Pioneer Network: Changing the Culture of Aging, Care and Support

Join Penny Cook as she talks with Moira Welsh, an investigative journalist with the Toronto Star. She started as a breaking news reporter and soon joined the investigative team where she has written on social justice, the environment, and the lives of people living in senior living communities. She is also the author of Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to Long-Term Care. Moira and Penny discuss the book, the reasons Moira wrote it, and the extensive research she did on various communities throughout the world where those who live and work are thriving and growing. You won’t want to miss this conversation. You can find Moira’s book at https://www.pioneernetwork.net/product/happily-ever-older-revolutionary-approaches-to-long-term-care/.

Dignity.  It's a word we hear and use all the time.  For those of us working in aging services, we know that in the long-term regulations as far back as OBRA '87 you will find that the word 'dignity', along with 'respect', are two of the more commonly seen words in the document.  And it makes sense - who doesn't believe that it is a fundamental right for residents in nursing homes to be treated with dignity, and don't we all want to be treated with dignity as well?  

Marianne Schmenk, who spent the last 15 years of her career managing a regional long-term care ombudsman program in NW Ohio, has recently had an "A-ha" regarding the concept of dignity, and she is here to share her thoughts with you, and hopefully stimulate some thinking.  No, she doesn't' have all the answers on how to operationalize dignity, though there is surely a tie to person-centered care, but she is eager to share ideas and get the conversation going.  

So we hope you'll enjoy the conversation between Marianne and Pioneer Network's Director of Education, Joan Devine, and that it will inspire you to join us for the virtual learning circle on Tuesday, July 27 at 1PM EDT so that you can continue the conversation with us - and together, we can gain insight into how to operationalize dignity.  Click here to register.

The title says it all and it’s also the title of Phyllis’ Ayman’s latest book. Join Penny Cook for this transparent discussion with Phyllis about nursing homes, senior living and the advocacy needed to change the culture of care and support.  Phyllis Ayman is a speech and language pathologist who works with families as an elder care advisor and strategist, helping them get the best information for themselves and their loved ones.

After listening to the podcast, join us for the virtual learning circle on Thursday, June 24 at 1PM EDT, where you can join Phyllis for further conversation.  Click here to save your place. 

Like so many of us, Jim Vanden Bosch, a filmmaker and the founder and executive director of Terra Nova Films, a not-for-profit company specializing in films and videos on a wide variety of aging related issues, was curious about what it must be like to live in a "dementia unit" in a nursing home. Unlike most of us, Jim decided he needed to know - first hand, and so with the support of his family and a local nursing home administrator, he moved in and lived there for 4 days. 

This episode of Listen, Learn, Explore provides the opportunity to listen to Jim's story and learn what he experienced. 

After listening to the podcast, join us for the virtual learning circle on Thursday, May 27 at 1PM EDT, where you can explore further with Jim the value of this experience and together, identify lessons learned.  Click here for more information and to save your seat in the virtual circle. Jim's special guest at the learning circle will be Leslie Pedtke, author of What Living as a Resident Can Teach Long-Term Care Staff.

CNAs and other caregivers shoulder a great burden every day. In particular, the task of moving elders up to or away from the dining table requires a great deal of push-pull-shove-twist. Chairs get damaged and lose their structural integrity. Floors get damaged from the dragging and the weight. Most importantly, the risk of personal injury to care staff from such exertion adds to an already burdensome workday.

ComforTek Seating seeks to provide care communities with caregiver-focused solutions that benefit the resident, the caregiver, and the administrator. With chairs that swivel, turn, roll, and lock for safety. ComforTek President, Randy Schellenberg, shares the mission of ComforTek and explains why it’s all about the caregiver.

After listening to the podcast, we hope you will join us for a virtual Learning Circle on Tuesday, May 18 at 1:00 PM EDT, where you can chat with Randy and members of the team from Pioneer Network.  Together, we will share thoughts about this and other caregiver-focused solutions that benefit all.   Come prepared with your questions.  Click here to save your spot at the Learning Circle.

In Episode 5 of Listen, Learn, Explore, you’ll learn about a new toolkit from the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston that outlines steps that policymakers at the state level can take to implement a pay-for-performance (P4P) program that uses Medicaid funds to promote person-centered care in nursing homes. The toolkit focuses on lessons learned from implementation of the Promoting Excellent Alternatives in Kansas Nursing Homes (PEAK 2.0), a program that helps Kansas nursing homes implement person-centered care.

You hear from Laci Cornelison, the Program Director of PEAK 2.0 at Kansas State University and Natasha Bryant, Managing Director and Research Associate of the LeadingAge LTSS Center at UMass Boston as they talk about how the toolkit can help you advocate with your state to integrate person-centered care expectations and incentives into state policy.

Then plan on join us for the virtual learning circle as we delve deeper into the nuances of the toolkit and explore ways that you can work directly with state organizations and legislatures to take action. Come prepared with your questions.  Click here to save your spot at the Learning Circle.

Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and except for those quick April snowstorms, we’re in the throes of spring and itching to be outside. After the year long-term care residents have had, we know that they are as well. Are the outdoor spaces in senior living and care communities ready for spring? Are they accessible to everyone so that no matter where people live or whatever their abilities or disabilities are, they can go outside too? Join Maggie Calkins from IDEAS Institute and Matt Richardson from WhisperGLIDE Swing Company as we discuss Designing Gardens to Attract Activity.

Explore this topic further by joining Maggie and Matt on Tuesday, April 13 at 1:00 PM EDT for a virtual learning circle.  Click here to register. 

Dr. Rosemary Laird is a board-certified geriatrician who knows that collaboration and communication are critical to managing intricate issues of aging. She graduated from the Georgetown University School of Medicine. She completed her advanced fellowship in geriatrics at the University of Kansas.

In this Listen, Learn, Explore episode sponsored by Seni, we talk with Dr. Laird about the importance of person-centered incontinence care; that incontinence is not inevitable as we age; the ways to maintain continence; and the importance of knowing a person well, both for the type of care and the products you provide.

After listening to the podcast, join us for the virtual learning circle on Thursday, March 18 at 1:00 PM EST as we delve deeper into this topic and be part of normalizing the conversation about incontinence. You will also have the opportunity to receive a newly published white paper by Dr. Laird and Seni. Seni is a premium brand of adult incontinence products and is part of the TZMO Group.

Click here to register for the Learning Circle

In this new Listen, Learn, Explore podcast, Dr. McNicoll will offer insights into an array of COVID related issues such as brain fog, delirium and sepsis showing how a person centered lens can make a world of difference in supporting the care of elders. As you listen and learn, Dr. McNicoll will share examples from high performing organizations, opening up a world of ideas that will illuminate and guide.

Then don’t miss the opportunity to learn more in the follow up discussion during our virtual learning circle.  You’ll be speaking directly with Dr. McNicoll, and together with your peers, you can explore further what was shared in the podcast.  Click here to learn more and to register to join the conversation -  and be sure to come with questions, ideas and examples.  

This month’s Listen, Learn, Explore episode is titled “Did You Know?” In the podcast, Dr. Gravenstein will share his considerable knowledge and deep insights into the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring questions like, did you know . . . about band standing, information about the new strains, and using video to improve quality.

After listening to the podcast, we invite you to join us as we continue to explore this topic in the second part of the Listen, Learn, Explore program, an interactive, learning-circle style event which will be held on Tuesday,  January 26 at 3:00 PM EST.

To learn more and register, go to the events page at www.PioneerNetwork.net/events/ or to Pioneer Network's Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter Page.