Going viral: A day without complaints brings personal discoveries
By
James M. Berklan
Aug 13, 2014
Writers are expected to promote their work, especially blog posts like this, virtually any way they can. But I’ll admit maybe this one isn’t for you. After all, you’re likely working...
Accepting what nurses cannot fix
By
Elizabeth Newman
Jul 17, 2014
Like perhaps many of you, I come from a long line of “fixers.” Multiple people whose schedules are conflicting? We’ll coordinate. Someone isn’t able to find a job? We’ll provide...
It’s time to stop long-term care state rankings
By
Tim Mullaney
Jun 24, 2014
Minnesota routinely is named best state for long-term care, as it was last week in AARP’s 2014 scorecard. AARP held a panel discussion to unveil the rankings, and of course an official from Minnesota...
Fike 2.0: How national tragedy created a long-term care champion
By
Tim Mullaney
May 20, 2014
Last week, President Obama dedicated the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City. The occasion got me thinking about how the searing experience instilled in some survivors a fierce sense of mission. Katy...
For happy residents, don’t go the extra mile
By
Tim Mullaney
May 13, 2014
I have a welcome message to share with long-term care professionals: You should relax. Don’t worry about going above and beyond for your residents and their families, because chances are, they’re...
‘The Best Days’ — a best read
By
James M. Berklan
Apr 02, 2014
Where to start when discussing Jean Rene Champion’s engrossing memoir is a difficult question, rivaled only by the struggle of where to stop. His self-published “The Best Days of My Life: Memories...
Why nursing homes won’t be catching many breaks this year
By
John O'Connor
Feb 03, 2014
When you talk to experts in this field about the year ahead, an unsettling pattern soon emerges. Almost everyone seems fairly confident that regulators will be taking a much closer look at operators.
Feeling a bit run down? Blame the third shift
By
John O'Connor
Jan 31, 2014
Long-term care professionals must be on hand to work the dreaded third shift, given the 24/7 nature of the job. For some caregivers, that means extra difficulties getting through an overnight shift. New...
And now, some important reminders from a 94-year-old
By
John O'Connor
Jan 24, 2014
Conventional wisdom can be a reassuring thing. Especially when it reinforces our suspicions. But it has a fatal flaw: Sometimes it can be flat-out wrong. Consider 94-year-old Olga Kotelko.
Little Sisters are behind the curve in a changing church
By
Tim Mullaney
Jan 14, 2014
Challenging the Affordable Care Act’s “contraception mandate” in court is a matter of conscience, according to The Little Sisters of the Poor. It’s hard to fault people for following...