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There is a large body of literature describing the risk factors leading to pressure ulcer formation in elderly, institutionalized populations. Some of the factors usually cited are intrinsic to the [...]

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Mental Health Weekly Digest -- Current study results on Mental Health have been published. According to news reporting from Taegu, South Korea, by [...]

In Brief Antipsychotics are overprescribed for nursing home residents A federal audit of Medicare claims for elderly nursing home patients has concluded that more than half of the prescriptions for [...]

A constant battle for any long-term care facility is infection control. Most infection control specialists agree that the best way to prevent infections and their spread in nursing homes is [...]

Falls Research Yields Simple, Quick Intervention Methods Falls are one of the leading causes of death, injury and disability among older persons, and they contribute to the fear of losing [...]

A study based on MDS data for over 300,000 nursing home residents in five states, indicates that prevalence of cognitive impairment is very high, and that cognitively impaired nursing home [...]

One in four Americans over age 65 has no natural permanent teeth, but the extent of this condition -- known as edentulism -- varies widely from state to state. According [...]

A study of 4,525 nursing home residents conducted by researchers from Duke University indicates that such patients fall into distinct categories, each with a unique pattern of resource use and [...]

Most cases of nursing home acquired pneumonia can be treated successfully within the nursing home, as long as physicians and nurse practitioners screen patients carefully for specific risk factors, according [...]

Malnourished elders who gain significant amounts of weight also lower their risk of infection, falls, and death, according to an article published in a recent issue of the Journal of [...]

Nursing home patients with difficulties in ambulation and feeding, as well as those with diabetes and fecal incontinence, are at risk for developing pressurized ulcers, according to a recent study [...]

A decline in performing daily activities or a change in routines can be a common indicator of infection in elderly residents. Now a resident's slump might also be a sign [...]

Researchers have found that nearly half of non-demented residents have a moderate or severe loss in their better ear, while more than three-quarters have at least a mild loss. However, [...]

Weight Training Improves Mobility of Frail Residents Researchers studying the effects of weight training on long-term care residents over 90 years of age have observed significant gains in participants' muscle [...]

When Managed, Wandering Can Help Residents By better understanding the behavior of wanderers, long-term care administrators can improve their techniques for managing these sometimes difficult residents, according to David Martino-Saltzman, [...]

A field trial involving 10 nursing homes across the country has found that, for the most part, the Minimum Data Set for Resident Assessment and Care Screening (MDS) is highly [...]

According to data from the 1995 National Nursing Home Survey, the average length of stay (LOS) for nursing home residents ages 65 and older at admission is 838 days (about [...]

Many cancer patients in U.S. nursing homes suffer pain every day but get nothing to treat it, in part because they don't ask. The problem worsens with age and may [...]

The longer an elderly resident remains in a nursing home, the greater the likelihood he or she will sustain a contracture. That is the key finding of a study of [...]

Researchers have found that 12 weeks of daily walking produced significant improvements in walk endurance capacity among ambulatory elderly nursing home residents, but no other significant changes were noted in [...]

Vitamin D -- 'the sunshine vitamin.' American dairy products and cereals are commonly fortified. with it. Salmon, sardines, herring, organ meats, fish-liver oils, and egg yolk -- and of course, [...]

Elders who live in large nursing homes and in homes that require written consent are the least likely to be vaccinated against influenza, and thus are at greater risk for [...]

A large proportion of nursing home residents are quite passive and their physical activity is limited mostly by health status, according to a recent article in the Journal of the [...]

While serious acute illness, endocrine disorders and prolonged depression play a role in causing involuntary weight loss among frail nursing-facility residents, poor oral health might also be a factor according [...]

Pressure Sores Can Be Managed with Standard Treatments To evaluate the short-term outcome of pressure sores at a long-term hospital, researchers conducted an uncontrolled study to determine how frequently pressure [...]

Wait Until November to Give Flu Vaccinations Although influenza vaccines usually become available this month, August is not the best time to immunize residents or staffers, advises William Ershler, MD, [...]

Special Treatments, Procedures Addressed The final section of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) for nursing facility resident assessment and care screening refers to special treatments and procedures and is designed [...]

Detecting Disease Leading To Functional Decline An important component of comprehensive functional assessment of nursing facility residents is the detection of diseases that contribute to functional impairment. Accurate problem identification [...]

The Resident Assessment Protocol In order to enhance the delivery of quality care to residents in nursing facilities, federal requirements mandate that residents be assessed using the standardized assessment tool [...]

How Should Pneumonia Be Treated in the Nursing Home Nursing home personnel should be on the lookout for 'subtle changes' in patients functional status, including difficulty in walking, incontinence, dehydration, [...]

A new study confirmed that previous research on lengths of stay (LOS) in nursing homes tend to overestimate the number of short-stay patients and underestimate the number of long-stay patients. [...]