Articles tagged with Nursing Homes
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A new study found that nursing homes with higher concentrations of racial and ethnic minority residents have improved care, with increases in Medicaid payments associated with reduced clinical care deficiencies. Despite disparities remaining, the progress suggests a narrowing gap in quality of care over time.
A MU researcher team assessed 16 nursing homes' HIE readiness and found most used technology within the home, not to communicate with external units. The researchers developed a more integrated system to streamline communication and identify key players' needs.
The US will need an additional 2.5 million long-term care workers by 2030 due to an aging population, according to a UCSF study. The occupations with the highest growth rate are home health and personal care aides, which will require over 1 million new jobs.
A study by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America found that one in four nursing home residents harbor MRSA, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene to prevent transmission. The research identified high-risk activities that increase the risk of glove or gown contamination, including dressing and transferring residents.
A new study found that one in five nursing home residents with advanced dementia harbor strains of drug-resistant bacteria, with over 10% resistant to four or more antibiotic classes. Researchers detected genetically related bacteria in 82% of the 22 nursing homes studied.
The Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute will expand their long-term care model OPTIMISTIC to target high rates of hospitalization among older adults in nursing homes. The grant aims to improve care, reduce hospitalizations, and increase access to palliative care.
A study by UCSF researchers found that lower extremity revascularization procedures had little impact on patients' function in nursing homes. Despite the procedure's operative risk, only a few U.S. nursing home residents gained any walking ability after surgery.
Many nursing home residents experience high mortality rates and functional decline after lower extremity revascularization. The study found that ambulatory function may not be the primary objective of treatment for these patients.
A large national survey found that nursing home directors with greater palliative care knowledge experienced less aggressive end-of-life care, including reduced use of feeding tubes and emergency room visits. This association suggests that improving staff knowledge could lead to better care for thousands of residents.
A study found that poor indoor air quality in nursing homes negatively affects the lung health of elderly residents, with pollutants like PM10 and NO2 linked to breathlessness and cough. The researchers called for improved ventilation and regular respiratory checks to mitigate the issue.
The editorial highlights the need for bold action to improve end-of-life care in nursing homes, focusing on symptom control, advance care planning, and high-quality palliative care. Nursing home providers are urged to prioritize training staff in these areas to ensure better support for patients and their families near the end of life.
A study found that only 54% of nursing home employees received an influenza vaccination, despite the high susceptibility of elderly residents to the virus. Inaccurate beliefs about vaccination and influenza among staff also contributed to low vaccination rates.
The OPTIMISTIC program uses specially trained RNs to review hospital transfers and identify areas for quality improvement, aiming to reduce preventable hospitalizations by up to 50% in nursing home residents.
Researchers found that nursing home hospice patients have longer stays, are more likely to be women and have dementia, and often receive higher Medicare spending compared to those living in the community. The study also identified a 'crossover' group with significantly longer hospice stays.
Researchers found that older patients with Alzheimer's or cancer were less likely to receive intensive procedures at the end of life. In contrast, black patients in high-hospital-intensity regions were more likely to undergo these procedures.
A recent study from Weill Cornell Medicine found that nearly one in five nursing home residents experienced mistreatment from fellow residents, including verbal and physical abuse. The research suggests targeting interventions towards vulnerable individuals with dementia or mood disorders to address this widespread problem.
A new analysis of Medicare data reveals no significant correlation between nursing home quality and risk of hospital readmission or death within 30 days. However, better staffing ratings, facility inspection scores, and pain management practices were associated with lower rates of readmission.
The study found increased infection rates for various types of infections in US nursing homes, including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and viral hepatitis. Simple interventions such as proper hand hygiene, reducing catheter use, and routine screening for MDROs can help reduce the risk of infection.
A new grant will test a suite of videos to enhance conversations about advance care planning in nursing homes, aiming to reduce hospitalizations among elderly residents with specific conditions. The study aims to establish a methodology for conducting large pragmatic trials in complex healthcare systems.
A new study by Brown University researchers found that nursing homes implementing extensive culture change efforts experienced improvements in quality of care, including reductions in restraints, feeding tubes, and pressure ulcers. In contrast, those with less implementation saw only slight improvements in Medicare/Medicaid deficiencies.
