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Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it In Editorial Director John O’Connor’s April 16th column, he reported on a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation indicating that increasing numbers of new residents have dementia, are more physically … Read more

The importance of leadership in creating good deaths in LTC

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The importance of leadership in creating good deaths in LTC In one of the more disturbing encounters I’ve had in long-term care — in a 5-Star deficiency-free nursing home — I offered my condolences to an aide on the loss of a resident she’d cared for … Read more

Using technology to improve care, reduce costs

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Using technology to improve care, reduce costs At Maimonides Medical Center, 24 frail older adults were taught to use laptops so that they could manage their health information from home. The technology facilitated communication between patients and providers and improved the quality of life of participants. … Read more

Enhancing quality of care through design

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Enhancing quality of care through design Last week, I attended an accessible design symposium at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York City to see what ideas I could use with elders in long-term care. Through listening to the symposium speakers, reading descriptions of works featured … Read more

Self-disclosure: What your staff needs to know about revealing personal information to residents

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Self-disclosure: What your staff needs to know about revealing personal information to residents As “Eileen” suggested in the comments section of a recent “Dr. El” blog, disclosing personal information can be a good way to establish a more intimate connection with residents. While self-disclosure can create … Read more

Home, small home

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Home, small home In 2014, I wrote, “I finally visit a Green House (and it blows my mind).” The Green House is designed with a spacious common area, private bedrooms and showers, unobtrusive medical items and universal workers practicing person-centered care. The model shows that it’s … Read more

Readmission prevention: The role of post-acute providers

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Readmission prevention: The role of post-acute providers Long-term care providers have an opportunity to thrive with value-based care, escape cynicism and join the growing wave successful at avoiding readmissions. Last week, I was part of a panel discussing readmission prevention at the National Readmission Prevention Collaborative’s … Read more

How do they sleep at night?

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: How do they sleep at night? Perhaps you’ve heard about the administrator who spent a week as a resident in his long-term care facility. After being roused from sleep daily to receive medications that could have been dispensed later in the day, he banned his physicians … Read more

Disaster communication: A tale of two mothers-in-law

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Disaster communication: A tale of two mothers-in-law Both of my mothers-in-law live in long-term care communities in Florida. (I’ll keep the backstory about having two MILs a mystery.) One MIL lives in a place that was excellent about how they communicated with family members before, during … Read more

Calming fears of floods and other catastrophes

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Calming fears of floods and other catastrophes By now it’s likely that you, your staff, the residents and their families have seen the incredibly disturbing photo of assisted living residents in Dickinson, TX, sitting in waist-high floodwaters. Thankfully, all the older women in the picture have … Read more