Even if I hadn’t been raised by a nurse, and even if I didn’t write about the basic functions of their jobs on a daily basis for McKnight’s, I would probably still idolize them. That...
A Day in the Life: Finding the future stars of LTC
By
Mary Gustafson
Mar 01, 2012
Jana Headrick likes to snag them when they’re young — future long-term care professionals, that is. As the director of wellness at the continuing care retirement facility at Inverness Retirement...
Study shows sickest people most dissatisfied with care
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 06, 2012
Nursing home residents, who often have at least one or more chronic condition, are among the sickest individuals treated by the American healthcare system. This population’s high utilization rates...
Ask the care expert: Will our facilities face OSHA inspections?
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 06, 2012
Yes, you are correct with your “grapevine” info but inspections will be focused on more than just infections. On April 12, 2012, OSHA announced a new plan called the NEP (National Emphasis...
A band for every nursing home
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 19, 2012
Nursing home residents — especially long-term residents — deserve to have the best entertainment that money can buy. Gary Gamponia, the director of the Los Angeles-based Pay It Forward jazz band, has...
He’s tuned in to resident choice
By
Mary Gustafson
Jun 01, 2011
When iPods, the popular portable music players, started to become ubiquitous in about 2006, licensed social worker Dan Cohen Googled “iPods and nursing homes.” He found no connection between...
Hollywood rescues long-term care
By
Mary Gustafson
Oct 18, 2012
I’m being completely honest when I say that, in general, I do not have a problem with celebrities who crusade for charitable and humanitarian causes. I really don’t — Angelina Jolie, Sean...
The Girl Scout Law, a gem for the ages
By
Mary Gustafson
Mar 15, 2012
I suspect there’s one task that unites us all: ordering, distributing and systematically demolishing a box (or two, or three …) of Girl Scout cookies.
Built to weather the storm
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 05, 2012
When a skilled nursing facility more than doubles in size — but adds only 20 beds — and switches to a brand new model of care, one could reasonably expect some growing pains.
Fixing the empathy gene
By
Mary Gustafson
Feb 09, 2012
If you are reading this, you likely work in long-term care and probably are skilled at empathizing with others. But you might have a coworker who doesn’t seem to “get it” yet.