Leanne Rorick Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc.

Transcription

1 Leanne Rorick Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc.

2 Objectives What is long-term care? How to choose a long-term care facility Resident rights & Family rights Advocating for your loved one in long-term care The NYS Long Term Care Ombudsman Program Our future: Culture Change

3 Making the Caregiving Switch When you care When OTHERS care

4 What is long-term care? Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs. Most longterm care provides assistance to people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living or in nursing homes. It is important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age. Source:

5 What is a long-term care facility? In New York State, we refer to long term care facilities as licensed or certified facilities which offer any mix of long-term care services to residents in a community or congregate setting.

6 Don t judge a book by its cover

7 Assisted Living Residence or Nursing Home? Special Needs Assisted Living Residence (Memory Care) Crimson Ridge Gardens, Rochester NY

8 Assisted Living Residence or Nursing Home? Skilled Nursing Facility (Nursing Home) Health Pavilion at the Masonic Home, Utica NY

9 How to Choose a Home in LTC Visit, visit, visit! (unannounced & frequently) Look for friendly, respectful interactions between staff & residents Do you see well groomed, clean residents? Do you smell offensive odors? residents with poor hygiene? the smell of incontinence? Do you hear residents calling out? call bells going off? lots of noise? is it too quiet? TALK to residents, staff & family members you see are they satisfied or dissatisfied?

10 Nursing Home Compare caution!

11 Resident Rights Dignity, respect and a comfortable living environment Quality of care and treatment without discrimination Freedom of choice to independent decisions The safeguard of your property and money Safeguards in admission transfer and discharge Privacy in communications Participate in organizations and activities of choice An easy to use and responsive complaint procedure Exercise all of rights without fear of reprisal

12 Rights of Family/Loved Ones Visitation at any time (24-hrs/day) at the resident s request or convenience Involvement in care planning, assessment and care meetings (any designated person, by resident s choice) Communication with facility staff about the care of a loved one Involvement in the facility s family council Contact with the local Ombudsman, for assistance to resolve complaints or problems

13 Om buds man (noun): a trained volunteer, an independent advocate for residents in nursing and adult homes,a problem solver, a protector of residents rights, an educator, a mediator, a friend

14 NYS LTC Ombudsman Program Program is mandated by federal law Ombudsmen are Certified Volunteers & staff Confidentiality On the resident s side, but work with staff Goal = resolution & happy endings It is a federal offense to willfully interfere with the work or investigation of a long-term care Ombudsman

15 Involvement & Advocacy Visit frequently Speak up Attend care plan conferences Follow up to be sure promises are kept Get to know staff Participate in family council meetings Document problems you have (date, time, names) Make contact with the Ombudsman

16 Culture Change Out with the Old In with the New!

17 Changing the Culture of LTC: Person-Directed Care Respecting choice (residents & staff) Individuality Changes in design & program Changes in organizational structure Staff are part of a family, and are respected as such Changing our language

18 The Language of Culture Change Old 1. Feeders 2. Diaper 3. Patient 4. a diabetic, a quad, a CVA 5. Discharge 6. eloped, escaped, elopement 7. ambulation, wandering New 1. Person who needs help eating 2. pad, brief, disposable brief 3. resident, individual, elder 4. a person who has (whatever condition) 5. move out 6. left the building, unescorted exiting 7. active, communicating distress Source: Language of Culture Change

19 Resources NY Connects LTC services & caregiver support NYS LTC Ombudsman (advocacy for quality LTC) (choosing a nursing home, nursing home 5-star rating system, nursing home compare) Offices.cfm (Health Insurance Information & Counseling Offices Medicare, Medicaid, etc.) (culture change)

20 Thank you! Leanne Rorick Assistant Director, Eldersource/NY Connects Lifespan of Greater Rochester, Inc South Clinton Ave, Rochester NY (585) x194