Garlo Ward, P.C.

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Immunizations for Nursing Home Residents

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Nursing home providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid must give residents the opportunity to receive immunizations against influenza and pneumonia. See this memo from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The new rules require that facilities must educate residents about why immunization is important, warn them of the dangers of not being immunized, the right to refuse immunization, etc. By next spring, CMS will provide guidelines for state survey agency directors. In … [Read more...] about Immunizations for Nursing Home Residents

Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs

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It goes without saying that long term care providers are allowed to administer drugs to patients, and extra care is required when acquiring, receiving, dispensing and administering foreign prescription drugs. The attached letter (PDF) instructs state survey agency directors on what to do when providers administer foreign drugs. Foreign drugs that purport to be the same as Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs may be substandard and/or dangerous. Providers must make sure that foreign … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs

Long Term Care Associations Speak Out

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Many Medicare beneficiaries are elderly and most of them will likely have trouble understanding the complicated new drug plan because of age-related cognitive impairments. As a result, long term care providers will need to educate patients about the new plan, which some predict will prove burdensome. Several long term care association members expressed their concerns in this Dallas Morning News article (free registration): The American Health Care Association, which represents … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Associations Speak Out

Drunken Moose Invades Nursing Home

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If you have fruit trees on your premises, don't let the fruit fall to the ground and ferment lest this happen: They rarely have problems with drunks or rowdy animals, but residents of an elderly home in southern Sweden had to deal with both when a pair of intoxicated moose invaded the premises. The moose _ a cow and her calf _ had become drunk over the weekend by eating fermented apples they found outside the home in Sibbhult, southern Sweden, said Anna Karlsson, who works there. … [Read more...] about Drunken Moose Invades Nursing Home

Walking the “Perp” on your Premises

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Was this completely necessary. Click here: Tiffany Cunningham, 26, was indicted by a Lubbock County grand jury in September and charged with two counts of assault, allegedly for slapping Alzheimer's residents in January. Lubbock County Sheriff's Office deputies assisted the Attorney General's officers in making the arrest Thursday at Cunningham's place of employment in Brownfield. (emphasis added) Obviously, at the time of the arrest, Ms. Cunningham was no longer working at the … [Read more...] about Walking the “Perp” on your Premises

Long-term Care Providers Must Deal with Hurricane Wilma

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Providers are bracing themselves for another hurricane and more tough decisions. Nursing homes are faced with whether to evacuate patients, some connected to feeding tubes and oxygen tanks, or ride out Hurricane Wilma in place. From the Washington Post: The decision to stay or flee in the event of a hurricane can be difficult even for the able-bodied. But as the evacuations for hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed this year, the decisions made at nursing homes more likely could be a matter … [Read more...] about Long-term Care Providers Must Deal with Hurricane Wilma

Federal OIG To Investigate Katrina Nursing Home Deaths

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Senator Chuck Grassley, through his position on the Senate Finance Committee, has issued a press release regarding his request that the OIG investigate nursing home deaths during Katrina. Specifically, he has requested that the OIG look at the following: 1) Were long-term care facilities prepared to evacuate patients across State lines? 2) Were policies and procedures in place to evacuate residents? 3) Was care jeopardized in transporting patients? and; 4) What mechanisms are … [Read more...] about Federal OIG To Investigate Katrina Nursing Home Deaths

Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

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I just received an e-mail from the Texas Health Care Association. Nursing Homes in East Texas are being asked to take Louisiana residents. Of course, this raises questions about reimbursement for Medicaid residents. According to THCA: Reimbursement for services is an issue that is to be worked out between the two nursing facilities. Also, if you are considering taking in these residents, you will not be allowed to exceed occupancy as allowed by your Texas license. You must … [Read more...] about Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Looters Target Nursing Home

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This is truly disturbing: Managers at a nursing home were prepared to cope with the power outages and had enough food for days, but then the looting began. The Covenant Home's bus driver surrendered the vehicle to carjackers after being threatened. Bands of people drove by the nursing home, shouting to residents, ``Get out!'' On Wednesday, 80 residents, most of them in wheelchairs, were being evacuated to other nursing homes in the state. ``We had enough food for 10 days,'' said Peggy … [Read more...] about Looters Target Nursing Home