By Scott Bond. CORVALLIS GAZETTE TIMES. 6.02.2008

Over the last several months, I have written about my personal experiences with long-term care as well as aspects of the culture change movement which began in the early 1990s.

The interest in innovation and change in care facilities continues to grow across the country.

The culture change movement is based on the belief that the living environment of a nursing home or an assisted living facility should be built around routines of the residents rather than the staff-based need for structure and a schedule.

Culture change also seeks to develop staff teams with consistent assignments. When a staff team is allowed to develop relationships with the residents, it is possible for resident activities and resident decisions to be supportive of the abilities and independence of each resident.

A couple of months ago, I had the chance to visit an organization that represents one model of culture change here in Oregon.

Oatfield Estates is located in Milwaukie, outside of Portland. The campus was comprised of six houses with 12-15 residents living in each house.

During my visit, I was able to have a tour of one of the houses, a tour of the grounds, lunch with the residents and time to explore the use of technology, which is a cornerstone of the program.

Walking into one of the houses was a welcoming experience. The spaces were open and decorated with furnishings you would see in any home.

The first floor was designed for activities, music, reading or just hanging out together. The second floor had a similar open design and included a full kitchen for the chef to create meals sometimes with the help of residents who feel so inclined.

The resident rooms were again open and spacious with a private bath and a separate bedroom. There was a lot of natural light, personal decorations by each resident and a computer for resident and family use.

During lunch, I had the opportunity to talk to several residents about the experience of living at Oatfield Estates. One of the things that struck me was the genuine relationships between the residents, as well as between the residents and the staff.

Clearly these folks spend time together, supporting each other and creating a sense of family.

An important aspect of the organization is the use of technology. Each house is wired with multiple sensors, throughout the house as well as in each bedroom.

Residents wear a name tag that also serves as the transmitter. The sensors serve to assist the staff in knowing where residents are in the house or on the grounds.

Given that approximately 70 percent of the residents have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the technology provides a measure of safety for the residents. The use of technology also allows the houses to be free of locked doors or gates to restrict movement around the campus.

The technology also gives family members access to information through a secure web page which tells them about the activities of their relative.

Children of the residents have been given the ability to receive feedback about their mom or dad as often as they like through the use of this unique technology.

Places like Oatfield Estates offer a look at how care can be provided for us in the future for the many that will need help.

They are testing and refining the boundaries of the culture change practices. They are providing individualized care with the support of technology.

These folks are pioneers in the field of long-term care, pushing the edges of what we think happens when a family member needs more help than can be provided at home.

We will be seeing more changes throughout the next decade, just in time to welcome the boomers.

Scott Bond is the director of senior and disability services for Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments, the Area Agency on Aging for Benton, Linn and Lincoln counties. He can be reached at (541) 812-6008 or by e-mail at sbond@ocwcog.org.

this article originally appeared in the Corvallis Gazette Times.