“Leveraging opportunities to add a little joy to the resident’s day would make the time spent more meaningful and positively anticipated by staff and residents,” says Allison Boulware, RN, manager, national account nurse liaison for Guardian Pharmacy Services.

The answer? “We should be actively seeking new ways to make the med pass more relational,” she says. “This creates a much less intimidating and more inviting environment.”

Engage in conversation.

It’s arguably the best ice breaker of all.

“Asking the resident about his or her childhood or favorite memories while administering meds can distract from a mundane task for the resident,” says Kevin Coggin, consultant pharmacist at Turenne PharMedCo. “It’s also a great way to build lasting relationships and truly deliver patient-centered care.”

Emily Stacy, a PharMerica nurse consultant, believes a simple conversation starter like, “How’s your day going?” is enough to start a good relationship.

“Ask if they are planning on participating in a particular activity that is going on that day,” she adds. “Ask about pictures or an interesting belonging they have in their room. Tell the resident a fun fact or short joke.” 

Personality in and on everything goes a long way.

Boulware believes communities can approve policies that encourage nurses to use their creativity to invite conversation during med passes. There’s no substitute for putting a smile on a grumpy resident.

“Allow nurses to deck out their med cart with funny sayings,” Boulware says. “Imagine how many residents would smile if they saw a cart featuring the saying, ‘Be nice to me! I dispense the happy pills.’”

Giving nurses the opportunity to customize their scrubs and name tags is another way to brighten residents’ spirits. “Allowing them to wear approved pins, patches or bedazzled clothing could spark conversation and common interests,” she explains.

“Residents love theme days,” says Sarah Barker, general manager of Turenne PharMedCo’s pharmacy in Montgomery, AL. “For example, incorporating some favorite football team paraphernalia or wearing team themed scrubs can be a great conversation starter. Here, subtlety is key.”

Music soothes the soul.

Many caregivers say a tune can calm even the grouchiest or most timid seniors.

“Nice, soothing music playing through a [mobile phone] app could bring a spa type experience to the taking of medication — potentially something the resident would look forward to,” says Marti Wdowicki, director of clinical operations for PharMerica.

Boulware suggests caregivers create personalized music playlists.

“The simple gesture of asking a resident about their favorite songs and artists can have a long-lasting impact, making them feel valued in your care,” she says.

“If the nurse is a talented singer, she or he can start the morning with a little jingle,” adds Coggin. 

“I have seen some nurses do their best ‘American Idol’ impression and sing the entire time,” observes Boulware. “The laughter this generates with the residents reduces stress.”

Of course, the more fun added for everyone involved, the better. 

Marci Wayman, consultant pharmacist at Turenne PharMedCo, says even in the fleeting moments of a med pass, quick games can add just the right dose of levity.

“Another great option is to have a trivia fact for the day such as, ‘Did you know Andy Griffith was born today in 1926?’” says Barker. “Remember, though, there are still meds to be passed, so keep it short.”

Based on the beautiful landscape of Lovers Key Beach near the medical center in Fort Myers, the interior design emanates the rustic splendor of the Southwest Florida surf for everyone spending time at the 75-bed, 56,771-square-foot facility.

Nathalie White, project manager for design firm Studio+, says the project took about a year to complete. Being part of a healthcare system presented a special set of challenges, like strict codes and environmental continuity, she adds.

“Throughout the design process, we had to keep in mind that we were still a hospital facility, so we had to stick with the same standards of a hospital,” she says. “However, we selected finishes that make hospital fabrics and materials look less clinical. We removed the traditional waiting room look for a living room setting, and removed the dining hall concept you find in hospitals and replaced it with a home-like kitchen and living area.”

To be sure, “a goal of this project was to blend the lines between hospitality and healthcare through innovative design,” says Matthew Lessig, administrator of the community’s skilled nursing unit. “This approach allows us to provide care to more complex patients while the proximity of our location to the hospital promotes the sharing of resources to reduce the overall cost of care. Working side-by-side with Studio+ was an integral part of this project’s success.”

The driftwood inspiration influenced the space throughout the design, finishes and furniture selection, White says. 

The design team incorporated the driftwood into materials for the exterior facade, and brought that same concept to the interior with wood tones in the cabinets, furniture, wallcoverings and flooring. Still, White advises for the sake of clarity that the environmental theme “is not the driftwood itself — it is the natural landscape and healing nature of the beach. We wanted to bring the beach indoors without overpowering the space, in a contemporary way.” 

Additional elements related to the theme include shiplap to provide a nautical touch. With beach tones throughout, all the artwork and accents have a Florida coast feel. 

The facility also showcases large windows to allow natural light into each room, which White says is intended to encourage the patient’s recovery and wellbeing.

“This space has so much natural light and spaces that make you feel like you are at home and not in a hospital,” she says. “We hoped that these elements would promote fast healing for patients.”­

The care plan for the resident at Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility in Mt. Clemens required transfers from her bed to the wheelchair with assistive mechanical devices. 

LeadingAge Connecticut estimates that its 35 members would need to pay an additional $9 million in wages and benefits if the hike goes through.

“I fear that our nursing home is now at a critical juncture,” Thomas Russo, executive director of Kimberly Hall South in Windsor, CT, wrote to state lawmakers. “We are clearly at a point where we can’t go another year without Connecticut policymakers recognizing that substantial Medicaid help is overdue.”

State legislators are mulling whether to boost minimum pay to $15 per hour, up from $10.10. At the same time, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) and lawmakers’ budget proposals for the next two years have not included increases to Medicaid reimbursement rates. That lack of Medicaid support and stagnant wages have fueled ongoing strike threats from thousands of nursing home workers.

Lamont’s plans would increase the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 while legislators have suggested a 2022 increase. 

Spring Hills Senior Communities confirmed that several federal agencies were at Atrium Post Acute Care of Woodbury and the Atrium headquarters in Little Falls, NJ. Spring Hills, which is in Edison, NJ, is planning to buy Atrium’s New Jersey facilities in Wayne, Princeton, Matawan, Livingston, Hamilton and Woodbury.

“These investigations relate entirely to actions or inactions of prior Atrium management. These investigations have no adverse impact on the delivery of care to the residents,” Christina O’Leary, a spokeswoman for Spring Hills, told NJ Advance Media.

Atrium has struggled financially. It placed 33 of its facilities into receivership last year. Additionally, U.S. Foods Inc., which provided food for Atrium facilities, sued various corporations run by Atrium Co-CEO Kevin P. Breslin for over $2.2 million in alleged unpaid bills last fall, NJ Advance Media reported. U.S. Foods Inc. said it had to stop all food deliveries to the facilities, according to court records.

Florida Decides Healthcare had submitted 63,714 valid petition signatures to the state as of May 13, nearing a 76,632-signature threshold that would lead to a review by the Florida Supreme Court, according to the state Division of Elections.

At stake is a Medicaid coverage proposal that would cover low-income adults who are currently not eligible. 

If justices approve the wording, the committee has to submit 766,200 signatures to appear on the November 2020 ballot.

Florida lawmakers, including Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) have repeatedly rejected Medicaid expansion. The proposed constitutional amendment would widen eligibility to people whose incomes are up to 138% of the federal poverty level. But DeSantis said in March that Florida does not need to expand Medicaid to allow additional Floridians access to healthcare.

John Frey, a WWII veteran, lived at home until he entered his 11th decade. He joked to a local newspaper reporter that he had had “too many birthdays” but attributed his longevity to cleaning his plate when he eats.

Despite his nonchalance about turning 101 on June 7, Frey’s family and staff shared a Facebook message in April asking for birthday cards. More than 60 had arrived by early May, but his daughter said she also asked for cards from the state’s politicians and President Donald Trump. They expect to display the cards in Frey’s room.

Anyone who wants to send a birthday card to Frey can address it to: Bennion’s Central Utah Veteran’s Home, ATTN: Recreation (John Frey), 1551 N. Main St., Payson, UT 84651.

A:The culture of nursing homes is we care for families or elders, and sometimes employees get left out inadvertently. We’ve found that schedule patching is a recurring systemic phenomenon. One big change is the work-life needs of employees — it’s. ‘My kid is sick,’ or, ‘My car broke down.’ 

Q: Why is the Work-Life Needs model, which balances the needs of workers with patient coverage, most successful? 

A:The key actors worked more on the ground and improvised changes rather than have these bureaucratic rules. The best nursing homes say we know our employees have work-life needs. They improvise coverage; the scheduler helps the person find a back-up. They try to problem solve in a win-win or collaborative manner, rather than saying, “Your car broke down, we are writing you up.” That caring culture can carry over to problem-solving for patients. 

Q: Can you explain how this helps pressure ulcer reduction?

A:I stress that this is a preliminary link. But if you are forced to work, how are patients going to be moved or have time to have the skin kept clean? It comes back to these social and cultural themes.