More than 3 million long-term care facility and nursing home residents could face delays receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as facilities struggle to obtain consent, The Washington Post reports. 

New rules will offer more protection for Illinois nursing home residents subjected to neglect, infection, unauthorized administration of psychotropic drugs and negative consequences of inadequate staffing.

As the U.S. kicks off a historical COVID-19 vaccination campaign, HHS secretary, Alex Azar, said every nursing home resident could be vaccinated by Christmas, reports CBS News.

New York's Department of Health recently approved a closing plan for the Saratoga Center for Rehab and Skilled Nursing Care, a 257-bed long-term care facility in Ballston Spa, N.Y., The Daily Gazette reports. 

The Health Resources and Services Administration will distribute $523 million to more than 9,000 nursing homes that cut COVID-19 cases and related deaths between September and October, according to a Dec. 7 news release from the Trump administration. 

Healthcare organizations are increasingly leveraging data analytics to better collaborate with post-acute networks to improve patient care and reduce total costs. 

Sykesville, Md.-based Nexion Health, has acquired nine existing healthcare and rehabilitation centers across Texas.

Pennsylvania lawmakers on Nov. 20 passed a pandemic liability shield for nursing homes and other healthcare providers, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Long-term care facilities account for about 40 percent of all COVID-19 deaths, despite making up less than 1 percent of the U.S. population, and experts are worried the federal government's vaccine distribution program won't adequately protect the vulnerable population, CBS reports. 

Healthcare workers at 11 Illinois nursing homes are set to strike Nov. 23 unless they're given raises comparable to other long-term care workers in the state, reports The Chicago Tribune. 

From staffing challenges to lack of supplies, healthcare organizations across the country have faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About 12.5 percent of nursing home employees nationwide have undergone a free federal training program to help combat the spread of COVID-19, CMS said Nov. 17. 

With many COVID-19- related deaths occurring in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, the pandemic has been challenging in the post-acute care setting.

The pandemic changed expectations for post-acute care providers, requiring new technology investments for care coordination and delivery.

Social isolation and clinical safety are just two of the growing challenges hospices face as another wave of COVID-19 takes hold nationwide. As hospice leaders make changes to immediately address these difficulties, some are realizing those changes will become part of their long-term strategy.

Fueled by the pandemic, post-acute care facilities are bracing for unparalleled workforce challenges in the next 24 months, executives said during a keynote session at Becker's Post-Acute Virtual Forum Nov. 16. 

After seven weeks of steady decline, COVID-19 cases in nursing homes rose by more than 40 percent from mid-September to Oct. 25, according to data cited by Politico. 

Iowa nursing home facilities with dozens of COVID-19 cases that underwent several state infection-control inspections were cleared each time, the Des Moines Register reports. 

The federal government undertook a $116 million initiative to supply the nation's nursing homes with rapid COVID-19 tests, but citing concerns of inaccuracy and discrepancies between state and federal guidelines, industry experts say it's not what they need, reports The Wall Street Journal. 

Medicare is terminating Norton, Kan.-based Andbe Home's participation in its program as of Nov. 18 after all 62 of its residents were infected with COVID-19 and at least 10 died, reports The Kansas City Star.