Face masks an anxiety-provoking obstacle for many with hearing loss, survey finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 03, 2021
Fully 95% of people living with hearing loss in the United States say that masks and face-coverings are creating communication barriers, and more than half say they are experiencing anxiety and isolation...
Occupation not the biggest risk factor for COVID infection in healthcare workers, new study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 02, 2021
Race and community transmission outweigh occupation as risk factors for contracting COVID-19, with the risk to Black healthcare workers nearly double that of their white peers, researchers say.
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, Feb. 2
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 02, 2021
Results from new surveys may arm operators against vaccine hesitancy … Older adults without family or friends lag in race to get vaccines … Study supports healthy lifestyle approach to preventing Alzheimer’s...
Nurses union to FDA: Mask decontamination never should have been OK’d
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 29, 2021
The reuse of N95 respirators and other single-use PPE is unsafe, according to the lead hygienist of National Nurses United. The union is heartened by President Joe Biden’s promise to use the Defense...
Older adults’ mental health is resilient during pandemic, new study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 14, 2021
Older adults say that they are no worse off on some indicators of loneliness and overall mental health than they were five years ago, though general happiness has declined. Technology has been a coping...
Falls and chronic conditions beget more falls, Medicare survey data show
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 12, 2021
Older people who report at least one fall are twice as likely to have another fall in the same year, and chronic conditions raise the risk even higher, a new review shows.
Spectrum aims to cut resident falls by 20 percent with balance technology program
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 12, 2021
Residents at all 48 Spectrum Retirement Communities will have access to the Zibrio SmartScale, which measures physical balance and calculates falls risk.
Clinical briefs for Monday, Jan. 11
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 11, 2021
ASHA urges governors to advocate for independent living residents in vaccine plans … HHS renews public health emergency due to COVID-19 … CDC: Consider confirming COVID-19 status with a PCR test in...
Vaccination pace to speed up in long-term care; focus is now on uptake, advocate says
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 07, 2021
Encouraging uptake among staff and residents should be LTC administrators’ goal as the vaccination program ramps up, according to the AHCA / NCAL.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, Jan. 7
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 07, 2021
Certain antipsychotics linked to poorer cognition and function in Alzheimer’s study … CMS details 5 new scenarios that trigger infection control-focused surveys … Global investigation to explore...