Hello everyone,

It’s usually a lot simpler to prevent a problem than it is to deal with an issue once it’s already occurring. Unfortunately, nursing home staff is often so accustomed to “putting out fires” that they feel like they don’t have the time to prevent them from starting in the first place.

Much of what we’ve talked about these past few months is really this…prevention! Engaging residents in activities to keep them from feeling bored, agitated or useless; taking a closer look at the environment and habits of staff to see how it may result in negative behaviors; keeping residents active and taking them outside so they can enjoy the many benefits of physical activity and sunshine…all can lead to reduced negative behaviors related to dementia.

Take a moment to discuss with some staff or think about an incident that occurred recently that could have been prevented had it been handled differently. We’d love to hear some examples from you.

Have a great week!