“How in the world am I going to chart this?” I wondered as I sat across from Nell, who filled her large wheelchair to overflowing. This was our second attempt at psychotherapy, which I’d discontinued a few months ago because I felt all my efforts had gone nowhere. Nell sat in her room all day, … Read more
Here’s my latest article in Long-Term Living magazine online: Family members: 5 ways to turn fault finders into fans For most families, entry into a nursing home is like being teleported onto a strange new planet. The arrival is often swift and unanticipated, and the customs are foreign and frequently unnerving. Think back to your … Read more
This month’s Caring for the Ages magazine features an article by Joanne Kaldy on reducing the emotional distress of resident through disaster preparedness. Here’s my contribution: During a disaster, staff might be surprised at how calm many residents actually are. “A lot of residents aren’t as upset as we think. We need to be … Read more
Psychologically speaking, it’s healthy to embrace life’s challenges and to find strength and humor within them. I sometimes suggest that residents hold an “open house” party to gather their friends and family members instead of waiting for them to visit. In my post, Having Fun in a Nursing Home, I wrote about how my residents and I … Read more
Early in my blogging, I wrote a post for residents about how to speak to doctors, outlining what I call the Newspaper Headline Approach. It’s designed for residents to make the most of their interactions with their physicians. I was reminded of the Newspaper Headline approach when I read a recent Mind the Gap post … Read more
Here’s my latest article in Long-Term Living Magazine online: 5 team building practices that will make your staff WANT to stay According to a 2011 American Health Care Association study, the average nursing home turnover rate is 35 percent for all staff and 43 percent for CNAs. By contrast, Fortune magazine reports that the 100 best companies to … Read more
I’m lucky enough to hear the private perspective of nursing home residents every day, but for those of you wondering what residents really think about living in long-term care, here are some blogs that generously offer their often surprising, sometimes shocking, viewpoints. Straw Flowers, “one woman’s 20+ year journey through the elder … Read more
“I had a couple of relapses this week,” Betty told me, looking ashamed. We’d been working in psychotherapy on her efforts not to snap at the aides and nurses who came to care for her. “I try not use to my call bell,” she went on. “Sometimes I sit here for two hours thinking about … Read more
As a psychologist talking with nursing home residents, I’m honored to share their lives and hear about their pasts. We discuss their families, how to tell the aide to close the window at night, and ways in which they can make their current lives feel more like their old ones. Residents sometimes reveal traumas they’ve … Read more
On Monday, I blogged about a contest to transform “a day in the life of the resident.” I like this contest because it asks staff members for their often-overlooked expertise, and is designed to improve life for the residents, centering the nursing home day around their needs rather than vice versa. I got an update on … Read more