The Eden Alternative Certified Eden Associate Training.€¦ · The Eden Alternative® entitled...
Transcript of The Eden Alternative Certified Eden Associate Training.€¦ · The Eden Alternative® entitled...
P.O. Box 168, Pleasant Hill, TN 38578 931-277-3518
UPLANDSVILLAGE.COM
April 19, 2018
Vincent Davis, State Survey Agency Director
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
Dear Mr. Davis,
On behalf of Uplands Village and Wharton Nursing Home, we appreciate the opportunity to
submit this request for $33,720.00 to utilize civil monetary penalty funds. If approved, funds
will enrich the quality of life of nursing home residents by establishing training focused on
resident-centered care. We believe that every nursing home resident has the right to choice,
dignity, respect, self-determination, and purposeful living, and want to empower our staff by
giving them the tools, resources, and inspiration to make that happen for every resident.
“Culture change” is the common name for a global initiative focused on transforming care, as we
know it, for elders and other individuals living with different cognitive, developmental,
psychological, and physical abilities. It advocates for a shift from institutional models of care to
person-directed values and practices. Person-directed care is structured around the unique needs,
preferences, and desires of each individual. Through this approach, decisions and actions around
care honor the voices and choices of care recipients and those working most closely with them.
The keystone of this proposed project is a comprehensive educational experience developed by
The Eden Alternative® entitled Certified Eden Associate Training. This 3-day training illustrates
the importance of the particular well-being of each individual and qualifies nursing home
employees to initiate the culture change journey in their organizations. Nursing home employees
leave the training feeling empowered and inspired to customize care based on the needs of the
individual.
Uplands Village and Wharton Nursing Home are committed to maintaining and consistently
revitalizing an awareness and application of the Eden Alternative principles. It requires being
vigilant and prepared to bring new employees into the process. We are striving to certify at least
75% of our employees, and will hold four 3-day trainings on site in which participants will be
immersed in what it means to give and receive dignified and respectful treatment.
On behalf of Uplands Village and Wharton Nursing Home, thank you in advance for your review
and consideration, resulting in final approval of this request.
Sincerely,
Louise Buckner, RN, LNHA, Uplands’ Director of Health Services
EIN 62-0479194
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 1
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Date of Application: ____ /____ /_______ MM DD YYYY
REQUEST
PART I: Background Information
Name of the Organization: ____________________________________________________________
Address Line 1: _______________________________________________________________________
Address Line 2: _______________________________________________________________________
City, County, State, Zip Code: __________________________________________________________
Tax Identification Number: ____________________________________________________________
CMS Certification Number, if applicable: –
Medicaid Provider Number, if applicable: –
Name of the Project Leader: ____________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________________
City, County, State, Zip Code: __________________________________________________________
Internet E-mail Address: _______________________________________________________________
Telephone Number: – –
Mobile Number: – –
Have other funding sources been applied for and/or granted for this proposal? Yes No
If yes, please explain/identify sources and amount.
6
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 2
PART II: Applicable to Certified Nursing Home Applicants
REQUEST, cont.
Name of the Facility: __________________________________________________________________
Address Line 1: ________________________________________________________________________
Address Line 2: ________________________________________________________________________
City, County, State, Zip Code: __________________________________________________________
Telephone Number: – –
CMS Certification Number: –
Medicaid Provider Number: –
Date of Last Recertification Survey: ____ /____ /_______ MM DD YYYY
Highest Scope and Severity Determination: (A – L) ______
Date of Last Complaint Survey: ____ /____ /_______ MM DD YYYY
Highest Scope and Severity Determination: (A – L) ______
Currently Enrolled in the Special Focus Facility (SFF) Initiative? Yes No
Previously Designated as a Special Focus Facility? Yes No
Participating in a Systems Improvement Agreement? Yes No
Administrator’s Name: _________________________________________________________________
Owner of the Nursing Home: __________________________________________________________
CEO Telephone Number: – –
CEO Email Address: ___________________________________________________________________
7
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 3
______________________________________________________________________________________
REQUEST, cont.
Name of the Management Company: ___________________________________________________
Chain Affiliation (please specify) Name and Address of Parent Organization: __________________
Outstanding Civil Money Penalty? Yes No
Nursing Home Compare Star Rating: ______ (can be 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars)
Date of Nursing Home Compare Rating: ____ /____ /_______ MM DD YYYY
Is the Nursing Home in Bankruptcy or Receivership? Yes No
If an organization is represented by various partners and stakeholders, please attach a list of the stakeholders in the appendix.
