As we begin to emerge (cautiously) out of the pandemic of 2020, the battle scars are evident. We have lost so much including caregivers, residents, quality of life, and individual, personalized care. However, all is not lost, the cup is half full and we have an opportunity to emerge triumphant if we access and use the resources made available to us!
I think everyone can agree that the residents in our communities have suffered the most, with losing friends and roommates to COVID, isolation from family and friends, decreased personal “touch” from staff members, etc. What we can do now, however, is work with our residents, “love them up” and focus on personal preferences using the PELI tool. This isn’t a new tool; however, how and when we use it is critical. We know that we have heroically met the critical physical and psychological needs of our residents during the pandemic, but approaches to care planning need to focus on social functioning as well.
Whew, we are over the hump, we are on the downside of a very challenging 18 months and we survived, our residents are recovering, and our opportunity is now! Meet with your QAPI committee, challenge your staff to be the best they can be, and provide personal, individualized care to your residents. It isn’t easy, it is actually easier to maintain the status quo but to what end? Your residents need your energy and commitment, and everyone will enjoy the rewards in the end. Stay well, stay informed, and stay tuned!
Here are some links to help you out: