November 1, 2012 by Patricia Sheehan, Editor-in-Chief
Blog
The Savvy Resident’s Guide/Hurricane Sandy Donation on 11/12/12
For the past 16 years, I’ve worked as a psychologist in long-term care and have witnessed the difficulties residents and their families have had adjusting to this strange and unfamiliar environment. That’s why I wrote The Savvy Resident’s Guide: Everything You Wanted to Know About Your Nursing Home Stay But Were Afraid to Ask, now available on Amazon ($13.99 print, $4.99 Kindle). It’s a large-print book for residents (and families, staff, and students) explaining how nursing homes work and how people can make the most of their stays. It’s packed with need-to-know information and straightforward advice from me and my wise resident-narrators. There’s no other book out there like it!
If you know someone who might benefit from this book, please tell them about this resource. You can help spread the word:
· Forward or share this message
· Buy the book and review it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Savvy-Residents-Guide-Everything/dp/0985405406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347192337&sr=8-1&keywords=savvy+residents+guide
· “Like” the Amazon Kindle version: http://www.amazon.com/The-Savvy-Residents-Guide-ebook/dp/B009Q38X8I/ref=kinw_dp_ke
· Post the book info/link in your forums: http://mybetternursinghome.com/savvy-guide
Special offer now through November 30, 2012:
Buy the book, get for FREE:
· For Families: Essentials for Choosing a Nursing Home (and Becoming Part of the Team) — an audio interview with Dale Carter, $10.99 value
· For Staff Members: Coping with Grief: Conversation with grief expert Courtney Armstrong, LPC — an audio interview, $7.99 value
Buy the book on NOVEMBER 12th, 2012, get a SPECIAL BONUS:
· Reducing Senior Bullying: Conversation with Bullying Expert Robin Bonifas, PhD, MSW — an audio interview, $10.99 value
PLUS: This Monday, November 12th, $2 of each individual book sale will go toward Hurricane Sandy relief!
For more details, visit: http://mybetternursinghome.com/savvy-guide
Helping your LTC community cope in the wake of Hurricane Sandy (McKnight’s Guest Post)
It’s been a challenging time here in New York, leading me to write this guest post for McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
Helping your LTC community cope in the wake of Hurricane Sandy
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, long-term care facilities may be wondering how to help their own residents, families, and staff members or those directly affected by this devastating storm.
1. Be aware of our own feelings: If we’re anxious ourselves, it’s unlikely we’re going to be of much assistance. We should take time to calm ourselves, or let others take on the task of reassuring residents, staff, and family members until we’re ready to do so.
2. Allow community members to express their concerns: Sometimes we don’t need to fix things, but can be more helpful acting as a sounding board. Often if we listen long enough, the speaker can get through the frightened feelings on his or her own.
3. Acknowledge feelings: It’s not uncommon to be fearful or anxious, which will diminish over time. Knowing this is normal can be comforting.
4. Emphasize safety procedures: Reviewing the safety procedures in the nursing home, such as backup generators, evacuation plans, and water pumps, can increase the sense of safety and control. If it seems necessary, separate group discussions can be offered for residents, staff, and family members.
5. Utilize spiritual supports: Natural disasters such as this reinforce the capriciousness of fate, and, for some people, may lead to questions of how this could have happened. Help them to understand it in terms of their spiritual beliefs.
To read more, visit Helping your LTC community cope in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and for those coping with the aftermath of the storm, be sure to check out this very helpful resource: Psychological First Aid: Field Operations Guide for Nursing Homes
Election Results (A Brief Anecdote)
Mrs. Thomas was nervous on Monday, talking about the election and how the results would affect her and the rest of the country.
“I spoke to my sister and she decided to vote for him,” she told me. “I was so surprised. I’ve been voting the same way all my life and I’m not going to change now that I’m in my eighties. No!” She thumped her hand on her armrest. “I believe what I believe! And if my man wins tomorrow, I’m going to lock my wheelchair, pull up my walker, stand up and say, “Hallelujah!” She smiled at me. “And then I’m going to grab you, Doctor, and give you a big hug around the waist!”
Radio Show Tonight: 11/5/12 8pm ET
Due to Hurricane Sandy, Dale Carter and I rescheduled last week’s show to tonight. We hope you can join us!
Please join me as I speak with Dale Carter of Transition Aging Parents on her BlogTalkRadio show on Monday, November 5th at 8pm ET. We’ll be discussing my new book, The Savvy Resident’s Guide, and ways in which to help residents thrive in nursing homes. The show will be a great resource for family members in particular, providing tips for helping loved ones adjust to a long-term care stay. If you’re a facility looking for ways to improve relationships with families, let them know about this show which will offer a balanced insider view of nursing homes and how to work within the system to meet the needs of residents.
For more information about the half-hour radio show, visit Helping Your Aging Parent Thrive in their Nursing Home. To listen to the show, visit the page on Monday, November 5th at 8pm ET and click on the arrow button below my photo. To ask questions, use the call-in number listed there.
If you’re reading this after November 5th, you can still access the call recording at the same page.
Long-Term Living reviews The Savvy Resident’s Guide
How to help new residents adapt to nursing home life
McKnight’s reviews The Savvy Resident’s Guide
I wanted to share with you this review of The Savvy Resident’s Guide from James Berklan, Editor of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
A savvy caregiver’s resource
James M. Berklan, McKnight’s Editor
If there is anyone who knows how to get inside the head of a troubled long-term care resident, it is Eleanor Feldman Barbera. Better than that is the fact that this talented nursing home psychologist is willing to share her insights.
She does so regularly with insightful guest articles for McKnight’s and her own My Better Nursing Home blog. But now she’s also become a book author. Set for official release on Monday, this is a publication primarily aimed at consumers, yet it can be an invaluable tool for caregivers as well.
Why? Barbera’s mission is to make the individual’s experience at your workplace (and hers) as pleasant as possible. This means smoothing the lines of communication and better understanding the thought processes between resident and caregiver.
“The Savvy Resident’s Guide: Everything You Wanted to Know About Your Nursing Home Stay But Were Afraid to Ask” is available online via Amazon. It’s worth taking a look here to learn about the special deals the author is offering to readers who invest the $13.99 for the 181-page paperback ($4.99 for the Kindle version). The add-ons are a bit dizzying, frankly, but in a good way. I think I added up at least $30 worth of professional audio interviews tossed in as a bonus if you buy during a certain period.
The book is composed in what has become a familiar Dr. El writing style. She excerpts discussions with residents to illustrate various points of emphasis, which is helpful to the potential resident, his or her family members and also caregivers. This often involves three different sets of ears, set to three different frequencies. Under Barbera’s light touch, however, they can tune in together.
For the whole review, visit McKnight’s A Savvy Caregiver’s Resource
Helping Your Aging Parent Thrive in their Nursing Home: 11/5/12 @8pm ET
Please join me as I speak with Dale Carter of Transition Aging Parents on her BlogTalkRadio show on Monday, November 5th at 8pm ET. We’ll be discussing my new book, The Savvy Resident’s Guide, and ways in which to help residents thrive in nursing homes. The show will be a great resource for family members in particular, providing tips for helping loved ones adjust to a long-term care stay. If you’re a facility looking for ways to improve relationships with families, let them know about this show which will offer a balanced insider view of nursing homes and how to work within the system to meet the needs of residents.
For more information about the half-hour radio show, visit Helping Your Aging Parent Thrive in their Nursing Home. To listen to the show, visit the page on Monday, November 5th at 8pm ET and click on the arrow button below my photo. To ask questions, use the call-in number listed there.
10/29/12 Update: Due to Hurricane Sandy, we are rescheduling this show for 11/5/12.
