“A ray of hope flitters in the sky, a tiny star lights up way up high.” “When a child is born” is my favorite Christmas song. There is something about this beautiful song that has brought me comfort (and...
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Reducing Loneliness and Depression: The Power of Peer Mentoring in Long-term Care Theurer et al. (2020) Loneliness is all around us. It is linked with depression and is arguably one of the most critical health issues facing our society....
Getting a flu shot matters. “Flu and pneumonia are a critical health concern, and in recent years have resulted in over 50,000 deaths annually, making it the eighth-leading cause of death, just behind diabetes,” says Alison Bryant, Ph.D., senior...
You may never have heard of a city called Port Alberni. It is beautiful—located on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia, Canada and almost completely surrounded by mountains. While Port Alberni might not be as well known...
Last week I attended the opening of a new beautiful small community, set in a peaceful neighbourhood. It is a place where people living with dementia can live a full life in cottage-style households. This is The Village Langley...
Thank you, Revera! This week Java Music, a peer support program, was shipped to all Revera retirement communities across Canada—giving staff evidence-based tools to engage residents and help target social isolation and loneliness. In an effort the enhance resident’s...
Nevada Rural Counties RSVP Program’s (RSVP) Respite Care Program meets the basic needs of caregivers who are faced with the daunting task of providing 24/7 care for elder Nevadans, Veterans and persons living with a disability. This vital assistance...
By Kristine Theurer, PhD “If it doesn’t help my bottom line, I’m not interested.” I was having a brief chat at a conference with a CEO who operates 10 senior living homes, explaining how peer support and mentoring reduces...
Loneliness is everywhere. Peer support – residents helping resident – is a cost effective and powerful approach to ending loneliness in senior living. Yet in the search for a solution, peer support is often overlooked. How can we create...
“The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.” – Rachel Naomi Remen Being a good listener is not...