The effects of facility dogs on burnout, job‐related well‐being, and mental health in pediatric hospital professionals The study aimed to examine the effect of working with a facility dog on pediatric healthcare professionals’ work‐related burnout, job perceptions, and mental health. Findings suggest that facility dogs may be related to several benefits for healthcare professionals’ work‐related burnout, job perceptions, and mental health, but that they do not influence all components of these areas. Read more
Preparing Your Home for Hospice If the loved one we care for is in the advanced stages of a disease and we’ve decided that we would like them to be in as much comfort as possible in familiar surroundings, home hospice may be the right choice. However, arranging a loved one’s home or our own for a hospice stay takes some thought and preparation. We likely don’t want the place to look like a hospital, but we need to have all of the necessary equipment the loved one we care for requires. Read more
Bathroom Safety for a Loved One with Late Stage Dementia These days, about 80 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) stay in their own homes with the support of family and friend caregivers rather than move to long-term care facilities. While aging in place can provide a loved one with a familiar, comforting space, it can also lead to challenges related to the safety of the home environment. Things around the house like stairwells, area rugs, medicine cabinets and knife blocks that were once a normal part of a loved one’s living space may now present new dangers with ADRD. Read more
Helping an Older Loved One Stay Cool at Home During the Summer Heat With summer temperatures reaching 90 degrees or over in certain parts of the country, COVID-19 guidelines that recommend staying at home may seem like a blessing. After all, it’s easier to keep cool in a well air-conditioned room than it is outside in the blistering heat. However, staying cool at home isn’t always as easy as it sounds, especially for older adults. According to the CDC, people aged 65 and older are at an increased risk for heat-related health problems such as heat stress, heat intolerance and difficulty regulating body temperature. Read more
Financial Options for Renters and Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19 Every emergency requires a nuanced response, and the impacts of this pandemic, both short-term and long-term, are difficult to anticipate with certainty at this time. However, history demonstrates time and again that those that are most vulnerable even in times of economic and social stability generally suffer the greatest in times of turmoil. For those of us who are struggling to make our mortgage and rental payments, there are resources and up-to-date information available to help. Read more
The Residential Care Transition Module: a single-blinded randomized controlled evaluation of a telehealth support intervention for family caregivers of persons with dementia living in residential long-term care Abstract Background: Families do not fully disengage from care responsibilities following relatives’ admissions to residential long-term (RLTC) care settings such as nursing homes. Caregiver stress, depression, or other key outcomes remain stable or sometimes increase following a relative’s RLTC entry. Some interventions have attempted to increase family involvement after institutionalization, but few rigorous studies have demonstrated whether these interventions are effective in helping families navigate the potential emotional and psychological upheaval presented by relatives’ transitions to RLTC environments. The Residential Care Transition Module (RCTM) provides six formal sessions of consultation (one-to-one and family sessions) over a 4-month period to family caregivers who have admitted a relative to a RLTC setting. Methods: In this embedded mixed methods randomized controlled evaluation, family members who have admitted a cognitively impaired relative to a RLTC setting are randomly assigned to the RCTM (n = 120) or a usual care control condition (n = 120). Primary outcomes include reductions in family members’ primary subjective stress and negative mental health outcomes; secondary role strains; and residential care stress. The mixed methods design will allow for an analysis of intervention action mechanisms by “embedding” qualitative components (up to 30 semi-structured interviews) at the conclusion of the 12-month evaluation. Discussion: This evaluation will fill an important clinical and research gap by evaluating a psychosocial intervention designed for families following RLTC admission that determines whether and how the RCTM can help families better navigate the emotional and psychological challenges of residential care transitions. Read more
Tips to Avoid Foreclosure When we fail to make our mortgage payments, foreclosure may occur. Foreclosure is the legal means that a lender can use to repossess, or take over, a home. When this happens, we must move out of our home. If our property is worth less than the total amount we owe to the bank, a deficiency judgment, which is a ruling made by a court against a borrower who does not have enough funds to pay back their loan, could be pursued against us. If that happens, we not only lose our home, but we also then owe our lender additional fees. Both foreclosures and deficiency judgments could seriously affect our ability to qualify for credit in the future. Read more
Community Eldercare Ecology in China Informed by the social-ecological framework, this book focuses on the development of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in urban China. Bringing a timely discussion around HCBS development in Shanghai, it presents an interplay of formal caregiving relationships, evolving caregiving culture, and the trajectory of long-term care in China. Drawing on surveys, in-depth interviews, and government archives, this book explores the emergence of one of the most developed HCBS programs in Shanghai, its development over the past decade, its administration and services, resource allocation, staff members’ work experiences, older adults’ service experiences, as well as service evaluation and improvements. Offering fresh insight into new forms of caregiving in community settings, and shaping a new discourse on caregiving policy, this book is a key read for both students and practitioners in the fields of long-term care, gerontology, geriatrics, health care, and health policy. Read more
Keeping the Kitchen Safe for a Loved One with Late Stage Dementia The kitchen is the heart of most families' homes. If we have a loved one living with dementia at home, especially in the later stages, we will want to do everything we can to help keep their kitchen as safe as it can be. Read more
Winter Household Maintenance Tasks for Older Adults Winter can be tough on our homes, even if we live in an area that receives little or no snow. If we don’t prepare ahead of time, we may face costly heating and lighting bills or repairs that can drain our budgets, especially if we are retired or on a fixed income. Before going into hibernation mode, there are a few winter home maintenance chores we should attend to. Read more