NOTE: The entity or nursing home which requests CMP funding is accountable and responsible for all CMP funds entrusted to it. If a change in ownership occurs after CMP funds are granted or during the course of the project completion, the project leader shall notify CMS and the State Agency within five calendar days. The new ownership shall be disclosed as well as information regarding how the project shall be completed. A written letter regarding the change in ownership and its impact on the CMP Grant application award shall be sent to CMS and the State Agency.
Part III: Project Category
Please place an “X” by the project category for which you are seeking CMP funding.
Direct Improvement to Quality of Care
Resident or Family Councils
Culture Change/Quality of Life
Consumer Information
Transition Preparation
8
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 4
POLICY 03
Object
Line-item
Reference
EXPENSE OBJECT LINE-ITEM CATEGORY 1
(detail schedule(s) attached as applicable)GRANT CONTRACT
GRANTEE
PARTICIPATION TOTAL PROJECT
1 Salaries2$20,196.00 $20,196.00
2 Benefits & Taxes$0.00 $1,552.00 $1,552.00
4, 15 Professional Fee/ Grant & Award 2 $4,000.00 $0.00 $4,000.00
5 Supplies$370.00 $0.00 $370.00
6 Telephone$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
7 Postage & Shipping$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
8 Occupancy$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
9 Equipment Rental & Maintenance$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
10 Printing & Publications$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
11, 12 Travel/ Conferences & Meetings2$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
13 Interest 2 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
14 Insurance$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
16 Specific Assistance To Individuals2$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
17 Depreciation 2 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
18 Other Non-Personnel 2 $29,350.00 $515.00 $29,865.00
20 Capital Purchase 2 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
22 Indirect Cost (% and method)$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
24 In-Kind Expense$0.00 $0.00 $0.00
25 GRAND TOTAL$33,720.00 $22,263.00 $55,983.00
ATTACHMENT 2
GRANT BUDGET
(BUDGET PAGE 1)
2 Applicable detail follows this page if line-item is funded.
1 Each expense object line-item shall be defined by the Department of Finance and Administration Policy 03, Uniform Reporting Requirements and Cost Allocation Plans for Subrecipients of Federal and State Grant Monies, Appendix A. (posted on the Internet at: https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/finance/attachments/policy3.pdf).
Uplands Village/Wharton and Welness Homes
APPLICABLE PERIOD: The grant budget line-item amounts below shall be applicable only to expense incurred during the period
beginning DATE, and ending DATE.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 6
Uplands Village
SALARIES AMOUNT
Uplands Village will incur the cost of all salaries, including the on-staff Eden Educator and replacement staff to cover staff in training
51 x 16.5 x 24 hrs. + 1551.73 (Longetivity, if applicable) $21,747.70
ROUNDED TOTAL $21,748.00
AMOUNT
$4,000.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $4,000.00
AMOUNT
$0.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $0.00
AMOUNT
$0.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $0.00
AMOUNT
$0.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $0.00
AMOUNT
$0.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $0.00
AMOUNT
$29,720.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $29,720.00
AMOUNT
$0.00
ROUNDED TOTAL $0.00
No request
SPECIFIC, DESCRIPTIVE, DETAIL (REPEAT ROW AS NECESSARY)
No request
This request is for all supplies, textbooks, meals and snacks, and certification with the Eden Alternative for 74 participants
No request
CAPITAL PURCHASE
OTHER NON-PERSONNEL
DEPRECIATION
SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS
INTEREST
TRAVEL/ CONFERENCES & MEETINGS
PROFESSIONAL FEE/ GRANT & AWARD
ATTACHMENT 2 (continued)
GRANT BUDGET LINE-ITEM DETAIL
(BUDGET PAGE 2)
The cost for the third-party evaluator is $4000.00
No request
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 7
Funding
The proposed budget for this project is Attachment 2. We are requesting grant assistance for
training of 50 direct care staff, 16 ancillary staff (including administration), and 8
residents/elders and family members.
Training evaluation journals are $5 each x 74 = $370.
The Total for Supplies is $370.
The cost for the third party evaluator is $4,000.
The Total for Professional Fee/ Grant & Award is $4,000.
