Why nurses are feeling the strain of COVID-19 and four things they can do about it
By
John Lee
Sep 14, 2020
While solutions to the coronavirus pandemic are still up in the air, data and personal testimony abounds on just how hard hit the medical community — in particular nurses —have been by COVID-19. As...
Is cleaning a surface once enough?
By
Michael Wilson
Sep 10, 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its severe impact on long-term care facilities, administrators are looking into everything possible to slow and hopefully stop the spread of the disease in their facilities....
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...
A road trip to remember
By
Liza Berger
Sep 09, 2020
A recent road trip made me think we may beat this pandemic yet. But we do have a ways to go still.
With POC testing strategy, federal government continues to respond poorly to COVID-19 in nursing homes
By
Brendan Williams
Sep 08, 2020
In the federal government’s fight against COVID-19, nursing homes have effectively been left for dead. Despite a death count that began with the February outbreak in a Kirkland, Washington, nursing...
COVID-19 management: an executive’s firsthand experience
By
Darrin Hull
Sep 08, 2020
It was the call that every post-acute care operator most feared and that many ultimately received since early March — multiple positive results following housewide COVID-19 testing of residents. That...
LTC leaders’ motto: Bring it on
By
James M. Berklan
Sep 03, 2020
One would think that 70,000 extra deaths in their midst and a constant fear of deadly contamination would seal the deal. Nope.
Six proven tips for navigating the COVID-19 and PDPM roller coaster
By
Jonalyn Brown
Aug 27, 2020
Kingda Ka, at New Jersey’s Six Flags, is the world’s tallest, most terrifying roller coaster ride. It comes with a warning: “Not Recommended for Wimps.” Seconds after take-off, you’re hurtling...
Second responders: Answering the call for help in long-term care
By
Debbie Pool
Wendy Boren
Aug 26, 2020
It was late afternoon on Jan. 30, 2020. A nurse from the Quality Improvement Program for Missouri (QIPMO) was leading a standard table top influenza pandemic exercise in Poplar Bluff when a call came through...
I love bingo
By
Charles de Vilmorin
Aug 25, 2020
What would you do if you had to engage a very large number of residents with diverse preferences and abilities to ensure maximum well-being on an almost nonexistent budget? The answer would be to find...