For as many challenges as we've faced in the past few years, I see a movement stirring around the kindness, empathy, and understanding that I see turning the tides of many organizations' value sets. 

I use the term "inside-out" a lot. Maybe too much, but it goes back to my early parenting days when I'd tell my kids that beauty starts on the inside. Then it moved to creativity, integrity, happiness, and so on. I think they got the picture. 

When you read this, I have no doubt a few hands went up. Who working in Senior Care these days does not need help?

I'm not going to talk about the gravity of staffing shortages. That would be nothing new and not the point of this article. So instead, I hope that our readers pick up a few pointers that help you solve a problem.

From a leader/employee perspective, let's look at the value of the question "Do you need help?"

Last year one of our team members here at AGE-u-cate was caring for her father, who had an unexpected and sudden onset of serious health events. In addition to helping her elementary-age students while schools went virtual, the day-to-day challenges of caring for her father became overwhelming. She is a dedicated team member, passionate about our mission, and was now living it herself. She was exhausted but continued to deliver work with her available time.

There are many definitions of threshold that are worth discussing before we jump to the meat of how it relates to dementia training.  

Navigating the Future is the theme for this year's National Activities Professional Week. What a great time to talk about the vital role that Activity Directors and Life Engagement Directors play in improving the quality of life for residents, enhancing family and staff satisfaction, and boosting the bottom line.

Empathy is being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes for a while so you can imagine what they are going through, leading to a deeper understanding of their feelings and behaviors. 

Coping with the loss of a family member may be one of the most complex challenges we face. When we lose a spouse, our grief can be particularly intense, and moving on after a long and happy marriage takes time. Loved ones can be catalysts in helping those grieving to find joy and happiness again.
Patricia (Dee) Hutchinson is AGE-u-cate Training Institute's Fulfillment Center Manager. I want to share her story about her father-in-law, Donald, and his journey from loss and grief to finding purpose and meaning after the loss of his wife. Here's their story: