Compared to shoppers tearing apart a pallet of toilet paper, our facility staff have been Buddhas in scrubs during the recent pandemic. But even they aren’t the most inspiring out of all of this.
Just a box
By
Gary Tetz
Dec 18, 2020
It’s just a box. Not that different from the one that will probably show up on your doorstep or mine today, maybe stuffed with holiday gifts or toilet paper. So why am I feeling a little choked up standing...
Exhale, with love
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 23, 2020
How are those masks working out for you? My glasses are as perpetually fogged as a car windshield after prom, and I do enjoy sounding like Charlie Brown’s teacher.
LTC 2018 — an icy epiphany
By
Gary Tetz
Dec 28, 2017
I have to admit that this vilest of seasons, winter, can be a useful teacher, meting out stern but valuable lessons about life, and of course, long-term care.
Lessons from an orphan
By
Gary Tetz
Jun 30, 2016
It’s a disquieting visual I can’t quite get out of my mind — a single hiking boot hanging from a trail sign. Even you, a crisis-tested long-term care professional, might feel surprised and...
Courage is contagious
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 02, 2020
Facility staff have no idea if catching COVID-19 will be merely an annoyance or a life-threatening battle, a parking ticket or a death sentence. But still, they go.
Salvation by social media
By
Gary Tetz
Jan 21, 2021
I always thought it was only good for destroying the world, but now I’m here to boldly predict that social media will ultimately save us. After the horrors we’ve been through these past few years...
Moment of truth
By
Gary Tetz
Dec 10, 2020
Now that vaccines really are imminent and long-term care staff and residents look to be first in line, you’re probably holding your breath, desperately longing for an answer to the most important question...
The Hiker’s Guide to the Long-term Care Galaxy
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 27, 2017
Much of what I know about success (or failure) in life, love and long-term care has been reinforced by lessons learned over years of hiking. As a result, I now take it as a point of professional pride...
Self-compassion training without apology
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 29, 2021
Self-compassion isn’t something I do very well. That’s probably because I was born in Canada, and when the doctor slapped my wrinkled baby butt, I said, “Sorry!” instead of crying. While...