Better Economy Could Mean Worse Nursing Home Care

FRIDAY, Dec. 7, 2018 -- In a good economy, the care at U.S. nursing homes falls because it's harder to attract and keep staff, a new study contends.

"During economic downturns, many people are willing to take positions with work environments they may not prefer because there aren't many options," said principal investigator Sean Shenghsiu Huang.

Health Surrogates Often in Dark About Loved One's Wishes

TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 -- Few people entrusted with making difficult health care decisions for older loved ones actually know what the patient would want, a new study contends.

"Advance care planning cannot focus on the patient alone. The health care agent has to be brought into the conversation," said study leader Dr. Terri Fried, a professor of medicine at Yale University.

Key Strategies When Caring for a Loved One With Dementia

SUNDAY, Nov. 25, 2018 -- People caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia should focus on four main safety issues, an expert says.

Nearly 6 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. About 16.1 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer's or other dementias.

AHA: Caring for Loved One With Heart Failure Even Tougher for Rural Americans

THURSDAY, Nov. 15, 2018 (American Heart Association) -- Living in a rural area increases the difficulty of caring for someone with heart failure, according to new research.

An estimated 6.5 million U.S. adults ages 20 and older have heart failure, a serious condition that develops when the heart can't pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in the body. People with heart failure often experience fatigue and shortness of breath, which can make daily activities difficult.

Worst Bedsores Still Plague U.S. Hospital Patients: Study

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 7, 2018 -- Despite years of attention to the problem, U.S. hospitals have made little headway in preventing severe cases of bedsores among older Americans, a new study shows.

Researchers found that across hospitals in three states, the rate of bedsores among Medicare patients dropped by 40 percent between 2009 and 2014.

Poorer Care at For-Profit Nursing Homes, Study Claims

TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 2018 -- Older adults who live in for-profit nursing homes are nearly twice as likely to have health problems linked to poor care than those in nonprofit nursing homes and those who live in private homes, a new study finds.

"We saw more -- and more serious -- diagnoses among residents of for-profit facilities that were consistent with severe clinical signs of neglect, including severe dehydration in clients with feeding tubes which should have been managed, clients with stage 3 and 4 bed sores, broken catheters and feeding tubes, and clients whose medication for chronic conditions was not being managed properly," said study leader Lee Friedman.