Communication

The high cost of rudeness

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The high cost of rudeness A study about rudeness in the medical journal Pediatrics got me thinking about the possible effects of rudeness in long-term care. In “The Impact of Rudeness on Medical Team Performance: A Randomized Trial,” teams were subjected to rude comments by a … Read more

WHCOA: LeadingAge Summary

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I wrote about the White House Conference on Aging last October, noting that it was a “once-a-decade” national conference about the needs of our aging population.” (McKnight’s LTC News, October 2014) Below, LeadingAge summarizes the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, which took place on Monday: 10 Things that Happened at the White House Conference on … Read more

Creating Better Deaths in Long-Term Care

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Creating Better Deaths in Long-Term Care I walked into Mr. Hobart’s room, ready for my initial evaluation. He was a thin, graying man whose loose clothes hung in folds around him. He’d spent every day last week in chemo. He spoke quietly, discussing his estrangement from … Read more

How to Talk About Dying (Ellen Goodman, NYTimes)

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Here’s an important article in the New York Times Opinionator Column by Ellen Goodman, one of the founders of The Conversation Project (which I’m about to investigate further). Note her comment that she expected her mother’s doctors to tell her what to do. The families of our residents are expecting the same from us. How to Talk … Read more

The Goodbye Guide: Why and how to terminate tenderly in LTC

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The Goodbye Guide: Why and how to terminate tenderly in LTC An experienced colleague was recently let go from her job to which she’d been dedicated for 10 years. “We want to take things in a different direction,” she was told by the administrator. “Pack up … Read more

The medical system may treat you well, but less so after you reach age 80

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This Washington Post article by Louise Aronson, MD perfectly describes the failures of our current medical system to address the problems that affect older patients. The medical system may treat you well, but less so after you reach age 80 The clinic was in a dilapidated old building, yet the entryway retained a worn grandeur. Tapering, … Read more

Dialysis: Gauging its need, and how to reduce its stress

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Dialysis: Gauging its need, and how to reduce its stress As a psychologist observing the effects of medical interventions on the mental health of the long-term care resident, I often ask, “Is this aggressive procedure helping?” Such a well-intended question can prompt the team to reconsider … Read more

Free Webinar 2/25 @ 2pm ET: Motivating LTC Staff with “Nudge” Principles

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Join Dr. El Wednesday, February 25th at 2pm Eastern Time (1pm Central Time) for a FREE Webinar on Beyond Carrot and Stick: Motivating LTC Staff with “Nudge” Principles sponsored by EmLogis To register: visit EmLogis Events   About the Webinar: Employee recognition programs reward staff members for good behavior and discipline techniques (such as suspending staff … Read more

Reflections after an LTC and senior living summit

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Reflections after an LTC and senior living summit Last week, I attended the MarcusEvans LTC and Senior Living CXO Summit in Los Angeles, where I delivered a keynote address on “Identifying and Repairing Communication Gaps in LTC.” It was a fascinating, energizing event, and not just … Read more