Weddings are always rich in symbolism, but one I attended on a sunny afternoon recently carried far more than usual.
Things I Think: The lessons of autumn
By
Gary Tetz
Dec 05, 2019
Autumn is a time of change. That probably seems trite and obvious, and certainly it’s a trait shared by all the seasons, at least where I live in the Pacific Northwest. But the transitions of fall always...
Do you speak Year 2020?
By
Julie Thorson
Nov 01, 2020
I’ve always been a big believer that the words we choose to use really do matter. They help us understand; they convey emotion and information, and connect us to one another. What will the words of 2020...
Our deeper reservoir
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 01, 2020
I’m not an epidemiologist. Or a doctor. Or a calming Zen master, pastor, rabbi or priest. Unfortunately, I can’t create lifesaving vaccines in my garage, or turn my CPAP machine into an improvised...
Reader Poll: Who is the most underappreciated segment of your facility?
Feb 02, 2020
Reader Poll: Who is the most underappreciated segment of your facility?
Things I Think: Anxiety-busting ways, Shavasana in a closet
By
Marty Stempniak
Mar 07, 2019
Seeking an antidote for the stresses of life and long-term care, I’ve been attending yoga lately, slipping out of the office at lunchtime in my sleek yoga garb to writhe and gasp on a rubber mat. I’ll...
There’s no time to cry
By
Gary Tetz
Oct 01, 2021
If you’re close to my aging vintage, you remember those adorable pioneers on the TV show “Little House on the Prairie.” Now we’re living in their world. Menaced by fires, floods, climate change...
Things I Think: Champions of change
By
Gary Tetz
Nov 02, 2018
In long-term care, massive change is always afoot. Whatever was true 20 minutes ago isn’t anymore, and the new normal will be an unrecognizable stranger by nightfall. But there’s one thing that hasn’t...
Things I Think: Everybody hurts, everybody cries
By
Gary Tetz
Apr 04, 2019
I doubt the R in R.E.M. stands for rehab, but that rock band spoke truth with the song, “Everybody Hurts” in 1992. Experiencing physical pain is clearly disclosed in the fine print of being human,...
Behind the chins
By
Gary Tetz
Jul 17, 2019
The adorable old folks sat in a circle, exhibiting varying levels of cognition, alertness and physical decay. A kind lady walked around the room offering juice and snacks.