When philosophies and missions match — residents and their families benefit from extraordinary care.
“Both Sunrise Senior Living and Paradigm Health are here to champion the quality of life each and every day and that makes us a good match.” —Johnetta Miller
When business and caregiving philosophies and missions are the same — there is mutual respect, trust and admiration. Both senior living facility, Sunrise Senior Living (SSL) located in Carmel, Indiana, and Central Indiana hospice and palliative care provider Paradigm Health agree that bringing high level care and compassion to enrich the lives of each individual, every day, is what they strive for and it is at the heart of everything they do.
“We are both here to champion the quality of life,” says Sunrise Senior Living Reminiscence Coordinator Johnetta Miller. “The reminiscence area residents that I work with and advocate for may progress through a memory care journey that requires different care at different times. Paradigm Health offers both palliative care and hospice care for these patients, and the ability for the patient to remain with the same caregiving company throughout those changes relieves patient and family stress and helps us maintain a strong and fluid working relationship with a company as well.”
Miller started her own career in restaurant management but found herself drawn to the healthcare industry and became a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). She worked as a CNA in memory care and soon became lead CNA, then took on a med care management role administering medications, and then progressed on to a coordinator position. She’s been with SSL for over 10 years and understands the importance of allowing patients to age in place with continuity of care.
Why Paradigm? Above and beyond care.
“I am the coordinator of a memory care floor, Reminiscence, but we call them and think of the floors as neighborhoods,” shares Miller. “Just like neighborhoods full of families anywhere else, these residents are our family and we want them to be treated like that. Maybe that is why Paradigm Health is such a good fit to care for the residents. They have a family–oriented culture that goes above and beyond in their care.”
Central to both companies is the development of a plan of care for each resident. When Miller identifies that a resident is in need of companionship, or sees a change in their activity level, sees poor appetite or a marked weight loss, she knows that additional palliative or hospice care services might be needed. She’s a family’s watchful eye over their resident to ensure that they are getting the needed assistance they need on a daily basis.
“The residents, their families, SSL and I all have very high expectations when it comes to hands-on care,” shares Miller. “And, Paradigm Health comes through with that above and beyond type of care. Often times we have a question or something that might require a solution that is ‘out-of-the-box” thinking and Paradigm and their staff of caregivers is always willing to try something whatever may improve the quality of life for a resident. That sets them apart from everyone else in the business.”
Taking the time to make a difference.
Most healthcare companies operate with the bottom line as the motivating factor at the end of the day. Miller says it is obvious that Paradigm places the priority on taking care of her resident’s needs and they spend as much time as needed with each resident to make sure their needs are met. “Paradigm isn’t a ‘clock watcher’ and neither are we,” says Miller.
Communication is key says Miller and plays an integral role in making sure both SSL and Paradigm Health are on the same page for resident’s care and sharing that with families as well. Miller also says that nurses, therapists and other Paradigm staff stop regularly to communicate with her in personal once they have visited with a resident. This is extremely valuable as they add an extended set of eyes and ears in assessing any changes in a resident they may see.
“It may sound like such small things to many people, but they actually make a big difference,” says Miller. “Recently, I noticed that a resident had on a new pair of socks that the Paradigm staff had brought in for them. It was a small gesture, but it was also something you would do for family. That is just who they are. Keeping a watchful eye on what is needed and might make a positive difference.”
Both SSL and Paradigm approach care by taking each day as an opportunity to create joyful moments with an optimistic attitude toward the future no matter the length of that future.
“It’s rewarding to know you are in the right place and doing the right things,” Miller shares. “And, Paradigm has always had that ‘doing the right things for the right reasons’ credo at the base of their philosophy. So, it’s a good fit.”
