There are top performers in every industry and every sport, and they have remarkable similarities. Sure, they have talent, but they also approach their work in the same ways and with the same tools.

I was just watching the U.S. Olympic Trials, which was dramatic and exciting. For most of the athletes, it was their best chance to go to the Olympic Games, to be an Olympian. No matter if they were a high jumper, a sprinter, a wrestler or a gymnast, after their event—when the microphone was placed in front of them, every one of them said the same thing: “I worked so hard to get here.”

The unfortunate truth in our industry is that active shooter policies, procedures, and training are not only necessary but required, depending on your community’s level of care and licensure. There is so much information from FEMA, OSHA, Homeland Security, and other sources that it can be overwhelming to review.

Everyone has heard the stories of good doctors with bad bedside manner getting sued more often than bad doctors with good bedside manner. It's true with doctors, and it's true with facilities.

Are you nice? Would other people say you're nice, or is this just your own perception of yourself? Nice people are valued in our organizations because they're the glue that can hold a community together. Ever meet a person who wasn’t nice who was the “go to” person on a team or organization? Not often. 

Have you ever had an adverse event happen in your community where you identified that a deficient practice may have contributed to, or failed to prevent, the incident? This may surprise you, but CMS understands that this can happen and they're willing to give you an opportunity to avoid citations! Shocking but true, back in October 2005 a memo was published by CMS outlining the History of Past Non-Compliance (HPNC) process (www.cms.gov).

It's a well-known fact that many resident falls aren't preventable. But it's still our responsibility to decrease the risk of significant injuries related to falls.

A large study from Canada showed that frail, elderly patients face a significantly increased risk of mortality in the year after undergoing major elective, non-cardiac surgery. Being frail before surgery substantially increases the risk of adverse postoperative outcomes and that frailty had the strongest impact on the risk of mortality after total joint arthroplasty.

According to a pair of studies published online in the Journal of Infectious Disease, statins—a class of drugs widely used to reduce cholesterol in older adults—may reduce the response to and effectiveness of influenza vaccinations.

Well over a million older adults are living in nursing homes today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As Americans are living longer, the demand for long term care facilities is expected to grow. Experts predict a population of 3 million nursing home residents by the year 2030.

But it’s not the number of residents that poses a challenge to LTC facilities. It’s their unique health needs. The CDC says nursing home residents fall at twice the rate of seniors living in the community. Why does this happen? Because LTC residents tend to be more frail, have more health conditions, and take more medications than older adults in the general population.

F323 is the federal tag that is often cited at actual harm or immediate jeopardy. Have you received any citations at actual harm under this tag in recent years? If so, when was the last time you reviewed the language in the regulation?

I know it's probably a great cure for insomnia, but the regulation is pretty clearly written. And although there is some room for interpretation, it's a great guide to help improve your accident prevention program. Think about it: how can you meet the challenge if you don’t know what the rules are?

Own your ship. This is one of our company principles, for one simple reason. It is the single characteristic that separates the best from everyone else in any industry, in any walk of life, in any sport, and in any era for that matter. Why is that? 

Adverse events are part of serving seniors, pure and simple.

Whether the resident is in your community for short term rehab or to spend their last days, they expect to receive great care. But the reality is, residents fall. They develop skin issues. And family members are processing these changes.

But enough of the dark and gloomy. We simply have to face reality and deal with it.