Concepts in Culture Change at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

What is Culture Change?

  • A PersonFirst approach to care
  • It requires knowledge of our residents’ preferences and life stories
  • It needs facility systems that support our staff in providing care on our residents’ own schedule and preferences
  • It requires empowerment of our staff in self-directed teams so that they can make decisions in the moment, for our residents

The Cedars has been on the Culture Change journey for a while. And now we have a company called Action Pact to help us. They are experts on Culture Change and provide trainings for staff in all departments, volunteers, family and residents.

The PersonFirst Approach

In order to make home, we must start by knowing and honoring an individual’s life, stories and desires. To create a meaningful life, we all have five human needs that must be filled:

  • Inclusion: we all need to be part of a larger group, to be included in life around us.
  • Comfort: provide warmth, strength, a feeling of security to help us hold it together when we are in fear of falling apart.
  • Identity: to know who we are and where we came from.
  • Occupation: to be involved in the process of daily life, drawing on our abilities and powers. It’s the opposite of boredom.
  • Attachment: to bond with another human being helps us feel safe.

What Makes Your Home a ‘Home”?

Clinical studies have shown that nursing home residents have the same environmental stressors as homeless individuals. Traditional nursing homes lack private spaces, and have many noises and routines that don’t fit what we do in our own homes.

One goal of the Household Model is to create a place that looks and feels like home—so that it can become our residents’ home—a sanctuary and a space where visitors want to stay and visit, and experience the comforts of their loved ones at home.

The Steering Team

This is a group of 15 staff from all departments and volunteers that meet weekly to make immediate changes that will further the adoption of person-centered care and prepare us for the move into our new Households.

Our Mission: To create a home that empowers seniors and staff by facilitating an open and inclusive community that honors all individuals and their life’s journey.
To find out more, visit actionpact.com/resources

Grow bold with us.

Holiday Wishes

Posted by Katharine

The Cedars wishes you a warm and wonderful holiday season.

The Atrium Tea and Tour

Posted by Katharine

See what makes us shine at The Atrium’s Annual Tea and Tour.
Tour our community, enjoy music, and pastries made by our chef.
Thursday December 1.
FMI call 221.7100

Holiday Tea and Tour at The Atrium

Posted by Katharine

Come see what makes us shine!
Join us the afternoon of Thursday December 1
Meet our members and staff, enjoy refreshments
and live seasonal music
FMI and RSVP, call 207.221.7100

Fall Open House

Posted by Katharine

Join us at The Atrium for our annual Fall Open House
Thursday October 20 from 2-4PM
Tour apartments and get to know staff and members
FMI call 207-221-7100

Celebrating Kathryn Callnan at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

 

“We look forward to a bright future because of Kathy.” – Richard Borts, Chair, Board of Trustees

In late August, The Cedars Board of Trustees and senior management gathered at a Portland restaurant to toast a tremendous achievement: Kathryn Callnan, President and CEO at The Cedars, was celebrating 40 years of service.

Kathryn shared both memories of The Cedars’ rich past and a bold vision for its future around long tables filled with longtime friends. She began her career at The Cedars in 1976, when it was still The Jewish Home for Aged on Munjoy Hill, right after graduating from nursing school at the University of Southern Maine. She worked her way tirelessly from the night shift to the Director of Nursing office and played a key role in the move from Munjoy Hill to Ocean Avenue. Today, she is guiding The Cedars as we step up to support our rapidly aging population.

Kathryn combines the compassion and hands-on experience of her years as a registered nurse with extraordinary executive leadership. A passionate advocate for Maine seniors, she has been honored by Leading Age Maine and New Hampshire and received the Dr. Herbert Shore Young Executive Award for her accomplishments in long term healthcare.

“In an era where individual commitment to an organization is all too brief, Kathy’s dedication is remarkable,” explains Richard Borts, Chair of The Cedars Board of Trustees. “The Board is honored to be working with someone who is a tireless advocate for our mission. We look forward to a bright future because of Kathy.”

Earlier in the year, Kathryn climbed Mount Katahdin on a winter camping trip with her brother. As dessert plates were cleared, the guests presented Kathryn with a painting of Maine’s tallest mountain by local artist David Little—an acknowledgement of her drive to reach her goals, among family and friends, no matter how great the challenge.

 

The Cedars Featured in Leading Age Webinar

Posted by Katharine

Wednesday September 28, Leading Age Maine and New Hampshire is featuring a teleconference on The Cedars’ Opening Minds through Art program. Nick Viti, OTR/L, Director of Life Enrichment will present a program overview and it’s benefits. FMI here.

Senior Living Options

Posted by Katharine

Thursday September 22, enjoy lunch and
learn about retirement lifestyle options and get your
questions answered at this engaging presentation
Space is Limited – RSVP to 207-221-7100

Creating a Climate of Learning at The Cedars

Posted by Katharine

The Steering Committee at The Cedars gathered for the first step in a two year journey towards Culture Change and the implementation of the Household Model in our long term care and assisted living.  Megan Hannon, culture change specialist with our partner, Action Pact, led the committee of 15 staff, management, volunteers from all departments – an additional 10 individuals will rotate through future sessions. Here is a recap of what we learned:

  • We heard about how adults learn, how we need time to talk with each other, to communicate safely, to process and apply new ideas, and to process more.
  • We discovered that through this learning, we will grow our skills AND our attitudes.
  • We explored the Team Leadership Model, and practiced the new roles in this shared leadership approach.
  • We found that each member of the group has a role in leading – we are all group leaders.

We delved into Culture Change and the essential elements of the Household Model, through –

  • the 3 R’s of Culture Change –  Renewal of Spirit, Renovation into Home, Reframing the Organization
  • the importance of Storytelling and Daily Pleasures
  • the significance of Homelessness, as it applies to our residents in a traditional long term care setting

After our learning sessions, we talked and shared – our thoughts, feelings, fears and hopes. Each one was honored and embraced, all in this safe, open forum of discussion.By the end of the day, we could feel the growth within our group, clarity in our purpose, and a sense of the renewal of spirit for the transformational journey ahead.

The Steering Committee will meet again with Action Pact in late September. Stay tuned for further updates.

Grow bold with us.