Customer service

Getting ‘hygge’ with it, at the holidays and year-round

by

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

Secret shoppers in LTC

by

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 …

by

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

A gift from LTC families

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: A gift from LTC families A study of interactions between families and healthcare providers published in the BMJ this month sparked my interest. It showed that improving communication between the two groups reduced harmful medical errors by 39%. As if that vast reduction in medical errors weren’t enough, … Read more

Healthcare changes that burn me out — and burn me up

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Healthcare changes that burn me out — and burn me up I was recently required to take an online training module on burnout for physicians and allied professionals. It was the first time in 20-plus years that I’d received a formal message about self-care from any long-term … Read more

Relationships key to long-term care success

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Relationships key to long-term care success Long-term care success is about steady, reliable relationships. That’s my takeaway after attending two recent conferences that echo my experiences in the field. The first event delivered the results thus far of an ongoing program that won a coveted grant … Read more

The sounds of LTC

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The sounds of LTC Observing the customary cacophony at the nursing station, I’d estimate that so-called “alarm fatigue” contributes to more than a few tragedies in long-term care. Here’s one example that resulted in a lawsuit filing after a resident died when nursing staff ignored the … Read more

Dr. El’s ‘Quality of Life’ star ratings are the way to go

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Dr. El’s ‘Quality of Life’ star ratings are the way to go The Nursing Home Compare star rating system assesses quality of care based on health inspections, staffing and quality of resident care measures. It examines important factors such as emergency preparedness, resident/staff ratios, re-hospitalization rates, … Read more

To reduce burnout and turnover, improve family-staff relationships

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: To reduce burnout and turnover, improve family-staff relationships Earlier this month, I took some much-needed time off to go on a cruise. I came home to a LinkedIn notification about “The big cost of not taking vacation,” reflecting on a CNN article regarding the vast number … Read more

The ticklish balancing act: Resident rights vs. care quality

by

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The ticklish balancing act: Resident rights vs. care quality You know the scenario: A resident wants to eat donuts, but it will send her blood sugar skyrocketing. The staff members aren’t sure whether to let her indulge as part of person-centered care or to insist on … Read more