Why Five-Star ratings should measure staff retention, not staff ratios

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Why Five-Star ratings should measure staff retention, not staff ratios The Five-Star Quality Rating System reports the results of health inspections, staffing and quality measures. I suggest we replace the current staffing measure with one tracking staff retention. Here’s my logic: The existing staffing score is … Read more

Self-care, team-care and an empty well

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Self-care, team-care and an empty well “How’s it going?” I asked Larry, one of the maintenance workers I chatted with from time to time. He didn’t have his usual smile and his wrist was in a brace from a repetitive stress injury. “I’m tired,” he replied. … Read more

A hopeful day at LeadingAge 2018

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: A hopeful day at LeadingAge 2018 I headed to the 2018 LeadingAge convention last week looking for a fix of long-term care enthusiasm and that’s exactly what I got. I met up with old colleagues, put faces to voices I’d spoken to for years and wandered … Read more

How to support depressed workers and reduce absenteeism

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: How to support depressed workers and reduce absenteeism As a consulting psychologist, my official job is to provide psychological services to the residents of the nursing homes in which I work. Occasionally, though, I’m asked by a department head to informally assist a staff member in … Read more

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

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

The tumult of turnover

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The tumult of turnover I once rode down a crowded afternoon elevator with the CEO of a managed care company. “It must be 5:01,” he commented wryly. I heard a measure of scorn for his employees’ lack of dedication to the job. What I saw was … Read more

Suicide prevention in the workplace: What employers need to know

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Suicide prevention in the workplace: What employers need to know With the high-profile deaths this month of designer Kate Spade and chef Anthony Bourdain, the crisis of suicide has been thrust into the spotlight. Suicide deaths in the United States have increased 25% between 1999 and … Read more

Enhancing organizational communication improves outcomes, reduces adverse incidents

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Enhancing organizational communication improves outcomes, reduces adverse incidents McKnight’s Long-Term Care News frequently notes stories about rogue employees engaging in illegal and disturbing behavior and then trying to cover it up after the fact. There are regular reports about intra-organizational systems that fail, leading to wrongful … Read more

Taking teamwork to a deeper level

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Taking teamwork to a deeper level When we think of teamwork in long-term care, we envision a group of dedicated specialists working together to provide the best care for our residents. They read notes from other disciplines, bounce ideas off colleagues at the nursing station and … Read more

4 ways to revamp work culture in the new year

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: 4 ways to revamp work culture in the new year Ahhh. A new year. It’s time for a fresh start, the chance to take life in a different direction. Many of my friends have remarked to me that they want more focus on family and friends … Read more