Foundation Course Pearl PDF

FOUNDATION COURSE PEARL Surfing the Age-Wave! This FOUNDATION COURSE is designed for professionals and businesses who serve older adults in the marketplace, aiming to enhance their understanding of becoming age-friendly service providers who respect and support the...

FOUNDATION COURSE PEARL Surfing the Age-Wave! This FOUNDATION COURSE is designed for professionals and businesses who serve older adults in the marketplace, aiming to enhance their understanding of becoming age-friendly service providers who respect and support the needs of older adults. With practical examples and actionable tips, this course ensures you will have the knowledge base needed to offer compassionate and responsive engagement to your mature clientele. Welcome Meet Pearl Understanding Osteoporosis and Its impact Pearl's Bank Experience: Navigating Public Spaces #1 Knowledge Check Preventing Falls and Injuries: What more can be done? Pearl's Hotel Experience: Navigating Public Spaces #2 Impact of Falling Recommendations for Fall Prevention Recommendations for Safety at Home and Away PEARL: Summary of Learning KNOWLEDGE CHECK STUDY NOTES END ITEM 1 of 14 Welcome We rise by lifting others, and true service is lifting with respect and compassion. ® Rho nda Latreille, CEO , Age Friendly Business , Canada “ Welcome back! I'd like to introduce you to Pearl. She has been looking forward to this cruise with her daughter for over two years and it has taken her months to prepare. Each day doing one or two items on her list as her strength, pain and mobility have allowed.” Rick (Narrator) C O NT I NU E ITEM 2 of 14 Meet Pearl “ Pearl hasn't had an easy life. Her husband died while their children were young, and she was left to raise her family on her own. Pearl's health is not very good. She has advanced osteoporosis and walks with a cane for extra support. Her daughter, Kiesha, tries to accompany her whenever she can to help ensure that her mom is safe.” Rick (narration) “ I've written lines of poetry all my life - trying to capture moments, thoughts, little things I notice. I wrote these lines a few years ago... CANE, STEP, CANE, STEP, CANE, STEP. The uncertain cadence of my frailty always arrives ahead of my body, disrupting my  chance to make a grand entrance.” - Pearl C O NT I NU E ITEM 3 of 14 Understanding Osteoporosis and Its impact I run no more. The winds dance me. ― Ursula K. Le Guin Osteoporosis Osteoporosis means "porous bone" and is a bone disease that occurs when a body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result, bones become weak and may break from a fall. When osteoporosis is more advanced, these breaks can occur from minor bumps or even just from sneezing! Osteoporosis is dubbed a 'silent disease' because a person can’t feel their bones weakening. This disease is often only diagnosed at the time of a broken bone. Two potential indicators of this bone disease are if a person is experiencing height loss, as spinal vertebrae compress, or if their upper back is curving forward causing a stooped posture. Bone density testing (a painless specialized xray) is used to diagnose osteoporosis and bone-building medications are among the treatment options, though these all have side effects. Other medications are focused around managing pain associated with stiffness and inflammation of the joints involved. In addition to causing permanent pain, osteoporosis may also limit mobility, which often leads to feelings of isolation or depression. Breaking a bone is a serious complication of osteoporosis, especially with older people. Osteoporotic bone breaks are most likely to occur in the hip, spine or wrist, but other bones can break too. Twenty percent of seniors who break a hip die within one year from either complications related to the broken bone itself or the surgery to repair it. "Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. It is a disease of the bones that increases the risk of fracture. According to the International osteoporosis Foundation, one in three women and one in five men over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures. A 10% loss of bone mass in the vertebrae can double the risk of fractures and a 10% loss in the hip can result in a two and a half times greater risk of hip fracture." Rick (narration) C O NT I NU E ITEM 4 of 14 Pearl's Bank Experience: Navigating Public Spaces #1 Pearl needs to pay some bills before leaving on her cruise.... “ Pearl goes to her local financial institution to pay some bills. The lineup is fairly long, and Pearl feels the strain of having to stand and wait for an available customer service representative. Once she makes it up to the counter, Pearl finds it difficult to balance on her cane with one hand while searching in her purse for her bank book. The customer service representative then reviews some documents with Pearl and identifies several places requiring her signature. Although Pearl is trying to follow the instructions, she is distracted by having to maintain her balance at the same time. Can you see how this is difficult for Pearl? No one should have to be this uncomfortable while transacting business.” Rick (narration) “ I can still do lots of things... I just can't  do them one after the other.” - Pearl C O NT I NU E ITEM 5 of 14 Knowledge Check What do you think would have been the best way to serve Pearl? "It's important to scan your environment and to be sensitive to customers who may be in distress or having a difficult time." Rick (narrator) 00:19 Please order the following three alternatives with number one for the best alternative number two for the second best alternative and number three for the third best alternative. (Click and Drag to connect the blocks) Pearl is served immediately at a First Choice special station with a chair and lower counter Financial Institution provides a Second Choice chair f or Pearl to wait comf ortably Financial institution monitors T hird Choice the line ups to ensure the wait time is reduced SUBMIT ITEM 6 of 14 Preventing Falls and Injuries: What more can be done? “ Some days as I leave my home I say to myself, "well Pearly, you are just going to have to keep your wits about you until you get back here where you are safer.” - Pearl “ Take a moment to consider how you can keep your environment comfortable and safe for your customers. What are some creative ways you can think of to reduce waiting in your work environment, especially for people who have difficulty standing?.” Rick (narrator) A thousand words will not leave as deep an impression as one deed. Henrik Ibsen C O NT I NU E ITEM 7 of 14 Pearl's Hotel Experience: Navigating Public Spaces #2 “ Now that Pearl and her daughter Keisha have finished their banking. They have moved to the hotel where they are spending the night before boarding the cruise ship the next day. Keisha is taking care of the check-in process. While  Pearl sits down in the lobby. Pearl walks carefully because she notices that the flooring is highly polished and potentially slippery. When entering the hotel, the steps leading to the main doors have secure handrails on both sides, with each step clean and clearly marked. The hotel has safely secured the entrance floormats to the floor. The decorative area rugs in the lobby are also secured to the floor with nonskid backing to prevent movement and staff check every day to ensure that there are no tears or curled edges. End tables and plants are positioned where they can be seen easily and are out of the line of traffic to help prevent people from tripping.” Rick (narration) It isn't that life ashore is distasteful to me. But life at sea is better. C O NT I NU E ITEM 8 of 14 Impact of Falling “ Did you know that falls are considered one of the most dramatic transitional events for older persons, and often marked a significant downward spiral in overall health for those who suffer a fall? Falls usually result in hip fractures, which are associated with functional decline and contribute toward the fear of falling. This fear can lead to social isolation, increasing the risk of depression. Falls are the most common cause of injury and the sixth leading cause of death for seniors. Preventing falls, maybe the most significant step we can take to support a person's independence. Here are some important statistics about falls and seniors among people over age 65. Approximately 40% of fall related injuries that result in hospitalization are due to hip fractures.” Rick (narration)  "I'm sure I spend most of my time planning not to fall. I try to anticipate any obstacles I might encounter and where the rest benches are located. Fortunately, I've only had a few close calls, but when I am tired the risk of falling is much, much higher." - Pearl THE SERIOUS IMPACT OF FALLS AND INJURIES According to the CDC 1 in 4 Americans aged 65 or older falls each year. Experiencing a fall can be catastrophic with life-changing implications. Four challenges that older people who have had a major fall-related injury typically have to navigate are: The Injury and Recovery Process: From fractures, to head trauma, and often deep muscle injury, the rehabilitation after a fall (and often surgical repair) requires a regime of focusing primarily on day to day function for many months. The amount of support needed to assist a person to recover (from professionals, family and friends) can also be