Medication Assistance for Residents with Dementia
Posted on December 20th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
Professional Caregiver Blog
Professional Caregiver – A Care and Compliance Group Blog for Assisted Living and Residential Care Professionals
Tips for Families and Care Providers Living with Alzheimer’s
Posted on December 13th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
The holiday season is a wonderful chance to share time with friends and love ones. But for those families living with Alzheimer’s disease this can be a challenging time. The Alzheimer’s Association share some tips for families to prepare for a joyous holiday season through proper planning and adjusting expectations. This tips can be valuable for you and your staff as well. (more…)
Competency Checklists
Posted on December 6th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
Competency checklists are a great way to ensure the effectiveness of your training and provide critical documentation. They can be used for a variety of skills trainings, including ADLs, medication assistance, and more. (more…)
World AIDS Day
Posted on November 29th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
World AIDS day is this Thursday, December 1. In addition to reminding all care providers to reflect on the impact of HIV and AIDS in our lives, this day serves as a call to action to continue to improve our preventative efforts. (more…)
Blood Pressure Monitoring
Posted on November 29th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
A Tuesday Tip recently sent us this question about blood pressure monitoring in a California RCFE:
“A resident in an RCFE would like to have her Blood Pressure monitored daily. No written order from her physician. As caregivers in a non-medical facility, are we allowed to take and monitor the blood pressure? Whether we are allowed or not to do such a procedure, where in Title 22 can I find this information?”
Thanksgiving Traditions
Posted on November 22nd, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
Happy Thanksgiving to you, your staff, and your residents! This holiday week provides an opportunity reminder to all of us to be thankful for the many blessings in our lives. Whether it is time with family, a cherished moment with a resident, our a valued new member of your caregiving team, as assisted living and residential care providers we have so many special things to be thankful for. (more…)
Warning Signs of Unsafe Driving
Posted on November 15th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
Giving up the ability to drive can be a life changing decision for a senior. Although many senior living residents still drive, most at some point will have to give up the car keys. While you as an assisted living professional will not be the one making this decision for your resident, you may be the first one to identify warning signs that the time has come. (more…)
Charging for Telephone Services in an RCFE
Posted on November 15th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
A Tuesday Tip subscriber recently emailed us to ask if he/she can charge residents in an RCFE for the cost of long distance phone calls. California RCFE regulations clearly allow for reimbursement for long distance calls from private pay residents, however it is important that this is clearly stated in the admission/residency agreement. Here are a few relevant regulations worth reviewing: (more…)
Safely Managing Prescription Pain Killers
Posted on November 8th, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported skyrocketing increases in deaths from overdoses of prescription pain killers. According to the CDC, 15,000 people die every year from overdoses of these medications – more than those who die from heroin and cocaine combined. (more…)
Medication Expiration Dates
Posted on November 1st, 2011 by Josh Allen, RN
This week’s Tuesday Tip comes to us courtesy of Sandi Flores Consulting Group, and is in response to a question often asked by new medication aides/techs:
“If a medication label only has a month and year listed for the expiration date, does it expire on the first day of the month listed, or the last day of the month?”