Positive Change

My workplace is in an uproar. New administration and, inevitably, new ideas are rocking our facility’s world and residents and caregivers alike are trying to adapt to lots of changes. Many are very resistant, put out even, to these changes but I think they will prove beneficial to us all ultimately.

Change. No one likes change; least of all older people. The slightest deviation from their normal routine can disrupt their entire day. We’ve been assigned new schedules this month designating which caregiver is responsible for which group of residents. We keep our group for a week and then proceed to the next group the following week and so on so that the four day shift caregivers rotate throughout the entire building. Initially, I was quite reluctant about this new plan but I appreciate the wisdom behind it and think it’s a good idea after all.

When a resident is cared for by the same person day after day, month after month, they become extremely dependent and come to believe that no one else can possibly help them. Now, it’s very flattering and good for the old ego to have someone think about you this way but none of us is indispensable and it’s our responsibility to be able to know all the residents’ conditions and how to care for them. We all know pretty much what’s going on with each resident but we don’t all know each one’s little idiosyncracies which could be as simple as how a certain pillow should be placed on their bed. This may not seem like a big deal in the greater scheme of life but it is a big thing in these folks’ diminished world where they have lost a great deal of control of their surroundings and lives.

The not knowing these little things is actually the crux of the matter here and if given enough time, we will all know the intricacies of everyone’s preferences. This knowledge makes for a happier resident and makes our job easier in the long run. In addition to switching assignments around, we suddenly seem to have a lot more organization in a lot more areas than we have had in a very long time. This is a very good thing. Our facility has been adrift in a sea of uncertainty for quite some time. The last year has been a continuous turnover of nurses, management positions and a whole lot of the new kid on the block leading the newer kid (read, blind leading the blind).

At last, we seem to have someone at the helm who appears to know what she’s doing and has, dare I say it? organizational skills! The caregiving department, of which I am part, has been without much leadership for a long time as well. Another new woman has come on board to take over this position which hasn’t been properly filled since April of 2004. This woman knows what she’s about too and I foresee some much needed improvements in store for all of us. It’s about time and time will tell.