As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, long-term care facilities must keep the ill and elderly safe even as their resources are stretched and staff turnover increases. With each new hire, there is a chance...
The what, why and how of “real” telehealth
By
Paul Knight
Nov 05, 2020
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Medicare 1135 waiver immediately expanded the use of telehealth and bypassed HIPAA requirements, allowing essentially any video chat application to be used...
To reduce hospital readmissions, consider the power of voice technology
By
Bruce Baron
Nov 03, 2020
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital readmission for older adults had become a $20 billion annual expense for Medicare. An important study by the University of Texas Division of Rehabilitation Sciences...
It’s time to be #HolidayStrong
By
Charles de Vilmorin
Oct 29, 2020
The leaves have started to change, and each passing day brings us closer to the holiday season. Every year, we eagerly anticipate this time as an opportunity to be physically close to family and friends,...
Keys to managing point-of-care testing compliance
By
Brian Williams
Oct 27, 2020
In an effort to combat the spread of the virus and to help nursing homes protect the health and safety of their residents, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is distributing SARS-CoV-2 antigen...
Prepare now for upcoming COVID testing, reporting rules and new penalties
By
Amy Wilmot Schrader
Stefanie J. Doyle
Oct 22, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ wide-ranging rule bolstering its regulatory authority to address issues relating to the COVID-19 public health emergency contains two notable directives...
Words Matter: Changing the way we talk about people living with dementia
By
Mimi DeVinney
Oct 19, 2020
Language is important. Whether we realize it or not, the way we speak about people reflects our beliefs about them and ultimately affects how we treat them. Whether we are aiming for a community-wide...
Electrostatic sprayers hit the spot for surface disinfection in long-term care
By
Katherine Velez, PhD
Oct 15, 2020
Using established technologies in innovative ways can help long-term care facilities navigate the “new normal” of clean needed to meet pandemic and post-pandemic standards. Electrostatic sprayers can...
Another big risk that senior care must tackle: A pandemic of despair among residents
By
Gigi Acevedo-Parker
Oct 08, 2020
The elderly of our society were among our most vulnerable even before the COVID-19 pandemic, but those living in senior care settings might be most at risk. It’s not just the heightened risk of contagion...
Measuring resident engagement with the Resident Engagement Index Score (REIS) assessment tool
By
Jenn Taylor
Charles de Vilmorin
Sep 29, 2020
The pursuit of purpose is a basic human right. Older adults in senior living and long-term care communities deserve to experience meaningful engagement every day. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded...