Many experts have written about the importance of making covid-19 vaccines available to family caregivers of frail older adults and younger people with disabilities. But how can states do this? It turns out to be really complicated. Massachusetts shows what happens when one state decides to vaccinate not only older adults, but also the people who bring them to get [...]
Last week, I suggested that in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, nursing homes may need to take patients from over-burdened hospitals. At the same time, care settings such as assisted living facilities (ALFs) might have to accept nursing home residents who must be relocated to make room for those post-acute patients. Now, it looks like that is beginning to [...]
WBUR radio and Kaiser Health News report that the Massachusetts Senate has quietly approved a measure requiring doctors and nurses to discuss end of life options with patients who have a terminal illness. The Palliative Care Awareness bill was included as part of a sweeping health reform measure and, remarkably, was not controversial. It was supported by both Republicans and Democrats and [...]