Meet Joyce Simard, founder of Namaste Care, geriatric consultant, author, and one of this year's 20 To Watch honorees.

Provider’s inaugural 20 To Watch continues this month with profiles of seven honorees who—just as they did last month—shine bright as glittering examples of what’s best in long term and post-acute care today. An assistant administrator, a director of engineering, a dietitian, a nurse, an administrator, an owner, and a founder of a nonprofit organization all have the spotlight this month.

In nursing homes, the administrator and the director of nursing must be strong and consistent advocates. Even better is when they are role models that exemplify caring at all times. When department heads, charge nurses, and facility leadership are all consistently supportive of this culture, then the staff naturally follow.

Denali management understands the importance of culture to its residents and has incorporated cultural activities into facility care as a way to honor the Alaska Native residents and make them feel more at home. The foundation of these activities came from knowing that honoring the culture of the Alaska Native residents is important to their health and well-being and realizing the importance of establishing and building rapport before providing care.

Dominic Chianese, an actor whose long line of movie and television credits include Junior Soprano in the hit show, “The Sopranos,” visited the American Health Care Association on April 18 to discuss his foundation, Joy Through Art, which brings music and theater arts to nursing facility residents.

The Eden Alternative and Wellspring made it official Thursday, merging their operations in what both sides hope will set the standard for forward-thinking care in the country.

Changes made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 system effective Oct. 1, 2011, will add more assessments for skilled nursing facilities and make some significant alterations to group therapy provisions and other measures, according to experts in the field.

A journal released today the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care Industry (NIC) bolsters the idea that the Green House model is an economically viable alternative to traditional nursing homes.

For more than 15 years in Southern California, Arnold Bresky, MD, has been forging the way in dementia research and successfully treating patients, some of them well into their nineties. As an integrative physician, he believes that pills and surgery are necessary but are not sufficient. Moreover, he believes in Western medicine, but some of his prescriptions might sound a bit unusual. They include laughter, music, art, dancing, random acts of kindness, and even knitting.

A growing number of providers have embraced consistent assignment and implemented it with great success, reaping tremendous dividends.