Ask any long-term care nurse or administrator. They all want to improve recruitment and retention of nursing staff. They understand that lower staff turnover rates lead to better care at lower costs. It’s not that …
Year: 2017
A MOVIN Story About Hospital Care and Older Adult Independence
In complex situations, new policies can have unpredictable effects. For example, some hospital safety measures can make older adults more likely to fall. “Falls are increasingly being used to judge quality of care in our …
End-of-Life Decisions: What You Say and When You Say It Matter
Decisions about medical treatments towards the end of life are often difficult. Patients may be in pain as they and their family members struggle to understand options and come to agreement. Poor decisions may unintentionally …
Taking a Bite Out of Older Adult Malnutrition
“I work at a nursing home, so I see people coming in at all different ages,” says Kayla Olmstead, MS, a registered dietician who works in Wisconsin’s Chippewa and Barron Counties. “With some people, you …
Bringing Direct Care Staff Education Where It’s Needed Most: Rural Wisconsin
“I am always looking for affordable educational opportunities, but don’t find many that are close enough to attend,” said Kathryn Nachreiner, who has managed a residential care home in Plain, Sauk County, for 14 years. …
Students See Disaster and Resilience in Northern Wisconsin
Each spring, several University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing undergraduate students spend three weeks in northern Wisconsin with a faculty member, to learn about public health and nursing in rural communities. This year, they also …
Getting Active, from Rural to Urban Wisconsin
Overall, fewer than half of U.S. adults gets enough physical activity, according to federal guidelines. For African Americans, the numbers are even lower. That makes healthy aging especially challenging. “Less than 25 percent of older …
This Is Your Brain on Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is powerful. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It improves mental health and increases the likelihood that people will live longer and more independent lives. …
Addressing Financial Exploitation of Older Adults
Compared to a decade ago, there’s greater awareness, more reporting and stronger laws in place to address the financial exploitation of older adults. The issue was not even recognized for many years, says Kevin Hansen, …