Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
A large clinical trial has, for the first time, shown that a drug can reduce both plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and slow the progression of their dementia. According to The New York Times, results presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Chicago showed the drug, known currently as BAN2401, […]
Brought to you by Home Health Line. Now that Alzheimer’s disease has risen to become by far the most commonly used hospice claims-reported diagnosis, hospices must be even more certain that their documentation for Alzheimer’s patients can withstand auditor scrutiny. G30.9 (Alzheimer’s disease, unspecified) was listed as a principal diagnosis 155,066 in the 2017 fiscal […]
Research has found that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease have an elevated level of the protein called Abeta 42. Canadian neuroscientist Dr. Patrick McGeer and his wife, Dr. Edith McGeer, created a saliva test that can determine a person’s level of this protein, which according to McGeer and his team appears in the same elevated levels […]
By slowly reducing levels of the enzyme BACE1 in mice as they age, scientists at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio discovered that the formation of amyloid plaques on the brain (bits of protein build up that are believed to be at the root of Alzheimer’s disease) were either prevented or reversed. The study was published […]
Scientists are optimistic that finding the cure for Alzheimer’s—a disease currently afflicting 5 million people in the United States alone—may be within reach. This sentiment might seem unrealistic when you look at the statistics—only about 1% of scientific discoveries lead to medicine that is used by patients—but forward thinking scientists remind us to remember where […]
Until recently, modern day medicine had only found one timely, conclusive method for diagnosing an individual with Alzheimer’s disease: A postmortem examination of their brain. Now, according to a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an experimental blood test has been proven to accurately diagnose the disease in a […]
Alzheimer’s: Every Minute Counts is a documentary that “illuminates the social and economic consequences for the country unless a medical breakthrough is discovered for this currently incurable disease.” It premieres on PBS January 25, 2017, at 10pm ET. The film includes expert commentary and personal stories around the country from individuals affected by the disease. […]
An article published by the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) states that long-term care residents who are evaluated in an emergency room are 10 times more likely to suffer from delirium than those evaluated who did not come from a long-term care (LTC) setting. Delirium, defined as “a syndrome of altered mental status […]
Critical care and support services for individuals with Alzheimer’s now covered under Medicare
Thousands of congressional meetings and countless hours of work on the part of staff, advocates, and individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease were celebrated on November 3 with the announcement of CMS’ final decision: Cognitive and functional assessments and care planning will now be covered under Medicare for individual’s with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.