Author: AJ Adams

New Tool To Increase Person-Centred Language Use in Your LTC Home

Posted on November 11, 2021 by - Research Institute for Aging

The Ontario CLRI at the RIA and the Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) Provincial Coordinating Office are pleased to release our latest product to support the ongoing implementation of Person-Centred Language (PCL): a Word Swap Poster.

This one-page poster invites readers to consider swapping out common words in favour of PCL in everyday conversations. The poster is available in French and English and contains a total of 15 examples under four categories: people, places, actions, and items.

We hope these examples can inspire you to reflect on the power of words when supporting people living and working in LTC, care partners, and anyone with, or at risk of, responsive behaviours/personal expressions.

Download the poster today at clri-ltc.ca/wordswap 

We invite you to share the poster with your networks and to let us know how you have implemented PCL into practice by emailing BSO at provincialbso@nbrhc.on.ca or by using #WordsMatterPCL on social media.

New IPAC eLearning Series and Web Page

Posted on June 16, 2021 by - Uncategorized

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on infection prevention and control (IPAC) in Ontario’s long-term care (LTC) homes. To assist LTC homes in providing IPAC education for not only their team members but to all members of the LTC community (family members, volunteers, residents and more), the Ontario CLRI at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA) is proud to release a new IPAC resource page and eLearning series!

“Throughout this pandemic, we’ve seen how crucial IPAC education and measures are for LTC residents, essential caregivers, and team members,” says Audra Thompson-Haile, manager for the Ontario CLRI at the RIA, “Created with guidance from our IPAC expert panel, LTC team members, essential caregivers, and the Ontario Caregiver Organization, our  eCourses can help reduce infection rates and prevent future outbreaks in LTC homes.”

The new eLearning courses will increase IPAC knowledge and skills through IPAC core concepts while empowering learners to protect themselves, residents, their co-workers, and community members. Learners will be able to apply their IPAC knowledge and skills to specific scenarios in LTC homes and situations encountered in the community that can impact or be impacted by their presence in an LTC home.

eLearning courses now available:
  • Break the Chain of Transmission: IPAC Core Concepts and Practices (a prerequisite for the other courses in the IPAC eLearning series)
    • Types of Transmission and the Chain of Transmission
    • Additional Precautions and Routine Practices in Long-term Care
    • Applying Best Practices for Hand Hygiene and PPE
  • IPAC While Supporting Residents at Mealtime
  • IPAC While Travelling To and From an LTC Home
  • More coming in summer and fall 2021

Visit the IPAC in LTC page.

 

The IPAC in LTC courses and training materials have been developed by the Ontario CLRI at the RIA in collaboration with an expert panel of IPAC specialists working in LTC and an advisory panel of LTC team members, essential care partners, and The Ontario Caregiver Organization.

Pride Month Resources for LTC Homes

Posted on May 31, 2021 by - Bruyère, Central CLRI, Research Institute for Aging

In honour of Pride Month, the Ontario CLRI wants to share some 2SLGBTQI+ resources that can empower long-term care (LTC) homes to create a culture of inclusivity where both residents and team members can thrive regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

Our Supporting Diversity and Inclusion in Long-Term Care Advisory Committee has been gathering resources since 2017 to support LTC homes in delivering inclusive care to the diverse populations they serve. This resource list was developed in recognition that resident care can be influenced by individual circumstances, including language, ability, race. ethnicity, religion, spirituality. gender identity, gender expression. sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

Explore the three featured 2SLGBTQI+ resources below:

Ontario CLRI at Bruyère Welcomes Summer Co-op Students

Posted on May 12, 2021 by - Bruyère

The Ontario CLRI at Bruyère is excited to welcome four co-op students from the University of Ottawa who have joined our team virtually for summer 2021. The students will apply their academic learnings to assist our team on various portfolios including communications at end-life, clinical nursing leadership and diversity and inclusion in LTC.

“We’re excited to have students from various academic backgrounds as it shows there are so many educational pathways into the world of long-term care,” says Zsofia Orosz, manager of the Ontario CLRI at Bruyère team.

The students will be working with our team at Bruyère until the end of August when they return to their studies. Please join us in welcoming these four exceptional students.

The Ontario CLRI develops, delivers and evaluates educational resources and programs to train the current and future LTC workforce. We build on partnerships with colleges and universities to provide in-person, blended and virtual training for interprofessional teams, as well as student placements and internships.

Meet Our Summer Co-op Students

New Person-Centred Language eCourse for LTC Teams

Posted on October 30, 2020 by - Research Institute for Aging

Do words matter? In long-term care, they can make all the difference. How we speak with and about people is part of delivering appropriate, respectful and inclusive care. The Ontario CLRI and Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) in collaboration with Machealth, have launched an eLearning course to equip LTC teams with practical knowledge of how to implement person-centred language in LTC.

Consider the words “facility” and “home.” “Facility” elicits images of cold, sterile hospitals. “Home” is a warmer term that depicts safety and community. Where would you rather live?

“It’s no easy task to change the way people speak to and about people who are living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, yet change is absolutely necessary. In fact, the way people speak about older adults in general tends to diminish their sense of value, no matter where they live or what health challenges they may or may not have.” – Ron Droulliard, LTC resident & Person-Centred Language Expert Panel member

Person-centred language ensures that respectful, life-affirming and inclusive language is used when referring to and interacting with people who communicate via responsive behaviours/personal expressions associated with dementia, complex mental health, substance use and/or other neurological conditions, and their care partners.
Simple wording swaps can promote dignity and respect in LTC:

Instead of:           Try:
(LTC) Facility           LTC Home
Patient                      Resident
Staff                           Team Member

The use of person-centred language in LTC homes can make all the difference in delivering quality resident and family-centred care, while nurturing an atmosphere of respect — register to take the free course!!

New eLearning Helps Team Members Learn Palliative and End-of-Life Communication Skills

Posted on July 14, 2020 by - Bruyère, Central CLRI

Transitioning to end-of-life care can be difficult, so it is crucial that long-term care teams develop communication skills to foster therapeutic relationships with residents and their families/friends.

The Ontario CLRI at Bruyere has released three eLearning modules that allows team members to experience communication at end-of-life training from anywhere! The eLearning course will develop or refresh communication skills to provide quality end-of-life and palliative care in long term care homes. The modules include a collection of interactive case scenarios that reflect the unique setting and context of care delivery in long-term care.

This eLearning training aims to replicate pieces of the in-person training. It allows all team members to dispel palliative care myths, learn how to recognize and accommodate the needs of those in mourning, and practice their end-of-life communication skills in three short, scenario-based modules.