New technology in long term care is exciting and promises to deliver many new functionalities as long as the purchase and implementation work for the facility, providers, and residents.
Read the article at https://www.providermagazine.com/Issues/2024/Summer/Pages/Top-High-Tech-Trends-in-Long-Term-Care.aspx
Post-acute care facilities play a unique and critical role in the health care ecosystem. However, with this specialized focus comes distinct challenges in the realm of cybersecurity. Additionally, the recent staffing mandates announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as of April 22, 2024, pose further hurdles, potentially straining resources and complicating cybersecurity efforts.
Find out more by going to https://www.providermagazine.com/Articles/Pages/Cybersecurity-Safety-Is-Patient-Safety.aspx
Communication is key when providing quality care to residents because those living in long term care environments experience increased vulnerability. Good communication can often be likened to a dance. When synchronized, it is beautiful to watch. However, one misstep can lead to injury or hurt feelings. Lack of communication can result in missed appointments, medication errors, adverse events, rehospitalization, and even death. This article offers tips to facility leadership on how to improve communication with residents and their families, staff, and outside partners.
Caregivers are embracing a person-centered approach that focuses on individuals’ remaining abilities, meaningful engagement, and effective communication.
The senior care industry is dutifully focused on medical interventions and patient care. Part of this commitment is the promotion of activities and mobility.
Picture a bustling senior care facility where the rooms are filled with sounds, the halls echo with the shuffle of feet engaged in purposeful movement, and every corner hosts a unique activity that sparks joy. It’s a vision that goes beyond the conventional notions of caregiving. Attending to the physical needs of older adults is part of their comprehensive care, and skilled nursing facilities and long-term care centers would do well to embrace the transformative power of recreation.
Why should activities and mobility be at the forefront of the senior care sector? Because it’s about celebrating the vitality of our senior community and creating environments where residents can lead better quality lives.
Senior care facilities place a high priority on person-centered care and attending to the body, mind, and spirit of the whole resident. One critical facet of that care is skin health and wound management. The good news is that there are more technologies and treatments, as well as certification and training programs, to help maximize outcomes and quality of life.
Find out more by going to https://www.providermagazine.com/Issues/2023/Winter/Pages/Strengthening-the-Chain-of-Wound-Prevention-and-Care.aspx
Infection prevention in skilled nursing facilities is essential for the safety of residents, staff, and visitors to minimize the communal spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). These facilities are home to some of our most vulnerable populations, including older adults and individuals with typically at least one chronic medical condition.
The safety of a health care facility is completely dependent upon the competency of its staff.
This may seem like an obvious observation, but this is a challenge health care organizations face every day. They must provide life-saving care to their patients while also simultaneously advocating for their employees’ competence and well-being. If one of these areas slips, the other one suffers. And when the lives of patients are in your hands, your facility cannot afford not to prioritize competency-based staffing.
Find the complete article at https://www.providermagazine.com/Articles/Pages/The-Quality-of-Your-Care-Is-Connected-to-the-Competency-of-Your-Staff.aspx
Implementing a Tech-Plus-Touch Approach
In building a prevention-focused mindset surrounding falls amongst elderly residents, long term care and assisted living communities can benefit from establishing a tech-plus-touch approach. This type of approach leverages technology and digital means to nurture genuine human connections. Tech-plus-touch can radically improve the mobility and health status of seniors while increasing their emotional well-being and confidence. This, along with the ability to monitor functional mobility in real-time and identify changes early can greatly decrease the risk of falling and the number of adverse events.
Read more at https://www.providermagazine.com/Articles/Pages/The-Winning-Combination-of-Tech-and-Touch.aspx
A recent study by researchers at the University of Chicago found that the reporting of wounds, especially pressure wounds, by long term care facilities is significantly underreported. Although the Centers for Disease Control states that approximately 11 percent of residents have pressure wounds, the Chicago study estimates that that number could be quite a bit higher.
Read the entire article at https://www.providermagazine.com/Articles/Pages/Creating-a-Wound-Care-Culture.aspx
