Innovation & Excellence - Summary of Submissions for the 2003 OANHSS Awards

Sharing successes and innovative approaches to services for seniors is what the OANHSS Awards program is all about. This year we had some truly unique and exciting submissions reflecting the creative things going on every day in member organizations. Below is a summary of the entries received for the following awards:

2003 Recipient:
- Storefront Humber "Hay Hay Start to the Day"

2003 Honourable Mentions:
- Region of York "Ceiling Lift/Nurse Voice Call System Program"

- Hillel Lodge "Rite of Passage"

- Knollcrest Lodge "Palliative Care and Quiet Room"

- Knollcrest Lodge - Medical Centre

- Cummer Lodge "The Memories Project"

- Ritz Lutheran Villa "Computer Lab Joint Venture

- Marycrest Home for the Aged "Still Caring When a Loved One Moves Into a LTC Facility"

- Bonnechere Manor "Railroad Club"

- New Horizons Tower "Pet Program"
- St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay "Early Stage Support Group –
- Educational Video for Physicians’

- Shalom Manor "Mealtime Partners"

- The Regional Municipality of Niagara "Skin Care Monitoring"

2003 Recipient:
 - Copernicus Lodge - Learning Safety the Fun Way, Not the Hard Way

 

2003 Honourable Mentions:
- Region of York "Ceiling Lift/Nurse Voice Call System Program"

- Marianhill "Employee Back Care Program"
- Résidence St. Louis "Partners in Excellence Awards"

- Ritz Lutheran Villa "Staff Wellness Program"

Recipient - 2003 Innovation & Excellence Award - "Supporting Seniors" Category

Storefront Humber
"Hay Hay Start to the Day"

Storefront Humber has developed an ongoing breakfast program "Hea Hay Start to the Day". This program provides one hot meal per month to residents of a Supportive Housing location as well as “Breakfast in Bed’ to those who are unable to attend the hot meal.  Breakfast in Bed (muffin, fruit, tea/coffee) is also provided one day each week to those residents who are shut in.

The goal of the program is to provide a nutritious breakfast to seniors and people with disabilities who might otherwise skip this important meal. Eating breakfast promotes individual health and has been shown to improve concentration, memory, mood and mental performance.

The program is multi-purpose, also providing an opportunity for people to socialize and preventing isolation. It promotes healthy habits and lifestyles while increasing independence.

The cost of the program is minimal. For a hot breakfast, clients are charged $2 and for a cold breakfast the cost is $1. Donations from food banks are used whenever available and food purchases are made in bulk to reduce costs. The program is run by a combination of staff and volunteers and is well attended by supportive housing residents and members of the community.

For more information contact Mary Hansen at (416) 259-4207.

Recipient  - 2003 Innovation & Excellence Award - "Workplace Quality" Category

Copernicus Lodge
"Learning Safety the Fun Way, Not the Hard Way"

Copernicus Lodge found an exciting new way to promote health and safety among staff.

Members of the Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee were generating ideas and knowledge but realized that much of the information was not reaching the staff not involved in the committee. To combat this, Copernicus Lodge invited staff from various departments to prepare their own five minute health and safety presentations to perform for other staff during in-service training. To encourage attendance, the presentations were scheduled between the changeover from the day to night shifts.

This program was implemented at virtually no cost and was a success. Staff had the opportunity to "have fun while learning", and in the four months leading up to the presentations, discussions about health and safety were at the forefront. To encourage staff further, a certificate was presented to each department for display, and presentations were attended by Copernicus Lodge's Health Care Health and Safety Committee representative.

For more information contact Gisela Styka at (416) 536-7122.

2003 Honourable Mentions:
 
 Region of York
‘Ceiling Lift/Nurse Voice Call System Program’

The Region of York has installed ceiling lifts into its complex care units to ease the burden that transfers can place on both staff and residents. In addition to this, nurse voice call systems have been added to reduce workload on staff and provide better service to residents.

The addition of the ceiling lifts allows staff to transfer patients more comfortably without causing themselves undue physical strain. The new nurse voice call system allows nurses to respond more quickly to residents and to determine what they need before going to the room.

Both of these additions help to provide a healthy, safe workplace for staff and better service for residents. Both additions are cost-effective as well, costing approximately $150,000 to install in 65 units.

These additions also provide cost savings to the facilities by reducing both staff and resident injuries.

For more information contact Shawn Turner (905) 895-2381.

Hillel Lodge
"Rite of Passage" 

In 2002 Hillel Lodge introduced a Bat Mitzvah program for its female residents.

The Bat Mitzvah ceremony is one typically performed by Jewish females at the age of 12. The ceremony was not available to females of the current senior generation as women of this era were not traditionally recognized as equals by society.

The women involved meet weekly to learn songs in both Hebrew and English, and they prepare speeches about the personal importance of the ceremony.

The ceremony is performed at a local synagogue and is shared with family, friends, staff, volunteers and other residents. 

For more information contact Marilyn Adler at (613) 728-3900.

