Planning Resident Care

The goal for senior living communities such as an assisted living facility has always been to promote the independence of seniors while providing them with assistance with activities of daily living. While we still hold that same goal there has been a shift for communities to provide a much broader range of services that cover many different lifestyle needs. For more information on what programs the Virginia Department of Social Services requires take a look below:

 

22VAC40-73-30. Program of care.

There shall be a program of care that:

  1. Meets the resident’s physical, mental, emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual needs;
  2. Promotes the resident’s highest level of functioning;
  3. Provides protection, guidance, and supervision;
  4. Promotes a sense of security, self-worth, and independence; and
  5. Promotes the resident’s involvement with appropriate programs and community resources based on the resident’s needs and interests

Top Takeaways:

  • Promotes the resident’s highest level of functioning;

Promoting a resident’s independence through allowing input in their care and giving them options for how they want to live is one of the most important areas for communities to focus. Allowing the resident to have choices and autonomy in their life is key in having a great outcome with each resident.

  • Promotes the resident’s involvement with appropriate programs and community resources based on the resident’s needs and interests

We as administrators often fail to see the importance of the “activities” program. The first problem is we fail to see this as more than just “activities”. These are life enrichment tools that add value and give fulfillment to the lives of older adults. The enrichment programming in an ALF provides structure to the resident’s day and gives them different events to attend throughout the day.