McKnight's Long-Term Care News articles from May 2007

McKnight's Long-Term Care News archives from May 2007

Record loans fuel retooling.(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Loans in the long-term care sector hit a record $2.2 billion in the fourth quarter of 2006, according to the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry. Providers have been taking advantage of good interest rates,...

Washington to face a long, hot summer.(medical care services)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Lawmakers in Washington must constantly juggle two conflicting realities. The first is that constituents always seem to want more. The second is that constituents usually want someone else to pay. Small surprise, then, that a proposed...

SNF charges rise by 15%.(Skilled Nursing Facility)(Survey)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... A provider's average bill for a private-pay room has risen 15% over the last three years, according to a national examination of averages by Genworth Financial. The national average cost of a private room in 2007 is $74,806, or $204 per...

No bed rails? Same fall rate.(NEWS)
May 1, 2007... Nursing home residents may be at a lower risk of falling when using beds without protective side rails, a new study shows. One of four facilities showed significant improvement in the rate of falls after working with an advanced practice...

Visualization aids recovery.(NEWS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Mentally practicing tasks as part of a therapy regimen significantly improves outcomes for chronic stroke patients, according to a report in the journal Stroke. "The same neural and muscular structures are activated when movements are...

Providers seek support as budget battles loom.(NEWS)
May 1, 2007... The long-term care sector currently finds itself trying to overcome a Bush budget plan that could reduce Medicare outlays by up to $10 billion over five years. Providers received comforting news when the House of Representatives approved a...

Heenan: e-learning powerful tool.(NEWS)
May 1, 2007... As Diversicare's director of training, Ted Heenan has become an expert on staff-training challenges. All too often, he says, it consists of herding bored people into a room to hear information that fails to resonate. Fortunately, he...

Residents rate the quality of life in nursing homes higher than frontline staff do, according to a study appearing in the April issue of The Gerontologist.(At deadline)
May 1, 2007... Residents rate the quality of life in nursing homes higher than frontline staff do, according to a study appearing in the April issue of The Gerontologist. Work satisfaction, pay and opportunities for promotion strongly influenced workers'...

The nation's cost for providing dementia-care services climbed to $76 billion in 2005, according to the Alzheimer's Association.(At deadline)
May 1, 2007... The nation's cost for providing dementia-care services climbed to $76 billion in 2005, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Worldwide, the tab jumped to $315 billion. About 6 million Americans are believed to suffer from the illness.

Most workers see health coverage as the most important employee benefit, a survey by the National Business Group on Health has found.(At deadline)
May 1, 2007... Most workers see health coverage as the most important employee benefit, a survey by the National Business Group on Health has found. Fully 60% of respondents said it was important to have a health plan that's easy to manage, lets them choose...

60 seconds with ... Mary Rita Hurley, RN Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy Project Director.(NEWS)(Interview)
May 1, 2007... Q: The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, is creating a nationwide Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy. Why? A: We all get promoted into leadership/management positions and we're ill-prepared to do it. The bulk of a...

Presidential hopeful works shift as facility nursing aide.(NEWS)
May 1, 2007... Nursing homes and their workers received an unprecedented jolt of exposure recently when presidential candidate John Edwards decided to work a morning shift as a nurse's aide at a New York facility. Edwards, who was a nominee for vice...

GAO: bad facilities not punished enough.(NEWS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Congressional investigators say federal health officials have been taking it too easy on troubled nursing homes. As a result, facilities cited for harmful conditions often correct them, only to return to them later, researchers for the...

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel recently revised the definition and stages of pressure ulcers.(Regulatory Update)
May 1, 2007... The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel recently revised the definition and stages of pressure ulcers, adding "suspected deep tissue injury" and "unstageable" as new stages.

The Department of Transportation issued guidance for safely transporting medical oxygen for personal use on buses and trains.(Regulatory Update)
May 1, 2007... The Department of Transportation issued guidance for safely transporting medical oxygen for personal use on buses and trains. It should be transported only when medically necessary, and kept from sources of heat or potential sparks.

Newly introduced S.B. 845 would expand research and education on fall prevention for seniors.(Bill Watch)
May 1, 2007... Newly introduced S.B. 845 would expand research and education on fall prevention for seniors. One of its goals is to evaluate ways to reduce falls among high-risk adults in long-term care facilities.

A new bill, H.R. 1645, would create a guest worker program for undocumented immigrants.(Bill Watch)
May 1, 2007... A new bill, H.R. 1645, would create a guest worker program for undocumented immigrants. Providers praised the bill as a step toward filling the nurse shortage.

