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.
Behavioral health care — not drugs — for dementia
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 29, 2015
For the treatments to help dementia patients, turn to behavioral health solutions, not antipsychotic drugs. Just like others around the world.
7 powerful ways to deliver family-centered care
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 15, 2015
When a resident enters long-term care, we tend to focus solely on the needs of the resident, even though they’re almost always part of a family system that is being affected by their placement. If...
The high cost of rudeness
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 01, 2015
Given the stresses of caregiving and the complexities of human relationships, incivility happens. But considering the potential impact of rudeness on care, we need to do more to understand and prevent...
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.
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...
Addressing residents’ deepest fear
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Feb 03, 2015
If we address new residents’ hidden concerns, we can better show them we understand and care about how they feel. We can enhance their experiences upon entering our organizations and can market our...
10 reasons I’m thankful to work in LTC
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 26, 2014
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.
Working on how to communicate in facilities
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 14, 2014
Transitions between care settings are getting more scrutiny than ever before. So thank goodness for new guidelines designed to help smooth them out. Still, we need all the help we can when it comes to...
Creative activities for residents with dementia
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Oct 02, 2014
While conducting a training session last week in Montana, I was lucky enough to have a group of more than 100 staff members from various long-term care departments share some excellent suggestions on how...