I read a post on McKnights.com last week that so distressed me I had to wait a week before I was ready to blog about it. The article, Nurses, Relatives Underestimate Pain in Nursing Home Residents, Study Finds, reports the results of a five-year study in the Netherlands that shows a tendency to underestimate pain, … Read more
Customer Service — Boomers will expect service more like a hotel than a hospital. For more on this, see my post Less Hospital, More Hospitality. Better food — They’ll want healthier food, with a greater selection, tastefully presented, in a pleasant atmosphere, and served by people who have the time and attitude to make meals … Read more
I tend to think of myself as an 85-year old woman, sitting in my nursing home room, reflecting back on my life. It’s an occupational hazard, but one I’m happy about. I take the long view of things, and have embarked on adventures now because I don’t want to be regretful later. The hours I’ve … Read more
I’m pleased to be considered one of the Top 25 Blogs for Certified Nursing Assistants. There are some very interesting and informative sites on the list. http://becomingacna.com/2009/top-25-blogs-for-nursing-assistantscnas/
This article from McKnights.com suggests that a key factor in reducing staff stress and injuries during transfer is understanding each resident with dementia and tailoring your approach to the individual. http://www.mcknights.com/Communication-problems-stress-caregivers-of-patients-with-Alzheimers/article/148941/?DCMP=EMC-MCK_Daily
Have you ever wondered what nursing home residents discuss with their shrinks behind closed doors? Here I solve the mystery, revealing the types of conversations I’ve had with residents over the years. Feelings about leaving home and being ill. Issues around loss of control and being dependent on other people, with a focus on gaining … Read more
Taking a page from my industrial/organizational psychology colleagues, I’ve been thinking about easy, inexpensive ways to improve efficiency in nursing homes. I recently read an article about the Starbucks company asking managers to put together a Mr. Potato Head doll as quickly as possible and then apply the experience to their work behind the coffee … Read more
I’d like to thank Kathleen Carroll for sending in this beautiful story about how the nursing home staff eased the pain of saying good-bye for both her and her grandmother: I think my grandmother had a good experience at a nursing home. I’m grateful for the care, patience, respect, and warmth she and I received … Read more
Today I learned of an Indianapolis-based volunteer organization with a mission “to make the dreams of elderly and terminally ill adults come true.” How cool is that? Never Too Late has helped an 88-year old man race around the Indy 500 track, an 83-year old woman go sailing, and a 70-year old man learn to … Read more
Beauty queens want Ms. Missouri Nursing Home crown BY HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Nell Shepherd was past her century mark when she competed in her first beauty pageant with a walker and lively stories that made judges tear up with laughter. She reveled in the shows, so much that she insisted … Read more