You wouldn’t have seen any flashing lights or scurrying EMTs, but it was still a major crisis. The nursing home resident was completely out of his favorite pickles, and not just any variety would...
Murder, they spoke
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 25, 2019
Like a real-crime podcast about murder. That’s the way we need to tell the story of our long-term care staffing or funding woes if we want anyone to actually pay attention.
P is for ’possum
By
Gary Tetz
May 30, 2019
After receiving a flash of unexpected insight straight from the universe, I can finally say definitively: The P in PDPM is for ’possum. And, yes, there’s a story to tell.
Things I think: Sunshine’s dream
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 01, 2012
Margaret was just one of those people. She always wore a smile and a bright yellow sweater, and staff and residents at her assisted living community called her “Sunshine.”
At last, a wisp of hope
By
Gary Tetz
Dec 01, 2020
Gather around, dearly beloved long-term care people. Let’s have a little talk. I’m looking at all of you, in every facility role — the whole heroic and beautiful group. We’ll meet in the parking...
An insomniac’s dream
By
Gary Tetz
Mar 14, 2012
Finally, something else to lie awake worrying about. A news story last week cited a study suggesting that sleep quality should improve with age. Great. That’s all I need. More pressure.
Duct tape solves long-term care crisis
By
Gary Tetz
Mar 23, 2017
“Astonished” doesn’t even begin to cover the feeling. “Disappointed” is also woefully inadequate. To describe a recent, very public, wardrobe humiliation that occurred in...
Gideon was wrong
By
Gary Tetz
Mar 22, 2018
For every long-term care staff member who wolfs meals at your desk while multitasking on important care-related duties, this is my fervent hope and prayer: that the gruesome and disturbing story I’m...
Raging against reality
By
Gary Tetz
Mar 02, 2020
If I needed an object lesson in why seniors, long-term care providers and actually, all humans, seem to have such difficulty facing the inevitability of change, I got it recently — in the men’s wear...
Up in the air, and up on the ground
By
Gary Tetz
Aug 25, 2016
This isn’t just a story about the World War II veteran who got to fly again, inspiring though it most certainly was. I know, because I was there — holding a video camera, unsteadily at times, as...