Less white, denser employee communities linked to higher number of nursing home COVID-19 deaths, Harvard...
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 22, 2020
A new Harvard analysis makes the connection between employee neighborhoods and the likelihood of COVID-19 outbreaks within those employees’ facilities.
Dementia mortality skyrockets since lockdowns; CMS loosens visitor restrictions
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 18, 2020
An excessive number of deaths due to dementia have occurred since shelter-in-place orders went into effect this spring, a new analysis finds. Meanwhile, CMS has proposed a framework for nursing homes...
Laundry practices often overlooked in infection control, accreditor says
By
Alicia Lasek
Sep 09, 2020
Laundry practices deserve a bigger role in COVID-19 prevention strategies for nursing homes and senior living communities, experts warn.
Minimizing the impact of touch starvation in long-term care residents
By
Jennifer Birdsall
Sep 09, 2020
What is touch starvation? Also known as “touch deprivation,” “skin hunger” or “hug deprivation,” touch starvation is what occurs when a person’s exposure to physical contact has been significantly...
Vitamin D deficiency may nearly double coronavirus risk, study finds
By
Kimberly Marselas
Sep 08, 2020
Researchers determined that the relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 was 1.77 times greater for patients with a deficiency of the vitamin compared with those who had a sufficient supply.
Lab’s COVID testing errors ‘sowed fear,’ cost operators tens of thousands of dollars
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 08, 2020
Some nursing home operators were forced to spend tens of thousands of dollars and face staffing shortages following testing errors by a Massachusetts laboratory.
CMS issues additional FAQs on Provider Relief Fund for Medicare providers
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 31, 2020
Providers should not offset their expenses on the Medicare Cost Report based on the relief fund payments they’ve received. That’s according to a newly released document from the Centers for Medicare...
County COVID-19 rates will dictate staff testing frequency, new CMS guidance says
By
Liza Berger
Aug 27, 2020
Routine testing of staff now will be based on the level of COVID-19 activity in the community. That’s according to official new guidance released Wednesday in response to federal regulatory changes disclosed...
Short-term solutions won’t help nursing homes, LTSS system, expert warns
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 24, 2020
Financial relief from the government and liability protections from coronavirus-related lawsuits won’t be enough to fix long standing flaws in the long-term services and supports system, a leading expert...
Diary of a new hire
By
Nancy Anderson, RN, MA
Aug 18, 2020
While employee retention is always a top priority, operating in a pandemic intensifies the urgency to hire and maintain competent, committed staff. Since the first three months of employment are particularly...