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Choosing a Nursing Home that Promotes
Choice, Dignity and Purposeful Living
The Kansas Culture Change Coalition’s mission is to promote culture change that supports
autonomy, dignity and diversity for Kansans as they age. The purpose of this fact sheet is to
assist you in choosing a nursing home that supports person centered values and practices.
What are traditional nursing homes like today?
As a society, the
People who move into nursing homes often have to adapt to the routine of the future of aging is
“institution”
ours to create.
 They often lose control over their daily patterns of life and they aren’t
allowed, or encouraged, to make their own choices
“You must be the

How are nursing homes changing?

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

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change you want in
the future”
—Gandhi
Culture change is a national movement to transform the care in nursing
homes to be based on person centered values
We have to create
Voices of the elders and those working with them always come first
the change we wish
to see.
Culture change nursing homes are based on person centered values and
practices where residents are in a close relationship with staff who are
attuned to their changes and can respond appropriately
Person centered homes have made changes to their organizational practices, physical
environments, and relationships at all levels and work force models
Person centered values are CHOICE, DIGNITY, RESPECT, SELF-DETERMINATION
Traditional Care
Person Centered Care
Residents are told when to wake up, go to bed, eat and Residents wake up, go to bed, eat and bathe when
bathe based on “institutional” schedules, set routines they choose to. Staff alter their work routines to honor
and staff convenience.
residents’ preferences.
Residents frequently have different care staff. The
staff do not know the residents well, so they are not
familiar with their preferences. Studies find that residents often feel unknown, insecure or scared.
The same staff take care of the same resident; they
know each other and good relationships develop. This
motivates staff to provide better quality care. Studies
show that residents feel more secure, content and
happy.
Management makes most of the decisions, often with- Management seeks input from residents, families and
out consulting the residents, families or
staff before making decisions that affect their daily
direct-care staff.
lives. Management also trains and supports staff to
enable residents to make their own decisions.
Keep in mind that every nursing home has a different culture change journey, so it
looks different in every home. What is important and common to all nursing
homes, providing person centered values, is that they honor the people who live and
work there.
What are the key questions to ask the staff in nursing homes to find out
if they provide person centered care?
* How is your nursing home involved in culture change?
Listen for: “ We have a committee that works on making our place a home for residents who live here.
Residents and families are encouraged to participate on these committees.
* How will you get to know my family member?
Listen for: “It is very important for us to really get to know each person who lives here. We will learn about
their preferences, their past, what they enjoy doing now, and their goals and wishes for the future. Everyone on
the staff will get to know your family member.”
* How do you build a sense of community, and give those who live here a voice in
the decisions about how things are done?
Listen for: “Residents are a part of the home team. We have an active Resident Council. Discussion groups,
neighborhood or household meetings are held regularly with residents, staff and invited family members.
Residents have a say in who cares for them.”
* Do you have a rehabilitation team and access to therapists such as speech
pathologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists?
Listen for: “We have licensed therapists on staff. We can provide one-to-one therapy, and our therapists also
advise us on things such as how to adapt a room or bathroom to best meet individual needs and how to transfer
a resident from chair to bed in the most comfortable way.
* Do you measure the turnover of your staff? If so, what is the turnover for your
direct care workers? What is your turnover rate of licensed nurses?
Listen for: Any number under 40% for direct care staff and under 30% for licensed staff. The national average
is 66% for direct care workers, 41% for RNs and 50% for LPNs.
* What is your organization’s policy regarding the use of agency nursing staff?
Listen for: “Only our own nurses and aides work here. Only in a dire short-staffing emergency do we bring in
people from an outside agency”.
What if no Nursing Homes are doing Culture Change in my area?
Long-term care can be changed. It can be different. Many nursing homes are changing and have
changed, which proves that it can be done. Remember that culture change and person centered care are
just starting to expand beyond nursing homes into all of the other long-term care settings, including
assisted living communities. The culture change movement is still new, and changes take time. We
cannot get discouraged about this. This is why we need more advocates to spread the word and help
promote change in all nursing homes.
Keep trying, keep looking, and keep spreading the word. The more nursing home providers hear
consumers asking for person centered care, the faster they will be motivated to make the changes that
we all want for our loved ones and for ourselves.
Kansas Culture Change Coalition website
Other Helpful Websites
www.kansasculturechange.org
To learn more about culture change in Kansas nursing
homes, please view the Coalition’s YouTube video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v+SD0eWAhluhw
Pioneer Network- www.pioneernetwork.net
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
CMS: Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home
www.medicare.gov
Kansas Ombudsman- kansasombudsman.ks.gov