The first of four Certified Eden Associate Training events will include an educator from The
Eden Alternative, assisted by Uplands Village’s Certified Eden Educator. This event is $495 per
person plus $60 for meals. $555 per staff person x 21 people = $11,655. The Eden Alternative
offers a special rate for Elders and their family members of $100 per person. We added $60 each
for meals. $160 per Elder/family member x 2 = $320. In addition, we added $20 a day for meals
3 days for the 2 Eden Educators and 1 support staff = $180. The first event totals $12,155.
The three remaining Certified Eden Associate Training events will be conducted by Uplands
Village’s Certified Eden Educator. These events are $299 per person plus $60 for meals. $359
per staff member x 45 = $16,155. $160 per Elder/Family Member x 6 = $920. In addition, we
added $20 a day for meals for 3 days for the Eden Educator and 1 support staff = $120. The
remaining 3 events total $17,195.
The Total for Training is $29,350.
As the grantee, we are covering the cost of training for at least 1 board member totaling $515.
Uplands Village will absorb the salaries of additional staff necessary to cover the shifts of
training participants as well as the on-staff Eden Educator. This totals $21,748
Total Grantee Participation is $22,263.
Total Request: $33,720
Total Grantee Participation: $22,263
Total Project: $55,983
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 8
Job Descriptions for Key Personnel
Lisa Norris, R.N, is a certified Eden Educator and the Project Coordinator for Uplands Village.
She will attend, assist, and/or teach all four proposed trainings as well as make all necessary
preparations. She will coordinate with the Eden Educator from the Eden Home Office, and
working with Human Resources and Staffing Managers, Resident Councils, and Volunteer
Organizations to identify participants in the Eden Alternative training. Lisa will also be
responsible for all training reports to the Eden Home Office and grant reports required.
Meredith Martin, Education Coordinator for The Eden Alternative, will be responsible for
conducting the first proposed Certified Eden Alternative Training 3-day session according to the
standards of the Eden organization, send required materials back to Eden Home Office (EHO),
and provide feedback to the EHO post training. She will work with Lisa Norris to help Lisa
refresh her Educator skills.
George Chitiyo, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Educational Research and Evaluation, will
coordinate evaluations of the proposed project goals including pre- and post-training tests,
verifying establishment of on-going contact and discussion between trained associates and within
the organization, conducting focus groups to evaluate post training staff attitudes and practices
toward care and aging, and presenting a written report. Dr. Chitiyo earned his B.S. and M.S.
degrees from the University of Zimbabwe and his Ph.D. from Tennessee Technological
University. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles in such publication as the Journal
of Pediatric Nursing and Jamba: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies as well as presented papers on
evaluation and assessment at professional conferences. Dr. Chitiyo also developed the Patient
“Lightening-Up” Rating Scale (PLRS) Alzheimer’s patients’ response to therapy (December,
2016) and developed instruments to assess the effectiveness of a peer mentoring program among
minority students at Tennessee Tech University, 2013-2015.
Biographical Sketch for Currently Employed Key Personnel
Lisa J. Norris, RN, and Uplands Village’s Certified Eden Educator, received her Associate
Degree in Applied Science in Nursing in 2000 from Roane State Community College in
Tennessee. She was licensed as a registered nurse in 2000 (License # 129220). She worked as a
Skilled Unit Coordinator of a 53 Bed Unit at Life Care Center of Sparta, TN, before joining the
nursing administrative staff at Uplands Village. Since 2003, Lisa has worked as Uplands’
M.D.S. Coordinator, the Director of Nursing at Wharton Nursing Home, Director of Home
Health Services for the independent elders in the retirement community, and Culture
Change/Staff Development Coordinator. She became a Certified Eden Educator in 2012. Lisa
also holds Basic Life Support certifications in CPR and Emergency First Aid Instruction (2010)
and Facility Supervision (2002) from the Tennessee Health Care Association.
Lisa earned a Certificate of Achievement in Reframing Dementia: An Eden Alternative
Perspective in 2017, and successfully completed Dementia Beyond Drugs: Changing the
Culture of Care with Dr. Allen Power in 2013.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 9
Involved Organizations
Uplands Village George Chitiyo, Ph.D.
