Culture Change in Long Term Care for the Elderly: Outline

I. Introduction

II. Culture Care-What is it?

a. Promotes healthy living and personal responsibility into community and organizational infrastructures as an alternative to nursing homes

b. Addresses loneliness, helplessness, and boredom (Weiner & Ronch, 2003)

1. loneliness- addressed by increasing and enhancing human companionship

2. helplessness- provides feasible options for independence

3. boredom- incorporate variety and spontaneity into the environment amongst other geriatric patients

III. Core beliefs

a. Aging is a continued stage of development and growth, rather than a period of decline

b. Rather than simply providing a medicated atmosphere, human nitration is stressed

IV. Benefits are significant

a. Elderly Benefits

1. Provided with a home-like environment for optimal patient care quality

2. Given access to care and stimulating activities

b. Family Benefits

1. Less guilt about outsourcing care (Thomas, 1996)

2. More cost-effective

c. Business benefits

1. staff retention

2. higher occupancy rates

3. better competitive position

4. Improved operational costs. 

V. Social Model- A social model of culture care acknowledges the elderly living environment as a home, not a hospital

a. better addresses the needs of the whole person and enhancing the work environment for eldercare staff

b. maximize feelings of a homelike or neighborhood environment

VI. Characterized by a rotating staff

a. improves staff retention

b. improves resident-centered care

VII. Necessary to Society

a. Baby boomers are retiring

1. 77 million people in the United States to hit age 60 (Babyboom, n.d)

2. Will become the primary consumers of long-term care facilities

b. Typical nursing home facilities will be unable to manage the influx 

1. Increased liability

c. Medicare and Medicaid options for traditional nursing home facilities are decreasing and running out (Doty & Koren, n.d)

1. insurance costs  increasing

2. The gap between those most able to and those least able to pay increasing

VIII. Conclusion

a. A paradigm shift is apparent

b. Benefits are significant for all involved

References

Baby Boom population - U.S. Census Bureau - USA and by state. (n.d.). Boomers Life: Music, People, Health and Issues of Interest to Boomers. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from http://www.boomerslife.org/baby_boom_population_us_census_bureau_by_state.htm

Doty Ph.D., M. M., Koren MD MPH, M. J., & MPH, E. S. (n.d.). The Commonwealth Fund -- Health Policy, Health Reform, and Performance Improvement. The Commonwealth Fund -- Health Policy, Health Reform, and Performance Improvement. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from http://mobile.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2008/May/Culture-Change-in-Nursing-Homes--How-Far-Have-We-Come--Findings-From-The-Commonwealth-Fund-2007-Nati.aspx

Thomas, W. H. (1996). Life worth living: how someone you love can still enjoy life in a nursing home : the Eden alternative in action. Acton, MA: VanderWyk & Burnham.

Weiner, A. S., & Ronch, J. L. (2003). Culture change in long-term care. New York: Haworth Social Work Practice Press.