WLKY: Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Waterfront Park
Louisville senior care facility using innovation to improve quality of life
Louisville senior care facility using innovation to improve quality of life
Source: WAVE3
By Sean Baute
August 13, 2019
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A national conference revolving around advancements in senior care came to Louisville recently. It’s part of a network of facilities looking to work together to make life better for an aging population. Together, they’re tackling problems that don’t happen overnight.
“Nobody wakes up and says, I’m going to move into a nursing home today,” said Michael Buckman, chairman of Nazareth Home. “That is never going to happen.”
At Nazareth Home in Louisville, innovating senior care, and sharing their success is the mission.Michael Buckman, Director of Development at Nazareth Home (Source: Doug Druschke, WAVE 3 News)
“We want to make sure it’s an empowering environment,” Buckman said. “We want to make sure that all of their wishes are honored, and really we want to free them to be who they are.”
At Nazareth Home in Louisville, innovating senior care, and sharing their success is the mission.
It’s programs such as True Doors, that are the result of adapting to a specific problem such as dementia care. True Doors allows to residents to pick out a door for their room.
“We’ve had families come in who say, oh my gosh, mom got her door, and first thing she wanted to do was show me when we got here,” said Buckman. “It is about lessening the anxiety, lessening the isolation, and just really telling the story about that elder.”
Some of the doors of the Nazareth Home residents are duplicates of the homes where they once lived.
The decals could be a door from a list, or it could be of the door from the house they just came from.
“They know exactly when they moved in there, how long they lived there,” Buckman added.”They have an incredible sense of pride in this community.”
True Doors is based in Europe, but it’s partnerships across the United States as well that make senior care innovation possible in Louisville.
“Getting to come out and spend time in a community like this, it just reminds me how important the work we do is,” said Kristi Stoglin, Vice President of Client Success for It’s Never 2 Late.
It’s Never 2 Late is based in Colorado, and offers palliative care patients a digital portal to another world, or a previous memory of their own.
“People like Nazareth Home, who just want to do the absolute best that they can for their elders, and offer that kind of engagement every day, that’s where It’s Never 2 Late came from and what we’re still about today,” said Stoglin.
A Career of a Lifetime
A Career of a Lifetime
A career at Nazareth Home is more than just a job; it’s a mission. Our staff members passionately believe in what they do and are dedicated to providing excellent care to elders.
Our team members feel called to their positions and take pride in their work. Therefore, we strive every day to create an environment where they can thrive, have fun and embrace their mission to serve others.
Making a difference in the lives of elders and their families, being empowered to learn and grow each day and our ongoing goal to improve the workplace are just a few reasons staff give for their tremendous job satisfaction.
“A part of our mission at Nazareth Home is to embrace our staff,” said Jennifer Smith, human resource director or Nazareth Home. “We work together to provide not only the elders with the best person-centered care possible, but also our staff. Happy staff makes a happy workplace.”
If a career in senior living speaks to your soul, we may be a good fit for you. Explore our employment opportunities here.
There is help out there
There is help out there
It is not easy to think of a loved one having to face daunting treatments, therapies and pain during a serious illness. The good news is there is help out there.
Palliative care is a specialized approach to easing suffering for people with serious illness. It’s about relieving pain, reducing symptoms and easing stress. It has also been shown to alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and depression. Palliative care honors personal wishes and values, and research suggests that it may even prolong a person’s life.
At Nazareth Home, we have partnered with iN2L (It’s Never Too Late) to create a groundbreaking and innovative palliative care program called Connected Affirmation Project (CAP). We are the first senior living community to use this technology for our palliative elders. And we couldn’t be more excited!
CAP provides an opportunity for innovative compassion at a time when many family members are at a loss as to how to interact with their loved ones. It allows avenues of engagement that are fulfilling and fun at bedside. It also gives staff members another venue for interaction that can be memory-making and entertaining.
Palliative elders often slow down in participation of activities outside of their room. This technology brings activities to the elder wherever they may be. It provides different types of engagement, including spiritual offerings such as hymns and prayers, movies, classic TV shows, games, music and so much more.
iN2L technology is also utilized to collect the elders’ life stories, allowing them to reminisce and reflect on their amazing life. This helps residents find meaning when faced with death, and the ease to say goodbye because they have lived full lives.
With these life stories, we create a legacy gift for family members when the elder goes to God. It includes information about their family, careers, service, skills, life accomplishments, and other interests and hobbies.
“I’m so grateful to be able to minister at Nazareth Home. It’s a wonderful place that embraces innovative technology for fun, meaningful and spiritual engagement,” said Bridget Bunning, Director of Pastoral Care & Mission.
CAP builds the palliative care program around what the residents like and dislike. With our focus on person-centered care we are driving home the belief of Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the hospice movement:
“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the last moment of your life.”
Nazareth Home’s groundbreaking palliative care program
Nazareth Home’s groundbreaking palliative care program
Nazareth Home has exciting news! We’ve partnered with It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L) for a groundbreaking palliative care program called Connected Affirmation Project (CAP). The CAP program is the first of its kind in the U.S. and affirms the life of elders by utilizing iN2L technology to help tell their life-stories and create a legacy keepsake for families.
iN2L technology allows elders to use interactive tablets to stimulate intellectual curiosity with easy access to the Internet, view personal photos and videos that prompt joyful memories and stay connected with family and friends. It also educates and fosters communication about palliative care with residents, their families and Nazareth Home staff.
“This first-in-the-nation project represents our pioneer spirit and commitment to fostering person-centered care,” said Michael J. Buckman, director of development for Nazareth Home. “We appreciate iN2L as a partner that is willing to go outside the box with us. We chose to partner with It’s Never 2 Late because they have a company culture of serving others.”
Palliative care is medical care that specializes in providing relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness to improve the elder’s quality of life. It is provided by a team of compassionate caregivers who partner with the physician to deliver an extra, specialized layer of support.
Nazareth Home was awarded over $200,000 for the CAP program from Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funds, through the Kentucky Office of the Inspector General and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Nazareth Home featured in documentary “It’s About Time”
Nazareth Home featured in documentary “It’s About Time”
Partnership with PayActiv reinvents financial wellness for employees and sets a precedent for employers across the nation
Nazareth Home was recently featured in a short film produced by PayActiv called, “It’s About Time,” showcasing the importance of timely access to earned wages and the opportunity to promote financial wellness for the American workforce. PayActiv, a holistic financial wellness platform, offers a payroll solution to businesses to ease the financial stress of employees between paychecks. The success of the program at Nazareth Home sets a precedent for other employers across the country.
In 2016, Nazareth Home began an innovative partnership with PayActiv to give employees immediate access to earned funds from their paycheck, helping to relieve any between-paycheck financial stress while providing them personal empowerment. Nazareth Home credits PayActiv with changing the way it supports employees and their financial wellness.
“When Nazareth Home acquired the Clifton Campus, many of the nursing positions were filled with good people who were working for a staffing agency. We wanted them to become our employees,” said Mary Haynes, president and CEO of Nazareth Home. “As I spoke with them, however, I learned they didn’t want to switch because the staffing agency paid them at the end of each day, and they needed that to make ends meet.”
The documentary, “It’s About Time,” looks at pay timing and its correlation with epidemic financial stress being experienced by millions of working Americans. Living paycheck to paycheck is the reality for many people. Those who find themselves in that situation face a tough choice — go without, put the expense on their credit cards or opt for expensive, high-risk loans.
Haynes said utilizing the PayActiv platform was an innovative solution to the problem. “Having worked in long-term care for many years, I was acutely aware of the financial situations team members deal with, and the fact that many were seeking out payday loans, spending their money and never breaking even.”
“The PayActiv financial wellness payroll application used by Nazareth Home is personal, independent and does not make team members “go to” anyone to use their “worked but unpaid” income. Employees use a phone application or an ATM just like using their bank account,” said Sohail Aslam, Co-founder and CTO of PayActiv. “The ability to use earned money on their own timetable is a game changer for employees and their families. People are saving money by not seeking risky loans, along with benefitting from the independence and privacy of meeting needs on their own terms.”
“Finding a solution for our hard-working heroes was important to us. The affiliation with PayActiv has empowered our team and aids in recruitment and retention of staff,” Haynes said. “It’s one of the most valuable strategies we have implemented in years.”
In addition, Haynes added, “The PayActiv solution continues to provide personal value to Nazareth Home, as well as our employees and their families. It brings financial security, dignity and increased savings to our workforce, and we are honored to be featured in a documentary that is shedding light on this important issue.”
To view the film, visit itsabouttimethefilm.com. For each person that shares the video on their social channels, PayActiv will contribute $5 towards a financial wellness fund to help paycheck-to-paycheck workers.
