In The News

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Earlier this summer I stopped by my bank to cash a check. As soon as I entered the lobby I heard an elderly man shouting at a cashier. “This bank is a bunch of crooks,” he yelled, demanding that the cashier give him all of his money and close the account. A petite woman, who I assumed was his wife, stood beside the man looking frustrated and embarrassed. I quickly realized this was a man living with some form of dementia.

As I stood there wondering if there was something I could do to help, a woman approached from a nearby office. That’s when I had the opportunity to witness a textbook-perfect example of how to communicate with a person living with dementia. With grace and patience, she reassured and redirected the man. Within a few minutes, he was calmly sitting in her office enjoying a cup of coffee and a cookie.

[Read more…] about Dementia Friendly Communities

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A new type of cafe is springing up across the country. Memory Cafes (sometimes called dementia-friendly cafes) are places where people living with dementia and their caregivers/companions get together to support each other.

The cafe can be a coffee shop, restaurant, library, community center, or another public meeting place. Participants meet weekly, monthly, or whatever works best for the group. Besides Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, some cafes are expanding to include those living with traumatic brain injuries.

[Read more…] about What is a Memory Cafe?

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. 

There’s been a lot in the news lately about robots assisting elderly people in their homes and long-term care facilities. When I first read about this concept, I thought it sounded too impersonal and perhaps even a bit creepy. But as I learn more, I see real advantages to using robots to supplement human caregivers.

At present, Japan is the world’s leader in the development of robotic caregivers. With a rapidly growing elderly population, as well as a significant shortage of nursing staff, this high tech country is the perfect stage.

Other countries such as Australia, Germany, Denmark, and the United States follow close behind. The major roadblock at this point is the cost. But as with any modern technology, we anticipate prices will go down over time.

[Read more…] about 15 Benefits Of Robots In The Nursing Home

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. 

Since June is the most popular month for weddings, I hope brides and grooms out there will consider doing what this couple did. The entire wedding party chose to volunteer at a nursing home during the weekend of their bachelor & bachelorette parties. What an excellent way to start their life together by serving others!

Many years ago, I lived in a small town where nearly everyone had a relative living at the local nursing home. It was common for brides and grooms to stop by after their wedding to visit relatives who weren’t able to attend the ceremony.

[Read more…] about Wedding Party Visits Nursing Home

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. 

When I was attending college, we could do a nursing internship between our junior and senior years. Two of my classmates and I arranged for an internship at a small hospital in northern Minnesota.

Since we would be there for only eight weeks, we knew it would be challenging to find a place to live for such a brief time. So when the director of nursing asked how we felt about staying at the nursing home adjoining the hospital, we gave it some consideration.

I’ll admit I had misgivings about living in the nursing home. Will we have much privacy? What will it be like to take our showers in the facility bathing room down the hall? Will the noises of the night shift disturb our sleep? If we eat our meals there will the food be any good?

[Read more…] about Why Students Live in Nursing Homes