B-4: Leisure to Wellness: Branching Out Beyond Bingo
NAB; ANCC; – 1 Hour | Tuesday, June 4th. 1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
Session Description:
Activities programming is found in almost every type of senior living community; however, wellness programming is typically only seen in assisted and independent living. This session focuses on the importance and value of bringing wellness concepts to the long-term care setting to enhance the leisure activities already being provided. Ageism and how to avoid it in your communities will be discussed to ensure activities and wellness are offered without this prejudice or assumptions. Wellness is meant to increase resident and staff engagement, prevent functional declines, and expand the breadth of how we can provide comprehensive dimensions of care for residents. Tools and resources to enhance implementation of wellness program initiatives will also be shared and analyzed for easier incorporation into all of the senior living continuum.
Learning Objectives:
Review ageism and its impact on programming in the long-term care setting.
Redefine the mindset on what wellness looks like, who the target demographic is, and why it’s beneficial to provide these services to residents.
Define the value and purpose of wellness programming.
Discuss how wellness programs can enhance existing offerings, increase length of stay, and promote continuity of care.
Speakers:
Karen Welsh, Vice President Of Clinical & Reimbursement Excellence – Functional Pathways
Karen Welsh has over 35 years of SNF and post-acute care experience with an extensive background in 5-Star and Quality Measure improvement and outcome management. Her areas of expertise include: PDPM, clinical program development, documentation audit and improvement processes, reimbursement, and EMR development and implementation. Karen holds a master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology, RAC-CT, and RAC-CTA certification through AAPACN. She is an active member of Advion (formally NASL), NARA, The Alzheimer’s Association, and LeadingAge in multiple states. In her current role as VP of Clinical & Reimbursement Excellence with Functional Pathways, Karen oversees the development and implementation of clinical programs and policies for over 190 facilities across 26 states, directs analysis of clinical outcomes to guide patient care and reimbursement process improvement, and develops clinical protocols and pathways to ensure functional patient outcomes. Karen is passionate about guiding quality patient care and improving clinical and reimbursement outcomes, a passion she enjoys sharing with therapy teams and client staff by providing education regarding PDPM, Medicare and Medicaid regulations, and clinical standards of practice.
Michael Wayman, Clinical Program Specialist – Functional Pathways
Michael Wayman is a Clinical Program Specialist with Functional Pathways. He is a physical therapist assistant by background with 14 years of experience many healthcare settings and recently obtained his Resident Assessment Coordinator – Certified (RAC-CT) He brings this experience and knowledge gained from these experiences to his current role to develop, train and mentor clinicians nationwide to help our teams to achieve optimal outcomes.
