by Proactive LTC Consulting | Jun 10, 2026 | 5-Star, CMS, Compliance, Regulatory, Survey
Survey Updates: Scheduling, Revisits, Exit Conferences & More CMS recently issued updates that impact the survey process including new guidance regarding scheduling procedures, acceptable plans of correction, revisits, exit conferences and other areas....
by Proactive LTC Consulting | Jun 10, 2026 | Activities, Behavioral Health, Care Planning, Dementia Care, Nursing, Pain, Quality
Q: We have a resident with dementia who becomes restless and repeatedly attempts to leave the unit during the late afternoon. As part of care planning, what non-pharmacological interventions should we consider? A: Effective person-centered care focuses on...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | Jun 3, 2026 | Compliance, Documentation, DON, Legal, Nursing Home Consultant, Staffing
Q: We have an employee who has had multiple attendance issues and performance concerns. We’ve documented counseling sessions, provided coaching, and issued written warnings, but the employee has not improved. What steps should we take before terminating...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | Jun 3, 2026 | 5-Star, Care Planning, Compliance, Dietary, Documentation, F-Tag, Nursing, Person Centered Care, QAPI, Quality Measure, Regulatory, Survey, Weight Loss
F692 Nutrition Risk Blueprint: Documentation that Drives Results Few clinical issues draw more focus and attention during surveys than unintended weight loss and altered nutritional status. These issues impact resident well-being and quality of life and are linked to...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 27, 2026 | Accidents/Incidents, ADL, Care Planning, Clinical, Dietary, Nursing, Nursing Home Consultant, Safety, Survey
Q: We recently had a resident who experienced a choking episode during lunch. Staff performed the Heimlich maneuver successfully, and a swallowing evaluation later showed they had difficulty managing regular-texture foods and thin liquids. What should be included in...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 27, 2026 | Activities, ADL, Care Planning, F-Tag, Nursing Home Consultant, Quality, Survey
Are We Delivering Care… or Creating a Resident Experience? In long-term care, most teams come to work wanting to provide compassionate care. But between staffing challenges, admissions, med passes, documentation, call lights, treatments, and survey readiness, it’s...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 20, 2026 | Compliance, Documentation, Emergency Preparedness, Nursing Home Consultant, QA, QAPI, Quality, Safety, Staffing, Survey
Emergency Preparedness Plan Drills & Tabletop Exercises Emergency preparedness can no longer be treated as a “binder on the shelf” requirement. Surveyors increasingly expect Skilled Nursing Facilities to demonstrate that emergency preparedness programs are active,...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 20, 2026 | CAA, Care Planning, Clinical, Compliance, Documentation, MDS, Nursing Home Consultant, Person Centered Care
Q: Does a triggered CAA always require a care plan intervention? A: No. A triggered CAA does not automatically mean the resident must have a new or revised care plan intervention. The purpose of the CAA process is to help the interdisciplinary team analyze the...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 14, 2026 | Home Health, Staffing
The major Medicare change announced on May 13, 2026, is a nationwide temporary freeze on new Medicare enrollments for home health agencies and hospice providers. The action was announced by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of a broad...
by Proactive LTC Consulting | May 13, 2026 | Coding, Compliance, Documentation, MDS, Medicaid, Medicare, Nutrition, PDPM, Reimbursement
Q: Can IV fluids be coded in K0520A (Parenteral/IV Feeding) on the MDS? A: Yes — but only when the IV fluids are administered specifically to address a nutrition or hydration need and there is supporting documentation in the medical record. CMS clarifies that...