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Senior living operators protected from liability for COVID-19 ‘covered countermeasures,’ HHS says

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 15, 2021

A federal advisory opinion on immunity protections for healthcare professionals related to COVID-19 covered countermeasures had an assist from a senior living industry association.

Senior living faces ongoing challenges with COVID-19 vaccine rollout

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 15, 2021

Although some sectors of long-term care are making progress on vaccinating residents, there are ongoing challenges to reach residents of assisted living and other residential care communities, as well as their staff members, according to a panel of experts discussing early lessons from the COVID-19 vaccine rollout at a Thursday webinar held by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

2020 election has impending effects on senior living industry: Argentum

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 15, 2021

A new administration and Congress could bring new scrutiny, legislation and regulation to an industry already daunted by COVID-19 challenges, according to speakers Thursday at an Argentum webinar on the changing political landscape.

Sniffing out COVID: service dogs take on new role in Georgia assisted living communities

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 14, 2021

A Georgia-based senior living operator is partnering with a nonprofit service dog trainer to staff its metro Atlanta-based assisted living communities with COVID-sniffing canines.

Senior living residents, workers vying with other groups for priority COVID-19 vaccination

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 14, 2021

Even as many states are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on COVID-19 vaccine priority groups, certain states are expanding access within those initial groups, potentially delaying vaccination of senior living residents and workers.

Aging innovation pilots target healthcare gaps to impact social isolation, loneliness

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 14, 2021

A Louisville, KY-based healthcare council is piloting two innovations in senior living communities to debut its Healthcare Innovation Engine.

Changes open COVID vaccination to independent living, affordable senior housing residents

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 13, 2021

In a move that should open COVID-19 vaccination to independent living and affordable senior housing residents across the country, officials with the federal vaccine development, manufacturing and distribution program on Tuesday announced an expansion of the program to enable anyone aged 65 or more years to be vaccinated.

Senior living communities can navigate the pandemic through a ‘nuanced’ approach, experts say

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 13, 2021

A “nuanced approach with attention to details” is necessary for senior living communities to navigate the uncertainties, hesitancies and logistical issues of COVID-19 vaccination, according to Patricia Davidson, Ph.D., dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Nursing.

Job quality of direct care workforce fails to reflect their value: report

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 13, 2021

Direct care workers remain undervalued and underused in the long-term care sector, according to a new report that provides recommendations on moving the sector forward.

Deadline today for McKnight’s Women of Distinction award nominations

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 13, 2021

Today is the deadline to nominate a woman in your professional life for a McKnight’s Women of Distinction award.

COVID-19 vaccine now a condition of employment for some senior living operators

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 12, 2021

Some senior living operators are moving to make a COVID-19 vaccination a condition of employment to more quickly mitigate the effect of the virus in their communities.

COVID testing program uses artificial intelligence to maximize limited resources in senior living

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 12, 2021

A somewhat rare use of artificial intelligence in senior living is helping an operator maximize limited resources by predicting the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in residents to determine who should be tested more frequently and who will benefit the most from the vaccine when it becomes available.

Senior living provider seeks arbitration in ‘fight club’ lawsuit

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 12, 2021

A Winston-Salem, NC, assisted living and memory care community is seeking arbitration in a lawsuit involving three former employees accused of encouraging two residents to fight each other.

Collaboration between assisted living operators, physicians crucial to resident care management: study

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 12, 2021

Physician involvement in the care of assisted living residents is crucial, but their role often is unclear, according to a recent study.

WHO issues new infection prevention, control guidance for assisted living operators facing SARS-CoV-2

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 11, 2021

Early detection, education and training, as well as consistent implementation of infection prevention and control policies are necessary to protect the mental and physical health of residents and staff members of assisted living communities and other long-term care settings, according to updated guidance released Friday by the World Health Organization.

Report ‘grabby’ assisted living operators taking stimulus checks, FTC tells consumers

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 11, 2021

With a second round of stimulus checks on the way to many Americans, the Federal Trade Commission is advising consumers to report “grabby” assisted living and nursing home operators who try to take residents’ checks.

HHS extends COVID-19 public health emergency

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 11, 2021

The federal public health emergency due to COVID-19 has been extended until April, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced Thursday evening.

Wednesday is final deadline for Women of Distinction nominations

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 11, 2021

Wednesday at midnight is the final deadline for the receipt of nominations for the 2021 McKnight’s Women of Distinction awards.

Pandemic drives senior living occupancy to record lows

By

Lois A. Bowers

Publish Date January 8, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic continues to negatively affect occupancy in senior living, with percentages released Thursday by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care’s NIC MAP Data Service representing all-time lows for the sector.

COVID-19 could leave mark on senior living through 2022: experts

By

Kimberly Bonvissuto

Publish Date January 8, 2021

An unprecedented global pandemic could leave its mark through 2022, according to senior living industry experts participating on an Argentum panel looking at senior living’s economic forecast for 2021.