Wait, don’t leave! I’m not going to get on my soapbox about smoking, the ill effects it has on the body, the expense, the long-term negative outcomes, how it is banned pretty much everywhere in public places, or how many wonderful ways there are to help you quit. Sorry, guess I did get on my soapbox. But honestly, this isn’t …
As we continue our journey through the pandemic of 2020, many of us have suffered negative outcomes related to loneliness and isolation. As the experts have been preaching and CMS finally agreed, isolation in anyone, but especially in seniors, can have a devastating, long-term effect. We are seeing this in our centers, with many deaths, albeit unrelated to the virus …
It is rare that I will share information regarding a specific product, software program, etc. however, I am really excited about a training session that AHCA/NCAL (in collaboration with the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing AAPACN) is offering on Trauma Informed Care (TIC). The program contains simple, foundational steps, and practical recommendations for implementing a TIC program to improve …
The debate is on! Experts all over the globe are beginning a war of words with what the COVID-19 virus should now be called. Honestly, listening to them is confusing, and I can see both sides of the “argument”. One thing jumped out at me as I read an article in Becker’s Hospital Review, the majority of “endemic” fans are …
As we age, we are faced with some tough decisions regarding what “heroic” measures to take in the event our heart should stop, we are no longer able to breathe on our own, we cannot consume food orally, etc. Would we want to be kept alive artificially (i.e., ventilator-dependent), do we want “everything done” or would we choose to stop …
We have been on a whirlwind journey for the past 2 years and we continue to spin, sometimes out of control it seems. So, when I read an article written by an emergency room physician, it made me pause. Yes, even physicians who are seemingly untethered, paying close attention for keywords in your conversation, and fixing the broken, must learn …
In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, United States nursing homes (NHs) implemented protocols to protect NH residents from contracting the virus. However, protocol implementation and effectiveness varied across regions. The restrictions included in these protocols, such as stopping visitation and communal activities, resulted in NH resident isolation and disruption of many programs designed to promote healthy aging. …
With the challenges we have faced in the past 2 years, wouldn’t you think we would embrace each other, accept others for who they are, respect individuality and diversity? One would think so, but when I read a recent article in Medscape UK, it took me aback, I was not only surprised but disappointed in humanity in general. A healthcare …
Delirium. We have all had residents in our centers who experienced delirium, many times resulting in a negative outcome. We often track the onset of delirium to an emergency room transfer, hospitalization, infection, etc. but have we looked at the possibility that interrupted sleep increases the risk of delirium? In a limited study published in Medscape, researchers found that with …
Remember when you got sick with a bad cold as a child and seriously thought you were dying? Mom told us we wouldn’t die and the good news was that our immune system would recognize that virus in the future and destroy it, leaving us free from colds forever. Not! However, mom wasn’t totally wrong! In fairness, our body would …
