May 2010 - Posts

AAHSA Town Hall on Health Reform
May 28, 2010 10:43 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

Long-term care facilities interested in learning about what the new health reform law means for nursing home transparency are urged to participate in AAHSA's town hall meeting, Thursday, June 3. The free conference call will take place at 2 p.m. Eastern Read More...

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What the Affordable Care Act Means for Medicare
May 27, 2010 11:09 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

Medicare beneficiaries will soon receive information in the mail about the immediate benefits they may see from the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. The mailing from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) outlines important provisions Read More...

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I'll Have Another Glass of Red
May 26, 2010 8:56 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

I won't feel guilty having that glass of wine with dinner tonight. A new Spanish study suggests moderate drinking may prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease among otherwise healthy people. Women who don't smoke appeared to gain the most benefit from Read More...

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A Way to Celebrate Homecoming Week
May 25, 2010 3:18 PM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, AAHSA is having its Homecoming Week celebration May 31-June 4. Today, it announced one way to celebrate: by screening the intergenerational film, "Stages." Weaving together themes of immigration, evolution, aging and coming Read More...

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Alzheimer's Disease Predicted to Cost U.S. $20 Trillion
May 24, 2010 8:20 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

A new report from the Alzheimer's Association -- "Changing the Trajectory of Alzheimer's Disease: A National Imperative" -- shows that in the absence of disease-modifying treatments, the cumulative costs of care for people with Alzheimer's from 2010 to Read More...

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Caregiving May Make You Sick
May 21, 2010 9:48 AM by Heather Simons

Caregivers have greater psychological and physical health problems than noncaregivers, according to a recent article at CNN.com . In the May issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society , psychologist Peter Vitaliano explains that many caregivers Read More...

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Heroes of Long-Term Care
May 20, 2010 8:49 AM by Heather Simons

In honor of National Nursing Home Week (May 9-15), the Health Care Council of Illinois recognized the heroes of long-term care facilities in the state for 2010. Five individuals and all employees at St. Anthony's Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, who Read More...

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Moving Increases Suicide Risk for Seniors
May 19, 2010 11:10 AM by Heather Simons

Moving to a long-term care facility can increase the risk of suicidal behavior in older people, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Rochester in New York. The underlying reasons that precipitate moving into a long-term care facility, Read More...

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High Blood Pressure May Cause Falls
May 18, 2010 9:20 AM by Heather Simons

Altered blood flow in the brain due to high blood pressure and other conditions may lead to falls in elderly people, according to a recent study. Researchers followed 419 people age 65 or older. Ultrasound tests were used to measure brain blood flow response Read More...

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519 "Best in Class" Nursing Homes Recognized
May 17, 2010 9:38 AM by Heather Simons

Today My InnerView, an independent research company, will award 519 nursing homes the profession's best-in-class Excellence in Action award, which recognizes nursing homes that achieve high levels of excellence as demonstrated by having overall customer Read More...

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Defibrillators at the End of Life
May 14, 2010 10:02 AM by Adkins-Ali Carrie

As hospice providers fight a sometimes difficult battle to bring dignity to the end of life, they face a myriad of obstacles and potential objections. One of those may be choosing to turn off a heart defibrillator. Consider this report from the New York Read More...

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Guest Blog: "Transparency Can Bite You "
May 12, 2010 3:19 PM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

The following is a guest blog from Anthony Cirillo: Transparency Can Bite You if You're Not Totally Upfront The CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Paul Levy, writes one of the most insightful and impactful blogs about the healthcare industry. Read More...

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Proton Pump Inhibitors are Risky
May 11, 2010 9:12 AM by Adkins-Ali Carrie

In addition to the general risks of polypharmacy, individual drugs pose a variety of complications. Whether the FDA is missing them, ignoring them or considering them acceptable risk, plenty of drugs on the market may pose significant risk of harm. The Read More...

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Addressing the Geriatrician Shortage
May 10, 2010 3:06 PM by Adkins-Ali Carrie

In response to the rapidly aging population and the lack of trained geriatricians, physician policy experts are calling for changes in medical education. In "The Urgency of Preparing Primary Care Physicians to Care for Older People with Chronic Illnesses," Read More...

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Enriching Every Day
May 7, 2010 8:09 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

In honor of National Nursing Home Week, ADVANCE would like to salute all of the employees, volunteers, families and residents in facilities across the country. This year's national theme is "Enriching Every Day." Eileen Meyers, activity director at Harlee Read More...

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Preventing ER Visits
May 6, 2010 10:38 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

A significant number of nursing home residents' visits to the emergency room are avoidable, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using data collected for the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey, the CDC found Read More...

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Are you an Organ Donor?
May 5, 2010 12:13 PM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

Recently, a New York assemblyman introduced a bill aimed at making the state the first to presume people want to donate their organs unless they specifically say otherwise. Currenlty, in most states, people must opt in to being an organ donor. The new Read More...

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Honoring Mothers
May 4, 2010 9:49 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

No doubt, your community is probably filled with mothers--from residents to managers to frontline staff. So, how are you honoring them this Sunday, May 9, Mother's day? Interestingly, Senior Helpers, a health care and companion service provider, recently Read More...

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AAHSA Homecoming Week 2010
May 3, 2010 8:53 AM by Elizabeth Rosto Sitko

AAHSA's 2010 Homecoming week celebration will be held from May 31 to June 4. The event celebrates leadership in serving elders today and tomorrow. This year's homecoming theme is "Who Decides?" AAHSA is encouraging members to host a roundtable discussion Read More...

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