The Usage of an Unqualified Person is Truly Abusive

The time we spend in small care programs including assisted living and adult day care allows us to come in contact with tons of home and program managers.  Often the success and reputation of the program is directly tied to the program’s leadership or lack thereof.  As an example in small group home environments we […]

Should Regulators Share Blame for Group Living Ineptness?

For decades the United States of America has made a concerted effort to help the mentally ill and those with developmental limitations to thrive in their communities, in less restrictive settings as opposed to institutional environments.  The days of the “large building housing those special people” were positively impacted by a change in how we […]

Families of Care Recipients Helped with Dose of Realism

None of us can ever imagine a day when we would like to visit someone we love in an extended stay hospital, nursing home or other care facility.  It is especially tough when this person has enjoyed years of freedom and independence.  Unfortunately things change. Strokes, falls, heart disease, immune system disorders and more send those […]

The Challenge for Care Business Owners: “Managing the Damaged Person”

This blog has long been used to voice support for direct care staff.  They are indeed the front-line soldiers who can make the world go round in care.  They provide security and a feeling of support for assisted living residents, home care clients and adult day health care program participants. At hiring we ask them […]

Direct Care Workers You too “Must Meet Halfway”

This blog has been used to discuss the importance of respect for direct care workers, (DCW).  Whether its a DCW in a group living program or a CNA in a nursing home, their very job description and some of the unpleasantness that comes with it demands that they be supported with quality training and ongoing […]

Staff Major Asset in Intergenerational Transition

It might appear odd to the outside observer but it really is not all that unusual for there to be quite an age spread among assisted living residents.  This can be especially true in smaller programs.  How does this happen and why is it successful? Often a family seeking a new residential program may be […]

Increase Staff Competence with Pre Move-in Observations

In this blog we have often spoken about how smaller assisted living/group living programs are enhancing their clinical edge and serving more of the medically fragile including disabled U.S. veterans.  Many of these residents are being discharged from nursing homes.  These discharges have increased under programs such as the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Waiver, […]

Direct Care Staff Should be Well Supervised and Celebrated

In small group living programs the primary care is rendered by the direct care staff.  These soldiers of the operation maintain the home in a sanitary condition, manage some of the most unpleasant personal care responsibilities for residents and document day-to-day activity. To be effective they need to be trained in regulatory compliance and in […]

Be Innovative in Private Duty Home Care

If you were to look at Howard’s storeroom in his office (we used a different name at his request) you might be surprised at what you will find.  Yes there are plenty of forms and a few computers no longer in use but there is more.  You will find boxes of cameras.  That’s right his […]

Effectively and Safely Managing Two-Person Assists in Group Living

Clinical competence is no longer a matter simply applicable for nursing homes.  Even smaller assisted living providers are serving the catastrophically injured and the medically fragile elderly.  As a result there is a greater need for well-trained Resident Care Technicians who can monitor glucose and blood pressure and document activity coherently and intelligently. Additionally many […]