By Shelby Donahoo, Bandera Therapy Resource, Tucson, Arizona
Jordan Monson, ED at Park Avenue Health and Rehabilitation in Tucson, Arizona, attended a breakout session at the Arizona Health Care Association meeting on Wellness Programming. The training was modeled after the “Dimensions of Wellness” concept by the International Council on Active Aging.
The seven dimensions of holistic wellness include: Physical, Social, Spiritual, Vocational, Emotional, Environmental, and Intellectual. Jordan was inspired to expand opportunities for quality of life for those within his facility and quickly assembled a committee consisting of Leaders from Activities, Therapy, and Social Services. The team created a calendar of activities using the dimensions of wellness to ensure comprehensive programming.
Above is an example calendar of events at Park Avenue. Options include Yoga, Tai Chi, Gardening Club, Memory Joggers, Aromatherapy, Poker, Baking Club, Spiritual/Religious Services, Coffee Bar, Drumming, Artistic Expressions, and Seasonal Celebrations.
With Activities and Rehab leading the groups, skilled and long-term care residents participated. It was as though the facility woke up from a long sleep that was COVID. Patients were asking to get up, as they were able to find meaningful activities to motivate them. Residents began forming “friend groups.” People began to have fun nicknames for each other. Quoting therapy staff, “The residents love it. They are happier than they’ve been in a long time.”
As with all new endeavors, the facility had to stick with it, working out the kinks. For Therapy, it was another ”mindset change” on how to deliver services. This program allows Park Avenue to be ahead of the curve in terms of providing functional therapy to patients who have limited resources now and in the future.
Shout-out to Jacob Barnes, TPM, CTO, and Simone Nakfoor, OTR/TEACHA, for their continued contribution to the Wellness Program.