Pressure ulcers are severe and sometimes life-threatening medical conditions that affect a high number of patients and residents living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Several studies show that as high as one-in-five patients and residents of these facilities have experienced signs of a pressure ulcer at some point…
As our population ages, there has been an increase in the number of elderly patients that undergo neurosurgical interventions. This increase is accompanied by aging risk factors, such as frailty, that increase the risk of complications post-surgery. A recent study undertook the task of surveying how recent falls affected patients who underwent…
The regular use of physical restraints on patients in nursing home facilities without an appropriate medical reason or regard for their dignity and wellbeing is not only a strong indicator of poor quality of care, but also a sign of elder abuse and neglect. Older adults with dementia in particular are affected…
Malnutrition is one of the primary dangers for older adult residents living in long-term care settings. Defined as the state of not having adequate food and micronutrient intake, malnutrition is common among elderly patients and can damage physical and cognitive functioning. Nursing home and assisted living facility staff must protect their patients from inadequate micronutrient…
Innovative care environments are created for older adults with dementia to enhance patient-centered care. Studies have shown that green care farms, which provide 24-hour nursing care, are an excellent alternative to traditional nursing homes. These farms allow patients to engage in more physical activities and social interactions than residents in…
After the Wells Fargo scandal earlier this year in which the company admitted that its bankers created millions of fraudulent accounts, Wells Fargo is once again in the public eye for its attempt to stay out of courts by forcing the customers of these fraudulent accounts into closed door arbitration…
With more than 47 million people worldwide suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia there is a growing need to identify the cause of these diseases as well as treatments for them. Millions of dollars have gone into the improvement of technologies and the research of brain mapping.…
Animal assisted interventions (AAI) have become a growing topic of interest in research in recent years. The possibility of AAI was first realized when a psychiatrist named Boris Levinson recognized the benefits that AAI produced as his dog accompanied him when he would visit a behaviorally disturbed child under his…
Loneliness isn’t just a feeling, it’s a powerful syndrome that affects many older adults worldwide. According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA), loneliness can promote the deterioration of health and cognitive function, lower quality of life, and increase the rate of…
Ensuring that dependent older adults with complex health problems receive high quality long-term care has been a long-standing challenge for the health care systems around the world. Currently, the need is greater than ever, considering that older adults battling with a multiple of chronic diseases and functional and/or cognitive disabilities…