Dear Diary, Last week I attended my first AHCA convention … (McKnight’s LTC News)

Here’s my latest article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News:

Dear Diary, Last week I attended my first AHCA convention …

There’s nothing like the first time you get to meet people, attend education sessions and see the exhibit hall at the American Health Care Association, as I found out last week.

10/5/14, 2 p.m. — I just arrived in D.C. on the Bolt Bus. $40 round-trip from New York City. You can’t beat it with a stick. Now I have to get over to my hotel room and get ready to meet McKnight’s Editor Jim Berklan.

9:30 p.m. — Just came back from dinner with McKnight’s staff members Jim Berklan, John O’Connor, and Tim Mullaney. Really nice guys, really into long-term care. It made me proud to be part of McKnight’s.

10/6/14, 3 a.m. – I can’t sleep.

3:30 a.m. — I just downloaded the AHCA app. Very handy how I can see what programs are available and send them to my calendar.

6 a.m. — Time to get up and get ready for the convention!

8 a.m. — I’m sitting in the session led by Denise Boudreau-Scott, MHA, LNHA, on “Creating the Ultimate Customer Service Experience.” I can download her slides from the app!

9 a.m. — The talk confirmed my perceptions around customer service. I ran into an administrator I used to work with who said how hard it was to create the “ultimate customer service experience.” He should have asked me. I had plenty of suggestions for him. Instead I said, “Mmmm,” the classic noncommittal psychologist response. I’ll bet a lot of shrinks working in long-term care have great ideas for their facilities.

11:30 a.m. — Just heard General Colin Powell speak! He was witty, self-deprecating, on topic, and pointed in his criticism of current Washington politics. I’m very impressed.

1:30 p.m. — I’m in the expo hall now and OMG!!! I’m so excited. I finally got the chance to ride in a patient care lift after years of wanting to try one. (Thanks, ArjoHuntleigh staff.) Now I see what my residents have been talking about. A newer lift has a better angle than an earlier model and almost swaddles the rider, creating a sense of security lacking in the traditional device. Plus, it allows a person to be weighed in the lift instead of having to be transferred to the scale. Of course it costs more. But it seems worth it in terms of customer experience and staff time and effort saved in the weighing process.

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Dear Diary, Last week I attended my first AHCA convention …