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Author: FyvieC

  • Conference Profile: Shelley Rolfe

    What did you present on at the conference?

    I presented on the Airdrie sleep initiative and the influence of sleep on residents’ quality of life.

    What was the best part about representing Bethany at the ACCA conference?

    The best part was showcasing the quality initiatives that are making a difference for our residents at Bethany.

    What is your favourite part about working at Bethany?

    My favourite part is having the opportunity to influence the lives of others.

    What is your personal philosophy?

    Strive to be your best always.

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    Spend time with my husband and three adult daughters and celebrate their successes.

  • Conference Profile: Dana Penner

    What did you present on at the conference?

    The topic of the presentation was about enhancing the dining experience in continuing care through service excellence. I co-presented with Van Phan, Aramark general manager. In the presentation we shared how Bethany developed a strategy to improve the resident experience related to hospitality services in response to the feedback from a Health Quality Council of Alberta survey report. Together with Aramark Canada, and using the feedback gathered from resident and family focus groups, we developed and implemented three key initiatives, including: flexible breakfast, attractive serve ware for modified texture diets and created a new position, director of culinary services. We discussed how the initiatives resulted in improved resident and family satisfaction, as well as enhanced staff work life satisfaction.

    What was the best part about representing Bethany at the ACCA conference?

    The best part was the sense of pride. Bethany is truly a leader in so many areas when it comes to quality improvement. It was exciting to share our teams’ great work with other providers, answer questions and also learn about initiatives underway in other organizations.

    What is your favourite part about working at Bethany?

    I have said this many times over the years, it really is the relationships – with residents, families, volunteers, colleagues and community partners. It is exciting to be part of an organization that desires to keep moving forward, leading the way in regards to improvements in best practices and service excellence to benefit our residents. I am always learning something new!

    What is your personal philosophy?

    My personal philosophy is to serve others with gratitude. I believe we have opportunities to do so in all aspects of our lives – family, friends, work and community. Bethany provides me with opportunities every day to serve others; the rewards are immeasurable.

    What do you like to do in your spare time?

    I enjoy spending time with my husband, family and friends. Some of my favourite activities include travelling, reading and spending time at our family farm.

  • Service Excellence Standard – Gratitude and Recognition: An Attitude of Gratitude

    We have just finished celebrating Thanksgiving — the annual holiday that specifically dedicates time for us to express our gratitude and to “give thanks.” Thanksgiving is a very significant day, but most people would agree that expressing gratitude and giving thanks once a year isn’t enough.

    Recognition is one of the four elements of Bethany’s Service Excellence design. Phase one of this plan was a redesign of the recognition boards. They are currently being delivered and installed at all of the sites. We are doing this because we believe that praise and recognition are essential to an outstanding workplace.

    But do we really need to thank people for doing their job? Perhaps this example will help to answer that question.

    Let’s say you have a roommate and as part of your living arrangement, you discuss dividing up the responsibilities associated with having a home. You agree that you will take on the responsibility for making dinner in the evenings and cleaning up the dishes and cleaning the bathrooms weekly. That’s your job in the home. No one forces you, you agree to do it and you dutifully carry out your responsibilities.

    Do you think that it would be fitting and nice if every once in a while your roommate said thank you for making the meal and doing the dishes and cleaning the bathrooms? And if occasionally they really applauded you for putting together an exceptionally good meal?

    While it doesn’t really seem necessary to expect to be thanked every day for every chore, how do you think you would feel if a significant amount of time passed and you never heard thank you? Do you think that you might feel resentful or taken for granted? It’s important to show your recognition and appreciation for people’s work. It doesn’t need to be overly complicated or tedious. Here’s a suggestion: choose one person and go thank them right now. Let them know that you value and appreciate them and their contribution, and that you couldn’t do what you do without them.

    It starts with each one of us setting the example and finding opportunities to give praise. Take a moment every day to find something great to say about your teammates. While it is important for managers to give positive feedback, it’s equally important for all of us to recognize and praise our colleagues. Think about how awesome it could be if everyone was committed to doing this together. Fill up those recognition boards and observe what happens when we all consistently and genuinely thank our team members for doing their work. Practicing gratitude is one of the most reliable methods for increasing contentment and satisfaction. Being grateful for things should not be limited to one day per year. It is something we should focus on every single day because at the very least, it will make you a happier person.

