EDUCATING LTC STAFF ABOUT THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENTS

The REMODEL (Resource for Evaluation and Modification of Dementia Environments for Living) is a product that provides a cost-effective way for staff at existing long-term-care facilities (LTC) to assess and judge with empirical tools the extent to which the social and physical environments of their facilities support the needs of residents with dementia. The product contains an assessment protocol developed using a methodology that derived therapeutic goals empirically, in a format that is easily completed by caregiving staff on site. The data collected through this protocol are then forwarded to a team of environmental experts for analysis. Based on the analysis, a report with facility-specific recommendations is generated for administrative staff. Resource training manuals directed at supervisory staff, and training videos geared toward direct-care staff, accompany the report. The intent is to minimize the costs associated with a traditional, individualized consultation and to provide all levels of staff with an educational tool that empowers them to implement successful interventions for existing and ongoing behavioral and environmental challenges.