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All posts tagged with “Post-Acute Care News | Senior Living / Elder Care / Aging News.”
Safety first: How to ward off health care facility violence
10/25/24 at 02:00 AMSafety first: How to ward off health care facility violence SmartBrief; by Julia M. Johnson; 10/23/24Panelists on an American Hospital Association webinar highlight ways in which hospitals and practices can protect their patients and themselves. ... The American Hospital Association recently hosted a webinar about what hospitals and practices need to know to protect themselves, staff members and patients. “Understanding Origins of Violence in Health Care Facilities” featured Jason Grellner of Evolv Technology and Drew Neckar of Cosecure. Both panelists spoke candidly about technology, terminology and steps that can be taken to dial down the danger at health care facilities.
Nonprofit repurposes wedding bouquets for seniors
10/23/24 at 03:00 AMNonprofit repurposes wedding bouquets for seniors Spectrum News 1, Columbus, OH; by Taylor Bruck; 10/21/24 Todd Davis, a resident of Columbus, knows it’s the simple things in life that mean the most. That’s why every weekend, he and volunteers pick up leftover flowers from weddings and other events and repurpose them into beautiful bouquets. They then deliver them to senior citizens all over Columbus and people in hospice care. ... Every week, volunteers turn thousands of flowers into about 200 bouquets, equating to nearly 10,000 this year and endless smiles.
Aging Mastery: 10 weeks, 10 topics to empower seniors for healthy living
10/22/24 at 03:00 AMAging Mastery: 10 weeks, 10 topics to empower seniors for healthy living New Hampshire Union Leaders; by Kathleen D. Bailey; 10/20/24 Jen Brechtel, director of Community Health for the Granite VNA, said one of the biggest issues in the agency’s “Aging Mastery” program” is sleep. “It’s the topic people come in most for,” she said. “We partner with a sleep center to help them out. Another big one? Community engagement.” The Granite VNA and Hospice is interested in all factors affecting their senior clients. With a menu of data-driven programs, the agency is reaching out to help seniors master aging. The “Aging Mastery” program is a project of the National Council on Aging, according to Brechtel. ... The 10-week class, ongoing now in Sanbornton, has sessions devoted to the concepts that please (or plague) elders: navigating longer lives, exercise, sleep, healthy eating/hydration, financial fitness, advance planning, healthy relationships, medication management, community engagement and falls. Experts from the community take turns teaching the topics, with a VNA staffer as moderator.
The powerful companies driving local drugstores out of business
10/22/24 at 03:00 AMThe powerful companies driving local drugstores out of business DNYUZ; 10/19/24 The small-town drugstore closed for the last time on a clear and chilly afternoon in February. Jon Jacobs, who owned Yough Valley Pharmacy, hugged his employees goodbye. He cleared the shelves and packed pill bottles into plastic bins. Mr. Jacobs, a 70-year-old pharmacist, had spent more than half his life building his drugstore into a bedrock of Confluence, Pa., a rural community of roughly 1,000 people. Now the town was losing its only health care provider. Obscure but powerful health care middlemen — companies known as pharmacy benefit managers, or P.B.M.s — had destroyed his business. This has been happening all over the country, a New York Times investigation found. P.B.M.s, which employers and government programs hire to oversee prescription drug benefits, have been systematically underpaying small pharmacies, helping to drive hundreds out of business.
Atria to exit home care business to focus on senior living portfolio
10/18/24 at 02:00 AMAtria to exit home care business to focus on senior living portfolioMcKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 10/16/24 Atria Senior Living is shuttering its New York-based home care subsidiary in an effort to focus on its core business of senior living. In a “warn unit” notice filed Oct. 10 with the New York Department of Labor, Atria Home Care cited economic reasons for the layoffs of 161 employees from its Garden City, NY-based home care business, which will be effective Jan. 8. “After careful consideration, we have made the decision to discontinue operations at Atria Home Care in an effort to focus on our core business of social model senior living communities,” a spokesperson for Atria told McKnight’s Senior Living. “We are working with all home care customers and employees on a transition to other home care providers and are committed to supporting our employees and clients through these changes over the next several weeks.”
