Everything I need to know I learned from my residents
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 30, 2013
Someone posted a story I Liked on Facebook about an 85-year old woman who graduated from college and already had a job offer. “She’s my new hero!” a Friend commented. That got me thinking...
Is your workplace healthy?
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 16, 2013
I’m a big advocate of taking small steps in the direction of change. Perhaps your organization isn’t in the position of being able to upgrade the health insurance package or to install an onsite...
Absenteeism and turnover in LTC? Death anxiety could be the cause
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 03, 2013
I started working in long-term care when I was in my early 30s and I was shocked at first when the residents died. I was used to falling in love with my patients. In order to make it in LTC, I’ve...
The Boston Marathon explosions: Turn off the dayroom TV
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 16, 2013
I was hoping not to have occasion to write another column about tragedy so soon, but the terrible events at the Boston Marathon on Monday compel me to focus on the amount of information we provide to residents...
Your best competitive advantage? A solid social work department
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 05, 2013
I have great respect for those who attend to the often complicated physical needs of our long-term care residents, but if your facility doesn’t have a solid social service department, it isn’t...
Secrets to making your environment ’emotionally healing’
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 22, 2013
Back when I worked in psych, one of our most effective tools to improve mental health was maintaining a healing emotional environment, or therapeutic milieu. That’s why I was shocked when I first...
Inside the mind of an LTC shrink
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 08, 2013
I sat in morning report as the nursing supervisor announced the arrival of a new resident. An 80-year old woman was taken to the hospital after a fall at home, where she received a below-knee amputation...