ChangingAging’s recently launched LinkedIn network has grown to over 130 members and I’m excited to see five active discussions with over 40 comments.
The controversial topic of hoarding really sparked an intense discussion when Adam Hayes shared a link to the International OCD Foundation’s Hoarding Center. Special thanks to Holly Whiteside, one of ChangingAging’s LinkedIn administrators, for moderating the discussion, and to Marilyn Ellis for providing useful links and background on hoarding.
More than a dozen members have responded to our invitation to introduce themselves. Click here to meet them and please introduce yourself as well.
And I wanted to share the entire post by Holly for “How Do We Invent the Future Of Elderhood.” Click on the link to join the conversation on LinkedIn or share your thoughts here!
What I hear from y’all is that culture change isn’t just a headline in the paper, some distant conversation about what others are doing—you (we) are doing it in a number of ways.
It’s in the “warming of the soil” (Love that Eden term!) in established (perhaps old-world?) nursing homes (Linda), it’s in our educational system in the training of LTC administrators (Theresa), and its part of our wellness work conversations (Elizabeth).
A few questions for you:
1. How DO you (we) “warm the soil”? What are the small ways as well as large?
2. Does Love translate into specific actions that support culture change? And/or is it the power of a loving climate that shifts the dynamics of the way we work with elders?
3. Are elders more empowered, in part, because of generational differences, as new generations “step up to the plate” of aging and do it differently?
4. Theresa – Would you keep us up on these wonderful gatherings? What a great program for LTC Administrators. And what’s an “I care” plan? Never heard of that. Are there other colleges bringing culture change into the curriculum?
5. Elizabeth – On another LinkedIn conversation, there was a woman who is bringing wellness practices into a nursing home. She’s actually affiliated someplace up in Canada, working on-site, teach Reiki etc. I’ll see if I can track down her contact info for you if you like.
How else is the idea of culture change being propagated?
— Holly Whiteside, Transforming Caregiving
Holly has also started a great dialogue with Peg Witham about Culture Change. I’m sure they’d love to hear from more voices within the Culture Change movement.
