Pressure injuries (PIs) are one of the largest unsolved healthcare challenges today and International pressure injury prevalence rates are estimated to be between 3-32% in Long Term Care facilities.¹ Under certain conditions PIs can begin to develop in a matter of minutes to hours^2,7. That is why once an individual’s PI risk is assessed and identified, prescribing the right intervention needs to be fast, simple and straightforward.

The relationship between pressure and time are critical factors in pressure injury development. Research conducted over many years has demonstrated that the magnitude of the mechanical load which may lead to tissue damage depends on the duration of time during which the loads are applied to the skin and tissues².

Generally the established principle is that tissue can withstand higher pressures for a short period of time and lower pressures for a longer period^7,8,9 (see figure).  There is no universally ‘safe’ pressure threshold, and it is difficult to determine an absolute time period beyond which a patient will go on to develop a pressure injury⁸. The speed and severity of the onset of a pressure injury will depend on many internal and external factors including individual anatomy, tissue tolerances and confounding factors².

Long term care residents and clinical needs vary considerably, and Arjo strives to equip care facilities with skills, tools and solutions to optimize clinical and financial outcomes.

Arjo’s commitment to optimize clinical and financial outcomes

To answer clinical needs in a speedy manner, Arjo, a global leader in the prevention and management of pressure injuries, offers a comprehensive range of rental solutions including medical beds; patient handling solutions; clinical seating; and therapeutic support surfaces, including alternating pressure, foam, low air loss, microclimate management and hybrid systems. With a nationwide network of Rental offices and Service centers it allows to meet the needs of Long Term Care facilities in a timely fashion.

With a full range of wound care solutions for prevention and management of pressure injuries, Arjo supports customers with added clinical expertise, and a high standard of service and education.

Are you looking for a rental solutions partner to support you in effective pressure injury prevention?

When you partner with Arjo for rentals, you collaborate with a Clinical Excellence Team of physical therapists and wound care clinicians. Arjo’s team can support you in providing recommendations based on clinical risk assessments; clinical protocol development and 24/7 education and training resources.

Talk to an Arjo Expert

References

1. Anthony, D. M., Alosoumi, D., and Safari, R. (2019). ‘Prevalence of pressure ulcers in long term care: A global review’, Journal of Wound Care, 28(11), pp. 1-7. DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2019.28.11.702.
2. Gefen A (2018) The future of pressure ulcer prevention is here: Detecting and targeting inflammation early. EWMA Journal 2018, 19(2):7-13.
3. Li Z, Lin F, Thalib L, Chaboyer W. Global prevalence and incidence of pressure injuries in hospitalised adult patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Nurs Stud. 2020 May.
4. Moore Z, Avsar P, Conaty L, Moore D.H, Patton D, & O’Connor T (2019) The prevalence of pressure ulcers in Europe, what does the European data tell us? Journal of Wound Care.
5. Berlowitz D, Lukas CV, Parker V, Niederhauser A, Silver J, Logan Cet al. Preventing pressure ulcers in hospitals: a toolkit for improving quality of care [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2014 [cited 2018 Oct 2].
6. Anthony, D. M., Alosoumi, D., and Safari, R. (2019). ‘Prevalence of pressure ulcers in long term care: A global review’, Journal of Wound Care, 28(11), pp. 1-7. DOI: 10.12968/jowc.2019.28.11.702.
7. Gefen, A (2008). How much time does it take to get a pressure ulcer? Integrated evidence from human, animal and invitro studies. Ostomy Wound Manage. 2008b; 54(10): 26-8,30-5.
8. European Pressure Injury Advisory panel, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Advisory Alliance. The Prevention and Treatment of Pressure Ulcers/Injuries: Clinical Practice Guideline. The International Guideline. Emily Haesler (Ed). EPUAP/NPIAP/PPPIA, 2019.
9. Linder-Ganz E, Engelberg S, Scheinowitz M, et al. Pressure time cell death threshold for albino rat skeletal muscles as related to pressure sore biomechanics. J Biomech. 2006; 39(14):

Being a centenarian, Disney likely fits in as naturally at a nursing home as it does on television and movie screens worldwide. That’s why Gurwin Healthcare decided to induct the entertainment giant into its “Centenarian Club” with a recent resident celebration.

