Barr,
Heffernan hit the road with supportive measures
Advocates talk to personal
support worker students
Wednesday, April
27, 2005 - Natalie Miller
A Jasper-area school that certifies personal
support workers recently called upon Rosebridge
Manor to teach graduating students about supportive
measures in long-term care.
Life enrichment co-ordinator Kathy Barr and registered
nurse Heath Heffernan delivered a lecture Friday
to about 30 students at the T.J. Leger School
in Jasper. The Jasper long-term care home employees
have taken extensive training in supportive measures,
a care approach that reduces the use of psychotropic
medications for residents who have dementia.
“We talked a lot about what supportive
measures is and advocating for the residents,”
says Kathy.
“I think some of them were surprised when
we talked about behaviours and the approach we
suggest. Our goal is not to medicate but to do
preventative measures. Medications are a last
resort.”
Kathy and Heath discussed the importance of identifying
and treating triggers of agitation in residents
who have dementia before they escalate. OMNI employees
use a variety of techniques to reduce agitation
like massage, music therapy, reminiscing and distraction.
Rosebridge provides sensitivity training for
all new staff members regardless of in which department
they work at the long-term care home. Dietary
employee Amanda Barr, who is currently taking
the PSW course at T.J. Leger, experienced the
sensitivity and supportive measures training and
made the suggestion Heath and Kathy speak to the
rest of her class.
Sensitivity training allows participants to briefly
experience life in the home as a resident does.
Heath and Kathy took the students through a few
exercises that mimic eating and mobility challenges
residents sometimes encounter. “We got some
interesting feedback there,” Kathy says.
Overall, Kathy says, the experience was a positive
one for her and Heath and she believes the students
learned something as well about supportive measures
in long-term care.
Kathy and Heath are traveling to Woodland Villa,
OMNI’s Long Sault long-term care home, Friday
to assist staff with sensitivity training.
Rosebridge has received recognition for developing
best practices in supportive measures.
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