This article was previously published by Connecticut Post.
by Keila Torres Ocasio
In Bunny Kasper’s travels across the U.S. looking for ways to improve the lives of people in the care of Jewish Senior Services, there was one nursing home model that stood out from the rest — the “household model.” Continue reading “New Nursing Home Designed to Make Seniors Feel at Home”
This article was originally published by The Beryl Institute.
by Steve Shields
We know how it is.
Anyone with a complex medical condition knows the feeling: Your doctor refers you to one or more specialists and therapists, and with each comes a new round of appointments to schedule, forms to fill out and recitations of your medical history, current diagnosis and the medications you’re on to a stranger focused only on one part of your total wellbeing. Continue reading “Contemplating Person Centered Care in the Expanding Continuum”
First impressions are so important, the saying goes, and it holds true for new residents moving into a long-term care home.
The first 24 hours sets the stage for success or failure and can even impact the home’s future census, says Lois Baer, Administrator and RN, Director of Clinical and Regulatory Compliance at LeadingAge Oklahoma (LAO). “If it doesn’t go well, the resident and family members are going to question whether they’ve made a good choice … it can magnify minor issues that may come up later,” she adds. Continue reading “First 24 Hours Paves Way to Resident Satisfaction”
Eating is normal. We all do it everyday. We decide what we want to eat, even down to the moment it goes on our plates. As adults, we eat what we want, when we want to eat it, even if it’s at 3 in the morning.
But in many elder care organizations, that is just not an option. Food is available three times a day, and in many homes, residents choose what they would like to eat three weeks before the food makes it to their plate. Continue reading “Get Back To Normal By Creating Choice In Your Dining Program”
The prevalence of personal alarms in nursing homes can undermine care and even induce falls, warn authors Carmen Bowman, MHS and Theresa Laufmann, RN in the Action Pact workbook, Alarms: The New Deficient Practice? Eliminating Alarms and Preventing Falls by Engaging with Life.
“Staff admit they develop a tolerance for alarms sounding and tend to ignore them or not run so fast anymore,” the authors state. Personalized care often is sacrificed to overreliance on the devices, they add.
Their warning is corroborated by a recent National Public Radio (NPR) report on how “alarm fatigue” has become a top patient-safety concern in hospitals. Continue reading “Alarm Fatigue”
We know a nursing home can be a noisy place and many organizations have been working to reduce the noise, especially of overhead pagers, for example, in an effort to create a calmer environment. But according to a recent study by Dr. Laura Joosse, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, elevated sound levels can also add to the agitation of those living with dementia. Continue reading “Noise in Nursing Homes”
As you set the New Dining Practice Standards in place, you learn you must know the resident really well to truly honor her right to choice and autonomy – that a bowl of rice is not just a bowl of rice for “Mrs. Chu,” the subject of my last post. She’s told you her entire rice ritual including her favorite type of grain, cooking method, accompanying condiments, and way to have it served … all down to the traditional china bowl.
Continue reading “Dietitians: Who better to Advocate for Residents’ Self-Determination?”
Resident choice is a cornerstone of culture change. As we transform our organizations, we are constantly asking ourselves, “How does this promote or honor the residents’ self-determination, preferences and daily pleasures?” This awareness, however, does not mean we don’t still struggle with how to balance these choices against other important concerns, such as resident safety. Continue reading “The Struggle With Choice”
Neighbors blog - from Action Pact 