Climate change and older adults: Lessons from Canada
By
John Muscedere
George Heckman
Sep 13, 2019
You don’t have to look far to see the effects of climate change these days. But those effects are all the more acute for vulnerable seniors, especially those living in nursing homes. The reality is that...
Emergency preparedness: More than an act of paperwork
Jul 31, 2017
My phone rang and the voice said, “We are activating our incident command center.” I asked, “Is this a drill?” The voice in a solid tone replied, “This is not a drill.”
Way too mathematically challenged
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
May 01, 2018
Nursing shortages are nothing new, and they’re going to get worse. So why haven’t we adopted solutions that other countries have already? There ARE ways to get around this.
Calming fears of floods and other catastrophes
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 29, 2017
By now it’s likely that you, your staff, the residents and their families have seen the incredibly disturbing photo of assisted living residents in Dickinson, TX, sitting in waist-high floodwaters....
6 tips for strengthening emergency plans
By
Harsha Anapur
Jan 26, 2015
With another massive New York snowstorm on its way, and as we prepare for unstable weather across the country, long-term care facilities and senior living communities need to ask themselves: What can we...
Natural gas leak near facility highlights the importance of planning
By
Stan Szpytek
Jul 14, 2021
Incidents like the one that is about to be summarized emphasize the importance of hazard analysis as required by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services Emergency Preparedness Rule. Knowing the potential...
Lawmakers must address nursing home workforce crisis to ensure quality care
By
George Linial
Mar 08, 2021
Before COVID-19, Texas nursing homes reported the worst staffing shortages in the nation. Texas projected we will be 60,000 nurses short by 2030, and that demand in nursing homes would double between 2015...
When the fog lifts
By
Gary Tetz
Sep 16, 2021
I fancy myself a brave and intrepid hiker, and a couple weeks ago chose a particularly daunting trail that was rumored to lead to some of the best possible views of Mount Hood, the 11,249-foot peak that...
Nursing homes’ raw deal during COVID-19
By
Bill McGinley
Apr 15, 2020
On their best days nursing homes start out behind the eight ball. Underfunded and understaffed, they care for the most physically needy and vulnerable among us. Generally, they are paid about 70% of the...
Changing lives or just shoveling snow?
Feb 13, 2014
Like any good long-term care provider, I should know that to breathe a sigh of relief after weathering a crisis is to challenge the gods. Remember Brad, the nursing home administrator who left the deposition...