CAP Program Introduced to Enhance Care Plans & Quality of Life

ABCM has been presenting workshops to their homes on Person Directed Care plans of care. Here staff from Morning Sun Care Center (Leah McElhinney, Director of Nursing, Deb McElhinney, Medicare and Care Plan Coordinator, Judy Bozarth, Social Worker and Angie Smith, Activities Coordinator) proudly sport the symbol of their training and commitment to transforming care plans.

Care plans are the very important instrument used to direct the care of our residents. Quarterly (or as needed) each resident is reviewed by an interdisciplinary team of professionals (nurses, social workers, dieticians, activity directors) called the care plan team. The care plan team, with input from the residents, family and all staff, assesses the resident’s needs and develops a plan to meet these needs called the care plan.

It is also believed that in order for care plans to be communicated, accurate and person centered that the traditional definition of the care plan team must be widened. It truly does “take a village” to care for each of our residents. Our village is comprised of all of the staff, not just the care plan team, the nurses and the nursing assistants. Housekeepers, laundry and dietary personnel, office staff and maintenance… all add value to the lives of our residents.

So in the near future, residents and family may be asked to be more involved in developing the care plans beyond attending a quarterly meeting. At these meetings there may be increased involvement of staff from all departments. This interdisciplinary focus is an effort to see that not only the needs of our residents are addressed, but their wishes and preferences are also considered. Because living is about more than needs, our care plans will also emphasize the individual preferences for daily lifestyle choices (in dining, bathing, activities, schedules…) and granting wishes (requests that might appear to be extraordinary like special requests for a birthday dinner, a ride to a family reunion in the next town…).

ABCM hopes that our CAP care plans will contribute to the many efforts we are initiating to improve the quality of life for our residents through our Person Directed Care programs.