Delving into the quality of the care seniors have in facilities, there are multiple ways to ensure your facility is truly offering a unique experience. Integrated care models offer such capacities to deliver this fine tuned approach utilizing medical care, wellness programs, and daily living support in such a holistic manner that both health outcomes AND resident experiences become memorable and impactful in the long term!?
Defining Integrated Care Models
Integrated care models are ways to fine tune and cater living experiences to the needs of a senior. Whether it is a senior needing medical care, physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), mental health support, or wellness programs, these services are synergistic in providing PERSONALIZED CARE to a senior’s experience. Some of the facilities I have seen and worked in myself have these programs being contracted to outside providers, while other facilities I have worked in maintain these in-house; factors such as size of the facility, staff certifications, number of staff, budget, resident preferences, and insurance coverage can play roles in the delivery of these facility abilities. Reducing the fragmentation of these services and keeping the continuity of care in-house facilitates the relationships residents have with their caregivers and the rest of their care team. I have seen such beautiful growth in facilities where individuals could barely walk and were bed-bound for months or years on end becoming able to get up and walk! I witnessed several times residents cheering on and encouraging their other resident friends as they got up out of their wheelchair to walk 5 feet one day, then 10 feet months later, and eventually independently ambulatory. I have even seen residents with crippling depression transition over a long period of time to having a general disposition of great joy with proactive coping mechanisms learned with in-house teams.? Being able to offer such life-changing services in-house can truly play an impact in delivering optimal care on multiple levels!
Benefits of Having Integrated Care Models in Facilities
- Improved Health Outcomes: Residents being able to have medical attention with continuous monitoring allows for rapid action capabilities should health conditions decline. Being able to effectively manage resident health issues whether chronic or acute reduces hospital admissions thereby increasing resident retention and occupancy.?
- Enhanced Quality of Life: Residents feel connected and a sense of belonging when engaging in services such as fitness programs, social activities, and mental health support together. Becoming more positive, flexible, physically stronger, more ambulatory, more communicative, energetic, and more present in the moment fortify the living to a higher quality of life.
- Cost Effective: Integrated care models can lower facility operating costs, allowing for investing into the property or services that can be offered. In turn, resident experiences are improved!
- Peace of Mind: The continuity of care and trust a resident and their family has in their facility staff also skyrockets as integrated care models are carried out in facilities. Comprehensive and holistic care from the blending of the models allows a peace of mind for both families and the residents, especially when families live far away or cannot be present as often.
Implementation of Integrated Care Models
- Partnerships with Healthcare Providers: Creating strong relationships with surrounding physicians, clinics, hospitals, and specialists is conducive to management of resident health conditions whether it is for chronic or acute health condition management.?
- On-Site Medical Services: With nurses, doctors, and therapists on-site, healthcare management becomes a seamless process, promoting efficiency and improved resident quality of care. As a nurse, I have a critical eye in observing resident conditions, and if I see the rapid decline of a resident from their baseline where a resident may stop breathing or has no pulse, I engage my nursing judgment, begin CPR, and get the resident out to the nearest hospital via 9-1-1 to get acute management.
- Comprehensive Wellness Programs: Wellness integrations include such programs as nutritional improvement, physical activity, and mental health management. As every resident is different, their nutritional, physical, and mental health management plan should be, too. Wellness programs are just as important as medical services as they compliment each other well in care of residents and their well-being.?
- Technology Integration: Electronic health records (EHRs), telehealth, and wearable health devices can play critical roles in care of residents. EHRs allow for the real-time organization of information about a resident’s care needs, medication management, care plans, doctors and other providers, etc. Having EHRs allow for effective communication between interdisciplinary team members involved in the care of residents. Telehealth allows care teams to communicate with residents or one another regarding health conditions and follow up appointments if residents or providers have telehealth as a preferred method. Wearable health devices, such as a wander guard, facilitate the tracking of residents in scenarios such as if they have dementia and have wandered off-campus from the facility. It’s hopeful and likely the resident won’t go too far, but I have seen Code Greens (elopement) where the resident went to a nearby gas station (I felt bad for the nurse and tried to help)!
Challenges and Navigating to Solutions
- Funding: Grants, loans, and partnerships can be significant contributors for funding of such programs. Some states are quite friendly and generous in the programs they can offer facilities. Other states may not be. Take time to look at your state’s abilities to help in funding integrated care models.?
- Training: Staff can be trained on comprehensive care programs and how to integrate them into the care of residents. Whether it’s online, physical books or packets, shadowing, or a combination, training can be carried out to maximize the education required for such implementation.
- Implementation: The integrated care models should be gradually introduced to staff and residents so not as to overwhelm everyone that can be affected. The gradual implementation will allow for the refining of needs and eventual smooth adaptation to daily operations.
The adoption of integrated care models into your facility can be the best investment of your resources to promote exceptional quality of care for your residents, effective staff and care team communication, and improved operational efficiency. If synergies between such programs can be effectively implemented, you are looking at creating a culture of growth, teamwork, and compassion within your facility that can position it to the top of the list when an individual says they want to come into a senior living facility. Don’t fall behind when it comes to being innovative in care models! Think about what you’re doing today to set up for a successful facility with happy residents!
Interested in learning more about integrated care models and how they can benefit your senior living facility? Connect with us to discuss innovative solutions and best practices. Together, we can create a brighter, healthier future for our seniors.
