Resident care

From abysmal to mediocre: Encouraging hand hygiene

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: From abysmal to mediocre: Encouraging hand hygiene As a consultant in long-term care, I learned how to properly wash my hands by reading the hand hygiene poster hung above the sink at one of my first nursing homes. I’ve gotten more diligent over the years (read: … Read more

Dr. El’s work mentioned on “Last Comforts” blog

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I’m pleased to report a nice mention of my work on the blog of journalist Ellen Rand, author of Last Comforts: Notes from the Forefront of Late Life Care. Last Comforts, the book and the blog, focus on improving ways of managing late-life care.  Below is an excerpt of her blog post. The rest can … Read more

Full code: Discussing advance directives

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Full code: Discussing advance directives Assistance in creating a “good death” is a fundamental task of any organization working with elders and may be addressed by a number of team members singly or in combination. Since these discussions are often easier said than done, I thought … Read more

Depression – AND its treatments – are fall risks

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Depression – AND its treatments – are fall risks Feeling “down” takes on a wicked double-meaning for some seniors. Even conscientious providers could be unaware of it, let alone know what to do about it. As McKnight’s Staff Writer Emily Mongan points out in “Depression treatments … Read more

Creating a dialysis-friendly facility

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Creating a dialysis-friendly facility Studies show there will be an increasing number of people on dialysis in the coming years. It’s likely many of them will be in long-term care. There is much that can be done to improve the quality of life for these individuals … Read more

Clone this woman. Steal this idea.

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Clone this woman. Steal this idea. A few months ago, I was consulting at the Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica, NY, when a remarkable woman named Trudy Schwarz walked down the hall. Her noteworthy qualities were obvious in several ways. A diminutive woman, … Read more

McKnight’s Online Expo, FREE, March 29th and 30th 2016

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Once again, McKnight’s will host its annual online expo, which is a chance to attend a conference without leaving your desk. Register for the conference in advance, and then log in to hear the talks, visit the vendors, and chat with the reps and attendees. This year’s topics are: PAYMENT: MDS 3.0 Update: Get ready … Read more

Using light to improve sleep, reduce agitation

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: Using light to improve sleep, reduce agitation Poor sleep, reversed sleep/wake cycles, depression and falls are common problems in older adults. In addition, elders with dementia frequently experience late afternoon agitation, or “sundowning.” Because our residents live in a communal environment, a single individual’s agitation or … Read more

‘Just a picture of her butt’ — an analysis

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:  ‘Just a picture of her butt’ — an analysis In “A potential lawsuit in every worker’s pockets?”, McKnight’s Editorial Director John O’Connor describes two of many recent incidents of long-term care workers using their cell phones to record residents in embarrassing situations and post the photo … Read more

The secret to LTC success? A focus on well-being

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Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News: The secret to LTC success? A focus on well-being Despite the diversity of the events I attended during my brief visit to the LeadingAge convention in Boston last week, a theme clearly emerged. The thread that ran through the varied offerings was well-being. Retaining staff In … Read more