Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:

Stuff I’ve done for residents as a long-term care shrink

Many of us in long-term care think of our jobs as a calling. We handle the day-to-day tasks and the business as usual but also get a lot of energy and joy out of taking our work one step further. Here are some actions I’ve taken that have enriched my patients and my role as a psychologist.

1.  Set up Facebook accounts so residents can stay connected with their friends and family members.

2.  Searched through their charts to find out the outcome of a medical consult.

3.  Followed up with the nurse if the recommended course of action wasn’t pursued.

4.  Cleaned out messy closets and drawers to give the resident some sense of control.

5.  Searched for missing items (and found 90% of them!).

6.  Attended one patient funeral early on in my nursing home career, where I sobbed from the moment I entered the room until the moment I left. Never again have I gone.

7.  Tracked down and reunited missing family members.

For the entire article, visit:

Stuff I’ve done for residents as a long-term care shrink