Prescription Drug Overdose Deaths Skyrocket among Women

According to a report from the CDC, women's prescription overdose deaths are on the rise. Since 1999, the number of women dying from prescription drug overdoses has grown by more than 400 percent. In 2010, more than 6,600 women died from an overdose of prescription painkillers, which is four times more than the number of deaths caused by cocaine and heroin combined.

By comparison, the rate of overdoses among men increased by 265 percent. This disparity could be because women are more likely to have chronic pain, be given higher doses of painkillers and use them for longer periods of time.

To learn more, click here.

LTC Workers Called Out for Low Flu Vaccination Rates

You might think that people who work in long-term care centers would be diligent about getting flu vaccines because they work with a population that is hit especially hard by the flu. You would be wrong.

According to new data from the CDC, only 59 percent of long-term care employees received the flu shot last year (by comparison, 90 percent of physicians and 72 percent of all healthcare workers got the shot). Non-medical personnel dragged down averages overall at healthcare facilities.

Federal officials have vowed to improve vaccination rates among LTC workers.

To learn more, click here.

CMS Releases New RAI User's Manual

CMS has released version 11 of the MDS Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User's Manual, which takes effect on October 1. According to CMS, the new manual "incorporates clarifications to existing coding and transmission policy, integrates previously published questions and answers into the appropriate sections and addresses requested clarifications and scenarios concerning complex areas."

To download the manual and view guidance, click here.

CMS Releases Memo on MDS Therapy, Nutritional Status Changes

CMS has released a memo that clarifies transition policies for new MDS items related to therapy, swallowing and nutritional status. These policy changes take effect on October 1.

The memo includes details on how providers should code and bill for therapy.

To read the memo, click here.

Kwalu: Designed to Last

We’ve all experienced this conundrum: You buy new furniture and it looks great – until people start using it. Short of banning people from sitting on it, how do you keep your investment looking great for years to come?

The designers at Kwalu asked themselves the same question and came up with an answer. They manufacture furniture using a high-impact polymer that will not chip. The pieces’ realistic wood grain effect gives them a high-end look that is equally at home in formal dining rooms and cafeterias.

Kwalu products also have antimicrobial properties, making them a perfect fit for long-term care facilities. Unlike other furniture, the antimicrobial treatment is integrated into the entire product, not just applied as a topical coating. It is proven effective against 99.98 percent of bacteria and molds and carries a 10-year warranty.

Other Kwalu features include:

• Steel-reinforced technology to eliminate seating joint failure
•  Bariatric and special needs options
•  A 10-year performance-based warranty on construction
• The industry’s only 10-year performance-based warranty on finish

Kwalu can outfit your facility with complete collections of furniture, casegoods and wall protection systems, all made from the same virtually indestructible material. To learn more, contact your ProMed territory manager, visit us at promedsupply.com or give us a call at 800.648.5190.  

Study: Personality Traits Tied to Likelihood of Nursing Home Care

According to new research, people with certain types of personalities are more likely to receive nursing home care.

The researchers had 1,000 seniors complete a self-report questionnaire and then classified them by five personality traits: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness. They found that the seniors who scored high for neuroticism were more than twice as likely to spend time in a nursing home while those who had higher "openness to experience" scores were more likely to receive home care.

To learn more, click here.

Congratulations, David Starke!

Team ProMed congratulates David Starke on his nuptials! He and Ashley tied the knot on September 19.

Dyslexics Have Easier Time Reading On E-Readers

A new study suggests that people with dyslexia might have an easier time reading an e-reader than traditional paper.

During the study, dyslexics were asked to read paper printed with a 14-point Times Roman font and one-inch margins. They were then asked to read on iPods. The iPods displayed 42-point Times Roman font. That made the lines that were read short, with about three or four words per line. The background on the iPod was black and the font was white.

The researchers found that the subjects consistently read faster and remembered more reading on the iPod.

To learn more, click here.

Home Health Workers Now Eligible for Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay

The Department of Labor has announced it will extend overtime and minimum wage protections to home health workers providing direct care. Previously, the Fair Labor Standards Act classified home health workers as primarily companions to those under their care.

