Writing: Changes
Chapter 16
Culture Change in Long-Term Care
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the nature of culture change
2. Identify the benefits of culture change
3. Understand the role of culture change in long-term care
4. Identify the components of culture change and how it is implemented
5. Understand the difference between resident-centered culture change and organizational culture change
Culture Change
Two ways in which “culture change” is used are as follows:
As it applies to long-term care consumers (particularly nursing home residents)
As it relates to changing organizational (corporate) culture in long-term care
What Is Culture Change?
The common name given to the national movement for the transformation of older adult services, based on person-directed values and practices where the voices of elders and those working with them are considered and respected.
Benefits of Culture Change
Resident benefits:
Reduces loneliness, helplessness, and boredom
Improves physical and mental health (e.g. reduces depression and behavioral problems)
Reduces unanticipated weight loss
Reduces mortality
Benefits of Culture Change continued
Staffing benefits:
Reduces employee turnover
Eliminates temporary agency staffing and mandatory overtime
Reduces workers’ compensation claims/costs
Benefits of Culture Change continued..
Additional benefits:
Significantly improves employee, resident, and family satisfaction
Increases involvement with the outside community including children, students, clubs, and religious organizations
Culture Change Programs
The Eden Alternative
The Wellspring Model
The Green House Project
The Pioneer Network
Components of Culture Change
Decision making
Leadership
Staff roles
The physical environment
Organizational design
Other Aspects of Culture Change
Creating a sense of community
Amenities
Transportation
Social media
Organizational Culture
The collection of self-sustaining patterns of behaving, feeling, thinking, and believing; the patterns that determine how things are done
The workplace environment formulated from the interaction of the employees in the workplace
Characteristics of Successful Organizational Culture
1. Respect for all individuals, including employees, residents, and visitors
2. Responsiveness to questions
3. Freedom from blame
4. Honesty
5. Respect for scientific evidence
Changing the Culture
To implement organizational cultural change:
Understand that change takes time
The organization usually needs to provide resources
Recognize change opportunities
Role of the Leader in Cultural Change
A leader is necessary:
To motivate team members
To be a visible role model
To explain what is acceptable and desired
Summary
There are two ways in which culture change is used in long-term care:
As it applies to long-term care consumers
As it relates to changing organizational (corporate) culture
Both have been recognized as critical to success for a long-term care provider.