RetirementHomes.com - assisted living

Standards of Care in Long Term Care in Canada

aadmin — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 11:59:49 +0000

Everyone knows that the senior population is growing fast. By 2051 one in four people in the population is likely to be a senior over the age of 65. Yes, this will put a strain on our healthcare system, but this has been known for years yet what has been done to prepare? Very little!

Working in retirement home in Scarborough, Ontario, I see this every day. On a daily basis we get phone calls from social workers and families saying that they need immediate care for a senior. We spend a great deal of time educating families who are told that their loved one is ready for discharge from hospital and they don’t know where to turn. They end up at our home often with very little information and are distressed, confused and frankly without being given the information they need to make an informed decision.

Retirement homes in Canada are now regulated by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) and prior to this many were voluntarily members of ORCA that provided standards of care and regular inspections to ensure quality standards were met. I agree, not all retirement homes are affordable but plenty are, and with tax credits available to seniors living in retirement homes it is a viable choice for today’s seniors. The cost of a bed in a LTC facility is approximately $2875 per month, retirement homes can offer private accommodation for not much more than this. Long Term Care is dealing with much more chronic conditions now than ever before, providing care for our most fragile seniors. Retirement homes are a place of fun and vitality and can be a great option.

Retirement homes will never be the same as living in your own home, but it can be the next best thing – with full activity calendars, nursing staff on hand, accessibility to doctors it can provide the social aspect of life that many of today’s seniors are lacking by living at home alone.

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Everything You Ever Needed to Know About Sundowner's Syndrome

aadmin — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 11:52:53 +0000

When patients experience periods of extreme agitation and confusion between the late afternoon hours and into the evening it is often referred to as 'sundowning' or Sundowners Syndrome. The patient affected will appear confused and agitated, restless. Irritability is often directed towards caregivers or nursing staff. Your patient may also have difficulty sleeping or staying asleep. Scientists are not entirely sure what causes the flare up of symptoms in the evening hours, but since it follows such a predictable pattern, caregivers can take steps to alleviate some of the stress and aggravation connected with this syndrome.

Triggers for Sundowners Episodes

Patients most commonly affected by Sundowners Syndrome are those afflicted with Alzheimer's or dementia, though the symptoms can also appear with other conditions such as degenerative eye conditions. Some medical experts believe Sundowners is closely linked to the natural day and night cycle of the human body and the changing lighting conditions of later afternoon and early evening are often cited as a trigger. Staff shift changes at the nursing home or even simply dinner time can become triggers for an episode during these hours of heightened agitation.

It can be heartbreaking to see your patient suddenly feel the urge to get up and wander, or engage in erratic behavior such as removing all of their clothes in public. Often it is difficult to persuade them from following their course of action. This is when the patient tends to get irritated and at times even violent. Shouting and even lashing out physically is not uncommon in patients afflicted with sundowning. Confusion and memory loss only increase stress on the patient and those that care for them. It is important to remember that unfortunately they seem to have no control over their actions at these times.

Possible Solutions for Sundowners Syndrome

While there is no known cure for Sundowners Syndrome, treating the illness that causes it can go a long way towards alleviating the symptoms. You can observe the patient and find out what will most likely trigger an episode, then work on a solution. If it’s a change in lighting, for example, perhaps an additional lamp will help. If a lot of commotion at certain times of the day, which may occur during a shift change, try to keep it as far from the patient as possible. Since the disorder is linked to sleep disorders as well, a mild sedative may be prescribed to help the patient through these challenging hours. Changes in diet and routine to keep stimulus such as exercise and caffeine intake restricted to the morning hours only can also make a difference.

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6 Ways Nutrition Pros Need to Be Leading Now

aadmin — Wed, 10 Jul 2013 10:29:47 +0000

All the recent emphasis on resident-centered care, liberalizing diets, and implementing QAPI has many food and nutrition professionals wondering, “What is my role in all this?”

In some ways, we will be doing what we’ve always done: working to help people understand the connection between nutritious food and good health. In other ways, we’re being challenged like never before to support positive clinical and emotional outcomes for residents and provide community leadership.

