Instilling hope: Needed for contentment, helpful for long-term care operations
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 29, 2013
“I hope Santa brings me a Sony DS,” my 7-year-old told me the other day. I can tell you right now that Santa is NOT bringing her a video game player, but I didn’t want to tell her that....
Loneliness in LTC: Overcoming disability, creating connections
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 14, 2015
Reducing loneliness among facility residents has numerous benefits — for residents and staff. So why aren’t we doing better at it? Here’s what you need to know.
Advice from LTC pros who have been through COVID-19
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jul 28, 2020
Here is some advice from staff members of New York City nursing homes hit early in the pandemic.
Full code: Discussing advance directives
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 07, 2016
Assistance in creating a “good death” is a fundamental task of any organization working with elders and may be addressed by a number of team members singly or in combination. Since these discussions...
Anticipating anniversary reactions
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 16, 2021
The coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic one year ago this month. The news is filled with articles reflecting on the dramatic changes in our lives from last year to this — lost jobs, remote...
Dialysis: Gauging its need, and how to reduce its stress
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 31, 2015
As a psychologist observing the effects of medical interventions on the mental health of the long-term care resident, I often ask, “Is this aggressive procedure helping?” As it turns out, so...
Life on the road as an LTC shrink
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 08, 2019
It wasn’t a world tour, but I did come away with some interesting observations regarding our field on a recent road trip.
8 reasons why, despite COVID-19, I’m still glad to work in long-term care
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 21, 2020
Despite distressing times of late do to COVID-19, there are many reasons I continue to don my PPE to sit at the bedsides of those in need of emotional solace. Here are eight of them — I think you’ll...
BBB Act provides opportunity to address LTC mental health needs
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 23, 2021
In my last blog post, “Boosting team resilience,” I briefly touched upon the need to recognize the pandemic-related trauma experienced by staff members and to better prepare for future catastrophes. ...
Promote your connections
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 20, 2017
One of the things that most brightens my workday is when I see long-term care residents hanging out together.