Assessing Resident / Family Satisfaction and Quality of Life at St. Joseph’s Villa
Evaluation of quality of life at St. Joseph’s Villa is collected annually through a survey of residents and family members. The purpose of this initiative is to a) measure satisfaction with respect to current care practices and services as well as other aspects of quality of life such as social, emotional, and home environment aspects and b) identify areas for potential care improvement. The overall goal of this process is to enhance satisfaction and quality of life of Villa residents and their families.

This year, St. Joseph’s Villa has taken a new approach and has hired trained interviewers to conduct in person interviews with a large number of residents. Surveys will also be mailed out to family members. The goal of this project is to improve the response rate, increase the validity of questions being asked using a new survey, and incorporate a more resident and family centered approach to measuring satisfaction and quality of life.

Using Participative Theatre to Enhance Communication at St. Joseph’s Villa        
Communication between nursing staff and residents / family members is always an area that can be enhanced. A half-day workshop was organized where actors engaged nursing staff (PSWs, RPNs, RNs) in role-playing scenarios depicting good vs. bad communication interactions. It was thought that the integrated application of drama would achieve high impact learning and motivate staff to participate.

Participants identified the workshop as a worthwhile and valuable learning experience. A follow-up survey will be administered to nursing staff which will assess changes in communication practices as a result of the training.

Regional Stroke Strategy
Despite a number of educational offerings to long-term care homes since 2002, significant progress is still needed to meet the standards established through the Best Practice Guidelines for Stroke Care. The goal of this project is to develop processes for establishing stroke best practice guidelines in long-term care settings. Implementation processes and education strategies will be first piloted at St. Joseph’s Villa. The Research Network, St. Joseph’s Villa, and a Long-Term Care Specialist from the Regional Stroke Strategy are working together to develop an evaluation component for this project.

Seniors in Motion
The St. Joseph’s Villa Seniors’ Day Program received funding from the United Way to implement a one-year project designed to maximize day program participants’ strength and co-ordination, thereby optimizing independence, physical health, and wellness. The Research Network partnered with staff to develop a protocol to evaluate performance in the program. The goal is to also expand Seniors in Motion so that it is accessible to seniors in the community who are not members of the Seniors Day Program.

Staff Gallery Walk
The purpose of the gallery walk was to identify research priorities at St. Joseph’s Villa. Prior to the gallery walk, staff were asked to complete a survey listing five areas they felt were most important in guiding research towards improving quality care at St. Joseph’s Villa. Based on survey results, themes were recorded on six flip charts.

Over two days, staff were invited to provide input by checking off areas they felt were most important. Staff were also encouraged to write down comments or additional ideas. Results are currently being used to provide direction in developing research projects at St. Joseph’s Villa.

Therapy Services Evaluation
The Therapy Services Department at St. Joseph’s Villa offers on-site therapy services. The focus of this evaluation was to help Villa residents maintain or improve their present level of independence by assessing family members’ perceptions of therapy services through an interview process. Specific areas that were examined included the nature of therapy services provided, family members’ awareness of services benefits to residents, family members’ expectations of therapy, and perceived benefits of therapy. Based on outcomes, recommendations for enhancement of therapy services were made.  
 

Review of Fall Management Program
This program involved a review of fall statistics for St. Joseph's Villa over a period of three months as well as interviews of care providers and unit managers. The goal of this project was to describe the current state of falls management, the use of post-fall measures, and to develop recommendations for improvement.
 

Seniors' Day Program Evaluation at St. Joseph’s Villa
This project involved an assessment of a respite care integrated services model provided by the Seniors' Day Program Community project. Research findings assisted the program to develop a model of respite care that best meets the needs of seniors from the community and their caregivers.
 

Quality of Work Life
The purpose of this project was to conduct a survey that would report on quality of work life as perceived by employees at the St. Joseph’s Villa. The results of the survey assisted decision-makers in identifying key workplace issues in order to develop strategies to address and improve the quality of working conditions.