Editorial
Supportive measures story foretells the future of OMNI
Monday April 14, 2003
The practice of supportive measures is a telling story in OMNI history and may be telling us more than we know.

As a movement, supportive measures embodies many of the cultural elements of what OMNI is today, and what it could become.

Creating educational opportunities for members of the OMNI community is a commitment to which there has been resources applied for years now.

As education made its way to the top of the OMNI priority list, supportive measures was there.

As the OMNI community embraced the move from task oriented care to resident-centered care, supportive measures was there.

Supportive measures is about individuality and choice, ideas embedded in OMNI’s values.

Supportive measures practitioners strive to understand the individual preferences and needs of each resident and ensure care goes beyond simply accommodating that individuality to fully embrace it.

For those providing care, supportive measures is also an avenue for satisfying preferences and needs. The supportive measures specialist contemplates individuals and keeps an eye on group dynamics. Then, by application of one's unique skill set, history and knowledge, the care provider makes a contribution that is meaningful not only to residents but to oneself.

When it comes to providing an opportunity for residents and care providers to experience hope, purpose and belonging in long-term care, many will already say supportive measures was there.

Communities of practice are an idea some hail as the organizational frontier. And the supportive measures community within OMNI is quickly becoming a stellar example of such a community.
Communities of practices drive strategy. With a mission to experience hope purpose and belonging, it is no wonder that supportive measures finds itself growing in popularity and practice amongst members of the OMNI community.

Communities of practice solve problems quickly. The supportive measures manual being compiled through the joint effort of homes right across OMNI, will certainly help here. The common language, purpose and relationships are an invaluable asset.

Communities of practice transfer best practices. As the community develops more personal networks it will better identify best practices, as well as opportunities to apply them.

Communities of practice develop professional skills. Specialists do more than just rely on their own skills. They read about the work of their colleagues. They call and meet with colleagues to develop new ideas, hone skills, and transfer knowledge. This congregation often leads to new educational opportunities both, formal and informal.

Communities of practice help with recruitment and retention efforts. Who wouldn't want to work in an environment in which talented people pull together, have a common language, a common goal, and a supportive community in which to pursue such things?

Supportive measures is by far the clearest example of a community of practice within the OMNI fold. There are rumours that home office is soon to endorse more frequent inter-home meetings of supportive measures specialists. Such a nod from home office would accelerate the growth and dynamism of this particular community of practice.

It is our expectation that the success of supportive measures as a burgeoning community of practice will soon spawn new such communities.

The supportive measures story is worth noting now - there are likely the threads of things to come woven within it. In two years time we will look back at lessons learned from our most successful innovations, strategies, and communities of practice. When we do so we will say supportive measures was there.

Prepared by: Peter Pula, Executive Editor, OMNIway News

E-mail: peter@newsroom5.com