Ask the care expert.(NEWS: Resident Care)
May 1, 2007... We have many residents who for one reason or another cannot get out of bed during the day. We are looking for some means of adding quality to their day. Do you have any suggestions? You can get volunteers to play games of cards or to sit...

Study finds living wills lead to better care at end of life.(NEWS: Resident Care)
May 1, 2007... Advance directives are a good start toward improving end-of-life care, but even more could be done, researchers have found. Families said they felt better about the care their loved ones received just prior to death if their loved ones had...

The secret of a long life may be grandma's iPod.(Caregiving Update)
May 1, 2007... The secret of a long life may be grandma's iPod. A poll of 100 people who were age 99 or older found that paying attention to both technology and current events topped the list of longevity secrets. Those polled also cited a healthy diet, not...

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced plans to release guidelines and regulations on eating assistants by early fall, as well as sanitary and nutritional regulations by the end of the year.(Caregiving Update)
May 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently announced plans to release guidelines and regulations on eating assistants by early fall, as well as sanitary and nutritional regulations by the end of the year. For more information, see...

A new study indicates caregivers should treat their frail residents with special precautions against infections.(Caregiving Update)
May 1, 2007... A new study indicates caregivers should treat their frail residents with special precautions against infections. Patients arriving from long-term care facilities were 12 times as likely to carry "superbugs" that resist antibiotic treatments,...

Ask the treatment expert.(NEWS: Wound Care)
May 1, 2007... I have a treatment nurse who keeps referring to a "silent infection" in a wound. Can this be possible? The superficial appearance of a wound can be misleading. In the same way that "all that glitters is not gold," all that is red is not...

Researcher takes closer look at how pressure sores start.(NEWS: Wound Care)
May 1, 2007... Many newly-arriving residents are at a risk for developing pressure ulcers. But routine examinations often fail to unearth a problem in progress. A new ultrasound tool may offer some relief here, a vendor-sponsored investigation has found. ...

BlueSky Medical wins in court--again.(NEWS: Wound Care)
May 1, 2007... BlueSky Medical has scored another legal victory in its patent infringement fight against Kinetic Concepts Inc. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas recently entered a final judgment in the case. A jury determined in...

Researchers are developing scaffold-like materials that can be injected into the body--where they will quickly solidify to fit any space, repairing damaged bones, spinal cords, arteries and other tissues.(Treatment Update)
May 1, 2007... Researchers are developing scaffold-like materials that can be injected into the body-where they will quickly solidify to fit any space, repairing damaged bones, spinal cords, arteries and other tissues. While common use is years away, the...

If initial therapy does not work on a psoriasis condition, patients should make sure their doctors consider other skin ailments.(Treatment Update)
May 1, 2007... If initial therapy does not work on a psoriasis condition, patients should make sure their doctors consider other skin ailments. Diseases like syphilis, pityriasis rosea or eczema are often mistaken for psoriasis, leading to an incorrect...

Ask the nursing expert.(NEWS: Nursing)
May 1, 2007... I have been a director of nursing for many years in long-term care, but I find that I am so exhausted and ask myself why I keep working like this. Any thoughts? I must admit that the long-term care environment is more stressful than ever...

Current nursing students honest, older, survey finds.(NEWS: Nursing)
May 1, 2007... Compared with two decades ago, nursing students believe in being more honest with residents. They're also, on average, a lot older, according to a study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. British researchers were able to make these...

Antipsychotics, when prescribed as sedatives for Alzheimer's patients, may lead to early death, researchers from King's College London found.(Medication Update)
May 1, 2007... Antipsychotics, when prescribed as sedatives for Alzheimer's patients, may lead to early death, researchers from King's College London found. These so-called neuroleptic drugs were originally developed for schizophrenia. They are frequently...

Two pharmacy organizations have partnered to recommend areas of long-term care pharmacy practice that need to be updated.(Medication Update)
May 1, 2007... Two pharmacy organizations have partnered to recommend areas of long-term care pharmacy practice that need to be updated. The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy issued their suggestions...

A new oral vaccine for Alzheimer's has proven safe and effective in mice, said the director of a Japanese research institute that has tested the vaccine.(Medication Update)
May 1, 2007... A new oral vaccine for Alzheimer's has proven safe and effective in mice, said the director of a Japanese research institute that has tested the vaccine. The vaccine improved mental function and reduced the amount of amyloid plaques, a hallmark...

Antidepressants appear to improve brain functioning in stroke victims, whether or not they have symptoms of depression, according to new study findings.(Medication Update)
May 1, 2007... Antidepressants appear to improve brain functioning in stroke victims, whether or not they have symptoms of depression, according to new study findings. The study was published in the March issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

Ask the payment expert.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
May 1, 2007... Just how important do you think ICD-9 coding is for Medicare and/or Medicaid reimbursement? ICD-9 coding is very important to your reimbursement system. Section I of the MDS needs to reflect diagnoses that are active and affecting the...

Providers implore Congress to drop survey-revisit fund.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Nursing home representatives are urging members of Congress to put an end to the so-called "quality-based user fee" imposed for nursing home survey revisits. The fee was a surprise inclusion in the 2007 budget continuing resolution, said...

Analysis rips LTC insurers.(NEWS: Payment & Policy)
May 1, 2007... If providers and regulators are hoping long-term care insurance would quietly grow in popularity and therefore help better fund operations in the future, well, they have another thing coming. A scathing front-page article recently in The...

1.87.(Go figure)
May 1, 2007... The American Health Care Association paid $1.87 million in compensation in 2005 to former President and CEO Hal Daub., according to IRS 990. That's about $463,000 in salary, plus $1.4 million in severance to be spread over 24 month, according...

215,000.(Go figure)
May 1, 2007... The average 65-year-old couple retiring this year will need $215,000 to cover healthcare costs for the rest of their lives, according to a Fidelity Investments study. This figure does not include long-term care, over-the-counter medications or...

Shareholders of Sunrise Real Estate Investment Trust approved the sale of the company to Ventas Inc.(Business Briefs)
May 1, 2007... Shareholders of Sunrise Real Estate Investment Trust approved the sale of the company to Ventas Inc., which agreed to buy the company for about $14.50 per share, up from about $13.20 per share, a 10% price increase. Ventas amended the deal...

California's second-largest nursing home chain filed for bankruptcy.(Business Briefs)
May 1, 2007... California's second-largest nursing home chain filed for bankruptcy. But Pleasant Care Corp.'s facilities will remain open. The bankruptcy will allow Pleasant Care, which owns 32 facilities, to continue operating as it recognizes its debt. The...

Metro Monitor.(NEWS: Companies)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... MetroMonitor The number of nursing facilities vs. the number of assisted living facilities in the top 31 metro markets (figures for fourth-quarter 2006). Leaders Nursing Market ...

Speculation swirls around Manor Care announcement.(NEWS: Companies)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Manor Care Inc. disclosed last month that it had retained JPMorgan as its financial advisor to explore strategic alternatives. The announcement raised speculation that the largest nursing home chain in the country may be contemplating a sale....

Bidder hikes Genesis price.(NEWS: Companies)
May 1, 2007... A private equity joint venture has sweetened the purchase deal with Genesis Healthcare Corp., agreeing to buy the chain for $64.25 per share, up from $63 per share. The 2% increase represents "our 'best and final' price," said Arnold...

Foreign nurses.(Good month)
May 1, 2007... Foreign nurses: Foreign-trained nurses accounted for only 8.8% of all new registered nurses in the United States in 1990. But the number jumped to 15.2% in 2000, according to a report published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Electronic medical records.(Good month)
May 1, 2007... Electronic medical records: Most Americans support the use of electronic medical records, according to a poll conducted by Erickson Retirement Communities. However, about half of seniors 65 and older said that they would not routinely track...

Private insurance.(Bad month)
May 1, 2007... Private insurance: Many long-term care insurers delay or offset payments by using delays or bureaucratic hurdles, according to an investigation by The New York Times.

Living wills.(Bad month)
May 1, 2007... Living wills: A Florida state court jury ordered a West Palm Beach nursing home to pay $150,000 to the family of a terminally ill resident who was resuscitated and hospitalized despite her living will.

Sedatives.(Bad month)
May 1, 2007... Sedatives: Many people with Alzheimer's disease die earlier due to excessive sedative prescribing, according to a report by the Alzheirner's Research Trust.

Can e-learning improve every aspect of operations?(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... Can e-learning improve every aspect of operations? The answer is yes, according to Ted Heenan, Diversicare's director of training. Heenan will speak about his experiences implementing e-learning during an upcoming McKnight's Webcast. The event...

Some providers will receive extra time to meet HIPAA's National Provider Identification rule, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... Some providers will receive extra time to meet HIPAA's National Provider Identification rule, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Providers found to have been making "a good faith effort to comply" with the rule may...

A health panel working for the Congressional Budget Office will provide information on the latest healthcare research and analysis to help the agency expand work on related issues, the CBO said.(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... A health panel working for the Congressional Budget Office will provide information on the latest healthcare research and analysis to help the agency expand work on related issues, the CBO said. The panel will examine issues such as the...

While electronic-prescribing tools offer considerable benefits, many physicians are not using them.(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... While electronic-prescribing tools offer considerable benefits, many physicians are not using them. According to a report posted on the Health Affairs Web site, three factors explain the gaps: product limitations, external implementation...

Health information technology legislation will not be a leading priority in Washington this year, according to three aides who spoke at a forum sponsored by Erickson Retirement Communities.(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... Health information technology legislation will not be a leading priority in Washington this year, according to three aides who spoke at a forum sponsored by Erickson Retirement Communities. Instead, SCHIP reauthorization, a scheduled 10% cut in...

Medical directors and other providers serving the elderly can provide better care by adopting health information technology (HIT) tools.(IT Update)
May 1, 2007... Medical directors and other providers serving the elderly can provide better care by adopting health information technology (HIT) tools, according to several physicians who testified during a recent House hearing.

Report: vendors can grow by expanding into IT field.(NEWS: Technology)
May 1, 2007... The nation's healthcare information technology market is in its infancy and has low adoption rates across many sectors. These factors help make this a good time for vendors to enter the healthcare IT market, according to a report from research...

"I couldn't live without ...".(NEWS: Technology)
May 1, 2007... "Information is critical to a good relationship and providing a high-quality service;' says Beatrice H. Coulombe. Using technology to manage relationships with residents' families is key to minimizing problems stemming from poor communication,...

Governor compromises on cuts.(NORTHEAST)(healthcare funding cuts)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Nursing homes and other healthcare providers will not lose as much as they expected in the next budget, thanks to a compromise between the governor and the Legislature. Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) and lawmakers hammered out an...

CMS pulls funding for SeniorCare program.(WISCONSIN)
May 1, 2007... The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last month decided to terminate funding for SeniorCare, a prescription drug program for low-income seniors in the state. CMS rejected the state's request for a new Medicaid waiver for SeniorCare...

Providers rally for state funding.(NORTHEAST)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... CONNECTICUT -- Nursing homes are pressuring Gov. M. Jodi Rell (R) to retract her plan to stop funding increases for nursing homes over the next two years. The New England Health Care Employees Union District 1199 and the Connecticut...

Medicaid watchdog office to open.(NORTHEAST)
May 1, 2007... NEW JERSEY -- The state is cracking down on Medicaid fraud. Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D) signed a bill (S. 1852) that will create an independent office with the responsibilities of preventing, detecting and investigating fraud and abuse in the...

Board: LLCs not exempt.(NORTHEAST)(limited liability companies)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... MASSACHUSETTS -- Skilled nursing facilities operated by sole-member limited liability companies (LLCs) are not eligible for a charitable real property tax exemption, the Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board said in a decision issued last month....

Unprofitable facility wants out.(NORTHEAST)(Darien Health Care Center )(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... CONNECTICUT -- One town's only nursing home has asked the state for permission to close due to a lack of profits. The 120-bed Darien Health Care Center is in Darien, whose population numbers about 20,000. A total of 94 residents live in the...

Web site repository pushed.(MIDWEST)
May 1, 2007... ILLINOIS -- Consumers would be able to find out everything about a nursing home, from food to furnishings, under new legislation proposed by State Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The Residents' Right to Know Act would require some 1,500...

First permanent-waiver feature.(MIDWEST)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... IOWA -- The Department of Health and Human Services has given approval for the state to add home- and community-based services as permanent features of its Medicaid plan. Iowa is the first state to take advantage of new terms set by the...

Medicaid bill flawed, group says.(MIDWEST)
May 1, 2007... MISSOURI -- A new bill that would overhaul the state's Medicaid program could hurt seniors and the disabled, according to Families USA, which advocates for the rights of the elderly, The bill (S.B. 577) would move most of the state's...

Governor endorses in-home care.(MIDWEST)
May 1, 2007... OHIO -- The governor is proposing more funding for the state's in-home care services program for low-income seniors to reduce the costs of nursing home care. Ohio spends more per capita on nursing home care than 41 states in the country,...

VA facilities need facelift.(PLAINS/MOUNTAIN)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... COLORADO -- The state is seeking government funds to fix five dilapidated Veterans Affairs nursing homes. It would take about $3 million in state funds to make the needed repairs at the facilities in Homelake, Rifle, Florence and...

