New formed Family Counsel for Residents in Assisted Living Facility

[Snawdad]

A family member recently initiated a "Family Counsel" meeting open for all family members at this Oregon Assisted Living Facility. Our new meeings was well attended. It was the stated intent of the newly formed "Counsel" to share knowledge, concerns, and hopefully bring about improvements that could effect our aging parent or parents that reside there. This first meeting seemed to empower us as family members by making staff and administration more aware of our expectations of quality of care. Special care was taken to avoid making this a punitive experience for the facility or a "gripe" session for the counsel by emphasizing what the facility was doing right as well and recognizing the talented care givers.

Everyone seemed to have a suggestion to improve conditions but the main areas of concern seemed to center around quality of food and medical supervision. Almost immediate improvements were noticed in the food service. The remaining concerns are perhaps more of an obstacle.

1. How often should the only RN make rounds which include stable residents? Not just resident problems as they come up. (She is the only licensed person in the 80 bed Assisted Living Facility.)There are no cameras to monitor the facility.

2. Medication Aids are not required to be certified. They pass oral medication as well as inject insulin. (licensed CMA's cannot do this)

Should we now push for both CNA and CMA certification?

With the hight turn over and apparent low availability of staff, I don't see how they can comply with this. I realize I can be seen as a "trouble maker" but am planning on especially presenting these two issues? Comments are welcome. Any other "Family Counsel" meetings out there? Thanks. DJS Oregon RN

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

I've heard of resident councils in LTC facilities that I've been to in the past. I was a licensed CNA and CMA for 15 years and worked in a variety of settings. I worked agency and went frequently to assisted living centers and thought they were great places to work except they aren't willing to pay more for licensed staff (besides nurses,and even though they're collecting top dollar per resident). In my opinion the person passing meds should be at least a CMA. I don't know how ALF get away with not having to adhere to the same rules as LTC facilities. I also think that more CNA/CMA's would be willing to work in an ALF if the pay was comparable. As for how often the nurse should do rounds I guess would depend on the needs of the resident? I would think a nurse should poke her head in at least Q 8 hrs but with there being only 1 nurse/80 residents I don't see how that would happen?

[Snawdad]

Helpful insights and info. you share. Thx. for your time. Snawdad