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This week’s HealthCap Weekly Wrap brings you a wide-ranging look at the issues and innovations shaping senior living communities today. We start with highlights from PharMerica’s disaster preparedness webinar, paired with HealthCap’s new 2025 Emergency Preparedness Manual, before turning to the CDC’s latest MMWR report on measles outbreaks, Lassa fever, and tobacco cessation services in behavioral health. We cover CMS’s updated CLIA guidance on organ and tissue testing, explore groundbreaking research showing how transepidermal water loss predicts diabetic foot ulcer recurrence, and introduce the Alzheimer’s Association’s free My ALZ Journey app for those newly diagnosed with dementia. We also spotlight a cutting-edge bioluminescent diagnostic tool that rapidly detects viruses in minutes without external power, and wrap up with the COE-NF Comfort Menu, a simple but powerful resource that gives residents more control over their comfort and care.
Planning & Preparation: The Keys to Successful Disaster Management — A webinar outlining practical steps communities can take before, during, and after disasters, with emphasis on risk assessment, continuity of operations, and medication access. It includes guidance on staff training, drills, and seasonally updating emergency protocols.
MMWR Newsletter — May 2025 — The CDC’s monthly roundup highlights the year’s measles activity, a travel-associated Lassa fever case investigation, and data on tobacco-related clinical services in behavioral health settings. It provides links to clinical guidance and surveillance updates.
REVISED: Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) — CLIA Applicability for Laboratory Testing Associated with Blood, Cells/Tissue, and Organs — CMS clarifies which transplant-related testing scenarios fall under CLIA, distinguishing donor testing (covered) from testing performed on isolated organs or perfusates (not covered). The memo includes an updated applicability table reflecting these determinations.
High Transepidermal Water Loss at the Site of Wound Closure Is Associated With Increased Recurrence of Diabetic Foot Ulcers — A multicenter study shows that elevated transepidermal water loss at recently closed ulcer sites is linked to higher short-term recurrence. The authors suggest TEWL could serve as a biomarker to evaluate functional healing.
Alzheimer’s Association Launches Free Mobile App: My ALZ Journey — The Association introduces a free app designed for people newly diagnosed with dementia and their care partners. It offers personalized guidance, educational resources, planning tools, and connections to local chapter services.
Ultrasensitive and long-lasting bioluminescence immunoassay for point-of-care viral antigen detection — Researchers present the LUCAS assay, a portable, automated system that delivers rapid sample-to-answer viral antigen results using a bioluminescent enzyme cascade. The approach increases signal strength and persistence, enabling point-of-care use without external power.
COE-NF Comfort Menu — A resident-centered checklist of non-pharmacologic comfort options such as warm blankets, music, guided imagery, and aromatherapy. The tool helps teams document preferences to address anxiety, discomfort, and pain.
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