Mental Health in Nursing Homes: Dr. El speaks at Risk Management Conference
Where was I last week and why didn’t I update my blog as usual? I was in Denver, speaking about Mental Health in Nursing Homes at the National Aging Services Risk Management conference sponsored by Caring Communities, Peace Church Risk Retention Group, and ECRI Institute. I addressed the fact that facilities are exposing themselves to multiple risks if they aren’t providing appropriate mental health care, and I offered practical, low- or no-cost ideas on how to improve mental health treatment in long-term care settings. The talk was recorded and will be available to ECRI Institute members at their website: ecri.org. In their words: ECRI Institute is an independent, nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of patient care.
Long-term care psychologists often can help prevent rehospitalizations (McKnight’s guest post)
Here’s my latest guest post on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:
Long-term care psychologists often can help prevent rehospitalizations
Long-term care psychologists are a valuable resource for facilities looking to reduce their hospital readmission rates. As the only team member whose role it is to sit and talk with the residents for an extended period of time on a regular basis, psychologists are privy to a relationship that can help address root causes of readmission such as medication noncompliance and the recognition and timely reporting of symptoms, as well as follow-through with medical appointments after discharge.
Psychologists can:
1. Notice mental status changes before other staff members. Because interactions are based on extended conversations with residents, psychologists are frequently able to spot subtle alterations in cognition that wouldn’t be noticed during a med pass or routine caregiving.
2. Discover previously unreported symptoms. Due to the amount of time psychologists spend with the residents and the level of trust that develops in the psychotherapeutic relationship, residents often reveal important symptoms of their illnesses they might not share with medical staff.
3. Gather information from communication-challenged residents. Psychologists can gather info from residents who speak slowly or need to use communication devices and then share it with the team, saving staff time and providing important details.
For more, visit McKnight’s LTC News:
Long-term care psychologists often can help prevent rehospitalizations
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For more on how nursing home psychologists can help those in LTC:
Free Audio: Interview by Psychotherapist Bill O’Hanlon
In this audio, mental health expert Bill O’Hanlon talks with Dr. El about the role of nursing home psychologists and how their work can transform facilities and improve the lives of residents, families, and staff members.
Free Download!
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Now available on Amazon:
The Savvy Resident’s Guide:
Everything You Wanted to Know About Your Nursing Home Stay
But Were Afraid to Ask
7 Methods to Educate Residents About Their Diagnoses (LTL mag online)
Here’s my latest article on Long-Term Living magazine online:
7 methods to educate residents about their diagnoses
- Encourage discussion with medical staff upon admission and diagnosis. Part of the initial assessment of new residents should include asking them whether or not they know what their diagnoses are. Nurses and doctors can offer a brief explanation of unfamiliar terms and assess the need for more information, the length of time since diagnosis (the more recent the diagnosis, the more likely the resident will be in emotional distress and may benefit from mental health support), and the level of family involvement (involved family may need information too). Any new diagnoses after admission should be discussed with the physician and followed up as needed.
- Dispense fact sheets about illnesses. Every illness is Google-able. Chances are that your boomer residents and/or their family members will be researching their illnesses on their smartphones or laptops, but the details they’re obtaining may not be from reputable sources. By providing information from established medical sites, staff can direct residents to credible resources. The staff members also will have easy access to the information and can familiarize themselves with the illnesses and required care. Fact sheets could be in a binder available at the nursing stations for the staff to distribute or in a magazine rack accessible to the residents and visitors.
- Provide information about illness organizations and how they can join. Along with the basic details an illness fact sheet provides, residents can be offered information about disease-specific organizations. The mere knowledge of the existence of such groups can be helpful, since many residents feel alone with their illnesses, despite the fact that they may be sitting in the hallway next to another resident with the same disease. Privacy laws prevent staff members from sharing such similarities, and residents might not feel comfortable discussing their physical concerns with a neighbor on their floor. Illness-related societies can offer support, coping strategies, hope and perspectives that others are unable to provide. Joining such organizations can be an important step in regaining a sense of control over one’s life.