Rosebridge celebrates completion of supportive measures training initiative
Tuesday February 26, 2008 -- Natalie Miller
JASPER — Rosebridge Manor is taking time to celebrate a successful home-wide training initiative aimed at providing better care for residents who have dementia.

Sixty employees of the Jasper long-term care home completed supportive measures training last year. Rosebridge will mark the accomplishment with a dinner for all staff on Thursday, Feb. 28.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be a wonderful, warm and relaxing reflection of all of the good we do for our residents,” says Barr.

Nutritional care manager Kori Bigelow is preparing the meal of lasagna, garlic bread and dessert, meanwhile Barr is putting together a slideshow of photos taken that illustrate supportive measures in action.

Reflecting on the training – it was OMNI’s goal corporately to have all of its approximately 1,500 staff trained by the end of 2007 – Barr says there was definite buy-in from employees at Rosebridge Manor. As one of the home’s supportive measures trainers, she helped lead staff through the education sessions.

“There were quite a few trainers involved.”

As a result of the training, there’s increased awareness home-wide about how to appropriately support residents who have dementia.

“I think the staff understands much better what is taking place mentally and physically with our residents,” says Barr. “There’s a better focus on quality of life for the residents and programming that everyone in each department can do that can add to purposeful days.”

The home will present a placard at the dinner bearing the names of all staff members who have completed the training.

As new employees join Rosebridge, they will continue be trained in supportive measures, Barr notes.