Viki will be presenting at the American Health Care Association Conference on 10/12/10

Viki will be giving a presentation at the American Health Care Association Conference on October 12, 2010 from 8-10am PST.

As the nation’s largest association of long term and post-acute care providers, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) advocates for quality care and services for frail, elderly and disabled Americans. Compassionate and caring employees provide essential care to one million individuals in our 11,000 not-for-profit and proprietary member facilities.

The ultimate focus is on providing quality care to the nation’s frail, elderly and disabled, who are served by the long term care professionals who comprise AHCA’s membership. These providers believe that the individuals whom they serve are entitled to a supportive environment in which professional and compassionate care is delivered. This belief compels AHCA, its affiliates and member providers to advocate for individuals who – because of social needs, disability, trauma or illness – require services provided in a long term care setting, while also advocating for the continuing vitality of long term care provider community.

AHCA believes this necessitates their commitment to developing necessary and reasonable public policies which balance economic and regulatory principles to support quality care and quality of life, and is dedicated to professionalism and ethical behavior among all who provide long term care.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Clarita will be hosting a presentation on caregiving on 10/13/10

Pacifica Senior Living in Santa Clarita will be hosting a presentation on caregiving on 10/13/10 from 7-8pm PST.

Pacifica Senior Living is an independent living, assisted living and memory care community in charming Santa Clarita, California.  They offer a variety of studio and one-bedroom apartments.  Staff are available 24 hours a day.

The Memory Care Staff at Pacifica Senior Living Santa Clarita Newhall is trained to provide the services you may need in a supportive environment.

Viki will be presenting at NASW’s CA Annual Conference on 10/9/10

Viki will be presenting “4 Tools to Help Families Making the Difficult Decisions”  at the National Association of Social Workers CA Annual Conference on 10/9/10 from 9-12pm PST

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with 145,000 members.

NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain standards for the profession, and to advance sound social policies. NASW also contributes to the well-being of individuals, families and communities through its work and advocacy.

NASW was founded in 1955 through a merger of seven social work organizations:

• American Association of Social Workers
• American Association of Medical Social Workers
• American Association of Psychiatric Social Workers
• National Association of School Social Workers
• American Association of Group Workers
• Association for the Study of Community Organization
• Social Work Research Group

Have a kind and respectful day.

Patient’s Rights – Where do they start and where to they end?

What are our obligations to the patient? Keep in mind that autonomy only works with people who have the capacity to make their own decisions.

Here are some of the patients’ rights that come with using autonomy:
• Patients have the right to receive all the information they need to make a good decision.
• Patients have the right to make their own decisions.
• Patients have the right to refuse treatments they do not want.
• Patients do not have the right to demand treatments that will be medically ineffective or are medically inappropriate for their condition.

It is important to realize that there are limits to a patient’s rights. A patient is limited to asking only for treatments that will benefit her. This limitation makes sense. It would be pointless, and potentially harmful, to provide a treatment or medication that would not improve the patient’s condition. So, as a physician, you are able to say no to practicing bad medicine. If what the patient or decision maker is requesting would be inappropriate or non-beneficial you can say no and protect the patient. But if it is a medically valid option, even when you disagree with what the person wants because you think they are being foolish or it isn’t the best option to choose, we have to respect that it is the patient’s body and life.

I know this can be difficult as you watch people making foolish choices. But that is autonomy. All of us, including you, are allowed to make the decisions that make sense in the context of one’s own life. (Of course, there are different boundaries in pediatrics.)

One technique I use with patients is to say, “Here is the ideal plan. Now let’s talk about your plan.” That allows the two of you to partner together to build a plan, although it might not be ideal, it is something the patient is willing to consider and to try. And then perhaps in the future, the patient will be willing to consider the other options you would like him or her to try.

Have a kind and respectful day.

Join Viki for a CME Lecture at Sunrise Hospital, Las Vegas on 6/23/10

Join Viki Kind, M.A. author of “The Caregiver’s Path to Compassionate Decision Making: Making Choices for Those Who Can’t” as she gives a CME Lecture on Improving Healthcare Communication at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas.

Sunrise has been re-certified as a primary stroke center for the next two years! The Joint Commission sent a surveyor to Sunrise in February 2010 as part of the re-certification process and the examination of our data, processes and outcomes went extremely well. Sunrise had the first certified primary stroke center in the valley and no other facility in the area offers a more comprehensive program.

When:
June 23, 2010 from 8-9am and 1:15-2:15pm

Where:
Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center
3186 S Maryland Pkway
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Telephone: (702) 731-8000

This event is free for all medical personnel.

Have a kind and respectful day.

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