Pleasant Meadow Manor meets 2005 challenges
Monday, November 28, 2005 -- John Driscoll
It has been a year of challenges but Pleasant Meadow Manor has been rising to meet them and the outlook for 2006 is very positive, according to administrator Connie Garden.

In 2005, there was an outbreak of influenza, a new director of care came on board, the bus used for resident outings broke down and the long, hot summer was a challenge for residents and staff in the Norwood long-term care home that is without air conditioning.

“Most of our challenges turned out to have positive outcomes,” says Connie in summing up the year at Pleasant Manor.

There have been improvements in accountability at all levels, she says. “Accountability has been a problem at times but it is becoming a part of life here,” she says. “Staff are stepping up to the mark and realizing that everyone has an important role to play in caring for our residents.”

Trudy Firth Marshall joined the home as director of care this year and that has worked out very well, Connie says. “A change is always a challenge.”

The new PointClickCare program was introduced this year and it created a challenge for some staff members who were not computer-friendly, she says. “We also had some Internet connection issues but that has been straightened out and the home is hoping to be fully on board with the program in 2006.

“This program should save time and improve communication and it is seen in a very positive light,” Connie says.

Staff got on top of the flu outbreak in February very quickly, she says. “We closed the doors and followed procedures,” she says. “We were really lucky as we had no fatalities associated with the outbreak.”

With the summer heat wave, it was difficult to keep staff and residents hydrated she recalls. “Because of our diligence in pushing fluids, we managed but we are hoping to get air conditioning or some kind of air ventilation in 2006 and we’re thinking positively about it.”

The breakdown of the home’s vehicle during the summer was a blow since residents usually make four or five trips a week. “We made other arrangements but that meant residents had to be mobile to go on trips,” she says. Pleasant Meadow will have shared use of an OMNI bus beginning in December, Connie says.

One focus for 2006 is on improving communications within the home, she says. “There have been problems in the past with internal communications and we want to strengthen communications from department to department and from shift to shift.”

Pleasant Meadow, like many other homes, is continuing to focus on recruitment of registered nurses in 2006. “We are using an agency to comply with provincial regulations and it is working out but we would love to have our own staff,” Connie says.

The home is still advertising, needs one full-time and one part-time RN and has offered a $100 bonus to any staff member who can recruit an RN.