Original post available here. One day, while working as a clinical psychologist in a primary care practice, I was asked by the family doctor scheduled to meet that morning with Lisa, a 72-year-old woman with moderate dementia, to stop by and see her 75-year-old husband, Dennis, for counseling for possible depression. Within the hour, I […]
Living with Bipolar Disorder: Empowering Caregivers with Information and Professional Support
3 minute read Bipolar Disorder is as difficult for the patient as it is a challenge for their family. Just when you believe everything is going well, you encounter a “bump in the road” and you are off in a different direction. You as the caregiver must understand that these changes in behavior are biological […]
Helping a Husband Be More Than a “Pillar of Strength”
Original post available here. One day, while working as a clinical psychologist in a primary care practice, I was asked by the family doctor scheduled to meet that morning with Lisa, a 72-year-old woman with moderate dementia, to stop by and see her 75-year-old husband, Dennis, for counseling for possible depression. Within the hour, I […]
Doing the Work: The Power of Relationship-Based Care
5 minutes How are helping professionals coping in the waning days of the pandemic? Signs of burnout are everywhere. One in three nurses reportedly plan to leave their jobs. Physicians, especially hospitalists, are wracked by moral injury. Behavioral health workers are being crushed by the press of people seeking help for depression, anxiety, and substance […]
RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council: An Open Letter
Dear RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council You are the Dream Team of family caregiving innovators, the all-stars of our fiercest advocates. Since President Trump signed the RAISE Family Caregivers Act in January 2018, mandating the creation of an Advisory Council to devise a national strategy for supporting family caregivers, we’ve been awaiting your anointment […]
Broadening the Scope of Patient-Centric Docs
Physician greets older male patient. Physician greets patient’s adult daughter. Physician asks about patient’s conditions. Physician asks for daughter’s input. Physician does physical examination. Physician makes recommendations and writes scripts. Physician asks patient and daughter if they have questions. A very normal-sounding outpatient medical visit, right? What could possibly be wrong with this picture? For […]