The adorable old folks sat in a circle, exhibiting varying levels of cognition, alertness and physical decay. A kind lady walked around the room offering juice and snacks.
Ready or not, here I come
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 10, 2023
I strongly suggest you brace yourselves. Get in a positive head space. Sip a soothing cup of tea, or crush a Xanax on your oatmeal. Set a wheelchair near the door, and assign someone sturdy to push it....
Tickle me, Earmo
By
Gary Tetz
Sep 19, 2019
Resist the urge to rush outside and attach jumper cables to your earlobes — for now.
Long-term (care) anxiety at bargain prices
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 10, 2014
The median annual cost of a nursing home room is now more than $87,000, according to a recent survey. To an uninformed member of the public, I’m sure that seems like a lot. But what the average person...
Fumbling in the dark — my Virtual Dementia Tour
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 09, 2013
It seemed like a low-tech gimmick, but I signed up anyway to take the Virtual Dementia Tour. I had seen it promoted at the opening session of the American Health Care Association convention this week in...
Slouching toward nursing home admission
By
Gary Tetz
May 09, 2013
Here’s a little medical news that made me sit up straight: People with really bad posture are much more likely to eventually need help with activities of daily living (ADL), according to research...
The smiling robot
By
Gary Tetz
May 16, 2024
When I was still a prepubescent boy with many questions, never once did my father take me aside and explain how smiles are made. As a result, I’ve always been a terrible smiler, simply because I never...
Things I Think: What the gods want
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 08, 2018
I know how much you look to me for guidance and insights in navigating the uber-complicated world of long-term care.
Marry for love, or for blood sugar?
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 06, 2023
As a wounded veteran of multiple misguided unions, the McKnight’s headline raised at least one of my eyebrows: “Marriage, acrimonious or not, appears to protect blood sugar levels in seniors.” From...
Everything matters
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 22, 2021
I’m a slow and resistant student in the classroom of life. And perhaps the truth I face most reluctantly is how unwelcome and painful challenges teach lessons that I probably wouldn’t learn any other...