Public health nurses are unsung heroes, an often overlooked but absolutely necessary part of health care — ask any primary care nurse or doctor. In addition to providing important educational, preventive, diagnostic and treatment services to individual patients and families, public health nurses are vital to the health of the Lewiston-Auburn community. Even if we, […]
nursing homes
Posted inLetters
C. Libbey: Coumadin an effective treatment
As a nurse with 35 years of experience in administering Coumadin, as well as 10 years taking it, I feel a need to respond to the article by Charles Ornstein, “Popular blood thinner linked to nursing home deaths,” written for ProPublica and printed in the Sun Journal (July 14). Having worked in several nursing homes […]
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Posted inLetters
B. Abbott: Nursing home staff give loving care
This is in response to the over-the-top ProPublica story about misuse of coumadin in some nursing homes which was printed prominently on the Sun Journal’s front page and continued to another practically entire page (July 14). The story included artwork and highlighted the lack of action at some nursing homes that failed to monitor patients’ […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine nursing homes reducing use of antipsychotic drugs
Maine nursing homes lead the nation in reducing the unapproved use of potentially deadly antipsychotic medications, a state advocacy program announced Tuesday. As part of a federal campaign to limit prescribing of the drugs, Maine nursing homes slashed their reliance on antipsychotic medications by more than 33 percent from the end of 2011 to mid-2014, […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine nursing homes: LePage finds $13.1 million for facilities
AUGUSTA — After weeks of wrangling with Democrats over funding for nursing homes, Gov. Paul LePage announced Thursday that Maine’s roughly 100 facilities will get an additional $13.1 million this fiscal year through an arrangement that doesn’t require the Legislature’s approval. The Republican governor’s administration said it identified $4.6 million in savings within the Department of […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine’s rural nursing homes face an uncertain future
Learn About Tableau When a nursing home in Calais abruptly closed its doors two years ago, the effects reverberated throughout the small Washington County community. Nearly 100 people lost their jobs. Local businesses said goodbye to paying customers. The town suffered the departure of a major taxpayer, which affected everything from sewer rates to real […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
LePage criticizes Dems, says nursing home funding need is ‘critical’
PORTLAND (AP) — Maine Gov. Paul LePage says lawmakers’ failure to approve his bill to increase funding for the state’s nursing homes could force more facilities to shut their doors. After visiting a nursing home in Portland on Wednesday, LePage criticized lawmakers for nixing his $5 million bill earlier this month. The Republican governor said […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Maine nursing homes may get $14 million boost
AUGUSTA (AP) — After years of underfunding that has forced some of Maine’s nursing homes to slash staff and close their doors, the facilities could get some relief under legislation awaiting Gov. Paul LePage’s signature. Lawmakers in the Democratic-led Legislature have approved a total of $14 million for the state’s nursing homes over the next […]
Posted inLetters
C. Gianopoulos: Invest in support services
In her guest column, “Maine’s nursing homes shortchanged” (Feb. 9), April Nichols reminds the public of the disconnect between what we say, “we respect and care for vulnerable elders,” and what we do, which is try to deliver care on the cheap. We say that the people who provide the services do important work and […]
Posted inOp-Eds
April Nichols: Maine’s nursing homes being shortchanged
Since the beginning of the economic decline in 2007, the public conversation in Maine has focused on keeping and creating jobs. Policymakers have identified employment as one of the greatest motivators for economic stability, and significant efforts have been made to stimulate hiring. Unfortunately, pursuit of this priority has become endangered in Maine by significant […]