Knollcrest Lodge
"Palliative Care and Quiet Room" 

A Palliative Care Team was established at Knollcrest Lodge in 1997. Their goal was to make the dying experience as comfortable as possible for all involved: the dying resident, family members, other residents of the Home, staff and volunteers.

The team embraced the idea that it was essential for the individual and family to receive compassionate support throughout the dying experience, and implemented changes in order to facilitate this. The Team is dedicated to improving quality of life and the expectation of honour, respect, dignity and privacy for each individual.

To meet this need, a Quiet Room was added to allow a place for family and friends to decompress. A Palliative Care unit was also added where there was previously an Infirmary room that was no longer necessary.

The unit is now perceived as a place of choice for end-stage illness both by residents of Knollcrest Lodge and by members of the community.

For more information contact Susan Rae at (519) 595-8121.

Knollcrest Lodge
"Medical Centre"

Knollcrest Lodge has created within its own building the “Milverton & District Medical Centre” which currently provides family practice to between 3500 and 4000 people in the Municipality of Perth East.

The Medical Centre was created primarily to secure the long term future of primary health care in Perth East and the Village of Milverton, and as a necessary adjunct to Knollcrest Lodge.

After 18 months of operation the existence of the Medical Centre in this location has proven to be highly acceptable to the community.

The clinic has had a very positive impact on the perception of Knollcrest Lodge in the community, and this is expected to increase the success of local volunteer recruitment and fundraising efforts.

For more information contact Susan Rae at (519) 595-8121.

Cummer Lodge
"The Memories Project"

Cummer Lodge’s Memories Project was established to capture the memories of seniors and transfer them to a format that could be shared with others in the community. The project was established at Cummer Lodge by a volunteer who drew up a plan to involve other volunteers and residents and by acting as an interviewer. The project has multiple goals including providing an ongoing opportunity for residents to remember their pasts, providing the home with memories, and giving volunteers and residents an opportunity to participate in a meaningful project.

This program uses one-to-one interviews with residents to collect memories for a sequence of books. This encourages residents to get in touch with things and times that were important to them and to find meaning in their memories.

The end product is a book that was typed by a volunteer with cover artwork done by a Cummer Lodge resident. The books are sold in the gift shop to cover costs.

The program began in September 2001, and to date three books have been published.

For more information, contact Liz McMullen at (416) 392-9500.

Ritz Lutheran Villa
"Computer Lab Joint Venture"

This joint venture exists between Ritz Lutheran Villa Retirement Community and Blackcreek Technologies, a computer service company. Blackcreek Technologies provides computer software training to residents, staff and seniors from the surrounding community.

The in-house computer lab has 6 computers and a printer. It provides a friendly, comfortable environment for learning new skills.  Residents can also communicate more frequently with family and friends using high speed Internet access in the lab.

The goals of this program is to bring today’s world of computers to the retirement community residents, and to teach residents in a friendly, non-threatening way how to use technology. It also provides an opportunity to bring the community into the retirement residence.

The program was implemented with minimal costs as Blackcreek Technologies provided all of the hardware, software and training expertise. Ritz Lutheran Villa provided both the space and the furnishings for the program.

For more information contact Brent Nafziger at (519) 348-8612.

Marycrest Home for the Aged
"Still Caring When a Loved One Moves Into a LTC Facility"

Marycrest Home for the Aged developed a video in 2001 entitled “Still Caring When a Loved One Moves Into a LTC Facility”. The video depicts what life is like for a family caregiver when their loved one moves to a facility. It was originally made for families dealing with Alzheimer, but Marycrest has found it to be beneficial for all caregivers involved with LTC facilities.

The goal of the video is to assist families in coping with the placement of a loved one and to understand the natural feelings associated with this transition. It is also used for training volunteers and new staff. The video has resulted in volunteers and staff having a better understanding of the feelings of families dealing with placement.

For more information contact Dawn Berry Merriam at (705) 743-4744.

Bonnechere Manor
"Railroad Club"

In September 2002, an individual from the Rotary Club in Renfrew placed a telephone call to the Outreach/Client Program Supervisor at Bonnechere Manor and planted the seed for  a “Railroad Club’ at the home with an open invitation to residents of other Renfrew homes.

A survey was done to determine interest and upon program implementation a membership card was issued to each person that attended. Posters advertised the club and a regular meeting time was set. The first meeting was a clinic to introduce residents to the idea – it was met with much interest. The group decided to build a model railroad to be displayed over the holiday season.

The program allowed residents to reminisce about railroading and provided them with an opportunity to learn new skills while building a model railroad. The project also kept residents in touch with the community and provided them an opportunity to use equipment and tools not usually available. Participants had a feeling of belonging and ownership and an opportunity to form new friendships.

The project was funded through donations from the Rotary Club and a minimal amount of money taken from the activity budget.

The program has had a very positive effect on residents and the group continues to meet weekly.

For more information contact Nellie Kingsbury at (613) 432-4873.

New Horizons Tower
"Pet Program"

New Horizons Tower has implemented a three-part pet program. The program includes live-in pets that belong to the facility, visits by outside pets and permission for selected residents to bring their own pets to live in the building with them.

