Transitions in care

Ways to increase trust, reduce hospital transfers

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Ways to increase trust, reduce hospital transfers In McKnight’s Long-Term Care News this month, there was a report on a study examining factors that contribute to transfers of frail residents from skilled nursing facilities to emergency departments. Using focus groups of residents and family caregivers, researchers found four main contributors … Read more

Relationships key to long-term care success

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Relationships key to long-term care success Long-term care success is about steady, reliable relationships. That’s my takeaway after attending two recent conferences that echo my experiences in the field. The first event delivered the results thus far of an ongoing program that won a coveted grant … Read more

Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it In Editorial Director John O’Connor’s April 16th column, he reported on a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicating that increasing numbers of new residents have dementia, are more physically … Read more

The importance of leadership in creating good deaths in LTC

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The importance of leadership in creating good deaths in LTC In one of the more disturbing encounters I’ve had in long-term care — in a 5-Star deficiency-free nursing home — I offered my condolences to an aide on the loss of a resident she’d cared for … Read more

Using technology to improve care, reduce costs

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Using technology to improve care, reduce costs At Maimonides Medical Center, 24 frail older adults were taught to use laptops so that they could manage their health information from home. The technology facilitated communication between patients and providers and improved the quality of life of participants. … Read more

Help in your backyard

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Help in your backyard Amy Gotwals, the Chief of Public Policy and External Affairs at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, kicked off the 28th Annual Aging Conference in New York City last week, held at the New York Academy of Medicine and filled … Read more

Interview with the Commissioner of the NYC Dept of Aging (Silo-Busting)

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Silo-busting Ideas from an interview with Dr. Donna Corrado, Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging Within long-term care, overcoming the problems caused by silos can lead to better care coordination, increased interdepartmental cooperation and reduced work redundancy. My 1-on-1 interview with Donna … Read more

Readmission prevention: The role of post-acute providers

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Readmission prevention: The role of post-acute providers Long-term care providers have an opportunity to thrive with value-based care, escape cynicism and join the growing wave successful at avoiding readmissions. Last week, I was part of a panel discussing readmission prevention at the National Readmission Prevention Collaborative’s … Read more

The “last day” protocol

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The “last day” protocol I waited outside the room until the rehab therapists finished talking to Jim, who’d been admitted to the nursing home the night before. I read over the basic info on his face sheet before my consult. Jim was an 87-year old widower … Read more

Correcting long-term care’s image problem

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Correcting long-term care’s image problem Long-term care has an image problem. For a variety of reasons, we aren’t associated with good times. There are things we can do to turn this around, though, starting with the perceptions of our residents. Most people who come to live … Read more