A Geriatrician ’s Perspective on an Aging Joe Biden
For almost 40 years I practiced internal and geriatric medicine in my own office and in emergency departments, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation units, and long-term care communities. This means that I have had thousands of face-to-face interactions with folks from all walks of life: I ’ve observed them, diagnosed and treated their conditions, and monitored their medical journeys over years, even decades. I have spent a lifetime paying attention to people’s medical needs. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Jerald Winakur Tags: Meditations on Geriatric Medicine Source Type: news
Assisted Living: New Initiatives, Brighter Future
Assisted living (AL) has now surpassed nursing homes in terms of the number of long-term care residents who reside there (J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022;23:225 –234). Yet as this has happened — and as the comorbidities, frailty, and need for activities of daily living assistance in AL residents have increased — the amount of staffing and medical care in AL communities has not risen proportionally. This issue is fairly well-known among health care pro fessionals but has not been significantly addressed. Could now be the time? (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Daniel Haimowitz Source Type: news
Reducing Falls by Upgrading Lighting in Nursing Homes
Reference: Grant LK, St Hilaire MA, Heller JP, Heller RA, Lockley SW, Rahman SA. Impact of Upgraded Lighting on Falls in Care Home Residents. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2022;23:1698 –1704.e2. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Omid Salaami Tags: Pragmatic Research Source Type: news
Workforce Development: A Top AMDA Priority for 2023 and Beyond
The numbers are alarming. The United States will need at least 30,000 geriatricians and 2.5 million more nurses, nursing assistants, and other team members to care for older adults. Addressing workforce issues is a top priority for AMDA — The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, and they are taking multiple steps in this regard. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Tags: News From the Society Source Type: news
Finding My Home in AMDA: Experiencing the Foundation Futures Program
Little did I know that the Foundation Futures Program would become the architect of my career in geriatrics. By the time I was three quarters of the way into my geriatrics fellowship, I was beginning to feel the isolating effects of tackling the challenges that come with serving our geriatric population. I spent countless hours buried in patient documentation, as I tried to understand my patients and come up with a plan for their care. I felt alone and empty, and was beginning to lose sight of my purpose. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Maki Nakazato Tags: Foundation Futures Source Type: news
Looking to the Year Ahead
Already 2023 is looking to be a great year for AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Our Annual Conference, PALTC23, held in Tampa, FL, was a huge success. We welcomed over 1,300 people, including 87 Futures Program participants, to learn and celebrate together, fully in-person for the first time since 2019. Some of the hig hlights of the conference were enjoying a much-needed laugh with our opening keynote speaker, honoring the Foundation’s award recipients and the giving campaign, and celebrating Chris Laxton’s last meeting as our fearless executive director. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Milta Oyola Little Tags: From the President ’s Desk Source Type: news
The NASEM Report: Are the Solutions Part of the Problem?
“The real cause of problems is solutions.” — Eric Sevareid, American Journalist (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Steven Levenson Tags: OBRA Regulations and Clinical Practice Source Type: news
Thromboembolic Events, Anticoagulation, and COVID-19: Preemptive Treatments and Risks After Vaccination
Preemptive anticoagulation for post-acute and long-term care residents infected with SARS-CoV-2 is worth consideration, given that venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not uncommon in COVID-19 and most PALTC residents have a higher risk for VTE to begin with, said Nadia Mujahid, MD, CMD, at the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine during a session on antithrombotic treatments for residents with SARS CoV-2/COVID-19. “Let’s not wait for residents to develop a VTE. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Christine Kilgore Source Type: news
Encouraging Improvements to Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Care Quality in Nursing Homes
Nursing homes have an ethical obligation to create facility policies and protocols that support the ethical and evidence-based treatment of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), A. Justine Landi, MD, urged at PALTC23, the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Christine Kilgore Source Type: news
Cleaning the Medical Misinformation Mess
“Misinformation spreads quickly, and it’s hard to correct it in real time,” said Sing Palat, MD, CMD, at the start of the PALTC23 session “Managing Medical Misinformation: How to Address This Information Mess.” Leslie Eber, MD, CMD, agreed: “We are all vulnerable to misinformation, even those of us in this room. Information hunger makes us vulnerable. False information spreads faster and deeper than the truth. Repeat exposure is an effective strategy for spreading misinformation.” (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Tags: Conference Highlights Source Type: news
Medical Aid in Dying: Gaining Attention in America
The presenters at the PALTC23 program “Medical Aid in Dying (MAID): Medical, Ethical, and Legal Implications” showed a powerful video about an older couple who decided to take control of their lives and deaths. It presented an honest, poignant, and sometimes difficult-to-watch picture of MAID — why people choose this path and its impact on those around them. This was part of a discussion about a controversial procedure that has been gaining public and legislative support. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Source Type: news
Struggling with PTSD? There Is Help
Senior contributing writer Joanne Kaldy spoke to Lisa Sweet, RN, co-founder of the National Association of Health Care Assistants, about the importance of addressing PTSD among certified nurse assistants (CNAs). (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Tags: Nursing Assistants ’ Corner Source Type: news
Sitting at the Head Table and Leading Change: AMDA ’s 2023 Policy Initiatives
During the pandemic, AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine was able to raise its profile and attract the attention of policymakers and other stakeholders. In the past year, the organization has continued to make inroads on a variety of issues and to gain advocacy momentum. At PALTC23’s Saturday ge neral session, Milta Little, DO, CMD, the Society’s 2023-2024 president, noted, “We don’t just want a seat at the table. We want to chair committees and lead discussions.” (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Source Type: news
PALTC23 Keynote: Humor and Health Go Hand-in-Hand
“Managing stress takes day-by-day, moment-by-moment vigilance,” said author, speaker, and comedian Kay Frances, MBA, at the opening general session of PALTC23, the Annual Conference of AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. She added, “It also requires a sense of humo r, a light heart, and optimism. No pessimistic person ever survived the stress of being a long-term care practitioner without losing their mind.” (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Joanne Kaldy Source Type: news
Whose Life Is It Anyway? Medical Aid in Dying and Its Legal, Medical, and Ethical Conundrums
This article briefly examines some of the legal, medical, and ethical issues that lie at the heart of MAID. (Source: Caring for the Ages)
Source: Caring for the Ages - June 1, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Alan C. Horowitz Source Type: news
