McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from May 2004

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from May 2004

Feds probe high nursing injury rates.
May 3, 2004... Federal checkups of workplace conditions in nursing homes began April 19, two weeks after new figures from the U.S. Department of Labor showed that "nurse aide" is the second most hazardous profession in the country. Nurse aides and...

Federal guidelines implemented.(Late Breaking News)
May 3, 2004... Federal guidelines implemented in 1990 have dramatically cut the use of physical restraints in nursing homes, but there is little evidence residents have achieved the end goal of increased activity levels or rehabilitation programs since, say...

Spending more money to care for Medicare beneficiaries does not necessarily create better care.(Late Breaking News)
May 3, 2004... Spending more money to care for Medicare beneficiaries does not necessarily create better care, but rather the opposite, according to Dartmouth University researchers. They detail their study in the journal Health Affairs, saying giving...

Pope John Paul II stunned some Catholic skilled nursing.(Late Breaking News)
May 3, 2004... Pope John Paul II stunned some Catholic skilled nursing, hospice and hospital providers, announcing it is "morally obligatory" to continue tube feeding for individuals in need, regardless of how long it may continue. He called such treatment...

The median malpractice jury award was $1.01 million in 2002.(Late Breaking News)
May 3, 2004... The median malpractice jury award was $1.01 million in 2002, a small increase over the $1 million median of the previous two years, according to Jury Verdict Research. In 2002, plaintiffs won about 42% of malpractice lawsuits, compared with 40%...

A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease cuts a person's remaining life expectancy by half.(Late Breaking News)
May 3, 2004... * A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease cuts a person's remaining life expectancy by half, say University of Washington researchers. Men newly diagnosed had an average survival period of 4.2 years, while women averaged 5.7 years.

Databank ... out of action.
May 3, 2004... Nursing aides rank second only to truck drivers for occupational injuries causing days off of work, according to government statistics. Percent of days away-from-work cases involving: 1 day 16 2 days 11.5 3-5...

HHS check could bite into staffing.
May 3, 2004... How much work do feeding assistants perform? And how does their presence affect care in other areas? Two federal lawmakers want to know, and have called on the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate. The two plan to post...

Hard data.(News)
May 3, 2004... 7.6 Millions of Americans who provide more than 40 hours of unpaid care for someone 18 or older in their home, according to a study conducted by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. 9.6 Millions of online users 65 or older,...

Problems of heavy lifting pose worker injury risk.(Workplace)
May 3, 2004... Skilled nursing providers long plagued by the perils of resident lifting may find the task even more burdensome in light of a growing bariatric population that requires specialized lifting and transport equipment, and more caregivers to assist...

CMS: medicare card sponsors must help.(Policy)
May 3, 2004... As the government prepares to roll out prescription drug discount cards, it is leaning on selected vendors for help. In the long-term care sector, three sponsors were chosen to offer the cards to eligible long-term care residents. All three...

Bush administration changes to the privacy rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act were upheld by a federal judge in Pennsylvania.(Regulatory update)
May 3, 2004... * Bush administration changes to the privacy rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act were upheld by a federal judge in Pennsylvania. The administration had removed a mandate requiring covered entities to obtain consent...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pressed Congress to heed its proposal for limiting intergovernmental transfers, as lawmakers considered a final budget resolution.(Regulatory update)
May 3, 2004... * The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services pressed Congress to heed its proposal for limiting intergovernmental transfers, as lawmakers considered a final budget resolution. CMS has complained that states have improperly used the...

A move to 'assist' facilities: reaching for an infusion from lucrative private-pay residents, some nursing homes are adding assisted living units or wings to their service menu.
May 3, 2004... As freestanding nursing homes struggle to stay afloat, some providers are adding assisted living to boost occupancy and attract private-pay residents. Experts believe this model is predominantly popping up in smaller communities, which have...

Geriatrics grant, patch recall, vaccine stockpile.(Nursing News)
May 3, 2004... Beverly Enterprises has bestowed a $1 million grant on the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing to provide scholarships for students pursuing careers in geriatric nursing. The donation will establish the Penn-Beverly Partnership Fund,...

Painkilling Duragesic skin patches recalled.(Nursing News)
May 3, 2004... Painkilling Duragesic skin patches have been recalled for a second time by their manufacturer, Janssen Pharmaceutical Products. The recall includes five lot numbers: 0327192, 0327193, 0327294, 0327295 and 0330362. Some of the patches are...

