McKnight’s Long-Term Care News

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

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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 warmer relationships, there also can be unintended and unwanted consequences to revealing such details. In contrast to psychologists who study interpersonal interactions … Read more

Taking teamwork to a deeper level

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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 convene care plan meetings. In reality, teamwork in long-term care is much more complex. Teamwork … Read more

Enhancing organizational communication improves outcomes, reduces adverse incidents

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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 death lawsuits and other problems, such as this one about a resident who died from scabies. Occasionally … Read more

A gift from LTC families

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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, it was caused by harnessing the input of team members who don’t cost facilities … Read more

The keys to reducing turnover in long-term care

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“They keep giving me these new aides and they don’t know what they’re doing,” a disgruntled resident commented during a psychotherapy session. “You’re not the first person to tell me that,” I replied, looking for a way to acknowledge her experience without criticizing either the facility or the new aides. “You have the honor of … Read more

To reduce burnout and turnover, improve family-staff relationships

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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 of vacation days forfeited by Americans. The author notes that people who travel tend to be happier … Read more

People in LTC who’ve inspired me in 2017

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From the 102-year-old Hulk Hogan fan to the doting, selfless caregivers doing behind-the-scenes work, there are numerous people in long-term care who inspired me this year. Take, for example: •  The 102-year-old man, still remarkably handsome, whose favorite sport is professional wrestling and who recalls fondly the days of Hulk Hogan. •  The personal companion I encountered … Read more