Therapy pay switch provokes providers
Skilled nursing providers happily received word of a 2.4% Medicare pay increase in the government's final 2019 payment that was announced in late July.
Expo will offer MDS answers
Many providers are still trying to master new Minimum Data Set requirements, which are less than a month away.
1,400 homes lose one star
Nearly 1,400 nursing homes recently lost star ratings on the Nursing Home Compare website because of allegedly inadequate numbers of registered nurses on staff or failure to report reliable staffing information.
Bundled pay scheme steers clear of SNFs
Hospitals participating in bundled payment efforts are actively reducing their use of skilled nursing care, according to a study in the August issue of Health Affairs.
Senator demands staffing info
The ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is demanding answers on how the federal government plans to better hold nursing homes accountable for staffing decisions.
An early sign of Parkinson's
A thinning retina was correlated to progression of Parkinson's disease in new data published in an August issue of Neurology.
Superbugs are more resistant
Multi-drug resistant superbugs, which can cause dangerous infections, are becoming increasingly resistant to alcohol-based hand sanitizers and disinfectants, according to an Australian study.
Overhauled payment model hikes rates by $820 million
Almost lost in the dust-up over some aspects of the newly released Patient-Driven Payment Model is the fact that skilled nursing providers will receive a healthy 2.4% Medicare market basket increase, starting Oct. 1.
Star ratings losing meaning, study finds
Nursing homes' publicly reported star ratings have increased substantially since the adoption of the Five-Star Quality Rating System.
DEL-ivering the goods
The long-term care profession's latest 'Big Data' initiative is making a noticeable splash in the early going, but wary stakeholders wonder: Will it be sustainable?
Tech-policy junction
Providers respond to federal guidelines and share strategic thoughts on how long-term and post-acute care operators can rise and thrive in the digital world
60 Seconds with ... Kathleen T. Unroe, M.D.
60 Seconds with ... Kathleen T. Unroe, M.D.
Ask the care expert about ... bed recommendations and entrapment
We are updating our beds and are possibly adding an assessment to be sure our residents are not at risk for entrapment. Do you have any guidelines for bed recommendations?
Listening wins again: Music therapy for dementia care
Listening to music appears to be more effective in reducing agitation, behavioral symptoms and anxiety for older adults with dementia than does singing or playing along with music, according to a study in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
Throat exercises favored for dysphagia
Exercise programs should be targeted at throat muscles, just like they might be for other parts of the body, in order to help older adults with difficulty swallowing, according to a study published in Dysphagia.
Ask the treatment expert about ... routine interventions
Is it necessary to document on the care plan the routine interventions we provide, such as a pressure-redistribution mattress or daily skin inspection?
New plans are needed for germs causing wound pain
Gram-negative germs are associated with more severe wound pain, and alternative measures for treatment are needed, a new analysis shows.
Dressing, tool bring skin tear advances
A simplified wound dressing plan, along with a decision-tree tool for wound management, can help nurses treating patients over the age 85, a new study finds.
Ask the nursing expert about ... interviewing potential employees
When interviewing potential nursing employees, is there a way to detect the ones I should not hire?
Pay raises, reduced turnover rates paint brighter picture
Hourly pay for nursing home registered nurses and licensed practical nurses ticked up in 2018, according to the latest version of the industry's largest salary survey.
House approves Nursing Workforce Bill
The House of Representatives reauthorized the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Act of 2017 (H.R. 959) in July.
Ask the payment expert about ... the Drug Regimen Review quality measure
What do I need to know about the Drug Regimen Review quality measure that goes into effect Oct. 1?
CMS proposes Medicare ACO overhaul, prods risk-taking
Impatient with the conservative participation in its Medicare Shared Savings Program, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed an overhaul of its most popular accountable care organization structure.
IRS denies provider appeal
The nation's largest skilled nursing trade group expressed "disappointment" and vowed to appeal an IRS decision that for-profit skilled nursing facilities may not benefit from the Trump administration's new tax law.
Ask the legal expert about ... apologies
Is it smart to apologize to a resident or the resident's family, or will the apology increase the chances for a lawsuit against the organization?
SNFs could lose children as payers if lawmakers step in
North Dakota is looking at a possible change to a state law that allows nursing homes to obtain unpaid debts from residents' adult children.
Retro pay not good enough, NLRB says
The National Labor Relations Board is hitting a nursing home operator for "unlawfully" suspending a merit-based raise program.
Efficiency experts
Allendale Nursing and Rehabilitation Community's new model is designed to give staff more one-on-one time with residents
How to do it... Documenting bathing info
Although it technically is considered custodial care and not directly paid by Medicare, bathing is a critical part of the overall care long-term care residents receive and expect.
A Day in the Life:Resident gets her diploma at 92
It took 75 years longer than most, but Dorothy Leiss now has her high school diploma.
