A long-term care success story you have to wonder about
By
James M. Berklan
Jun 18, 2021
I had known Joe for a couple of years before visiting him at home. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances that caused it, but they planted the first seeds for my infatuation with an often unappreciated...
Proposed rule and quality: What your rehab team should know
By
Renee Kinder
Jun 17, 2021
The future of quality-driven care is coming. Is your therapy team ready? Reviews of the FY 2022 SNF PPS Proposed Rule often highlight key areas related to data trending, lack of budget neutrality and forthcoming...
How ‘taking a pause’ may actually improve the staffing shortage crisis
By
Deanna Vigliotta
Jun 17, 2021
“We’re hiring.” “If you know of any certified nursing assistants, we are hiring.” “We too are desperately seeking caregivers.” “We are actually all set with caregivers.” “Huh? What?” ...
An effective approach to addressing sexual harassment
By
David Barmak Esq., and Betty Frandsen, MHA, NHA, RN
Jun 16, 2021
In 1986, the Supreme Court held that workplace harassment constitutes sex discrimination and is unlawful under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 1991, the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Clarence...
When CMS gives you a gift, pay it forward
By
Kimberly Marselas
Jun 16, 2021
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services presented some 2,500 nursing homes with quite a gift: an additional seven days to avoid a fine for missing a new vaccination reporting deadline....
A silver lining to vaccine hesitancy
By
Gary Tetz
Jun 10, 2021
One of many puzzling memories from my childhood is witnessing my father’s failed attempt late one dark Canadian night to convince an unwilling horse to walk up a rickety ramp into the back of our pickup...
When it comes to staff, sweat the little things
By
Thomas Millay
Jun 10, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light many challenges for long-term care providers, but staffing retention continues to remain a top challenge for most organizations. With turnover rates nearing 50%,...
Building staff confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines
By
Rachel Shearer
Jun 09, 2021
Six months after the COVID-19 vaccines first became available, just 55% of the CNAs, nurses and therapists who work at our 50-bed skilled nursing facility have chosen to get vaccinated. It’s a challenge,...
Facing senior care’s ‘new normal’ head-on
By
Fred Bonaccorso
Jun 08, 2021
According to a recent analysis of Medicare fee-for-service claims incurred through May 2020, there has been a distinct decline in the number of routine hospitalizations among beneficiaries — but a steep...
Time for government – not nursing homes – to shoulder collective COVID-19 blame
By
Brendan Williams
Jun 07, 2021
In his 1964 State of the Union Address, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared that “[e]very American community will benefit from the construction or modernization of schools and libraries and hospitals...