If your family is dealing with the question around the quality of Dementia staffing… then this quick read from Senior Housing News focuses on “The single most important determinant of quality dementia care across all care settings is direct care staff, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Yet the industry faces a severe staffing shortage that will likely persist in the near term.”
Additionally, Melissa Dillon with Senior Resource Group says: “All of these things that we’ve done to keep the memory care folks safe by wrapping them in bubble wrap and telling them they can’t, it’s got to go away. It has to. I think that at least for me, I have a drive about this crisis and that we just need to see this is an older adult that communicates a little bit differently due to cognitive impairment. How do I get to hold their hand and skip through their autumn years together in the best way possible?”
That quote was followed by “Families of memory care residents are on a long journey — they are trusting senior living communities to not only take care of their loved one, but also to form an effective partnership in the support of their loved one. This process needs to include:
• Timely, effective, and transparent communication
• Ongoing education, understanding the why
behind certain decisions or procedures
• Opportunities for networking and support
The article about How to Address the Dementia Staffing Issues goes into a little more detail regarding four ways today’s leaders are addressing the challenge: Hire for Passion, Implement Training Programs, Focus on Emplyee Recognition, and Offer Opportunities for Career Advancement.