Skilled nursing facilities face strident criticism daily. A typical litany goes like this. Nursing homes offer poor access and quality, too few caregivers, rundown facilities, and deficient care plans....
I am not dead
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 08, 2024
For decades on my desk, a small sign has served as a reminder of the one thing I know to be absolutely true: I am not dead. Though visitors often find it troubling, I’ve viewed it simply as a comic-serious...
What, where, why — and don’t be Kevin Costner
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Jul 30, 2024
OK, so I went to see the new Kevin Costner movie, “Horizon.” I’ve enjoyed most of his films and am a huge fan of “Yellowstone,” so I went in with the expectation that I was going to love the...
What nursing homes need, versus what they get
By
Stephen A. Moses
Jul 08, 2024
Senior living’s caregiving sectors — nursing homes, assisted living and home care — share problems and needs in varying degrees. But what they get from long-term care (LTC) research is seldom what...
Is this the end of the line for nursing homes?
By
Irving Stackpole
John Sheridan
Jun 24, 2024
There are markets for just about everything, where sellers and buyers exchange goods and services. The same is true for nursing homes.
Sticking to the plan of care pays off
By
Renee Kinder
Jun 06, 2024
Raising children, like providing patient care, requires a plan. The older our children become, like when patients show progress, the more freedom they should be allowed. The guide book for plan of care...
The impact of survey delays on nursing home quality and consumer information
By
Steven Littlehale
May 24, 2024
In a column published by McKnight’s in December 2023, “Revamping CMS Survey Data Integration Amid Regulatory Lag in Nursing Home Oversight,” I urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...
Implementing the federal staffing mandate will do more than just stir the pot
By
Zach Shamberg
May 17, 2024
How’s this for a truly perplexing recipe? Nursing homes are closing, access to care for seniors and adults with disabilities is being restricted, Medicaid reimbursement can’t keep pace with the true...
Are CMS risk-based surveys enough to address the downfall of survey delays?
By
Steven Littlehale
Apr 26, 2024
In April 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the testing of a risk-based survey (RBS) that streamlines the standard recertification process for high-performing nursing homes....
Knitting a team
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 18, 2024
I can still remember the clicking of needles and the feeling of chunky strands of cotton passing silently between my fingers. It was early in my elementary school epoch, and we tiny people sat cross-legged...