Feds uncover coronavirus’s heavy toll on assisted living
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 20, 2020
As of Oct. 15, 22% of assisted living communities in 39 states reported cases of COVID-19 among residents and staff members. Rates ranged widely, from 1.3% of communities in Iowa to 93% of Connecticut...
Caution urged for use of azithromycin as COVID treatment
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 17, 2020
When taken together with commonly prescribed drugs that affect the heart’s electrical impulses, azithromycin is linked with a 40% increase in cardiac events. These include fainting, heart palpitations...
Hearing loss group applauds feds for adaptive mask guidelines
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 15, 2020
The CDC’s updated guidelines “allow for modifications that can improve communication success for everyone,” says the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Coronavirus vaccines safeguard people with obesity, but less so in the underweight: study
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Jul 05, 2022
Underweight people may have less vaccine-derived immunity due to frailty or immunosuppression, investigators theorize.
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...
COVID-19-caused kidney injuries heighten demand for dialysis
By
Alicia Lasek
May 17, 2020
About 15% of patients hospitalized for coronavirus develop acute kidney injury. One SNF dialysis provider has seen a 114% increase in demand for its services.
AMDA’s new COVID vaccine PowerPoint can help answer resident, staff concerns
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 09, 2020
A toolkit created by industry clinicians aims to help long-term care operators address questions about getting vaccinated. A PowerPoint presentation is available to share with staff and residents.
As COVID-19 cases rise, West Virginia to measure antibody levels of vaccinated nursing home residents
By
Caroline Szachnowski
Aug 02, 2021
Last winter, West Virginia worked to ensure those in nursing homes received the COVID-19 vaccines. However, with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations increasing once again, state officials now are questioning...
African Americans more likely to be discharged to a skilled care facility after knee replacement
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 31, 2019
African American patients are up to five times more likely than white patients to be discharged to an SNF after knee replacement, rather than to their home.
Functional impairment from COVID-19 may persist long after ICU discharge, studies suggest
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 21, 2021
Certain physical and mental health problems persist for years in some hospitalized survivors of acute respiratory diseases, suggesting that disability may be permanent for some severely ill COVID-19 patients...