“As a caregiver, I can speak to the fact that life is intense,” says Traci Edmondson. Edmondson is the dementia care specialist for Calumet and Outagamie counties in Wisconsin. She also cared for her husband …
evidence-based practice
Making Hospitals More Dementia Friendly: Case Studies
The following is an excerpt from the “Planning for your hospital” section of the Dementia Friendly Hospital Toolkit developed by CARE and clinical and research faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing. As …
When Purple is a Red Flag: Preventing Pressure Injuries in Patients with Dark Skin
In June 2020, University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing graduate student Courtney Maurer, DNP, RN was coming up with ideas for her year-long scholarly project. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, student access to care settings …
Fully CAPABLE: Expanding an Aging-in-Place Program
Nearly all of us want to stay in our home as we age. There are benefits to doing so. Our family and friends are more likely to be nearby. We know where to find our …
Unleashing the Force of Transitional and Home Care
Dwayne Dobschuetz, APRN, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner at Northwestern Medicine and University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing alumnus, remembers the day his career changed. He had worked in Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s emergency department for nearly 20 …
The Secrets of Success for Nursing Staff Retention in Long-Term Care
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 …
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 …
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 …