IDEAS FOR JAVA PERCOLATE AT REGIONAL FAMILY COUNCIL CONFERENCE

I n mid-March, Java Music Club kicks off at Carlingview Manor with three groups that will run in the evening. Java Music Club will provide a venue for residents to enjoy a meaningful, after-dinner activity with other residents.

Last fall at the Champlain Regional Family Council Network (CRFCN) Conference, Michelle Fleming, Knowledge Broker at the Ontario Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-term Care (CLRI) at Bruyère and Ryan Bradley, Activity Aide at Madonna Care Centre, presented about our Power of Peer Support project and showed our documentary. Marlene Thomas, Family Council President at Carlingview Manor was inspired and had an idea — involve members of Family Council in facilitating the Java Music Club. She contacted Michelle and asked if this had ever been done – and to our knowledge, it had not. Interested in evaluating the impacts of having Family Council volunteers as facilitators, our team provided Carlingview Manor with the Java Music Club materials, through our Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) grant.

Carlingview Manor is a large home with seven stories and over 300 residents. Carlingview Family Council members aim to enhance the quality of life and happiness of all residents.

In January, volunteer facilitators attended a webinar hosted by Kristine Theurer from Java Group Programs. Michelle facilitated a trial run for the Java Music Club, giving the volunteers a better understanding of the program’s structure. 

On the evening of February 22, Michelle was invited to speak at the Family Education Night at Carlingview Manor, and shared with a group of engaged family members and team members what peer support is all about.

Attendees were interested to learn the impacts of reducing loneliness for residents and fostering meaningful connections between residents. Some homes found that residents active in the Java Music Club will participate in other programs as well — increasing their overall engagement in the care home’s community.

And the team just keeps getting bigger. Some team members from Carlingview Manor have stepped forward and said they would like to volunteer their time to facilitate. Everyone is coming together to make the Java Music Club at Carlingview Manor a success!  

WHAT THE RESIDENTS TOLD US:

WHAT TEAM MEMBERS TOLD US:

UPCOMING WEBINARS

AUDIO-VISUAL TOOL TO SUPPORT CYCLING AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN LTC HOMES

March 21 – Discover how Motiview (an audio-visual, multimedia tool) can promote physical activity among older adults in long-term care homes. An upcoming webinar hosted by Heidi Sveistrup, CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, Bruyère Research Institute will present the results of a multi-site study that explores resident’s engagement in a cycling activity using Motiview.

Participants will learn about:

The benefits of activity in long-term care;

How Motiview can be used to support activity engagement;

How to implement a program of participation built around activity using a volunteer model.

PUT LIVING FIRST: CREATING A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE THRIVES

March 28 – Many have heard the term “culture change” but what does it mean and how can we make it a reality? In an upcoming webinar, Barb Sutcliffe, Senior Manager of Sales and Marketing, Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging, will discuss culture change and how to move from being task-focused to people-focused. The webinar also offers resources to support long-term care home interested in putting living first and creating a where everyone thrives.

Participants will learn about:

Understanding culture change and why it is vital to resident, family and team member quality of life;

The Working Together to Put Living First guidebook and other resources that are available to support culture change in your long-term care home;

Practical strategies and resources to start making change.

  

Would you like to have your home featured in this newsletter? Please submit stories, quotations, photos or videos to Michelle Fleming at mfleming@bruyere.org .  

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Thank you for sharing this newsletter broadly with residents, families, and colleagues in your home. Please contact us if you would like to receive a printed copy for your bulletin board.

This newsletter is part of the project: The Power of Peer Support: Reducing Social Isolation in Residential Care , a knowledge mobilization partnership initiative between Ontario Centre for Learning, Research and Innovation in Long-Term Care (CLRI) at Bruyère, Java Group Programs, Carleton University’s Department of Health Sciences and Bruyère Continuing Care’s Therapeutic Support Services. It is funded by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), Carleton University and the Government of Ontario through the Ontario CLRI.