreaks
By
Joshua Schwartz
Aug 31, 2023
As the leading cause of gastroenteritis, norovirus — colloquially known as the stomach flu — is unpleasant for anyone. But in long-term care facilities, where vulnerable residents live in close quarters,...
Too hot in the kitchen? Try your neighborhood nursing home
By
Kimberly Marselas
Aug 01, 2023
It seems a lot of us would like to bury not just our feet in the sand this time of year, but our heads too.
A slap in the face for LPNs who keep nursing homes running
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 19, 2023
There are about 175,000 LPNs working in nursing homes — critical staff members who might no longer fit into the SNF job market if the proposed staffing rule is finalized as currently written.
A gaggle of Garys
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 02, 2023
I’m still not sure if it was intended as a loving tribute or blatant mockery, since I don’t possess the power to pierce the opacity of the human heart and discern anyone’s true motives. But nine...
Helicopter Children… or is it more than that?
By
Teresa Geroulo
Sep 25, 2023
In every facility there is at least one family member who tries to take over the care and decision making for their loved one. The term is “Helicopter Children.” Helicopter Children observe their...
Enhanced barrier precautions: A win–win–win for LTC facilities, residents, and staff
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Feb 07, 2024
In our post-COVID world, infection prevention and control (IPC) is more important than ever. This is especially true in long-term care facilities. Residents generally live in a congregate environment...
Decrease costs and boost morale by fostering a culture that prioritizes infection prevention and control
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
Aug 07, 2023
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, infection prevention and control (IPC) in long-term care facilities was usually relegated to the sidelines. If it was focused on at all, IPC often fell squarely on...
Navigating the future of LTC: A tech-driven journey to value-based excellence
By
David L. Morris
Oct 25, 2023
Value-based care (VBC) organizations – and especially Accountable Care Organizations – rely on strategies that shift care from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities to manage costs and still ensure...
“No man is a failure who has friends” — an MDS Merry Christmas
By
Joel VanEaton
Dec 20, 2023
As Christmas and the new year approach, I get nostalgic. I like to think back on good old childhood memories. For me those are the 1970s and ’80s. I remember one Christmas, I was probably 7 years...
In a dark week for nursing homes, courts offer beacon of hope
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 20, 2024
The last week has been an ugly one for nursing homes, at least if you read the consumer press. The courts offered some hope.