In this episode of Unrestrained, you’ll get an inside look at how a national provider established a leading role in advancing the quality of person-centered dementia care.
New and more rigorous
regulations are pushing providers to improve the quality and consistency of person-centered dementia care delivery and report more candidly about their success in this endeavor. As reliance on off-label psychotropic use is more
actively discouraged, the implementation of behavior-based, supportive interventions is more firmly insisted upon—in state training requirements, in CEU standards, and in national criteria by which agencies like CMS and OSHA can audit and assess facilities and staff.
These standards provide an exciting opportunity to revolutionize the way in which our society provides long-term support to adults with dementia, by shifting the focus to an individual’s best abilities to thrive. This new approach creates potential for care staff to better collaborate with residents to enhance their quality of life, and in that collaboration, a person with dementia’s best ability to function is both celebrated and sustained.
But this vision requires that
more staff get the
right training—which means that industry leaders can actively drive a long-overdue paradigm shift in the existing culture of care.
Therapy Management Corporation (TMC) is a perfect example of how it’s done. They refused to wait until best practices became requirements, crediting an organizational philosophy of embracing the “who” and the “why” of dementia care before the “what” as the driving force behind their commitment to strategically infusing their care model with staff-wide training.
Earlier in 2018, we blogged about the
tremendous success that followed their initial implementation of staff-wide dementia care training. But this new interview delves even further into the process behind the outcomes, demonstrating that exceeding regulatory requirements and transforming the quality of life for adults with dementia is far more achievable than ever.
In a richly informative and inspiring interview with
Unrestrained host Terry Vittone, director of clinical excellence Haley Huckabee and clinical excellence coordinator Corrie Dyson take listeners into the process that’s guided the evolution of TMC’s dementia care approach, including:
- How paradigm shifts are possible—even in huge organizations, and why a behavior-based approach is so critical to sustaining them.
- How to get leadership buy-in and be an ambassador for culture change within your own organization.
- How to conduct a successful org-wide trial implementation and track the outcomes.
- Why it’s important to get everybody trained—even your PRN staff—and why you can afford to do it on the clock.
- How to achieve significant improvements in quality measures like weight loss, activities of daily living, and off-label psychotropic usage with dementia care training.
- How to close the gap between the academic training therapists receive and the real-world challenges they will experience in dementia care.
- How improved resident outcomes can fuel improved professional (and organizational) outcomes.
- How to build confidence and skill in coping with the later stages of dementia, which can be particularly challenging for direct care staff.
- How to build continuity and improve coordination across staff layers, including between therapists and nursing staff.
Listeners can also access a free activity guide—and sign up for the same Dementia Capable Care training that’s sustained TMC’s success.
Listeners can download a
free resource for helping staff coordinate activities to improve quality of life for individuals at
every stage of dementia, a robust guide that covers dozens of activities and is easily organized for staff across facilities to reference.
The strategies that have guided TMC’s success are available to professionals and care partners of all levels of education and experience, since
Dementia Capable Care training has now been
expanded and enhanced to provide even more sustainable outcomes while fulfilling training and care delivery requirements.
There are still seats available in these upcoming 2018 training sessions:
- Chicago, IL (10/23/18)
- Philadelphia, PA (11/06/18)
- Dallas, TX (11/13/18)
- Sacramento, CA (12/4/18)
- Hanover, MD (12/4/18)
- And a Dementia Capable Care Therapy Applications course in Denver, CO (12/14/18)
- Find a training near you!
Guest Biographies
Corrie Dyson
Corrie Dyson is a speech-language pathologist and clinical excellence coordinator for Therapy Management Corporation. Corrie has over 18 years of experience in a variety of settings, including 15 years in SNF/long-term care. She received her Master of Science in communication sciences and disorders from Abilene Christian University. Corrie is a strong advocate for improving the lives and livelihood of the geriatric population, most especially for individuals with dementia. Her passion in her work is connecting team members with the resources they need to make a positive difference in the lives of those they serve. This includes the development of specialty programs, providing direct support and training to team members, and ensuring that documentation and treatment practices support superior patient care. She is an Instructor for
Dementia Capable Care and a certified Dementia Care Specialist.
Haley Huckabee
Haley Huckabee is a speech-language pathologist and director of clinical excellence for Therapy Management Corporation. Haley has over 10 years of experience in a variety of settings, but she has found a home in long-term care. She received her Master’s in communication disorders from Louisiana State University and has a certificate in health communications from the University of Illinois. In her current role she is responsible for the clinical education and resource development for TMC, promoting superior patient care, quality outcomes, and continual innovation. She is an Instructor for
Dementia Capable Care and a certified Dementia Care Specialist.