Quit treating pandemic’s toll on nursing homes like a ‘bad apples’ problem, expert...
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 14, 2020
It’s time for the federal government to “own” the problem of containing COVID-19 by paying for and arranging testing across nursing facilities, long-term care policy expert David Grabowski...
Support needed to improve health outcomes in nursing homes that serve Black residents, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
May 06, 2021
A new study in more than 11,000 nursing homes has shown that facilities with Black residents have higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death. The results suggest that the disparities are rooted in structures...
Assisted living residents with dementia had higher all-cause mortality during pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 10, 2022
Assisted living residents with dementia were more likely to die from any cause in the early months of the pandemic than AL residents without dementia, a new study has found.
Nursing home COVID cases rise four-fold in surge states, resident deaths double, data shows
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2020
The rising weekly case count includes residents and staff in 20 states. Meanwhile, about one in six nursing homes did not report testing staff members in the prior week.
Palliative care study highlights importance of psychosocial support for LTC workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 30, 2023
Even the most confident of long-term care staff, sure of their knowledge and skills, reported “notable difficulties” providing palliative and end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic, finds a...
Geriatrician survey: Swift telehealth adoption was ‘instrumental’ to pandemic patient care
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 18, 2022
Responses by Genesis HealthCare physicians offer insight into the dramatic shift in care delivery that took place as COVID-19 raged in 2020.
CMS: End to pandemic waivers helps nursing homes ‘redirect efforts’ to meet residents’ needs
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 08, 2022
A sweeping phase-out of early COVID-19 pandemic allowances, such as the nurse aide certification waiver, addresses concerns about SNF residents’ physical, mental and psychosocial well-being, the agency...
Pandemic paves way for mobile dentistry, teledentistry in long-term care, experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 12, 2021
Mobile dentistry for people with dementia, teledentistry, and vaccines by dentist are some of the opportunities that have arisen from disruptions to residents’ oral healthcare during the pandemic, according...
CMS to begin audits for schizophrenia coding, says citations will affect quality ratings
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 19, 2023
The agency will start auditing nursing homes this month to determine whether residents’ schizophrenia diagnoses are accurate and appropriately coded. A pattern of inaccurate coding may result in a quality...
PPE, staff shortages unchanged: CMS data show 1 in 5 facilities ‘severely’ affected
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 24, 2020
There were notable clusters of equipment shortfalls in certain states. A quarter of U.S. counties had at least 44% of nursing homes reporting low staffing levels.