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How do you let consumers know your organization is quality?

AAHSA members are, of course, quality providers of aging services. However, do we convey that to consumers?

We are looking for ways to help you share your organization’s quality initiatives with consumers. To do so, we want to know what tools would be useful for you.

As I was reading the Daily Clips here at AAHSA, one title really caught my attention.

“Nursing home’s fake bus stop foils wandering seniors”

What an interesting concept. “The idea is that seniors who wander will recognize the familiar green and yellow bus stop and wait there to be taken home. Care givers retrieve the patients from the stop by telling them the bus will be along shortly, and then they invite them in for a cup of coffee, says Richard Neureither, Benrath’s director.”

This got me thinking about all of the innovative ideas I’ve heard about over the last year. I started at AAHSA just a year ago and knew very little about aging services back then. I’m frequently inspired by AAHSA members’ commitment to the people they serve.

What sorts of ideas have you come up with lately to better serve your residents?

]]> http://aahsaqualityfirst.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/innovative-bus-stop-to-nowhere/feed/ maggieflowers http://aahsaqualityfirst.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/make-new-friends/ http://aahsaqualityfirst.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/make-new-friends/#comments Thu, 29 May 2008 14:36:07 +0000 Maggie Flowers http://aahsaqualityfirst.wordpress.com/?p=46

AAHSA’s hopping on the Facebook bandwagon, and we want you to join us! Click here to join the AAHSA Facebook group.

As a group member, you can connect with your colleagues near and far, watch videos, read the latest news in aging services and find out how AAHSA’s changing the face of aging in America.  Send us your contact information and we’ll make you a friend of AAHSA’s too. Let the social networking begin…

What makes a nonprofit a nonprofit? This topic has been all over the news lately, most recently in the New York Times. How does an organization demonstrate to the community, and policymakers, that they are provided a public good?

So what exactly is the difference between for-profit and not-for-profit providers? Well, here at AAHSA we see the difference in several areas:

• Mission: Not-for-profit providers meet the needs of older adults because they adapt to the changing aging services landscape while remaining committed to their missions.

• Governance: Community-based volunteers, not corporate investors, govern not-for-profit organizations. These individuals commit to ensuring that an organization remains true to its mission, responds to local needs and serves as an effective steward of its resources.

• Quality: Not-for-profit aging-services organizations consistently use their resources to provide more hands-on care and develop new and creative ways to meet the needs of the people they serve and their families. These approaches help aging-services providers set the standard for quality in the field.

• Resources: Not-for-profit organizations reinvest all resources into their missions. Resources are used not to benefit stockholders or increase company value, but to increase staffing, improve facilities, enhance services, and most importantly, ensure consumer and staff satisfaction.

• Services: Not-for-profit organizations are committed to innovation and continuous quality improvement. These organizations tailor their housing, healthcare and community services to meet individual needs, not profit goals.

• Ethics: Not-for-profit aging-services providers have a moral responsibility as caregivers, employers and members of the community. More specifically, the AAHSA mission, vision and ideals suggest that its members have at least a tri-fold responsibility: to provide high-quality service to those in need; meaningful work for staff, board members and volunteers; and an ethical workplace for employees.

Click here to read more about the not-for-profit difference.

There are many useful resources available on the Quality First Web site to help your organization display all it does for the community. How does your organization spread the word about its good work?

Check out this new Quality First ad to inspire you on your journey:

“Know it, Show it” includes two key pieces for AAHSA members:
(1) Striving for continuous quality improvement;
(2) Promoting consumer understanding and earning the public’s trust.

What are you doing to know and show your quality?

The Villages at Unity, an AAHSA member in New York, is hosting several events in conjunction with AAHSA’s 1st Annual Homecoming. The events will honor the residents of the community and are free and open to the public.

Tuesday, May 27, 10:30 A.M.: YMCA demonstration of Zumba Chair Dancing

Tuesday, May 27, 2:00 P.M.: Reception with Democrat & Chronicle’s Bob Marcott

Wednesday, May 28, 1:30 P.M.: Spring Fling with music by Gateswingers

Thursday, May 29, 2:00 P.M.: Lecture by Margaret Thirtle, former vice president of Sibley’s Department Stores

Friday, May 30, 2:00 P.M.: Talbots Spring and Summer fashion show

AAHSA members all over the country will be celebrating Homecoming next week. What is your community doing?

We’re developing a “Tips from the Experts” page of our Web site for consumers looking for guidance on finding and evaluating care and service options for seniors. …and guess who the experts are? Caregivers like you!

Here’s the categories we’re considering:

–How to evaluate a CCRC

–How to evaluate an assisted living residence

–How to evaluate a nursing home

–How to evaluate an adult day services provider

–How to evaluate a home health provider

–How to determine what services are best for an older person

–How to find services in your community

We’ll publish your tips on our Web site with your name and photo.  Let us know if we’re missing any questions or categories and we’ll add them to our site.

I’m looking forward to reading your responses!

Lutheran Services for the Aging, an AAHSA member, included environmental protections in their recent renovation project. They designed their parking lot around the existing trees on the property to protect the old growth - protecting the environment and adding to the beauty of the campus.

“Environmentalism is part of being a good citizen in the community,” said Lutheran Services President Ted W. Goins Jr. “… We take that responsibility very seriously. We were advised that it would be easier to just cut the trees down, but sometimes the easy solution is not always best.”

Even though they could have saved the money, they opted to help the earth and beautify the campus. What types of things has your organization been doing to protect the environment?

Larry Minnix, AAHSA’s President & CEO, talks with NextGenWeb about technology and the future of aging services.