(Special thanks to Jake Blumenstock for his persistent editing) I threw out my back several weeks ago. The spasms were excruciating and relentless, lasting for several days with no relief from the pain. My sons’ jobs and academics have taken them to New Jersey and D.C. respectively, so I live alone. When I stood, moved or […]
Continue reading
How many times have we watched a staff member send a quick text during a lull, just after a full morning of caregiving and just before the residents’ lunch meal? Getting a quick break and a small amount of time to decompress is certainly a welcome interlude. The pace is fast and the tasks vast. In […]
Continue reading
In a recent visit to a client’s facility, I marveled at the unbelievable caring that existed among staff and residents. Walking in the door was a treat. One encounters peace, happiness, and engagement among all. You can just feel it. This doesn’t happen without a common goal, checking your own behavior and committing to a […]
Continue reading
She cries. She yells. She bangs her hand on the table. He’s confused. He’s sad. He says he wants to die. We witness these emotions and behaviors as outside observers. We try to understand what a loved one, a nursing home resident, or an older adult whom we know is feeling, but ultimately, it still […]
Continue reading
Communication is complicated. It is a daunting task to interpret words, voice tone and body language between two people, let alone among a community of long-term care staff, residents and families. Personal influencers such as background, culture and life experiences impact the way in which we perceive an interaction and in turn, the way in […]
Continue reading
How many times have you administered a customer satisfaction survey, reviewed the data, performed a root cause analysis, initiated a Performance Improvement Project, set goals and implemented strategies, only to find that your residents and families don’t think that you have improved? One of my favorite Stephen Covey (an educator, author, businessman and keynote speaker) […]
Continue reading
I want to get comfortable with my insecurities until I am no longer insecure. I want to be comfortable in my skin so that I do not need to dump any of my discomfort onto someone else in the form of judgment. – Damien Rice How often do we find ourselves on the precipice of discomfort and […]
Continue reading
Recently, I was told a story about a man who lived in a long-term care facility. Maybe this resident is like someone who has lived with you. Every day at 3:00 pm he would take off his clothes and walk down the hall naked, much to the horror of the women who lived there. The […]
Continue reading
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller Creating collaborative partnerships is at the “Heart” of developing meaningful life experiences for residents in New York State skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. The Foundation for Quality Care, Inc., (FQC) the New York State Health Facilities Association (NYSHFA) and the New York […]
Continue reading
Have you noticed that when we use words to describe aging they tend to be negative? Some of the synonyms that one finds in Merriam-Webster include: ancient, geriatric, over-the-hill, decrepit, doddering, senile and overage! “Lexicographers,” people, who compile dictionaries, are tasked, in part, with choosing which words to include when providing a definition. Their use […]
Continue reading