Category: Archive: Feb 2021

Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults During COVID-19

Social isolation and loneliness, which were problems for many older adults before the coronavirus pandemic, have become an even greater issue with the restrictions on travel and contact with others. While some who live alone may have been able to see family, friends, or neighbors or taken trips to buy groceries or go to medical appointments, the virus has shut most people away inside their homes, which means even those few interactions have been lost. Online technologies and social media, which can provide a social support network and a perceived sense of belonging, are not as available to many older…

READ MORE

Inside the 7th Edition of Managing Health Services Organizations and Systems

Managing Health Services Organizations and Systems has served the educational and professional needs of the healthcare field over four decades. The seventh edition furthers that legacy in a completely revised and reorganized text that presents a comprehensive range of the knowledge and skills needed to effectively lead and manage health services delivery. Here is a breakdown of this new edition. The five chapters in Part I, “The Environment,” describe the setting and provide a context for delivery of services. Chapter 1, “Healthcare in the United States,” identifies and describes public and private entities, knowledge about which is the grounding for understanding, organizing, and…

READ MORE

The Montessori Philosophy in Practice with Older Adults

Montessori philosophy, based on the principles of free choice and purposeful activity, has historically been focused on children’s education. However, its essential principles and practices are increasingly seen as critical to enhancing the lives of the older adults in our care. Central to both the Montessori philosophy and person-centered care are the core values of respect for the individual, the importance of knowing the person deeply, seeking and honoring the elder’s preferences over all aspects of his or her daily life, and creating a supportive environment that allows for continued participation in familiar and preferred activities, inside and outside. In…

READ MORE

A Mindshift: 14 Terms to Know

What holds us back in transforming senior living? In Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living: A Mindshift, author Jill Vitale-Aussem says it is a combination of societal views on aging, the persistence of institutional culture in every level of living, and communities that continue to operate based on processes and policies infused with paternalism, ageism, and antiquated thinking. To truly transform senior living, we need a MINDSHIFT. Here are some critical terms for guiding important new conversations. SENIOR LIVING Congregate living for older people. Includes nursing homes, assisted living, memory support, senior housing, and retirement communities/life plan communities. HOSPITALITY…

READ MORE