500 ‘worst’ nursing homes would get more scrutiny, resources under reintroduced Senate bill
By
James M. Berklan
Mar 18, 2021
A pair of senators who commissioned a damning report on the worst performing U.S. nursing homes in 2019 reintroduced follow-up legislation Monday that would bring more scrutiny — and assistance — to...
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.
Providers set to receive $9 billion in long-awaited Provider Relief payments, but more help is critical
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 15, 2021
The Department of Health and Human Services is finally releasing a portion of the additional $25.5 billion in COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments to healthcare providers, the agency announced...
Use of religious vaccination exemptions could grow after judge blocks mandate
By
Danielle Brown
Sep 16, 2021
New York long-term care providers cannot deny religious exemptions from the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate after a federal judge issued a temporary straining order blocking the rule for lacking...
Nurse aides group: We’ll discuss vax mandates if working conditions improve
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 13, 2021
A national group representing certified nursing assistants said it’s urging CNAs to get vaccinated, but “more must be done” by providers to address those workers’ concerns about shots and overall...
With COVID, what’s on the surface matters deeply
By
Shula Jaron
Dec 07, 2020
More than 45% of all domestic COVID-19 fatalities have taken place in long-term care settings, and the response to outbreaks has been complicated by a lack of personal protective equipment and sufficient...
Activities professionals ramp up virtual offerings in response to COVID-19
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 25, 2020
As visitor restrictions approached their third week, activity-oriented companies and professionals continued ramping up virtual resources for senior care providers — sometimes for free. In recognition...
Supreme Court denies religious challenge to NY vaccine mandate
By
James M. Berklan
Dec 14, 2021
The U.S. Supreme Court has said that New York can proceed with its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for nursing home employees and other healthcare workers even though it does not grant religious exemptions.
FDA OKs third antibody COVID therapy; variants spur new pause on another
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 01, 2021
A new COVID-19 treatment made by GlaxoSmithKline now is the third monoclonal antibody therapy federally authorized to help prevent severe disease outcomes in high-risk patients. But gene variants are interfering...
‘Absolutely unconscionable’: Just 14% of distributed vaccine doses have been administered in long-term...
By
Danielle Brown
Jan 05, 2021
New figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that less than 15% of COVID-19 vaccine doses distributed to long-term care facilities through the federal program have actually been...