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All posts tagged with “Post-Acute Care News | Senior Living / Elder Care / Aging News.”
Kroger Health boosts investment in senior primary care
12/13/23 at 03:58 AMKroger Health boosts investment in senior primary careModern HealthcareDecember 11, 2023Kroger is testing a strategic shift for its in-store clinics and moving into primary care for seniors. This month, its Kroger Health unit transitioned eight of The Little Clinic sites in Atlanta to focus on seniors, in addition to their regular services. If the change proves successful, Kroger wants to expand it to other existing locations and potentially new markets, said Jim Kirby, Kroger Health’s chief commercial officer. “We want to make sure that we’ve got the model right, and that we’re seeing the outcomes from the patients that we expect,” he said. “We want them to have that relationship with us, [so] that we can go deep with them, and we can do the best job we can to quarterback their care.”
Brookdale sees 25 consecutive months of occupancy growth in November
12/13/23 at 03:46 AMBrookdale sees 25 consecutive months of occupancy growth in NovembeMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 11, 2023Brentwood, TN-based Brookdale Senior Living wrapped up November with its 25th consecutive month of year-over-year weighted average occupancy growth, the company reported Friday. The company said that November’s weighted average occupancy was an increase of 40 basis points year over year, to 78.4%. Month over month from October to November, weighted occupancy dipped slightly, from 78.6% to 78.4%. Brookdale noted, however, that third-quarter occupancy was 77.6%, compared with the second quarter, which saw 76.5% average weighted occupancy.
Are nursing homes headed for an 80% direct-spend rule?
12/13/23 at 03:43 AMAre nursing homes headed for an 80% direct-spend rule?McKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 12, 2023A national union on Friday skewed comments made by Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to imply federal regulators had proposed an 80% direct care spending requirement for the nursing home sector.
Fix needed now—America’s long-term care financing system is broken
12/13/23 at 03:33 AMFix needed now—America’s long-term care financing system is brokenBy Katie Smith SloanThe HillDecember 11, 2023Nonprofit providers of aging services have been warning for decades that America’s system for financing long-term care is dangerously broken. The dedicated professionals serving older adults in nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice programs, and senior living communities have toiled side-by-side with families across the country to cobble together care and services for parents, friends, and neighbors—connecting the tattered pieces of our patchwork long-term care system in an effort to ensure dignity, comfort and independence as the needs of our loved ones change. The New York Times KFF Health News’ series “Dying Broke” aptly illustrates the impact of the United States’ insufficient approach to financing of long-term services and supports. It’s an important and unflinching look at how our country is failing us. ... We can do better. A comprehensive and equitable long-term care financing system would make all the difference. The longer lives that many Americans will enjoy offers enormous potential for our nation. We must seize this opportunity and ensure that potential isn’t squelched by an oppressive and unfair long-term care financing system. The solutions are complicated—but smart approaches abound. The variable is political will. ... I urge our leaders to listen to the voices of their constituents, and join us in creating solutions. All of our futures depend on it.
Aging population requires ‘bold leadership’ to protect human dignity—LeadingAge to House Speaker
12/12/23 at 03:28 AMAging population requires ‘bold leadership’ to protect human dignity—LeadingAge to House SpeakerMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 11, 2023The growing population of older adults requires “bold leadership” to ensure aging with dignity, as well as access to care and support, according to an open letter from LeadingAge to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). The changing demographics and need to support older adults where they live and receive services presents a unique opportunity for Johnson to demonstrate leadership and commitment to “protecting human dignity,” according to the letter from LeadingAge President and CEO Katie Smith Sloan. ... “The US healthcare system is navigating a new and unfamiliar landscape in the wake of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” Sloan wrote. “Three years of sustained stress and increasing workloads have caused a dramatic shift in staffing patterns and an alarming rise in burnout across health professions.”
Home care largely unaffordable, especially for middle-class seniors, Harvard research shows
12/12/23 at 03:24 AMHome care largely unaffordable, especially for middle-class seniors, Harvard research showsMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 11, 2023The majority of people in need of long-term care in the home are unable to afford it, according to a new Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies report. The study, sponsored by the National Investment Center and released on Nov. 30, used census data to investigate seniors’ ability to keep up with the rising costs of home care. According to the data, only 14% of single person-households aged 75 years and older can afford daily home health visits. Meanwhile, alternatives like assisted living, are also largely out of reach to a majority of average-income seniors. “The median cost of a home health aide in the U.S. is $27 an hour, and services typically must be purchased in four-hour blocks—resulting in a minimum cost of over $100 per day,” the researchers explained in the study.
Summit County nursing homes testing robots to address staff shortages
12/09/23 at 04:00 AMSummit County nursing homes testing robots to address staff shortagesAkron (OH) Beacon JournalDecember 6, 2023Two Akron-area nursing homes—Copley Health Center and The Village of St. Edward—are turning to robots to help alleviate staffing shortages in their facilities. The robots are part of a pilot program facilitated by the Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities. Each facility has adopted different procedures for their robot to help with. Examples of tasks the robots perform include meal and package delivery, hydration carts and cleaning food trays and dining areas. ... So far during the pilot program, the two robots have traveled more than 163 miles and have made over 2,220 deliveries to residents. Though the robots are used daily and have been well received by staff and residents, they are not intended to replace human contact, according to the news release.
Nursing home palliative, hospice care provide CNAs new opportunities
12/08/23 at 08:20 AMNursing home palliative, hospice care provide CNAs new opportunitiesMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 7, 2023A lack of end-of-life training may leave certified nurse assistants unprepared to work with patients receiving palliative or hospice care, but nursing homes must do more to cross-train and build their confidence. That was the message this week from Karl Steinberg, MD, CEO of Stone Mountain Medical Associates, and certified nurse aide Telisa Green, who addressed barriers to quality, end-of-life care during a webinar hosted by the National Association of Health Care Assistants. The speakers recognized that education in this care area can be hard to come by for CNAs, who are broadly trained in vitals and other care-taking tasks. “Almost all of the palliative care skills that CNAs learn are on-the-job training,” Steinberg acknowledged. “I absolutely will advocate for increasing the availability of palliative care training for nursing assistants.” ... Both presenters emphasized the importance of prioritizing a patient and their family’s comfort over too much devotion to a formalized care plan, as well as being an advocate for the patient’s well-being—especially in end-of-life and hospice settings.
NPA Says House of Representatives’ Passage of Bill to Provide Veterans Additional Access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Will Improve Their Lives; Urges Swift Senate Passage
12/08/23 at 04:01 AMNPA Says House of Representatives’ Passage of Bill to Provide Veterans Additional Access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Will Improve Their Lives; Urges Swift Senate PassagePRNewswireDecember 6, 2023Washington, DC—On the second anniversary of the passing of the Honorable Bob Dole (R-KS), the National PACE Association praises the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act (H.R. 542) by a vote of 414-5, which will give veterans increased access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly across the nation. We urge the Senate to pass this bill soon so more veterans can enjoy the highest quality of life possible as they age by receiving any care needed at home or in the community. The legislation would establish formal partnerships between Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and nearby Veterans Affairs Medical Centers located within their geographic service areas. This policy change would broadly increase access for veterans to the innovative PACE model of care so they may continue to live at home, despite needing a nursing home level of care.
Here’s why you can’t die peacefully in Oklahoma.
12/08/23 at 04:00 AMHere’s why you can’t die peacefully in Oklahoma.By Abby RemmingThe OklahomanDecember 6, 2023... Having Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan would cover hospice, but many people have private insurance from work or state Medicaid plans. Private insurance and Medicaid Advantage plans at times can have a hospice benefit but limit which companies can be used. Applying for Medicare will ensure you are covered for hospice. ... I currently work as a hospital social worker and assist many people who need hospice. Many times, I have had to share with patients and their families that, while they may be ready to peacefully pass away, hospice coverage is not included in the patient’s current insurance plan. Providing end-of-life care is extremely difficult without the added burden of worrying whether insurance will cover the benefit. Those without the benefit and who need the service are then reliant upon the generosity of the companies to absorb the cost. If the Medicaid Advantage plan is picked, a person would need to decide if they wanted the benefit to either cover nursing home care or in-home hospice care. A Medicaid Advantage plan might not cover hospice even when the policyholder believes they have the benefit.
