Elder Care Just
Isn’t What It Used to Beby
Michael A. Bower, ACC
The facility where I work
just converted 25 of its 265 beds from
skilled nursing to “enhanced
boarding home” beds. This was
intended to be a service to the spouses
of the residents in our skilled section,
providing them with a place to live that
was close, but not as expensive as
skilled care. And guess what is
happening! The state is filling it with
residents from our skilled side. They
have made it plain that it is this, or
lose them altogether to other lesser care
facilities.
More and more, skilled
facilities are seeing their populations
shift to residents who are very fragile,
and not all those fragile people are
elderly.
The residents who could
write poetry or do craft projects are few
and far between. They are now living in
Assisted Living and Retirement Homes. And
those facilities are also seeing a rising
acuity level in their residents!
As a teacher of the
NAAP/NCCAP Basic Education and Advanced
Management Courses, I often hear
complaints from people working in
non-skilled facilities. They feel that
they are being asked to learn information
that doesn’t apply to them. I have
to point out that NCCAP certification
says that they are trained to work in any
eldercare setting and are qualified to do
so! Activity Professionals don’t
always stay in one facility for their
whole careers. And the populations in
those facilities don’t stay the
same. As a professional, the Activity
Director must be prepared for the
residents the future may bring, not just
the residents currently in their care.
What do you know about
Multiple Sclerosis, head injury,
Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar
Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down’s
Syndrome...the list goes on & on.
These are all diagnosis that I am seeing
in my facility now, and I’m sure my
facility is not unique. Many of the
residents are under the age of 55 now,
although my total population remains
predominately elderly. Activity
programming for such a diverse group is
challenging, to say the least. These are
the realities of our profession in 2000.
NAAP and NCCAP are striving
to help you, the Activity Professional,
get educated and stay educated, but it is
up to the individual to take advantage of
the services both organizations offer. As
professionals individuals must continue
to grow in knowledge and ability, and
help others to do the same. Be active in
your professional organizations at all
levels. Participate in training, serve on
committees and promote the profession to
the public. No one employed in the
Activity Profession today can afford to
stagnate—the playing field is
changing too quickly! NN
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