Looking for a cure for compassion fatigue? Try reminding your caregivers of the obvious — that their job is all about giving. Trust me, there is some science to this.
The Silent Generation: Long-term care is a landmine for LGBT seniors
By
Mary Gustafson
Aug 09, 2012
Filmmaker Stu Maddux was driven to make a documentary about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender nursing home residents because he felt that, as a gay man, he did not have many role models who demonstrated...
Nursing: the happiest job in the world … or not
By
Mary Gustafson
Aug 02, 2012
Even if I hadn’t been raised by a nurse, and even if I didn’t write about the basic functions of their jobs on a daily basis for McKnight’s, I would probably still idolize them. That...
iPods coming to an eldercare facility near you
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 26, 2012
When I first spoke with Music & Memory founder Dan Cohen last year, he had big plans for his new program that would put iPods with personalized playlists in Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients’...
A band for every nursing home
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 19, 2012
Nursing home residents — especially long-term residents — deserve to have the best entertainment that money can buy. Gary Gamponia, the director of the Los Angeles-based Pay It Forward jazz band, has...
Caregivers are going to need a sturdy surfboard
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 12, 2012
The good news is that the Affordable Care Act has much to offer people with mental illnesses. The bad news is that even with the law’s policies, the U.S. health system is still woefully unprepared...
Donut hole dangers
By
Mary Gustafson
Jul 05, 2012
It’s well established that nursing home residents frequently struggle with conditions such as heart failure and depression. It’s also true that critics of nursing home care are quick to blame...
Volunteer has his ducks in a row
By
Mary Gustafson
Jun 28, 2012
Despite challenges, mailman Steve Score has found winged victory at Ecumen Emmanuel Community in Minnesota.
A failure to communicate
By
Mary Gustafson
Jun 21, 2012
Basic communication is often overlooked for nursing home managers. Promoting leadership among team members and empowering staff is effective in building teamwork.
Conquering the many clichés of aging
By
Mary Gustafson
Jun 14, 2012
A study on the perceptions of aging give us insight into why certain 30-somethings bemoan their lost youth, while long-term care residents stay young at heart.