Study: smokers lose cognitive abilities faster.(Nursing News)
May 3, 2004... Cognitive decline in elderly people who smoke may be five times faster than non-smokers, a study in the journal Neurology finds. Researchers in several European countries studied the smoking habits of 9,209 people aged 65 and older over 2.3...

Adventist HealthCare signs hiring deal.(Nursing News)
May 3, 2004... Adventist HealthCare has signed a nurse recruitment deal with Global Resources for Outsourced Workers to hire more nurses from the Philippines. GROW is an overseas recruitment and staffing agency in the Philippines and is affiliated with STI...

Article takes critical look at Alzheimer's drugs.(Pharmacy News)
May 3, 2004... Many drugs to treat Alzheimer's have not lived up to expectations, and some experts feel real progress may be "decades" away, according to a New York Times article kicking off a series. Quoting experts at a gathering at Johns Hopkins...

CDC stockpiling flu vaccine for first time.(Pharmacy News)
May 3, 2004... For the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is stockpiling the flu vaccine, spending $80 million over the next two years for 4 million doses. "We were caught with our pants down," Dr. Lance Rodewald, head of...

Better incontinence care may diminish wounds, costs.(Patient Care)
May 3, 2004... As many as 75% to 80% of nursing home residents suffer from incontinence issues, and greater attention to treating the problem can significantly reduce resulting complications, including wounds and infection, according to clinical experts. ...

Southeast/Tennessee: fire cause 'undetermined'.(State News)
May 3, 2004... Fire officials have come up empty with a solid cause for the September fire that led to the deaths of 14 residents at a Nashville nursing home. They have officially closed the investigation, saying they may never know the real reason for the...

Tennessee: House passes sprinkler legislation.(State News)
May 3, 2004... Tennessee's House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill requiring all nursing homes to install smoke detectors in resident rooms and submit sprinkler installation plans to the state. This was in response to two fires within the past year...

Georgia: feds approve bed tax, saving state $50 million.(State News)
May 3, 2004... State officials breathed a deep sigh of relief when they heard that the federal government had approved imposition of a nursing home bed tax. The state had been collecting it since last July, despite not having it officially endorsed by...

Georgia: 'flesh-eating bacteria' scare over, leaves 3 dead.(State News)
May 3, 2004... A nursing home first thought to have had three residents die from complications associated with "flesh-eating bacteria," has been cleared. with just one of the deaths being attributed to the deadly infection. Four residents of Bell-Minor...

Kentucky: court says Medicaid must reinstate many.(State News)
May 3, 2004... Calling certain cost-cutting steps inappropriate, a federal judge has ordered Kentucky's Medicaid program to reinstate thousands it had kicked out of the program. More than 3,500 people had been denied nursing home or home health-care...

Mississippi: fire ants cause concern in Southern states.(State News)
May 3, 2004... University of Mississippi researchers have documented at least six attacks by fire ants in Southern nursing homes over the last 10 years, indicating the need for vigilance against the non-native pests. The nursing home attacks occurred in pairs...

Arizona: state agency accused of failing to protect.(Southwest)
May 3, 2004... Accusations from a board member and several former employees prompted an outside audit into claims the Board of Examiners of Nursing Care Institution Administrators and Assisted Living Facilities Managers has failed its responsibility to...

Iowa: senate passes long-term care insurance bill.(Midwest)
May 3, 2004... The Iowa Senate passed a bill that is designed to help elderly Iowans avoid depleting their assets if they buy long-term care insurance to pay for nursing home care. The laws now say that seniors must spend down their own assets before...

Massachusetts: bill would bar some ex-cons from care jobs.(Northeast)
May 3, 2004... Thousands of nursing home employees and other personal care workers would have to undergo criminal background checks under a measure passed by the House that would restore their requirement. The state Supreme Court struck down a previous...

California: state fines facility in fast-food choking death.(West)
May 3, 2004... A California facility has been fined $10,000 by the state after a staff member gave a resident on a restricted diet a fast-food hamburger as a special gift and then left him unattended. The 61-year-old man was later found dead, sprawled near a...

Kansas: AARP helps waylay bill exempting inspection records.(Plains)
May 3, 2004... The consumer-advocate group AARP took out full-age ads in 10 state newspapers recently, blasting a bill that would have eased demands on nursing facilities. Bill 430 would have stopped plaintiffs' attorneys from being able to use as evidence...

