OIG: Older Medicare recipients often harmed during hospital stays
May 13, 2022
Fully 25% of older American Medicare beneficiaries are at high risk of being harmed during acute care stays, according to the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Dementia toolkit for clinicians underscores urgency of early diagnosis
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 31, 2021
A primary care toolkit for brain health assessment and dementia diagnosis has gotten a much-needed update as more research points to the potential for better outcomes with earlier diagnoses, the authors...
Pandemic bump in antipsychotics use raises questions about long-term care outcomes
By
Danielle Brown
Apr 12, 2022
The findings raise questions about the short- and long-term effects on the quality of care and health outcomes for residents, the authors say.
LTC docs push for more training, competency requirements for medical directors
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 11, 2022
It’s time for Congress and CMS to take action and raise the profile and competencies of industry clinicians — especially medical directors, according to long-term care physician advocate AMDA.
Staff concerns a sign that restraints may be overused, researchers say
By
Alicia Lasek (f3)
Apr 21, 2022
Residents are more likely to be restrained in nursing homes where staff members report inappropriate use of these tools, a new study finds.
Lawmakers push FDA to take swift action on OTC hearing aids
By
Diane Eastabrook
Apr 12, 2022
A bipartisan team has introduced a bill that orders the FDA to stop dragging its feet and issue a final rule making over-the-counter hearing aids available to consumers.
HHS halts Eli Lilly’s single-drug COVID antibody treatment in U.S.; dual-drug alternative remains in...
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 26, 2021
U.S. distribution of an infusion treatment using bamlanivimab only has been halted due to virus variant concerns, but an alternative antibody cocktail from the drugmaker can still be ordered, according...
Study: Seniors recover from fall-inducing vertigo on par with younger adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 04, 2021
Older adults are just as likely to benefit from a specialized treatment that can eliminate problems with intense dizziness, investigators say.
Study: A brace tops medical mask modifications to block respiratory pathogens
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 20, 2021
The addition of an elastic brace or double masking are highly successful methods for improving the performance of face masks against respiratory aerosols, according to a new mask modification study from...
Seniors’ sense of smell weakens, but not their enjoyment of food, researchers find
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 13, 2021
The sense of smell declines with age, but this loss doesn’t happen across the board, a new study shows. The findings may help care providers improve the meals and dining experiences of older adults in...