Long-term, short-stay residents get same quality of care
Monday February 4, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Whether new residents at Garden Terrace are at the Kanata long-term care home as part of a permanent move or for short stays, staff members give everyone the same warm welcome, says administrator Carolyn Della Foresta.

The only difference between long-term and short-stay residents, she adds, is that staff members get more of an opportunity to get to know residents better and develop stronger care plans for long-term residents.

Because of the home’s 10 short-stay beds — which are often reserved for residents waiting to be transferred to other homes — the home has an ongoing turnover of new residents. In fact, the home has seen days with as many as three new residents admitted.

The high turnover rate gives staff members plenty of opportunities to hone their welcoming skills.

“We always make sure that the residents and their families are greeted at the front door, that we take them up to the room and help them carry their luggage and help them settle in their rooms,” says Della Foresta.

“We try to have the PSWs (personal support workers), the nursing staff, the recreation staff sit with the resident, speak with them and possibly do a few assessments while visiting with them while the family does the initial paperwork.”

Like in any long-term care home, new residents face challenges with the adjustment to a new chapter in their lives.

“They’re all of a sudden sleeping in a strange bed . . . the air is different, the heating is different . . . they’re now eating in a dining room with 16 people,” notes Della Foresta.

As part of the initial assessment, life enrichment staff will sit down with the new resident to find out what their interests are so they get a feel for what type of programs they might benefit from.

To help ease residents into the long-term care setting, staff members often introduce the new resident to another resident with whom they may share common interests.

“In finding out what they are interested in, we’re able to figure out who they might benefit from, and we try to match them up with appropriate people in the dining room,” says Della Foresta.