Sensory Integration

As part of our commitment to Vision 2020 and our pillar of Organizational Excellence, we have included an initiative in this year’s Business Plan that focuses on Sensory Integration and the development of an organization-wide Sensory Program Framework. This work is important in promoting innovation and improving the quality of care and experience for those that we serve.

The literature shows that the integration of sensory stimulation in day to day care is particularly effective in stimulating emotional wellbeing and promoting engagement of those living with dementia. It is well known that as we age, we often experience deterioration in our senses. For those living with dementia, there are additional challenges as networks within the brain change and senses are altered so an individual may feel some things less and some things more.

The goal of sensory integration is to understand the right level and type of intervention that will allow an individual to be more engaged and participate at an optimal level. When sensory stimulation is at the right level, it can have a significant impact in reducing challenging behaviours such as agitation, anxiety and depression that often manifest in individuals with dementia.

There are a number of programs that are offered across the organization that provide sensory stimulation for residents with dementia. These programs are supported by our recreation departments at each site. These include, but are not limited to, music programs, art programs, pet therapy programs, doll therapy, gardening and baking programs. One program offering that is more recent is equine therapy which is currently offered at three of our Bethany locations. Equine therapy involves a trained facilitator working with residents and leading them through interactions with the horses that range from grooming/brushing them, observing them and leading/handling them.

Equine therapy has many therapeutic benefits for those with dementia. Studies show that the interactions with the horses contribute to an improvement in mood and a decrease in agitation and anxiety. This is consistent with the feedback from our Bethany teams that offer this program. In fact, the feedback about the impact on our residents is heartwarming – the joy on the faces of our residents is amazing and the opportunity for residents to be “hands-on” is wonderful.

I am honoured to be a part of the work in this area and extend my gratitude to those who make this possible for our residents. These programs do so much to enhance the experience and quality of life of those that we serve and in creating caring communities.

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

Regards,
— Nancy

“Go outside and play!”

Does anyone else remember hearing that from a parent or other adult in your life as you were growing up?

For me, who grew up with four other siblings very close in age, it usually meant we had leaned on our mom’s last nerve and she’d had just about enough of us. For those of you who are parents, perhaps you’ve used this line yourself from time to time!

These days, children and grownups are often tethered to the indoors through technology that constantly vies for our attention – email, Facebook, Netflix.

Going outside to play is good for you. It expands your senses. It helps you move your body. It keeps your ‘body clock’ in check. It can ease your mind. And it brings you closer to nature, even if that means just seeing a few flowers for a moment or smelling freshly cut grass.

It’s the middle of August already. Summer is winding down, so I encourage you to go outside and play as much as you can during your time off. If you’re working day shift this week, perhaps take a walk outside at lunch or go sit on a bench during your break and let sunshine (hopefully!) and fresh air refresh you for the rest of your shift.

Let’s all go outside and play a bit more. After all, it’s not called “the great outdoors” for nothing!

Thanks for everything you do for Bethany every day,

— Gail

Bethany is committed to living into our mission of creating caring communities to ensure those we serve receive high quality services. In order for us to do this we must have strong relationships with external partners. Positioning Bethany as a leader within our sector will ensure that we are able to influence important decisions that impact our residents, tenants and employees.

Over the last couple of months I have been very focused on raising Bethany’s profile with our newly elected government. You may wonder why this is important for you and your role at Bethany?

Bethany employees have an important role in building these important relationships. Each of us can be advocates for system improvements. We can do this by engaging with our local elected officials and sharing Bethany’s key messages in a consistent manner, helping them to understand what we need to do to ensure the system is responsive to the needs of those we serve.

As a trusted partner Bethany is called upon to be an advisor on policy decisions that can have significant impacts on residents and employees. We want to ensure we are able to inform decisions that impact care and housing, drawing from our 74 years of experience as a service provider.

In addition to building strong relationships with government it is critical that we engage with other care providers and organizations that influence care and services. This includes Alberta Continuing Care Association, Health Quality Council of Alberta, academic institutions and others. These conversations will shape the future of seniors care in Alberta and Bethany needs to ensure we have a voice heard at these tables.

Every employee is an ambassador for Bethany. During Stampede, we hosted a number of government officials who engaged in conversations with employees, residents, family and volunteers. These moments create amazing opportunities to share Bethany’s story and your experiences working with residents and tenants.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our mission of creating caring communities and for being Bethany Ambassadors!As always, I welcome your feedback at: jennifer.mccue@bethanyseniors.com

— Jennifer

Summer is upon us and whether we plan on travelling or staying close to home, it signals a time to schedule a break from our work. I have just recently returned from a vacation to Vancouver Island to visit my family with my husband and children. We spent most of our time in Nanaimo but enjoyed day trips to Victoria and other parts of the island. Upon our arrival in Nanaimo, it was very apparent that the pace of life seemed to slow right down and we were able to take our time in experiencing the beauty of our surroundings.

During our trip, we went to my brother’s cabin and as I stood on the deck overlooking the lake, I could feel myself starting to relax and embrace this time away. Here at the cabin, there’s very limited connectivity which provided a much needed break from all our electronic devices and allowed us to reconnect as a family. I felt that this holiday also helped me feel more balanced in my life and recharged my energy levels.

It is important for each of us to schedule time off for it allows our minds and bodies to rest and we can be more effective throughout the rest of the year. If you haven’t planned a vacation and have unused vacation days, I encourage you to use them. Take a break, reset, and return to work rejuvenated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this message and feel free to reach me with your comments or questions at Doreen.Lee@bethanyseniors.com.

Hope you enjoy this long weekend and celebrate Heritage Day!

Regards,
— Doreen

Summer is Survey Season

Surveys are an important tool to help healthcare providers understand the lived experience of those they serve. Every two years, Bethany conducts internal surveys as part of the organization’s continuous quality improvement strategy. This summer resident, tenant and family surveys will be completed over a four week period in July and August. In addition, the Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) is conducting Resident and Family Experience surveys in our Designated Supportive Living (DSL) programs at Bethany Sylvan Lake and Bethany Didsbury.

Bethany values its partnership with the HQCA. The HQCA regularly invites Bethany to provide input on their survey methodology, tool and reporting style. After their last survey in 2017, the HQCA requested a follow-up meeting with Bethany leadership to learn more about how the care and services provided resulted in such positive family experiences. To learn more about the HQCA and its surveys, you can click on the following link: https://hqca.ca/surveys/

There are two key reasons we conduct surveys: (1) to engage residents, tenants and families in a conversation about their stay and, (2) to collect meaningful and useful survey data. To support the collection of this information, Bethany’s resident surveys are completed via in-person interviews by a group of specially trained volunteers using a standardized process and survey tool approved by Accreditation Canada. Families will receive a paper copy of their survey in the mail.

Bethany uses both our internal and HQCA survey results to set business priorities and inform decision-making regarding delivery of care and services. In other words, it helps us understand what we are doing well and what changes are required to ensure optimal quality of life for those we serve. Most importantly, listening to our residents, tenants and families ensures they have a voice and allows us to work together to ensure they have the best possible experience during their time with us.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” – Helen Keller

If you have any feedback, questions or ideas you would like to share, I welcome you to send them to me at: dana.penner@bethanyseniors.com

Regards,
— Dana