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In an assisted living facility, it is the line staff – the resident care assistants, wait staff, housekeepers,a and receptionists that have the most daily contact with residents and family members. Unlike those in management and administration, these men and women lack opportunities for self-improvement, such as continuing education conferences. Interacting with aging residents requires much skill, yet the men and women who immediately serve this population have not been trained in interpersonal skills. Many are challenged with English as a second language and deal with their own family, personal and financial stresses. Youville House in Cambridge, MA. benefited from a grant from the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center in Boston and hired Dr. Kehoe to do a pilot program to enhance compassionate care. The program, “Caring for the Caregiver” consisted of eight one hour sessions and was offered initially to the highest achieving employees. Subsequently, two six hour sessions were offered to other staff members. “With the professional nurturing of Kehoe, the group shared their feelings about the stress and grief in their own lives as well as in their work with the residents…Group members also learned how to recognize situations they could not control and discussed ways to better manage their own attitudes and reactions during times of stress and conflict….. When finished with the course, staff went about practicing their new skills, bringing a new dynamic, bonding, and understanding to one another as they progressed through the weeks.” Joanne Parsons in Northeast Network Healthcare Review, Vol. 13/1 6 Issue #2.
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 113 Belmont Street Belmont . . |
