Eleanor Barbera, Ph.D. “I told my daughter not to be so gloomy-doomy all the time. I’ll be all right.” — A recently-placed 89-year old woman I laugh with the residents all the time. We laugh at their jokes and we laugh at the crazy things that happen in life and in a nursing home. Once I was working … Read more
The best nursing home staff dining room I’ve ever seen was a large bright room with a wall of windows and plenty of welcoming seating. Staff members purchased discounted food, which was tasty enough to entice those outside the nursing home community to come in and pay full fare. A salad and sandwich bar was … Read more
I’d always wanted to dye my hair red, but had been too afraid of doing it until I began my nursing home career. Seeing residents at the end of their lives and young people suddenly disabled, their lives changed forever, caused me to question my cautious approach to even minor decisions. With a few gray … Read more
Vivian Mae Treadwell Baker was born in Huntingon, NY in 1927. She’s proud to be part Shinnecock Indian. She was in foster care from the age of seven until she rejoined her family at 17 years old. Ms. Baker supported herself throughout her life with housekeeping and work in factories, the post office, and a … Read more
Dale Carter, of Transition Aging Parents, sent me the following question after reading my last post about caregiving for family members in nursing homes. “Eleanor, when I went to check in to volunteer today at our local nursing home, I was chatting with a lady and she said the thing she missed most was not … Read more
I’ve read many blogs and websites out there for caregivers whose loved ones live at home, but I haven’t seen as much for those with family members in nursing homes. While the role of caregiver may shift considerably once someone enters long term care, there is still much caregiving to be done. What follows are … Read more
At the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation (CNR) in Brooklyn, New York, Recreation Director Brenda Torres, has established computer stations with Internet connection in all the “neighborhoods,” as they call their units, and has several groups currently being run by the residents themselves. I believe both of these steps are essential for the emotional health … Read more
Sadie sat on the leather-look chair next to her bed, staring into space. Three layered dresses covered her ample frame, the hems poking out from under her long sweater. She wore her hair in one simple braid and her face was devoid of make-up. Her skin was deeply black and her features were coarse. An … Read more
When I went away to college, my dorm room, much to my parents’ chagrin, was on a co-ed hall with alternating boy/girl rooms, just like the halls of nursing homes. Instead of posters of rock stars on the walls, however, the rooms of my patients are covered in photos of the President. The owner of … Read more
What’s a blog carnival? It’s a group of related posts from various blogs, put together by the hosting blog. It allows the viewer to read in depth about a particular topic, and to learn about other blogs in the blogosphere that might be of interest. Eldercare ABC recently hosted two carnivals on eldercare, the Spring … Read more