Thank you to Bruce Horovitz and AARP for tackling this painful aspect of resident care during Covid-19 and for mentioning my work. Navigating New Rules for Visiting Nursing Home Residents Near Death Coronavirus restrictions to protect our most vulnerable alter end-of-life rituals After 45 years of marriage, the cruel twists of fate now leave Jean … Read more
Much has changed in our lives and our facilities since my column two weeks ago on addressing residents’ coronavirus fears. Back then, residents, like the rest of us, were still receiving visitors and attending communal activities. In addition to its effect on residents, COVID-19 has put enormous stress on those who work in long-term care. … Read more
In my first year as a nursing home psychologist, I entered a resident’s room for a session and she invited me to have a seat in her wheelchair, the only surface that was clean and free of belongings. The thought of sitting in a wheelchair freaked me out. Instead, I carried a heavy chair from … Read more
A resolution to serve physical and mental health Ah, January — a moment to consider plans and directions for the upcoming months. Like many people, one of my personal goals is to recommit to mindful eating and wise food choices. While some residents like to rethink their diets as a New Year’s resolution, there are … Read more
Getting ‘hygge’ with it, at the holidays and year-round I know, I know, that’s not how the word is pronounced. But as soon as I read about the Danish concept of coziness, I got that darn Will Smith song (“Gettin Jiggy With It”) in my head and I can’t get it out. Hygge (actually pronounced … Read more
The Minister for Loneliness in LTC According to researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Brigham Young University, loneliness has a greater impact on health than smoking 15 cigarettes daily, or obesity, which is associated with 300,000 to 600,000 deaths a year in the United States alone. In England, the “loneliness epidemic” has reached such proportions that they’ve … Read more
What worries me about trauma-informed care I was relieved last month when I saw that my fellow Psychologists in LTC member, Lisa Lind, Ph.D., had written an article for McKnight’s about Preparing for trauma-informed care in LTC. As McKnight’s resident behavioral health expert, I was feeling like I should write something on the subject, but … Read more
Secret shoppers in LTC Posing as customers, “secret shoppers” deliver the inside scoop to management about their experiences with various service providers. They can be invaluable to management in all kinds of situations, including long-term care, though there are special challenges there. Secret shoppers are perhaps best known for retail settings. But they’re also used … Read more
If toileting were a billable service … The other day over lunch a colleague said to me, “Imagine how things would change if toileting were a billable service.” I laughed, briefly considered that fanciful notion and continued eating my meal. As I gave the idea further reflection, however, it might not be as laughable as … Read more
It’s the week of Independence Day and freedom is on my mind. Residents frequently speak to me of their dissatisfaction with the limitations on their liberty, from being told to sit in a communal room when they want to be alone, to needing a family member to sign them out on pass. “Me and the … Read more