Supportive measures means staff must
‘think safety’
Monday February 4, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Making supportive measures work means staff members in OMNI homes always have to be on the lookout for potential health or safety hazards to residents, says Linda Sheppard, life enrichment co-ordinator at Kentwood Park.

Recently, a staff member at the Picton long-term care home was decorating the dining room for Valentine’s Day. The staff member had placed decorative plastic hearts with arms and legs on the tables. But, after giving this some thought, she removed the decorations.

This, Sheppard points out, illustrates supportive measures.

“She stopped and said, ‘Oops, I don’t think I’ll put that on the table because somebody may think that’s something to eat and put it in their mouth,’” says Sheppard. “We all learn to think that way.”

Often, people who have cognitive impairment will try to put small objects in their mouths. As a result, when the life enrichment staff is designing programs staff members make sure that the activity area is free of small or sharp objects.

“You just learn to think that way,” says Sheppard. “And part of training in supportive measures is to think safety.”

These supportive measures are working well, as no resident has choked on an object while at the home, notes Sheppard.

Staff members at the home pay close attention to residents to make sure they don’t put small objects in their mouths. While the home doesn’t have policies limiting any small objects from entering the home, staff members, as part of supportive measures, make sure that such objects are kept out of reach or stored in locked cupboards.

Sheppard recalls how one resident enjoyed working with his hands. Staff members learned that any object he used during his programming needed to be large, because the gentleman was prone to putting things in his mouth.

“And that is supportive measures,” says Sheppard.