We're on the MOVE to end Alzheimer's
September 2010
2010 Memory Walk
Saturday, September 25, 2010
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.; Registration and walk
11:00 a.m.; Post-walk program
Three Rivers Park District-Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Bloomington, MN
You can be the kind of person who changes the future for more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer's, and nearly 10 million more serving as caregivers.
Along with many local PHS community events, you can join a PHS team or sponsor a walker in the 2010 The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk® This walk is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer's disease. Since 1989, Memory Walk has raised more than $300 million for the cause. Last year, PHS raised over $50 thousand toward research to treat and prevent Alzheimer's, and programs to improve the lives of millions of Americans.
All Memory Walk donations benefit the Alzheimer's Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. The mission of the Alzheimer's Association is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
When you join a team or sponsor a walker for the Memory Walk, you're joining a nationwide community of thousands of people who are standing up and participating in the fight against this devastating disease.
Ask your community Activity Director how to get involved or donate, or go to http://www.alz.org/memorywalk/.
The Practice of "Rounding"
August 2010
A hallmark of the Presbyterian Homes & Services’ management principle is high visibility at all levels: frequent visits, informal interactions, and “open-door plus” practices. Earlier this year we began the process of “rounding”, a practice used by a number of health care providers. In most of our communities, PHS managers started rounding with employees and are planning to implement the same system for residents and families later this Fall.
Rounding is a structured, deliberate, and proactive leadership approach designed to optimize visibility and strengthen relationships. It has a two-pronged approach: one aimed at employees and the other aimed at residents and families. Ultimately rounding is a means to better care for and serve our residents, and provides for effective, two-way communication.
One-to-one conversation between a PHS manager and a resident, family member or employee helps us understand what is going well and what needs improvement. The information received through rounding is used as a part of our annual planning process to gauge satisfaction and to guide objectives and priorities for the next year.
In addition to visibility, rounding can be described as a tool for:
- Accountability – helping staff know their role and expectations
- Communication – providing a mechanism to build relationships and direct communication
- Learning – allowing for continuous learning and constructive feedback
- Coaching – presenting opportunities to lead by example
At its heart, rounding seeks to cultivate deeper relationships with staff, residents, families and volunteers so that they feel free to communicate their needs. It also creates an openness based on trust, and fosters the sharing of valuable information. Rounding is one way that PHS lives out its mission and demonstrates a Christian culture that values people.
Staying on your Feet –The Wings Wellness Way
The WINGS Wellness Team
July 2010
As we grow older, our bones age and may become more brittle and prone to break. It is especially important for older adults to avoid falling. Studies show that the following three measures combined have the largest impact on decreasing falls.
~ Group exercise
~ Addressing home hazards
~ Addressing vision problems
Our Wings Wellness Directors currently offer classes which focus on Balance and Posture and also talk about eliminating risks in the resident’s home. Balance classes are typically small and mix exercise to improve function with discussion on safety measures. Residents work on improving core and lower body strength. They also work on flexibility and posture.
The best exercise is sometimes the simplest. People with poor balance and weak lower body muscles often fall when trying to stand from a seated position. A key element in most balance classes is the “Sit to Stand” motion which, when repeated several time s in a row, improves both strength and balance.
We have been finding ways to assist in our residents goal of improving their mobility and stability for some time. In 2008, Avalon Square and Kirkland Crossing staff partnered with Health Reach Physical Therapy to pilot a nine-week balance program, in which 40 of our residents showed marked improvement as demonstrated by scores on the Berg Balance test. Since then, the class has been a regular feature on their calendar. Several of our staff have also been trained in “A Matter of Balance” which employs evidence based methods to improve wellness and prevent falls. They will begin offering eight week classes for residents this summer.
If you have questions please don’t hesitate to contact your Wings Wellness staff.
Liberty™ comes to Assisted Living
Sharon Klefsaas, Executive Director of Operations
June 2010
Based on the success of Liberty Personally Designed Living™ in our care centers. PHS is introducing Liberty in all 27 assisted living (AL) communities. This will extend personalized choices for daily living along with the variety of floorplans, enhanced menus, and various services packages available in these living options.
Let me explain the differences between a traditional AL model and Liberty. In traditional AL and AL memory care, an older adult’s life is shaped to fit into existing structure and schedule of services that, although meeting their needs and wants, are designed for the efficiency of the staff and operations. Dining times may be determined by staffing patterns. Care is scheduled by the availability of Resident Assistant. A resident’s day may begin and end at specific times based on the most efficient way to schedule staff.
Liberty empowers an older adult living in AL or AL memory care to make their own decisions and continue to lead their own life they way they wish. Residents get up in the morning and go to bed when they choose. They receive their personal cares when they wish, within the context of a community setting. They enjoy meals in the dining room from early morning until evening and can select from a menu of daily specials and made-to-order items. Residents have exercise options and a variety of activities are generated by resident suggestions.
Staff is trained to nurture and celebrate the uniqueness of each resident. Consistent resident-staff assignments increase the consistency of personal care because staff understand the way each resident prefers their care.
We also nurture and maximize individual talents by sharing a spiritual focus and applying the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment. We hope that Liberty in Assisted Living and Assisted Living Memory Care enriches each resident’s life in the manner in which they prefer.