“We always like to jump on the bandwagon of what’s happening in the world. Disney was turning 100 and we were excited to celebrate along with some of our residents who are also 100 or even more years old,” said Nicole Hopper, director of therapeutic recreation and volunteer services at Gurwin Jewish Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. “Our residents aren’t always able to go out and enjoy things, so a trip to Disney might not be in the cards for them. We’re lucky that we can try to give the Disney flair here and they can participate. It brought a lot of smiles to the residents, to the staff and to the families.”

The late October celebration included art therapists painting a portrait of Mickey Mouse live, personalized caricatures, and waffles from a Mickey Mouse waffle iron. This jaunt down memory lane showed that a love for Disney has no age limit. 

“Everyone thinks Disney is just for kids, but it’s not, and we saw that in this program,” said Kathleen Biggs, therapeutic recreation and assistant director of volunteer services at the nursing center. “Some of the staff dressed the part. Our team did ‘The Mouseketeers,’ so we were all dressed up and the residents were reminiscing with us as well.”

Biggs was happy to see people from all walks of life united in celebration of the Disney magic. 

“One of the takeaways was just taking a moment in the hustle and bustle and high energy in the room to look around and see everyone united together, whether it be nursing, housekeeping, occupational physical therapy, and therapeutic recreation,” said Biggs. “We were all there together and for the same reason, for the residents. It was really important for staff morale, and it was just a really nice event.”

That kind of happiness makes it easy to believe that we live in a small world, after all. 

Anyone who has seen the “Terminator” movies may be predisposed to have a healthy skepticism of artificial intelligence. However, the work being done at Swift Medical might cause them to reconsider a bit. 

Thanks to its use of artificial intelligence in wound care, the organization was awarded Gold in the Tech Partner of the Year category at the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards. 

Swift Skin and Wound, is a digital, AI-powered wound care solution with advanced, high-precision imaging, compliant documentation, clinical analytics and remote care. The FDA-registered technology is easily accessible through a smartphone, helping clinicians deliver effortless wound care to any patient in any care environment — from large, urban academic hospitals to remote, fly-in, remote communities.

“We are so proud and honored to see Swift Skin and Wound prevail as the Gold Award winner in one of McKnight’s most competitive categories,” said Brian Litten, Swift Medical’s CEO. “Our AI-powered digital wound management platform continues to demonstrate its ability to improve the lives of both clinicians and patients whether they are receiving care in the hospital, at home, or any setting in between. Our hope is that more organizations and clinicians start to utilize our technology to revolutionize their wound care programs.” 

Other award winners in the Skilled Nursing track’s Tech Partner of the Year category:

Silver: ShiftKey + OnShift for its SAMI scheduling technology, which led to an 89% reduction in unfilled shifts at Touchstone Communities.

Bronze: MatrixCare for its Clinical Advanced Insights (CAI) patient data dashboard, which saw a pilot group of customers using CAI register a decrease in falls of at least 50%.

Read about other 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology award winners in the Skilled Nursing track on the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News website, in the Senior Living track on McKnight’s Senior Living website and in the Home Care track on the McKnight’s Home Care website.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop, IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.To view the virtual awards presentation and recordings of the Summit webinars, visit mcknightstechawards.com (free registration required)

In senior living communities across the country, fall prevention always remains a top priority. RiverSpring Living aimed to improve its fall prevention efforts through the use of the NexStride gait device. 

For its efforts, and corresponding positive results, it was awarded Gold in the Keep It Super Simple category at the 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology awards. 