Lisa Norris, RN, Eden Educator Independent Consultant
P. O. Box 168 Associate Professor, Education Research &
Pleasant Hill, Tennessee 38578 Evaluation
931-277-3518 Tennessee Technological University
P. O. Box 5042
The Eden Alternative Cookeville, TN 38505
Meredith Martin, Education Coordinator 931-252-3446
P. O. Box 18367
Rochester, NY 14618
585-461-3951, ext. 3051
David C. Zack Interim Executive
Director
Louise Buckner, RN, LNHA
Director of Health Services
Meredith Martin Eden Educator
George Chitiyo, Ph.D. Third-Party Evaluator
Lisa Norris, RN Eden Educator
Grant Coordinator
Cynthia Smith Controller
Deborah Douglas Director of
Funds Development
Organizational Chart
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 10
Project Abstract
In 2004, when Uplands Village committed to building a new long-term care community,
residents presented the administration with the dream of Eden Alternative inspired long-term
care homes. They were persuasive, and Uplands Village, a small continuing care retirement
community in rural Tennessee, diligently and patiently embarked on a complete culture change
in elder care. By the time the new Wharton Nursing Home opened in 2010, we had developed a
new understanding about elder care and had educated greater than 90% of the Uplands staff –
administration, maintenance, nursing, and dietary; not just those in direct long-term care – in the
Eden Alternative concepts. It was the right thing to do then, and it is the right thing to sustain.
We currently have a core group of staff who are already certified as Eden Associates and every
new employee receives an overview of the Eden Alternative principles, but to sustain and deepen
what we have developed, we are committed to formally training new staff in the Eden
Alternative philosophy and have established a goal of 75% certification.
Certified Eden Associate Training helps our organization achieve its goals of creating an
environment where residents can lead full and abundant lives. For over 20 years, The Eden
Alternative has successfully demonstrated person-directed care practices. In a culture that
typically views aging as a period of decline, the Eden Alternative philosophy asserts that no
matter how old we are or what challenges we live with, life is about continuing to grow. This
paradigm affirms that care is not a one-way street, but rather a collaborative care partnership. All
caregivers and care receivers are described as “care partners.” Together, care partner teams strive
to enhance well-being by eliminating the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom
for the residents and for the employees that support them. Via the Eden Alternative approach,
care planning is framed by the unique needs and preferences of the individual and focused on
honoring each individual’s sense of identity, security, and autonomy, as well as his/her need for
connectedness, meaning, growth, and joy.
The goal of this proposed project is to empower different members of the care partner team with
the tools and skills required to create and sustain a person-directed culture of care. To
accomplish this goal, our objectives are to:
Provide four rounds of the 3-day Certified Eden Associate Training
Educate a total of 50 long-term and skilled nursing employees, 16 ancillary employees,
and/or 8 residents/family members (making sure that all managers and directors are
trained) through Certified Eden Associate Training.
Designate a participant pool that will include:
o Staff that make decisions that affect long-term care including key personnel from
administration, finance, marketing, dietary, and maintenance
o Eight spots in the training for family and resident council members, as well as
other elders who reside somewhere on the continuum of care in Uplands Village
and likely will live their final months or years in Wharton Homes.
The success of the project will be assessed according to the detailed description found under
“Results Measurement” in this application. The evaluation will be conducted by an external
evaluator and independent consultant, Dr. George Chitiyo, who has expertise in research design
and evaluation. He is also Associate Professor of Educational Research and Evaluation at
Tennessee Tech University.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 11
Statement of Need
Not only is person-directed care the right thing to do, but it has become a regulatory expectation.
Organizations hoping to remain in compliance and to exceed regulatory standards need resources
and education that effectively convey the WHY, WHAT, and HOW of person-directed care.
When nursing home employees are encouraged to build deep-knowing relationships with Elders
and other care partners, the sense of purpose behind their work is significantly enhanced. Giving
meaning to life and work, one of the Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being™, is essential for
care partners to become fully engaged in their work. A sense of autonomy and the opportunity
for growth (also Domains of Well-Being) play an equally vital role in employee engagement.
Employees who are empowered to be responsive, encouraged to engage meaningfully with
others, and can continue to grow stay in their jobs. This strengthens care partner relationships
and the ability for Elders and their care partners to become well-known over time. Enhancing
the Domains of Autonomy, Growth, and Meaning also enables organizations practicing The
Eden Alternative to experience a sustained reduction in turnover. Note the following:
Turnover for Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) combined
in Eden Registry Member organizations was only 19% in 2013, as compared to the
national average of 36% alone for LPNs and 50% for RNs alone; and
Turnover for Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) in Eden Registry Member organizations
was only 25% in 2013, as compared to the national average of 52% for CNAs.
When nursing home employees are not happy in their jobs, the residents suffer, both in terms of
quality of care and in a lack of consistent care partners. Individualized care simply cannot
succeed without the presence of employee care partners who know each Elder well. Turnover
makes this vital aspect of quality care impossible to achieve and creates a reactive cycle where
time and resources are poured into orienting a revolving door of staff, rather than into cultivating
the rich, meaningful relationships that drive exemplary care.
Organizations practicing person-directed care find that their jobs become easier, not harder, once
culture change is established. This is particularly critical as we face the largest population of
older people our nation has ever seen. Approaches to care that are based on reciprocity, mutually
supportive, and regenerative practices will be crucial to our ability to meet the needs of so many
aging Americans at one time.
Potential project challenges and proposed solutions:
Issue: Some project participants may push back on adopting the new language and concepts
learned in the training. Solution: Leadership will provide opportunities for participants to share
and process concerns or resistance to the new concepts and work together on ways to help them
make the new approaches their own and to experience small successes that they can build on.
Issue: Some project participants may struggle with applying the skills and tools they’ve gained
back into their work in their organizations. Solution: Project participants will be paired with a
mentor or another Eden Associate in order to freely discuss, brainstorm, and learn from each
other in how to apply what they have learned from the training experience.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 12
Issue: Some project participants may struggle with competing organizational goals or regulatory
requirements. Solution: An Eden Engagement Group will be established to seek solutions to
meet requirements.
Project Description
Successful implementation of person-directed care means offering a philosophy based on
guiding principles. Principle-based approaches offer both a shared language and direction, while
providing the flexibility to respond to unique needs and circumstances. When it comes to person-
directed care, step-wise approaches don’t deliver, as they fail to take into consideration how
different and unique every individual is. The content of Certified Eden Associate Training is
based on ten guiding principles (see www.edenalt.org/about-the-eden-alternative/mission-vision-
values/), as well as seven domains of well-being: identity, connectedness, security, autonomy,
meaning, growth, and joy (see www.edenalt.org/about-the-eden-alternative/the-eden-alternative-
domains-of-well-being/). Each provides a frame of reference for care planning and decision-
making that is highly relatable and which fosters empathy, compassion, and creative problem-
solving capacity.
Implementation of the skills and concepts learned through the training involves changes in
personal growth, the development of relationships, organizational practices, and the physical
environment. The ultimate goal of the training is to cultivate better outcomes and quality of life
for all involved in the giving and receiving of care.
The training is designed to help participants:
Learn how person-directed care improves quality of life and quality of care;
Contribute to reframing the culture of care and perceptions of aging in our society;
Return equipped and inspired to initiate change;
Gain powerful team-building skills to strengthen care partnerships;
Drive more effective outcomes, more efficiently;
Reduce staff turnover and improve financial performance;
Increase resident, staff, and family member satisfaction;
Create high engagement among employees, residents, and families; and
Get connected to a broad network of person-directed care resources worldwide.
Key content points in the training include:
The impact of ageism and ableism on relationships in the care partner team;
The role that diversity of life and daily experience play in creating quality of life;
Awareness that loneliness, helplessness, and boredom are plagues of the human spirit;
Practical application of the antidotes to these three plagues;
Honoring meaning and creating a life worth living;
Defining care as helping another to grow;
Employee/resident empowerment and decisions about care from a person-directed
perspective;
The role of ongoing growth in culture change, i.e. process vs. programs;
3 types of cultural transformation: personal, organizational, and physical; and
Wise leadership as the foundation of effective, sustainable change.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 13
The provision of Certified Eden Associate Training will equip long-term care leaders and teams
with the tools needed to successfully develop a person-directed care culture through the
following deliverables and anticipated outcomes:
Project Deliverables:
If awarded, funds will support the provision of Certified Eden Associate Training, developed by
The Eden Alternative, for up to 74 representing Uplands Village, Wharton Nursing Home, and
the Wellness Skilled Nursing Center, a part of Wharton Nursing Home. In order to meet this
objective, we will hold four training events (3 days each) over a period of four months. All
training will be held in our on-site education room.
Expected Project Outcomes:
By March 29, 2019, 75% of direct and ancillary long-term care staff will be trained as
Certified Eden Associates.
By the end the grant period, participants will have been provided at least two
opportunities to share and process concerns that may arise in the implementation
of the training.
By the end of the grant period, project participants will be paired with a mentor or
another Eden Associate for on-going dialogue.
By the end of the grant period, an Eden Engagement group focusing on
organizational challenges in implementing a comprehensive person-centered care
will be established.
By the end of the grant period, participants will experience a positive overall shift toward
person-directed perceptions of, and approaches to care.
By the end of the grant period, participants will show a positive shift toward increased
daily application of person-directed approaches to care.
These outcomes will be determined based on the detailed evaluation plan that follows under
“Results Measurement.”
Proposed project timeline:
MONTH 1-3:
October 15, 2018: Uplands Village Human Resource Director will announce open registration
for Certified Eden Associate Training. Eden Educator will confirm location and food.
October 16, 2018: Registration announcement will be posted throughout community. Family
members of long-term residents will be notified and invited to participate.
October 17 – November 7, 2018: Eden Educator Lisa Norris will promote open discussion and
Q &A regarding Certified Eden Associate Training during weekly scheduled Eden meetings.
November 8, 2018: Assign placement making sure each training session includes nursing, care
partners, administration, housekeeping and laundry, maintenance, and dining services.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 14
November 9, 2018: Notify employees, elders, and family members of assigned training dates
and times. Order supplies needed for December 2018 training.
November 21, 2018: Send reminder to registered participants of December training.
December 4-6, 2018: Hold Certified Eden Associate Training, which includes pre- and post-
knowledge tests for data analysis.
December 7, 2018: Order supplies needed for January 23-25, 2018 training. Confirm provision
for meals and snacks with Dietary.
MONTHS 4-5:
January 7, 2018: Send reminder to registered participants of January training.
January 23-25, 2018: Hold Certified Eden Associate Training.
January 26, 2018: Order supplies needed for February 2018 training.
By January 31, 2018: Uplands’ Eden Educator will establish and log monthly stand-up
meetings to provide opportunities for participants to share and process concerns, and paired
associates will log in first monthly chat.
February 9, 2019: Send reminder to registered participants of February training.
February 20-22, 2019: Hold Certified Eden Associate Training.
February 23, 2019: Order supplies needed for March training. Confirm food with Dietary.
By February 28, 2019: Uplands’ Eden Educator will facilitate and log monthly stand-up
meetings, and paired associates will log in monthly chat.
MONTH 6-7:
March 5, 2019: Send reminder to registered participants of March training. Confirm food.
March 19-21, 2019: Hold Certified Eden Associate Training.
By March 31, 2019: Uplands’ Eden Educator will facilitate monthly stand-up meetings, and
paired associates will log in monthly chat.
MONTH 8-12:
May 1, 2019: Regroup December 2018 Training Group for Post Evaluation
June 5, 2019: Regroup January 2019 Training Group for Post Evaluation
July 3, 2019: Regroup February 2019 Training Group for Post Evaluation
August 7, 2019: Regroup March 2019 Training Group for Post Evaluation
August 8, 2019: Send collected data to the external evaluator for analysis.
August, 2019: Third Party Evaluator will conduct three focus groups to assess staff attitudes and
practices toward care and aging.
September 17, 2019: Receive third party data analysis and evaluation of training program
September 24, 2019: Meet with Uplands Village Leadership Team to present evaluation for
discussion.
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 15
Results Measurements
The following evaluation plan (presented in Table 1) will frame the project’s evaluation process.
The evaluation plan will be executed by third party evaluator, Dr. George Chitiyo, Associate
Professor of Educational Research and Evaluation at Tennessee Tech University. The evaluation
plan lists all the objectives, activities linked with each objective, and the assessment method(s),
and planned analyses.
Table 1: Evaluation Plan
Objective Activities Assessment/Instrumentation Analysis Plan
1. Provide four
rounds of Certified
Eden Associate
Training for a
mixture of staff
positions
Four rounds of
training Provide all
participants with
journals to
document their
experiences and
practices
Evaluate training (pretest-
posttest)
Follow-up test six months
after training. The follow-
up survey will ask
participants if they continue
to actively apply what they
learned during the training.
It will also include some
qualitative open-ended
questions.