More people with dementia opting to age in place over senior living
12/08/23 at 03:59 AMMore people with dementia opting to age in place over senior livingMcKnight’s Senior LivingDecember 7, 2023People living with dementia are more likely to choose aging in place over an assisted living or a continuing care retirement community, according to a new study. A research letter in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that over the last two decades, a variety of factors have shifted where people with dementia live, including family caregiver availability, declining marriage and birth rates, alternative residential care arrangements, Medicaid expansion of home- and community-based services and the long-term care workforce crisis. Researchers said their study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic noticeably altered living arrangements for individuals living with dementia, increasing the number of those opting to age in place. ... What concerned researchers was increasing functional impairment and levels of unmet needs among those living alone or in a residential care setting, including assisted living and CCRCs, “given the limited regulatory oversight and lack of uniformity in services available in these settings.”
Home Care Company Best of Care Acquires Barton’s Angels
12/08/23 at 03:31 AMHome Care Company Best of Care Acquires Barton’s AngelsHome Health Care NewsDecember 6, 2023The home care provider Best of Care is expanding its portfolio once again, this time on its 43rd anniversary. On Wednesday, the company announced that it had acquired Barton’s Angels, also a home care provider. ... “Barton’s Angels was attractive to us because of its reputation, its legacy, its leadership and the overlapping business they had in the form of shared contracts and referral sources,” Best of Care CEO Kevin Smith told Home Health Care News. ... Best of Care also works with both Medicaid and private-pay clients. Based in Quincy, Massachusetts, the company provides services via its 450 caregivers to over 1,500 clients across all of Massachusetts. ... For Best of Care, the goal is to be close to a one-stop shop for seniors navigating the aging process.
Patient-centered medical homes can reduce care cost of chronically ill patients, study finds
12/07/23 at 03:07 AMPatient-centered medical homes can reduce care cost of chronically ill patients, study findsMcKnight’s Home Care DailyDecember 5, 2023High-cost patients receiving care through patient-centered medical home programs are less likely to remain high-cost in the long term, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Managed Care. ... The researchers compared the healthcare expenditures and health outcomes of thousands of PCMH and non-PCMH patients across Maryland during the state’s Multi-Payer PCMH program. They found that high-cost patients, such as those with chronic conditions, frailty or greater rates of hospital or ambulance usage, experienced better health outcomes with less health service utilization.
Nurse-led geriatric primary care model offers care benefits for seniors
12/05/23 at 04:00 AMNurse-led geriatric primary care model offers care benefits for seniorsMcKnight’s Long Term Care NewsDecember 4, 2023A new study found that integrating Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training-Primary Care (GITT-PC) can improve primary care for older adults. Essentially, GITT-PC trains healthcare workers to function as a team while integrating geriatric care into primary care settings. It can focus on using nurses instead of doctors. Overall, the model aims to change practices by leveraging Medicare reimbursement billable codes for Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), Chronic Care Management (CCM), Advance Care Planning (ACP) and Dementia services. The study was published Friday in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Dying Broke: The High Cost Of Help Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care
12/04/23 at 04:00 AMDying Broke: The High Cost Of Help Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home CareNew York TimesDecember 2, 2023... Frank Lee’s search for trustworthy home health aides—an experience that millions of American families face—has often been exhausting and infuriating, but he has persisted. ... There is precious little assistance from the government for families who need a home health aide unless they are poor. The people working in these jobs are often woefully underpaid and unprepared to help a frail, elderly person with dementia to bathe and use the bathroom, or to defuse an angry outburst.[Editor’s Note: This article is part of The New York Times’ “Dying Broke” series examining how the immense financial costs of long-term care drain older Americans and their families. For additional coverage, see the accompanying article in this package, “What to Know About Home Care Services: Finding an aide to help an older person stay at home safely takes work. Here’s a guide.“]
New doctors just aren’t that interested in geriatrics
12/03/23 at 04:00 AMNew doctors just aren’t that interested in geriatricsAxiosDecember 1, 2023Doctors specializing in care for older adults are increasingly in demand as the country ages—but America’s newer physicians aren’t that interested in geriatric medicine. ... Less than half of 348 post-residency fellowships for geriatric internal medicine filled up in the initial matching process this year, according to new data from the National Resident Matching Program, the nonprofit that oversees placement of physicians in training. The fill rate was even lower for geriatric family medicine fellowships.