Nazareth Home’s Groundbreaking Palliative Care Program Utilizing “It’s Never 2 Late” Technology
Nazareth Home’s Groundbreaking Palliative Care Program Utilizing “It’s Never 2 Late” Technology
Funding provided by Civil Money Penalty Funds through the KY OIG and CMS
Nazareth Home and Nazareth Home−Clifton is partnering with It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L) for a groundbreaking palliative care program called Connected Affirmation Project (CAP). Nazareth Home was awarded over $200,000 for the CAP program from Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funds, through the Kentucky Office of Inspector General and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Nazareth Home’s CAP program is the first of its kind in the U.S. by affirming the life of elders by utilizing iN2L technology to help tell their life-story and create a legacy keepsake for families. iN2L technology allows elders to use interactive tablets to stimulate intellectual curiosity with easy access to the internet, view personal photos and videos that prompt joyful memories and stay connected with family and friends. It also increases education and fosters communication about palliative care with residents, their families and Nazareth Home staff.
“This first-in-the-nation project represents our pioneer spirit and commitment to fostering person-centered care,” said Michael J. Buckman, director of development for Nazareth Home. “We appreciate iN2L as a partner that is willing to go outside the box with us. We chose to partner with It’s Never 2 Late not because of who they are, but rather who they want to be as a company. They have a culture of serving others.”
Palliative care is medical care that specializes in providing relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness to improve the elder’s quality of life. It is provided by a team of compassionate caregivers who partner with the physician to deliver an extra, specialized layer of support.
Buckman noted that palliative care is often misunderstood, causing people who could benefit from this treatment to go without it. “Our goal is to educate the community of the benefits the CAP program offers, breaking down barriers that consider palliative care taboo and allowing more people with serious illnesses comfort and better quality of life.”
“iN2L is honored to be partnering with Nazareth Home in this meaningful project. For 20 years, we have been providing our engagement technology solutions to senior living communities throughout the United States. This is our first project 100% focused on palliative care,” said Jack York, president and co-founder of iN2L. “We will all learn from this project, and with the help of the Nazareth Home team we will provide meaningful comfort and engagement.”
“By finding new ways to meet today’s challenges, we make the lives of people around us better. Nazareth Home is proud to be a trailblazer for a palliative care program using the iN2L technology,” said Mary Haynes, president and CEO of Nazareth Home. “And we are grateful for the CMS grant and the opportunity it provides to develop the CAP program.”
CMS launched the Civil Money Penalty that benefit nursing home residents and that protect or improve their quality of care or quality of life.
“We are humbled and honored to have the Kentucky Office of Inspector General and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recognize our efforts to create community through innovative compassion. Receiving the CMP funds allows us to enhance our mission of person-centered care,” said Buckman.
Alzheimer’s support & education group provides relief for caregivers
Alzheimer's support & education group provides relief for caregivers
Alzheimer’s disease changes lives for both diagnosed individuals and their loved ones.
Family members frequently take on the caregiver role for someone with Alzheimer’s. In many cases, those loved ones find the experience of providing care to be isolating and stressful. It is a hard road to walk, but in the words of Lao Tzu, “From caring comes courage.”
It’s important to know that caregivers do not have to face this trying experience alone. By joining a caregiver support group, individuals can connect with others who face similar challenges, helping to build each other’s courage. Sharing and finding encouragement along the way is revitalizing.
In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, Nazareth Home is committed to helping all families who are affected by this disease. Our caregiver support groups offer a place to exchange information, talk through challenges and learn about resources in our community.
Join us and let’s work together to be courageous as we care for our loved ones. Monthly sessions are held at Nazareth Home and Nazareth Home Clifton. Learn more about our support groups here.
June Rehab News
Connect, Create, Contribute
Celebrating Stories
May is Older American Month (OMA), a time to celebrate and embrace aging! Each year, more and more older adults are making a positive impact at Nazareth Home. As volunteers, employees, employers, educators, mentors, advocates and more, they offer insight and experience that benefits the entire community.
This year’s OAM theme, Connect, Create, Contribute, encourages older adults and their communities to:
- Connect with friends, family, and local services and resources.
- Create through activities that promote learning, health and personal enrichment.
- Contribute time, talent and life experience to benefit others.
At Nazareth Home, we are grateful to see many examples of these ideas brought to life. Community members of all ages can take part in helping Nazareth Home thrive. We encourage you to:
Connect: Contact us to learn more about our innovative compassionate care and the resources and support provided to elders and their families.
Create: Living an active and engaged life with opportunities to grow and learn is essential at every age. Take a look at our Activities Calendar to see the abundant opportunities to fulfill the social, physical, spiritual and educational needs of those we serve.
Contribute: Nazareth Home is thankful for everyone who gives of their time, treasure and talents. You can learn more about giving and volunteering here.
Communities that support and recognize older adults are stronger! Join us in strengthening our community!
