COVID-19 booster lowers mortality risk by 90%, Israeli study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 13, 2021
A large comparison study of seniors has found that COVID-19 deaths and case rates were significantly lower among older recipients of a third Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shot.
CDC may be overestimating COVID-19 vaccination stats for older adults, state officials and experts say
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 13, 2021
The agency’s online tracker currently shows that 99.9% of U.S. seniors have been at least partly vaccinated against COVID-19. But this sky-high figure is almost certainly not accurate, observers...
Clinical briefs for Monday, Dec. 13
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 13, 2021
Omicron variant, lack of booster prioritization could haunt SNFs as occupancy dips … Diabetes drug semaglutide to be tested as Alzheimer’s treatment … Manchin opposes BBB dental benefits addition...
Omicron variant, lack of booster prioritization could haunt SNFs as occupancy dips
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 10, 2021
Skilled nursing occupancy declined in September, weeks before the omicron variant of COVID-19 arrived and further threatened the industry’s recovery.
Senators approve Medicare provider relief
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 10, 2021
Long-term care providers are closer to avoiding Medicare cuts that would reduce reimbursements by nearly 10% after a Senate vote Thursday evening.
Consumer report reignites push for stricter nursing home staffing requirements
By
Danielle Brown
Dec 10, 2021
Consumer advocates are pushing Senate leaders to pass two staffing proposals — that providers have estimated would cost nursing homes $12 billion — after a new study found few states have implemented...
Staff vaccination rate tied to resident deaths in COVID-19 hot spots, national data show
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2021
Estimates reveal that if a large sample of U.S. nursing homes had averaged 83% staff vaccination coverage this summer, at least 700 fewer residents would have died from COVID-19 over a two-month period.
FDA OKs first injectable antibody drug to prevent COVID-19 in high-risk patients
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2021
One dose of injectable Evusheld may be effective for 6 months, FDA says. The drug neutralizes all previous SARS-CoV-2 variants, and AstraZeneca says it is working to establish its efficacy against the...
Pro-inflammatory diet linked to frailty in older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2021
Older and middle-aged adults who consume a diet high in simple carbohydrates and saturated fats have higher odds of developing frailty, a new study finds.
Clinical briefs for Friday, Dec. 10
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2021
Assisted living facilities may offer haven for older adults with serious mental illness … CDC chief: U.S. omicron infections have all been mild cases … Doc in overrun hospital laments ‘domino effect’...