The goal of the program is to provide a home-like environment that includes the presence of pets.

Staff care for the in-house pets and oversee resident interaction with them. Volunteers bring in the outside pets and provide some care to the in-house pets, and residents care for their own pets.

The cost of the program includes initial screening of pets and ongoing vet bills, food, and supplies.

For more information contact Sandra Kamenir at (416) 536-6111.

St. Joseph’s Care Group, Thunder Bay
 "Early Stage Support Group – Educational Video for Physicians"

This video was developed in 2001 by the Alzheimer Day Program, St. Joseph’s Care Group, in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay.  The video is educational and geared to physicians. Its purpose is to highlight the importance of early diagnosis, listening to clients and caregivers and using community support services and programs as a form of treatment.

The video has been distributed to all Alzheimer Societies nationally and all of the medical schools in Ontario. It has also been incorporated into a program for residents and shown to the medical community and other health care professionals in various venues.

The goals of the video are to enhance knowledge and increase awareness of the issues and concerns as well as emotional and educational needs of people in early stages of Alzheimer Disease and their caregivers.

It validates the use of support/education as a viable treatment option, demonstrates the importance of informing people of their diagnosis, provides insight into ethical issues and decision-making, and highlights the importance of using a network of community resources.

For more information contact Karen Serediuk at (807) 768-4408.

Shalom Manor
"Mealtime Partners"

Mealtime Partners is a volunteer feeding program for the residents of Shalom Manor suffering from dementia related illnesses. Volunteers are trained to assist residents who need assistance during mealtimes.

The program helps to maintain adequate nutrition and maximizes quality of life. It also takes pressure off nursing and dietary staff who would normally share the burden of feeding and allows them to spend additional time attending to residents.

The program has been underway for a year and has grown from 15 volunteers to 30.

For more information contact Chris Rynberk at (905) 945-9631.

The Regional Municipality of Niagara 
"Skin Care Monitoring"

The Regional Homes of Niagara were monitoring skin care breakdown in residents. The clinical nurse educator provided an in-depth analysis of residents’ charts to help identify root causes. Nutritional needs, consistency in types of treatments and thorough follow-up assessments to determine if treatment was successful were lacking.

The clinical nurse educator recruited a small team of health care professionals within one facility to become experts in wound care – 4 RPNs, 1 RN and the Director of Resident Care. The Team developed interdisciplinary wound care protocols and care plans. The protocols were divided into assessment, care plan, treatment, and evaluation phases. Referrals to the health care team became part of the care plan.

The program was later expanded to include education of all registered nursing staff following the Ministry’s 30-hour training guideline. The program was developed into a three-hour a week, ten-week course at Niagara College. The course ran twice with over 60 registered staff within the community becoming qualified to provide wound care at the advanced practice level as recognized by the College of Nurses.

The program resulted in one resident being the first in long term care in Canada to successfully receive a living human tissue graft in a facility. It also resulted in the first botox injection in LTC to heal a wound and fewer stage 3, 4 and x wounds to care for.

For more information contact Maureen Shantz at (905) 835-9335.

Marianhill
"Employee Back Care Program"  

Marianhill introduced its employee back care program in November 2002 in response to concerns for staff and resident safety. The goal was to eliminate staff and resident injuries and to provide ongoing education for employees.

The program functions with the Occupational Therapist instructing staff and assessing all residents for transfer abilities both upon entry to the long term care facility and on an ongoing basis.

The program is provided in a train-the-trainer format and all training is followed up by periodic audits.

For more information contact Terry McBurney at (613) 735-6839.

Résidence St. Louis
"Partners in Excellence Awards"

The Partners in Excellence Awards program was established at Résidence St. Louis to help meet recruitment and retention challenges.

Partners in Excellence is a peer-based recognition program with the goal of recognizing and promoting excellence of employees and volunteers, which contributed to organizational success. Front-line employees and volunteers nominate colleagues for the awards and a peer committee selects the recipients each year.

The program has fostered a positive work environment. It was implemented with nominal costs and has resulted in decreased turnover and increased productivity.

For more information contact Hélène Tassé at (613) 824-1720.

Ritz Lutheran Villa
"Staff Wellness Pr ogram"

Volunteers from management and staff and Ritz Lutheran Villa created a team to promote wellness in the workplace. This is an important initiative because a healthier, happier staff promotes quality care for residents.

This program was developed using a team approach including planning of activities, themes, and speakers for staff to participate in.  The team also coordinated “Workplace Wellness Week” which included daily events such as walks and hikes.

The program was very successful and was evaluated by staff using a survey.

The program was implemented with minimal cost and has boosted morale and decreased sick time.

For more information contact Brent Nafziger at (519) 248-8612.

Questions?
For more information on the OANHSS Awards Program, contact Sharon Clark-Koufis at 905-851-8821 ext 237.

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OANHSS members include not-for-profit providers of long term care, services and housing for seniors in Ontario.
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