As the public healthcare emergency (PHE) lightens and with vaccines abundant in the U.S., many businesses are feeling a note of normalcy. Nursing homes have been given the green light to reopen, but continue to be a target of investigation, regulatory ribbon, and reduced consumer trust. This paradoxical environment highlights the sweet and salty of long-term care (LTC). Prior to the pandemic, LTC’s focus was enhancing resident’s outcomes, improving quality of care and quality of life, and fostering a home environment worthy of the residents within. As difficult as it may have been in the moment, we now know it was truly the sweet stuff.
During the height of the PHE, regulation and policy aligned to create a salty recipe for long-term care. Reporting requirements, acquiring PPE, reduced access to care, and navigating surveys overshadowed previous focuses. Through this pandemic, we’ve learned the necessity of the salty. Salt brings balance and accountability, but when added without first testing the effectiveness of current spices, it can quickly ruin a meal. When regulation, reporting, and accountability metrics are balanced in relation to care needs, quality outcomes, and resident satisfaction, a delightful sweet and salty mix, in high demand for any consumer, is created.
As we emerge into this new era, many are fatigued, short staffed, and considering alternatives to long-term care. Let’s partner together to remember the sweet, learn from the salty, and create an enhanced recipe. Embrace each step of reopening with a dash of optimism and a cup of determination. Give a patient a hug, ignite communal dining and activities with fanfare, have a welcome party in the therapy gym, hype the benefits of group therapy, and celebrate family and friend’s visitation! Talk openly about the expectations for infection control, safety measures, and possible temporary isolation needs. This balance will help achieve a transparent trust with our residents, their loved ones, and care partners.
Don’t let the sweet get lost in the salty, share resident and facility successes with Reliant’s Model 103.0 reports. Spotlight Reliant therapists who exhibit clinical excellence by climbing the Clinical Ladder and facility team who SMILE with purpose. Never hesitate to GROW your brand. Our partnership brings the best ingredients to demonstrate your facility’s value, skill, and compassion in the community. Bon Appetit!