Help lead your community to greater success by:

Teaching people to enjoy healthful eating. The move to liberalize diets requires we create fun, positive educational programs that teach residents and staff about healthy food choices. We can’t assume folks know about nutrition basics; many don’t. Helping people embrace nutritious food and enjoy it is now an essential part of our work. Encourage development of a cooking club, plant a community garden, or "travel the world" together by exploring healthy foods from a variety of ethnic traditions. Use your creativity to promote healthy eating as something desirable, not something "the dietitian says we have to do."
Embracing your changing role in resident-centered dining environments. Change is often emotionally challenging, especially for people who feel they have little control over their environment and life. Stepping out of our clinical focus, taking a more holistic approach, and demonstrating positive attitudes about resident-centered dining will support residents and staff who are struggling to adapt to the changes in our dining rooms.
Honoring resident food preferences. RDs, DTRs, CDMs and chefs need to work together to plan healthy dishes that honor residents’ food preferences. You might not be able to convince a retired rancher to order a plate of tofu stir fry for dinner, but he could be very accepting of some turnip mashed in with his potatoes. Ask residents about healthy foods they already like. Perhaps they've been wishing for a certain vegetable dish or miss red beans and rice for supper. Highlight menu items that already work well, talk them up.
Helping identify issues and solutions. QAPI requires communities identify problems and find preventative, forward-thinking solutions that are systems based. Be an early adopter. When food and nutrition professionals take an active role in the QAPI process, we are better positioned to ensure residents’ mealtime needs are being met, which is a key factor in residents’ well-being and satisfaction.
Creating hospitable dining environments where staff help meet residents' emotional needs and both truly enjoy mealtimes: When the dining room is a pleasant, social place, residents eat better because they are dining for quality of life as well as nutrition. Communities that focus on nurturing genuine hospitality during meals, report fewer residents refusing to eat and lower rates of unexpected weight loss because residents feel more connected in the dining room and staff are more skilled at honoring residents' preferences.
Fostering interdepartmental teamwork. It’s easy to get stuck in our individual orbits, focusing on our own perspective and departmental needs, but the organization-wide changes demanded by QAPI and other new regulatory and industry standards require taking a wider look at the care our communities deliver and teaming up to raise standards. As community leaders, food and nutrition professionals are key influencers. Model and encourage teamwork across departmental lines to help other staff members adopt new, more resident centered, cooperative attitudes and behaviors.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of good nutrition and meeting residents’ social needs at mealtimes. A great deal of their health and well-being depends on what happens at the table. For their sakes, the leadership of food and nutrition professionals matters more than ever.

About the Author

Cindy Heilman, MS, DTR has over 30 years of experience enhancing hospitality and food service quality. She is CEO of Higher Standards, LLC, author of Hospitality for Boomers: How to attract residents, retain staff, and maximize profitability, and creator of Kind Dining® curriculum, her unique program that improves serving staff in senior living communities. She’s active in Oregon’s culture change coalition, has been recognized as Oregon’s Dietetic Technician of the Year, and received the American Dietetic Association (ADA) National Award for Excellence in Dietetic Technology. She speaks, trains, and consults nationally on raising service standards in senior living communities.

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Senior Living Professionals

New Chinese law allows elderly to sue adult children for not visiting

aadmin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:33:41 +0000

The Silver Wave is often seen as a Western phenomenon, but many countries around the world are experiencing aging populations. One nation seeing a significant graying of its residents is China, home to 1.4 billion citizens, and these demographic changes are creating new challenges for the country’s government.

As recently reported by Bloomberg News, Chinese officials are moving forward with plans to allow the country’s senior citizens to sue their adult children for not visiting enough.

Currently numbering more than 200 million strong, China’s elderly will have the law at their disposal beginning July 1, and they will be able to sue their children for neglect.

“Old people left alone at home are very lonely and lack both physical and psychological care, so it's actually better to live in a home like ours where we have people to care for them,” according to Yang Youling, director of the Xiyanghong Elderly Home in the city of Qufu.

