I don’t remember their names or all they did, but I can still see the faces of the certified nursing aides who provided care to my mother when she was in a nursing home. Mostly, the people providing the day-to-day caring for my mother were young, probably in their twenties or thirties, female, and African American. I wish I could state that they all took excellent care of my mom, but there were a few workers who were either cruel or benign in their care. Luckily, my sister and I were able to visit our mom every day and we got to know the certified nursing aides well, intervening as needed.

Innovation in the long-term care setting can take many forms. It can be a novel technology, an inventive volunteer program, or an innovative training class. No matter what the offering is, the willingness to try something new to benefit elders in the long-term care setting is always worth attempting.