Ecumen’s Christy Johnson Gets Very Serious About Fun and Games
You might think the life of an activity director at a senior community is all fun and games — not something that would come under the lens of government regulation. But it does, and those professionals who help residents find fun and joy in their lives are now scrambling to figure out how to measure their work under provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act. 
Christy Johnson, who directs activities at Ecumen Parmly LifePointes in Chisago City, Minn., was on Facebook one night recently and saw a cry for help coming from New Jersey: Does anyone out there anywhere know how the new Affordable Care Act performance improvement regulations affect activity directors?
And, as a matter of fact, Christy is an expert on the subject. Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) programs for long-term care communities are an initiative of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). They are all about improving the quality of life and quality of care and services delivered in nursing homes.
The Affordable Care Act upped the ante, putting much more emphasis on the Performance Improvement aspect of the program. To help nursing homes understand the new approach, CMS commissioned a national collaborative effort with the University of Minnesota and Stratis Health, subject matter experts, consumer groups and nursing home stakeholders, to create helpful implementation tools.
Christy was part of that group — and the only activity director. Performance improvement is generally the purview of nursing home administrators and nurses. But because of a change in leadership at Ecumen Parmly LifePointes while the initiative was underway, Christy got a seat at the table and was just one of 17 stakeholders from across the nation. So she was on the ground floor, helping figure out how to implement the new approach.
She was honored to be part of that group, but she didn’t anticipate that one day she would get a chance to specifically help other activity directors a thousand miles away. The Facebook query came from the New Jersey Tri-County Activity Coordinators (TAC) from Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. They were delighted to find Christy and asked her to please come to Camden, N.J., where they would be meeting.
Christy was delighted to go because she has a passion for the subject matter. “Quality improvement makes me tick,” she says.
She loves the nitty-gritty process of gathering data, measuring, analyzing and looking for ways to make things better. Yet she also loves the process of putting fun in lives of residents. It’s an unlikely combination of interests but one that dovetails perfectly with the data-driven direction health care is taking.
Christy not only knows how to do the activities, she also knows how to measure if they are getting the job done. And that sums up what CMS wants to see in the years ahead.
The New Jersey presentation was very well received, and now Christy is back in Chisago City, where she started working for Ecumen in 2002. When asked to sum up what her job is, she says: “I bring smiles.” (And she measures how well she’s doing it.)
A Look at Alzheimer’s Through the Eyes of a Young Doctor
What does a doctor do when she’s treating patients with a disease like Alzheimer’s that has no cure? Dr. Ariel Green, a Johns Hopkins geriatrician, offers a profound answer to that question in this first-person account in the Washington Post. Dr. Green realized she knew the answer before she ever went to medical school. Doctoring is a lot more than practicing medicine.
Do You Stay In-the-Know With Ecumen’s Changing Aging News?
Do you receive Ecumen’s Changing Aging News? It’s a monthly email newsletter highlighting thought-provoking information true to our vision of “a world in which aging is viewed and understood in radically different ways.” And it summarizes the most significant news about Ecumen’s own work in changing aging. To sign up, go to our “Contact Us” page on the left side and opt-in to subscribe.
Additionally, there are lots of other ways to stay in touch with Ecumen and our ongoing focus on aging issues. You can read our Changing Aging Blog on ecumen.org, and you can follow us of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Plus, each of our communities has its own Facebook page.
Join us. We are changing aging.
Ecumen's Annual Report to the Community
Ecumen is honored by the generous support of private donors, corporations and foundations. Learn more about our fundraising efforts, innovative programs and those who support our changing aging efforts in Ecumen's annual Report to the Community.
Star Tribune Editorial Calls for Awakenings Funding and Expansion Nationwide
A Star Tribune lead editorial on April 5, 2014, said Ecumen Awakenings dementia care program is “effective and compassionate” and “should become the standard of care across the nation as baby boomers swell senior ranks.”
The Star Tribune cited the Leading Age Excellence in Dementia Care Award given last month to Awakenings, which is a pioneering approach to caring for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias without the use of highly sedating psychotropic drugs.
Noting that less than 2 percent of private philanthropic dollars in Minnesota go to programs for seniors, the Star Tribune editorial urged private foundations to acknowledge the coming age tsunami and help fund expansion of the Awakenings care model nationally.
A Caregiver Support Group Innovation Hits Its Stride
Sometimes a good talk with someone who understands helps relieve the stress of caregiving. In fact, that is the basis of most support groups.
Just pulling the chairs in a circle and sharing frustrations seems to work for many people. Now a California caregiver support group has taken this simple approach to the next level by adding on another simple idea. “Meet and Move” is a support group on the go — walking, talking and sharing.
Rather than sitting, the group hikes in scenic areas, and the exercise offers an added dimension of stress relief.
The New York Times New Old Age Blog tells the story of “Meet and Move” and its enthusiastic participants, who say they are becoming better caregivers by also taking care of themselves.
Ecumen Detroit Lakes Receives Grant to Advance Its Dementia-Friendly Work
Ecumen Detroit Lakes is among 12 Minnesota organizations receiving grants through ACT on Alzheimer’s to help create more dementia-friendly communities.
ACT on Alzheimer’s is a volunteer-driven, statewide collaboration preparing Minnesota for the personal, social and budgetary impacts of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s Association estimates there are 88,000 Minnesotans age 65 and older with the disease and many thousands more with other dementias.
“As the population of Minnesota ages, it’s becoming increasingly important to build support systems for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s,” said Olivia Mastry, executive lead for ACT on Alzheimer’s and also an Ecumen board member. “Some of the most exciting innovations will emerge from this community work.
“Creating dementia-friendly communities means that caregivers are supported and people with dementia are able to live in the community and stay out of institutional care longer,” Mastry said. “That helps everyone – families and taxpayers who pay for institutional care, employers who have workers trying to balance all the demands of caregiving, and the individuals themselves.”
Janet Green, executive director of Ecumen Detroit Lakes, said: “We have a long history of supporting community members with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, and this generous grant gives us the ability to even further enhance our programs. What a wonderful recognition in our 50th anniversary year serving the Detroit Lakes community.”
Green said Ecumen Detroit Lakes has had Alzheimer’s support groups for more than 15 years, and started its memory care community more than 20 years ago. “We have a strong commitment to this work and have been in the forefront dealing with dementia care,” Green said. “This grant will allow us to take our work to an even higher level.”
Ecumen Detroit Lakes was part of the initial round of grant recipients and initially will receive $5,800 to implement support programs. The amount could grow to $18,000 based on the success of the programs. For a list of communities receiving grants go to this link.
Ecumen Detroit Lakes’ grant is funded through Blue Plus (an HMO affiliate of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota), the Medica Foundation and Greater Twin Cities United Way.
More than 60 organizations are partners in ACT on Alzheimer’s. More information is available at www.actonalz.org
10 Key Questions To Ask When Comparing Assisted Living Communities
Thinking about an assisted living for yourself or a loved one? It’s a major decision requiring lots of due diligence. We take pride in helping you find the right solution for you, regardless of whether you chose one of our communities.
To help you start the process, below are 10 questions to get you thinking as you start to shop and compare. It’s just a sampling. There are many more questions you need to ask. For a more complete list go to Ecumen.org’s Resource section under assisted living.
1. Is the community attractive, inviting, and in a safe area close to important amenities?
2. Do the employees and residents appear happy and engaged?
3. Is this site easy to navigate, well-lit, comfortable and clean?
4. Does the site make it easy for me to talk with/interview other residents to get their insights on living there?
5. Can I see myself enjoying living here and doing the things that I enjoy most?
6. Is the staff accommodating and friendly?
7. What type of training do the staff members receive?
8. What types of amenities are available (i.e. media center, beauty/barber salon, library, exercise equipment, computer, convenience shop, deli, etc.).
9. Are dining areas convenient to the living spaces, and are there choices for dining times and menu items?
10. How much could my costs increase if I need more services?
See more questions to ask at this link. Or call one of our Ecumen locations to talk one-on-one about your specific needs.
Vital Aging Network Hosting Mayday Celebration
The Vital Aging Network, a nonprofit helping people 50+ live connected and vital lives, will host a Mayday Celebration May 1, 2014, to welcome spring with cool jazz, socializing and a silent auction.
The event starts at 6 p.m.at Bachman’s Heritage Room at 6010 Lyndale Avenue South in Richfield. The Jim Ouska Trio will provide music.
Tickets are $15 per person. You can register online here, or go to vital-aging-network.org for more information.
The Vital Aging Network's mission is to promote self-determination, civic engagement, and personal growth for people as they age — through education, leadership development and opportunities for connection.
A Hero at Ecumen-Managed Colonial Manor Balaton Receives National Honor
Matt Schons, who works as a cook for the food service at Ecumen-managed Colonial Manor Balaton in Balaton, Minn., ran into a burning house after a gas explosion and saved the life of a two-year-old girl in September 2012. Last week, he was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Civilian Heroism. The prestigious medal is given throughout the United States and Canada to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. Only 22 medals were awarded this year.
The girl he saved was the daughter of a staff member at the care center and the granddaughter of Matt’s boss.
“Matt is really a great guy,” said Colonial Manor Balaton Administrator Chuck Ness. “We have a bona fide hero in our midst. This is a really big deal.”
Fox 9 News tells the story in this video: