Category Archives: Dementia Live

Why Quality of Life Training is a Must for Direct Care Workforce

Millions of older adults and people living with disabilities rely on the direct care workforce, and the numbers are growing at an enormous rate every single day.  Sadly, we have undervalued the importance of the direct care workforce and ill prepared the critical need to provide  quality of life and quality of care training.  It’s time to change the paradigm.

While shortfalls in our long-term care system have been evident for decades, the fallout from COVID-19 has reinforced the need for revamping delivery of care at all levels.   Improving the Quality of Life, Quality of Care and Well-being of older adults and those living with disabilities starts with quality training for those directly involved in providing the care to these individuals.  We must look beyond “check-the-box” training and education and we must do it quickly, as staffing shortages are at critical levels and not showing signs of reversal until we make changes.

By 2025, millennials will make up to 75% of the workforce and 87% say one-the-job learning and development is important.  For too long, aging services workers have been subjected to training that could be described as “one size fits all”.   Direct care workers report that training is irrelevant and does very little to improve their capability to work with older adults. St. Cloud University and the Dementia Care Foundation found factors pointing to how likely staff were to leave their job within the next year.  Low satisfaction with orientation and training is a contributing factor in seeking other employment.

  • What is the People Impact of high turnover rates among the direct care workforce?
  • It prevents the development of health and trusting relationship between care providers and receivers.
  • Family members lose confidence in the care provider’s ability to provide consistent, quality of care and service.
  • It takes a toll on existing care team members.  Stress levels increase, and morale decreases.
  • Most importantly, resident care suffers.  Inconsistent staffing can translate to residents receiving only basic instrumental care, which does not lead to improved quality of life or well-being for the older adult.

Stakeholders must realize that shortchanging training affects all of us – from the entire health care system to society at large.  Providers suffer huge financial losses due to staff turnover and low occupancy by not delivering quality care.  As consumers become more educated in seeking care for their loved ones, the providers who have trained staff will consistently rank above their competitors.

For more information on direct care workforce  training and for access to AGE-u-cate’s REVEAL Aging white paper click here.

Pam Brandon is President/Founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute, a global company dedicated to developing and delivery effective aging and dementia training for professional and family caregivers.  

Broken Heart Syndrome: Another Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic

As if life could not get worse. A recent study suggests more people are suffering with stress cardiomyopathy during this COVID-19 pandemic. Stress cardiomyopathy is also called broken heart syndrome.

SYMPTOMS OF BROKEN HEART SYNDROME

Symptoms are similar to that of a heart attack. There is chest pain and shortness of breath. Low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat are other symptoms. There are not usually any blocked arteries.

CAUSES

The causes of stress cardiomyopathy are not fully known. However, stressful events can cause broken heart syndrome. As a result, a person can be affected in both their body and heart.

The COVID-19 pandemic is obviously stressful. Additional stress comes from restricting visitors in nursing homes.  Stress also comes from changes in residents’ routines and activities.  Residents are experiencing increased stress. Direct care workers are also dealing with their own stress, their residents’ stress, and family members’ stress.

ESSENTIAL AND NONESSENTIAL

At this time, only essential workers are allowed access into the nursing home. Why are family members not considered essential? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is starting to allow nonessential personnel into nursing homes, under specific guidelines. What about family members, friends, and other loved ones? Safety is important. Unfortunately, safety does not always ensure wellness or wellbeing.

Allowing family members to visit, either as essential or nonessential personnel,  can improve the wellbeing of direct care workers and staff. It gives them a break from needing to support the entirety of each resident’s emotional needs. It also helps the residents feel less isolated and stressed.

Balancing safety against wellbeing is a challenge. Until we support residents’ health, safety, and wellbeing, we will see the illbeing and other negative effects continue even after this COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Kathy Dreyer, Ph.D., is a Grant Manager at AGE-u-cate® Training Institute, which develops and delivers innovative research-based aging and dementia training programs such as Dementia Live® and Compassionate Touch®, for professional and family caregivers; kathy.dreyer@ageucate.com

The Art of Caregiving: Going at the Right Pace

Caregiving has been defined as the willingness to go at another person’s pace. Just like a pace car in auto racing, there is the person who sets the pace in caring, and the person who follows along. The pace car in racing sets the tempo of the other cars before the race officially begins. The person setting the pace in caregiving can be the care receiver or the caregiver. Ideally, a care receiver with dementia should set the pace, with the caregiver following.