Patients who received regional anesthesia had a significantly lower length of stay (6 days vs. 6.3 days) than those who received general anesthesia, with no significant difference in 30-day mortality rates. The study also found poorer outcomes for nursing home residents following hip fracture surgery.
A study found that telemedicine can reduce hospitalizations for nursing home residents by 5.3-9.7%, saving Medicare millions of dollars per year. The key to successful implementation lies in engagement, as simply making telemedicine available does not guarantee its use.
A new study found that seniors transitioning from nursing homes to home and community-based care (HCBS) face a 40% greater risk of preventable hospitalizations. The practice resulted in more hospitalizations among seniors dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare due to inadequate medical support services in community settings.
A study by Indiana University and Regenstrief Institute found that cognitively impaired older adults released from the hospital are less likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days if they go to a nursing home. In contrast, those returned to their own homes or family members are more likely to experience readmission.
A recent UTHealth study found that nursing homes using high-density foam mattresses may not need to turn residents every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers. The study showed no difference in pressure ulcer incidence for residents turned at intervals of two, three, or four hours.
A new method predicts the time from Alzheimer's disease onset to full-time care, nursing home residence, or death with high specificity. The method uses a complex model based on data gathered from a single patient visit and can predict outcomes such as time to assisted living or incontinence.
A study published in Journal of Clinical Microbiology found that over one quarter of residents in 26 nursing homes in Orange County, California carry community-associated MRSA. The strains are more easily transmitted and may cause more severe infections than traditional hospital-acquired MRSA.
The OPTIMISTIC study, a healthcare initiative from Indiana University and the Regenstrief Institute, is underway in 19 Central Indiana nursing facilities. The program focuses on improving care coordination, palliative care, and chronic disease management to reduce avoidable hospitalizations.
A study found that nearly all nurses who used mobile devices to look up drug information prevented at least one adverse event. The use of these tools improved patient safety and reduced healthcare costs, with estimated savings of $4 billion annually.
A study found that older patients who underwent laparoscopic colon cancer resection were less likely to be discharged to a nursing facility than those with open surgical procedures. Patients between 70-75 years old had the lowest risk of discharge, while those over 85 were eight times more likely.
A new study by Brown University researchers projects that expanding home-delivered meal programs to 1% more seniors would save most states money, with Pennsylvania seeing the greatest net savings of $5.7 million annually. This expansion would enable 1,722 more Medicaid recipients to avoid nursing homes and improve their quality of life.
A new study suggests that managed-care residents with advanced dementia are more likely to have a do-not-hospitalize order in place and fewer hospital transfers for acute illness. This research found no appreciable difference in survival outcomes between the managed care and fee-for-service groups.
Residents enrolled in managed care had more nursing home-based primary care visits and nurse practitioner visits, reducing hospital transfers. Survival rates did not differ between groups, but intensive primary care services may improve end-of-life care affordability.
Researchers found that certain personality characteristics, such as neuroticism and openness to experience, are correlated with increased use of expensive health care services like emergency room visits and nursing home stays. By understanding these patterns, healthcare providers can develop targeted interventions to reduce costs and i...
A new study found that Minnesota's Performance-based Incentive Payment Program improves critical areas of nursing home care, including falls, quality of life, and rehospitalizations. The program promotes local solutions to local problems and focuses on provider-initiated and evidence-based practices.
A study found that nursing homes serving predominantly black residents tend to struggle financially and provide lower quality care, with black residents relying on Medicaid for reimbursement. The researchers suggest addressing the issue through financial incentives and restructuring Medicaid to provide better reimbursement rates.
A study published in Health Affairs found that nursing home consumer satisfaction scores are a valuable tool for informing consumer choice and rewarding homes for quality care. The study also found correlations between higher satisfaction scores and better staffing levels, fewer citations, and improved care.
A systematic review of studies on long-term-stay patients' care found that interdisciplinary teams involving the patient's own physician and a pharmacist had better odds of improving nursing home care quality. The review, published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, highlights the importance of team-based car...
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed a method for tracking individuals in complex nursing home settings using video cameras. The technique used multiple cues such as apparel color, person detection, trajectory and facial recognition to track 13 people with an accuracy of 88%, outperforming leading algorithms.
A study found community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) strains are common in nursing homes, with 20 out of 22 facilities testing positive. CA-MRSA was more prevalent among residents under 65 and those from Hispanic backgrounds.
