The country line dance of pain management: One step forward, two steps back
By
Steven Littlehale
Mar 05, 2021
“Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is.” “We just hope that you don’t say it. Oh, and we’ll likely not hear you anyway.” We credit Mary Margo McCaffery, MS, RN-BC, FAAN, a pioneer...
OIG: Older Medicare recipients often harmed during hospital stays
May 13, 2022
Fully 25% of older American Medicare beneficiaries are at high risk of being harmed during acute care stays, according to the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
Speciality care use falls after nursing home admission: report
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 30, 2023
Visits drop steeply across multiple specialties after a nursing home admission, investigators say. For those with severe mental illness, visits fell by a whopping 67%.
Pfizer, BioNTech to pursue 2nd booster shot authorization for older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 16, 2022
A second booster — or fourth dose — will be necessary to improve the vaccine’s waning protection in the face of omicron, Pfizer’s CEO has stated. Whether the FDA will find the evidence compelling...
Knowledge of staff care patterns may help curb spread of drug-resistant bugs in LTC: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 05, 2023
Researchers observed care interactions across 25 nursing homes in seven states. Results suggest that these patterns are a key factor in identifying targets for infection prevention and control.
CNAs reduce stress, improve skills with self-compassion training in nursing home study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 14, 2021
Certified nursing assistants improved stress management and found greater compassion toward themselves and residents after participating in courses aimed at healthcare workers, a new study finds.
Docs propose new palliative care framework for neuro diseases
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 23, 2023
Current palliative care models do not offer patients with advanced neurological illness the support they need to reduce suffering, physician experts contend.
Portable air purifiers improve cardiovascular health in COPD, researchers find
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 06, 2022
Participants who used air purifiers with active HEPA and carbon filters had improved markers of heart health. This included a 25% increase in heart rate variability, investigators say.
This season’s flu vaccinations linked to lower COVID-19 likelihood, severity
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 24, 2021
People who received a flu vaccination were 24% less likely to test positive for COVID-19. And those who did contract the disease had a less severe course when compared with people who didn’t get a flu...
Nearby ED means more avoidable visits from AL residents, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 12, 2023
The closer the nearest hospital, the higher the number of potentially avoidable emergency department visits among assisted living residents, researchers have found. A nearby ED may limit motivation to...