Yang told the news source that despite the benefits of assisted living communities in China, many seniors in the country see their move into such homes as not being in their best interests, and so this new regulation will give them the ability to voice their concerns more loudly.

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Toronto Nuns Go Green in Retirement

aadmin — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:21:48 +0000

For 58 elderly nuns in Toronto, Canada, a fitting retirement is at hand. They have selflessly cared for the poor, sick and disadvantaged for a lifetime, now they are receiving a well-deserved thanks in retirement.

Even after a working life the sisters can contribute with a prayer partner, contact new immigrants to offer advice or assist staff and visitors.

The retirement building where they live is deemed by the Toronto Star to be "a marvel of modernity, built to the highest standards of environmental sensitivity: solar panels, rain-collection barrels, geothermal heating and cooling, a green roof and even permeable pavers in the parking lot to reduce water runoff."

The Sisters of St. Joseph wanted a building with proximity to nature to enliven their work and prayer lives. The views from the rooms are expansive and accessible to the smells and sounds of nature.

“We wanted simplicity,” Sister Margaret Myatt told The Star. “We wanted it to be as green a building as possible, to respect nature, and to be efficient and sustainable.”

The 4-story building has a ground floor area with a lobby. The second and third floors are utilized as a care center for residents. The top floor is an assisted-living area for the nuns.

In 1891, the Sisters of St. Joseph of founded St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto which has become an internationally-renowned health care facility. As well, they founded Toronto's St. Joseph's Hospital.

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Digital Care Promises a Brighter Future for Elderly Care

aadmin — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:05:40 +0000

Digital innovations are growing in acceptance as a legitimate tool to care for elderly people and to assist caregivers.

According to The Guardian, O2, a telecommunications and internet giant in the United Kingdom is reaching out to older adults. Until now, O2 has focused on smartphones. It's project, is aimed at families fretting about the health of their parents.

For a $150 USD down payment plus $30 a month, an older person receives a mobile device connected to a 24/7 support center, four preset numbers, a built-in alert and GPS to locate a person who has fallen or wandered.

The Guardian called it a watershed in the assistive technology market offering a mobile solution for consumers.

The British government has already endorsed O2's package. It has launched a program for 3 million people over five years. Prime Minister David Cameron declared: "We've trialed it, it's been a huge success and now we're on a drive to roll this out nationwide."

In Leeds, England, where O2's new product was tested, there has been a personal saving of $3,520 USD a year in care costs. Assistive technology could be a key feature of the United Kingdom's health care system.

Assisted Living and Continuing Care residences in the USA often equip residents with assistive living devices to help with traditional care.

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Commune for Seniors Goes Beyond Materialism

aadmin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:11:56 +0000

The Fellowship Community’s adult home offers a wealth of opportunities for an aging population looking for an alternative to traditional assisted living retirement.

Located in Chesnut Ridge, New York, bordering New Jersey, and only 30 miles from Manhattan, the commune-like setting maintains a farm, a dairy barn with 10 cows, a candle shop, a print shop, a metal shop, a wood shop, and a pottery studio.

ABCNews describes the community as a collection of about 130 men, women and children. Founded in 1966 it's a setting for seniors and aging baby boomers.

A Part of Life - Birth and Death

Administrator Ann Scharff told ABCNews: "We provide a space in which people can prepare to die in a way that is accepted and nourishing to them and fraught with meaning.” Scharff added “it’s not something you run away from, but it’s part of the whole spectrum of life, just as birth is part of life and is prepared for.”

The commune is based on Rudolf Steiner's principles of anthroposophy centered on inner development for those who wish to bring their inner work to benefit the wider world. Some residents enter The Fellowship with a firm grasp of Steiner's philosophy; others learn it over time.

Going Beyond Materialism

Helpers assist the elderly with meals, bathing, and medication. Rather than expecting to being catered-to residents, the seniors help maintain the grounds, do farm work and contribute to the commune's sustainability.

Will Bosch, head of the community's board of trustees told ABCNews, "Communal life and work appeals to people who are dismayed with the materialism of the world and are trying to get above it."