The NexStride device is an advanced neurological tool that can be attached to walkers or canes to provide both auditory and visual cuing while ambulating. Since inception of the partnership, the Hebrew Home at Riverdale has trialed this assistive device with both short- and long-term care patients with various diagnosed neurologic conditions.

The results included increases in gait speed, longer stride length and an overall improvement in balance and function. 

“A 73-year-old resident with a long history of Parkinson’s was noted with a significant decline in function, resulting in four falls in less than a one month period. The NexStride device was applied to her rollator and she was educated on the use by the therapy team over three sessions,” RiverSpring wrote in its application. 

“Over the next three-week period, subsequent standardized balance and gait assessments were conducted on the patient. During this time, her gait speed increased by 200%. She has had no subsequent falls since we have introduced the NexStride device to her daily routine.”

Other award winners in the Keep It Super Simple category:

Silver: Juniper Communities for its use of Amazon Dots voice technology. It started with an initial deployment of 100 and finished with 1,046 devices deployed by Jan. 31, 2023.

Bronze: Ingleside at King Farm for its use of remote temperature sensors across 66 refrigerators, freezers and coolers, saving employees from performing the task manually for 11 to 12 hours per day.

Read about other 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology award winners in the Skilled Nursing track on the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News website, in the Senior Living track on the McKnight’s Senior Living website, and in the Home Care track on the McKnight’s Home Care website.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop, IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.

To view the virtual awards presentation and recordings of the Summit webinars, visit mcknightstechawards.com (free registration required).

Making a patient feel comfortable and at ease is imperative when it comes to end-of-life care. Being able to hear and see a loved one is an important part of this. RiverSpring Living caregivers used digital picture frames to make loved ones more accessible to their residents. 

For their efforts, they were awarded Gold in the Building Bridges category in the Skilled Nursing track at the 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology Awards. 

The Building Bridges category recognized the use of technology that improved connections between staff members and residents and/or their families.

Circumstances like travel and employment can make it difficult for family members to visit their loved ones. By using the AURA Digital Picture Frame, families can upload a meaningful song, picture, prayer, poem or any kind of personal message that will provide the strongest connection and be the most meaningful. It is also an opportunity for staff members to connect with their patients by learning about their personal lives and loved ones. 

“At RiverSpring Living, we view our role at the end of life as a sacred obligation. Each of our residents deserve tenderness and attention, coupled with the best in clinical care,” the organization wrote in its nominating application. “These uniquely difficult moments require a special kind of support and a special type of interaction. We want to be sure our residents never feel alone and that their families are able to feel connected to them.”

Other award winners in the Skilled Nursing track’s Building Bridges category:

Silver: LCS for its UKG workforce management solution which gives employees the ability to access a scheduling app where they can easily view schedules, set scheduling preferences, manage availability, swap shifts, request coverage, stay up to date as schedules change, and more.

Bronze: Cypress Cove CCRC for its Bloomerang donor management system which enabled 739 transactions with a total of $373,825 raised from September 30 through December 15, 2022.

Read about other 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology award winners in the Skilled Nursing track on the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News website, in the Senior Living track on McKnight’s Senior Living website and in the Home Care track on the McKnight’s Home Care website.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop, IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.

To view the virtual awards presentation and recordings of the Summit webinars, visit mcknightstechawards.com (free registration required).

Editor’s note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are publishing focused articles on the 2023 winners of the McKnight’s Excellence in Technology awards Nov. 29 through Dec. 5. Look for the nomination period for the 2024 awards program to open in May.

It is no secret that workforce shortages have had a massive impact on the skilled nursing sector. To reduce their effect, Tutera implemented SAMI (Schedule Automation Marketplace Integration) in its communities. 

The effort lifted the organization to a Gold Award in the Innovator of the Year category in the Skilled Nursing track of the 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology awards.

