Culture Change in Assisted Living

Published

Specializes in LTC.

Is anyone here going through Culture Change in Assisted Living? If so can you tell me a little about where you are on your journey?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

in the nursing home that i work they have 2 cats, they resident love the animals (i think this idea is a good one). another one is meals, showers. in the place i work they have scheduled showers once a week. if i was living like that i will die, because i take 2 showers a day, in the summer more than. what ever they do i still think is not going to make a difference, a nursing home is a nursing home that is a fact!!!

raquel:nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care and geriatric.

can you define what is "Culture Change in Assisted living?" and may I say to the one shower a week home- PEUW!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

culture change idea is to make nursing home amd assissted living feeling more like home than just a nursing home or assisted living. May you can do a little research on the internet, there are tons of stuff. I hope you find what you're looking for?

best wishes

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

We are slowly working on Culture Change in my community. We've started with grouping sections of rooms and keeping the same caregivers in those sections as much as possible; we are also changing to all-day dining where residents can come to meals any time they like. Some of our longer-term caregivers have been resistant, but personally I'm excited about it.......as a Baby Boomer, I know it's not that many years till I may need assisted living or a nursing home, and I want to be part of the change that will make these places more like home than an institution. JMHO.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care and geriatric.

Already doing it- we started encouraging this about ten years ago- We made larger rooms, opened a library, pet corner, gardening stations where the patients are responsible to care for the pets and plants under supervision, we have play areas for the grandkids, etc., etc.

At first patients are reluctant to bring their home furnishings etc to the nursing home fearing that it is a sign that they are never going home but those who embraced it loved it and those who didn't eventually did.

We put up post boxes next to the doors for mail- internal and external, each unit has a kitchenette that can be furnished with mini-fridge, toaster, microwave etc (no stove top or gas)

All-day dining is unfortunately a no-no, our dietitian and health food regulations do not permit it,. Residents are allowed to bring food to their rooms and we sometimes deliver- special circumstances, we can always obtain a sandwich or yogurt between meals but the dietitian and health food regulations that require disposing of food after a certain time- make that too expensive.

The residents love the coffee machine and juice center, though.

We also bring in lecturers of all topics, and have a program with local schools similar to adopt a grandparent.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion