I refer my residents to therapeutic activities every day. I consider them a vital adjunct to my work as a psychologist. Here’s why: Therapeutic recreation reverses the downward spiral of depression. There’s a theory that when we’re depressed, we stop doing the things we enjoy, thus leading to more depression. In order to become less … Read more
I wrote a guest post for McKnight’s Long Term Care News addressing how psychologists can help nursing home residents and when a referral for treatment might be appropriate. “The recent Illinois legal decision to move mentally ill nursing home residents into smaller mental health settings is likely to prompt an industry-wide examination of the practice … Read more
For families with hectic schedules, trying to attend Care Plan Meetings, which occur during daytime work hours, can be a major challenge. Of course they don’t want to miss the opportunity to meet with the whole treatment team to provide and gather information, and to advocate for their loved one. On the other hand, taking … Read more
My hip 80-something mother-in-law uses Skype’s free video calls to view the family as she talks with them over the computer. I’d like to see video calls in nursing homes, either via a video phone or over the Internet in the resident computer room (what, your facility doesn’t have a computer room yet?). Families could … Read more
Last week I had the pleasure of attending McKnights free Online Expo, my first virtual conference. I registered in advance for the event, which can still be accessed at the McKnights website. When the conference day arrived, I logged onto the site to see a conference hall up on my screen, complete with “rooms” to … Read more
In addition to meeting the needs of residents, enhancing community relations, and increasing the visibility of and referrals to the nursing home, Volunteer Coordinators provide a huge bang for the buck. Ellen Stein, Director of Volunteer Services at the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in New York City, shares her secrets for obtaining 600 … Read more
Okay, so it didn’t involve a disguise, but I did make an anonymous phone call to the New York State Department of Health. When I interviewed Mark Kissinger, their Deputy Commissioner of Long Term Care recently, he and Jacqueline Pappalardi, the Director of the Division of Residential Services, were friendly and reasonable. They said the … Read more
Readers who work in long-term care might be interested in the free educational expo by McKnights Long-Term Care News. The topics include: Getting from satisfied to very satisfied residents Becoming a provider of excellence in wound care The prognosis for lending Are you ready for changes in the MDS and RUGs? Integrating technology to improve … Read more
My civic-minded in-laws created a dining companion program at their Continuing Care Retirement Community. Couples invite singles who sign up for the program to share a meal with them, fostering a flow between community members and helping to bridge the divide that often develops between the two groups once a spouse is lost. As my … Read more
Last month I had the opportunity to speak with Mark Kissinger, the New York State Deputy Commissioner of Long Term Care, and Jacqueline Pappalardi, Director of the Division of Residential Services in the New York State Office of Long Term Care. They answered some of my burning questions about the present and future of nursing … Read more