Stratis Health builds framework for expanding rural community-based palliative care
10/17/24 at 03:00 AMStratis Health builds framework for expanding rural community-based palliative care Hospice News; by Jim Parker; 10/16/24 The health care performance improvement company Stratis Health has developed a framework for expanding access to palliative care in rural communities. The company’s strategy convenes resources and organizations that already exist in a given community to help meet patient’s palliative care, psychosocial, spiritual and social determinants of health needs. It leverages those resources to offer a wraparound suite of services for seniors and seriously ill patients. Hospice News spoke with Karla Weng, senior program manager for Stratis Health, about how health care providers and other stakeholders serving rural communities can come together to better serve their patients and clients. ... The field has shifted in more recent years, so that community-based really means anywhere but the hospital. It might be in a clinic. It might be home care. We’re not that prescriptive. So we have sometimes shifted to using the language “community centric.” The way that we work with communities who are interested in going down this path is helping them first to do a gap analysis and assessment of the resources that are already there in their community. ... [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]
Communication gaps among clinicians may limit conversations about prognosis, hospice
10/17/24 at 03:00 AMCommunication gaps among clinicians may limit conversations about prognosis, hospice Healio - HemOncToday; by Jennifer Byrne; 10/16/24 Clinicians in acute or post-acute care settings may delay or avoid serious illness conversations with patients whose cancer prognoses are worsening out of deference to the patient’s oncologist, according to study findings. Researchers conducted 37 semi-structured interviews with physicians and leaders in hospital medicine, oncology, palliative care, home health care and hospice. Investigators coded and analyzed the interviews using thematic content analysis. Evaluation of the responses yielded insights into how care silos, lack of clear clinical roles and other factors may affect communication between oncologists and other clinicians. ... "We know that the 3-month window after an older adult with cancer is discharged to a skilled nursing facility can be comprised of complex medical decision making and changing preferences of care. Lack of appropriate serious illness communication during this time can result in unwanted hospitalizations and unwanted, aggressive care at the end of life."
Rosalynn Carter Institute redefines caregiving field with the launch of research informed profiles of experiences of caregiving©
10/16/24 at 03:00 AMRosalynn Carter Institute redefines caregiving field with the launch of research informed profiles of experiences of caregiving© BusinessWire - Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, Americus, GA; by Ava Jafarmadar; 10/15/24 The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers (RCI) today announced the launch of the Profiles of Experiences of Caregiving© (Caregiver Profiles©), an innovative framework that leads within the caregiver field by reimagining and elevating family caregivers, so they are better seen, understood, and supported. Developed in partnership with Duke University through an extensive review of over 10,000 research papers and comprehensive caregiver focus groups, these profiles shift the focus from the care recipient’s diagnosis to the caregiver’s unique experience. This new approach aims to provide more tailored, holistic support to the over 105 million people in the United States who are actively engaged in family caregiving.
Minnesota-based Saint Therese to acquire St. Mary of the Woods Senior Community in Avon, Ohio
10/16/24 at 03:00 AMMinnesota-based Saint Therese to acquire St. Mary of the Woods Senior Community in Avon, Ohio AP; by Barb Hemberger; 10/15/24 Continuing to build its footprint in the Midwest, Saint Therese, an aging care and services leader based in the Twin Cities, today announced it will acquire St. Mary of the Woods in Avon, Ohio, near Cleveland. The transition of ownership is expected to occur on December 1, 2024. This is the second acquisition for Saint Therese in two years and the second in the region, following the purchase last year of IHM Senior Living Community in Monroe, Michigan. ... Saint Therese at St. Odilia in Shoreview specializes in hospice and palliative care. Saint Therese is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) senior care organization.
Kaiser Health Care: Navigating Aging: Older men’s connections often wither when they’re on their own
10/15/24 at 03:00 AMKaiser Health Care: Navigating Aging: Older men’s connections often wither when they’re on their own Tahlequah Daily Press; by Judith Graham; 10/12/24 At age 66, South Carolina physician Paul Rousseau decided to retire after tending for decades to the suffering of people who were seriously ill or dying. It was a difficult and emotionally fraught transition. … Seeking a change of venue, Rousseau moved to the mountains. … Soon, a sense of emptiness enveloped him. … His work as a doctor had been all-consuming. Former colleagues didn’t get in touch, nor did he reach out. His wife had passed away after a painful illness, … His isolation mounted as his three dogs, his most reliable companions, died. Rousseau was completely alone — without friends, family, or a professional identity — and overcome by a sense of loss. “I was a somewhat distinguished physician with a 60-page resume,” Rousseau, now 73, wrote in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society in May. “Now, I’m ‘no one,’ a retired, forgotten old man who dithers away the days.” In some ways, older men living alone are disadvantaged compared with older women in similar circumstances. Research shows that men tend to have fewer friends than women and be less inclined to make new friends. Often, they’re reluctant to ask for help.
A compassionate guide to caring for someone with dementia: 5 essential tips
10/15/24 at 03:00 AMA compassionate guide to caring for someone with dementia: 5 essential tips NBC-4 Washington, DC; 10/14/24 According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with over 10 million new cases each year. Dementia encompasses a range of brain conditions that lead to a decline in cognitive function, affecting a person's ability to manage everyday tasks. While the disease can present unique challenges for both medical professionals and caregivers, there is hope in the growing understanding of how to best support those affected. ...
National Health Investors announces $121.3 million acquisition, largest deal since 2020; pipeline at $305 million
10/14/24 at 03:00 AMNational Health Investors announces $121.3 million acquisition, largest deal since 2020; pipeline at $305 million McKnights Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 10/10/24 National Health Investors is acquiring a portfolio of 10 assisted living and memory care communities in North Carolina for $121.3 million in what the real estate investment trust says is its largest deal since 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic started. The Murfreesboro, TN, REIT announced the transaction Thursday morning in a business update. The properties, which have a combined 522 units, will continue to be managed by Spring Arbor. NHI says that the portfolio bears “no material impact” from Hurricane Helene.
Private equity in senior living an increasing focus of federal, state government
10/11/24 at 03:30 AMPrivate equity in senior living an increasing focus of federal, state government McKnights Senior Living; by Kimberly Bonvissuto, Lois A. Bowers and Kathleen Steele Gaivin; 10/7/24 At press time [10/7], a bill that would require private equity firms and hedge fund organizations in California to give prior notice of acquisitions or changes in control to the state’s attorney general was sitting on the governor’s desk, to become effective Jan. 1 if he signed it into law. It is just one example of legislation recently put forth at the state or national level focused on the private equity and real estate investment trust funding sometimes used in senior living and in other industries. ... The legislation calls for greater transparency for private equity firms and for-profit companies that own healthcare entities, including nursing homes, hospitals, and mental or behavioral health facilities. ...
Palliative and hospice care in the prehospital setting
10/11/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative and hospice care in the prehospital setting
Florida health-care workers exhausted as Hurricane Milton approaches
10/10/24 at 02:00 AMFlorida health-care workers exhausted as Hurricane Milton approaches The Washington Post; by David Ovalle and Sabrina Malhi; 10/8/24The storm shutters are up at Stephen Johnson’s house near the water in North Fort Myers, Fla. ... But Jones won’t be home when Hurricane Milton is expected to thunder ashore this week along the Gulf Coast. Instead, the paramedic — like thousands of health-care workers across Florida — intends to ride out the storm at work, then jump into action when the winds die down, the waters recede and people seek medical assistance. ... “It gets stressful. You don’t know if you’re going to come back to a home,” Johnson, 28, of Brewster Ambulance Service, said during a brief break Tuesday after two straight days of organizing evacuations of patients from hospitals and assisted-living facilities across Lee County in southwest Florida while surviving on granola bars and energy drinks. ... By Tuesday afternoon, Florida health officials had deployed nearly 600 ambulances, buses and other transport vehicles to ferry patients out of harm’s way. More than 200 health-care facilities — including 115 assisted-living facilities, 10 hospitals and five hospice providers — have reported evacuations, according to the state’s health department.