Tell-tale Signs of Moving Too Fast

A care receiver with dementia may not want to do what is needed, such as eat breakfast or go to the doctor. The care receiver will show signals and cues to relay their feelings. For example, the care receiver may become still, unwilling to move. The care receiver may become agitated. There may be repeated questions and reluctance. This is especially true if the caregiver is in a hurry.  Attempting to get a care receiver to move at a quicker pace is not helpful or beneficial. Also, a raised voice or attempting to physically move the care receiver along at your pace will not work.

A person with dementia will respond to your cues and match your feelings. If you start to get stressed out, so will your care receiver. When things are not progressing, it is time to slow down the pace. That can mean acknowledging the care receiver’s feelings and providing support. It can also mean listening and playing detective to determine the feelings behind the behavior.

What’s Your Caregiving Pace?

It also helps if you are pacing yourself as a caregiver. Are you taking on too much in your care receiver’s care? Who else can provide help? Sometimes a person with dementia responds better to one person than another. Finding another person who is better suited to take the care receiver to a doctor appointment can be helpful.  If having someone come to the house to be with your care receiver to look at photos for reminiscence, to share a meal, or just be there, you can take a break.

Just like a pace car needs to have oil changes, full tires, and an engine that works, it takes maintenance and care to provide care for your care receiver and yourself. Both need care and support. When you are attempting to work with your care receiver, do some diagnostics to check where your care receiver is. Are they tired? Could they be hungry or thirsty? Are they in pain? What are their triggers? What are yours? By considering these, you can help your care receiver and yourself in the caregiving race.

It may feel like you are constantly racing. Despite the need to get everything done, take time to slow down, even if it’s for a few minutes during the day at different times. Take care of yourself to take care of others at a pace that works for you and your care receiver.

Kathy Dreyer, Ph.D., is a Grant Manager at AGE-u-cate® Training Institute, which develops and delivers innovative research-based aging and dementia training programs such as Dementia Live® and Compassionate Touch®, for professional and family caregivers; kathy.dreyer@ageucate.com

The Trauma of Relocation for People with Dementia

 

 

A sudden relocation from home for a person with dementia can be traumatic.

My husband and I have made the decision to right-size our lives and sell our house of 23 years. For many years now, I have anticipated this moment wondering how I would feel.   Surprisingly, it wasn’t a hard decision to make.  However, I recognize that moving day could be a different story.

The decision to relocate is one we made being of sound mind and body.  As overwhelmed as I sometimes feel about our move, it must pale in comparison to what people with dementia feel when they are moved to a different environment.

Easing the Trauma of Relocation

My husband and I will adapt to our new surroundings.  I will find a place for all of our things and make our new house into our home.  The people I love most will be with me,  including my fur-babies.  I’ll drive to visit my friends and attend the same church.  All will be right in our world.

This mile-marker in my life makes me think long and hard about what moving day must be like for someone with dementia.  I can’t even imagine.  The sudden loss of leaving the familiar and the people you love must be horrifying.

Stop and think for a moment how you would feel if someone walked into your home and said that you had to leave for a new place that you had not chosen for yourself.

Imagine your behavior.  Would you be crying, screaming, punching, kicking?

The AGE-u-cate Training Institute program Compassionate Touch begins with looking at life through the lens of someone with dementia.   We discuss the grief and loss that often accompanies a person with dementia when they move into a long term care facility.

Realizing that people with dementia communicate with us through their behaviors is a pivotal moment in Compassionate Touch and Dementia Live Training.

So how can we ease a transition into a long term care facility for someone with dementia?  Here are a few tips:

    • If possible, set up their new space with familiar items prior to move-in day.
    • Remain positive and keep your personal emotions in check.
    • Minimize chaos on move-in day by limiting the number of family members present to no more than two.
    • Allow the staff to immediately begin bonding with your loved one.
    • Refrain from prolonged day-long visits until your loved one is settled in and comfortable.
    • When your loved one says, “Take me home” don’t say, “this is your new home.”  Rather, “I understand how hard this is, and I love you.”

Julie has worked in Aging Services for over 30 years and has been a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator since 1990. She is a Certified Master Trainer with the AGE-u-cate Training Institute. Through her company Enlighten Eldercare,  Julie provides training and educational programs on elder caregiving for family and professional caregivers.  In addition, she is an instructor and the Interim Director of Gerontology at Northern Illinois University and lives in the Chicago Northwest Suburb of Mount Prospect, IL.