Third COVID shots ready for LTC by Sept. 20; vaccine efficacy declines in nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
The U.S. government is prepared to offer COVID-19 booster shots to vaccinated Americans beginning on Sept. 20, including direct delivery to long-term care facility residents, officials announced Wednesday.
National survey tells story of COVID in assisted living
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
New industry data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics details how COVID-19 affected assisted living communities across the country during the height of the pandemic.
Feds tell nursing homes to use vaccinated staff or lose funding: Providers cry foul
By
Danielle Brown
Aug 19, 2021
President Joe Biden announced late Wednesday afternoon that U.S. nursing homes must use workers vaccinated against COVID-19 or risk losing vital Medicare and Medicaid funding. Providers immediately criticized...
Clinical briefs for Thursday, Aug. 19
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 19, 2021
Nursing homes recaptured $32M after reducing hospitalizations: study … Telehealth plus wearable tech allows better Parkinson’s symptom management … Non-invasive scan tech could help assess effectiveness...
Surveyed seniors suggest ageism played part in pandemic mitigation strategies
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 18, 2021
A large survey from Ireland sheds light not only on the challenges posed for older adults by the pandemic, but on their hopes, determination — and one of their biggest pet peeves. (Hint: it’s a...
Having a good listener in one’s life may help slow cognitive decline: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 18, 2021
Older adults who have regular interactions with active listeners are more likely to have cognitive functioning that contradicts evidence of dementia-related brain changes, a new study finds.
Arthritis drug Actemra in short supply as demand for use in COVID ramps up
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 18, 2021
Demand for Actemra IV has skyrocketed due to the latest wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, drugmaker Genentech says. In the past two weeks alone, orders for the drug shot up to 400% of pre-COVID...
Clinical briefs for Wednesday, Aug. 18
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 18, 2021
U.S. reportedly sets time to renew COVID shots at 8 months, while Pfizer releases trial data in bid to expand booster shot access … Patients taking type 2 diabetes drugs may have fewer Alzheimer’s...
Michigan to ‘rush’ vaccine booster shots to LTC facilities, governor says
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 17, 2021
Hours after federal agencies greenlit COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for immunocompromised people, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan ordered state agencies to expedite third doses to long-term care facility...
Memory loss may linger eight months after mild coronavirus infection, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Aug 17, 2021
The results suggest that COVID-19 may not really be a mild disease, no matter its course, investigators say. They also raise the question of whether current home-treatment strategies are optimal for long-term...