Focus group with staff to
discuss experiences,
practices, attitudes, and
satisfaction
Descriptive
statistics of
survey data
Thematic
analysis of focus
group data
2. Provide
opportunities for
participants to
share and process
concerns
Uplands Eden
Educator will
facilitate monthly
stand-up meetings
beginning January
2019
Examine logged meetings
Focus groups with
participants to discuss
experiences, practices,
attitudes, and satisfaction
Thematic
analysis of focus
group data
3. Project
participants will be
paired with a
mentor or another
Eden Associate
Each participant will
be paired with
another participant
at the beginning of
the training sessions
Partners will
establish a monthly
meeting time
Each meeting will
be logged with Eden
Educator
Examine logged meetings
4. Establish an
Eden Engagement
group
Establish committee Verify that committee is
established
Uplands Village/Wharton Nursing Home 16
5. Improve staff
attitudes and
practices toward
care and aging and
train participants
in applying new
skills and concepts
Achieve Certified Eden
Alternative Training of
50 direct care partners,
16 ancillary partners,
and 8 elders/family
members by March 31,
2019
Make training as
person centered
as we’d like
staff to give care
by providing
healthy and
quality snacks
and meals,
adequate breaks
Build in time for
questions and
concerns and a
first meeting
with paired
participants
Pretest-posttest survey
of staff attitudes &
practices
One focus group for
direct care staff, one for
administrators, and one
for elders and family
members
Descriptive
statistics of
survey data
Thematic
analysis of focus
group data
Breadth of impact and long-term sustainability:
The overall impact of the proposed project does not end with the project participants alone.
Project participants are empowered to be change agents, prepared to lead by example, and to
teach other employees skills to reframe attitudes about eldercare, interpret and respond to unmet
needs, and identify organizational care practices that need adapting. Thus, the project’s impact
has the potential to be exponential. Hundreds of employees, residents, and family members can
be positively affected by the changes project participants are equipped to set into motion. The
seven Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being (identity, growth, autonomy, security,
connectedness, meaning, and joy) can be used over time to frame conversations addressing
challenges faced by residents and their care partners. The ongoing application of person-directed
practices over time develops a high-engagement, organizational culture that is not satisfied with
the status quo. The result is empowered employees who love their jobs and are committed to
ensuring the growth and well-being of empowered residents.
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Benefits to Nursing Homes
Nursing home residents are expected to benefit from this proposed project through the
development of empowered employees who are prepared to transform care and operational
practices that improve overall well-being and quality of life. The lives of thousands of nursing
home residents have the potential to be positively impacted. Transformational strategies include:
Mitigating the plagues of loneliness, helplessness and boredom for residents and
employees, which reduces depression and, in some cases, challenges to physical health
(Regulatory expectation: Attain highest possible well-being)
Developing unique observation, communication, and interpersonal skills among
employees that ultimately enhance connection, purpose, and meaningful engagement for
all (Regulatory expectation: Self-determination and participation; Regulatory
expectation: Accommodation of resident needs; Regulatory expectation: Attain highest
possible well-being).
Optimizing well-being for residents, regardless of ability.
Empowering direct care staff to work collaboratively, creatively, and compassionately
with all residents, regardless of their abilities.
Emphasizing how improvement of organizational culture and systems significantly
enhance overall quality of life for nursing home residents.
Providing a strategy for the voices of employees and residents to be heard, resulting in
higher satisfaction and more person-directed decision-making at both the organizational
and public policy level.
Consumer/Stakeholder Involvement
Residents and family council members, as well as members of the Board, will be invited to take
the training alongside employees. Experiencing the training together not only helps create a
shared language around person-directed care between different stakeholders, but it provides an
opportunity to deepen collaboration, understanding, and an investment in care partnership
between residents, family members, and employees. After the training takes place, participants
will be encouraged to hold Learning Circles (a tool for deep listening that also supports
brainstorming, problem-solving, and decision-making). Bringing together family members,
residents, and employees, these Learning Circles will explore different aspects of the core
content of Certified Eden Associate Training. By creating a highly participatory approach to
exploring and “trying on” aspects of person-directed care, all stakeholders have the opportunity
to make the content their own and to help customize it for the unique needs of the organization.
Participants will also be encouraged to offer small presentations for other stakeholders
(employees, residents, and family members not attending the training) about what they learned
from the training. This will both empower training participants as leaders in the organization’s
culture change journey and inspire others to become a part of the solution, as well.
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