The "companionship exemption" meant that home care agencies weren't required to pay direct care workers the federal minimum wage or for overtime hours they racked up.

The new law applies to direct care workers who provide medical services that require training to perform.

To learn more, click here.

Introducing Two New Additions to the Embrace Skin Care Family

Our exclusive Embrace skin care line has grown! Based on your feedback, we’ve added a new foaming cleanser and wound cleanser to our lineup to help you provide the best possible care to your residents.

Embrace Skin Caring Total Body Foam Cleanser is the ultimate multipurpose cleanser. It can be used not only as a perineal cleanser but a body wash and shampoo as well. Its antimicrobial formula has a fresh, clean, gender-neutral scent and is gentle on delicate skin. Simply dispense the foam onto a clean, warm, damp washcloth before cleansing.

Embrace Skin Caring Wound Cleanser is a mild, alcohol-free, non-irritating wound cleanser that is gentle on sensitive wounds. The adjustable nozzle delivers up to an 8-10 psi irrigating stream to dislodge debris or a fine mist for gentle cleansing. To use, flush the wound and wipe with clean gauze.

All of our Embrace skin care products are designed to work together as a system to cleanse, moisturize and protect. To learn more about these and the other items in the Embrace family, contact your ProMed territory manager, visit us online at promedsupply.com or give us a call at 800.648.5190. 

Congratulations, Alix Wiggs!

Congratulations to ProMed Territory Manager Alix Wiggs, who tied the knot with Charley Pickering on September 14!

High and Low Vancomycin Doses Similarly Effective at Treating C. diff

A new study has found that people with C. diff experience similar improvement on both low and high doses of vancomycin.

Those treated with a low dose of the antibiotic had a 93 percent improvement rate by the end of the therapy. Those on the high dose had a 95 percent improvement rate.

To learn more, click here.

Copper Surfaces Could Help Reduce Norovirus Outbreaks

Looking for another tool to help you fight norovirus? Try copper.

According to a new study out the UK, copper surfaces can help prevent outbreaks of norovirus among residents and staff. The researchers found that surfaces made of copper and copper alloy reduced a gene associated with a viral encoded protein. The most effective surfaces were made of at least 60 percent copper.

Last year, 65 percent of nororvirus outbreaks between September and December occurred in long-term care settings.

Decoding Can Liners

Chances are, you haven't given your trash can liners much thought, but taking the time to choose the right bag for different uses can result in significant savings and improved performance. 

The two primary types of liners
Linear low-density liners feature superior stretch and tear resistance. They're a great choice for applications where additional strength and stretch are required and work well for waste with sharp or jagged edges. Linear low-density liners are the most popular type of liner on the market.

High-density liners offer great strength and puncture resistance along with gas, moisture and odor barrier properties. They can be used to dispose of ordinary waste as well as liquid waste. They're more temperature-resistant than low-density liners.

Finding the right size Now that you know the type of liner you need, how do you figure out the right size? It's tempting to use a one-size-fits-all approach with can liners, but this can lead to wasted product and money. Using the simple equations below can help you find the correct sizes for all of your receptacles.

How to find the right size for round receptacles:

Width of bag required
Diameter of receptacle (the distance across the top of the receptacle) x 3.14 ÷ 2

Height of bag required
½ the diameter of receptacle + 6" (for overhang) + Height of receptacle

For square or rectangle receptacles:

Width of bag required
Total of all four sides ÷ 2

Height of bag required
½ the smallest of the four sides + 6" (for overhang) + Height of receptacle


ProMed offers a complete line of can liners and our knowledgeable sales team will be happy to help you determine which liners best meet your needs. To learn more, contact your Territory Manager, give us a call at (800) 648-5190 or visit us online at promedsupply.com.

Study: Shortage of Single Protein Can Lead to Memory Loss

Scientists have found that a shortage of a single protein, RbAp48, appears to impair our ability to remember things as we age. The good news is that boosting levels of this protein can help reverse memory loss - at least in the mice used in the experiment.

The researchers discovered the protein after studying postmortem brains from eight people who ranged in age from 33 to 88. They found that the RbAp48 protein was abundant in the younger brains and scarce in the older brains.

When the researchers boosted the levels of RbAp48 in old mice with failing memories, they found that the mice began to perform memory-related tasks very much like young mice with stronger memory abilities.

