According to IHI, the hospitals and health care practices recognized by IHI as Age-Friendly have shown exemplary alignment with the elements of the 4M framework, have formally committed to putting the 4Ms into practice and received a review of their plans by the IHI. Dementiaandelder care training Additionally, the generosity of Kootenai Health Foundation donors enabled Kootenai Health to purchase a membership to Nurses Improving Care for Hospitalized Elders (NICHE), which provides free training for nurses who interact with geriatric patients. Kootenai Health has a goal to provide dementia care training to all bedside staff by the end of 2022. “Our region has a significant population of aging individuals, and our hospital sees many every day,” said Linda Henrich, DNP, RN, a geriatric nurse practice specialist who spearheads Kootenai Health’s geriatric care initiative. “When any person comes into the hospital, they are usually stressed, anxious, scared and in pain. These emotions can be stressful to anyone but are particularly exacerbated in those patients who are suffering from a cognitive or physical decline,” Linda said. “Knowing how to effectively communicate with them and their families is essential to providing them the best possible care. The 4M framework and NICHE are valuable tools enabling our staff to target the best course of care for our older patients. We have to pattern how we talk to and care for our geriatric population in a way that caters to their unique cognitive and physical needs.” ‘Still the person they oncewere’ Many symptoms experienced by an older person can be categorized as “normal aging.” Kootenai Health’s geriatric program focuses on the patient’s life goals and health care goals to provide more personalized treatment plans. “Things such as pain, depression and memory problems can all be managed so the person has a better quality of life, which is the ultimate goal,” said Linda. “Additionally, as a person ages, so do their vital organs. Medications are not broken down as effectively, and more medications taken by the patient mean a higher risk for harmful reactions. Muscle mass also decreases, and even short periods of inactivity can be harmful. Many people are also unaware that untreated depression can mimic symptoms of dementia. We’re really proud of the advancements our care team has made, and continues to make, to focus on the overall needs of our geriatric patients.” This program would not be possible without the generosity of our community. “We are very proud of the geriatric care initiative and the tireless efforts of Linda and her team,” said Kootenai Health Foundation President Julie Holt. “The goal of this investment is to continue to improve upon the resources we provide our care team, which will translate to a better experience for our geriatric patients and their families.” Linda best summarized the intent of the geriatric care initiative when she said, “They’re still the person they once were, they’re just different. It’s important for us to remember that.” From left, Linda Henrich, DNP, RN; Rachael Ferraro, D.O., hospital medicine; and Ashley Haug, simulation operations specialist Aging well Have a heart for caring for elders in our community? Visit KH.org/foundation or call (208) 625-4438. KH . ORG 21
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODQ1MTY=