The COVID-19 pandemic continues to earn the country’s attention, and rightfully so. New waves of outbreaks and new variants are likely to be a fact of life for the foreseeable future. Without a doubt,...
Not so depressing after all
By
Renee Kinder
Sep 23, 2021
I had a milestone birthday recently. A birthday which I refused to celebrate, threatened my husband and friends not to dare surprise me with any activities and had planned to spend alone on the couch with...
5 strategies to promote mental health in long-term care
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Jun 08, 2021
Last week, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka chose to forgo mandatory but anxiety-producing post-event press interviews to protect her mental health. She was fined $15,000 by tennis officials and, after being...
Analyzing resident mood trends can troubleshoot mental health issues early
By
Amy Jeffs
May 24, 2021
For long-term care and skilled nursing professionals, there is nothing more important than the health of their residents and patients. Most often physical health is top of mind and prioritized, however,...
Women of Distinction: Seven lessons learned from women in my life
By
Michelle Feng, Ph.D.
Mar 08, 2021
Today is International Women’s Day, a time to celebrate the achievements made and progress yet to come by women across the globe. Recently, I was named a Rising Star in the 2021 McKnight’s Women of...
With mental health, healthcare workers may get worse before they’re truly better
By
Kimberly Marselas
Mar 03, 2021
As the saying goes, it’s often darkest just before dawn. But as the sun rises on a new era of COVID-19 — one in which cases and deaths are down and nursing homes seem on the precipice of some return...
How to handle the mental health crisis looming in America’s nursing homes
By
Debbie Barish
Feb 24, 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has been truly exhausting for us all, but one group in particular seems to be facing the worst the pandemic has to offer without receiving much of the support and recognition that...
Skilled care, mental health focus needed to decrease hospitalizations
By
Gayle Morris
Jan 11, 2021
Preventing hospitalizations is as much a sign of good health in older adults as it is a way to maintain it. The burden of infection control, preventing skin breakdown, pneumonia — and the myriad other...
Using technology to improve care, reduce costs
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Mar 27, 2018
At Maimonides Medical Center, 24 frail older adults were taught to use laptops so that they could manage their health information from home. The technology facilitated communication between patients and...
The Eldercare Method: Using psychology for positive outcomes
By
Eleanor Feldman Barbera, Ph.D.
Apr 03, 2014
Those of us in long-term care have undoubtedly witnessed incidents where residents become agitated and staff members don’t have the tools to prevent or manage their distress. Unfortunately, psychologists...