TIP OF THE WEEK
Pain management resources for older adults and caregivers
The following practical and easy-to-use tools are intended to help older adults and their caregivers better manage persistent pain in consultation with their physicians and other health- care providers. For copies of these resources feel free to download, print and reproduce as needed from the links below. To obtain hard copies of these resources or to place bulk orders, please call the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging at 1-800-563-4916.
- Education Forum: Frequently asked questions with answers on the assessment and management of persistent pain.
- My Pain Diary (PDF): A tool to help describe and keep track of how and when pain is experienced.
- My Medication and Supplement Diary (PDF): A tool to help record and keep track of all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and natural remedies being used.
- Medications for Persistent Pain (PDF): An Older Adult's Guide to Safe Use of Pain Medications
- Assessing Pain in Loved Ones with Dementia (PDF): This brochure for family members and other caregivers provides advice from the experts on assessing pain in older adults with dementia.
- Eldercare at Home is the Federal Housing Authority’s free comprehensive online guide for family caregivers. Chapter 11 offers an orderly problem-solving approach to managing pain at home and working cooperatively with healthcare providers
- What every resident and family needs to know about pain. A brochure for residents and families developed by Ohio KePRO and the Ohio Department of Health. Order online.
RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
Assessing Pain in Persons with Dementia
Try This, a publication of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, is a series of assessment tools where each issue focuses on a topic specific to the older adult population. The content orients and encourages all nurses to understand the special needs of older adults and use the highest standards of practice in caring for the elderly.
Each Try This issue is a 2-page document with a description of why the topic is important when caring for older patients on the first page, and an assessment tool that can be administered in 20 minutes or less on the second page. The series is accessible online and also as hard copy.
IN THE NEWS
NUTRITION: SHORTAGE OF VITAMIN D MAY WEAKEN THE ELDERLY
May 1, 2007 -- NYTimes -- Too little vitamin D is a common problem among the elderly that may help bring on medical conditions that cause weakness and disability. Now a new study suggests that a shortage of vitamin D may play a direct role in poor physical performance among the elderly.
Read more >>
CMS PROPOSES INCREASE IN MEDICARE PAYMENTS TO NURSING HOMES FOR 2008
May 1, 2007 -- CMS -- Medicare payments to nursing homes would increase by about $690 million in fiscal 2008 under new rates proposed today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This 3.3 percent increase would affect payment rates to nursing facilities that furnish certain skilled nursing and rehabilitation care to Medicare beneficiaries recovering from serious health problems. The proposed rule for the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system (SNF PPS) was placed in the Federal Register. Read more >>
SENIORS UNFAIRLY STEREOTYPED AS GROUCHY AND FRAIL
May 1, 2007 -- EurekAlert -- A study of caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients and non-caregivers done by the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, revealed that seniors are being stereotyped as grouchy, inflexible to change, and mostly living in nursing homes, when the opposite is true. Read more >>
HHS MUST PENALIZE NURSING HOMES THAT FAIL TO MEET QUALITY STANDARDS, EDITORIAL STATES
April 27, 2007 -- Kaiser Network -- A recent Government Accountability Office report concludes that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "is failing to make sure that nursing homes correct their shortcomings and then continue to meet quality standards," a Boston Globe editorial states. The Globe believes that HHS "must continue to insist on basic standards" and be prepared to take action against nursing homes that do not meet them. Read more >>
OHIO KEPRO EVENTS
THE GOOD APPLES: TIPS FOR ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THE RIGHT EMPLOYEES
In this half-day workshop, we will delve into key strategies for improving workforce retention in the nursing home, including:
- The impact of turnover and absenteeism on an organization and what you can do about it.
- Strategies to improve the hiring and orientation process.
- Motivating employees and improving staff satisfaction.
- Setting goals and measure improvement in workforce retention.
Who should attend: Directors of Operations, Directors of Nursing, Nursing Home Administrators, Staff Development, and Human Resources.
7/11 – Cincinnati | 7/24 – Wooster | |
7/12 – Springfield | 8/7 – Boardman | |
7/17 – Cambridge | 8/15 – Columbus | |
7/19 – Sylvania | 8/21 – Wellston |
Save these dates and register today!
INDUSTRY EVENTS
CMS LTC/SNF Open Door Forum
May 10, 2007, 2:00 PM
Dial: 1-800-837-1935, Reference conference ID: 1885969
“The Pain Puzzle” - Ohio Pain Initiative
May 18, 2007, Riverside Hospital, Columbus
30th Annual Nursing Assistant Convention and Recognition Program
June 20, 2007, Akron, OH
Dementia: The Emerging Epidemic, A support group meeting for family, friends, and caregivers
May 10, 2007, 7:00pm to 8:30pm, Courtyard by Marriott, Springfield, OH.
Call OMH, Rita Brown at 937-525-3000 to register before May 3, 2007.
Dementia: The Emerging Epidemic Training for Professionals
May 11, 2007, 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., The Ohio Masonic Home, Springfield, OH.
Call OMH, Rita Brown at 937.525.3000 to register before May 4, 2007.
Navigating the MDS Through the Ohio Medicaid Reimbursement System
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
June 11, 2007 or August 23, 2007
Call Cheryl Robertson at (614) 466-9088 for more information.
Medicare Learning Network: Learning resources and products for the healthcare professional.
Alzheimer’s Association Training Events
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Courses
Ohio Department of Health, Technical Assistance Program – New Programs
Ohio Health Care Association Events
An archive of The Nursing Home Weekly Update is available on our Web site. Click here >>