A University of Missouri nursing informatics expert suggests that sophisticated IT leads to more efficient coordination of care and better protection of patient privacy. The study found that nursing homes with technology use more frequent face-to-face communication at the bedside, while those without IT rely on verbal cues or visual cues.
A study published in Medical Care finds that negative news coverage of nursing homes outweighs positive stories by five to one. Negative articles often focus on negligence, fraud, or industry issues, while positive stories discuss quality of care and community impact.
A Brown University analysis found that states spending more on home-delivered meals under the Older Americans Act have fewer low-care nursing home residents. Home-based meals emerged as a statistically significant factor affecting state-to-state differences in low-care nursing home population.
A new analysis found that the Medicare rule blocking simultaneous hospice and skilled nursing facility care at the end of life results in patients receiving less aggressive treatments and dying outside of hospitals. Residents with concurrent hospice and SNF care were 87% less likely to die in the hospital compared to those without hosp...
A study of over 300 nursing homes found that norovirus gastroenteritis outbreaks significantly increased hospitalization and death rates among residents. The researchers also identified a specific association between lower daily RN hours per resident and increased mortality during outbreaks.
The MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program has selected 18 reporters to cover various aging concerns such as family caregiving and financial elder abuse. The program aims to provide in-depth coverage of these topics, shedding light on the challenges faced by older Americans.
A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine found that nearly one-third of older adults used the Medicare posthospitalization skilled nursing facility benefit in their last six months of life. This high use of the SNF benefit for end-of-life care highlights the need to improve palliative care services in nursing homes.
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and CDC released new tools to track deadly healthcare-associated infections in nursing homes. Updated infection definitions provide uniform criteria for tracking HAIs, including norovirus gastroenteritis and Clostridium difficile infections.
A Kansas State University researcher has developed a guidebook for creating intergenerational classrooms in nursing homes, where children and seniors can learn from each other. The program has been shown to improve the health and well-being of nursing home residents, while also promoting social development and a sense of purpose.
Research suggests that fragmented sleep patterns are associated with a higher risk of being placed in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Studies have also linked insufficient sleep to chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression.
A nationwide study of newly admitted nursing home patients found that 21% sustain a fall during their stay. Facilities with higher CNA-to-patient staffing ratios were associated with lower fall rates due to CNAs providing hands-on care during high-risk activities.
A study found that nursing home staff cohesion improves care quality, leading to reduced incidence of incontinence and pressure ulcers. The research used data from over 45,000 residents in 162 facilities across New York State, revealing a significant association between staff cohesion and better health outcomes.
A multicomponent intervention that included staff training and supportive materials reduced the rate of physical restraint use in nursing homes. The study found a significant decrease in physical restraint prevalence after 6 months, with results still showing lower restraint use at 3 months.
A new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine reports that gastric feeding tubes may not prevent but rather increase the risk of pressure ulcers in people with advanced dementia. The analysis of thousands of nursing home patients found that those with a feeding tube were 2.27 times more likely to develop a stage II ulcer, and ...
A new study from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University has found that individuals with dementia are more likely to die at home rather than in a nursing home. The majority of care for those with dementia is provided in the community by families, contradicting previous assumptions.
A new study by Dr. Laura Wagner and colleagues found that accredited nursing homes report better staffing, teamwork, and training practices, leading to improved resident safety. The research suggests that Joint Commission accreditation stimulates positive changes in safety-related organizational structures and processes.
A new study suggests creating quality measures for end-of-life care in nursing homes to inform consumers and incentivize improvements. The study proposes two quality measures: hospital transfer rates and hospice care usage, which can be calculated from existing data.
A new study by Brown University researchers reveals that Medicare spends significantly more on hospitalizations before patients enter a nursing home, with an average cost of $29,743 per patient. Once the patient becomes a permanent resident, costs drop to under $19,000. The study suggests that reducing hospitalizations before nursing h...
A statewide survey of Missouri nursing homes found nearly 90% of residents and family members satisfied with care facilities. The survey highlighted improvements made by administrators to deliver homelike care, leading to excellent ratings for quality of life, care, and service.
Researchers found that many dementia patients' delusions have logical explanations and can be treated through behavioral therapy. The study suggests a better understanding of delusions can lead to more humane and compassionate treatment, considering the patient's context and circumstances.