Nursing home providers help to design, refine facility IP program
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 26, 2023
In partnership with providers, an infection control peer coaching program has been updated to improve its utility amid competing facility priorities and staffing shortages.
To quarantine or not? CDC’s post-vaccine guidance for exposed workers gives nod to staff shortages
By
Alicia Lasek
Feb 12, 2021
Fully vaccinated individuals may now skip quarantine after exposure to an infected person. But that doesn’t go for healthcare workers in facility settings — except as a last option.
Nursing home COVID cases rise four-fold in surge states, resident deaths double, data shows
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2020
The rising weekly case count includes residents and staff in 20 states. Meanwhile, about one in six nursing homes did not report testing staff members in the prior week.
Parkinson says proposed staffing mandate a ‘death sentence’ for rural nursing homes, offers answers
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 19, 2023
Long-term care industry advocates pulled no punches Wednesday when asked at a Sanford Health summit about likely outcomes facing rural operators if CMS’s proposed minimum staffing mandate becomes...
Coronavirus rates drop 96% in nursing homes, but some see first-ever cases in new year
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 31, 2021
More than 430 nursing homes saw their first-ever COVID cases in early 2021, evidence that continued infection control measures are needed, and despite phenomenal declines in facility rates, says the U.S....
‘New Deal for a new workforce’ urged by top nursing home leader
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 19, 2023
The government and providers must invest at an unprecedented level to confront the workforce problems dogging the skilled nursing sector, stressed a speaker at Wednesday’s Sanford Health Summit on the...
‘How good are those vaccines now?’ Mixed AARP nursing home report prompts a thorny question
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 15, 2021
A new AARP report shows encouraging trends in COVID-19 cases and vaccinations. But the steady rate of resident deaths raises concerns for the future as vaccine efficacy wanes, analysts say.
State orders nursing homes to offer antibody therapy as COVID-19 preventive during outbreaks
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 20, 2021
Long-term care advocates are applauding a new order by the governor of Maryland that requires nursing facilities to offer all residents therapeutic treatments such as monoclonal antibodies when a COVID-19...
Knowledge of staff care patterns may help curb spread of drug-resistant bugs in LTC: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 05, 2023
Researchers observed care interactions across 25 nursing homes in seven states. Results suggest that these patterns are a key factor in identifying targets for infection prevention and control.
Stay on guard: Vaccinated residents remain susceptible to outbreaks, French nursing home studies reveal
By
Alicia Lasek
Jul 13, 2021
Vaccinations and infection control measures may not entirely protect nursing homes from COVID-19 outbreaks — especially when staff members are unvaccinated, according to two new studies from France.