So it turns out that getting old isn’t so bad after all. Why? We actually become happier as we age.
Nursing-home evictions raise bigger questions
By
Liza Berger
Aug 11, 2008
Some disturbing news appeared last week in The Wall Street Journal. The highly respected newspaper found that nursing homes are evicting long-term, frail residents—many on Medicaid—to make room for...
Five-star fiasco
By
Liza Berger
Dec 18, 2008
What do nursing homes want for Christmas? Something that they are unlikely to receive: a new five-star rating system. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services presented them with a most unwelcome holiday...
Star rating system: Expedia for nursing homes?
By
Liza Berger
Jun 20, 2008
Yes, you too could be the Four Seasons of nursing homes. As we all know by now, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to create a five-star quality rating system for facilities (see stories...
Card-check and transparency and arbitration acts—Oh my!
By
Liza Berger
Mar 20, 2009
If you’ve been staying on top of long-term care news, you’ve probably noticed that lawmakers have been busy lately. Lots of bills have been introduced in recent days—some drawing praise, others scorn...
Note to states: Don’t take out your problems on Medicaid
By
Liza Berger
Oct 29, 2008
As if it comes as a surprise, things are not looking too good for state Medicaid programs. The July through September statistics from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities tell the story. After adjustment...
New law strives to keep older adults at home
By
Liza Berger
Mar 31, 2010
When you read between the lines of the healthcare reform law, its general intent becomes clear: The law is about increasing home- and community-based services (HCBS), and improving wellness and prevention.
Thanksgiving turkey troubles
By
Liza Berger
Nov 25, 2008
Phew! You can rest easy. Your Thanksgiving dinners should not kill you, or your residents. That, at least, is what the nonprofit American Council on Science and Health says in a press release titled “Holiday...
CLASS Act to survive, even if healthcare reform doesn’t
By
Liza Berger
Jan 21, 2010
Larry Minnix sounded weary but determined. The CLASS Act may become a casualty of healthcare reform, but it is not going away, the head of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging assured...
What’s the secret to longevity? Ask Edna Parker.
By
Liza Berger
Apr 23, 2008
When it comes to growing old, we might want to think our worldview. The reason is Edna Parker, the oldest person in the world. Parker, who turned 115 at the Heritage House Convalescent Center in Indiana...