In this episode, we explore five must-know stories shaping the landscape of senior living care. We kick things off with how telemedicine is transforming sepsis response in long-term care communities, enabling faster intervention and fewer hospital transfers. We then dive into updated, multisociety infection prevention guidance tailored specifically for nursing homes — highlighting strategies for improving surveillance, hand hygiene, and empowering infection preventionists.

Next, we unpack a revealing study on isolation gown failures and the frontline impact of PPE quality and reporting gaps. We also look at early research on using nasal iodophor to reduce Candidozyma auris colonization, offering a glimpse into potential future prevention strategies. Finally, we close with a timely CDC reminder about hepatitis B vaccination for residents with diabetes — a simple, often overlooked step that can prevent serious illness. Tune in for key takeaways, real-world insights, and resources you can bring back to your community.

In this week's episode of HealthCap Weekly Wrap, we break down some of the most important stories impacting senior care today. We start with a long-overdue update to the 2008 infection prevention guidelines for nursing homes and explore how these changes reflect the evolving realities of resident care. From stronger IPC leadership to balancing safety with a homelike environment, this update is a must-know for every senior care provider. We also take a closer look at a new multisociety guidance document that offers practical, expert-backed strategies for building sustainable infection control programs, even in the face of staffing challenges.

Next, we dig into a major study showing the long-term risks of sleep medications in older adults and what communities can do to support better sleep without relying on prescriptions. Finally, we explore three fascinating developments in Parkinson's care, including a once-weekly medication that could simplify treatment, a novel drug with a new mechanism for reducing motor fluctuations, and groundbreaking research showing that dogs may be able to detect Parkinson's before symptoms appear. Tune in for practical insights, thoughtful discussion, and what it all means for frontline staff and leadership in senior care.

This week on HealthCap Weekly Wrap, we explore how virtual reality may help reduce falls in older adults, the push for shorter antibiotic courses, and a breakthrough 10-minute test that detects antibiotic resistance. We also look at a needle-free glucose sensor in development, a helpful visual guide to pressure injury staging, and a targeted depression screening tool that's improving mental health referrals in long-term care. For more details, visit Angie's blog at healthcapusa.com/angies-blog.

This week's episode of HealthCap Weekly Wrap takes a deeper look at one of the most pressing challenges facing senior living communities this season — the flu. With widespread activity, rising hospitalizations, and a particularly aggressive strain impacting older adults, hosts break down why this year is different and what care teams need to know now. From early symptom recognition to timely antiviral use, the conversation covers actionable steps teams can take to reduce the impact of flu within their communities.

The episode also highlights the importance of respiratory protection programs, using the CDC's Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit as a foundation for keeping staff safe and operations compliant. Additional discussion includes enhanced barrier precautions, communication strategies with families, and staff morale during a high-pressure season. Whether your community has already seen cases or is bracing for what's ahead, this episode offers practical insights, reminders, and tools to strengthen your flu response and protect your residents and care teams.

In this week's episode of HealthCap Weekly Wrap, we kick off the new year with important updates shaping senior care. We cover CMS's push for ownership transparency and what it could mean for audits and enforcement. You'll also hear highlights from the 2025 "Dear Doctor" letter, new research on potentially avoidable hospitalizations among the most medically complex residents, and a call for public reporting of agency nurse staffing. Plus, we break down clarified CMS qualifications for speech-language pathologists and take a look at the first major update to chronic kidney disease guidelines since 2012. Whether you're on the clinical or administrative side of care, these insights can help guide your planning for the year ahead.

As we wrap up 2025, this episode takes a look back at the resources that resonated most with senior living professionals over the past year. Rather than focusing on download counts alone, we explore the themes and challenges that shaped the year—hydration, wound care, infection control, emergency preparedness, elopement prevention, restorative care, and regulation. From practical toolkits to thought-provoking webinars, each resource highlighted a shared goal: to better understand risk, strengthen daily care practices, and protect residents in meaningful ways.

We'll discuss standout materials like the Hydration Toolkit, the six-part Wound Care Webinar Series, the Legionella resources, and the ever-popular Emergency Preparedness Manual. You'll also hear about emerging priorities like transportation planning during emergencies, risk in assisted living communities, and shifting from blame to learning with root cause analysis. Whether you're revisiting familiar tools or discovering new ones, these resources continue to support the people doing the work. All of them are still available at riskmanagement.healthcapusa.com.

This week's episode of HealthCap Weekly Wrap takes a deep dive into six stories shaping care delivery in post-acute settings. We explore a new study on enhanced barrier precautions in ventilator units, a federal initiative to crack down on healthcare fraud, and the ethical challenges around admitting aging individuals on sex offender registries. We also review updated CDC guidance for the 2025–2026 flu season and examine a prescribing cascade that could be putting residents at unnecessary risk.

We close with a powerful reminder that how care ends matters just as much as how it begins. A new opinion piece spotlights the overlooked importance of "the goodbye" in shaping resident satisfaction, trust, and even payment outcomes. From clinical communication to warm send-offs, it's a timely reflection for everyone working in post-acute care.

In this episode of HealthCap Weekly Wrap, we cover key topics impacting senior living communities, including infection prevention, food safety, and resident wellness. We highlight two APIC guides focused on reducing bloodstream and urinary tract infections through team-based strategies and standardized care. We also discuss an article from McKnight's on F812 food safety compliance and how small changes can help avoid costly citations. New diabetes guidelines put lifestyle changes front and center, offering actionable ideas for community-based wellness programs. Plus, we review the National Council on Aging's fall prevention plan and how the Healthy People 2030 initiative can guide long-term care strategy. For full details and links, visit Angie's blog at healthcapusa.com/angies-blog.