Slowing Down and Shifting Priority
As Activity Professionals, we know the joy and excitement that encompass the months of September, October, November, and December! I like to refer to them as the “BER” months. The hustle and bustle can become quite overwhelming not only for each of us but also for the people we serve. As we enter a new year, I would encourage each of you to rethink resident engagement and slow down. What can you do differently? How can you shift priorities? Are you communicating with your residents on what they want to do?
In a recent study conducted by the Moving Forward Coalition, residents expressed their concerns and needs for activities. They want more evenings and weekends along with quality programming, not just something that will keep them busy. Linked Senior shared, “Finding purpose every day is a basic human right.” Our residents want quality engagement, not quantity fluff! It is time for change!
Resident engagement includes focusing on concerns, needs, interests, and values. These need to be part of the change process. Let’s explore a few ways to create change within your community.
- Utilize surveys: are you talking to your residents and asking them what they want to do? One of the best strategies that is often forgotten about is the simplest, harnessing the power of quality customer service and gathering direct feedback. Remember, the community is their home. Having the research will help when the administration wants to see the calendar full of fluff. Showing what the residents want will help in creating that change.
- Identify gaps: knowing the difference between what the residents want and what we are care planning supports the need for change. Include your residents in the care planning process. Explain the purpose of the care plan and how they can be active in their plan of care.
- Incorporate all staff: change does not occur without the support of all staff. Take the time to share your concerns during stand-up, general staff meetings, and IDT rounds. Be the advocate your residents need.
- Incorporate your residents: utilize the resident council as a way for residents to be empowered in the decision-making journey. Encourage your resident council leadership to speak at staff meetings and even in the outside community about their home. This supports and promotes a positive image of community living.
- Be flexible: I had an administrator many years ago tell me when I began my activity/engagement journey to “be the willow tree instead of the oak tree.” This has been my mantra for the last 30+ years that we must be always ready for change and not so set in our ways. It is not “our” calendar. It is the resident’s calendar.
Slowing down and shifting priorities requires communication. We need to communicate early and often. Transparency is vital with our aging population. Providing individualized programming that is tailored to the needs, interests, and values of the resident will be challenging in the beginning, but it will create quality of life and meaningful opportunities for building a sense of community. This is what we all want in the end, right?
Alisa Tagg, MS
Association Director
