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This week’s HealthCap Weekly Wrap brings you timely, practical updates for senior living professionals, including the fast-spreading “Nimbus” COVID-19 variant, new deprescribing success stories, and updated Choosing Wisely recommendations to reduce harmful treatments. We explore innovative partnerships between nursing homes and nursing schools, proposed changes to the Five-Star Quality Rating System, effective team strategies for addressing staff misconduct, and the latest fraud alerts from CMS. Each story offers clear takeaways you can apply in your community right now to improve care, support your team, and stay ahead of emerging challenges.

 

“Nimbus” COVID Variant: What We Know About NB.1.8.1

This article breaks down the symptoms and spread of NB.1.8.1, the Omicron subvariant nicknamed “Nimbus.” With reports of razor-blade-like throat pain and gastrointestinal issues, the piece outlines why the WHO is monitoring this variant and what current data says about vaccine effectiveness and severity.

PALTmed’s Updated Choosing Wisely Recommendations

PALTmed outlines a new set of evidence-based recommendations designed to help interdisciplinary teams in senior living reduce unnecessary or potentially harmful treatments and support safer, more effective care planning.

Deprescribing Success: Polypharmacy Initiative Reduces Risk

A deprescribing tool implemented in five New York nursing homes led to one-third of residents moving below the medication overload threshold, with meaningful reductions in high-risk prescriptions—highlighting a scalable approach to safer medication management.

Collaborative Connects Nursing Homes and Nursing Schools

This article explores how Pennsylvania’s Teaching Nursing Home Collaborative is pairing long-term care communities with nursing schools to promote Age-Friendly care using the 4Ms framework and build a sustainable eldercare workforce.

MedPAC Pushes to Overhaul the Five-Star Rating System

MedPAC is proposing significant changes to the Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes, suggesting a move away from survey-focused scoring and toward more resident-centered metrics like staffing consistency and quality outcomes.

Study Finds Huddles Improve Responses to Staff Misconduct

This multi-site study shows how structured team huddles can improve leadership response to reports of unprofessional behavior in healthcare settings, helping organizations build trust, consistency, and accountability in their workplace culture.

CMS Reports $1.3 Billion in Suspended Payments Amid Fraud Crackdown

CMS reveals new data showing aggressive fraud prevention efforts—including suspended payments, overpayment recoveries, and phishing scam alerts—highlighting the urgent need for billing vigilance in Medicare-participating communities.