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.
How to support depressed workers and reduce absenteeism
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 11, 2018
As a consulting psychologist, my official job is to provide psychological services to the residents of the nursing homes in which I work. Occasionally, though, I’m asked by a department head to informally...
Kind words from residents
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 23, 2015
To get us in the spirit of gratitude for Thanksgiving, I’ve included a sample of grateful comments made by residents to their psychologists. The nice things they say can really make things better.
Using psychology to reduce roommate conflicts: A handy guide
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Dec 12, 2013
I’ve heard many complaints about roommates from residents over the years. While some roommate difficulties need to be addressed on a situation-by-situation basis, most conflicts revolve around a...
Stuff I’ve done for residents as a long-term care shrink
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Dec 31, 2013
Many of us in long-term care think of our jobs as a calling. We handle the day-to-day tasks and the business as usual but also get a lot of energy and joy out of taking our work one step further. Here...
A truly healing yarn
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 25, 2018
An anecdote that touches on the impact of where residents are placed within the facility, the value of consistent staffing and the importance of “leaning in” to meet residents where they’re at emotionally.
Would you want to live in the LTC home where you work?
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 17, 2013
I used to live in a fabulous old fourth-floor walk-up apartment in Manhattan. When I moved out of Manhattan to a borough of New York City for an elevator building with a laundry room in the basement, I...
The importance of leadership in creating good deaths in LTC
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 10, 2018
In one of the more disturbing encounters I’ve had in long-term care — in a 5-Star deficiency-free nursing home — I offered my condolences to an aide on the loss of a resident she’d cared...
Dr. El tries on the Genworth aging suit
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 26, 2016
I had a chance the other day to see what it feels like to be 85 years old, thanks to a test drive of the Genworth R70i Aging Experience suit. Talk about being transported to another world. This is a pure...
I finally visit a Green House (and it blows my mind!)
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 20, 2014
In my last post, I discussed culture change and its positive impact on the mental health of the residents, particularly at Eden Alternative facilities. I recently also had the opportunity to tour a Green...