And now, some important reminders from a 94-year-old
By
John O'Connor
Jan 24, 2014
Conventional wisdom can be a reassuring thing. Especially when it reinforces our suspicions. But it has a fatal flaw: Sometimes it can be flat-out wrong. Consider 94-year-old Olga Kotelko.
Pssst, here’s how the LTC lobby can eliminate the 3-day rule — and gain other Congressional perks
By
John O'Connor
Apr 19, 2013
You might not be old enough to remember the “Schoolhouse Rock” videos that aired between cartoons on Saturday mornings during the 1970s. One of my favorites was “I’m Just a Bill.”...
Are you ready to flip the bird?
By
John O'Connor
Jul 19, 2021
It’s probably time for many providers to start to forego familiar habits to realize their full potential.
A no-brainer plan for Medicare and Medicaid
By
John O'Connor
Dec 11, 2017
But for those of you who think outrageous political trickery is dead, please let me point you in the direction of Capitol Hill. For we appear to be in the midst of one of the better con jobs to come along...
In some ways, assisted living is not so different
By
John O'Connor
May 14, 2012
Clearly, the assisted living field has made some amazing strides in the past few decades.
Why long-term care is sending out mixed signals
By
John O'Connor
Mar 08, 2021
Is long-term care a rock-solid enterprise dealing with a temporary setback it didn’t cause? Or is the field just months away from an all-but-certain collapse? Both? Neither?
Odds don’t favor another round of Obamacare
By
John O'Connor
Apr 23, 2012
The Supreme Court may be two months away from announcing whether President Barack Obama’s health care law is legal. But court watchers are already speculating on what will happen if the measure is...
When it comes to fixing long-term care, it’s time to start thinking outside the tank
By
John O'Connor
Apr 18, 2014
I was reminded of a cinema classic when I heard another think tank is being put together to consider improvements for our nation’s long-term care system.
What’s more frightening than the nursing shortage? What’s driving it
By
John O'Connor
Jun 12, 2015
To better appreciate this sector’s alarming nurse-staffing nightmare, it’s helpful to recall the warden’s famous line in Cool Hand Luke: “What we’ve got here is failure to...
Our elected officials: patriots or lackeys?
By
John O'Connor
Mar 26, 2012
It’s becoming increasingly obvious that our elected leaders need to quit playing political chicken. Otherwise, there are going to be some bleak days ahead for We the People.