I have enjoyed a life largely free of the misfortune that time and circumstance can bring. All things considered, it’s been a pretty good ride so far. But even the most fortunate among us does not...
Workers want better support after mistakes, survey finds
By
John O'Connor
Dec 01, 2014
Mistakes at nursing homes are more likely to trigger blame than a corrective response, many frontline workers asserted in a comprehensive survey.
Life, death and other tough choices for nursing homes
By
John O'Connor
Nov 21, 2014
As Mom used to say, where you stand usually depends on where you sit. That adage seems especially relevant for handling the wishes of residents diagnosed with terminal conditions.
Replace the Five Star Quality Ratings system with points?
By
John O'Connor
Nov 17, 2014
There’s a need to fix what’s broken with the Five Star nursing homes-ratings system, and the way to do it is obvious.
Providers likely to gain from immigration policy changes
By
John O'Connor
Nov 14, 2014
President Obama will be unveiling a multi-pronged plan to overhaul the nation’s immigration policy, possibly later today. Its most controversial component — a reprieve for the millions who face...
Falls can cost more than an arm and a leg
By
John O'Connor
Oct 31, 2014
Long-term care operators have many good reasons to keep resident falls to an absolute minimum. Yet it’s amazing how blasé we’ve become about the damage that falls inflict.
Guess who’s asking whether to discontinue skilled care?
By
John O'Connor
Oct 24, 2014
The audience member had a question that in previous years would have been found at the corner of Blasphemy and Crazytalk. She wanted to know whether it would be advisable to drop skilled care from her...
In long-term care, success can be bad for business
By
John O'Connor
Oct 20, 2014
To get an idea of why different fiscal rules seem to apply to the long-term care sector, look no further than Netflix.
For long-term operators, a growing list of ‘frenemies’
By
John O'Connor
Oct 06, 2014
Most of us are all too aware of our professional friends and enemies. But not so much when it comes to our “frenemies.” Given the many changes taking place in healthcare today, the frenemy...
Lawmakers demand answers about rating system quirks
By
John O'Connor
Oct 01, 2014
After The New York Times noted that providers are apparently gaming the Five Star rating system by enhancing staffing and quality data, federal lawmakers quickly put an indignant pen to paper.