CARP Ottawa, as noted in previous blog posts, is advocating for transformative culture change. This post will be the first of three that describes what this actually means along with the key messages detailing what elements are necessary to bring this change to fruition and improve quality care and quality of life for residents in long-term care homes in Ontario.
Transformative culture change means:
- Using a relationship-based approach to care where residents, staff and families feel part of a community and are treated with dignity and respect;
- Setting up small home-like environments;
- Providing more hours of direct care for residents;
- Employing full time, well-paid staff, who are trained in empathy and culture change;
- Recognizing families and caregivers as integral members of the team:
- Engaging volunteers who are trained in empathy and culture change.
Key messages have been developed for staff and volunteers, infrastructure, inspections, and families/caregivers. All the key messages need to be operationalized within a transformative culture change approach in which quality care is understood within a relationship-based environment where residents, staff, volunteers, and families are treated with dignity and respect and feel part of a community. The key messages will appear in the next two blog posts.
My mother has most of this in Sunnyside in Kitchener but they still need more qualified RN and Rna’s On duty and more regular hours for the terrific PSW workers. I feel all long term care homes should be non-profit and associated with hospitals and checked in person regularly by a qualified trained nurse or doctor.
Thank you for your comment Janet.
Having volunteered at our local Chartwell Nursing Home, I know that they are already using volunteers and family members to create a loving environment. I do agree that there are many changes to be made, however, for the mental and physical health of all the residents. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for your comment Monica.
I was pleased to read your report “Kudos for the On….” My Mother has been in LTC, Schlegel home, for 4 years, and from day 1 I saw and realized there was a staffing shortage. If issues were brought up to Management, I was threatened with a Trespassing order and that I would not be allowed in the home. Issues occurred often, such as leaving residents wet and/or soiled for very long time, those who needed assistance for toileting were left waiting sometimes for 1 hour before someone could get to them, thereby forcing residents to become incontinent. Placing a plate of food in front of a resident who needs feeding, sometimes 30 minutes before someone stops by to put a spoonful of food in their mouth. Residents can’t help it but become depressed, isolated, neglected, lack of physical contact, lack of compassion and empathy.
Please keep up the cause and if I can be of any help, lease let me know. I am currently working with CARP Chapter 7, Windsor, ON LTC Transformative Committee.
Best Wishes,
Anne Dube
Thanks for your comments and apologies for the delay in responding. We are pleased to be working with the Windsor Chapter.
Thanks for your comments and apologies for the delay in responding to you. We are pleased to be working with the Windsor Chapter.