All posts by Pam Brandon

CARES Act Grants to Help Social Isolation among Elders

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law.   The CARES Act grants totally $955 million will support older adults and people with disabilities in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizations that will have access to this funding includes a network of community-based organization such as Area Agencies on Aging, Centers for Independent Living,  senior centers, faith-based organizations and other community-based non-profit organizations that provide resources and services to help older adults and people living with disabilities stay healthy and live independently.   $100 million is earmarked for the National Family Caregiver Support Program to help expand services that aid families and information for caregivers who are providing support for their loved ones at home.

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought to light the weaknesses of our current social support systems for older adults and their care partners living at home.  The much-needed CARES Act funding will help aging service providers and other community-based organizations  to reach vulnerable populations across the United States with resources to help meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of this group, among other at-risk population groups.

Social isolation and loneliness of older adults and their care partners did not start with the pandemic, but quarantine and social distancing  guidelines have intensified what was already a serious and growing problem with our fast-aging population.   While some initial studies pointed to a near 30% increase in loneliness during the first month of COVID-19,  it is  yet to be determined  the fall-out of long-term isolation for older adults now that we are moving into our 10th month of the pandemic.

Across the spectrum of care of our aging population, especially those living alone, COVID recovery must address the long-term effects of prolonged isolation and loneliness.  Some of these include mental health concerns, substance abuse, domestic violence,  anxiety, poor sleep, changed eating habits, and depression.

Thanks to technology,  many organizations quickly became adept at reaching these populations through Zoom and other conferencing platforms, helping to support at-home caregivers and provide meaningful activities to help alleviate the social isolation.  Innovation and creativity have led many of these groups to realize that post-Pandemic, these social platforms will be a permanent and important part of their community outreach education, resource and support services.   CARES Act funding will help support these initiatives and address the most pressing challenges of reaching elders and families who simply cannot leave their homes, even when there is no pandemic.  Rural elders and their care partners are especially an at-risk population.

With the hope of a vaccine bringing the pandemic to a slow-closure, social isolation and loneliness in older adults must be addressed as the public health challenge that it is.  The targeted funding from the CARES Act is the critical financial injection at the state and local level and hopefully will be the catalyst for additional long-term funding to support the needs of older adults and their families with expanded education, resources and support services.

For information on AGE-u-cate programs for older adults and their care partners that may be offered by Area Agencies on Aging and other community-based organizations click here.

Pam Brandon is President/Founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute.      AGE-u-cate develops and delivers training and education for professional and family caregivers across the aging services spectrum.  Pam is a passionate advocate for elders and their caregivers.  

 

Is it Possible for Doctors to Provide Compassionate Care?

The Physician’s Oath promises to approach all patients with integrity, candor, empathy, and respect.  I believe that most doctors take their oath seriously.  I believe most doctors study very hard because they truly want to help other people and make a positive difference in the field of medicine.  Doctors have a tremendous responsibility in today’s messy healthcare environment.  They work long hours, have many patients and deal with lots of complications to ultimately deliver the care that their patients need.  So, is it really possible for doctors to provide compassionate care?

I will speak only from a patient and patient advocate perspective, after having been a caregiver to my aging parents for many years.  Most doctors want to listen to their patients and get to know them beyond their medical conditions.  I really believe that.  I think most doctors would agree that the complexities of healthcare take away from the time they would like to spend with their patients and families so that they can be a source of compassion and guidance.

For doctors to provide compassionate care, they must have time.  Unfortunately,  this is rarely a luxury, if at all.  Treating patients medical needs is first and foremost when it comes down to it.  Having the time to converse and get to know their patients is almost unheard of these days.  So how can doctors provide compassionate care when the odds are stacked against them in so many ways.

In dementia training, we teach the importance of eye-to-eye contact,  slowing down, speaking with respect to another person, gently holding one’s hand to provide comfort among other simple gestures. These are signs of compassionate care that take no more time than the alternative.  Sometimes a smile or caring concern is all it takes to quickly make another person feel like they are important to another person – even if it’s brief.

Doctors are fixers, and it’s natural in their hurried days to be focused on fixing what’s wrong.  And no doubt that is monumentally important.  As healers, though, a doctor can and should practice compassionate care even though the odds are often stacked against you.  Compassionate care can be taught, learned and passed on to others. It’s an emotional, spiritual and transformational gift that you give another person shown with the simplest of gestures.

Compassion can be felt by another just by the gift of your genuine presence.

Pam Brandon is President of AGE-u-cate® Training Institute and a passionate advocate for older adults and those who serve them.  She is the creator of the Dementia Live® Simulation and Awareness Program.  

