Innovation  In  Social  Programming:    

It’s  Time  for  Change  

Joel Kroft Corporate Director of Alzheimer’s Programs, Country Meadows

Maria Nadelstumph Vice President of Organizational Development & Program Excellence

Brandywine Senior Living

May 6, 2015

Session Objectives   Social Programming Defined   Learn How To Assess “Quality” In Social

Programming   Learn The Importance Of Innovation In Memory

Care Programming   Learn Steps To Develop Strategic Program

Plans For Implementation   Learn Methods For Successful Program

Integration

Social Programming & Memory Care

▶ What should Good Great Dementia Programming look like?

Why I Hate Bingo… And so should you!

Activities Social Engagement

What do you call it?

The Changing Nature of Activities…

What is Social Engagement?

▶  Four parts of Social Engagement

1.  Intimate Social Relationships

2.  Formal organized involvement

3.  Active and Social Leisure

4.  Passive and Solitary Leisure

Studies show: As Social Engagement goes

Quality of life also goes

What is Social Engagement?

What Do You Like To Do?

QUESTION:

What do you think you will want to do when you are

80 years-old?

QUESTION:

What do you think you will want to do when you are 80 years-old…

and have dementia?

▶  Increase your residents Quality of Life ▶  Decrease Behaviors ▶  Happy Families ▶  Happy Co-workers ▶  Create Meaning ▶  Connections

Why Bother with Social Engagement?

From : Filler & “Because Regs say we have to…”

The Evolving Nature of Social Engagement

To:  This  is  the  most  effec-ve  way  we  can  improve  our  residents  Quality  of  Life!  

The Importance of Social

Engagement

If a shower is the best thing to happen

in your day, you have a Quality of

Life issue…

Joel’s Scientific Approach to Reviewing Social Engagement…

▶  How do your residents look? ▶  How does your STAFF look?

What does Social Engagement Look like?

How Many Residents Spend A Lot Of Time Alone?

▶  How many residents are with other residents…but the only thing they are sharing is boredom?

Social Engagement?

▶  When there are activities, are people really engaged?

Social Engagement?

 Awake residents  Alert and active co-workers  Smiles  Talking  Relaxed bodies & muscles  Inviting spaces

What Should You Be Looking For?

What Should You Be Looking For?

Things you don’t want to see:

▶  Sleeping ▶  Slumped postures ▶  Wandering away ▶  Bored co-workers ▶  Lots of distractions ▶  No or bad calendar ▶  Lots of waiting for something to happen

▶  A promise to families ▶  Is it displayed new each day? ▶  Does it always have the same activities listed? ▶  Does it match what you see happening? ▶  Does it have variety? ▶  Are there titles that you don’t know what they mean? ▶  Does it meet your resident’s needs? ▶  Would you feel good about sharing it here?

▶  Do you check it daily??????

The Calendar

▶  Right Residents ▶  Right Length ▶  Right Setting ▶  Right Energy ▶  Right Planning ▶  Right Time ▶  Right Staff

What Makes Good / Successful Social Programming?

Small Groups vs. Large Groups Is  it  the  right  small  group?  

Smaller  isn’t  always  beBer…but  most  of  the  -me  it  is!  

Can  your  residents  successfully  engage  in  a  large  group?  

▶  Your team needs to be intentional in planning •  Planning doesn’t just “happen”! •  Does your team set aside time to plan…. •  Or do they do it on the fly?

▶  What happens when we don’t plan? •  Bingo •  Word in a word •  Trivia books…

Social Engagement Planning

Are you using the right space for the right program?

▶ Extra Noise ▶ Temperature ▶ Enough Space ▶ The Right Seating ▶ Lighting

Environment Matters!

Structured Environments ▶  Does the environment invite exploration? ▶  Are there things to engage

residents when staff aren’t leading a program? – Puzzles, books, etc.

▶  Are you comfortable in the environment?

▶  Is there an opportunity for Purposeful Service? ▶  Does your team take time to foster friendships

between residents? ▶  Are families involved? ▶  Do you have connections to the world?

Other Considerations

After Your Tour…

▶  Do you like what you see? ▶  Is it consistent? ▶  Is there more that could be done to improve the

Quality of Life for your residents?

▶  The path to innovation…

Is it Time for Change?

Re-Defining Your Social Program Quality=Brand

Innovation in Memory Care

Idea Generation

  Who formulates program ideas in your organization/community?

  How do ideas move from the suggestion box or email to the table?

  What is your process?

Why is Innovation Important?

▶  Innovation keeps you competitive ▶  Innovation keeps the customer, resident, family

and team… intrigued and interested ▶  Keeps the program culture active in change

processes ▶  Strengthens your brand ▶  Creates vibrancy and quality in services

Why Does Innovation Fail?

▶  Only one or a few Innovators ▶  Not enough support. No buy in. ▶  We are doing “fine.” Why make changes? ▶  No planning or preparation ▶  Not enough time ▶  Missed step (s) in the Program Innovation process ▶  Seen as a disruption to operations ▶  Unable to see the need for change ▶  Do not assess the program

What Can You Do Now?

▶  Review Innovation needs in your program ▶  Develop an Innovation team ▶  Plan a “Think Tank” meeting (s) ▶  Identify top 3 Innovative program ideas ▶  Develop a plan for each idea and project

roadmap ▶  Get started-Follow the Three Steps!

Three Steps for Program Innovation

Development

Implementa-on  

Integra-on  

Development

De9ining  Your  Idea  

▶  Program need ▶  Size and scope ▶  Impacts and Risks ▶  Feasibility ▶  Preparation and planning (what and

why) ▶  Involvement and buy in from key

stakeholders (Management, front line staff, families, etc.)

▶  Develop project roadmap (timeline) ▶  Brand/Logo

Implementation

Executing  the  Plan  

▶  Role Out Plan (who, when, where, how?) ▶  Communication strategy ▶  Buy In and Key Stakeholder involvement/

orientation (operations) ▶  Pilot the program or “trial” ▶  30-90 days

Integration

Evaluating  the  Results  

▶  Review program with team

▶  Focus group/survey ▶  Checkpoint-Continuous

monitoring (what is working? what is not?)

▶  Adjust along the way

Tips for Success ▶  Don’t look backwards, look forward ▶  Bring others into your Innovation Think Tank ▶  Aim high with program development! ▶  Talk about lessons learned ▶  Focus on action ▶  Research other programs…what are we “not”

doing? ▶  Don’t benchmark on competitors, benchmark on

yourself

QUESTIONS?