Sixty-four Fla.-based healthcare facilities report evacuations
10/09/24 at 03:00 AMSixty-four Fla.-based healthcare facilities report evacuations Healthcare Purchasing News - Regulatory; by Janette Wider; 10/8/24 Ahead of Hurricane Milton the Agency for Health Care Administration initiated an event in the Health Facility Reporting System. ... Health care providers have been requested to provide information on census, available beds, evacuation status, accepting evacuees and generator needs from counties declared under EO-24-114. This information allows AHCA to assist health care providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power. 64 health care facilities have reported evacuations. This includes:
Temporary regulatory relief for South Carolina health care providers responding to Hurricane Helene
10/08/24 at 03:00 AMTemporary regulatory relief for South Carolina health care providers responding to Hurricane Helene Baker Donelson; Alissa D. Fleming; 10/4/24 South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a State of Emergency on September 25, 2024, to prepare for Hurricane Helene. On September 29, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Federal Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4829-DR) for South Carolina. On September 30, 2024, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency in South Carolina, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued several blanket waivers to provide greater compliance flexibility and continuity of care while responding to Helene in the geographic area covered by the President's declaration. These waivers [detailed in the article] provide health care facilities with flexibility in service delivery, staffing, and patient care, aimed at alleviating the strain caused by Helene. Further, HHS, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), and other regulatory bodies have announced relief efforts, all aimed at reducing administrative burdens so providers can continue to care for and treat those in need. ...7. Hospices Assessment Timeframe Extension: CMS is extending the timeframe for updating comprehensive hospice patient assessments from 15 to 21 days, though initial and ad-hoc assessments must still be completed based on patient needs. ...Editor's note: Click on the title's link to continue reading. Other CMS waivers are defined for 1. General ... for Health Care Facilities; 2. Critical Access Hospictals; 3. Hospital and Long Term Care Facilities; 4. Skilled Nursing Facilities; 5. Home Health Agencies; 6. DME, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies; 7. Hospice (above); 8. Practioner Licensure and Enrollment ... HIPAA; Disaster Relief
Twin Cities nonprofit fighting senior loneliness with flowers
10/08/24 at 03:00 AMTwin Cities nonprofit fighting senior loneliness with flowers CBS Minnesota; by Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield; 10/6/24 One in four senior Americans is living in isolation. And according to the National Institute of Health, 43% of seniors struggle with loneliness. But a group of Twin Cities women are fighting that trend with flowers. Bluebirds & Blooms in Edina looks like a floral shop, and in a way, it is. But workers there aren't making money. Instead, they're making joy. It's a mission so celebrated that they have an overflow of volunteers. Bluebirds & Blooms started in 2018 after one of the creators saw a news story about a charity in Idaho that re-purposed flowers for hospice patients. They decided to create something similar, delivering to senior centers and hospices around Minnesota.
VIA Health Partners - NC & SC: Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief Fund
10/08/24 at 02:00 AMVIA Health Partners - NC & SC: Donate to Hurricane Helene Relief Fund VIA Health Partners, formerly Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte, NC; contact Tara Connelly, VP & Chief Growth Officer; 10/7/24 At VIA Health Partners our people are our strength. Recently, so many of our people – hospice & palliative care patients, their families, staff members, and volunteers – have experienced unimaginable hardship at the hands of Hurricane Helene. Our clinical staff continue to serve their patients despite ongoing challenges to themselves and their respective families. In response to this growing need, VIA Health Partners has launched a Hurricane Helene Relief Fund. Donations will be used to support patients, families, and staff members directly impacted by the storm. To help us in our response, please consider donating today. Editor's Note: See this page for a map of the 9 counties in North Carolina and 21 counties in South Carolina counties in VIA's service area that are impacted by Hurricane Helene. On a personal note, Hospice & Palliative Care of Charlotte provided palliative and hospice care to my Dad through his death, with significant bereavement care for my Mom. Thank you VIA Health Partners for your hospice services past, present and future.
There’s still joy in end-of-life care
10/07/24 at 02:00 AMThere’s still joy in end-of-life care The Seattle Medium, Seattle, WA; by Anissa Durham; 10/3/24 Caregiving is an act of love and sacrifice. But for young Black women, it’s often summed up as just being “a good daughter.” More than 100 million Americans provide care to a child, parent, or relative. And about half provide care to a spouse, elderly parent or relative, or special needs child, according to a report by Guardian. But for Black folks, the burden of doing so is often heavier. Due to disparities in education, housing, and nutrition, and less access to health insurance, — along with the “weathering” that accompanies racism-related stress — Black Americans experience higher risk and rates of chronic disease. Which means, Black folks may get sick sooner than their counterparts and make younger generations, often women, more likely to become caregivers. In a 2021 report, Black family caregivers represent 14% of the estimated 48 million unpaid family caregivers in the U.S., with Black women making up a little more than half of this group, according to the American Society on Aging. Overall, women are two times more likely than men to say they’ve left the workforce to keep up with caregiving responsibilities. And nearly 50% of caregivers are either Millennials or Gen Z, according to the Guardian report.
