I headed to the 2018 LeadingAge convention last week looking for a fix of long-term care enthusiasm and that’s exactly what I got.
How to support depressed workers and reduce absenteeism
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Sep 11, 2018
As a consulting psychologist, my official job is to provide psychological services to the residents of the nursing homes in which I work. Occasionally, though, I’m asked by a department head to informally...
9 reasons why it’s better to congregate than disperse short-term rehab residents
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 28, 2018
In most of my long-term care career, I’ve witnessed short-term rehabilitation residents housed together. But not always. I don’t know the reasoning behind dispersing residents, but from my...
Suicide prevention in the workplace: What employers need to know
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 19, 2018
As I prepared for this article, I realized that we don’t hear much in the industry news outlets about suicide among our staff members. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Enhancing organizational communication improves outcomes, reduces adverse incidents
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 05, 2018
There will always be adverse events in any health system, but strengthening communication between team members and between different levels within the organization can improve outcomes and reduce the likelihood...
The ticklish balancing act: Resident rights vs. care quality
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
May 08, 2018
Balancing the rights and desires of residents with the need of the facility to avoid citation and litigation can be very tricky, but the payoff can be definitely worth it when done right. Here’s...
Why it’s impossible to maintain prior levels of care quality, and what to do about it
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 24, 2018
Residents and their family members are likely to expect that when they enter long-term care, staff members will provide compassionate medical treatment. Instead, what they frequently find are stressed...
Taking teamwork to a deeper level
Feb 27, 2018
When we think of teamwork in long-term care, we envision a group of dedicated specialists reading notes from other disciplines, bouncing ideas off colleagues and convening care plan meetings. In reality,...
Enhancing quality of care through design
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Feb 13, 2018
Incorporating the principles of accessible design into long-term care creates communities where inclusion and independence are emphasized. Good for those who do it.
Elder love
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Dec 05, 2017
I lost one of my two mothers-in-law last Monday, five weeks after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Audrey had filled a hole in my life left after the death of my beloved great-aunt many years...