Blog
Dr. El’s McKnight’s column wins APEX award!
I’m pleased to share with you that my McKnight’s column,
“The World According to Dr. El,” is the winner of a 2014 APEX Award
for Publication Excellence in the Blog Content category!
My column can be found at McKnight’s: The World According to Dr. El
The psychology behind good customer service (and why it’s more important than you think) — McKnight’s LTC News
Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
The psychology behind good customer service (and why it’s more important than you think)
At the front desk, the workers were having an argument. Some residents watched the proceedings with interest and others with expressions of alarm. A waiting family member shifted from one leg to another and began sighing with exasperation as the loud conversation wore on without her presence being acknowledged.
We may talk about the term “customer service” and ask our staff members to avoid public arguments like the one above, but nevertheless, similar situations happen every day. Why does it matter so much? Using the model of the family as a guide, I discuss the psychological importance of good customer service in all our interactions.
With other staff members – Just as the relationship between parents forms the foundation of a family, our relationships with our coworkers are the foundation of good customer service.
o As shown in the above example, the residents observe how we treat one another. If our conversations are respectful and collegial, residents feel comfortable discussing concerns because they perceive their caregivers to be levelheaded and understanding. Angry, shaming interactions between staff members create an unsafe environment, making residents less likely to share information — including details that may affect medical care.
o Difficult interactions with coworkers are frequently transmitted to resident care. This is known in psychological terms as displacement. In the classic case, the boss yells at the father, who comes home and yells at his wife, who yells at the kid, who kicks the dog. If the nursing supervisor publicly criticizes the nurse who then chastises the aide, the residents are likely to be on the receiving end of the aide’s aggravation. Alternatively, if the nursing supervisor compliments the nurse who in turn praises the aide, the residents are more like to be met with a cheerful, upbeat caregiver.
o How senior staff members talk to subordinates is passed along to the next level of subordinates, not just through displacement, but also through modeling. Senior staffers are showing through example “how we handle things here.” When an administrator uses “teachable moments” to calmly point out what aspects of a crisis were managed well and what could be done differently for mismanaged parts, this becomes its own teachable moment in terms of how to provide constructive feedback.
For the entire article, visit:
The psychology behind good customer service (and why it’s more important than you think)
Creating a successful employee recognition program: Free webinar on 6/4/14
Join Dr. El
Wednesday, June 4th
at 2pm Eastern Time (1pm Central Time)
for a
FREE Webinar on
Creating a successful employee recognition program
sponsored by EmLogis
To register:
visit EmLogis Events
Implementing an employee recognition program: Tips for success (McKnight’s LTC News)
Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
Implementing an employee recognition program: Tips for success
One of my recent posts, Employee recognition programs: What works, focused on the benefits of recognition and key points in choosing a recognition program. Now I’d like to address how to implement your chosen employee recognition program so that it becomes an energizing and integral part of your organization, rather than a short-lived promotion that fizzles after its initial burst of enthusiasm.
Here are some tips to ensure a long, useful life for your recognition program:
1. Establish a budget — Most companies spend between 0.5% and 3% of their payroll budget on employee recognition, with the average being 2%. Decide whether your distribution will be centralized, department-specific, or a combination of the two. Human resource personnel most frequently direct the programs (55% in a 2013 WorldatWork study, with a variety of staff taking responsibility at the other 45% of companies studied).
2. Determine how success will be measured — There are many ways to gauge the results of your efforts, including employee and resident satisfaction surveys, the level of participation in the program, and turnover rates. It also may be useful to have goal-specific measures, such as “number of infections” for a program designed to improve infection control procedures.
3. Train management staff on basics — It’s essential for the success of your program to have buy-in from senior staff members. Educate them on general recognition strategies such as when and how to acknowledge employees for best effect and the importance of their role in the project.
4. Design the program and get feedback — While you may have decided the broad focus of your program, now is the time to get specific. Exactly how will your program work? Who is eligible? What rewards will be offered? Who will be offering them? Try to create a simple program to provide meaningful, desirable rewards that are distributed fairly. Get feedback from your team to ensure the feasibility of the ideas and to increase their support for the enterprise.
For the entire article, visit:
Implementing an employee recognition program: Tips for success
The Second Wind Tour
Dr. El and Dr. Bill Thomas
Last month I had the chance to attend the launch of Dr. Bill Thomas’ new book, Second Wind. Bill Thomas, founder of the Eden Alternative and creator of The Green House, has written many books about changing the culture of care in nursing homes. In his new book, he shifts his focus to helping readers understand the background of our youth-obsessed culture and to encouraging a more positive outlook on aging.
The Second Wind event was a combination of music, drama, education and entertainment that left attendees feeling hopeful, energized, and positive. It was exciting to meet so many like-minded people engaged in improving long-term care. LTC often gets bad press, but there are many, many people out there striving to make things better for our elders.
One of these people is Dan Cohen, MSW, Executive Director of Music & Memory, which is a program designed to bring individualized music via iPods to residents with dementia. I wrote here about the astounding success of this program in engaging elders who have previously seemed lost within their dementia. I met Dan Cohen once before and was pleased to see him again at the Second Wind event, where we took the selfie below.
