TRICKLE DOWN DOOM...UNLESS -

''HAPPY''

 ---It finally hit me why it is that everything we do at Laguna Honda never quite has the payoff that is slated. I think that it is one simple thing. It was breached by Dr. David Farrell from Lumetra…way back when. It was when he gave his wonderful talk on CONSISTENT CARE. He mentioned THAT - ''WE HAVE TO TURN THINGS UPSIDE DOWN!''

---He then went on to speak of the trickle down affect. But, it wasn’t the TRICKLE DOWN we are used to. It is the Resident Happiness - AT THE TOP - trickling down. AND...the staff/caregivers are the ones who hold the key to the Resident Happiness...but, also the gratuities.
---Symbiotic - like the can of tuna and the can opener. When the resident is genuinely made happy by the immediate caregiver in, basically, anyway that it happens…the CAREGIVER BENEFITS IN MANY WAYS. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment is almost immediate and immeasurable. Like the opened tuna...the resident opens when he/she expresses himself. He can express good or bad, happy or sad, etc. His caregiver is given to have the expression be what he wants. A rapport is built between the two. If you find how to get the resident to express the positive stuff you do him a big favor. If you make him/her happy it we will have a happier hospital. HINT: Like everyone else, the resident loves to talk about himself/herself and his life.

‘’RESIDENT HAPPINESS’’

TRICKLNG

TO CAREGIVERS!

Ones who directly cause happiness!
TO

‘’ALL IT TOUCHES’’
.

 

---All the staff/caregivers involved come to life when this happens. It trickles down in this way. As an example we will use a baby. Whatever makes a baby authentically laugh has a positive affect on all present. And, there is NO blanket formula that is universal. It ALL pertains to that particular baby. It, basically, works the same for elders. If a caregiver on/off staff approached a resident and simply said (out-of-the-blue,) ''I HAVE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE I HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT RESIDENT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN GET FOR YOU?'' The Resident would be flabbergasted. He would, probably, feel ''SPECIAL'' at the very least. Of course the caregiver would then have to follow through. If he did this for all his charges of the day...it would be 40 minutes (total) well spent.
---The Resident, also, derives many of his moods from his surroundings. If he is ignored a lot and left alone a lot…he will be in that funk.
---The caregiver will have to be a little proactive. The resident doesn't open up to strangers very easily, but once he is convinced you are on his side, you have made a friend for life. When he is engaged, involved and feels like he is a part of what’s happening, he has more opportunity for laughter and happiness. It is amazing how a couple of nurses dancing to music being played gets the attention of many in that funk. We have to expand on those good times. See how happy the resident is when an important preference that he has...is met.
---We have to actually turn things around OR (UPSIDE DOWN.) It will take a concerted effort, but it just begins by the positive affects of paying quality attention to resident. Explore things that you have in common. (Like it or not...you have more than you think in common.) Watch TV With HIM/HER. Mentor him or even vice-versa. Explore what’s going on with him/her for a change. Become genuinely concerned with him. Take his preferences seriously. Realize that you have your job because of him/her, if that is where you are. Hope that you shoot from your heart, eventually. RESIDENT HAPPINESS is IMPORTANT! Take Care.

WHY DO WE SUFFER? - THE FILM (Paul H.)

Is There Scientific Proof We Can Heal Ourselves? Lissa Rankin, MD at TED...

.
---I think that this is a great talk. It is a much necessary message to have.

TEDxFiDiWomen - Lissa Rankin - The Shocking Truth About Your Health

.
---Another physician speaking about the futility of pursuing only the symptoms and treating the whole person. The inner pilot light  that she speaks of is something that we all have. She says, ''We can all quit our jobs, but we can't quit our calling.''

NOTES ON NURSING - Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale ,

---Chapter 05 (Variety) speaks of the importance of preferences.

Audiobook

.

 

Why the State People do not connect.

 ---Over the past years that I have been here the state controllers have come once a year. Their objective, they say, is to help the resident by being sure that his rights are not being violated. Every year I tell them that…from the way I see it, we have a real communication problem between the residents and the staff. Every year they tell me that they can’t do anything about that…but, are we being told that snacks are available between meals and are we asked if we want any?

---They have a way of focusing on things that are NOT the main focus of everyone. They are quick to listen to any gripes that the residents have. Many residents throw the workers ‘‘under-the-bus’’ left and right. In the residents defense…some of the state people have a divisive way of asking things so that this may happen.

---It seems to me that the state people are very unrealistic and are far more concerned with the letter of the law than the spirit. They show up armed with there rules and regulations, under the guise that this is all done for the protection of the resident. They point out code violations left and right with the belief that if everything was up to code it would benefit the resident.

---I don’t take issue with if they are right or wrong. I take issue with the mindset and ignorance under which they labor. They take their cues from other clueless agencies on what is right and/or wrong or better and/or worse for the resident. I would be very surprised if they sat down with a bunch of savvy residents and talked about nursing home living. It sounds very much like the questions they ask came out of meetings that had with everyone projecting what it must be like to live in a nursing home...BUT - DO NOT.

---That is the basic problem as I see it. A lot of irrelevant questions and focuses from people who don’t really understand about the day-to-day living and goings on in a nursing home. I think that the objective that they think they will achieve...from doing things the way they do things...does NOT, for the most part, promote a happier and better environment where people enjoy themselves living or working.

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are

.
---I think you will like this TEDtalk. A very practical way to make significant changes in your life. She speaks much of what different kinds of body poses reveal about you.