The Washington Post puts an interesting spin on an article about the decision to move into a retirement community. Instead of telling the story from the oft-used angle of those who work in the retirement living industry, the article is written by a 79-year-old woman who recently made the move from ...

I thought I would confess one of the strategies I employ in dealing with difficult-to-acquire capital items, something I call "creative accounting."  As all of my experience has been in behavioral health operations, it was always been clear to me that providing the best equipment for the mentally ill has never been a priority in most hospitals. 

In my last administrative position, the unit was old, ...

How do we get to the heart of learning about the people we care for?  How can we understand what their unique needs and struggles are?  How do we create training programs that make an impact on the care that we provide?  How do we learn from family members?

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a seminar given by my organization, the Alzheimer's Resource Center.  Our Chaplin, Irena, ...

This week I would like to take a moment to say hello to some people who do not know me or the local legal professionals where they work. These are the thousands of facility operators, managers, administrators, nurses and clinicians who operate nursing facilities that not only comply with the law, but go beyond the minimum standards imposed by the local state and federal regulations. They are the unsung heroes ...

We are all quite different, and all of us come to the workplace setting with different personalities.  Long-term care is no different. It brings individuals of different skills, education levels, temperaments, and in particular personality types to the organizational setting. Some individuals come in with a more introverted, placid personality, while others come to the milieu with a more extroverted, ...

Happy Earth Day 2008! As people all over the world are paying more attention to environmental issues, there are many things individuals can do close to home--even in long-term care facilities.

In our March-April issue, contributor Mike LePostollec wrote about incorporating elements of sustainable design into long-term care. Some of the most common sustainable features include:

• improved insulation
• solar ...

A recent article in the Washington Post explores how certain games and other activities can help family members form more meaningful connections with loved ones who have dementia.

Researchers conducted a study on 33 families, and found that satisfaction ...

One of my pet issues relates to the level of knowledge of nurse managers and administrators about financial operations. I even believe strongly in the importance of beginning to educate staff nurses in the fiscal realities of health care operations!  I think nurse managers must be clinically competent as they must supervise direct care staff, but it is equally important that they possess strong managerial ...

Last year, we ran a salary survey for a variety of long-term care professionals. Some of the results are highlighted below. Do these figures hold true for you? How has the economic downturn affected your salary?

Average Salary by Job Title

Administrator: $82,869

Asst. Administrator: $62,476

CEO: $115, 510

CFO: $108,333

COO: $156,500

Director ...

I recently heard a comment that when the Clintons tried to reform health care, it had an unforseen negative impact on nursing. Hospitals, my source noted, were laying off nurses because they did not think they were going to have enough money to pay them because of the cuts. Many nurses left the profession and others decided against nursing careers.

How do you think the presidential candidates stated ...

In a few weeks Advance for Respiratory Care Practitioners, the magazine that I started off with in 1988, will be celebrating its 20^th year. This made me think back to the times in my life when I was a caregiver and the many different places I worked, including:

• Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital, Hastings, NE
• Kirksville Osteopathic Hospital, ...

Nursing home surveys are frequently anxiety provoking for the staff. Not many individuals welcome others coming into their facility with the intent to play close scrutiny to the environment. This is quite similar to individuals experiencing someone who comes into their home and walks ...

Sound familiar? Something you've done? You know Charlene and she's just the kind of person to forget to get a witness. So you sign it. And then you forget about it. Until the man with the badge asks you to step into the office and answer a few questions.

Most state disciplinary ...

Nursing leadership skills have changed dramatically in a health care environment so different from years past. Nursing management skills are required at all levels.even at the bedside.as nurses have become coordinators of care. Financial issues have come to the forefront for health care organizations and nurses ...

My friend who made that statement had seen media reports about a young woman whose murder conviction was overturned "on a technicality."

Like medical shows that demonstrate patients converting from asystole to sinus rhythm after defibrillation, the television media is often more interested ...

During this year, a year in which our country will elect a new President, health care has become an important part of the agenda. Liz Rosto in her post entitled Decision 08, writes about the issue of heath ...

Mark your calendars - National Nursing Home Week will be celebrated beginning Mother's Day, May 11, and continuing through May 17, 2008. This year's theme is "Love is Ageless."

National Nursing Home Week, established by AHCA in 1967, is an annual event that recognizes residents and caregivers. AHCA has produced a National Nursing Home Week kit consisting of an event planning guide, promotional products ...

A recent study suggests that antibiotics are overused in people dying of dementia and should be prescribed more carefully because of the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant superbugs, according to an article ...