Dr. El and Dan Cohen, MSW of Music & Memory
The very anxious resident: A team approach (McKnight’s LTC News)
Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
The very anxious resident: A team approach
“My mother was kicked out of her nursing home again,” my cousin told me. “They said they couldn’t handle her.” I phoned Cousin Belle’s new number in the afternoon.
“They didn’t give me my pain medication,” she said angrily. “They took away my walker and I need to use the bathroom. CAN SOMEBODY GET ME MY WALKER – I NEED TO USE THE BATHROOM!” She began sobbing. I heard another voice. “Did you hear what the man next to me just said?…You’re not a man?.. .I’m sorry, I can’t see…” Belle lost her vision several years ago, just like her father before her. “I helped people all my life,” she told her companion. Belle is a retired nurse.
She shouted again and I heard a staff member say, “Have some respect for the other residents.” Belle responded immediately, “Have some respect for me!”
“Let’s say the ‘Serenity Prayer,’” I suggested. “OK, let’s,” Belle agreed immediately. When we finished, she asked to say it again. She sounded calmer. “The woman next to me said it with me,” she remarked.
That story is about Cousin Belle, but it’s also the story of Gerry, Anna and a host of other residents I’ve seen over the years. Below are some suggestions for handling these challenging residents, coming from my perspective as a psychologist. I know there are many educated, experienced and compassionate people from other disciplines who will read this. If you have any additional tips, please add them in the comments section.
- Start afresh: If the current staff members are burned out and no longer responding well to the resident, it can be helpful to move the resident to a new unit or facility with a clean slate and fresh expectations. Notify the new team in advance so that they can prepare for the anxious resident and avoid repeating the same situation.
- Keep in close contact with the psychiatrist: The very anxious resident is likely to need medication for anxiety or depression, or at least to know that something is available if necessary. The early, frequent and regular attendance of the psychiatrist can reassure the resident and the team that an expert presence is guiding care.
- Give meds quickly: If residents are in pain or on a medication upon which they’ve become dependent, give the medication as soon as possible. Waiting will only increase their agitation and disturb other residents.
- Mollycoddle: A loud and anxious resident is likely to become louder and more anxious the longer they have to wait for their demands to be met. Just like with the medication, attend to their needs as soon as possible. Anxious people tend to be anxious because they feel out of control. Meeting their needs helps them feel more in control.
- Assign your most patient and compassionate aides: Satisfying a very anxious resident’s demands can be a never-ending task. Try to assign the type of person who will approach each call for assistance with a pleasant demeanor and not those who will let their displeasure be known with an unkind word or expression.
For the entire article, visit:
The very anxious resident: A team approach
Reducing Turnover in Long-Term Care: Free webinar on 5/8/14
Join Dr. El
Thursday, May 8th
at 2pm Eastern Time (1pm Central Time)
for a
FREE Webinar on
Reducing Turnover in LTC
sponsored by EmLogis
To register:
visit EmLogis Events
In the wake of a nursing home double-homicide: How to meet mental health needs and prevent violence (McKnight’s LTC News)
Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
In the wake of a nursing home double-homicide: How to meet mental health needs and prevent violence
News of the recent double-homicide in a Houston nursing home arrived the morning I was to speak to a group gathered to address the needs of younger residents in long-term care. It didn’t escape anyone in the audience how serious this topic is — the alleged murderer is 56 years old and one of his two victims was 50 years old.
What can organizations do to respond to this terrible news and to reduce the chances that a similar situation could happen in their facilities? Plenty.
Calm fears
· Soothe nerves by pointing out efforts your facility takes to address agitated residents and maintain the safety of the environment (for example, the security guard, video cameras, separating residents in conflict, etc.)
· Minimize the news coverage of the event in common rooms. Residents who want to find out more information can read the newspaper or watch TV privately. It’s not helpful for most residents to listen to an anxiety-provoking rehash of information, especially when they’re unable to get up and leave the room.
Train staff
· Train staff to recognize signs of distress and mental illness in residents and have a system in place that allows the information to be communicated effectively. Aides, for example, don’t have to make a mental health diagnosis; they just need to be able to recognize when a resident is behaving differently and communicate it to the nurse. Train nurses to recognize the importance of the information and to work with the team to assess the resident and intervene appropriately. Mental health issues should be addressed as seriously as physical health concerns and staff should have enough training so that they feel comfortable doing so.
· Train your staff on how to defuse verbally and physically aggressive situations. Staff members without proper training often inadvertently precipitate conflict. (For more on this, download my free report, Stop Agitating the Residents, at MyBetterNursingHome.com.)
For the entire article, visit:
In the wake of a nursing home double-homicide: How to meet mental health needs and prevent violence
Savvy Resident’s Guide is a Finalist for Best Books on Aging and Caregiving!
I’m thrilled to announce that The Savvy Resident’s Guide is a Finalist for Best Books for Aging and Caregiving in the Senior Homes 2014 Best Senior Living Awards contest!
Your vote is needed!
Please click on the yellow badge link below and vote for The Savvy Resident’s Guide on the Senior Homes page. Thank you!
Click on the badge to get to the Senior Homes page
and vote for The Savvy Resident’s Guide!
Younger Residents subject of Dr. El’s 4/24 CAHCF talk
Join Dr. El this Thursday in Connecticut!
The Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities
is sponsoring a talk on
Meeting the Needs of Younger Residents
Thursday, April 24th, 2014 at 9am
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, CT
For more information and to register: CAHCF.org