New Resource: 
Social Preferences Tip Sheet

Valentine's Day, a holiday that celebrates relationships, reminds us to think about the importance of social connections. Although nursing homes are filled with people, residents often experience a depth of loneliness that affects their physical and mental health. This month we are releasing a tip sheet that provides strategies to meet residents'  Social Preferences . Find the tip sheet  on our website, PreferenceBasedLiving.com , in the Tip Sheet section of our Resources page or click the image below.
We would love to hear how your organization finds ways to honor social preferences! 
Send your stories to [email protected]

Success Story Spotlight

This month's success story comes from Mari Engelhardt, Administrator at Crawford Manor in Cleveland, OH. Mari explains how her staff found a way to honor residents' activity and social preferences -- and enliven their week!
Crawford Manor
Oscar,* a resident in the community, grew uncharacteristically withdrawn and despondent once he learned that he would not be able to return home because of his need for extensive help. A generally jovial and funny guy, Oscar felt that his life was over.

Seeing the change, Mari and her team asked Oscar what he would enjoy doing if he were at home. After Oscar said no to several options, the team asked if he likes to play games or cards and he answered with a resounding "Yes." In fact, he said he loved to play Spades.

In short order, Mari and her activity staff discovered other residents with the same preference and got a game together. Over the next couple of weeks, the group played happily a few times and then stopped. When Mari asked the residents why, she learned that the group needed help to organize the games. Now the Activities Department facilitates the weekly Spades session and all are delighted with the results. Mari says that Oscar's spirits, along those of the other card players, have brightened from the pleasure of sharing a game they all enjoy.

* Name changed for confidentiality.

Mari, Thank you for this wonderful example of honoring activity and social preferences!

 Do you have a success story to share? Please send your stories to: [email protected].

We Need Your Input!

Please help us improve our communication  and social media outreach by taking this short social media use survey. Your responses will help us better focus our efforts and provide information that is most useful to you. 
Thank you for your participation.  W e appreciate your feedback!

Sign up now for  the 
PELI PAL Card Project!

The deadline to sign-up is February 28th. 
Don't  miss out on this Quality Improvement Project!

You are invited to participate in an Ohio Department of Aging quality improvement project (QIP) called the PELI PAL Card Project. T he Preference Based Living Team will offer training and support to nursing home communities wishing to implement this quality improvement initiative  to facilitate communication of residents' important preferences throughout your organization.  This project will last 6 months with a start date of March 1st, 2018 and an end date of August 30th, 2018.

To view and download a PDF version of the invitation, click here. 
To register your organization, click here. 
Want more information? Watch this 15-minute overview of the project.
Overview of the PELI PAL Card Project
Click on the image above to watch an overview of the project

In exchange for your participation, your organization will receive:
  • Virtual training and materials needed for PAL Card implementation
  • Monthly conference calls to assist with trouble shooting regarding barriers to implementation
  • A chance to win a Robotic Joy for All Companion Pet Cat or Puppy (Valued at $120)
Upcoming Presentations

See us in person!

Council on Aging's Forum on Aging 
Join us at the Council on Aging's 2018 Forum on Aging. The Preference Based Living team will host a 3-hour intensive workshop on using the PELI to integrate important preferences into care and communicate preferences across the care team. The session takes place on Tuesday March 13th from 8:30am-11:30pm. Click here for more information. 

Aging in America Conference
We will be presenting a symposium titled: Implementation Strategies for Nursing Home Quality Improvement: Lessons from Three States on March 28th from 1-2:30pm. Please join us if you will be attending the conference in San Francisco!

Save the date! 
Wednesday May 2, 1:00-4:15 pm -- OHCA 2018 Annual Convention. 
Wednesday August 15 --  Pioneer Network 2018 Conference in Denver, CO.  
Details will follow as we know more. 

Upcoming Webinars

Register Now!
Sign up today for our upcoming free webinars offering BELTSS and Ohio Social Work CEUs. 
Assessing Preferences Using the PELI in Short-Stay Settings 
This webinar will discuss why it is valuable to understand individual preferences even in the context of a short-stay/rehab setting. Strategies are provided to conduct timely, efficient preference interviews that promote a person's functioning and satisfaction with care. 
Tuesday, May 8, 2018, 2 to 3pm. Register here .
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Have Questions About the PELI? Call Us!  

We'd love to hear about your challenges and successes in using the PELI -- and your colleagues are interested too! Readers tell us they learn most from hearing about the experiences of other communities. Call our helpline or email us anytime to share your dilemmas, insights and advice. We'll problem solve with you, share your achievements in assessing and meeting resident preferences, and celebrate your success!

Please send your comments to  [email protected] or call our helpline at  513-529-3605. 

Together, we CAN make nursing homes better places to live and work --by honoring resident preferences using the PELI!
Through partnerships between providers and researchers, the  PELI -Can initiative aims to promote preference-based, person-centered care in Ohio's nursing homes. 
 
The Ohio  PELI -Can project is made possible through financial support from the Ohio Department of Medicaid. For more information, please contact the project team at  PELI[email protected]  or  513-529-3605 .

We encourage you to forward this newsletter to the individuals in your organization who are interested in developing a culture of preference-based, person-centered care in their nursing home facilities.