The NICHE difference: Preparing Our Long-Term Care Workforce for Tomorrow

We are thrilled to have recently announced our collaboration with NICHE – Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders, a nation-wide nursing education and consultation program designed to improve geriatric care in healthcare organizations through education and mentorship.

The NICHE Acute Care Program, founded in 1992 is part of NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.  The program promotes the use of evidence-based clinical interventions and establishes nurses as leaders to effect positive change in caring for the growing aging population.  NICHE empowers front-line nurses to build a team and develop organizational and workforce competencies to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults they serve.

The NICHE long-term care(LTC) program prepares nurses and certified nurse assistants (CNAs) to achieve organizational goals for the care of older adults patients.  The NICHE-LTC promotes the use of evidence-based clinical interventions and establishes nurses as leaders to bring about changes in the quality of care delivered to older adults in LTC and PAC (post-acute care) facilities.

The LTC curriculum is designed around the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Five-Star Quality Rating System so organizations uphold the nationally recognized standards for LTC.  A few examples of Quality Measures include:

  • Ability to move independently and participate in activities of daily living
  • High-risk residents with pressure ulcers
  • Re-hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and discharge to the community
  • Moderate to severe pain
  • Falls with major injury
  • Antipsychotic medications

NICHE resources include highly engaging webinars, Need to Know patient and family consumerism, LTC Leadership Training, Implementation Courses, and Clinical and Quality Improvement Modules, and an Evaluation and Recognition Process.

Our shared mission that quality training empowers staff will lead to higher CNA retention and improved care:

  • Nursing homes whose nursing staff have enhanced knowledge and skills perform better on quality metrics.
  • CNA’s who receive specialized training on common health issues experienced by older adults are capable of providing better care to residents and feel more confident in performing their work.
  • Opportunities for CNAs to participate in training programs not only empower them with knowledge and skills to carry out their work but also reinforce their important role in achieving organization-wide quality improvement goals.
  • CNA’s who receive high-quality training are more likely to report that they are satisfied with their jobs and job satisfaction is directly linked to CNA retention.

Quality elder care is critically important and NICHE programs provide the tools and resources that elevate Acute and Long-Term care organizations to a level of excellence.  As the need for dementia training increases, our relationship with NICHE will serve to better prepare the workforce for the special needs of those living with cognitive differences.

Pam Brandon is President/Founder of AGE–u-cate® Training Institute and a passionate advocate for older adults and those who serve them.  Pam is the creator of the Dementia Live® Sensitivity Awareness Training program and led the development of  the Compassionate Touch® training for persons living with Dementia and End-of-Life care.  

Learn the The ABC of Compassionate Communication

I’m delighted to share that our Australian Master Trainer, Sue Silcox has authored and published a book – The ABC of Compassionate Communication.  Sue is passionate about helping people become empowered through learning, practice, support, and self-care.

Brain Sparks and the ABC of Compassionate Communication is the result of her many years of working and playing with people of all ages, many of whom needed more compassion in their lives as well as an empathetic ear.

In the ABC of Compassionate Communication you will learn:

  • How we can use our brain to increase empathy
  • Where we can connect with other people and groups
  • When friendships matter
  • What laughter has to do with compassion
  • Why people react the way they do

We communicate every day.  Sometimes in subtle ways, sometimes in frighteningly revealing ways, mostly in different ways in between. Often we are misunderstood, or we interpret the messages incorrectly.  Becoming aware of how, through understanding, we can send and receive those message with compassion will make not only the lives of those we love and care for better but ours too.

Through this easy-to-read book, which uses the letters of the alphabet to describe steps to compassionate communication, you will receive twenty-six facets of compassionate and their relationship to improved communication compiled in a way that you will have not seen before.  Each facet gives you the chance to delve deeper with tips and ideas that you can try for yourself.

In the ABC of Compassionate Communication, Sue starts by asking our aware are you, firstly of your own self?  Self-awareness helps us find our strengths and allows us to work out where we need to improve.  Self-reflecting on situations can show us where we match up to our expectations and values.

Sue points out that working on your self-awareness brings benefits not only to you but to those around you.  Thinking about how you reacted with others brings awareness to your connections with others and ultimately makes you happier.

The book is full of compassionate communication tips that will serve anyone, especially those who care for persons living with dementia.  This book may be ordered through the Brain Sparks website.

Pam Brandon is President and Founder of AGE-u-cate® Training Institute and a passionate Advocate for older adults and those who serve them.  She is the Creator of Dementia Live® Sensitivity Awareness Program, helping caregivers worldwide to better understand and communicate with persons living with dementia.  

Sue Silcox is Australia’s AGE-u-cate® Lead Trainer and may be reached at Sue@brainsparks.com.au