Caring for the Ages

A few years ago, Sandie Yeaman re-ceived an unexpected request while visiting a friend’s mother, Gwen, in a memory care unit. “It’s Christmas, and I am stuck here. I cannot leave,” Gwen said feistily. “Will you go present-shop-ping for me?” ? So Sandie did. She knew Gwen’s family well, and this helped her choose a few items that she thought they would like, and she brought them to the facility. While reviewing her selections with Gwen in the community space, Sandie noticed that other residents took interest. “I want you to go shopping for me, too!” “And me!” “Me too! I have seven grandchildren.” ? Her goodwill even-tually became an organization, which she named in Gwen’s memory. Now in its sixth year, Gwen’s Gift offers older adults in long-term care in the Omaha, NE, area an opportunity to actively par-take in Christmas festivities again. ? Learn more in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue: https://lnkd.in/eZrs9gvA ? Written by our previous managing editor, Anna Boyum, PhD, CMPP!

TV commercials for drugs are part of what is know as “direct-to-consumer” advertising, a type of advertising that is only legal in two countries: the United States and New Zealand. ? These ads often depict people whose lives are transformed by a medication, and they can be seductive, particularly if you aren’t listening to the long list of side-effects at the end. If you are curious about a drug you saw on TV for yourself or for a loved one, talk to your health care provider. They can help you understand why this drug is being advertised, if there are any side effects or drug interactions to be aware of, and if the medication is likely to help your specific health profile. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e-Mj57tb ? ??: Ron Lach?from?Pexels

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Dr. Shauna Assadzandi shares a moving reflection on the unique fears and traumas same-sex couples face in memory care and questions how we can better support such partners: https://lnkd.in/eeYY6SZA ? ??: Alexander Caminada, Age Positive Image Library

In his latest column, Dr. Jerald Winakur reflects on private equity firms and the changing state of healthcare: https://lnkd.in/eakAwv6P ? ??: Jeremy beadle on Unsplash

? Nursing homes are thought to be rife with unnecessary antibiotic use which may contribute to adverse drug effects, antibiotic resistance, and increased costs. ? Although many recognize the goal of judicious an-tibiotic use, achieving it is difficult in the nursing home. ? This 2020 study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society asks: Can a standardized, multifaceted antibiotic stewardship quality im-provement program (with training for staff and medical providers, posters, algorithms, communica-tion guidelines, informational bro-chures, and quarterly and annual re-ports) reduce the rate of antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes? ? Learn more in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue: https://lnkd.in/edKa9ft9 ? ??: HalGatewood?from?pixabay

We loved interviewing Meg LaPorte about her co-founded initiative Art Against Ageism! Read about her work, and what you can do to combat #ageism through art in your facility here: https://lnkd.in/e5iSCNBh

Do #dementia special care units truly have good outcomes, or do we just think that they do? ? Our editor in chief Elizabeth Galik investigates in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue: https://lnkd.in/eakAwv6P ? ??: Steven Hwg on Unsplash

We are so grateful for all of the wonderful nurse practitioners out there - thank you for all you do! Happy #NPWeek from PALTmed! #NursePractitionerWeek

While direct-to-consumer marketing may help start important conversations about vari-ous conditions and help inform consum-ers about treatment options, they can put prescribers between a rock and a hard place when patients or family members request or demand a medication they see on TV, thinking it will be the answer to their problems. ? Learn more about how you can respond to patients who want a specific drug they saw on TV in our Nov/Dec 2024 issue: https://lnkd.in/ev6FR73W ? ??: shvetsa on pexels