Here’s my latest article at McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Young adults in long-term care: a new resource for caregivers According to a 2010 NPR report, young adults have been one of the fastest growing long-term care populations over the past 10 years, with 14% of nursing home residents under the age of 65. Some live in … Read more
I was on the plane home from the American Psychological Association conference last August when I noticed that the man across from me had the same APA conference tote I was carrying. My friendly inquiry led to a very pleasant 3-hour conversation on the flight with psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Zimmerman of The Practice Institute. The … Read more
I’ve been reading Marya Methven’s Straw Flowers blog for some time now, imagining her typing away at a laptop perched on her tray table in a Wi-Fi enabled nursing home. I was surprised to discover how far from the truth my imagination had taken me. When I heard how the blog was actually maintained, I … Read more
These days the recreation calendar of most long-term care facilities has moved way beyond the bingo-heavy schedule of yesteryear. Residents are likely to find live music, current events, religious programs, pet therapy, crafts, Wii sports, and trivia games among their options. This abundance of choices makes it likely that residents will find enjoyable ways to … Read more
Many nursing home residents have experienced an amputation, an issue that’s often under-addressed both in the facility and in the media. (Limb loss should, but doesn’t always, trigger a referral for psychological services or other support.) Grey’s Anatomy has been working with The Amputee Coalition to make their portrayal of a character with an above knee … Read more
There’s a new dramatic series on aging parents and their adult children on YouTube. These brief vignettes, with 13 episodes in all, capture issues facing families as parents become less able to care for themselves and their children try to intervene/help. I saw the first one and thought it was very powerful. Here’s a link … Read more
Maybe it’s because I live in the New York metropolitan area, but it seems every nursing home I’ve worked in is filled with residents and staff from all over the world. I find it an exciting environment with the opportunity to learn about different cultures at every turn. Somehow, despite our differences, we make it … 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
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
When nursing home residents are evacuated from their facilities after any type of disaster, they typically move to another nursing home rather than to a public shelter. They therefore miss the opportunity to speak with trained first responders who can help them address their emotional reactions to the experience. Developed by psychologist Lisa M. Brown, … Read more