GPLI 2020 – ALG Senior

ABOUT US:

ALG Senior is the largest provider of senior housing in the southeastern United States with more than 140 communities across 6 states serving over 7,000 residents. Based in Hickory, North Carolina, the vast majority of ALG Senior’s portfolio focuses on providing affordable care for the middle market. The average ALG Senior resident is 83 years old, has multiple chronic health conditions, and an average length of stay of 23 months. Forty percent of ALG Senior’s residents have an annual income of less than $20,000 and 60% receive government assistance. Due to the socio-economic demographic of the typical ALG resident, the project team determined that ACP was an integral piece of the treatment planning process that was often being overlooked.

TEAM:

• Michelle Kronquist, Psy.D. – Director of Psychological Services
• Stephanie Presley – Director of Learning & Development
• Caron Tucker, RN, CHPN – VP of Clinical Outreach, Carolina Caring
• JohnPaul King, MSN, RN, CDP – Clinical Project Director
• Julie Cook Walker, MLS, CADDCT, CMDCP, CDP, NCALA – Director of Dementia Care

Coached by Thomas Fairchild, PhD – HSC Adjunct Associate Professor

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

Goal: Increase the number of ALG Senior residents who have ACPs by 30% in our pilot communities by involving guardians, family members, providers, staff and residents in education sessions.

Project Approach: 

• Educate the staff on: What is ACP, having difficult conversations, identifying residents who are declining
• All new residents to Affinity Living Group buildings will have ACP addressed at the time of move in
• Current residents will be triaged into: Those with ACP, Those without an ACP
• Current residents without an ACP will be risk stratified based on various clinical criteria into: High risk, Moderate risk, Low risk allowing the providers to start by focusing on residents who have the greatest need
• All residents will have an ACP review every quarter or sooner if there is a significant change in condition.

PRESENTATION:

Click here to view the final project presentation and here to read the report.

CONTACT:

For more information or questions, please contact Michelle Kronquist, Psy.D. at mkronquist@algsenior.com.

For more information about GPLI, visit unthsc.edu/GPLI.