Baycrest

BrainMatters •Fall/Winter 2023 • 15 FAMILIES ARE VALUED MEMBERS OF THE CARE TEAM Satisfaction scores indicate that families are extremely likely to recommend (9.7 out of 10) the Possibilities by Baycrest™ community. Families report feeling less tense, more relaxed and relieved, with a greater sense of security knowing their loved one is safe and secure. That's because families are valued as contributing members of the community. They are part of the care team and respected for their knowledge and expertise for their loved ones, resulting in strong trust and communication between staff and families. In addition, families respect and appreciate that programs and activities are built around their loved one's values and interests, which helps establish a focus on quality of life rather than control and compliance. From the very beginning, the care team has wanted to include the family perspective and elicit and build on anything the family can share. I have NEVER felt like I was being told how it was going to be. Possibilities by Baycrest™ family member I feel great coming to work every single day. I look forward to working with the residents because even though they might be diagnosed with certain types of dementia, they can be quite inspirational. I learn a lot from, I would say, all of them because they all have their own stories. Possibilities by Baycrest™ staff member STAFF ARE EMPOWERED AND FULFILLED The Possibilities by Baycrest™ model includes innovative new staff roles rarely seen in healthcare: the Maven and the Curator. In these roles, staff work creatively with residents on a daily basis, and employ teamwork to create solutions and enable possibilities in the community. Evaluation results indicate that this empowers staff to feel satisfied, engaged and fulfilled and allows them to make a meaningful difference in residents' lives. They share that they love coming to work, which reduces turnover and strengthens the healthcare sector. Staff receive advanced training on aging and dementia progression, responsive behaviours and relationship-centred care using an engaging and immersive gaming platform. The model's innovative, unconventional approach sees each person as an individual and then customizes their experience. Staff are empowered to enable daily independence and autonomy of their residents even if it takes more time than getting a task done quickly.

• Cover