Innovative Caregiver Support Strategies Making Significant Impact

Marketing January 25, 2015

BELLE PLAINE, MINN. January 2015 — The Lutheran Home Association (TLHA) launched a pilot project utilizing caregiver support strategies at Kingsway Retirement Living (Kingsway) through its’ Care Well project. The project began June 1, 2014.  TLHA’s Care Well project is funded through a $251,380 grant award through the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) Division, Performance-based Incentive Payment Program (PIPP) grant program.  The Care Well project is an innovative model of evidence-based and technology-driven caregiver support strategies to significantly reduce caregiver turnover and improve the quality of care. 

The Care Well project is providing Kingsway direct care workers such as Home Health Aides and Certified Nursing Assistants (caregivers) with a combination of several new strategies for increased support, recognition, improved health and wellness, and advancement opportunities.  These strategies include: 

  1. CARES® Interactive Training Modules- on-line, interactive, computer and tablet based training program that increases competencies and engagement
  2. Care Well Support Program that promotes communication, team building, and reduction of caregiver stress
  3. Care Well Mentorship Program to increase caregiver support and competencies
  4. Care Well Mobile Tablet System to increase communication and health documentation efficiencies
  5. It’s Never 2 Late (IN2L), activity and therapeutic interactive engagement technology for caregivers, older adults and families

“The impact and benefits of the MN HCBS PIPPGrantproject at Kingsway have been immediate and extremely positive.  We have documented and observed substantial increases in engagement and activities with caregivers, families, and individuals living at Kingsway.  The Care Well Mentorship Program has served to significantly enhance the process of training new employees and mentoring caregivers as they face trying work situations,” said Karl Keup, administrator of Kingsway Retirement Living. 

The Care Well project team, which includes several direct care workers, has successfully achieved the goals of this project for the first six months according to the project timeline.  There has been ongoing positive feedback from caregivers, families, and older adults regarding the impact of the Care Well project. 

“It has made such a positive impact on the atmosphere in our Memory Care Program.  The It’s Never 2 Late Technology is a focal point older adults like to congregate around and they become more engaged with one other.  We see many more positive interactions,” stated Bridget, a home health aide in Memory Care at Kingsway. 

“The Care Well initiative reflects TLHA’s ongoing commitment to develop effective strategies that support caregivers and improve services for older adults.  It is exciting to observe the positive impact this project is having on improving the caregiver experience and overall service quality,” Catherine Berghoff, director of grant resource development and program administration for TLHA.

The overall goal of Care Well is to improve the quality of life, care, and efficiencies for older adults by significantly improving caregiver retention.  Partners and supporters of the Care Well initiative include, but are not limited to:  University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Center on Aging,UniversityofMinnesotaInstitute on Community Integration,NationalRuralHealthResourceCenter, Avera Health and HealthCare Interactive, and MN Department of Human Services.

Care Well is supported, in part, by a Home and Community Based Services Performance-based Incentive Payment Program grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN-DHS).  Points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official DHS policy.

About The Lutheran Home Association
The Lutheran Home Association is a not-for-profit ministry dedicated to providing for the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of people in our care.  We offer a wide variety of health care, housing, and spiritual outreach services with campuses in several states and congregational programs serving seniors and individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities nationwide.  Services and programs include senior living, skilled nursing care, memory care, disability services, rehabilitative therapies, chaplaincy, Bible classes, worship services, and property management services.  Learn more at www.tlha.org, follow @TLHAword on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook.

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