Elizabeth Galik

Oct 9, 2024 | caringfortheages.com | Elizabeth Galik

When I first started working as a nurse in post-acute and long-term care in the mid-1990s, I had the pleasure of collaborating with an Episcopal priest who tended to the spiritual needs of the residents through nondenominational services, friendly visits, and coordination of visits and services with a large variety of religious community partners.

Feb 27, 2024 | caringfortheages.com | Elizabeth Galik

I am in the thick of it now, and honestly, I don’t know how I am surviving. But the sun continues to rise every day and with it, brings new challenges and new responsibilities. Over the past four years, I have served as a caregiver for both of my aging parents who have been in declining health. For the first several years of this care, I stepped in to provide support with specific tasks and to help navigate acute exacerbations of chronic health conditions.

Jan 1, 2024 | caringfortheages.com | Elizabeth Galik

With the 2023 deaths of former First Lady Rosalyn Carter and former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor we lost two strong and knowledgeable advocates for family caregivers. Rosalyn Carter championed improving access to care and decreasing stigma for individuals living with mental health conditions and their family caregivers. Mrs.

Sep 28, 2023 | caringfortheages.com | Elizabeth Galik

I’m just calling to let you know that Mr. Hayes fell again. The nursing assistant found him on the floor in the hallway this afternoon. He didn’t hurt himself, and his vital signs are OK. He has fallen four times in the past month. I know that you just evaluated him one week ago, but I was hoping that you might have some other ideas to keep him from falling.”A phone call about a resident who is sustaining recurrent falls is one that practitioners in post-acute and long-term care dread.

Mar 2, 2023 | caringfortheages.com | Elizabeth Galik

I commonly assess and treat symptoms of pain in individuals living with dementia in my clinical practice. The treatment plans that I develop are typically guided by the following three elements: 1) An assessment process to identify the type, intensity, and behavioral and functional manifestations of pain. 2) A review of the effectiveness and adverse consequences of past treatment for pain.