Did You Know?

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

Stop for a moment and think about your 5 senses: smell, hearing, touch, sight, and taste. Consider how much enjoyment each of them brings to your life.

Unfortunately, all of these senses decline to some degree as we age. This is an important consideration as we work to help our residents experience their best possible quality of life.

Over the next few months, let’s look at those 5 senses. We’ll learn how the aging process affects each of them and what we can do to incorporate sensory-stimulating activities into our daily care.

[Read more…] about How Our Senses Change As We Age: Smell

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

According to the American Psychiatric Association, 2-6% of the U.S. population exhibit a hoarding disorder. This tendency doesn’t suddenly disappear when a person enters a senior living community. So, if you’ve worked in eldercare for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve encountered hoarding.

What is hoarding?

Hoarding goes far beyond being a messy person.  We often define it as the excessive collection and retention of things until they interfere with day-to-day functions.

[Read more…] about What You Need To Know When A Resident Hoards

 This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

Do you want to know who I believe has the most demanding job in the nursing home setting? It’s the social worker. Why? Because the social worker becomes the go-to person when someone has a major problem or complaint.

Despite this, over the years I’ve worked with so many social workers who love their jobs. And they’re passionate about helping nursing home residents live the best lives possible.

Previously, we’ve looked at the roles of the nursing staff and the rehab staff in the nursing home. Today we’ll explore the role of the social worker.

[Read more…] about Who Is The Nursing Home Social Worker?

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links.

Nearly every nursing home has a resident council. But I would venture to guess that most employees and volunteers don’t know what goes on behind those closed doors. Am I right?

Every council is unique because of the preferences, abilities, and needs of the residents. The one common goal they all share, however, is providing a forum by which residents have a voice in developing a positive, healthy living environment. Today I’ll summarize this essential process.

[Read more…] about What Is A Nursing Home Resident Council?

This post may contain affiliate links, and I will be compensated (at no extra cost to you) when you make a purchase by clicking on my links. 

Did you get a chance to read my post about the importance of providing high-quality dental care in the nursing home? As promised, today I’m sharing a variety of approaches you can use to take excellent care of your residents’ precious teeth.

Staff education

When I worked as a CNA many years ago, nearly every resident arrived at the nursing home wearing dentures. It was unusual to see someone who still had their natural teeth.

Today we see a little bit of everything, including full dentures, bridges, natural teeth, crowns, and implants. Dentures were easy to care for; we simply brushed them and soaked them in water overnight. Now caregivers need to know a lot more about the various options.

[Read more…] about How To Help Your Resident Keep That Smile: Part 2