SAMI integrates OnShift’s scheduling software with ShiftKey, which calls itself the industryʼs largest and most powerful marketplace for independent healthcare professionals. It prioritizes the scheduling needs of the internal team members and completes the schedule proactively and cost effectively. This has led to a 90% reduction in unfilled shifts.

“As we celebrate our own achievements with SAMI, we also want to extend a warm congratulations to one of our SAMI clients, Tutera Senior Living & Health Care, for earning a Gold Award in McKnight’s Innovator of the Year Award in the Skilled Nursing track,” ShiftKey said in a statement. “Tutera has showcased dedication, innovation and a commitment to providing exceptional care over several decades in business.”

Other award winners in the Skilled Nursing track’s Innovator of the Year category:

Silver: PruittHealth for its use of MatrixCare fall prevention tech, which enables caregivers to confidently prioritize care based on accurate and up-to-date information without manually sifting through extensive amounts of data.

Bronze: Miami Jewish Health for its use of VSTAlert fall prevention software that utilizes LIDAR sensors and AI computing to monitor bed or chair exits and alerts the care team before the resident rises.

Read about other 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology award winners in the Skilled Nursing track on the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News website, in the Senior Living track on McKnight’s Senior Living website and in the Home Care track on the McKnight’s Home Care website.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop, IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.To view the virtual awards presentation and recordings of the Summit webinars, visit mcknightstechawards.com (free registration required)

During a recent podcast, McKnight’s executive editor James M. Berklan sat down with Marina Aslanyan, chief executive officer of Smartlinx, to discuss the transformative impact of new scheduling models and the benefits of integrated workforce management technology in the long-term care industry.

Editor’s note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are publishing focused articles on the 2023 winners of the McKnight’s Excellence in Technology awards Nov. 29 through Dec. 5. Look for the nomination period for the 2024 awards program to open in May.

Patient safety is a top priority when it comes to skilled nursing. With falls being a significant hazard for seniors, Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line turned to VirtuSense Technologies for help with prevention. This led to Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line being named the Gold winner in the Quality category of the Skilled Nursing track at the 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology awards. 

VSTAlert is a monitoring platform for fall prevention that utilizes LIDAR sensors, artificial intelligence computing and machine learning. This technology allows care teams to be more present and ready to help residents who need assistance by covering time-consuming and limiting monitoring tasks. 

VSTAlert detects the intent to exit a bed and alerts staff members to assist the resident 30 to 65 seconds before they get up. This allows staff time to arrive at the resident’s room to assist just when they are needed. Wesley Enhanced Living Main Line currently has 13 VSTAlert sensors in use on site.

“This award validates the hard work we have put into training and initiating the use of the VST to promote the safety of our residents. It also highlights the great care our staff is providing to our residents,” said Director of Nursing Kim Ratliff. 

“The implementation of the VST allowed the staff more flexibility especially at night. Before the VST, the staff would be stationed outside of the room of a resident who would frequently fall out of bed, but now they are able to go from room to room more frequently because they have the assurance that they will be alerted if the resident attempts to get out of bed.”

Other award winners in the Skilled Nursing track’s Quality category:

Silver: RiverSpring Living for its use of AccuVein technology, which is near-infrared (NIR) vein visualization technology that projects a vivid map on the skin of underlying superficial veins often invisible to the naked eye.

Bronze: Provectus LTC for Hucu.ia, a tool that promotes better communication among staff members and contributed to doubling staff size and more than tripling the number of patients supported. 

Read about other 2023 McKnight’s Excellence in Technology award winners in the Skilled Nursing track on the McKnight’s Long-Term Care News website, in the Senior Living track on McKnight’s Senior Living website and in the Home Care track on the McKnight’s Home Care website.

Sponsors of the 2023 McKnight’s Tech Awards + Summit include LifeLoop, IntelyCare, MatrixCare, PointClickCare and ShiftKey + OnShift.

To view the virtual awards presentation and recordings of the Summit webinars, visit mcknightstechawards.com (free registration required).