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Senior Care

Senior Living: Becoming the Best Place To Be

AGE-u-cate was honored to welcome Stacy Porter from The Beryl Institute as guest presenter on our October Virtual Road Trip Webinar topic, "Becoming the Best Place to Be."

The Beryl Institute is a global community of healthcare professionals and experience champions committed to transforming the human experience in healthcare.  Many of the institute professionals are Certified Patient Experience Professionals (CPXP) who are turning more attention to the Aging Services industry.

Stacy's presentation was based on their recently published white paper entitled, "Becoming the Best Place to Be:  Elevating the Experience in Senior Living."
 
Culture and Leadership

The Beryl Institute experience framework consists of eight components, with Culture & Leadership at the top. Stacy shared that  the foundation of any successful experience effort is set on the purpose, values and how the organization is lead.  Stacy offered steps organizations can take to begin transformation:

  • Create a definition for resident experience
  • Operationalize your mission/vision statements by bridging your purpose and aligned actions
  • Ensure everyone who shows up to work has the skills and ability to execute on your purpose
Environment and Hospitality

Another component of the experience framework is Environment and Hospitality. The elders that participated in interviews indicated that they really look for a culture of home in their communities.  Warm and fuzzy words come to mind when most people think of the word home:  belonging, love, comfort, safety, relationships. acceptance.  

  • Live up to the meaning of community
  • Take care to address isolation and loneliness
  •  Create transparency around death and dying

Inclusion is an essential to make any of this work.  All stakeholders, most importantly those that live in the community, must be invited to become involved.  Stacy concluded with this:

A fundamental shift in thinking and direction is needed.  There is no normal to which to return.

 

AGE-u-cate is grateful for Stacy's time and valuable information shared on our Virtual Road Trip, and we look forward to continued collaboration.  

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Grief, Guilt, and Anxiety - How We can Help Caregivers

As a long time family caregiver and professional in this field, I can tell you that the myriad of emotions that caregivers face on a daily basis is complex and ever-changing.  That said, grief, guilt, and anxiety are certainly at the top of the list.   How can we, as professionals in this field, better understand family needs and partner alongside them on this difficult journey?

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Communicating with Terms of Endearment - A Big NO NO

Dear, Honey, Hun, Sweetie, Buddy, Chief, That’s a good boy, Let's go potty now.  No, I am not talking to my 18-month-old, I am repeating terms of endearment and phrases I hear in memory care and assisted living every day. There is so much research behind the use of this type of language researchers refer to it as elderspeak. I know I am guilty of using terms like these and I know you are too but explore the impact it may be having on our residents.

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