Caring with Confidence

In this episode, the medical professionals Roslyn Compton, Erin Yakiwchuk, and Deb Schick shed light on the complex and often controversial use of antipsychotic medications in long-term care. When are they appropriate, and what are the risks? How can families navigate these decisions? We explore how these medications are prescribed, the pressure families may face from physicians, and why informed consent and patient-centred advocacy are crucial. Join us for a candid conversation on the ethical and clinical challenges of antipsychotic use in older adults and how we can better support safe, respectful care.

In this episode the BetterLTC team works alongside Victoria Alcuaz, a Regional Clinical Nurse Specialist for the Frail Elderly Older Adult Network at Fraser Health Authority in Vancouver, BC. With a background in critical care and a passion for adult education, Victoria has turned her focus to long-term and older adult care, especially in the wake of COVID-19. She discusses the growing care gaps for older adults across emergency, ICU, and long-term care settings, and how ageism and outdated systems often render elderly patients invisible. Victoria explores how current models of care fall short, highlighting the need for community-driven, equitable, and whole-person approaches. Her work bridges hospital and community care, prioritizing patient safety and advocacy. Through her insights and field experience, we explore what it truly means to listen to the individuals at the heart of care and why Canada’s approach to older adult care needs urgent reform.

Infections in older adults are often over-treated or under-diagnosed contributing to the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics and poor health outcomes. Today we explore antimicrobial resistance and stewardship with our colleagues who have expertise in this area. 

Opioid stewardship provides an organized framework to reduce risks while preserving effective pain management through safe prescribing and education (Holowaty et al., 2024). This approach is essential in long-term care, where homes must balance pain control with substance use risks as they increasingly care for younger residents alongside older adults. In this podcast, we delve into these topics with the BetterLTC team and inpatient pharmacist Kelsey Dumont to highlight critical issues such as the need for destigmatizing language, exploring and understanding family fears about opioid addiction, and the balancing of pain management with quality of life. 

Building on the theme of opioid stewardship, we explore balanced pain management strategies with Janelle Kuyak - Canada's first dedicated opioid stewardship nurse navigator, and inpatient pharmacist Kelsey Dumont. In today’s podcast, we will explore complex challenges including developing practical solutions for chronic pain management, improving care transitions between home and hospital settings, and creating balanced approaches to opioid use in end-of-life care.

Continue on to episode 2 with Dr. Roslyn Compton and the BetterLTC team as they blast right into tackling the challenges of UTIs in long-term care facilities! Further discussion on common misconceptions of UTI positive urine, appropriate antibiotic use, and interprofessional communication is explored!