The Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) is addressing the issues of resident-to-resident conflict and aggression in long-term care facilities through a new partnership with Lifespan of Greater Rochester, a non-profit organization that supports older adults and their caregivers.
Together, CITRA and Lifespan are helping Rochester-area nursing homes implement a new, evidence-based program called Improving Resident Relationships in Long-Term Care (IRRL), designed to create a better environment for residents and staff alike.
“We are thrilled to partner with Cornell University to address this universal problem,” said Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan. “We all know that resident-to-resident conflict exists. This program will help staff feel empowered to intervene in and reduce negative resident interactions.”
Researchers at the BCTR developed the program after their studies found that elder abuse in long-term care settings is ubiquitous.
“Our research found that one in five nursing home residents experienced aggression by another resident in just the past month, including negative, unwelcome verbal, physical and sexual interactions,” said Karl Pillemer, CITRA director and the Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology. “Preventing resident-to-resident aggression reduces staff stress, increases quality of life for residents, and may lead to a reduction in resident injuries and falls.”
CITRA director and the Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development in the College of Human Ecology
This new partnership is the first time the IRRL program will be implemented in a real-world setting, Pillemer said.
“The program was developed under carefully-controlled research conditions,” he explained. “In this next step, it will be used widely by nursing homes. This provides us with a living laboratory to understand the best ways to intervene in this problem.”
Improving relationships between residents is important for residents and staff members alike, Pillemer said.
“Nursing homes are known for high staff turnover and recruitment problems,” he said. “In addition to improving the lives of residents by reducing negative interactions, we know that providing caregivers this type of training can reduce stress and burnout, and ultimately lead to a better working environment for staff.
“Our goal is that nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country will adopt this program and make it part of the training that all direct-care staff receives,” he said.
Lifespan will offer the first train-the-trainer sessions for IRRL free of charge to key staff members from Rochester-area long-term care facilities this fall. These trainings are for nurses, social workers, recreational, environmental, dietary and therapy staff, lead certified nursing aides or other supervisors, who will then train staff members are their facilities.
Lifespan plans on offering more trainings in the region and will also provide support and assistance to area facilities that offer the training to their caregivers. “We are excited to get this program out into nursing homes where it will make a real difference in the lives on residents and caregivers,” Cook said.
Lifespan of Greater Rochester is a regional nonprofit organization providing information, guidance and services for older adults and caregivers. You can learn more about them at lifespan-roch.org.
