Paxlovid keeping hospitalizations, deaths low as COVID-19 infections rise, White House official says
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
May 19, 2022
Clinicians are writing 20,000 prescriptions for Paxlovid each day, helping to keep severe outcomes in check, the COVID-19 Response Coordinator said Wednesday.
Early vaccination sped up decline in COVID infections, study in Genesis facilities finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 20, 2021
Nursing homes that administered shots early in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout experienced a lower rate of new infections compared to later-vaccinating sites. The results underscore the efficacy of the drugs...
Untracked COVID: Nursing home workers have died at twice the rate of hospital workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 09, 2021
Nursing home care providers have the sad distinction of accounting for a large proportion of healthcare workers’ COVID deaths, according to new 2020 data that was not tracked by the U.S. government....
Need for liver transplants soaring among older Americans
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 19, 2021
The number of older Americans needing liver transplants has skyrocketed, with some of the increase due to rising cases of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a fatty liver disease that can cause liver...
Long-term care facility docs vs. aides: CDC study finds wide vaccination gulf
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 03, 2021
There is a 30% difference in COVID-19 vaccination coverage between LTC physicians and facility aides, CDC reports. And rates among aides are lowest in zip codes where vulnerability to poor health outcomes...
F-tags study reveals common misuses of psychotropic drugs in LTC
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
May 13, 2022
A study of deficiency-of-care citations in nursing homes offers lessons on reducing over-reliance on psychotropics in residents with dementia, investigators say.
The impact of chronic disease and the inequitable burden of COVID-19 must be addressed as the U.S. moves into a new pandemic phase, two experts contend.
Newly identified ‘auto-antibody’ mechanism may play key role in seniors’ COVID deaths
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 23, 2021
The finding may explain why some people — and notably older adults — suffer more severe COVID-19 illness than others. The discovery has implications for treatment timing and vaccination, investigators...
‘Pragmatic’ heart failure rehab benefits frail seniors, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
May 27, 2021
Physical dysfunction problems often are overlooked in the care of older, frail patients with acute heart failure. But these patients find greater functional and quality of life benefits from early, transitional,...
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.