Change in resident’s mental status doesn’t always equal infection, new guidance cautions
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2020
The authors provide a framework for infection workups when residents present with a non-specific sign or symptom. The revised guidance also reviews the latest evidence on how best to evaluate non-localized...
9 things NOT to expect in a nursing home
By
Esther Heerema, MSW
Dec 17, 2014
Family members need to know what to expect when their loved one enters a nursing home: Falls may happen, medications may change, and a private room may not be an option.
Damage to inner ear helps explain increased falls risk in Alzheimer’s
Mar 11, 2022
Study participants who had vestibular impairment — or damage to the inner ear’s balance system — were 50% more likely to fall than their peers who had normal function, researchers found.
Why do we do some of this ‘stuff’?
By
Jacqueline Vance, RNC, CDONA/LTC
Feb 15, 2012
We do a lot of “stuff” in nursing that makes no sense (both in acute care and long-term care — I’m not singling us out here). We do a lot of things that waste precious time and are...
Falling by the wayside
By
Steven Levenson
Oct 24, 2023
This month’s column invokes several previous columns, one about medications and the other about knowing if we know what we don’t know. A recent medical journal article concluded that falls in...
Gaming technology can be used to detect resident falls, researchers say
Sep 09, 2011
The same technology used in video games and security systems is being repurposed to detect illness or falls among long-term care residents, according to researchers.
Hip protectors dramatically reduce injury risk, study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 22, 2019
The risk of hip fracture was reduced nearly three-fold among elderly care facility residents who wore hip protectors, say researchers.
Study: Frail, older adults on blood pressure drugs have similar rates of fall, cardiovascular events
By
Kristen Fischer
Dec 19, 2023
A recent study explored the effects of blood pressure medications in older nursing home residents who aren’t expected to live long. Researchers found these individuals generally have similar rates of...
Study: PT following a fall slashes ED visits, opioid use in Medicare recipients
By
Alicia Lasek
Jun 26, 2023
ED visits and hospitalizations for new injuries are reduced by half and related opioid use by 39% over six months, a new study reveals. Investigators are urging Medicare to cover annual falls risk screening.
These foot exercises help improve seniors’ mobility
By
Brett Bakshis
Mar 13, 2009
You may not know Larry LaPrise, but you’re definitely familiar with his work. In the late 1940s, Mr. LaPrise wrote the “Hokey Pokey,” that popular (albeit somewhat irritating) novelty dance...