Creating life stories in senior living is an excellent idea because it helps meet the many needs of your community.
1) Building Relationships -- When people are new at a retirement community, it is key for them to get to know each other. Offering life story programming is one of the best ways for people to connect on a deeper level and realize what they have in common.
2) Quality & Compliance -- F-Tag requirements for long-term care settings mean that personalizing service and care is of growing importance. It is hard to deliver the best quality care when the people are not well known. Activities and life enrichment must be geared to the unique individuals living in long-term care and even assisted living.
3) Great for Memory Care & Overall Health - Programming for people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease must continue to improve. When today is something that someone doesn't remember, the past is one of the very best ways to connect and communicate. Having memory "cues" that work can reduce agitation and some communities even believe that more engaged residents will fall less and stay healthier longer.
4) Intergenerational Opportunities & Family Connections (a great Activity!) -- One challenge in senior living is how can families and youth be more involved? Life stories are just a natural reason for people to be communicating and learning from each other. The wisdom and experience of older generations is passed to younger generations---technology is an excellent way for this to happen. Although sometimes people just want to sit together and fill out a memory journal with a biography template of good autobiography questions.
_______________________________
Beth Sanders is the Founder & CEO of LifeBio Health. LifeBio Health works in senior living and health care settings nationwide to help people capture life stories. LifeBio is the industry-standard life story program used in over 100 communities today from coast to coast. Learn more by emailing info@lifebio.com or call 937-303-4576.
1) Building Relationships -- When people are new at a retirement community, it is key for them to get to know each other. Offering life story programming is one of the best ways for people to connect on a deeper level and realize what they have in common.
2) Quality & Compliance -- F-Tag requirements for long-term care settings mean that personalizing service and care is of growing importance. It is hard to deliver the best quality care when the people are not well known. Activities and life enrichment must be geared to the unique individuals living in long-term care and even assisted living.
3) Great for Memory Care & Overall Health - Programming for people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease must continue to improve. When today is something that someone doesn't remember, the past is one of the very best ways to connect and communicate. Having memory "cues" that work can reduce agitation and some communities even believe that more engaged residents will fall less and stay healthier longer.
4) Intergenerational Opportunities & Family Connections (a great Activity!) -- One challenge in senior living is how can families and youth be more involved? Life stories are just a natural reason for people to be communicating and learning from each other. The wisdom and experience of older generations is passed to younger generations---technology is an excellent way for this to happen. Although sometimes people just want to sit together and fill out a memory journal with a biography template of good autobiography questions.
_______________________________
Beth Sanders is the Founder & CEO of LifeBio Health. LifeBio Health works in senior living and health care settings nationwide to help people capture life stories. LifeBio is the industry-standard life story program used in over 100 communities today from coast to coast. Learn more by emailing info@lifebio.com or call 937-303-4576.
Comments