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Researchers find new way to boost brain power in elderly

aadmin — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 15:32:33 +0000

There are many ways to a longer, healthier life: physical exercise, mental workouts, and a strong network of friends and family. But a new article from WebMD.com says a positive outlook on life can have a powerful impact on someone’s mental health, for anyone ranging from seniors in an assisted living community to those living at home.

WebMD.com reports that the researchers, who reported their findings in the medical journal Cognition and Emotion, did not expect that the impact of having a positive attitude would be so pronounced among older people.

“But because of the [mental] declines that come with aging, we weren't sure that a good mood would be able to help older adults,” Ellen Peters, one of the study’s authors, wrote in a press release, according to WebMD.com. “So these results are good news.”

In a series of tests, the researchers split participants into two groups, and one group was given small bags of candy, and looked at positive images, while the other group saw neutral images. The researchers found that the group who received the bag of candy responded much better in decision-making later on, leading the scientists to draw a connection between a positive attitude and better mental faculties.

What do you do to keep your mind healthy and strong? Tell us about it in the comment section below:

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Customer Service Oversight! Three Mistakes That Can Cause a Poor Experience

aadmin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:54:47 +0000

It’s safe to assume that healthcare professionals don’t look for ways to produce a poor customer/patient experience, but in reality, negative patient experiences and perceptions occur all too often, and in many cases, you may not even be aware that you are causing them.

Indeed, there are some big—but completely avoidable—mistakes that cause poor customer service. Keep the following three mistakes in mind, and be sure you never make them!

Mistake #1: Treating sick people like they’re not people. There’s a difference between acknowledging and taking precautions to avoid contagious disease, and then there’s treating a patient purely as a case number. We already know that sick people aren’t at their best when they come to a healthcare setting, so make that extra effort to ease their pain and discomfort. It could be as simple as a smile and a reaffirming statement like, “we are going to do our best to get you better.”
Mistake #2: Forgetting that a curtain or closed door doesn’t prevent patients from hearing your conversations. Be mindful of others who can hear what you are saying, especially if you are talking about things that might make them feel worse than they already do. It may seem like a casual conversation with your co-worker, but a patient who hears something like, “I can’t wait until my shift is over so I can get away from here!” or “If I see one more case of this flu strain, I think I may barf myself” will not be comforted or feel good about their time at your facility.
Mistake #3: Talking about patients in a patient setting. You never know who might be listening to your conversation when you’re in a patient setting. Sharing personal and private details about a patient in a public setting where others can hear (i.e., “that patient was 90 pounds overweight.” “Did you see how she took her time getting on the scale?”) is never professional and will likely always result in a bad customer experience. Even if patients don’t know the person you might be talking about, they may assume you will be just as vocal about them when they leave.

Remember, although these mistakes my seem like common sense things to avoid, it’s all-too-often that they happen. Make a conscious effort to avoid these mistakes, and you will be on your way to helping your customers feel truly grateful for your care and service.

“One customer well taken care of could be more valuable than $10,000 worth of advertising.”
—Jim Rohn

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Pennsylvania seniors go tobogganing

aadmin — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:10:25 +0000

Do you ever feel nostalgic about your youth, or feel that you had the most fun as a child, and the experience is gone forever? If so, take heed from a group of Pennsylvania seniors, who recently went tube tobogganing.

As reported by the New England Cable News, the group of seniors, all of whom are residents of Bethany Village Retirement Community, a Pennsylvania assisted living community outside of the state capital of Harrisburg.

Based on feedback from the seniors, the outing was a big success.

“I had a bad knee, and the doctor said I couldn't do this,” one Bethany Village resident and trip regular Mary Murphy, told the news source. “I don't care about the doctor now. When you're this old, what the heck!”

One of the oldest participants in the excursion was 95 year-old Nancy Bomboy, who is a regular participant. In the spring, the group from Bethany Village goes water rafting on the Yellow Breeches Creek, part of Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River.

What do you think? Are there any aspects of your childhood or youth that you wish you could experience again, and if so, is there a reason you aren’t able to re-experience them at an older age? Tell us about it in the comment section below.

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