Dementia increases risk for hospital readmission by 20%
By
John O'Connor
Jun 01, 2014
Seniors are more likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge if they have dementia, and the risk increases if they are taking an antipsychotic medication, according to recently published research.
No way to fix staffing
By
John O'Connor
Jan 01, 2014
It’s no secret that our nation’s long-term care facilities need additional caregivers. More than 43,000 direct care staff positions remain unfilled, according to figures from the American Health...
The real labor problem
By
John O'Connor
May 01, 2013
Long-term care operators are understandably giddy about the sudden prospect of immigration reform. Such a change holds the promise of a larger labor pool at a time of rampant worker shortages. Add in the...
New policy triggers rehab mode change
By
John O'Connor
Mar 01, 2012
Individual therapy services are seeing a huge spike across skilled care settings, according to a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services report. The shift seems to reveal how a change in payment rules...
This year I promise to…
By
John O'Connor
Jan 03, 2011
It’s very possible that as you are reading this, you have already abandoned those sincere New Year’s promises you made to yourself as 2011 was ringing in. If so, you’re hardly alone.
The BIG Picture: a sense of entitlement
By
John O'Connor
Apr 01, 2010
We’re so accustomed to deficit spending, the mounting numbers have essentially lost most of their shock value.
Care improving in key areas, report asserts
By
John O'Connor
Nov 01, 2009
Nursing home quality improvement efforts have largely succeeded in recent years, according to a report that was jointly released by the American Health Care Association and the Alliance for Quality Nursing...
Each year’s a new start
By
John O'Connor
Jan 01, 2009
We can find many reasons to rejoice in a new year’s arrival.
Teaching old dogs new tricks
By
John O'Connor
Sep 01, 2008
I have to admit that my first visit to a nursing home was less than inspiring…
An idea whose time has (finally) come
By
John O'Connor
Sep 01, 2008
Like many revolutions, long-term care’s recent embrace of technology-based brain fitness tools began quietly. Then it exploded.