In breakthrough, feds OK nursing home visits, group dining and activities; update infection control guidance
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 28, 2021
After nearly a year in lockdown, nursing home residents can participate in indoor visitation, communal dining and group activities — with exceptions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced...
CDC: COVID vaccines safe during pregnancy, allaying a top concern of nursing home workers
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 28, 2021
Pregnancy concerns are cited as one of the top reasons for vaccine hesitancy among long-term care workers, but there were no obvious signs of third trimester adverse events among pregnant women who received...
FDA says it’s time to move away from mask reuse
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 13, 2021
Healthcare facilities should move away from decontaminating and reusing disposable masks now that U.S. respirator supply has recovered, the agency says.
Town hall meetings reveal vaccine misinformation ‘widespread’ among SNF staff
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 29, 2021
“Outspoken” staff members from 50 skilled nursing facilities shared their vaccine concerns with investigators in a series of meetings this winter. The speed of vaccine development and infertility-...
Q&A: Are you listening? A veteran provider on fostering engagement with Black and brown staff, residents
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 26, 2021
The pandemic has trained a spotlight on numerous healthcare disparities faced by Black and brown long-term care residents. Monica Payne, a veteran clinical manager for Omnicare, says that reflecting on...
Physicians warn of delayed skin reactions to COVID vaccine
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 08, 2021
Clinicians should be aware of injection-site reactions that may occur about a week after receiving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and which may be confused with skin infection, say physicians from Massachusetts...
Surgery may accelerate Alzheimer’s in at-risk patients, scientists contend
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 22, 2021
Memory test scores were significantly worse nine months after surgery in study participants who had markers of Alzheimer’s brain plaques, but no sign of dementia before surgery.
Change in resident’s mental status doesn’t always equal infection, new guidance cautions
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2020
The authors provide a framework for infection workups when residents present with a non-specific sign or symptom. The revised guidance also reviews the latest evidence on how best to evaluate non-localized...
Pharmacies to long-term care: Get in front of COVID-19 vaccination questions
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 07, 2020
With vaccine approval anticipated shortly, the best communicators will have the smoothest Phase 1 vaccination process, say Omnicare and PharMerica. Community pharmacies have recommendations as well.
MedDiet cuts diabetes risk by a third in 25-year Women’s Health Study
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 23, 2020
The Mediterranean diet reduces diabetes risk by 30% in women who are considered clinically overweight or obese, a new analysis of long-term data finds.