    – Val Trotter, Director of Service Excellence & Resident Experience

  • Bethany Represents at Alberta Continuing Care Association IQ Conference

    A number of Bethany staff members attended the Alberta Continuing Care Association (ACCA) Inspiring Quality (IQ) Conference in Red Deer on September 27 and 28 and our team made several presentations on a variety of important topics including community engagement, sleep quality improvement, enhanced dining experience and family onboarding.

    The conference was an opportunity to showcase Bethany’s leadership and commitment to service excellence, and it was also a chance to learn from others in our industry.

    A conference highlight was the awards ceremony where Barb George, a longtime Bethany volunteer received the Volunteer of the Year award. Congratulations to several staff members who were nominated for the Alberta Care Provider of the Year award.

  • A Message from the CFO

    When I talk to people outside of the People of Bethany team, I often find myself explaining to them all of the different types of services we perform in meeting our mission of Creating Caring Communities. I sometimes wonder, however, if this is something I should be sharing, as well, with all of you – the Bethany team.

    Many of you will remember that, back in February, Bethany was reviewed in detail by a team of surveyors from Accreditation Canada. This review was conducted in all of our care centres and was intended to evaluate how Bethany, as a care provider, was performing in that role. As you know, Bethany received its award of ‘Accredited with Exemplary Standing’ – a result of which we are all justifiably proud, especially those of us who contribute to the continuing care parts of Bethany’s work.

    It is important as well that we all have an understanding and appreciation of the other parts of Bethany’s work. One of these other parts is Bethany’s role as a housing management body. This is the part of Bethany that is recognized by the provincial government (under a Ministerial order) to manage several affordable housing projects on behalf of the Alberta Social Housing Corporation. It is also the mechanism by which the government oversees the operations of Bethany’s affordable supportive living programs. This week, it is the turn of the People of Bethany working in this area to be reviewed. A small team of reviewers will be on site at Bethany (in Corporate Services and at some of our sites) to review our records and processes to ensure we are meeting the high standards that the government expects of all housing management bodies in the province.

    I hope you will join me in providing a warm welcome to the review team as they go about their work. I feel confident that Bethany will again be held in high regard by the reviewers who visit us.

    As always, I welcome ideas, suggestions and any questions that you may have.  Please feel free to send them to me at alasdair.smith@bethanyseniors.com.

     

    Take care,

    – Alasdair

  • A Message from the CMO

    This week in Canada, health care communities are celebrating Spiritual and Religious Care Awareness Week as they recognize the value of spiritual well-being for patients and residents in care. As a faith-based organization we have prioritized this aspect of care since our beginning. In recent decades, studies in neuroscience and psychology have affirmed the value of this priority through evidence-based research and practice.

    Chaplains at each of our sites offer a specialized body of knowledge and practice that uniquely supports our residents, tenants and often their families in the journey of aging. However, every staff member plays a role in Bethany’s holistic approach to care that includes spiritual well-being. Being attentive to a person’s story, what gives them joy, hope or alternately causes them distress allows you to create a meaningful, personalized moment in your provision of care.

    I invite you this week to engage with your chaplain as you consider your mutual contribution to caring that creates space for the spiritual expression of each person who lives and works with us.

    Throughout the week chaplains at each site will be hosting “tea for your soul,” an expression of gratitude for your collaboration in spiritual nurture and an opportunity to bless the work you do if that is meaningful for you. We hope you might receive our special “cards of blessing” as a reminder of this appreciation.

     

    Gratefully,

    – Daranne

  • Bethany Harvest Hills Adopts Kittens

    Bethany Harvest Hills recently welcomed some very special short-term residents, a litter of foster kittens. The experience was very positive for residents, families, staff members and the kittens! Community member Amanda Bond started the PURR project in Calgary after hearing about a similar program with Pima Animal Care Centre in Arizona. Amanda works in health care and cared for her own mother for 10 years after her dementia diagnosis – she is also a huge cat lover, so the program sounded like something she needed to do.

    Amanda matched Bethany Harvest Hills with ARF for the PURR Project and their first four, four-week-old kittens arrived in late May and residents and staff named them Lucy, Angus, Pippi and Chloe. Happily, all were adopted by staff or resident families.

    Amanda says, “The most poignant thing we experienced with the kittens was the family who adopted Angus (black male kitten). The adult daughter of a resident was coming to the care centre daily because her loved one
    was palliative. She would take Angus from the kitten cage to the room and nestle him close to her loved one and his loud purring had a calming effect. Angus also snuggled and played with her in the room which helped her during this difficult time. She formed a strong bond with Angus and, on the day her loved one passed away, she applied to adopt Angus. Now he is a happy, healthy kitten in their home shared with two other cats.”