One Senior Place: What legal steps should be taken after dementia diagnosis?
10/02/24 at 03:00 AMOne Senior Place: What legal steps should be taken after dementia diagnosis? Florida Today; by Brenda Lyle; 10/1/24 After a dementia diagnosis, preparing key legal documents early helps families focus on the quality of life for their loved one. ... Dementia is a term for many progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect memory, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer accounts for about 60% of all dementias. As the disease advances, individuals may lose the ability to make informed decisions about their health care, finances and other important aspects of life. Legal planning is absolutely crucial for ensuring that the wishes of the person with dementia are honored and that their affairs are managed appropriately. This planning also helps reduce stress for family members and caregivers. [Click on the title's link to continue reading for basics about Durable power of attorney, Heath care surrogate, Living will, Last will and testament, and Guardianship.]
Brookdale Senior Living to acquire 41 communities for $610 million
10/01/24 at 03:40 AMBrookdale Senior Living to acquire 41 communities for $610 millionMcKnight's Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 9/30/24Brentwood, TN-based Brookdale Senior Living will acquire 41 communities for $610 million, the company announced Monday morning. The transactions, involving a total of 2,789 units, were privately negotiated and occurred off-market, Brookdale said. After the deals close, Brookdale will own 66% of its consolidated units, aligning with its goal of increasing its owned real estate portfolio.
Comfort home in Scottsville reopens after four-year hiatus
10/01/24 at 03:00 AMComfort home in Scottsville reopens after four-year hiatus NBC News 10, Rochester, NY; by Eriketa Cost; 9/27/24 A local hospice home in Scottsville re-opened, after four years of rebuilding from the inside out. You may recall how much of an effect COVID-19 had on these services. The home, Patrick Place, was unable to hold fundraisers. Dozens of volunteers stepped down out of fear for the virus, and it took time to bring them back. The emails and phone calls didn’t stop during the downtime, though, said Cissy Leblanc, secretary on the board for Patrick Place. Organizers were eager to open again, but it took hard work. Along the way, the team built a new deck and furnished the basement, adding a conference room and special area for training volunteers. These, are all projects that couldn’t have happened with someone living there, said chairman Patrick Hanley. The home opened in early September with 55 volunteers. The goal is to reach 75. ...
Health systems abandon rigid hierarchies
09/30/24 at 03:00 AMHealth systems abandon rigid hierarchies Becker's Hospital Review; by Laura Dyrda; 9/27/24 Health systems are relinquishing traditional leadership structures to reimagine a more effective healthcare delivery organization. The rigid hierarchies instilled within many hospitals and health systems years ago ensured a tight grip on quality and management. But times have changed; the rapid evolution of digital technology and need for nimbleness are forcing hospitals to change. "As an industry, healthcare must transition from hierarchical, top-down leadership to more agile, decentralized models that empower teams and promote innovation at all levels," said Wendy Horton, PharmD, CEO of UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va. "Excellent communication skills will be vital for navigating these changes, along with a strong emphasis on workforce well-being including strategies to address mental health, retention and burnout." ... Dr. Horton also elevates empathy and effective communication for healthcare leaders. ... The proliferation of artificial intelligence and other technologies in healthcare is streamlining the purely administrative tasks, further emphasizing the human connection between leaders and their teams.
Employee engagement can define senior living’s value proposition: panel
09/27/24 at 02:20 AMEmployee engagement can define senior living’s value proposition: panel McKnights Senior Living, Washington, DC; by Kimberly Bonvissuto; 9/26/24 The senior living industry knew it had workforce challenges at least 15 years before COVID-19 hit, but it didn’t do enough about them. Today, the sector has the opportunity to be proactive and build a workforce to meet the rapidly increasing demand for senior living and care services by investing in workers and improving employee engagement. ... [Senior living leaders described the] pivotal role that cultivating a satisfied, engaged workforce plays in organizational success as well as the ability to significantly enhance operational efficiency, resident satisfaction and the bottom line through culture. Two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies invest resources in employee engagement, according to Todd Kiziminski, vice president of talent acquisition at Trilogy Health Services, who said they recognize the link between engagement strategies and the bottom line.