LTC vaccinators opt to briefly halt J&J shots while awaiting FDA guidance
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 14, 2021
Long-term care pharmacies and clinicians have temporarily paused their use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID vaccine following recommendations from health officials. Guidance is needed quickly in order to...
Gaming platform play improves function in residents with severe dementia: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 14, 2021
Nursing home residents with severe dementia had significant cognitive and physical skill improvement after training regularly with fitness software that increased motivation, researchers say.
COVID-19 vaccinations are essentially at a standstill in U.S. nursing homes and assisted living communities due to federal officials’ call today for a pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Clinical briefs for Wednesday, March 24
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 24, 2021
Judge denies Omnicare request to dismiss fraud lawsuit involving resident prescriptions at more than 3,000 senior living communities … Natural COVID infection not ‘durable’ protection compared with...
Staff buy-in key to reducing ED visits with telemedicine, senior living study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 23, 2021
An attempt to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits with telemedicine triage failed when senior living healthcare providers were not on board. The findings contain lessons for for clinicians and...
Makers of newer vaccines tout advantages as trial results and approvals announced
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 01, 2021
Two drugmakers say their vaccines, which include J&J’s one-dose candidate, are effective against new coronavirus variants, while AstraZeneca’s vaccine is now approved for adults across the...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, Dec. 1
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 01, 2020
Moderna requests FDA approval of 94% effective COVID-19 vaccine … Rising death toll from pandemic claims 100,000+ long-term care residents, staff … Clinical tool captures changes in dementia patients’...
Thanksgiving comfort: Phone calls, emails work best to reduce residents’ loneliness, boost spirits
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 24, 2020
According to the Yale School of Public Health, regular phone calls or emails may provide the most solace for people living in long-term care facilities. This includes remote calls, and phone calls while...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, Nov. 17
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 17, 2020
LTC pharmacies lament financial distress, request pandemic relief … 421,000 COVID tests headed to assisted living communities from the federal government … Watch for dangerous atrial fibrillation...
Black patients less likely to seek hospice care than whites, researchers say
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 29, 2020
Black patients seek substantially more intensive medical treatment in the last six months of life than whites, a study shows. The investigators recommend that more healthcare providers are trained to promote...