Dynamics of an emerging community
Administrators' first gathering a lively one
Friday June 6, 2003 Roderick Benns
PETERBOROUGH ON—It was a free-flowing and dynamic discussion at a gathering of OMNI administrators in Peterborough Wednesday. As the administrators met for the first time as a community of practice, energy levels increased as the day unfolded. By the end of their session, they seemed enthusiastic about this new way of doing things.

During the discussion, Karl Samuelson, administrator of Garden Terrace, points to the “cross-pollination of skills” around the table and how each administrator must be willing to use this for their individual long-term care homes. “It’s a lonely job, I know. I’ve done this for 20 years. We’re leaders, mentors – we represent a critical group” for our homes, notes Karl.

Linda Pierce, administrator of Village Green, says she learned so much about the multidose system from Mary Anne Greco, project lead, and about accreditation from Toni Surko, administrator of Almonte Country Haven. “Some of the tools we share are so wonderful,” notes Linda.

“I’m looking forward to these meetings to keep improving my home,” says Linda.

OMNI’s newest administrator is Ken Whatman of Riverview Manor, who didn’t even have one day under his belt at the time of the meeting. Ken says he was excited at his discovery of the OMNIway news site and its use as a tool for transparency. He argued that transparency was becoming an increasingly important value.

During the interview process, Ken says he asked home office if they were non-profit, he was so impressed with the resident focus. “I’m encourage by what I see today,” he says.

Gary Sims, administrator and director of care for Frost Manor, says out of the communities of practice meetings he would like to see sharing emerge about recruitment and retention and occupancy. “I’d like to see us develop a formal strategy on recruitment and retention. But I want to hear concrete, day-to-day stuff that we can apply immediately,” notes Gary.

Susan Wendt, administrator of Forest Hill, also voiced frustration over retention issues in the Ottawa region. “If these meetings can help work out strategies about R and R, then they will be very worthwhile,” she says.

Toni Surko says with her own focus involving “pushing into the community,” she’s worried about quarterly communities-of-practice meetings taking up too much time. “I guess I want to ensure that ‘what can we do’ gets answered at the end of the day,” she says.

Arlene Lawlor of Maplewood says to be effective in her position she wants to be ready to take information out of communities of practice meetings that “will give me that extra push.”

Gary Sims spoke up about his recent success in empowering his personal support workers (PSWs) to form their own committee to discuss frontline issues, an idea he wants to share with other administrators. He says he recalls when he first asked them to form their own group – a microcosm of a community of practice – their response was “well, what do you want us to talk about?”

“I told them they’d have to decide,” recalls Gary. The PSWs were skeptical that would work, but Gary says they surprised themselves when they came back and decided they could improve upon the orientation procedures in the home.

“They thought we needed a better orientation package,” notes Gary. “And they wanted to re-do it – that’s a dream come true,” for an administrator, he says.

Administrators will meet three times in a year in three separate communities of practice settings. Then, once a year, all three regions will meet together.

Karl Samueleson points out that asking for guidance or ideas is a great start. “We have to remember that reaching out is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”