We sometimes use high-minded phrases to describe our work and our hopes for our patients. But have we lost our connection to important words? Do they still hold meaning they once did, and if so, how strongly?
Do your residents have a ‘sexy style’?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 29, 2014
I recently read an article entitled, “J.Lo’s sense of sexy style.” It really made me think about the nursing home resident’s role with this type of thinking.
Dehydration: Therapy should help fight it
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 15, 2014
The elderly are very vulnerable to dehydration and more than just the nursing staff have to be concerned about it. Not keeping an eye on appropriate hydration can cause a variety of serious problems.
The perfect picnic takes planning — please
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 01, 2014
Happy Independence Day! This is such a pivotal period in everyone’s summer plans, and what a great time for weddings, family reunions and/or the perfect simple picnic. That goes for our frail seniors,...
Tai chi: a trend worth pursuing?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 19, 2014
I was recently watching one of the news channels and they talked about a study that was conducted that showed that men who performed tai chi exercises lived longer. While I’m not a male, sign me...
Pay for performance, medical necessity and Jimmo
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 04, 2014
Why would anyone mention value-based reimbursement, medical necessity and the Jimmo lawsuit in the same sentence? I feel they are all related, but it will be difficult to find the perfect balancing act...
Are standardized assessment tools our future?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
May 20, 2014
With therapy documentation being put under the microscope more than ever, you would be wise to make sure standardized assessment tools are at your fingertips. Unbiased views of data and outcomes information...
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...
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...
The power of words
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Mar 25, 2014
“The pen is mightier than the sword” is an age-old adage that implies that the power of communication — in this case, written communication — is more powerful than a physical weapon. Do...