Changing demographics make ongoing staff education necessary: administrator
Tuesday, September 27, 2005 -- Craig Anderson
As long term care expands to include younger individuals with unique medical conditions like brain injuries it becomes vitally important that staff members are well-trained in the physical, psychological and social needs of these individuals, says Connie Garden, administrator at Pleasant Meadow.

“I don’t see the changes as something we can’t handle,” says Connie, who recently admitted three residents (a brother and sister with multiple disabilities and a man with a brain injury) under 50 years old.

“I have only seen it as a positive in our home. As long as we can accommodate them and meet their needs – which I think we can easily do – but we are going to have to have more funding, and higher numbers of staff to do that.”

Recently, a forty-five year old man – Bob – was admitted to Pleasant Meadow after a number of debilitating seizures left him incapable of living independently. Connie, while studying his access centre application, asked herself if his inclusion into the home would be appropriate.

“I thought – ‘where else would he go?’ – and it was clear that we were the only option remaining,” she says.

The challenges surrounding Bob are fairly obvious, says Connie – how to ensure he is appropriately occupied and stimulated socially. Bob’s interests – watching local football, playing cribbage – are time-consuming activities, and there were no staff available to routinely accompany him in a one-on-one scenario for extended periods of time.

Connie decided to turn to the Norwood community for assistance. She finds the small rural community generally very supportive, and has since solicited volunteer help from both the local veteran’s Legion and the Catholic Church. Volunteers are currently being located – both cribbage players and football fans – in order to meet some of Bob’s social needs.

Bob has also taken the initiative to assist staff at Pleasant Meadow by portering residents and visiting with them. A symbiotic relationship is growing, says Connie, and some of the residents “have taken him under their wing.”

“We encourage that as much as possible,” she adds. “His volunteering lends a sense of purpose, too.”

Two other new Pleasant Meadow Manor residents under fifty a sister and brother pairing – are both in wheelchairs. They have a rare disorder known as Frederick’s Ataxia, a progressive nerve disorder generally resulting in physical disability and early death. Their parents, both over 80, admitted them to Pleasant Meadow when they could no longer care for them in the family home.

“They are a very tight knit family, so if anything were to happen it will be quite a challenge for the staff. We’ve built relationships with them too. It will be a tough thing in the future if we have parents burying their children. Along with [residents with unique medical conditions], with an increasing number of younger residents we’ll have to make sure that we have the appropriate training.”

Other articles on recent changes in long term care:

Long-term care becoming an option for wider variety of people: administrator

Riverview offers better life for woman with brain injury