Punishment for resident death.(WEST)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... CALIFORNIA -- State health officials slapped a $100,000 fine on Homewood Care Center, a San Jose nursing home, for poor care that led to the death of a 67-year-old resident. It is the most severe category of citation. Separately, Jack...

Governor acts on IT.(WEST)
May 1, 2007... CALIFORNIA -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) issued an executive order to advance the state's use of health information technology, Specifically, the order requires secretaries of several departments, including the Health and Human Services...

Learning from Katrina.(SOUTHWEST)
May 1, 2007... OKLAHOMA -- The lessons of Hurricane Katrina have helped nursing homes in one county here feel better prepared for emergency situations, Each facility in Muskogee County, which has a population of about 70,000, now has a copy of the Nursing...

Ex-employee takes four hostages.(SOUTHWEST)(Ernie Smith, nursing home employee )(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... TEXAS -- A fired nursing home employee barricaded himself in the facility and held four people hostage last month. He surrendered hours later and no one was hurt. Ernie Smith was sacked on a Friday but came back to the Castle Manor nursing...

Ask the legal expert.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
May 1, 2007... How can I best prepare myself to testify in court? The best way to protect both yourself and your facility when testifying in court is to PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE. Here are some tips: 1. Practice, practice, practice. You should...

Bill would narrow definition of 'supervisor' boost unions.(NEWS: Legal Matters)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... More nurses would be eligible for union membership under new legislation introduced in the Senate. The bill (S.B. 969) would strip two terms from the National Labor Relations Act definition of supervisor: "assign" and "responsibility to...

Ruling raises new tax status questions.(NEWS: Legal Matters)
May 1, 2007... The tax-exempt status of some services offered by long-term care providers could be subject to debate after a state appeals court ruled that a hospital must pay back-taxes for services at a remote facility. Applying what some legal experts...

How-to do it ... financing.(Business & Marketing)
May 1, 2007... Cheerful stories about financing have been the norm recently for stakeholders in the long-term care field. But it hasn't always been that way--and it's all but certain that this rosy outlook will shift at some point. Providers must prepare...

Out with the institutional: a recent round of renovations has helped transform a St. Louis-area nursing home into a more homelike and less 'clinical' environment.(Business & Marketing: Design)
May 1, 2007... Don't underestimate the ability of residents to appreciate more contemporary, trendy surroundings. That's a motto of Karla M. Jackson, a project design manager for StudioSIX5, Austin, TX. Her interior design firm, which specializes in senior...

Location, location, location.(THE BIG PICTURE)
May 1, 2007... If your community has been around for a while, you've probably encountered your share of celebrations and cliffhangers. So it is with some of the firms that serve you. Consider the recently rechristened Joerns Health Care, based in Stevens...

Alzheimer's to mark baby boomer demographic.(Editor's DESK)
May 1, 2007... You might be able to avoid, or at least ignore, certain aspects of the baby boomer wave. After all, your facility has only so many beds and, therefore, can absorb just a speck of this powerhouse demographic. But there is one factor you will not...

What 'extra' service have you added or done for residents lately?(Reader Poll)
May 1, 2007... "We started a breakfast cart that goes to each floor. Residents didn't want to get dressed to go down to eat. We put all sorts of things on it: yogurt, fruit and more. It originated from a resident survey that said they didn't want to get up to...

Congratulations!
May 1, 2007... To these McKnight's Online Expo attendees who won special prize drawings. Karie Jones, director of nursing, Christus St. Joseph Villa, Salt Lake City, CT She won our drawing of expo attendees who visited every sponsor booth for a $100...

Time to start another war.(HAVING MY SAY)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... While more than 3,200 Americans have died in Iraq since the United States invaded that nation in March 2003, about 120,000 Americans have died in their own country during the same period after losing battles to a microscopic enemy--the...

'Privileged' to attend McKnight's Online Expo.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... As the leading continuing care retirement community in the San Antonio market, Morningside Ministries depends on complete, accurate and timely data and other information to make important decisions regarding the intermediate and long-term...

McKnight's Online Expo helpful for busy schedule.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... I found the virtual expo a fun way to look at new products. It was very helpful with my busy schedule, not to have to leave the office and to still be able to look at products and listen to conferences. Cynthia Nothom Assistant...

Online expo session 'both convenient, interesting'.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2007... Last week, I participated in one of the sessions in your online expo. It was both convenient and interesting. I look forward to participating in the future. Don Kacmar Executive Director Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran...