EAST WINDSOR (August 10, 2018) –
Article appeared in the Windsor Locks Journal, Windsor Journal and Bloomfield Messenger
At Touchpoints at Chestnut, as with many skilled nursing communities, there is much more to caring for residents than medical care and rehabilitation. Although short term rehab can be quite brief, stretching a few days to a few weeks, many residents call our communities their home.
In order to foster the home like environment, provide stimulating activities and recreation and add to the overall quality of life, many other projects and initiatives have been woven into daily life. For example, Touchpoints at Chestnut has an active baking group where participating residents pick what they would like to make weekly, make it together and then share with other residents and staff. Crafting and creating baked goods is uniquely effective at eliciting the feeling and smells of home.
At Chestnut, Henry the Pug belongs to our evening nursing supervisor Danyelle Cady and conducts his own pet therapy sessions. He has his own badge and accompanies her to work most days. He follows her around the building while popping in and out of different resident rooms for a visit. He loves all the attention they give him and they love having the unconditional love of a pet.
The Rehab Team is a very tightknit group that truly gets to know the residents for which they are caring. The work that they do with the residents receiving short term rehabilitation leaves such an impression on them that they come back to visit for formal and informal reunions and spa days. Some of them even come for a potluck in the Therapy Area to eat and catch up. One resident in particular wrote a poem for the department showing her gratitude. Centering activities around nourishment, sights and sounds and interpersonal conversation and contact is key to developing the home like atmosphere.
Often it takes a tailored approach to create that feeling. Chestnut’s recreation director arranged for and set up what is called a Roku for a resident who no longer required therapy for the rest of their nursing stay. A Roku connects a TV to interactive games and programs. The staff arranged for the resident to use the Roku to follow different yoga videos to help keep her active.
In the current healthcare environment, skilled nursing communities admit residents that need more care and have been discharged from the hospital requiring extensive skilled care. These residents are expected to stay for a short period and receive the rehab and nursing services needed to get them well again quickly.
The same communities care for a population of long term residents, often having dementia and other cognitive issues, that call the community their permanent home. Where these two populations converge is in their need to receive a warm, caring and homelike environment with stimulating programs, recreation and support.
