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I’m happy to report that there was lots of interest in last month’s article about nursing homes in Alabama nominated for Best Practices awards. So, I was excited to discover that a similar program exists in Australia. Except they call their awards “Better Practices”.
Today I’ll highlight a few of my favorites from the past several years. As before, I’ll include a link to each facility so you can contact them directly for more information.
Model Railway Club
Staff and volunteers at Sapphire Care provide a unique and enjoyable activity for their men’s group through the Model Railway Club. Residents from all areas of the nursing home take part in twice-weekly projects.
The group built an extensive and impressive model railway. It’s so big that the facility dedicated a special room to the display.
Benefits to participants include socialization, mental stimulation, and a sense of accomplishment. The program also promotes community involvement as local model railroad enthusiasts share their model trains and expertise with the residents.
Music Therapy/Appreciation
Lansdowne Gardens goes a step beyond a traditional music therapy program. Residents gather together intending to listen, learn, and discuss music written by various composers.
In preparation for each session, residents select a famous composer. In addition to enjoying their music, participants also learn about the historical backdrop and world events going on during the composer’s life.
To enhance the experience, residents enjoy wine and cheese while listening to music. In addition, residents’ family members share their musical talent by coming in to play their musical instruments.
Hen Keeping
Residents in several nursing facilities enjoy raising chickens as part of a program developed by the Whiddon Group. Staff, residents, volunteers, and family members enjoy feeding and petting the chickens. The nursing home kitchens also cook the eggs produced by the chickens.
Benefits of hen keeping include socialization, increased physical activity, and laughter. Caregivers also note that the chickens provide a calming and distracting effect for residents living with dementia.
This innovative program also increases community involvement in nursing homes. In fact, visiting the chickens has become a popular activity for local school children.
(The Small-Scale Poultry Flock is an excellent resource if you’re interested in raising chickens at your nursing home.)
Spirituality In The Garden
To provide more opportunities for spiritual care, Resthaven Manor holds church services outdoors in the gardens at their nursing home. These are in addition to the more formal and traditional indoor services.
The outdoor services offer Christian worship with a focus on mindfulness through meditation and appreciation of the beauty of nature.
An additional feature is a weekly silent walk through the garden. This is followed by a discussion of any spiritual themes that result from what the residents see or hear in the garden.
Caregivers note that these services are very popular with residents, and they attract participants who might not otherwise attend a church service.
A Dignified Farewell
There was a time when we thought we were protecting our residents by not letting them know when someone passed away in our nursing homes. Farmborough-UnitingCare NSW believes in the importance of providing residents and staff with an opportunity to honor residents who pass away.
A primary feature is the honor guard formed by residents, staff, and family members as the deceased resident’s body is escorted out the front door. A ceremonial quilt covers the body, and music is shared.
The facility also displays a photo of the deceased resident on a memorial table. This allows other residents and staff to stop by and say goodbye.
I think nursing homes must share their best ideas with one another. This results in better care for residents around the world.
If your nursing home has ever won a Best Practices award (or something similar), please share it in the comment section. I would love to feature your program in a future article!
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