Performance over Pretty: care communities

This is shared from a Post made by:
Annalee Kruger Care Right, Inc and Co-owner of Plan4LifeNow
https://carerightinc.com/

Often, families who are needing to consider moving their loved one with memory impairment into a dementia unit (or any level of care, for that matter), they are looking at how "pretty" the community is--the fancy furniture, the fancy chandeliers, the fancy everything----because they think that will certainly equate to quality care delivery......

We educate families (and tour virtually with them as their tour coach and advocate) about care options (we are NOT a placement company---we are fee-for-service, family-minded, relationship based consultancy) and 99% of the time, we need to help families look beyond the "pretty" and focus on the Performance.

What do I mean by performance? The tour experience will make or break the facility if they end up being an option for my families.

Actual situations (keep in mind, I have been in senior care for +30 years, and I've seen it all):

1. Healthcare workers shouting up/down the halls or in the dining room.

2. Healthcare workers allowed to wear ear buds (indicates poor supervision/management)

3. Touring during meal time and staff are on their phones vs sitting next to the resident encouraging and assisting them with their meals....or clearly residents struggling to cut their meat/get lids off of their drinks or open butter packets, etc...and staff ignore them

4. Touring in the afternoon and Ethel still has oatmeal on her blouse from breakfast

5. TV as the main activity

6. Rooms smell like urine/your eyes water when you walk in

7. Residents don't appear happy or engaged

8. Staff arguing with the residents

9. Memory care workers ignoring/not properly trained to understand what a resident is trying to communicate---"she has dementia, she doesn't know what she wants", "she always does that, she is just trying to get attention", "she's one of our difficult residents; it's best we just leave her alone", "she's fine", even when the resident is clearly not

10. Not feeling welcomed during the tour--unhappy workers, unwelcoming receptionist. not being greeted by the workers

Believe me, there are tons more, but my point is, PERFORMANCE OVER PRETTY.

And a personal gripe: When the executive director/leadership team offices are OUTSIDE of the memory care unit---I 100% believe their offices should be INSIDE the memory care unit so they are more likely to be able to supervise care delivery and the quality of care provided. Most are set up outside the unit so it's more welcoming when people enter the building, but they belong on the inside--I truly believe, with the right leadership and immersed in where the care is being delivered, would prevent many falls, injuries, improper care of our loved ones/vulnerable adult--because guess what, our seniors/loved ones with dementia/frail elderly are at the mercy of the healthcare workers assigned to them....

Stana Martin, PhD, founded Mrs LTC to provide a top-quality resource for clients and customers who need help with long term care claims or insurance comparisons.