Capital coming into the market--for those who earn it.(Finance)
May 3, 2004... Although it hasn't extended fully into all seniors housing and care sectors, capital investment is flowing at a healthy rate, experts say. That includes a lot of activity in the for-profit nursing homes sector, as well as in continuing care...

Urban renewal: CCRCs target cities as retirees stay put.(Development)
May 3, 2004... Count Glen Tipton in the crowd thinking that urban areas are the next prime area for continuing care retirement communities to develop. "Earlier generations of retirees wanted to escape the cities, but we're now finding markets where people...

Special design tweaks improve Alzheimer's facilities.(Design)
May 3, 2004... The swell of focus on Alzheimer's care and housing spills into many long-term care facilities today, including numerous continuing care retirement communities. Special design elements are often included for this special population. "The...

When a plan comes together: interior designers and architects revel in overcoming challenges--especially in the cash-strapped, image-conscious long-term care arena.(Special Report)
May 3, 2004... As an architect for healthcare providers, Rob Steinberg is used to working around the two major challenges: not enough space and not enough money. Usually, if the client comes through with the latter, design pros are more than able to lake...

Nationwide Health Properties Inc.(Acquisition)
May 3, 2004... Nationwide Health Properties Inc., a Newport Beach, CA based real estate investment trust, said it would buy 24 assisted living and memory loss facilities for $187 million and lease them to Emeritus Corp., which will manage them. Fourteen of...

HealthSouth Corp. said it is opening a 20-bed long-term acute care hospital in its Parkview Care Center in Winnfield, LA.(Acquisition)
May 3, 2004... HealthSouth Corp. said it is opening a 20-bed long-term acute care hospital in its Parkview Care Center in Winnfield, LA. The Birmingham. AL-based healthcare company, operates 1,700 healthcare facilities nationwide.

The former president of Newcare Health Corp., Daniel C. Tucker, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing more than $100,000 from the now defunct nursing home chain.(Legal)
May 3, 2004... The former president of Newcare Health Corp., Daniel C. Tucker, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing more than $100,000 from the now defunct nursing home chain. Tucker is accused of ripping off employee retirement and...

Apartment developers have their sights set on millions of older people.(Worth Watching)
May 3, 2004... Apartment developers have their sights set on millions of older people. In fact, apartments for independent seniors has become one of the hottest sectors in the $1.3 trillion U.S. apartment industry, according to the Wall Street Journal....

The nation's economy outside the manufacturing sector steamed forward in March.(Worth Watching)
May 3, 2004... The nation's economy outside the manufacturing sector steamed forward in March, a private survey of businesses found, as hiring picked up and prices rose. The Institute for Supply Management's survey of nonmanufacturing business activity...

Luring private pay prospects.(Marketing)
May 3, 2004... Although Brian Nealon has a 98% occupancy rate for his 356 skilled nursing beds at Wesley Community in Saratoga Springs, NY, the chief executive is concertedly trying to increase his private pay census, which currently stands at 14%. He said...

There's no place like home for designers.(Executive Decisions)
May 3, 2004... Q What are some of the leading design innovations you nee seeing in nursing facilities? A In general, eldercare is becoming less institutional and more focused on the needs and preferences of residents. This is affecting almost every facet...

Never admit to wrongs in plans of correction.(Legal Matters)
May 3, 2004... Q What cautions do you have about filling out CMS 2567s for plans of correction? A A facility is required to submit a plan of correction for any alleged deficiency of "B" or higher, unless one is contesting the deficiency through the...

CMS employs contracting reform this fall.(Regulations/Compliance)
May 3, 2004... Q The Section 911 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) establishes Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Contracting Reform (MCR) that will be implemented over the next several years. What steps is CMS...

Group therapy brings with it a group of rules.(Payment Answers)
May 3, 2004... Q Should we be providing group therapy in our facility and are there special rules to follow? A We encourage the use of group therapy in providing therapy services to your residents. It allows the therapist to work with multiple residents...

Coping with death of a manager in service.(Staffing Concerns)
May 3, 2004... Q Recently one of the most respected managers in our facility was called to military duty. We found out yesterday that she had been killed in action, She was young, energetic, and an all around great person. The staff, and I must admit I, are...

Ledger management offers holistic financing approach.(P&L Journal)
May 3, 2004... I'd like to encourage readers to consider their financing needs in a broader context,through a concept called balance sheet management. The balance sheet management concept is one that has received far too little attention. Boards are...

Residents are well healed, thanks to new tech.(Managing Technology)
May 3, 2004... A few decades ago, wound care was usually the domain of gauze sponges. But technological breakthroughs are dramatically changing and improving such care. Among the latest innovations is a new generation of products that use...

Attendant[TM] Bed and Chair Alarm with nurse call.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... The Attendant Bed and Chair Alarm incorporates quality components at a value price. When the magnet is displaced, the alarm sounds. It includes a nurse call jack to alert you immediately when a resident needs assistance. Also comes with a...

Secure Care Products Resident I.D.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... The Secure Care Products wandering Resident I.D. system identifies each resident by name, room number and transmitter I.D. code. When the exit is approached by a monitored resident, the system will identify the resident by his or her name, lock...

GE Healthcare Financial Services.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... GE Healthcare Financial Services is the premier provider of capital, financial solutions and related services for the global healthcare market, offering a full range of financing capabilities from equipment leasing and real estate financing to...

Setting Realistic Expectations.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... Setting Realistic Expectations is a 16-minute video program to educate families on the general level of care provided in the nursing home. It helps prevent misunderstandings and potential lawsuits. More than 24,000 copies have been sold to...

Healthcare Services Group.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... Healthcare Services Group is a cost-effective management of housekeeping, laundry and food services customized per long-term care or healthcare facility, designed to reduce expenses and improve productivity while enhancing the facility's own...

AEGIS Therapies.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... AEGIS Therapies makes a significant difference in rehab outcomes and our ROM National Database proves lust how dramatically your patients can progress. We've profiled more than 475,000 AEGIS patients and the average improvement was a full one...

CareerBuilder.com.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... Whether it's a job with better hours, closer to home, or newer facilities, CareerBuilder.com can help you find exactly what you're looking for. As a leading job website, we have thousands of healthcare positions available right now. To start...

Donovan Industries.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... The Dawnmist Triple Play[TM] offers many features not found in other institutional razors: 3 stainless steel "micro edge" blades, a swivel head with lubrication strip for comfort, and a ribbed contoured handle for a secure grip. Tons of...

Sunrise Medical.(Show Stoppers)
May 3, 2004... The Joerns[R] UltraCare[TM] bed offers a versatile solution for both caregivers and residents. The low height of 7" is ideal for dementia and Alzheimer's residents while the 30" high height helps to reduce caregiver injuries. The four-section...

Kwalu.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Our new Cotswold range brings casual country elegance to healthcare furniture. Waterproof, fire retardant and scuff-resistant, these low maintenance miracles are virtually indestructible. Gently radiused corners and OG edging make this range...

QuickCARE Software Service, LP.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... QuickCARE's integrated Clinical, Accounts Receivable, Billing and Financial Software provides complete solutions aligned with your unique multi-facility, multi-state needs. We are an extension of your business operations team. We listen and...

LaSalle Bank Health Care Services.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... LaSalle Bank's Health Care Services experts provide flexible solutions to a wide range of healthcare entities through the financing of working capital, cash flow, acquisitions, recapitalizations and roll-up strategies. Also, LaSalle offers...

RehabCare Group.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Medicare's proposed rule changes would limit many orthopedic patients from receiving therapy in hospital rehab units Where will they receive treatment? RehabCare Group manages more hospital rehab units than anyone else, as well as therapy...

Accu-Med Services.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Accu-Med Services is the leading provider of software designed for the long-term care industry Now offering Orcas enterprise software and Cypress therapy management. Accu-Care for Windows is the industry's most complete clinical information...

Dawnmist Barrier Cream.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Dawnmist Barrier Cream protects the skin of incontinent patients by utilizing an extremely effective yet gentle formula that allows the skin to breathe naturally. Formulated with Aloe, Lanolin and Petrolatum, it allows the air transmission to...

3M[TM] Cavilon[TM] No Sting Barrier Film.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Whether you're protecting red irritated skin resulting from incontinence, or preventing skin damage from body fluids or periwound maceration, or even preventing fragile skin from stripping with aggressive tapes and dressings, Cavilon No Sting...

Heelift[R] Suspension Boots.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Heelift[R] Suspension Boots (Patent No. 5449339) work by suspending the heel in air. Pressure is transferred along the lower leg, which is supported by a patented elevation pad. The original Heelift[R] is made from convoluted medical grade foam...