New legislation attempts to boost telemedicine in SNFs
A bipartisan group of representatives introduced new legislation in July that would allow physicians to consult nursing homes via video, in the hopes of reducing costly and unnecessary hospitalizations or emergency room visits.
Voice assistants finding niche with elders
As voice recognition technologies such as Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple Homepod become more inexpensive and accessible, the long-term care profession has begun taking notice of the promises such devices may hold for offering older adults greater independence and social connection.
Reader poll: "How do you make your staff smile?"
Reader poll: "How do you make your staff smile?"
Molalla on her mind
You wouldn't have seen any flashing lights or scurrying EMTs, but it was still a major crisis. The nursing home resident was completely out of his favorite pickles, and not just any variety would suffice —they had to be Claussen.
ProMedica hospital system closes HCR ManorCare deal
The ProMedica hospital system finalized its purchase of fellow Toledo, OH-based HCR ManorCare, the country's second largest post-acute and long-term care operator, in late July.
Extendicare CEO departing
Tim Lukenda is stepping down as president and CEO of Extendicare after a decade on the job, the Markham, Ontario, company announced in late July.
BlueStrata EHR acquired as part of Mediware's strategy
Mediware has acquired BlueStrata EHR, a cloud-based software system focused on the skilled nursing and assisted living markets.
Ageless Innovation has 'purrfect' solution
What is black and white and loved all over? The answer: a tuxedo cat.
HCR ManorCare staffers are rarin' for a rebound
A lot has been made about ProMedica's acquisition of the once-proud nursing home giant HCR ManorCare. And rightfully so.
State investigating nursing home chain that let health insurance lapse for employees
A troubled nursing home chain operating in Massachusetts is now in the state attorney general's crosshairs after letting health insurance lapse for its employees.
Skilled nursing facilities may be required to offer vegan meal options under proposed law
Nursing homes and other healthcare facilities in California may be required to offer residents vegan meal options under a new state law.
New report paints bleak picture for nursing assistants
Nursing assistants, who make up more than a third of the nursing home workforce, have a median income of around $21,200 annually, a new report finds. Fifteen percent live below the federal poverty line.
Also in the News for Wednesday, Sept. 5
AHRQ to survey nursing homes on patient safety issues ... Long-term care real estate investment trust may get pulled from NYSE for low stock price ... Weight loss in elderly tied to increased risk of death and hip fracture ... Developer allegedly used care facilities 'as the family's personal checkbook'
House committee to hold hearing Thursday on nursing home safety and care quality
A House committee will hold a hearing Thursday to review reports of abuse, neglect and substandard care in nursing homes.
Nursing home resident numbers decreasing, while quality varies, new AARP analysis notes
Nearly every state in the country (46) saw a decrease in the number of nursing home residents between 2011 and 2016, according to a new analysis published by AARP.
Stroke doubles the risk of dementia, researchers find
Individuals who suffer from a stroke are about twice as likely to develop dementia, according to a new large-scale study.
Also in the News for Tuesday, Sept. 4
New or worsened bedsores tied to poorer inpatient rehab outcomes ... Mediterranean diet found to prolong seniors' lives ... Medicare ACOs saved about $314 million last year, new federal data reveal
Inspector General investigating nursing home staffing: Report
A federal government watchdog is launching an investigation into enforcement of nursing home staffing standards in the wake of a high-profile New York Times report on the issue.
Local technicality causes new $75M skilled nursing/research facility to sit empty
Providers in one Florida town may have a potential boondoggle on their hands, as a pricey new facility sits finished, but empty, because of an issue with local officials.
Consulting dermatologists to nursing homes to pay $4M in billing dispute
A Florida dermatology practice that consults to nursing homes is being forced to pay $4 million to settle allegations that it overused radiation simulations and upcoded claims for the procedures.
Also in the News for Friday, Aug. 31
Close to finish line on Good Samaritan deal, Sanford Health eyes another merger with Chicago hospital system ... CMS to limit Medicare Part D coverage to specific conditions to help lower drug prices ... Scientists find common molecular link between aging, ALS and dementia
Judge says skilled care provider can keep quality control records secret in wrongful death lawsuit
A New Hampshire nursing home that's being sued for wrongful death does not have to divulge details about its quality control program, a Superior Court judge has ruled.
Most common cancer surgery for SNF residents often worsens lives: Researcher
Operating on frail, elderly nursing home residents who are suffering from breast cancer may not be the best course of action, according to a new study.
Nursing home may soon get help from local hospital system to figure out its slumping numbers
A slumping county-owned Illinois nursing home may soon look to the local hospital operator to help turn things around.