substantial. The Pain Associated with the Injury: Falls can cause chronic pain and this has a significant impact on a person's ability to perform daily tasks or to participate in social events. Medications that do help with pain often have a negative impact on mood. Many voice a fear of not being able to get off the pain medication and of becoming dependent on it. The Psychological Impact: Fear and anxiety of falling can lead to a decline in physical activity resulting in poor muscle tone and thus a higher risk of falling. This lost confidence can impact a persons overall sense of wellbeing and wholeness. The Functional Impact: Increased dependence on caregivers can be a challenge for many. Prolonged incapacitation can have a significant impact on a person's sense of self worth and autonomy. Losing a sense of 'home' as a result of an injury is a deeply painful realty for some. C O NT I NU E ITEM 9 of 14 Recommendations for Fall Prevention  Fall Prevention 00:03 (click for audio above) Here are some recommendations for fall prevention  Point 1 Rugs 00:05 (click for audio above) Secure mats and area rugs to the floor with non-slip backing  Point 2 Glossy Floors 00:04 (click for audio above) Be aware that high-gloss floor polish is very slippery  Point 3 Wet Spills 00:04 (click for audio above) Ensure to clean up all wet spills immediately  Point 4 Handrails 00:05 Install handrails on both sides of steps wherever possible  Point 5 Mark Stairs 00:04 and ensure all steps are clearly marked  Summary In combination, these are all ways to significantly improve safety for people with mobility deficits. C O NT I NU E ITEM 10 of 14 Recommendations for Safety at Home and Away "I've heard that most accidents for older people happen in our own homes and I can see why. Over time my physical needs have changed but I haven't always added the extra safety equipment that I should. Those silver grab bars in my bathroom used to look so ugly to me, now they make me smile!" - Pearl  Bedroom Safety 00:16 (click for audio above) T he following recommendations for bedrooms support an individual's safety while staying in hotels, motels and on cruise ships. T hey also serve those living in residential facilities, care homes and in private homes.  Point 1 Elevator accessibility 00:06 (click for audio above) Remember to provide rooms closer to elevators for people with mobility issues.  Point 2 Light switches 00:09 (click for audio above) Ensure guests can turn lights on and off by the door and are able to turn all the lights off and on by the bed.  Point 3 Clear Floor 00:03 (click for audio above) Having a clear path from the bed to the bathroom.  Point 4 Step 4 Title 00:05 and install a phone on the night stand in the case of an emergency.  Summary T hese few simple tips make a big impact in supporting people with mobility needs. C O NT I NU E ITEM 11 of 14 PEARL: Summary of Learning Through only a few looks into Pearl's experiences of preparing for her cruise, you have learned about osteoporosis, one example of a disabling physical disabling condition that puts seniors at high risk for falls. You have examined the potentially devastating impact of falls on a senior person's life and, most importantly, you looked at some 'simple' yet significant fall prevention strategies that must be employed in every environment to assist a senior person's safe maneuvering within the community and as they conduct their business. These practical examples outlined here as we focused on PEARL have looked at the unique needs of people in with osteoporosis when they navigate the marketplace. Actionable awareness and skills needed to serve them effectively include: Priorit iz e saf et y. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially in polished or slippery areas. Check f or accessibilit y f eat ures. Look for handrails and secure mats when entering public spaces. Observe f urnit ure placement. Ensure that furniture is positioned to avoid obstructing pathways and causing trips. Daily maint enance mat t ers. Regular checks for wear and tear can significantly enhance safety in public areas. Recogniz e t he impact of wait ing in lines. Long wait times can exacerbate discomfort for individuals with physical limitations. Ensure accessibilit y. Choose accommodations that are close to elevators for those with mobility issues. Provide emergency communicat ion. Have a phone readily available on the nightstand for emergencies. By applying these insights and strategies, you can significantly enhance your ability to serve and support older adults effectively. Let's let Pearl have the final word... C O NT I NU E ITEM 12 of 14 KNOWLEDGE CHECK ITEM 13 of 14 STUDY NOTES ITEM 14 of 14 END