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...
7 employee wellness ideas for the holidays (and beyond)
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Dec 08, 2015
After a staff training on reducing burnout in long-term care last week, a look through the evaluation forms was illuminating. A significant number of attendees — mostly nursing aides, nurses, and environmental...
Senior bullying: How to recognize it, how to handle it
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 04, 2015
We’ve come a long way with many psycho-social problem areas. Children, for example, start learning about bullies in kindergarten. When it comes to bullying in senior communities, though, we’re...
The pandemic narrative, a tool for mental health
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 27, 2021
Comparisons between April 2020 and April 2021 are surprisingly jolting in some ways. Not until I composed this blog did I fully realize how far we’ve come, regarding pandemic conditions, and life...
How to keep working in LTC (when you’re not sure how much more you can take)
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 31, 2021
When I speak to long-term care groups, whether to those in leadership positions or to direct care staff, it’s clear that virtually all the audience members have been drawn to the industry because of...
Employee recognition programs: What works
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jan 21, 2014
After Ms. Ryan’s psychotherapy session, I stopped at the nursing station and asked the nurse for the name of her aide. The nurse pointed to a uniformed woman right next to me, who turned and asked...
Calming fears of floods and other catastrophes
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Aug 29, 2017
By now it’s likely that you, your staff, the residents and their families have seen the incredibly disturbing photo of assisted living residents in Dickinson, TX, sitting in waist-high floodwaters....
Improving your customer service for the holidays
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 14, 2013
The upcoming holidays are an ideal time to provide extra services that showcase your high level of care and make the seasons more pleasant for families and residents.
A conversation about mental health in LTC
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 22, 2022
I had the pleasure of being interviewed recently by Susan Ryan, senior director of The Green House Project, for her Elevate Eldercare podcast. As I remarked to her, what could be better than talking with...
Telemental health: Who, what, when, where, why you should use it
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Nov 01, 2013
Since I now Skype regularly with my 94-year old father-in-law and his wife, the concept of telemental health doesn’t seem as futuristic to me as it used to seem. I was shocked to discover, however,...