Also in the News for Thursday, Aug. 30
Listen up: Earwax issues are a disturbing 'epidemic' among LTC population ... Per-bed prices fall for skilled nursing in the second quarter ... Programs for seniors that maintain or improve psychological well-being may be key to longer life ... New study finds a 'worrisome' rise in antibiotic-resistant UTIs
Skilled nursing behind much of Next Generation ACOs' $62M first-year savings
Groups of healthcare providers, working to better coordinate care and spending with one another, cut Medicare spending by $62 million in the first year, with much of that coming reduced use of skilled nursing facilities.
Diagnoses not the key to predicting rehospitalization chances of nursing home residents: Study
Nursing home administrators seeking the figurative canary in the coal mine to predict avoidable hospitalizations of residents might be looking in the wrong place.
Appeals court rules that facility may be liable for residents' alleged abuse of gay fellow resident
A lesbian resident of a skilled care and assisted living home in Illinois can sue the facility for failing to stop her neighbors' bullying.
Also in the News for Wednesday, Aug. 29
Economists suggest dropping long-term care hospital rates down to skilled nursing's level to save $5 billion ... Nursing home ordered to pay $500K, or $640 per resident, to settle class-action staffing lawsuit ... Providers using optical illusions to keep dementia patients from wandering off
Administration mulls move to defang anti kickback rules, seeks comments from providers
The Trump Administration is considering ways to ease anti-kickback rules. Device manufacturers and provider groups would welcome such a move, which they claim would help improve care coordination and delivery.
Medicaid tax expansion seen as model for other states
A hospital consortium in Kentucky is pushing a novel way to narrow the state's $200 million-plus funding deficit: expand provider taxes to additional provider groups. If successful, the approach could be a model for other states to follow, advocates claim.
Coordinated care more effective for residents with multiple chronic conditions, study finds
Better care coordination among various healthcare providers can help improve the health of elderly patients with chronic conditions.
Also in the News for Tuesday, Aug. 28
Illinois governor vetoes bill that would have ballooned max damages in Legionnaire's cases at nursing home from $200K to $2M ... Two Ohio nurse aides plead guilty to felony forgery charges for falsifying bed check records in January resident hypothermia death ... Working the graveyard shift can pose cancer risk to workers, new report finds ... Labor Department seeks input on overtime rule changes
McKnight's Fall Online Expo returns Sept. 26
It's that time of year. The calendar turning over to September this week means pumpkin spice lattes, football and the McKnight's Annual Fall Online expo.
Rehab therapy provider agrees to pay $6.1M to settle kickback allegations
A Texas-based rehab therapy provider agreed to pay $6.1 million last week to settle federal allegations that it had given kickbacks to nursing homes.
Nursing home reviews security measures after being robbed of narcotics twice in less than a month
An Oklahoma nursing home is reviewing its security procedures after thieves targeted it twice in a month to steal narcotics.
Also in the News for Monday, Aug. 27
Senate passes spending bill with $425 million boost for Alzheimer's research ... A vitamin-rich diet can help to lower the risk of frailty in older adults, study finds ... Oklahoma the first state Medicaid program to negotiate prescription drug prices based on their efficacy ... ProMedica to lay off 100, leave 60 more positions unfilled a month after HCR ManorCare deal
C. diff testing hits 'ruff' patch as canine experiment falls short
Lead author and physician assistant Maureen Taylor said better results may arise by testing out a larger number of dogs, but she doubts canines will ever be reliable enough to put into regular use in healthcare.
Skilled nursing growth continues to lag, NIC finds
Skilled nursing continues to have the weakest inventory growth out of long-term care property types, with independent living leading the pack. That's according to a new analysis of primary housing markets by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care, based on the most recent market cycle peak reached in the fourth quarter of 2014.
Hurricane Harvey nursing home evacuations are back under investigation, state says
Investigations have been re-launched into the actions taken by two Texas nursing homes last year in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
Nursing home cited for failure to perform resuscitation
A Minnesota nursing home has been cited for neglect after four nurses failed to perform CPR on a resident, even though the resident appeared to have been dead for several hours.
Also in the News for Friday, Aug. 24
CDC issues new vaccine recommendations for the latest flu season ... Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rolls out new rules on providing dialysis care in nursing homes ... New study says Alzheimer's may one day be predicted by an eye exam
LeadingAge reports recommend foreign-born talent as possible solution to staffing crisis
As the long-term care field continues to struggle to find talent, looking overseas could be one solution to filling nursing home hiring gaps, according to new research.
Confusion reigns when assessing dehydration in nursing home residents, analysis finds
Dehydration is a major concern for nursing homes, as it can often snowball into much more serious issues, such as delirium, falls, constipation and urinary tract infections. But the field lacks a uniform method of assessing a lack of water in older adults, according to a new study.
Medicaid demos must stay budget neutral, CMS warns
For the first time, the federal government has told states that Medicaid demonstration projects must remain budget neutral, reflecting an ongoing push by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to drive down the program's spending.
