Kindred bid shows that not all the fishing will be taking place upstream
By
John O'Connor
May 19, 2014
Some might wonder why a skilled care giant like Kindred Healthcare would launch a $533 million hostile takeover bid of home-health provider Gentiva. The real question should be why such efforts haven’t...
The triple threat of mind, body and spirit
By
Michael McCann, MS
May 16, 2014
Many communities turn to gardening for residents as a summer activity. But a family BBQ, outdoor movie night or summer concert also can be a fantastic way to expand activities during the warmer months.
The very anxious resident: A team approach
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 15, 2014
I’ve developed a set of suggestions for working with “challenging,” anxious residents, who can disrupt everyone around them. If caregivers don’t have sound strategies like these,...
Close the infection loop to reduce outbreak risk
May 12, 2014
The readmission scores of nursing homes will be posted to the Nursing Home Compare website beginning in 2017, and the VBP program will begin Oct. 1, 2018. For the first time, facilities will not just face...
A tribute to a life well-lived
By
Jack York
May 07, 2014
I climbed onto a plane, my 8th flight in the last 9 days, huddled over my laptop getting ready to punch out a few hundred words about how technology can positively impact the lives of veterans living in...
Guided by our North Star: Re-starting a company
By
Jack R. Callison, Jr.
Apr 30, 2014
Last year, our company experienced a major transition that allowed us the opportunity to recalibrate. As Assisted Living Concepts, a 32-year pioneer in the assisted living industry, we embraced this opportunity...
Palliative possibilities: Therein lies the rub
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Apr 22, 2014
When a patient is referred to therapy, and they are receiving hospice care, then therapy needs to seek permission from the hospice company to provide any treatment. Hospice is required to reimburse the...
Is ‘person-centered care coordinator’ the next must-have staff member?
By
Tim Mullaney
Apr 22, 2014
Long-term care operators take note: You soon could fail residents, anger family members, increase survey deficiencies, drop Nursing Home Compare stars and lose money unless you hire a Coordinator of Coordinators.
Ready, set … Just kidding! (ICD-10 adventures continue)
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Apr 08, 2014
Is that how everyone is feeling about the ICD-10 delays? Well, that’s how I’m feeling. We almost got within the six-month window for implementation. Just when we were all geared up and ready...
Diagnosing cash flow problems in a SNF
By
Marco Terry
Apr 07, 2014
Nursing homes operate in a difficult environment where they face constant financial pressures. On the revenues side are payers who are always trying to negotiate lower prices and slower payments. On the...