“As long as my finger still works and I can use my iPad, I will be fine” said my mother over a recent conversation about Aged Care facilities. My mother is no stranger to nursing homes; working as an EN she spent most of my teenage years working to support my private school education. So during my student years as I fumbled my way through my education, little did I know that I would follow my mother’s footsteps and enter into the Aged Care field. At the ripe old age of 23 I found myself studying Certificate 3 in Aged Care and completed my compulsory placement. This is 20 years ago and so much has happened since. Way back in the good old days where things were not so good in nursing homes, I remember the stench of urine the moment I stepped into the facility. We all know how far we have come in Aged Care, but do we know how much further we have ahead of us? It was on completion of my Certificate 3 in Aged Care I immediately enrolled to study Certificate 4 in Diversional Therapy. My motivation was about spending quality time with residents and to have the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities. Assistant in nursing was too task focused for me and I found I had little time to really connect with my residents except during cares, so my new direction into Leisure & Lifestyle was born.
I write this with seventeen years’ experience in the Leisure & Lifestyle field under a number of different roles. At some point I digressed and went to university in my 30s, had a baby, graduated with honours in anthropology and got married, in that order. After years of Playschool, the Wiggles and Teletubbies my daughter finally started school. I again found myself working as a Lifestyle Coordinator but armed with a very new skill set. As a qualified Anthropologist it gives me a unique view of the Leisure & Lifestyle industry. I use my knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods to assist me in my Lifestyle role but more importantly I come to see each facility as its own culture. In my current role as a Leisure & Lifestyle Consultant, I advocate for better standards by education and create tools to assist with the day to day coordination of Lifestyle Departments. However, as a result of my anthropological education I also have become acutely aware of not pushing the one fits all approach.
This brings me back to the opening statement my mother made about her iPad. My mother is what we commonly refer to as a Baby Boomer, born between 1946 and 1964 she is a part of the coming generation of care recipients. Some have referred to them as the grey wave or grey army. However, they are coming and they will be here before we know it. With this in mind I have put my anthropologist hat on and decided to do some research about what our Baby Boomer parents and friends expect of us, to give us some guidance to how we can make their transition into care easier for all of us. One thing that already seems obvious before I even start my research is the need for technology friendly facilities and tech ready Lifestyle staff. It will be Lifestyle staff that will be asked to help with Skype or misbehaving iPads and we might as well accept it and learn what we can about this technology.
Some of us working in the Aged Care sector are also experiencing the overlap of two generations as some Baby Boomers are entering Aged Care facilities for a number of health related reasons. Are we trying to keep the status quo with the Silent Generation with the usual activities? Could it be leaving us feeling a bit conflicted about what aged appropriate activities we have for the Baby Boomers? I myself faced this very issue in the last facility I worked in when out of 100 residents only 3 were Baby Boomers. So to predict the Impact of the Baby Boomer generation on Diversional Therapy practice I am conducting research and seeking participation from Lifestyle Officers, Lifestyle Coordinators and Diversional Therapists to gather data. A short email survey and brief telephone interviews will all be kept confidential. I am particularly interested in any one who is trying to cater to both generations in the one facility and what challenges or successes you have experienced.
This paper is a study of the generational shifting that will be occurring across the Aged Care Sector. Care recipients that currently dominate Aged Care are known as “Veterans” or the “Silent Generation”. This describes an era of people that fit into a culturally prescribed set of characteristics that are linked to the historical lived experiences. Living through the Second World War and the Great Depression, other influences such as cultural expectation of behaviours; ‘Children are seen but not heard’ are part of which gives the Silent Generation its name. As this generation is being replaced by the Baby Boomer generation it will challenge current Diversional Therapy practices. Not only will there be a need to revaluate current practices, there is a need to prepare for a transition phase as the two generations cross over. More importantly it will set the standards to how the Diversional Therapy practice is to evolve.
This paper endeavours to promote forward thinking and planning to ensure readiness for the emerging needs of next generation of care recipients. Furthermore the paper advocates continuing improvement of practices and push for new standards in Lifestyle Departments across the Aged Care Sector. This paper will use qualitative and quantitative research methods by collecting data from current professionals in the Leisure & Lifestyle industry. A survey will be conducted across a wide range of care facilities. Current trends in practise will be identified and questions asked about the challenges faced in running activity programs. Interviews are to be conducted with a number of informants of the Baby Boomer generation to understand their expectations of Leisure & Lifestyle Departments in Aged Care facilities.
The findings of this paper will explore changes in the Aged Care service delivery. Clarify if placement in Aged Care facilities are becoming reserved for mainly dementia and high-care care recipients as this will also contribute to new Diversional Therapy practices in the future. The significance of these findings will assist professionals in the Leisure & Lifestyle industry to review current practices. It will also give valuable insight into the expectations of future care recipients and their needs.
If you are interested to assist I will be very grateful to hear from you. You may email Jade Gilchrist at embracingdifference@live.com.au or phone 0432712087 for further information. All participants will get access to a copy of the finished paper and an appreciation certificate.
Jade Gilchrist
Leisure & Lifestyle Consultant, Founder of Embracing Difference Consultancy
Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Honours, Anthropology, Bachelor of Arts (B.A), Diploma of Traditional Chinese Painting, Cert IV Diversional Therapy, Cert IV in Small Business Management, Cert IV in TESOL, Cert IV Training & Assessment, Cert III Community Health & Services, Full Member DTA