It also keeps her hands warm and occupied while she receives her personal care.

The ‘hot bug’ heat therapy intervention by Laurie Tighe, health care aide and restorative care aide, is working with other residents too at Norwood’s Pleasant Meadow Manor. Laurie initially placed hot packs inside a hand puppet to warm up a resident with cold hands. She discovered it was also a positive distraction for a woman who often became agitated with staff while receiving her personal care. The resident was prone to pinching, grabbing, kicking and biting employees, Laurie says.

“The hot bug to hang on to seemed to keep her hands busy,” she notes.

Laurie used the hot bug as a tool to curb behavioural challenges. It was part of her supportive measures project she and other OMNI employees interested in the care approach completed recently. Laurie received a glowing review from her colleagues for her commitment to the exercise. She profiled three residents and outlined interventions and results.

Supportive measures is a care approach that involves using various tools to get to the root of residents’ challenging behaviours, instead of relying on psychotropic drugs.

Laurie, along with 38 other OMNI employees, has been chosen to take the supportive measures specialist training course with leader Len Fabiano, beginning at the end of this month. For 26 years, Laurie has been working with residents who have behaviour challenges. She’s excited about the impact supportive measures will have on her job.

“I found this would be a good opportunity to be an advocate for seniors,” says Laurie.

“I have been very resident focused. Hopefully I’ll have some say (now) in how behaviours are dealt with. Over the years I have been frustrated by the system.” She says being at “the bottom” of the employment structure, “you don’t have a lot of say. I’m really pleased we’re able to be more creative.”

Laurie is thrilled to have support from her colleagues, managers and her administrator. She says because of her role as a restorative care aide, she’s able to spend more time with residents.

“I’m an advocate against psychotropic drug restraint. If you spend enough time with a person you find something that works. If it takes a few minutes extra, it takes a few minutes extra. If you find what you’re doing isn’t working, you change it, because the resident isn’t able to change.”

“If you really care and use common sense, change it and do something else. Try to put yourself in the resident’s place.”

Pleasant Meadow’s Chris Charlebois, health care aide and restorative care aide, along with Susan Towns, registered nurse, will also attend the specialist course.