We have been coping with the ambiguity of COVID-19, the resulting restrictions, quarantine measures, and social distancing. Healthcare workers, essential workers, and all of those involved in the service of caring for others have coped with and continued through difficulties and challenges. Older adults in long-term care, their families, and their care partners have also really borne the brunt of this unprecedented time. They have lived with ambiguity on more levels than should be possible.
Ambiguity Times Three: Coping With Loss, Grief, and Relief
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
Heads I'm Right, Tails You're Wrong: Adapting to Changes....Again
Have you ever known you were right about something? You were so sure you were right, but everyone else made you feel you were wrong? It is a terrible feeling to know you are right, but everyone else says you are wrong. It is even worse to have to do something that feels completely wrong.
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
Leaving a Legacy: Laying Bricks or Building Cathedrals?
As the story goes, a traveler sees three bricklayers. He asks each one what they are doing. One says “laying bricks,” another states that he is “building a wall,” and the third person says, “I’m building cathedrals.” What an interesting view of work, purpose, and legacy.
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
One of the best things in life is a road trip. Taking a drive to a new place, or a familiar one, can be an adventure. One of things you can always expect is to hear during a road trip is the question, “Are we there yet?” It can seem to take an eternity to reach a destination, especially when we can’t wait to get there, wherever that is.
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
Seeking to Understand: Avoiding A Misunderstanding
Have you ever been misunderstood? You are trying to make your wishes known, but, for some reason, what you are trying to communicate is not understood. If the same miscommunications happened over and over, what would you do? You would probably get frustrated to the point of doing anything to get your point across. It can be hard to understand why there is a misunderstanding.
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
Five Technology Innovations for Elders Living With Dementia
Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, caregivers, Alzheimer's disease, eldercare, Home safety, Technology
The Impossible: Doing the Hard Things with Resilience
Alan Packer said, “We can do hard things—it’s the impossible that takes a little longer.” Well, we have been doing hard things for quite a while now. In fact, it seems that we are in the ‘impossible’ phase now. Truly, I believe we have been working on accomplishing the “impossible” for quite some time now, aided by resilience.
Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Family, Hospital Professionals, Faith Community, health
Reopening Nursing Homes: Balancing Needs and Safety
In May 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a memorandum for state and local officials to outline nursing homes reopening. The recommendations provide guidance on evaluating what steps to take to prevent COVID-19 transmission in nursing homes. In looking back to May 2020 and now, what, if anything, has changed? How are nursing homes balancing resident safety and resident needs with the COVID-19 restrictions in mind?
Topics: Senior Care Professionals
Calling Attention to Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention
Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Elders, Training, Family, caregivers, Professional Caregivers, elder abuse, AGE-u-cate Training
Broken Heart Syndrome: Another Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic
As if life could not get worse. A recent study suggests more people are suffering with stress cardiomyopathy during this COVID-19 pandemic. Stress cardiomyopathy is also called broken heart syndrome.
Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, compassionate touch, Dementia Live