Old Age in a New Age

Beth Baker

Description

On investigative visits to nursing homes across the nation, Beth Baker has witnessed profound changes. Culture change leaders are tearing up everything—the floor plans, the flow charts, the schedules, the lousy menus, the attitudes, the rules—and starting from scratch. They are creating extraordinary places where people live in dignity and greet the day with contentment, assisted by employees who feel valued and appreciated. Perhaps most surprising, these homes prove that a high quality of life does not have to cost more. Some of the best homes in the nation serve primarily low-income people who are on Medicaid.

In Old Age in a New Age, Baker tell the story of a better way to live in old age. Although each home is different, they share common values: respecting individual choices; empowering staff; fostering a strong community of elders, staff, family members, and volunteers; redesigning buildings from a hospital model to a home (where pets and children are part of everyday life); and honoring people when they die. Her visits to more than two dozen facilities include those associated with the Eden Alternative, Green House, Kendal, and the Pioneer Network. Whether these transformational homes become the norm or the domain of a lucky few is the question that faces the next generation of elders, the baby boomers.

Sujets

• Vie de famille
• Relations familiales
• Caregiving
• Medical
• Médecine
• Caregiver
• Gerontology
• Health

Informations

• Publié par: Vanderbilt University Press
• Date de parution: 28 mai 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780826592286
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Old Age in a wAgNee THE PROMISE OF TRANSFORMATIVE NURSING HOMES Old A ge i n a New A

ge

BETH BAKER

Old Age in a New Age he Promise of Transformative Nursing Homes

Old Age in a New Age

he Promise of Transformative Nursing Homes

Beth Baker

Vanderbilt University Press Nasville

Coyrîght © 2007 Beth Bàker Pubîshed by Vànderbît Unîversîty Press A rîghts reserved Fîrst Edîtîon 2007

11 4 5

Prînted on àcîd-free àer. Mànufàctured în the Unîted Stàtes of Aerîcà Desîgned by Dàrîe Màyer

Frontîspîece:The àte Loîs Màrîe Newàn àt Bîgfork Vàey Counîtîes în 2003. Photo by Ross Wes.

Lîbràry of Congress Càtàogîng-în-Pubîcàtîon Dàtà

Od àge în à new àge : the roîse of trànsforàtîve nursîng hoes / Beth Bàker.—1st ed. . ; c. Incudes bîbîogràhîcà references ànd îndex. ISBN 13: 978-0-8265-1562-9 (coth : àk. àer) ISBN 13: 978-0-8265-1563-6 (bk. : àk. àer) 1. Nursîng hoes—Unîted Stàtes. 2. Oder eoe—Nursîng hoe càre—Unîted Stàtes. 3. Oder eoe—Unîted Stàtes—Socîà condî- tîons—21st century. I. Tîte. [DNLM: 1. Hoes for the Aged—orgànîzàtîon & àdînîstràtîon— Unîted Stàtes. 2. Nursîng Hoes—orgànîzàtîon & àdînîstràtîon— Unîted Stàtes. 3. Aged—sychoogy—Unîted Stàtes. 4. Orgànîzàtîonà Càse Studîes—Unîted Stàtes. 5. Quàîty of Lîfe—Unîted Stàtes. WT 27 AA1 B1670 2007] RA997.B323 2007 362.160973—dc22 2006038878

To our eders and those who ovîngy care for them

Contents

Acknowledgments  îx Prologue  xî Introduction  1

P rt I: The Last Resort a

1  “Promîse You’ Never Put Me în a Nursîng Home”  Wy We’e în Denîâl  7 2  “I Amost Crîed”  he Unîvesâl LOnGînG O HOme  25 Stories from the Front Lines of Change Part II:

3 Fy to Parîs” “We’  HOnOînG indîvîduâl COîce  41 4 Are Nothîng” “We  EmOweînG Sâf  61 5  “Thîs Is My Home”  TeâînG U e Blueîns  85

pHoTogRàpHS 103

6 Can Dance Aone or We’ Dance wîth You” “You  CeâînG COmmunîy  109

7  From the Top of the Ferrîs Whee  BeâkînG Bâîes  123 8 Bîngo Beyond  FîndînG MeânînG în Lâe Lîe  136 9  Famîy-Frîendy Homes  WelcOmînG Relâîves O e Teâm  152 10  The Zen of Memory Loss  LîvînG în e MOmen  161 11 Bags Are Packed” “My  DyînG în e NusînG HOme  174 Part III: Making the Case for Change 12  Too Good to Be True?  ovecOmînG obsâcles  185 13 Boomers’ Legacy? Baby  BuîldînG â MOvemen  200  Epilogue  209  Appendixes  211  Notes  219  Index  229

viii

Acknowledgments

îrst, I wîsh to thànk the eders, theîr fàîîes, stàff, ànd àdînîstràtors of F  nursîng hoes who wecoed e ànd shàred theîr storîes. Theîr kînd- ness, honesty, ànd good huor însîred thîs book. Chàrene Boyd, Heîdî Gî, Steve Shîeds, ànd Bî Thoàs were àrtîcuàry generous wîth theîr tîe ànd suortîve of y efforts. I à gràtefu to the eàders of the Pîoneer Network, Actîon Pàct, Inc., ànd the Nàtîonà Cîtîzens’ Coàîtîon for Nursîng Hoe Refor who shàred theîr hîstory ànd însîghts wîth e over the four yeàrs I worked on the book. Theîr he wàs învàuàbe, às wàs thàt of the àny àcàdeîc reseàrchers whose knowedge îs relected here. If there àre àny errors în these àges, they àre y own.  My edîtors àt theWashîngton PostHeàth sectîon gàve e àssîgnents thàt stàrted e on thîs journey.  I à gràtefu to deàr frîends ànd fàîy ebers, too nuerous to nàe here, who beîeved în thîs roject ànd boosted y sîrîts. To y other, Betty, who, àong wîth y àte fàther, Bob, tàught e to ove the wrîtten word, à secîà thànks. My sîster, Bobbîe, shàred contàcts în the Ohîo Psycho- ogîcà Assocîàtîon, but ore îortànt gàve e her unwàverîng conidence. My sîster-în-àw, Denà Crosson, heed e gàther îortànt reseàrch àte- rîàs. Frîends who àssîsted e durîng the wrîtîng rocess încuded Bàrbàrà Arstrong, Mîchàe Cuîton, Frànk Gàànt, Kàren Gàànt, Leàh Gàsheen, Nàoî Lubîck, Bruce Johànsen, Kàtîe Pugîese, ànd Lynne Wàyon. Anne ànd Jî Wîîàs twîce generousy oàned e theîr hoe on Long Cove so thàt I îght wrîte wîthout înterrutîon. My dàughter, Sàràh, àde hefu suggestîons às I deveoed the roosà, ànd she ànd y son, Dànny, cheered e on. The exert edîtorîà eyes ànd enthusîàs of both Sàrà Tàber ànd Sà Horn were esecîày encouràgîng.  I àso wànt to àcknowedge Lîîàn Morrîson for gîvîng e erîssîon to rerînt her oe, “Nursîng Hoe,” thàt irst àeàred în her wonderfu coectîonA Good Catch for the Unîverse(2005).

 ix