According to a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, nearly half of patients affected with the COVID-19 virus present with digestive problems. This is new information that was not evident even a few weeks ago and can have a direct impact on how quickly we identify residents affected. The study showed that patients affected with GI symptoms were …
As we navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic it is important to remember that the CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of infection apply to all senior care providers, skilled, assisted and independent. Seniors are the highest risk for a negative outcome related to this virus and all steps should be taken to protect them. This includes avoiding large groups, providing in-room dining, limiting/restricting non-essential visitors, etc. …
With the CoronaVirus paralyzing the country, we have many opportunities to assist in preventing the spread of infection. CMS and the CDC have recommended limiting visitation to “essential” visitors only. When we talk about “essential” that could mean something different to different people however in a nutshell, “if this person doesn’t come in, will you be unable to meet the …
As we all maneuver through the COVID-19 crisis, the Federal government has granted a waiver that allows patients to be admitted to skilled nursing facilities without the mandatory 3-day hospital stay. This waiver is tremendously helpful as it also includes the ability to admit directly from home, the ER, assisted living, etc. The waiver outlines the requirements including exemption from …
When restricting visitors to your facility, you should put postings at all entrances and exits and indicate the contact information for the Administrator and/or designee. We’ve created a notice you can customize for your building. Visit our Resource and Education Center where we are building a library of documents that can help you during the COVID-19 outbreak.
CMS is suspending non-emergency inspections across the country, allowing inspectors to turn their focus on the most serious health and safety threats like infectious diseases and abuse. This shift in approach will also allow inspectors to focus on addressing the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Click HERE to read the memo issued earlier today.
The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society published the results of a statewide program to improve the management of suspected urinary tract infections in long-term care. The reason the study was done was that too many residents were being treated for UTIs when in actuality they were experiencing “asymptomatic bacteriuria”. What does this mean? Well, maybe we need to go …
Coronavirus is the topic of many conversations lately. The CDC recommends the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. We’ve put together a toolkit of policies, procedures, checklists, and resources you can use to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Download the toolkit on our Resource & Education Center.
The senior living industry has been improving the delivery of care for almost two decades. The network that providers have–which includes other providers, their agents, our risk management consultants (including the one and only Angie Szumlinski), and HealthCap litigation managers–is deep and strong. Thanks to leadership from AHCA/NCAL and their state affiliates (and I will put in a plug for HealthCap), providers can solve nearly any problem …