The findings suggest that a drug could reverse age-related memory loss in some people, but the researchers stressed that diet and exercise could likely help as well.

To learn more, click here.

Study: Facebook Valuable for Crisis Management

If your facility hasn't thought about setting up a Facebook profile, you might change your mind after reading this.

According to a new study, when the public reads a news story about a crisis and then views Facebook posts from the institution involved with the crisis, their attitudes toward the organization are significantly more positive. They are also more likely to view the crisis as less severe.

The researcher also found that Facebook posts that were written in a narrative style (more storytelling than fact listing) were more effective.

Based on her findings, the researcher said that Facebook can be a valuable tool for PR professionals when they're working to solve or lessen the severity of a crisis.

Speaking of Facebook, you can connect with us by clicking here. To learn more about the study, click here.

OIG: Hospice Providers Need More Frequent Recertification Surveys

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is recommending that hospice providers undergo more frequent recertification surveys.

According to a new OIG report, about 17 percent of state-surveyed hospices have not been recertified in six years. In some states, that figure is as high as 25 percent.

Following a 2005 survey that showed similar results, the OIG recommended to CMS that recertification happen every three years. Instead, CMS readjusted annual survey targets. In 2013, the target was every 6.5 years. This timeframe is not federally regulated, like it is for nursing homes.

To learn more, click here.

Chobani Recalls Moldy Greek Yogurt

If you're a fan of Chobani Greek yogurt, check the label before you dig into your next helping. The company is voluntarily recalling certain cups of yogurt because they might be contaminated with mold.

Affected products are marked with the code 16-012 and best-by dates of September 11, 2013 to October 7, 2013. The recall applies to all flavors of Chobani cups and tubs as well as Chobani Flip, Bite and Champions products.

Chobani said the recall was sparked by "reports of product bloating and swelling and some claims of illness."

To learn more, click here.

More Than One-Third of LTC Facilities Fail to Meet Basic Hand Hygiene Requirements

According to new data from the Joint Commission, more than one-third of Medicare/Medicaid-certified LTC facilities failed to meet basic hand hygiene requirements - set forth by the WHO and CDC - during the first half of 2013.

The Joint Commission, formerly JCAHO, collects information about operators' compliance with quality measures.

To learn more, click here.

Care for the Caregiver

Every caregiver needs to take a step back from time to time and focus on their own well-being and happiness, both for their own sake and the sake of the residents who depend upon them to provide top-notch care.

The next time you’re feeling stressed out or exhausted, try one (or more!) of these strategies to put a smile back on your face:

•  Think of yourself like you would a resident. Care for yourself with the same intensity and attentiveness as you would someone else. Don’t overlook aches and pains, hunger or fatigue.
• Develop outside interests. If we’re not careful, our jobs can become our entire world. Fight this by taking up a hobby, planning regular get-togethers with friends or joining a community group.
• Don’t let others bring you down. We can’t always control who our coworkers are, but we’re in complete control of how their actions and attitudes affect us. Try to surround yourself with positive people with similar goals.
• Take a vacation. Many of us don’t use our vacation days because we don’t want to lose wages, but you’re more likely to get burnt out if we don’t take time off to relax once in a while. You don’t need to plan an elaborate trip – sometimes a “staycation” can be just as reinvigorating!
• Take time to eat right and exercise. We’re often so busy that we think more about convenience than nutrition when mealtime rolls around. Then, when we finally get home, we collapse on the couch out of exhaustion. Try to take the time to plan out healthy meals for the week and squeeze in a walk or jog when you have even 20 minutes to spare. You’ll have more energy and feel less sluggish.
• Turn your home into a spa. Spa visits can come with hefty price tags, but you can create a similar environment at home with scented candles, bath bombs or bubble bath and rich moisturizers. Be sure to take some deep, cleansing breaths to help you rid yourself of stress.
• Remind yourself that you are important. It’s easy to lose sight of the very important role you play. Every day, you help your residents live happy, fulfilling lives!

 Do you have other strategies for caring for yourself? Head over to our Facebook page and share your thoughts with your colleagues. Be sure to “like” our page while you’re there!