Safety Outcomes – Temporary Staff

Angie SzumlinskiNews

We have all been besieged with post-pandemic staffing challenges. The new buzzword is “staffing” and at pretty much every water cooler you can hear the frustration in the voices of providers. Adding to the problem, we are now losing the option of utilizing temporary CNAs to assist in basic care for our residents. So, what’s a provider to do? In …

The Price of Fitness

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I was totally intrigued by the couple who ran the Boston Marathon along with their 6-year-old son. This being a “no judge zone” blog space, I am not giving an opinion one way or the other, just saying it intrigued me. At the end of the day, we all have our ideas of how to have the healthiest or most …

Fecal Incontinence (Did I get your attention?)

Angie SzumlinskiNews

I was going to title this “well crap” but my grandson would say “language gaga”! Seriously, it is kind of an odd subject to write a blog on, but I read a recent study on the subject and found it really interesting. As we age, our bodies sometimes rebel, many times causing us to become incontinent of bowel and bladder. …

Man sitting on edge of bed looking sad

Alzheimer’s Avoidable?

Angie SzumlinskiNews

As providers, you know the challenges of caring for residents living with memory loss, whether it is a blanket diagnosis of “dementia” or a specific diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, it is devastating for both the resident and the family. Watching loved ones decline to the point of not recognizing their own children can cause frustration and such a huge sense …

Pandemic Feet

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Okay, really? What is “pandemic feet” all about? Well, according to The New York Times, podiatrists are reporting an uptick in foot trauma since the pandemic. Although there is no hard data on this trend, many podiatrists have spotted a clear correlation between foot injuries and the pandemic. Think about it, fitness centers basically closed their doors in states where …

Natural Disasters

Angie SzumlinskiNews

As we see our concern over the pandemic of 2020 waning, maybe it is time for us to look at other disaster preparedness protocols. As I watch the national news and weather reports, it is obvious that we are in the midst of spring weather threats. These threats are often catastrophic and often result in the loss of life. For …

At Last!

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Last week I had the pleasure of participating in a roundtable discussion with providers from around the country. The goal of the meeting was to talk about where we have been and how we survived the past 2 years, but more importantly, we discussed where we are going and how we plan to get there. There were about 25 people …

Tuberculosis Today

Angie SzumlinskiNews

When my parents were young back in the early 1940s, tuberculosis (Tb) was a common disease. There were Tb sanitariums around the country and sadly, when my dad was 8 years old, his mother succumbed to the disease. The stories from that time are heartbreaking and unfortunately, we are seeing an increase in Tb cases again. The good news is …

Remove Thy Mask – Oh Wait!

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Seriously? What a debacle! How many times are we going to change our minds regarding wearing/not wearing facemasks? And the government wonders why we question their logic and research? In the past week I have read (no kidding) a minimum of 15 articles on why or why not the mask mandate should or shouldn’t be lifted. Add to that, each …

Avocados and Heart Disease

Angie SzumlinskiNews

Do you remember when you were a kid and wouldn’t eat anything that was green or had “weird” texture? Well, bring on the avocado! Sure, many of us still won’t eat one unless it is mixed with some hot peppers and salsa and served with hot, salty tortilla chips, right? Maybe it is time to reconsider that weird looking green …