“By the age of seventy, on average people have at least two chronic conditions. Many will have more than that,” says Parminder Raina, PhD, the director of the McMaster Institute of GeroScience in Ontario, Canada, …
Year: 2015
Evidence-Based Practice Corner: Talking About Depression
Whether you’re a health care professional, direct care worker, or housing or service provider, the conversations that you have with older adults can help identify potential mental health issues. “It’s about forging relationships,” says Earlise …
Nursing Where Everyday Life Happens: Home Health
Considering his passion for home health care, it’s surprising that it wasn’t Troy Lawrence’s initial career plan. “Looking back at my undergrad experiences, I was in that group of people who were determined to be …
Creating Dementia-Friendly Health Care Organizations
“What is person-centered care?” asked Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist and nationally renowned dementia care educator with clinical appointments at Duke University’s School of Nursing and the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill’s …
Evidence-Based Practice Corner: Easing Pain without Medications
“Everything is intensified when cure isn’t possible,” explains University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing Professor Kris Kwekkeboom, PhD, RN. “Even small changes are important.” That understanding drives Kwekkeboom’s research into non-drug interventions to ease pain …
Introducing Nursing Students to Long-Term Care
As the U.S. population ages, the demand grows for long-term care. An estimated two-thirds of those who reach age 65 will eventually need long-term care, for short stays or ongoing assistance. Collectively, the number of …
What Makes a Green House Home? How You Decide Matters
Honor residents’ preferences in their care. Provide a home-like environment. Encourage collaboration among staff. Build close relationships between residents and staff. Support direct care workers’ professional and personal development. Who could argue with the basic …
Evidence-Based Practice Corner: Heart Failure, Palliative and Hospice Care
Heart failure, the only major cardiovascular disease that’s growing in prevalence, affects many older adults. Five million U.S. residents live with heart failure; half of them are at least 75 years old. Living with such …
The State of State Long-Term Care Policies
How can state policymakers meet the increased demand for long-term services and supports and ensure quality care for often-vulnerable populations, while staying within tight budgets? It’s not an easy task. For one thing, state policies …
Making PALS in Rural Wisconsin: Helping Older Adults Stay Active
Asked what services the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Central Wisconsin provides in Marathon, Wood, Langlade and Lincoln Counties, two of the agency’s community health educators laugh. It’s a long list. “We offer …