Leadership

President Obama, Survivors of Sandy and Making a Fresh Start

President Obama, in his acceptance speech, talked about building bridges to tackle our nation’s problems. The survivors of Superstorm Sandy also face complicated challenges as they begin to rebuild their communities. When life is difficult and it’s hard to cope, we have to dig deep to find personal strength: It takes time to revitalize. Solitude itself provides a chance to rejuvenate emotionally. In the few free moments you do have, find what feels relaxing and brings you pleasure – listen to music that stirs your soul or curl up with … Continue reading →

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Sunrise’s Commitment to Transparency

Transparency and accountability are hot buzzwords in today’s media. In general, transparency refers to “something that is easily seen by all.” From an operational perspective, this is a very high bar. For Sunrise, the principles of transparency are what lie at the core of our mission and allow us to best serve the people and families entrusted in our care. Six years ago, Sunrise made a pro-active decision to establish a Compliance Program and in doing so, we became one of the first organizations in the field of developmental disabilities to formally instate an integrity program.

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Calling All Social Change Agents

As a large health and human services provider and an advocate for the greater disabilities community, Sunrise joined other industry leaders in celebrating the landmark Supreme Court decision on the health care law last month. Without question, we are facing unprecedented challenges to our health care system. Aging baby boomers, a wave of young children with autism and the graying of the disabilities communities, all demand new 21st century solutions. We cannot continue to look back at the way things “used to work.” We must identify new approaches and be open to new ways of working to find effective solutions.

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Sunrise Promotes Corporate Compliance & Ethics Week!!!

Corporate Compliance & Ethics Week is the first full week in May. Sunrise urges all staff members to commemorate and engage in Corporate Compliance & Ethics Week. At Sunrise, we remain committed to creating a work environment that promotes and encourages every employee to practice good work ethics, to adhere to all regulatory requirements and maintain our highest standards of excellence. “Do The Right Thing!”

Ralph Carlson Blog

Retirement Wishes – Make your new life positive

Do you receive or generate negativity?    There have been times in my life when it was difficult for me to be positive. In a negative environment when every action or word seems to carry venom, maintaining a positive outlook is difficult. That is one of the problems with working. You can’t control the environment [...]

Retirement Wishes – Make your new life positive is a post from: Ralph Carlson Blog If you like this post stop by Ralph Carlson Blog – How to create your own unique retirement lifestyle. for more.

Senior Advocacy
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From my cold, dead hands will you take Staff-Centered Care

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As I entered the facility, navigating my way through a cloud of cigarette smoke I glanced at my watch. 
It read 8:31 AM

  • These two department heads, on the clock for thirty-one minutes already out on break. Had this been an isolated incident fine, yet this was the routine. And the more I observed the more I found this to be the norm not the exception. From my cold dead hands….

  • Several residents are awoke from a deep sleep between 4:30 to 5:00 AM so the night shift can “help the day shift” by getting residents up and dressed. Of course these residents sleep through most of their breakfast. From my cold dead hands…

  • Spoke with the spouse of a Resident last week and was told not once in previous two months had she observed the Administrator walking the Alzheimer’s unit. And this family member spends multiple hours at the facility not less than five days a week. From my cold dead hands…

  • Meals? One choice. How would you like visiting your favorite restaurant only to find out that they now feature ONE CHOICE!! And if you don’t like the choice? Perhaps the kitchen can whip up a sandwich. From my cold dead hands…

  • The new resident, Mr. Smith was admitted today to Room 20 bed A. Upon his arrival he was placed on the CNA’s bathing assignment sheet. Lucky Mr. Smith, he will receive a bath on Wednesday and Friday afternoons at 2:00 PM. That Mr. Smith is accustomed to showers every evening before bed is not considered. From my cold dead hands…

  • I’m freezing… the resident remarks. Q: “Why have all the control knobs been removed from the ac/heating units?” A: tired of the residents “messing with the temperature in their room.” From my cold dead hands…

See the need for something to change in America’s Nursing Homes? I know this is written very frankly, perhaps a little uncomfortable to read. Yet do you want someone to tell you NO you can’t take a shower? Want someone to tell you there is ONE CHOICE for dinner, take it or leave it? Want to sit in your home and freeze in the winter and sweat in the summer because you must wait for someone to change the temp? As an adult you want someone waking you up at 5:00 AM daily when you prefer to get up at 8:00?

In truth, the majority of employees in Long-Term Care don’t like the routine they are required to impose on the Residents. These employees largely feel powerless. Great people, warm hearts but stuck in a broken system. It doesn’t need to remain this way.

Employee, family member, volunteer, vendor, it’s TIME to make some changes in your old-model facility. Start the discussion; call the culture-change meetings to order. Many already have. And many more must.

CNA- don’t wait for the LPN to begin the needed discussion

LPN- you need not wait for the RN, YOU start thinking about what and why

RN-call a culture-change meeting to order, preferably with the Administrator’s leadership. But make that step today.

Administrator- you want your Supervisor on board with the needed changes in your facility. A change of attitude is a great place to begin. No expenditure of capital with that. Your physical plant indeed may need updated yet a new way of thinking, start there.

 

Tony Sexton
senioradvocacy@yahoo.com

 
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Thank You, CNA’s

Let’s celebrate National Nursing Assistants Week EVERY WEEK!! The Certified Nursing Assistant. Largely a thankless job. There is nothing pleasant about changing an adult brief. There is nothing pleasant about changing an adults bedding, perhaps for the third time before lunch. There is nothing pleasant about feeding an adult all the while being spit and hit upon.

There is nothing pleasant about all the aforementioned, and then multiply that times fifteen or more Long Term Care Residents the CNA is responsible for. And if that were not enough, throw into that mix the trend in Long Term Care, of the forty and fifty year old Residents some of who (and hopefully very few) thrive on and love nothing more than to make the CNA’s life a living hell and you can quickly see how it can all be overwhelming.

The CNA attempts to satisfy the Residents, the family, the Nursing Supervisors, the Administrator, and the Surveyors. And for all intents and purposes, an entry-level position with an entry level salary. Yet the success, failure and reputation of the facility largely falls on the shoulders of the CNA.

But wait, there is more. What if you have supervisors who only want you to show up and do only what you were trained for at school and go home. Your ideas, your observations, your comments not needed or encouraged. Or what if you work at a facility where you really have no recourse? Meaning you have no real confidence you can go to any decision maker for resolve.

Is this an isolated scenario? A rarity? Sadly I don’t believe it is.

Culture change to be effective and sustainable in my opinion is only successful as it is spearheaded by the CNA team. And make no mistake, those facilities which hold to a strict chain-of-command and strict job title/description standard, are in the greatest need of culture change and will exhibit the greatest resistance to that change.

Next time you have the opportunity, thank that CNA. Tell them how much you appreciate their dedication to caring for our Long-Term-Care population!

Senioradvocacy@yahoo.com
Tony Sexton

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Request for Proposals: Successful Practices from Green House Adopters

The Green House Annual Meeting (September 7-9 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an opportune time  for adopters to share wisdom, successful practices and stories that occur in your homes around the country.  As shahbaz, Sarah Hoffman, expressed, “I am so inspired when other colleagues share their, ‘a-ha!’ moments with me, and I hope I can do the same in return.”