Comments on: Staff Empowerment Called Key to Nursing Home Culture Change

By: Lois Camberg

Lois Camberg — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:14:01 +0000

Reading all the materials on culture change and knowing how little is being done in some nursing homes, I am wondering what role ombudsman volunteers like me can play. I have asked questions like, “What about having consistent assignment?” But there always seems to be an excuse. I keep observing the same thing over and over again and it is frustrating! It’s like Joanne Rader says in her interview: “It’s the workers, stupid!” And not just with Alzheimer’s residents.

By: Sharon K. Brothers< MSW

Sharon K. Brothers< MSW — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:52:51 +0000

I believe that it’s important to recognize the efforts that senior living communities are making in this area, as well as the distance that still needs to be traveled. On our licensed Nursing Home and Assisted Living Administrator continuing education website, http://www.EasyCEU.com, our best selling CEU course, by far, is the course titled, “Attracting, Empowering and Retaining Quality Personnel.” Clearly, these are key issues, and administrators nationwide are seeking tools to improve in these areas. Providing readily accessible tools, training and resources is an important step to creating changes in this area.

By: Deborah Hamilton

Deborah Hamilton — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:17:08 +0000

Staff empowerment is the key element in culture change, it is also the key element in the reduction of staff turnover, the reduction of call in’s, the reduction of abuse. Staff empowerment includes genuine on-going staff education which is win-win for everyone one in the long term care industry.

CHANGE IS A PROCESS NOT AN EVENT

D. Hamilton
Program Manager
Baltimore City Long Term Care Ombudsman Program