News

Enjoy your holidays with your families and your residents. There will be no Chapter meeting this month in Lubbock.

Thank you, TORCH Chapters, for sponsoring our Coffee Breaks!

Thank you, ICT & Highland Gardens, for sponsoring our Trade Show!

Thank you, United Healthcare, for sponsoring our Gala Entertainment!

Thank you, PCALIC, for sponsoring our Gala Entertainment!

Thank you, Molina Healthcare, for sponsoring our Gala Entertainment!

Thank you, Birkeland Current, for sponsoring our Gala Entertainment!

It is with immense sadness that we share with you the news of Pat Mack's passing.

As the Internet of Things expands and devices continue to replace paper systems, senior living operators are striving to help staff work more efficiently to provide better care. Residents, too, are increasingly equipped with a variety of personal electronic devices straining the capacity of a community's existing infrastructure.
By investing in network infrastructure, operators can bring their communities up to speed and remain ahead of the competition.

Advanced CNA Academy registration now open, Texas OASIS HCBS Dementia Training Course Now Online! Phase IV of the Center for Excellence in Aging Services and Long-Term Care now available!

Pursuant to the new rules adopted by the HHSC, which became effective April 5, 2018, a new Resident's Bill of Rights has been released. Each assisted living facility must post the Resident's Bill of Rights, as provided by the department, in a prominent place in the facility and written in the primary language of each resident. A copy of the Resident's Bill of Rights must be given to each resident.

Older men and women who eat a healthy diet tend to have larger brains, which may help to protect against dementia. Those are the findings of a new study from the Netherlands that found that, using a very large cohort of individuals, a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts, dairy and fish and low in sugary beverages were associated with larger brain volumes.

Falls are common in older men and women, and can lead to prolonged hospital stays and serious medical complications. Falls are a particular problem in those with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, an opportunity to support the millions of older adults who suffer abuse and exploitation each year. Learn the signs of abuse, and what you can do to protect seniors.

Researchers have found a way to use EHRs, or Electronic Health Records, to help identify associations between genetics and mental disorders. This is opening an enormous source of data for researchers who are diving in to researching mental illness compared to using traditional diagnostics. Read more here!

The Texas Organization of Residential Care Homes is thrilled to announce that the board has hired John Darby as the new Executive Director.

HHSC will begin to transition existing licenses to a three-year term, and has amended the minimum inspection frequency for long term care facilities.

The HHSC has released a new provider letter outlining the responsibilities of long term care providers required by HB 2025.

Due to unanticipated problems with TULIP, HHSC is currently unable to print Long Term Care Regulatory licenses for Assisted Living Facilities.

The era of single senior housing community operators is "going the way of the dodo and the dinosaur", as said by Chuck Sudo for Senior Housing News. Read more.

Silverado hosted a belated celebration on October 10th for its new hospice in the Chicago suburb of Des Plaines, Illinois. Read more here!

Berry College, located in Rome, Georgia, announced plans earlier this month for The Spires at Berry College, a $130 million development featuring 170 apartment homes, cottages, an amenities package, and a full suite of healthcare services. Read more here!

Over the next decade, the "Baby Boomers" will enter into senior living facilities. To bring them in, these facilities will have to give them purpose. Read more

It could be that they don't want to be burdens to their children. It could also be that they're placing faith in future innovation. Whatever the reason, a recent survey shows that older adults prefer assisted living over moving in with family. Read more here!

Senior housing is considered one of the best bets for real estate investment and development as we look to 2019. Read more here!

Did you know that the TORCH website has a search functionality that allows viewers to search our database by selected features? These are "categories" that you can add to your listing.

Log into your account on the TORCH website to update your profile and ensure that your listing is being found!
Browse to your profile page, then select "Categories" in the "Website" section on the right side.

EMResource allows communities to register their occupancy and provides a mechanism for determining availability for evacuating communities.

The HHSC has recently released a web-based training that meets the requirement for facility managers' annual training on aging in place and retaliation. The ALF rule is found at Texas Administrative Code, Title 40, Part 1, §92.41(f)(6).

Would you like to participate in a pilot program of the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Electronic Authorization program? Find out more...

Three of the country’s best-known business leaders have turned to Dr. Atul Gawande, a Boston surgeon and best-selling author, to head their new company aimed at reinventing how health care is delivered.

The June 22, 2018 issue of the Texas Register includes several proposed rule changes, some of which affect Assisted Living Facilities.

In the coming months, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will introduce TULIP, an online system for submitting long-term care licensure applications.