Beaumont facility adopts 'Home within a Home' philosophy
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Twins Gianna (left) and Gillian Yordanopoulos have their picture taken with Santa and their greatgreat grandmother, Beaumont resident Doris Roy. PHOTO/KEN POWERS

Westborough - If it's true that what makes a home are generous portions of family, comfort, choices, safety and security, then it's no surprise that the Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center at 3 Lyman St. is as popular as it is.

The center, which opened in the mid-1980s, is just one part of a larger care-providing group, Salmon Family Services, which began its operation in Massachusetts 55 years ago and also has facilities in Northborough, Northbridge and Natick.

With 152 residents, Beaumont is always a busy place as evidenced recently when visitors found a beehive of activities going on there, including the unveiling of holiday decorations throughout the building, regular discussion sessions among residents and a tour of the world beer tasting seminar.

Amid the daily hustle and bustle, a bigger change is taking place at Beaumont, as the facility is adopting principles of the "culture change" movement that is sweeping the profession.

"Industry-wide it's called culture change, but we call it the 'Home within a Home' program," said Matt Salmon, the vice president of programs, quality and innovation for Salmon Family Services.

The culture change movement was introduced into residential facilities nationwide about six years ago. Beaumont began incorporating the Home within a Home program about two years ago.

"Simply put, Home within a Home focuses on the longterm vision of providing the most home-like atmosphere for our residents using all of our available resources," Salmon said. "The guiding principle of Home within a Home is that each individual resident has access to all of the freedoms and rights living in their own home would off er."

At the core of the Home within a Home program is the movement from the philosophy of resident-centered care to resident-directed care.

"Home within a Home gives residents the flexibility to choose when they want to get up, when they want to eat breakfast, what they're going to have, when they're going to take their shower or bath," said Connie Pillsbury, Beaumont's Director of Therapeutic Recreation. "In the medical model of residential services, there is little choice.

"But we feel you're coming from your home, where you have the ultimate flexibility," she explained. "Maybe it doesn't work for you to bathe in the morning, you're a bathe-atnight person. In Home within a Home, you have that flexibility. When you're going to shower or eat is not decided by someone else."

Other subtle changes throughout the facility include colorcoordinated rugs, drapes and bedspreads.

Along with personal flexibility, Beaumont's Home within a Home philosophy stresses a smaller care circle featuring a more intimate staff who knows the residents of its neighborhoods better. Each of the four neighborhoods in the building has its own staff, including nurse managers, nurses, certified nursing assistants, and recreation and activities staff members.

"We try to maintain a certain level of consistency," Pillsbury said. "We can anticipate a resident's needs versus having that resident have to ask for something. It's led to great strides in our ability to provide care."

The feedback from residents, Pillsbury said, has been positive.

"They seem to be enjoying the changes," Pillsbury said. "We've heard from residents that they're appreciative of the safe, comfortable caring environment that we're providing."