Culture Change Now! is the most fitting name we could imagine for our website and our magazine. That's because it is happening and needs to happen right now. Want to eliminate institutionalized care and create home for elders? Action Pact will help you on your way home.

The Phases of Culture Change

There are lots of examples within the industry today to help guide nursing homes on their culture change journey. There is no "cookie cutter" model that fits everyone - every home must decide for itself what mix of elements will work best in its own unique environment. after all, there is no place like home. Nonetheless there is a replicable process for creating a shared vision and moving forward as an organization to create a home environment. The process includes six phases: the study circle, the study phase, the design phase, skills assessment and development, team development, implementation, and evaluation.

More Info in Culture Change Now Magazine: Phases of Culture Change

Action Pact Services

The following services from Action Pact Inc. may be utilized at different times and in any combination to meet the needs of your organization's unique journey. The listing below is organized in relation to the Phases of Culture Change. Please read through all of them for a complete picture of how Action Pact has helped organizations moving toward the social model of care. Listed first are popular one day workshops that coincide with each of the culture change phases nursing homes go through. Following the workshop series each of the phases is briefly explained and includes information on how Action Pact can help during that phase and educational programs related to the phase. We hope you'll consider Action Pact during your journey when help is needed.

These popular one-day workshops are a perfect introduction for traditional nursing homes interested in exploring whether some aspects of culture change might be useful for them. Use these workshops individually or plan to attend them as a series over time.

Common Ground

These one-day Common Ground workshops are open to everyone concerned about aging in America. Whether you see yourself as an advocate for Elders, have a loved one in a nursing home, assisted living or other care community, or are a committed Caregiver, paid or unpaid, a day on Common Ground can help you realize you are not alone.

We will bring together national and regional experts and others experienced in the implementation of culture change. They will share their experiences and proven results of their revitalization of facilities - from infusing life through increased family and resident involvement, to changing meal service and tearing down nurses stations to renovating into neighborhoods or households.

Leadership Workshop

This workshop concentrates on the leadership skills needed to bring about dramatic change in your long term care facility. Learn leadership skills in dealing with change, growing yourself and others. Take charge of the process of change within a newly formed high involvement culture.

Empowerment Workshop

This workshop concentrates on the leadership skill of empowerment. We define empowerment in long-term care as giving power to the elder and those closest to the elder. We do this, as leaders, by creating a climate where everyone grows - in their knowledge, judgment and decision-making skills.

Team Building Workshop

This workshop concentrates on the team building skills needed to create, motivate, maintain, and take advantage of synergy. Learn team skills while having a great time in team play and work.

Designing Neighborhoods Workshop

Many people involved in creating small teams, neighborhoods or communities of elders, staff and families in nursing homes are concerned about keeping the whole team together. This is an opportunity to define 'neighborhood' and fine tune the organizational structure of your social model. It will also be an opportunity to develop and practice skills that maintain consistent and continuous growth and learning.

Building Households Workshop

Some facilities are blessed to have the resources at this point in time to consider building or renovating. If so, this workshop is for you! How do you create a household with kitchen, dining room and living room for each small group of residents and permanently assigned staff. Consider the planning path on which you need to move your organization, learn how to get everyone involved. Begin to picture (for yourself and others) this homey world where daily life is good - complete with refrigerator rights, daily pleasures, plenty of choices, and a genuine family life filled with meaning and purpose.

These workshops can be planned individually, or choose a group of workshops as a series for your facility's custom-made plan for Culture Change.

Culture Change Immersion

Involve everyone immediately in your Culture Change commitment. Work out a schedule that allows every single employee (and interested families and residents) to participate in a 4- to 6-hour workshop over a 2- to 3-day time period. The results are powerful:

1. Everyone feels rewarded and attended to;
2. Everyone comes away with the same understanding of why the Eden Alternative is worth all the trouble;
3. Real issues and concerns are brought out and discussed;
4. New team skills are learned that benefit the facility immediately; and
5. Excitement is channeled into real possibilities.

Empowerment Through Leadership And High Involvement

This two-day workshop concentrates on the needs of the individuals in a changing organization. Learn skills in dealing with change, growing yourself and others, leadership, and empowerment.

Reshaping the Physical Environment

A one-day workshop taught by experienced architects involved in creating designs for social models of care.

Team Building from A to Z

Engaged in Culture Change? Make the process work for you with this two-day workshop. Learn ways to grow your teams' skills and strengths during your journey. Study team models from sports teams to self-directed work teams in order to consider what will work for your organization.

Building Your Team

The three days of this workshop are filled with learning and activities that the team takes home. Send a group of people and welcome them home as a team. Only intact work teams of 4 or more are accepted. Learn Leadership skills: shared leadership, team leadership model; Process skills: facilitation, group dynamics, participation, discussion and dialogue; and People skills: conflict resolution, giving and receiving feedback, interpersonal sensitivity.

Good Neighbors

Skills for Households and Neighborhoods. This one day course is specifically designed to build skills within any individual who is working to grow households, neighborhoods, communities or teams in residential environments. We strongly encourage Universal Workers, CNAs, Housekeepers, Dietary Aides, Activity Aides as well as family members, residents, and other staff to participate. Using video case samples, we focus on people skills and group process to facilitate outcomes.

Nuts and Bolts of Culture Change

This two-day session is taught by CEOs, Administrators and/or DONs who are themselves in the midst of Culture Change. Ask all your questions and concrete, practical answers on Job Descriptions, Staffing, Scheduling, Discipline, Compliance, Continuing Quality Improvement and the Bottom Line.

PersonFirst™ Training

A powerful train-the-trainer program for traditional homes as well as culture-changing homes to create a culture of person-centered care and support for people who are living with dementia. The train-the-trainer aspect of this program means that 100% of your organization can be effectively trained.

Creating a Learning Climate

This Two-day seminar provides the information and skills needed for a leader or trainer to build a learning climate in the workplace. Participants learn people skills training; analyze the organization's development needs; design programs that result in real changes; develop materials quickly and effectively using resources readily available; foster learning in classroom style, small group and one-on-one; use adult education techniques, group dynamics and QI tools to bring about the desired results; nurture change in a way that gets staff involved and participating; and evaluate training and growth to constantly improve your learning climate.