Most recent articles by Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
You and your staff are very different: Use it to your advantage
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 12, 2017
I often speak with healthcare groups, giving psychological insights about a variety of issues within long-term care. After pondering the discrepancy in reactions, I adjusted my talks accordingly and came...
Calming fears of floods and other catastrophes
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 29, 2017
By now it’s likely that you, your staff, the residents and their families have seen the incredibly disturbing photo of assisted living residents in Dickinson, TX, sitting in waist-high floodwaters....
Falls: A closer look
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 15, 2017
Speedy assistance should be the norm when falls occur, but the reality is that it’s frequently a rarity. The staff is often stretched too thin. What can be done, aside from ensuring adequate staffing,...
The image of LTC in the arts
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 01, 2017
Playwrights continue to do long-term care no favors, so providers need to continue to share stories of the good work they’re doing. It’s the way to help create a more realistic picture of LTC...
ElderTech: Ideas from a tech exhibit
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jul 18, 2017
I was at the nursing station the other day when some unusual cracking noises caused me to look up from my documentation. A very old, petite lady was sitting in her wheelchair popping bubble wrap. She wore...
Why (culture) change is so hard and what to do about it
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jul 05, 2017
The team huddled around the nursing station talking in panicked whispers after the management meeting ended. “How do they expect us to do that?” a young nurse wondered. “Yeah,”...
Promote your connections
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 20, 2017
One of the things that most brightens my workday is when I see long-term care residents hanging out together.
The “last day” protocol
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 06, 2017
I waited outside the room until the rehab therapists finished talking to Jim, who’d been admitted to the nursing home the night before.
The violent workplace
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 23, 2017
It’s impossible to prevent all tragic events at a long-term care facility, especially those involving an armed assailant entering the building despite an order of protection against him like in Ohio...
Opening the door for ombudsmen
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 09, 2017
I can imagine from an administrator’s point of view that an unexpected interruption from an ombudsman complaining about problems is not exactly a welcome visit, but perhaps there’s a way to...