From river rock to rock concert OMNI makes life memorable
From cruising along the Otonabee River to grooving to the sounds of April Wine, life is full of adventure for residents who reside in OMNI Health Care long-term care’s homes. Read more
Archive for month: June, 2015
OMNI homes demonstrating commitment to the greater good
The Wildwood Care Centre Relay for Life team (pictured above) raised about $2,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society on June 5. Wildwood Care Centre, like other OMNI homes, is demonstrating the importance of contributing to the greater good.
Staff members, residents, participate in various activities supporting their communities
OMNI Health Care’s 18 long-term care homes are part of a culture that goes beyond providing excellent care to residents; they are also dedicated to contributing to the greater good. Read more
Bloopers from OMNI Video Challenge highlight fun and laughter
The recent OMNI Video Challenge saw teams from OMNI Health Care’s 18 long-term care homes create educational videos, but their efforts didn’t always go as planned and the results were often humorous. Read more
Garden Terrace eliminates 28 restraints for 15 residents in 10 days
Engaging front-line staff and families fosters success
A higher-than-average number of residents with restraints prompted Garden Terrace to create a quality improvement plan which resulted in 28 restraints being eliminated from 15 residents during a recent 10-day period. Read more
Programming departments are discovering creative ways to enhance quality
A scene from Alive Inside: The Story of Music and Memory. Photo credit: Michael Rossato-Bennett, 2012
Innovative thinking used to decrease resident agitation, develop meaningful activities and enhance atmosphere
OMNI Health Care programming departments are demonstrating their talents for discovering innovative and creative approaches to enhancing quality for residents living in the organization’s long-term care homes. Read more
Ensuring quality is front-liners’ focus is the next step in OMNI plan: Ferguson
‘We have to go beyond the administrator, beyond the director of care’
KINGSTON, Ont. – For the past five years, OMNI Health Care has focused on enhancing all aspects of quality in the organization’s 18 long-term care homes and ensuring it becomes the keystone of its culture. Read more
Riverview’s new ESM says colleagues’ support has helped her transition
‘It was a great move and a great change for me,’ Crystal Post says
Crystal Post is new to the environmental services manager (ESM) position at Riverview Manor but well-versed in the strong, supportive culture of the Peterborough long-term care home and OMNI Health Care. Read more
(VIDEO) Creating video provided educational experience for Wildwood staff
A key benefit of creating an entry for the OMNI Video Challenge was the fact that the process of writing the script and acting out scenes provided an educational opportunity for Wildwood Care Centre staff members, says registered practical nurse Patricia Mezenberg. Read more
West Lake Terrace launches writing program for residents
Activity provides forum for residents’ creativity to flourish
West Lake Terrace has launched an innovative storytelling program that’s helping residents “replace the pressure to remember with the freedom to imagine.”
Janie Butler, the Prince Edward County long-term care home’s life enrichment co-ordinator, started the activity about two months ago after coming across the U.S.-based TimeSlips program online.
The program is geared towards residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia but it is open to all residents.
The TimeSlips website provides a myriad of photos that can be downloaded. As part of the program, people view the photos and then write a story that explains the image.
What’s most exciting about the program, which the home calls Creative Story Writing, is the fact that residents creativity is blossoming, Butler says, adding that the program can be adjusted for one-to-one programming.
“The residents are really enjoying the program and we have some wonderful stories that they have created,” she tells The OMNIway.
For example, one photo from the 1920s features a group of women in short skirts – an unusual style for the time – dancing. Women who formed this subculture at the time were called “flappers”.
Five residents involved with the program, working with life enrichment aide Makenzie Struthers-Mattis, created a story about how a woman’s grandchildren asked her about a dress in her closet. So the grandmother tells them about the dress, which leads to her teaching her grandchildren how to dance.
The program, which is hosted every other Thursday, is becoming a big attraction at West Lake Terrace, Butler says.
“The residents look forward to the program and they share a lot of laughs – it’s just something different for them to do,” Butler says. “When I announce it in the morning, you can hear the residents say, ‘I have to remember to go to Creative Story Writing.’”
There is also training and certification available through TimeSlips. Butler says she plans to become certified this year.
Click here to learn more about TimeSlips.
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If you have feedback on this story, please call the newsroom at 800-294-0051, ext. 23, or e-mail deron(at)axiomnews.com.
Editorial: Forum’s success a microcosm of OMNI’s success
OMNI Health Care’s home office team members pose in their Disney-movie-inspired costumes during the managers’ forum in Kingston.
Each year OMNI Health Care’s managers’ forum reaches new heights, and this year’s event was no exception. Read more