One of the most rewarding parts of serving as Association Director for the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) is the opportunity to represent our profession beyond the traditional activity and life enrichment space. Our work is deeply connected to so many other disciplines within senior living, long-term care, healthcare, wellness, and human services. When […]
Even if you work in a setting not required to adhere to federal CMS regulations, consider them as standards of practice. Federal regulations are good. Besides, at this requirement, the following list includes approaches to use instead of psychotropic medications. CMS Tag F741 Non-pharmacological approaches. Examples of individualized, non-pharmacological approaches to help meet behavioral […]
One of the greatest challenges facing the Activity/Life Enrichment profession is the persistent misconception that activities are optional, recreational extras, or simply entertainment. In reality, meaningful engagement is a fundamental component of quality care and quality of life. Research consistently demonstrates that purposeful activity supports physical health, emotional well-being, cognitive function, social connection, and a […]
There was a time when my best programming ideas arrived in the mail. Every new issue of A New Day magazine felt like opening a treasure chest. I highlighted pages. Folded corners. Filled the margins with notes. Every issue held the possibility of finding one new idea that might make someone’s day a little brighter. […]
Summer has a way of flying by. One minute you’re planning your first patio social, and the next you’re looking at September calendars wondering where the season went. Before everyone starts thinking about pumpkin spice, fall festivals, and harvest themes, August gives Activity Directors, Life Enrichment Professionals, Recreation Therapists, and Activities Assistants one last opportunity […]
I have been thinking about what it means when an industry starts questioning the standard its best people have spent years fighting to establish. Whether the weight of individualization is too heavy for life enrichment professionals who are already carrying too much. Whether a community-centered model might be more honest, more achievable, and more fair. […]
We have been reviewing CMS Tag 741 and its long list of examples of individualized, non-pharmacological approaches to help meet behavioral health needs. In the last article we reviewed Adjusting the environment to be more individually preferred and homelike. The CMS definition of homelike is incredible from CMS Tag F584 Safe, Clean, Comfortable Homelike Environment: […]
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By Brooke DeNisco For years, person-centered care has been the gold standard. Expressing anything other than a total commitment to person-centered care is practically heresy. Of course, I think everyone would agree that all care should be centered around people. But person-centered care goes further, claiming that, for a good quality of life in, say, […]
CMS Tag 741 includes a long list of examples of individualized, non-pharmacological approaches to help meet behavioral health needs. We will be reviewing all of them. Food preferences, exercise, pain relief, individualizing sleep, dining, bathroom routines, preferred lighting and comfortable sound levels have been discussed in previous articles and now we highlight: Adjusting the environment […]
