Dr. Werner Widmer, Director, Diakoniewerk Neumünster Foundation and Heike Pollerhoff Huber, Operations Manager, Neumünster Park Residence, Zollikerberg: New and reimaginged former business models |
What will change in the world of nursing homes in the coming years? What new demands will be placed on nursing homes in the future? What challenges will the management of nursing homes encounter? What likely strategies might help to overcome these challenges? What stumbling blocks should be avoided? The nursing home of the future will be open, a district or village centre that meets the medical/nursing, social and spiritual/existential needs of the elderly. The boundary between nursing home and Spitex (home healthcare) will become blurred in this: The nursing home of the future might also be a person's actual home. In all strategic thinking it must not be forgotten that the day-to-day operations of nursing homes will continue to need management. Ultimately, the satisfaction of residents, family members, members of staff and an adequate EBITDA will be the decisive factors. |
Beat Ringger, Executive Secretary, Think Network Switzerland and Dr. Jérôme Cosanday, Research Director, Social Policy, Avenir-Suisse: Good care to a ripe old age – who will finance it? |
1st intervention: For several years, a think-network expert group has been getting to grips with the problems of long-term care. In an affluent society, it is unthinkable to simply allow people who are dependent on care to wallow in misery. Someone will provide their care, support and daily assistance – in the worst case, overburdened relatives or poorly paid migrant carers. At best, excellent public services will form the backbone for this and family members will contribute as much as their personal career objectives will allow. In addition to nursing homes, a wide range of care services needs to be available, i.e. 24-hour, seven-day Spitex (home healthcare), assisted housing, respite arrangements for caring relatives. This will make it possible to find the best possible solutions for each individual situation. Denmark and the canton of Vaud are adopting this approach – and with good success. Ultimately, such solutions are not more expensive, but better. |
2nd intervention: The aging of society and the increasing associated demand for care of the elderly is presenting the public sector with social and financial challenges. Avenir Suisse has analysed the organisation, costs and financing of care for the elderly in every Swiss canton: Spitex and home services complement one another. A one-sided enlargement of either of these service providers would be counterproductive. The required approach is one of "combined community-based and residential". Considerable savings of potentially 1.9 billion Swiss francs could be achieved if the organisation of care for the elderly throughout every canton was as efficient as the Swiss average. "Doing the right thing the right way" is called for here. In financing care services, the governmental contributions should not take costs as their yardstick, but the range of services provided. Avenir Suisse also advocates a compulsory personal care capital sum. Such a system would be an incentive for the careful use of resources and the intergenerational financing of care for the elderly. |
Prof. Thomas Klie, Institute Director, AGP (Old Age, Society, Participation) Social Research at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences Freiburg: Skilled workers as a global resource
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There is already a shortage of qualified staff in the healthcare professions today. In the future this will become even more acute. What is needed to attract young people to those professions that are committed to providing professional services to people? The attractiveness of the respective profession plus excellent staff development and recruitment concepts will certainly have a bearing on this. Does this also apply to nursing staff who work beyond national borders? According to WHO criteria, active recruitment can only take place from three countries. There is a lack of healthcare professions in northern and central Europe, but also in many emerging and developing countries. Can professional qualifications be recognised? What role can refugees fulfil in the search for suitable healthcare professionals? How will their integration succeed? Should we also rely on healthcare professionals from the Far East? These and further questions will be discussed in detail during the optional presentations. |
Prof. Sabine Hahn, Head of Nursing as a Discipline, Head of Applied Nursing Research and Development, Bern University of Applied Sciences and Dr. Franziska Zuniga, postdoctoral researcher and research assistant, Nursing Science, University of Basel and Marianne Geiser, CURAVIVA Switzerland et al. and Christophe Bugnon, actor and author: Life, quality of life and work – a contradiction? |
Care and nursing institutions are under strong pressure to provide a good quality of care, in spite of the increasing care complexity and needs amongst the elderly and a shortage of professional carers. Quality within such institutions is often conceptualised using two dimensions: quality of care and quality of life. Whilst the first of these concentrates on clinical outcomes (i.e. fall-related injuries), the second dimension includes aspects like well-being, independence, social relationships and significant activeness. The results from the SHURP study (Swiss Nursing Homes Human Resources Project) and the associated RESPONS study (Residents' Perspectives of Living in Nursing Homes in Switzerland) will be presented for aspects like quality of care and quality of life. Over 5000 carers from 162 care and nursing institutions and 1000 residents from 51 such institutions were surveyed. The results attest to the high quality of Swiss care and nursing institutions but also to improvement potential in areas like aggression, pain and person-centred care. |
Theatrical input: Life and work: how do they interact? How can nursing home staff be kept as healthy and satisfied as possible whilst also retaining them professionally in the long term? How can life-phase specific working conditions be created? The bilingual actor, comedian and writer Christophe Bugnon addresses key questions in a dramatic way. The issues at stake include "Can work scheduling be optimised to allow for more recreational time without dramatic cost increases?" and "How can lost working days be reduced, and what makes enduring absence management successful?" and "Which practical and implementable steps support and facilitate greater work-life balance?" After this playful exploration of complex management and retention issues, the audience will be shown where practical and specific information, tools and templates can be found to help create life-phase specific working conditions for valuable employees. Project management: Marianne Geiser, CURAVIVA Switzerland Author(s) of partial projects: Marlies Keist, Heidi Johann, Jean-Marc Fonjallaz, Françoise Christ |