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Quality of Life
At Highland Alzheimer’s Care we pride ourselves on finding ways to create a quality living experience for each of our residents. Our staff are trained to affirm and develop each resident’s capabilities and individuality. Assistance is provided only as needed thereby guarding and protecting individual dignity and enabling each person to retain as much control over their own life and living conditions as possible. We recognize the importance of maintaining control over ones own life and that this is an essential ingredient in attaining a comfortable life.
Person Centered Care is the cornerstone of Highland’s residential care model. There are many, many keys to successfully delivering Person Centered Care, the following are some of the most notable:
Person Centered Care is the cornerstone of Highland’s residential care model. There are many, many keys to successfully delivering Person Centered Care, the following are some of the most notable:
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Staff are trained to put the person before the task
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The Golden Rule is the “Rule” at Highland: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
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Respect for the individual is paramount
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Preservation of each persons dignity is unwavering
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Care Plans are customized to each resident by collecting each individuals comprehensive social history, then they are adjusted as individual needs change and they are reviewed regularly regardless of changing needs
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Continuity of care is promoted by consistent assignments for care staff which promotes familiarity and enables staff to “get to know” the residents. By knowing a person’s wants and likes or dislikes we can better serve them and make them most comfortable. Ultimately we find ourselves forming strong personal relationships with our residents and their family members. Often, you will see staff go to visit a resident who has gone to the hospital, even on their day off. Many times, Highland employees have gone to the hospital to help with feeding, to help with personal care, or just to cheer up someone that they care about. They genuinely worry about “their” residents because they know so well how much extra help these individuals need to be happy, healthy and comfortable.
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Meaningful personal choices are retained by Highland’s residents. They choose when to get up, when to go to bed, when to take a nap, what clothes to wear, when to eat breakfast, whether to eat with the group or by themselves, to choose an alternate meal if the menu does not appeal to them, to snack if they like, to travel about the building or to sit and rest, to listen to music, to watch television or to sit quietly in a safe place and simply feel at ease. This is actually a very short list but it illustrates the point, comfortable living is founded on choosing for ones self and we do everything in our power to see that Highland’s residents have those choices. Furthermore, in doing for themselves, and retaining control of personal choice, Highland’s residents largely avoid feelings of helplessness. This has a profound positive effect on each person’s Quality of Life and helps to ensure that Highland’s residents thrive rather than simply exist.
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24 Hour security and direct supervision by staff means that there is always someone available to talk to each resident, to comfort them, to gently redirect them if needed, and that the whereabouts of residents is known to staff.
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Activities staff are scheduled 7 days per week at Highland. This means that there is “something to do” every day. We engage our residents in many ways; they are encouraged every day to leave their rooms, to move about and to interact with the other members of the close knit community here at Highland. Highland’s staff works very hard every day to encourage stimulating social interaction which helps residents to avert feelings of loneliness and boredom.
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Some of the additional tools, approaches, methods and policies that are used at Highland to help provide excellent customer service and the highest possible Quality of Life for each of our residents include:
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All staff receive advanced dementia care training. Highland’s management team is committed to the “Best Practices” approach and as new concepts are brought forth, we incorporate those that have a good fit with our residential care model.
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Highland’s person centered care concepts are closely tied to our use of advanced non-
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Highland’s staff is trained to use a team approach for many resident care situations. Sometimes a resident will be designated as a “two person assist” this means that two staff will simultaneously assist with something like a transfer or with ADL care. Generally this is done to ensure the safety of the resident AND the staff members. Other times, a resident might be agitated or confused and they simply are not responding well to the current care giver. In this case staff is taught to stand back, but to stay close in case the residents’ safety is a concern. Sometimes after a short pause or a cooling off period, the resident will become more receptive to staff providing care. Some residents work better with certain staff, so the teamwork approach recognizes this and another care team member is called to trade places and deliver the needed care.
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Sensory stimulation is multi faceted at Highland. Although we often see Highland’s residents are less able to function in the “here and now” than other people, we also recognize that many of their oldest memories remain intact. Knowing this, the living environment at Highland has been created to stimulate the five basic senses of Sight, Smell, Taste, Touch and Sound.
Pleasant memories related to Sight are stimulated by the home- Pleasant memories related to Smell are stimulated by the fragrance of fresh cut flowers, by aromas coming from the kitchen, by the yummy smell of baking cookies, brownies or rolls in the activities room, by the aroma of fresh made popcorn, or by pinching an herb leaf from the garden. |
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Pleasant memories related to Taste are simulated by Highland’s real home cooked meals, by a bowl of fresh fruit or seasonal berries and cream, by a cake or pie or birthday cake and ice cream, or by one of Highland’s special meals prepared for a seasonal celebration.
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Pleasant memories related to Touch are stimulated by countless hugs and kisses on the cheek, by a timely shoulder rub, by holding hands, by a loving “tuck in” at bedtime or help snuggling into a cozy blanket by the fireplace, by an arm in arm walk down the hall or through one of the many gardens. The activities department also has a touch and texture tool kit that contains things like feathers, fleece, fabrics, furs, husks, twine, rope, gritty, cushy, crunchy and crinkly things.
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Pleasant memories related to Sound are stimulated by the familiar sound of bird calls both indoors and in the gardens, the croaking of frogs from the pond, the sound of rushing water from the waterfall, from soft music playing from the living room stereo, from a sing-
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The living environment at Highland enhances positive emotional stimulation for our residents. Together, Highland’s person centered care, dedicated staff, advanced dementia care training, individualized activities programs, pleasant décor and 24 hour security enable our residents AND their families to enjoy life more fully by experiencing daily doses of joy, humor, laughter, camaraderie, tranquility, peace and a stable daily routine.
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Although Highland does not have a formal “pet therapy” program, our resident’s lives are enriched every day by the beautiful exotic bird display in the living room, by weekday visits from the owner’s loveable mutt “Tucker” and by the frequent visits other family pets (like Kriby the Chihuahua, and Scoober the dust mop dog). There is also the corps of “garden volunteers”, Mr. Squirrel, Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Woodchuck, Mr. Frog, Mr. & Mrs. Songbird, Mr. & Mrs. Hummingbird and the Butterfly brigade.
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