“Getting to Know You” is not just a tune from The King and I. Having friends—close or casual—helps to make long-term residency an enjoyable experience. Read More »
Whether you enjoy playing sports or just watching, people (including those in your communities) and others around the globe will be tuning in to cheer on their favorite country and/or athletes. Opening ceremonies for the 2012 Summer Olympics begin on Friday, July 27, in London. Read More »
What tops your retirement wish list? Most retirees would gladly trade the dream of a beach house in Florida for lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, as well as more education on financial planning, an insurer survey shows. Read More »
Sexual appetites don’t disappear after age 50, an Australian study concludes. However, seniors in nursing homes often have to sneak around because administrators are concerned about safety risks. Read More »
Can religion add quality to life in advanced age? Can it do so when dementia sets in? Ethnographic evidence, abundantly found in long-term care, speaks of the salutary contribution religion makes in advanced age. Read More »
A resident’s withdrawal from life’s opportunities does not have to be a permanent condition. How can you help a resident who is unhappy, has lost interest in life, or has become testy and difficult? Read More »
Dining is the ideal way to socialize. Residents eagerly check out their monthly activity calendar to see what local restaurant they will be visiting. Read More »
Without faith in the mix, living in a facility would be vast wasteland for me even though there are other things to do and much in the world to learn. It helps me to have faith in something larger than myself. Faith gets me through most days. Read More »
Sometimes life gets too busy or too distracting to learn the "little" things that make up a person. Biographies are wonderful opportunities to reminisce and share the smaller moments of life with loved ones. Read More »
Can too much safety actually cause harm? Dr. Bill Thomas, Judah Ronch, PhD and Margaret Calkins, PhD, posed a combination of thought-provoking statements and questions to attendees at the Environments for Aging conference. Read More »
Mother’s Day kicks off the annual Nursing Home Week celebration. It’s time to honor those wonderful people who live—and work—in long-term care. Look for creative ways to engage residents, families and staff in this weeklong celebration of the positives long-term care. Read More »
It's not just background music anymore. Creatively incorporating music into the lives of seniors offers the therapeutic benefits of social engagement, memory enhancement, light exercise and more. Read More »
More that 200 residents at Greenspring Retirement Community receive well-deserved recognition for the exceptional service they provide to others. Thousands of hours of dedicated giving not only benefits the the people and organizations they serve, but these selfless individuals achieve hours of self-fulfillment. Read More »
As spring approaches, the back dining room grows warm and Melinda's plants will sprout. Soon our staff members will be buying the seedlings to plant in their gardens at home—for a price, of course. Read More »
LTC activities directors are challenged to accommodate the changing programming preferences of the incoming baby boomers. These demanding residents have high expectations. Read More »
Cocktail lounges and happy hours are becoming coming increasingly popular amenities in assisted living communities, but can ‘one for the road’ lead down a path of declining health? Read More »
From a Brooklyn, N.Y., facility to a research presentation in Jerusalem, a second-year master’s student presents findings of the effects of trauma and the benefits of group support on younger LTC residents. Read More »
Not just for groups, music therapy using MP3 and iPod devices can enable playlist to be customized to the individual resident for a more meaningful experience Read More »
I remember my 15 Christmases living in nursing homes and how the holiday itself has changed, from the moods of residents and staff to the layout of a decorated facility. Read More »
Melvin (pseudonym) lives a couple of doors away from me. He is round, not very tall and bounces when he walks. He is usually animated and will try to Read More »
After living so many years in nursing homes I am normally prepared for when staff ask me about my Thanksgiving plans. Most years you’ll find me at Read More »
Thanksgiving is a day when loved ones gather to reflect and appreciate the blessings in our lives. It is also the official kickoff of the holiday Read More »
On a sunny day several weeks ago when the weather was still in the low 70s, my sister called to see if I wanted a visitor. Despite throbbing sinuses Read More »
Last month, James Todd, 75, a resident of Prestige Senior Living’s Porthaven Care Center in Portland, Ore., climbed back in the saddle. A former Read More »
The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is projected to increase as the Baby Boomers continue to age. Over the years, giant steps in Read More »
