There’s an informal nickname that describes the many acronyms being used in healthcare these days: alphabet soup. We may have just experienced an Olympic record for it.
Chew on this: Obesity rates a challenge
By
John O'Connor
Jul 29, 2013
For any way you slice it, too many of us are lugging around excessive weight. And the problem is only getting worse. In 1962, the nation’s obesity rate was 13%. It now stands at 35.7%, according...
The naked truth about aging is quite an eye opener
By
John O'Connor
Jul 26, 2013
The great South African golfer Gary Player has found an interesting way to gain additional media “exposure.” The septuagenarian was recently seen gracing the cover of ESPN The Magazine. And...
Are you taking care of residents or conditions?
By
John O'Connor
Jun 17, 2013
Mr. Fogel quietly passed away last week at a Chicago-area nursing home. Most of the staff didn’t know he was in the building. Among the few who did, he was a resident with heart problems. What a...
When it comes to free Medicaid dollars, some governors in a state of denial
By
John O'Connor
Jun 10, 2013
Under a newly expanded Medicaid program option, states stand to reap billions of dollars in what amounts to free money. Much of this could go toward better resident care. But some governors can’t...
Senior living operators can choose happiness — which really annoys some economists
By
John O'Connor
May 17, 2013
In recent times, federal deficit spending has only gotten worse. But now that it appears there are some bright spots, it’s a bad thing? Depends on whom you talk to.
This unfavorable worker’s comp ruling is a real Croc
By
John O'Connor
May 13, 2013
We’re hearing a lot lately about mandatory drug testing in the workplace. It appears that the Tennessee Supreme Court might be a good place to put such a requirement in place. The state’s highest...
Pssst, here’s how the LTC lobby can eliminate the 3-day rule — and gain other Congressional perks
By
John O'Connor
Apr 19, 2013
You might not be old enough to remember the “Schoolhouse Rock” videos that aired between cartoons on Saturday mornings during the 1970s. One of my favorites was “I’m Just a Bill.”...
Getting lost in the fog
By
John O'Connor
Apr 01, 2013
I was hoping to get clear answers about the sector’s future at the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry’s regional meeting last month in San Diego. I did, but...
It’s easy to forget how quickly things have improved for LTC
By
John O'Connor
Apr 01, 2013
This publication and this sector were facing some very troubled times in 1990. That’s when I joined McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. The experts have a technical term for where the field and...