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Contents
for Fall 1998 “On Guard” Newsletter
NURSING HOMES FAIL
TO POST SURVEY REPORTS
REDUCED ENFORCEMENT
BY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
NURSING HOME CULTURE CHANGE
JOIN US FOR A FORUM ON NURSING HOME CULTURE CHANGE
Conference Schedule
NURSING HOME CULTURE
CHANGE
When we speak about culture, we mean a system of shared behaviors,
values, and beliefs. A nursing home has its own culture-the way
a facility looks, how decisions are made, how money is spent, and
how the home sees its mission.
"Culture change" transforms nursing home culture from sterile, medical
facilities where people happen to live, to homelike, community residences
where people get medical care.
This movement challenges how care is traditionally provided. It
makes us question whether things have to be the way they are. The
small group of visionary providers called "Pioneers" have shown
us that things can be different.
They have created nursing homes with:
many small units or "houses" where involved residents, staff, and
families make decisions, including how to spend the house budget;
lots of plants, many pets, children’s day care on site, and local
theater and dance companies using the facility day room for rehearsals;
residents who can decide for themselves when they eat, sleep, and
bathe; fewer administrators and more direct care staff, who are
given greater freedom over how they do their job and greater responsibility
for doing it well.
daily community meetings that foster connections between residents
and staff and between the nursing home community and the wider community
surrounding it.
Sounds challenging? For this
transformation to happen, the process must involve administrators,
social workers, residents, advocates, families, and direct care
staff. It needs a vision, shared values, a willingness to change
and to commit to a long and difficult process. Yet, many families
are asking nursing home operators to make the effort because this
is the kind of nursing home they want for their relatives.
For an introduction to nursing home culture change, attend FRIA’s
informational forum. See next page for details.
JOIN US FOR A FORUM ON NURSING HOME CULTURE CHANGE
"Creating a regenerative community within the long
term care environment"
AN INFORMATIONAL FORUM ON WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 1998
Featuring Barry Barkan and Debora Cushman Barkan, pioneers of culture
change in nursing homes.
A program for families, providers, unions and advocates
The Equitable Towers, 787 Seventh Ave (at 51st St), 49 th Floor
____________________________________________________________________
About the presenters... Barry Barkan is Director of Live Oak Institute
and CEO Regenerative Health Systems, Inc. He has been working for
over 20 years to transform the culture of nursing homes into a more
resident-centered environment. Deborah Cushman Barkan is Vice President
for Human Resources for Regenerative Health Systems, Inc. She had
primary responsibility for implementing the regenerative community
model at the Live Oak Living Center. Catherine Unsino, CSW, is a
nursing home consultant, staff development specialist, psychotherapist
and Alzheimer’s consultant as well as a national speaker on transformation
of the nursing home.
___________________________________________________________________
Forum sponsored in cooperation with:
FRIA - Friends and Relatives of Institutionalized Aged
Alzheimer’s Association ? Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and
Disabled ?
Department for the Aging of New York City? District 1115 Service
Employees
International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC ? Families and Friends Councils
of Kateri
Residence and of Throgs Neck Extended Care ? Nassau County Ombudsman
Program ?
National Association of Social Workers: New York City and New York
State
Chapters ? New York Association of Homes and Services for Aging
? New York
City Ombudsman Program ? New York State Health Facilities Association
? New
York State Nurses Association ? Nursing Home Community Coalition
of New York
State? Suffolk County Ombudsman Program ? Westchester County Ombudsman
Program
? Women’s City Club of New York
This program has been approved by NASW-New York State for 3.0 contact
hours
approval no. A118.
___________________________________________________________________
Conference Schedule:
8:45 Registration, coffee, juice
9:15 Welcome: Jean Murphy, Executive Director, FRIA
9:20 Barry Barman and Debra Cushion Barman will discuss the nursing
home culture change movement, give an overview of the work of the
Nursing Home Pioneers, present the history of the Live Oak Project,
and review practical strategies for implementing a regenerative
community. Catherine Unison will act as Moderator for the program.
12:00 to 1:30 Box Lunch and Roundtable discussions: The Next Step (Sign
up at Registration)
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