Anthony Back, M.D., and Terry Fulmer, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Jun 08, 2018
For many patients and their families, the notion of choosing to stop life-prolonging treatment is unthinkable. Disagreements over when to “give up” can tear families apart, precisely at a time...
Advanced liver disease and hepatic encephalopathy in the elderly
By
Fred Poordad, M.D.
Nov 02, 2012
Recent news coverage pointed the spotlight on hepatitis C and the baby boomer population, but the elderly population also is particularly susceptible to liver disease, and its care often falls into the...
Lawsuit threat for government-run facilities sails again
By
Brendan Williams
Jun 15, 2023
In 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, denied Medicaid providers the right to sue over the adequacy of Medicaid payment rates. It was a 5-4 decision...
Nobody won yet
By
Donna Stuart
Aug 25, 2021
King Kong and Godzilla faced off above the city skyline. With his teeth, Godzilla rips a hunk from the skyscraper, flinging it in Kong’s direction. Kong bats it away, sending it spinning down onto...
Selling fear: Are you buying?
By
Steven Littlehale
Oct 17, 2016
Fearmongering has certainly played a major role in the 2016 presidential race, but you might not realize it’s also become more and more common in our own industry as well.
Short cycle dispense: A case study in implementation
By
Jonathan Shaatal, R.PH., MS, and Carol Sirianni, R.PH.,
Aug 02, 2012
A new rule from CMS promises to have a tremendous impact on how long-term care pharmacy (LTCP) providers serving skilled nursing facilities will operate their businesses and serve facility residents. A...
Falling by the wayside
By
Steven Levenson
Oct 24, 2023
This month’s column invokes several previous columns, one about medications and the other about knowing if we know what we don’t know. A recent medical journal article concluded that falls in...
CNA workforce at a breaking point
By
Lori Porter
Jan 29, 2021
COVID-19 is now responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 residents and staff in the 15,000 nursing homes in this country. I’ve been in this field 40 years —as a certified nursing assistant,...
The punitive fist versus the hand of support
By
Buffy Lloyd-Krejci, DrPH, CIC
May 03, 2023
In the late 2010s, the long-term care industry began to take action that would reflect the growing importance of incorporating robust infection prevention practices. Facilities were required to develop...
Music and the mind: Using an iPod to treat Alzheimer’s
By
Concetta M. Tomaino
Dec 23, 2009
The popular music device known as the iPod is a great way to help trigger memories and improve functioning in people with Alzheimer’s disease.