    The program has brought awareness to the cat overpopulation in Alberta, the need for foster and adoptive homes, and the positive impact on both kittens and dementia care residents alike. To read the full article click here.

  • Tips for Building Resiliency (continued)

    In August, we shared some tips on how to build resiliency in your life. This month, we share additional resiliency tips that can help you when you are experiencing challenges.

    1. Give yourself a break from media

    • When a national or world event is dominating the news, avoid over-exposure to media, especially if it is making you feel ineffective, anxious or unable to have control of your life. Unplug for part of each day from all your sources of media and news.

    2. Keep your life simple

    • Simplifying your life is especially important during stressful times.
    • Streamline your routines and set limits to protect your time. Plan simple meals. Resist signing up for too many activities or over-committing yourself. Don’t be afraid to say “no.”
    • Make time for simple pleasures, such as playing with your pet, or sitting and drinking a good cup of tea with someone you love.

    3. Practice relaxation techniques

    • Deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness and yoga are four widely used relaxation techniques that can help improve mental and physical well-being. Do whatever you can do to feel better and calm down. It will help you build resilience.

    Source: Estelle Morrison, LifeWorks Canada

  • Bethany Standards for Service Excellence: Continuous Improvement

    As the Volunteer Coordinator at Bethany CollegeSide, Ann Van Hemmen demonstrates service excellence, including continuous improvement, every day. The popular gift store at Bethany CollegeSide is operated by Ann and is a huge hit with residents, staff and visitors.

    The idea began over two years ago when Ann saw a need for an affordable store for residents and families to be able to purchase personal items, so she started from the ground up, creating an impressive inventory of quality products, which are purchased wholesale and then sold at affordable prices.

    In the beginning, Ann mostly sold personal care items, but has expanded the store to include giftware, scarves, greeting cards, jewelry and more. Not only are items reasonably priced, but residents directly benefit from all the profits made at the store.

    This year, residents are able to participate in Art Expressions, an art program and professional art supplies completely funded by the store profits. In 2016, the store funded activity lap blankets and wall mounted activity stations for cognitively impaired residents. Ann says that networking and understanding your customer community is very important to the shop’s success. She volunteers her own time to host shopping events on evenings and weekends for the greater Red Deer community, which often gets them involved in volunteering and donating to Bethany.

    Ann says that the store is one of her proudest achievements at Bethany, and is a way she can directly help create a caring community. Ann often takes special requests from families, putting together affordable gift arrangements on special occasions for the residents or simply dropping off a greeting card from their loved one. The store provides a comforting space for residents to visit and shop with friends. Thank you, Ann, for being a great example of how Bethany employees go above and beyond, continually improving our services with innovative ideas.

  • A Message from the COO

    “Measure Twice, Cut Once”

    One of my favorite proverbs (and I have many!) is, “measure twice, cut once.” While this proverb has its origins in carpentry, it can be applied much more broadly.

    The literal translation of “measure twice, cut once” is that one should double-check one’s measurements for accuracy before cutting a piece of wood; otherwise it may be necessary to cut again, wasting time and material. The figurative translation is that one should plan and prepare in a careful, thorough manner before taking action and it is this that resonates with me.

    Measuring twice means making sure that you have studied the situation thoroughly before moving forward; you have thought of the many scenarios that could occur, and you have thought of a “Plan B” if things don’t go as planned.

    As we have moved forward with a number of large initiatives at Bethany over the past months, “measure twice, cut once” is a rule of thumb that has come in handy. When I think about some of the changes we have made in the organization recently, thorough and careful planning has been paramount to ensuring a successful implementation. This goes for the work that we have done around introducing new technologies such as Point Click Care Progress Notes, e-MAR and in short order, Kronos (Staff Scheduling). It can also be said for the impending introduction of our new Community Alternate Level of Care Program at Bethany Calgary and our Site Based Quality and Safety Committees. These are just a few examples of where the “measure twice, cut once” principle has been important. It is also important in our everyday lives…take extra time now to avoid potential mistakes or disappointment later.

    I encourage you to think about this principle. Measure twice and only cut once you understand your situation, have checked your assumptions and have crafted a plan!

    As always, I welcome any ideas or suggestions you may have. Please send them to me at nancy.hughes@bethanyseniors.com.

    Regards,

    – Nancy