Tag Archives: Dementia friendly hospital

What is our Score on Practicing Family-Centered Care?

269483We’re all in this together… the tsunami is here and every one of us serving older adults in some capacity should be getting on the band wagon and FAST.   Person and patient centered care must be focused on supporting and educating families.  When family-centered care is embraced it becomes an approach to health care decision making that involves health care professionals and family members.

Dignity and respect are the core value of family-centered care.  Listening to and honoring a patient’s and families values, perspectives and choices bridges communications between healthcare professionals and understanding the wishes of families.  The delivery of quality care under a family-centered model means understanding and honoring the family’s beliefs, knowledge and cultural backgrounds.

The challenge of providing family-centered, patient-centered care in today’s health care system is complex,  especially for older adults  who are living with dementia or chronic illness.   The time constraints to practice family-centered care when health professionals are stretched for time is a very real problem.

Understanding a family’s knowledge of a loved one’s physical and emotional needs are complex, especially if they do not live with them.  At the same time, far too many older adults are entering hospital systems with no family members to advocate for their care.  If their is cognitive impairment it becomes an even greater challenge to treat that patient.

Family-centered care must start with reaching out to families with education and awareness.  Collaboration with private and public sectors, forming community partnerships, community organizations and faith communities – must be a priority as we face the aging tsunami.

The far majority of caregivers are family members, and that is going to increase drastically as more families cannot afford to pay for private care and staff shortages increase.  New and innovative ways to reach families, educate them early and provide support avenues is absolutely essential to improving care for older adults.

Pam Brandon is President and Founder of AGE-u-cate® Training Institute.  She is a passionate advocate for educating families and those that provide care for older adults.

For more information visit the Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care www.ipfcc.org

www.AGEucate.com

 

The World needs more AGE-u-caters! Are you one of them?

The rapid pace of our aging world is changing the face of every facet of our society from health and long term care, to faith communities and business establishments.  Across the spectrum, issues such as these are at the forefront of leadership discussions:

  • Dementia friendly hospitals – how do we transition as the average patient age increases and cognitive impairment becomes more prevalent
  • Person and Resident-centered long term care – how do we properly train the current workforce and prepare for the shortage that is already upon us and certain to become even more severe in the near future?
  • Families caring for older adults make up the largest percentage of caregivers in the US and the world.  How do we educate, support and provide resources to help them cope with the physical, financial, emotional and spiritual challenges of the caregiving journey?
  • Faith Communities are faced with ministering and caring for their skyrocketing numbers of aging adults, yet often lack the training, staff and volunteers to meet the complex needs of their members and families.  How do they receive guidance and training to help them further their ministry and mission in helping those in need?
  • Age friendly communities, businesses and organizations must have a plan and guidance to successfully meet changing demographics.  Who can help with better understanding the needs of older adults?

Aging educators and trainers work with long term care providers, hospitals, the business community, families, faith communities, and public agencies.  They are trained in a variety of aging and caregiver topics,  whether one is a professional or family care partner, business person who serves an older adult population, or serves either of these groups with public resources.  We call them AGE-u-caters and they are part of our team at the AGE-u-cate® Training Institute!

AGE-u-caters are  seasoned professionals in the aging field, coming from the senior care industry, clinicians, social work or education.  All have a passion to help others by using their skills to train, educators and coach others.  Often they are looking for a career change, recently retired from long term regular employment, or supplementing retirement income or other part time work.

AGE-u-caters are networkers, involved in their communities and continually learning about the aging field.  They are part of a fast growing worldwide network aging advocates in their local and regional communities.

The world needs more AGE-u-caters!  Could you be one of them?

www.AGEucate.com

Pam Brandon is President and Founder of AGE-u-cate® Training Institute.  She is a passionate advocate for aging adults and those that care for them and is leading a fast growing network of worldwide AGE-u-caters who offer innovative and powerful training and education programs – creating transformative change for an aging world!