RiverWoods News 2010

2/3/10

Three employees at RiverWoods Senior Living Community have been named Household Coordinators.  Janet Johnson, CNA, will be the Household Coordinator for Applewood Lane; Vicki Delsite, CNA, will be the Household Coordinator for Birchwood Lane; and Sue Vance, Activities Assistant, will be the Household Coordinator for Fernwood Lane.

Household Coordinators are responsible for keeping their households (wings) running smoothly through activity planning, problem solving and routine systems development. They also provide assistance with nursing care, restorative therapies, personal care, activities, and meals.

"We named our first Household Coordinator in October for Evergreen Lane and are pleased to now add this position to three more wings, " said Tony Cooper, Executive Director/Nursing Home Administrator.  "RiverWoods is moving into 'households' instead of 'wings' and changing the way it delivers care," added Cooper.  "We have had many accomplishments on Evergreen Lane and are looking forward to moving ahead on the wings," he concluded.  Some of the changes include open dining for breakfast, restaurant style dining with choices, residents making more choices regarding their care and activities, and the establishment of spas for private bubble baths, manicure, pedicures, etc.

Culture Change means moving to resident-centered care in a home-like environment. It involves rethinking values and practices of a nursing home from top to bottom, inside and out. It is about change that brings all who are involved in the nursing home culture - staff, management, residents, and families - to a new way of working that creates a home-like environment supporting each resident's life, dignity, rights, and freedom. The focus on resident-centered care includes more consistent staffing, creating stronger relationships, and offering more choices. This includes choices on what to eat and when, activities, bedtimes, and bathing.

The Household Coordinators will report to the Social Services department. A Household Coordinator for CedarCrest Lane, the short-term rehabilitation unit, will be named in the near future.

Photo caption:  The Household Coordinators at RiverWoods Senior Living Community are (left to right) Janet Johnson, Vicki Delsite, Olga Pursell, and Sue Vance.