Joerns[R] Avalon Collection.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... The Joerns[R] Avalon Collection was designed especially for Alzheimers and dementia residents. Wide, bullnose edges help reduce resident injuries from accidental bumps, while the contrasting edge color assists residents in identifying edge...

Sauder's Wedgewood Motion Chair.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Featuring the relaxing, therapeutic comfort of gentle rocking action, Sauder Wedgewood Motion Chairs provide practical, durable seating options for residents and patients. The Wedgewood chair family also includes Special Edition Seating...

Hertz Supply Co. Inc.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Voelker, "The Healthcare Bed in Disguise," is again bringing the latest developments in bed technology to savvy healthcare customers. In addition to unique features such as disappearing side rails, disappearing easters, fine wood finishes, and...

Eldercare furnishings line.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Maxwell Thomas[TM] eldercare furnishings, available exclusively from Direct Supply, are durable, safe and stylish. These attractive upholstered goods and resident room furniture collections offer a variety of fabrics, plus coordinating overbed...

Bedside Care Foam.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Bedside Care Foam and Bedside Care Unscented Foam for no-rinse, full body shampoo and perineal cleansing. These alcohol and aerosol-free bedside bathing products have been formulated with ingredients that dean, moisturize and condition the...

Patrician's Herbie Series 3-position recliner.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Patrician's Herbie Series 3-position recliner with moisture-minimizing fabric offers maximum style and functionality. This and hundreds of other furniture products are available through Boise. Boise can help you meet stringent healthcare...

Space tables.(Product Focus)
May 3, 2004... Height adjustable table for dining and activities. Top tilts for storage and portability, plus the CenterTransport System provided a foolproof way for one person to be able to move tables, with no leg drag. Meets the needs of residents and...

Health Guards[R] SP Sanitary Polypak.(New Products)
May 3, 2004... * Keeps toilet seat covers fresh, sanitary and moisture-free * Fully sealed with rigid cardboard backing * Fits all standard 1/2-fold dispensers * Produced by Hospital Speciality Company Circle 161 on reader service card ...

Headgear for MiniMe mask.(New Products)
May 3, 2004... * Easily adjustable, single size headgear for MiniMe nasal mask. * Pre-assembled to increase convenience for first time fittings * Configured with different hole sizes to optimize breathability * Made by SleepNet Corporation ...

Bio-1000 system.(New Products)
May 3, 2004... * Non-invasive therapy approved by the FDA in November to treat osteoarthritis of the knee * Soft Velcro wraps around the knee with a signal generator that delivers electrical stimulus * Promotes healing, reduces pain, and improves...

Clean Hand vinyl.(New Products)
May 3, 2004... * Single-use gloves offer protection, comfort, value * Made with high-quality polyvinyl chloride, has chemical resistance * Available in 100 or 50 dispenser box * Made by Volk Protective Products Circle 164 on reader service...

Worth repeating.(People & Opinions)
May 3, 2004... "We were caught with our pants down. The pressure on CDC to find vaccine was enormous." Dr. Lance Rodewald, head of immunization services with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with regard to the particularly harsh 2003-2004...

Firm hand manages best.(Q&A)
May 3, 2004... Studying leadership styles of nursing home administrators for her doctoral research at Marywood University in Scranton, NJ, veteran nutritionist Christina Hasemann wasn't surprised to find that the authoritarian style seems to be more effective...

Who's your favorite authoritarian leader?(Commentary)
May 3, 2004... You may have heard it before, but words truly can pack a punch. That was easily reaffirmed when copies of our Q&A interview with researcher Christina Hasemann, Ph.D. (see above) started circulating in pre-publication circles. ...

McKnight's ADLs.
May 3, 2004... Graham W. Billings, former litigator.

Food for the soul: the country's oldest African-American nursing home comforts with black-eyed peas, Negro League photos and gospel tunes.(McKnight's LTCN Profile)
May 3, 2004... At an African-American nursing home on the east side of Pittsburgh, a beautician presses the seniors' hair, working oil into the ends. An exercise instructor brings in upbeat, soulful gospel music to get the residents' blood pumping. A...

The Rodney Dangerfields of healthcare: as a $100 billion sector, you'd think nursing homes would get more respect.(Parting Shots)
May 3, 2004... Despite recently becoming a $100 billion business, nursing homes don't seem to get much respect as key players. Part of the reason is that facilities are regarded as small fish in health care's big pond. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid...