Valley View was fortunate to be invited to participate in a project with Penn State University Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing to promote hearing and honoring nursing home residents’ individual requests and desires for what matters most to them. 

For example, a preference to eat a certain type of food or participate in an outdoor activity when the weather is nice. The project was designed to take that expressed preference and to have a systematic way for Valley View to think through how to honor the request of the residents, including those with a dementia diagnosis. 

Penn State Researchers recognize that there are challenges care providers, like Valley View, face when holding to a high standard of care and services and when a resident asks for something that might challenge this and be viewed as potentially “risky.”

“The DIGNITY Project stands for Decision-making In aGing and demeNtIa for auTonomY,” Researcher Liza Behrens, PhD, RN, Penn State University said: “It is a pilot project working with rural nursing home communities to know, and whenever possible, honor preferences of older adults when they’re considered to have risks attached to them.” 

Through the provided DIGNITY Protocol Manual, Valley View team members can apply the steps in the manual when discussing and reviewing the benefits from the request to that of the perceived risk.  Nursing Home Administrator Allison Daugherty shares, “We pride ourselves in finding ways to have residents’ requests turn into realities. At times, we must talk with the resident and/or family to find creative ways to do this that keeps others safe. Valley View benefited from the partnership with Penn State as they provided us with another tool for making this happen when possible.”

We all can agree that when our preferences are listened to and supported it results in a better quality of life and the feeling of being known, seen, and heard.  For residents with a diagnosis of dementia, this preference-based care approach has been shown to reduce agitation and to show positive results such as greater satisfaction and engagement in care and activities.  Daugherty supports, “If there is more for us to learn and do, we will always want to do that.” 

Partnering with Penn State is just one of the ways that Valley View is advancing excellence in retirement care. 

“It really comes down to asking, ‘Who is in our communities, and what are their needs?” Behrens added. “The more we can learn about who they are, the more we can deliver person-centered care. Honoring the preferences of older adults helps them to have a better level of being.”

This article is part of our 2024 Spring & Summer Newsletter. Find other articles or view the online newsletter here.