Bianca

In response to Kerry, 1:1 duration or frequency is not prescribed by the accreditation agency. A smile and a quick hello also constitutes 1:1 interaction. If a residents is specifically visited for behaviour intervention (such as identified social isolation) for any number of minutes this ought be recorded as behaviour intervention strategies rather than a 1:1 visit. This way you can evaluate the effectiveness of your intervention when you complete your Resident Of the Day, Evaluation or Review process. Thus demonstrating [for accreditation and client monitoring purposes]continuous improvement and your also ensuring you have identified your Elders corrects needs and addressed them in the appropriate fashion.

Merry Christmas all, your comments an suggestions have been well received and your ideas well 'borrowed'.
Thank you all for sharing

Hi All, the chemist that supplies you facilities is a great place to ask for a donation of gifts, when you consider how much bussiness our residents give them (we have 120) , how can they refuse. They even pack our donated gifts in little gifts bags! all for free.

Interesting way to engage Elders in an actvity that can promote reminiscence and also reveal more about their likes a dislikes.

Whilst we have comprehensive tools to evaluate and to asses Residents needs in aged care, the question has to be posed can we meet these needs? We collate, observe, document and communicate to gather information about residents’ likes, dislikes, capabilities, deficits, diagnosis, and personal history and personality characteristics. Hancock, G. A. et al (2006) conducted a study where the goal was to quantify the unmet needs of residents with dementia in an aged care setting and the characteristics linked with high levels of needs. Needs were identified using the Camberwell Assessment of Needs for the Elderly (CANE). The study concluded that whilst physical and environmental needs were satisfactorily addressed, social & emotional needs were consistently unmet. Due to these unmet needs there were clear escalations of psychological disorders.

Meaney, A. M et al (2005) conducted a similar study in a community setting and concluded that similar outcomes were experienced in community dwelling Elderly with dementia, the study was able to identify, using The Care Needs Assessment Pack for Dementia (CareNap-D) that there were also elevated levels of unmet need. It was concluded that these elevated levels impacted on behaviour and mental state (84% of those experienced agitation) and on social interaction and access.

We hear the term person centered care constantly bandied around in our industry. According to Dawn Brooker (2003) this term is predominantly used in the context of outcomes for residents with dementia. What lies behind this terminology in terms of practical application, may be disputed as being unrealistic and at best marginally achievable to address these key issues of unmet social emotional needs in aged care.

With the introduction of ACFI (Aged Care Funding Instrument) Diversional therapy was removed as a means of generating funding, as ACFI is designed to ‘focus on the core measurable needs and to allocate funding to services on this basis’. Though ACFI also states that according to the Accreditation Standards under the Aged care Act (1997) the Aged care standards and accreditation agency will continue to monitor aged care homes to ensure that the expected outcomes under the Accreditation standards are met. In that case why was there not more importance placed on including Diversional Therapy as part of a multi disciplinary approach to funding in Aged care? As it stands at this time our departments (Diversional Therapy) do not generate funding and are therefore not regarded as a priority when funding is provided for staffing levels. These key issues highlights the importance of developing a funding tool on the basis of the actual needs identified.

Online resources:

The ACFI and Allied health professionals.

Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE)

References:

Hancock, G. A., Woods, B., Challis, D. and Orrell, M. (2006), ‘The needs of older people with dementia in residential care’. Int. J. Geriat. Psychiatry, 21: 43–49. doi: 10.1002/gps.1421 viewed: 4th of May 2012

Meaney, A. M., Croke, M. and Kirby, M. (2005), Needs assessment in dementia. Int. J. Geriat. Psychiatry, 20: 322–329. doi: 10.1002/gps.1284 viewed: 4th of May 2012

Dawn Brooker (2003). What is person-centred care in dementia?. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 13 , pp 215-222 doi:10.1017/S095925980400108X viewed: 4th of May 2012rn - Hancock, G. A., Woods, B., Challis, D. and Orrell, M. (2006), ‘The needs of older people with dementia in residential care’. Int. J. Geriat. Psychiatry, 21: 43–49. doi: 10.1002/gps.1421 viewed: 4th of May 2012rnrnMeaney, A. M., Croke, M. and Kirby, M. (2005), Needs assessment in dementia. Int. J. Geriat. Psychiatry, 20: 322–329. doi: 10.1002/gps.1284 viewed: 4th of May 2012rnrnrnDawn Brooker (2003). What is person-centred care in dementia?. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 13 , pp 215-222 doi:10.1017/S095925980400108X viewed: 4th of May 2012rn

used wrapping paper and lace, very effective and colourfull, also used celophane in the centre and then pasted them back to back, dazzling when hung in the windows.