Thanksgiving has passed, but it’s never too late to say “thanks” to you for choosing to read my blog. I know your time is valuable. Through your encouragement to “keep writing” over the last three years, I have grown as a writer, and you deserve credit. I thank God for you!

Photo Courtesy @Shutterstock.com/newcorner

I especially want to thank you for responding to my request for input about my Dad. I wasn’t sure which course of action to take regarding his dental hygiene. You blessed me with thoughtful replies, sharing your own struggles in caring for your parents. One of you took thirty minutes of your time to call me and then prayed over me and Dad before hanging up the phone. Wow! Since you took extra time to provide your input, I want to share the progress I made with your help and God’s grace.

First, I never heard from the administrator at the two-week mark. You reminded me that the Director of Nursing oversees the care on the floor, so I called her. Linda is a gracious, sweet lady who showed concern for my Dad. She understood my need to know that Dad was getting help at least once a day with brushing his teeth. More importantly, she was quick to investigate whether or not Dad was receiving regular dental care from the staff. She didn’t try to hide anything.

“Lee Ann, after I learned that your Dad had eleven cavities, I went back to my staff to see who was helping your Dad with brushing his teeth. I discovered some deficiencies I wasn’t aware of,” she said. “I have implemented an action plan to ensure a caregiver brushes your Dad’s teeth twice a day.”

“Linda, I am thrilled to hear that!” I said. “You have so many residents who need care, how do you know if your aides will follow through on the task required?”

“I have set up AccuNurse alerts that go to my CNAs (Certified Nurse’s Aide) twice a day,” she answered.

“What is ‘AccuNurse?” I felt ignorant.

“It is cutting-edge technology that provides voice enabled point-of-care to our residents,” she answered. “Picture headsets worn by employees taking a food order in a drive-thru setting. They hear your voice through their headsets and take your order. In the same way, our caregivers on the floor wear these headsets. This software allows us to set up a profile for your Dad in our computer system, and we can list all the care your Dad requires each day. Throughout the day, CNAs respond to instructions they hear through their headset. For example, they might hear, “It’s time to give a bath to a resident in room “x.” We can also set up special alerts to highlight certain parts of the care plan, like dental hygiene, which we did for your Dad,” she said.

“In other words,” I said, “your CNAs hear a voice command in their ear bud to assist my Dad to brush his teeth, and they respond to it. Then they speak into the microphone to document that they performed the task without having to write it into a paper chart later.”

“That’s right,” she said.

“That sounds like a wonderful tool. But doesn’t there still need to be review function?” I asked.

“Yes, but you won’t see ‘dental hygiene’ separated out. Our system includes dental hygiene in his general care plan,” she said. “But let me say this. EVERY employee at our facility knows that our caregivers must brush Mr. Jones’s teeth twice a day – even the janitor. If you learn of any employee who doesn’t know this, please let me know!!” After sharing a good laugh, I showered her with my heartfelt appreciation for all she was doing for Dad.

The Lord brought a swift solution for my Dad through your words of wisdom. Our family is no longer concerned that nurses are neglecting their duty to brush his teeth. Many of you gently reminded me that nursing facilities are short-staffed. They are doing well to bathe, feed, and dress their residents. It’s easy to forget how hard these caregivers work. They are the unsung heroes doing the unpleasant tasks with a servant’s heart.

I hope each of you had a Happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Thank you for helping me. In case you missed it – I thank God for you!

Blessings,

Lee Ann