Also in the News for Thursday, Aug. 23
Conducting physical therapy in the emergency department after a fall may help to reduce future ED visits ... Swapping brand-name drugs for generic combinations could save Medicare $1 billion ... Feds may force Anthem to cooperate with investigation into insurer's Medicare Advantage billing practices
Nursing home residents win battle against 'ruthless' insurer, will finally receive payment for specialized wheelchairs
The courts have ruled a huge private insurer must pay for nursing home residents' customized wheelchairs after all in a trio of cases taking place in Iowa.
Vermont ACO tests 1-night hospital-stay waiver
A Vermont accountable care organization is trying out a new approach to better coordinating care between hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
State says nursing home knew resident who plunged to death from third-story window had history of removing safety screws
A New York nursing home allegedly knew that one of its residents had a tendency to remove safety screws from windows before his deadly fall from a window.
Also in the News for Wednesday, Aug. 22
More oversight needed of new MA benefits designed to keep complex patients at home, says Bipartisan Policy Center ... Government Accountability Office wants even tougher regulation of Medicaid, following recent CMS changes ... Maintaining a healthy heart in old age helps lower the risk of dementia, JAMA study finds
LeadingAge counters after Senator's staffing demands
A leading industry advocate is firing back, a few days after one U.S. senator demanded changes related to nursing home staffing.
AARP: Dementia drugs often prescribed long-term without any supporting clinical evidence
The majority of elderly dementia patients — about 70% — are placed on long-term courses of drugs to treat the brain disease, despite scant evidence they provide benefits beyond a year.
Providers must give entrance fees back to families more quickly under new law
Continuing care retirement communities in New Jersey must give funds back to residents' descendants more quickly after the passage of a new law last week.
Also in the News for Tuesday, Aug. 21
Quick regulatory approval expedites plans for Good Samaritan-Sanford affiliation ... Poor sleep mixed with type 2 diabetes can lead to slower wound healing ... Nursing home shuttering, 200 jobs lost after FBI raid leads to allegations CFO diverted employee retirement accounts to himself ... For the second time in weeks, narcotics stolen from Oklahoma operator
Researchers identify key characteristics of hospitals' preferred skilled nursing partners
With the advent of bundled payment programs and accountable care organizations, hospitals are forming tighter bonds with skilled nursing facilities across the country. But are these "preferred providers" of hospitals actually providing higher quality care than their "non-preferred" peers?
CMS strengthens decentralization push, gives states more Medicaid authority
Aiming to cut down on regulatory burdens and give more power to states, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is making notable changes to the Medicaid program, the biggest source of payment for nursing homes.
Eye on Parkinson's: Scan may detect earliest signs of disease
A thinning retina was correlated to progression of Parkinson's disease in new data published in an August issue of Neurology.
Also in the News for Monday, Aug. 20
New CMS report details best practices from tribal nursing homes ... House Ways and Means Committee releases recommendations on how to cut red tape in Medicare ... Scientists discover why some people with brain markers for Alzheimer's have no dementia
Cuts to home care could mean influx of disabled residents to nursing homes
Deep cuts to a program that provides home-based care for the disabled could force a flood of individuals into nursing homes, stakeholders are warning Missouri and federal officials.
Private funds for long-term care shrivel as more seniors file for bankruptcy
An increasing number of older Americans are filing for bankruptcy, with long-term care costs often one of the driving factors, according to a new study.
Also in the News for Friday, Aug. 17
Nurse charged with bilking elderly couple out of $274K to bankroll 'boutique' nursing home ... High levels of pain linked with impaired memory in older adults ... Residents battling healthcare-associated infections also suffer social, emotional pain
This stinks: New study discovers 'phantom odor' phenomenon in older adults
About 1 in every 15 adults over the age of 40 smells "phantom odors" that aren't really there, according to a new study. The implications for seniors' caregivers can be significant.
Senator demands changes on nursing home staffing
The ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is demanding answers on how the federal government plans to better hold nursing homes accountable for staffing decisions.
Congressman vows to help struggling nursing homes with legislation to ease paperwork, improve reimbursement
After a recent visit to his home state, which has been beset by numerous nursing home closures, a U.S. congressman says that he'll push for reforms to help provide relief for the industry.
MedEquities Realty Trust reportedly exploring sale
MedEquities Realty Trust — a publicly traded healthcare real estate company, with a handful of skilled nursing facilities — is exploring a sale.
Also in the News for Thursday, Aug. 16
ManorCare acquisition causes significant credit downgrade for parent ProMedica ... Kidney dialysis patients have higher rates of dementia, new study finds ... Trial date set for woman whose son overdosed on morphine she stole from LTC facility where she worked
Providers go back to college to find success solving the nursing pipeline problem
In talking to young students and potential future workers for their communities, leaders at one Minnesota-based eldercare provider noticed that references and knowledge typically were hospital-oriented.
