Medicare Advantage retaining sicker patients with more complex health needs: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 29, 2023
After years of criticism for cherry-picking healthier people for enrollment, Medicare Advantage is now holding onto more patients with chronic conditions, investigators say.
Singing rehab supports speech recovery, caregiver well-being after stroke: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 04, 2023
Singing-based group rehabilitation not only supports communication and speech production in stroke survivors with aphasia, but benefits caregivers as well, investigators say.
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.
SNF residents could go to front of a booster shot line, but clinic approach needs to change, expert says
By
Danielle Brown
Alicia Lasek
Aug 09, 2021
COVID-19 booster shots are being fast-tracked for approval by federal health officials, and residents in nursing homes could be among the first to receive them.
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...
CDC advisers: Long-term care workers, residents should receive first COVID-19 vaccinations
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 02, 2020
An influential committee on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to recommend that healthcare personnel and residents in long-term care should be the very first recipients of COVID-19 vaccinations. The vote reflects...
Feds mull shortened COVID-19 quarantine period
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 30, 2020
There is “a preponderance of evidence” that a shorter quarantine period, complemented by a COVID-19 test, could effectively prevent transmission of the disease, according to Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant...
Classic COVID-19 symptoms not always apparent in elderly residents
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 01, 2020
Fever may be blunted or absent entirely, and respiratory symptoms may also be masked or exacerbated by co-occurring disease.
Show us the data: COVID vaccine boosters may get go-ahead, but LTC docs remain wary
By
Alicia Lasek
Danielle Brown
Aug 09, 2021
Booster shots for the most vulnerable appear to be on a fast track to federal authorization. But clinicians want information about necessity, safety, dosing and more to justify prescribing an extra dose...
Despite outsider-driven COVID outbreaks, providers face continued demand for risky visits
By
Kimberly Marselas
Alicia Lasek
Jan 07, 2022
Multiple providers have said that they are irritated that attempts to strengthen infection control measures are sometimes being undermined by facility visitors. “Nursing homes must be allowed to...