Jane Gross’ recent post ‘Seeing the Invisible Patient’ in the “New Old Age” blog of the New York Times discusses how professionals often ignore the needs of caregivers of...
10 reasons I’m thankful to work in LTC
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 26, 2014
I owe a lot of my blessings to working in long-term care, and my LTC career is a blessing in itself. You might have some of these same feelings.
Working on how to communicate in facilities
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 14, 2014
Transitions between care settings are getting more scrutiny than ever before. So thank goodness for new guidelines designed to help smooth them out. Still, we need all the help we can when it comes to...
The White House Conference on Aging: Why it should matter to you
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 30, 2014
If you, like me, completely missed the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (or if you weren’t in the field at the time), it’s fair to ask just what the heck it and does. And what it means...
Dear Diary, Last week I attended my first AHCA convention …
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 16, 2014
There’s nothing like the first time you get to meet people, attend education sessions and see the exhibit hall at the American Health Care Association, as I found out last week. If you weren’t...
Creative activities for residents with dementia
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 02, 2014
While conducting a training session last week in Montana, I was lucky enough to have a group of more than 100 staff members from various long-term care departments share some excellent suggestions on how...
Preventing difficult family situations
Sep 16, 2014
From a psychological perspective, here are some ideas to prevent or reduce disagreements with residents and their family members over care, thereby decreasing the likelihood that a situation will result...
Reducing antipsych meds: 5 ways psychologists can help
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 04, 2014
With the mandate to reduce the use of antipsychotics, many facilities are looking for alternative methods to address the behaviors often associated with dementia. There are several good resources available...
Taking vacations when residents can’t do the same
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 21, 2014
Like many, I’m taking some vacation time during the month of August. It got me thinking about the ways workers interact with residents when they take time off from their jobs. It’s more important...
The psychology of falls in long-term care
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 07, 2014
According to the American Geriatrics Society, one in three adults over the age of 65 falls each year. Falls represent the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. You might be surprised...