WCO Blog

Great ideas on changing education to fit the student. Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education | Video on TED.com

Several career paths open up when you become a Certified Nurse Aide, and this week we’re taking a closer look at one of the most in-demand positions, the Home Health Aide (this course is only available in KS for now.) Home Health Aides fill a valuable role in the personal care spectrum. A Home Health […]

Like the CMA (Medication Aide), a Restorative Aide is a skill and a job classification that builds on a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide). Restorative Aides work with individuals who need physical therapy or other restorative treatment. Their primary duty is to address range-of-motion and mobility issues that can impact a person’s life and lifestyle. Because […]

Continuing our look at career options for students of our classes, we’re taking a closer look at the Medication Aide class this week. Medication Aide is one of our only classes that requires any previous training. Students must already be a licensed Certified Nurse Aide/Assistant before starting the Medication Aide class. The class is currently […]

This afternoon I had the pleasure of delivering an impressive Valentine’s Day arrangement to a resident. She had been quietly enjoying her Saturday, which consisted mostly of sitting in her recliner watching television and waiting for dinner. Suddenly, though, I popped around the corner holding a lovely bouquet from the local florist. It was an […]

This week, we continue our look at career options for students of our classes, we’re taking a closer look at the Social Service Designee class this week. Social Service Designees work to make sure that the social, spiritual, and emotional needs of long term care residents are being met. In a large facility with a […]

This is the first of an ongoing series that explores the career options for students of our classes. To begin, we’ll take a closer look at the Activity Director class. Activity Directors are the people who plan group and solo activities for residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities. State licensing requirements for […]

(Note from WCO: The article from the New York Post, below, quotes one of our associate facilities, Meadowlark Hills’ Steve Shields, Manhattan, KS.)  If you have a relative in a nursing home, you’ve probably had variants of these conversations: Visitor: How’s my father doing today?Aide: Which one is your father? Or: Visitor: Is my mother’s […]

As the holidays draw near, we’re inundated with requests for giving. Stores want your money, family and work want your time, and it seems there’s never quite enough of either to go around. There are the parties, the school and church functions, and a hundred other things competing for your attention. You want to do […]

Addictions come in many forms, and bear many different levels of social stigma. While needing a jolt of caffeine in the morning might be seen as a mild annoyance, a prescription drug addiction can be devastating. Addictions run the gamut from substances to experiences–overeating and gambling can be just as addictive as hard drugs, and […]

There are many factors that can cause depression. Moving from an independent setting to managed care is a big step, and despite the best efforts of staff and family members, the change of circumstance can bring on a strong case of the blues. Seniors are also more prone to experience the loss of close friends […]

As we move into the holiday season, and the days grow shorter and grayer, many residents may find themselves feeling a bit down an lonely. Here are five simple things you can do to brighten a resident’s day and keep the loneliness at bay. 1. Take the resident on an outing. Something as simple as […]