Description

---

In Why Is Grandma Screaming?, Barbara Speedling opens a provocative conversation on the impact of the changing demographics in long term care on quality of life for those being served. Access to mental health facilities, homeless shelters and other public or residential services for people of all ages with mental illness, substance abuse issues, complicated social circumstances and other complex needs has dwindled in a wounded economy. The nursing home environment is fast becoming an uncomfortable mix of ages, circumstances, and medical and psychiatric needs. Advances in medicine have added years to the average life span, with little attention given to ensuring that those added years are worth living for those who live dependently in our nation's nursing homes. After many years of observing and interacting with dependent people, Speedling offers practical guidance for transforming a one-size-fits-all nursing home into a quality living environment for every individual.

About the Author

---

Barbara Speedling, Quality of Life Specialist, is a New York based quality management consultant who provides education and training to community, residential and long-term care service providers around the country in the development of programs and services to meet a broad range of special needs. Guidance is offered in maintaining regulatory compliance and improving the quality of care and quality of life of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, mental illness, brain injury and complex psychosocial needs. In keeping with the core values of person-centered care, Barbara works closely with providers to evaluate and develop individualized approaches to the behavioral and psychosocial needs of their clients. Built on the belief that quality of life will be defined differently for each individual, this approach offers a fresh perspective on assessment and care planning for those with special needs and challenging behavior. As an educator on meeting the psychosocial and behavioral challenges of varied populations, Barbara has earned a reputation for helping caregivers to think differently about the people they care for. Over time, she has applied her understanding of human behavior to education and training programs designed to support leadership and organizational development, cultural intelligence and empathetic approaches to care and treatment. Her experience spans admissions, marketing and public relations, patient advocacy, quality management and community outreach. She has helped many facilities develop specialized programs and environments designed to overcome a broad range of psychosocial challenges.