The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement (CFHI) today announced that 39 long-term care organizations will participate in an 18-month province-wide program designed to improve dementia care through more appropriate use of antipsychotic medications.
The Quality of Life for Residents in Long Term Care: The Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) Collaborative will help reduce the inappropriate use of antipsychotics and the risks associated with their use such as worsening cognitive functioning, confusion, dizziness, sleepiness, stroke and falls. It will also improve the quality and experience of dementia care for residents, families and staff.
CFHI is providing $58,500 in funding in addition to significant support to spread the AUA approach, including dedicated CFHI staff to manage collaborative activities, coaching and faculty support, an online resource hub with standardized education to support person-centred approaches, and evaluation support. The Provincial Government will provide $319,000 over three years to support implementation and sustainability.
CFHI will provide tailored learning and coaching to help interprofessional teams – nurses, personal care workers, physicians, pharmacists and administrators – use data to identify patients who may benefit from non-drug therapies to treat behaviours related to dementia. Equipped with better information about each resident, direct care staff can then work with families to tailor services and provide personalized care and individualized therapies.
A list of teams in Newfoundland and Labrador is provided in the backgrounder below.
A provincial advisory committee will be created to oversee the program. The committee will include representatives from each regional health authority, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Health and Community Services and CFHI.
Provincial long-term care homes will collaborate with homes from Prince Edward Island and from the Senior Quality Leap Initiative, a North American network of long-term care organizations focused on clinical care and the safety of seniors.
Since 2014, CFHI has supported over 140 long-term care organizations from across Canada to improve the appropriate use of antipsychotic medication and the quality of life for residents through a pan-Canadian collaborative, as well as province-wide scale up in New Brunswick and Quebec. This new program will build on their success.
The AUA Approach has already demonstrated success:
- The pan-Canadian AUA collaborative, resulted in a 54 per cent reduction in the inappropriate use of antipsychotics. Results showed significant reductions in socially inappropriate behaviour, resistance to care and a 20 per cent decrease in falls.
- Phase 1 of the New Brunswick collaborative saw a 43 per cent reduction in the inappropriate use of antipsychotics and the number of falls decreased by one-third.
- Residents who had their antipsychotics reduced or eliminated became more socially engaged, were better able to eat independently, and became more wakeful, improving the experience of care for families and staff.
More information from the CFHI on the appropriate use of antipsychotics can be found here.
The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement identifies proven innovations and accelerates their spread across Canada, improving patient care, the health of Canadians and value-for-money. CFHI is a not-for-profit organization funded by Health Canada. Visit cfhi-fcass.ca for more information.
This initiative delivers on commitments in The Way Forward deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.
Quotes
“Through our participation in this initiative, Newfoundland and Labrador is working to improve the care, as well as the health and safety of long-term care residents with dementia. The program will result in more individualized person-centred care plans and greater involvement of families where appropriate to help with the care of their loved ones.”
Honourable John Haggie
Minister of Health and Community Services
“In 2016-17, about 22 per cent of residents of Canadian long-term care homes were on an antipsychotic without a diagnosis of psychosis, but just five years ago that rate was 32 per cent. Our experience supporting the appropriate use of antipsychotics across Canada demonstrates that it is possible to improve dementia care and reduce the inappropriate use of these medications through person-centred approaches.”
Maureen O’Neil
President, Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement
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Learn More
Information on the Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics
Media contacts
Emily Timmins
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 693-1292
emilytimmins@gov.nl.ca
Christine LaRocque
Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement
343-998-5143
christine.laroque@cfhi-fcass.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Quality of Life for Residents in Long Term Care: The Appropriate Use of Antipsychotics (AUA) Collaborative Teams in Newfoundland and Labrador
| Eastern Health | |
| 1. Waterford Hospital | St. John’s |
| 2. Dr. Walter Templeman Health Centre | Bell Island |
| 3. The Agnes Pratt Home | St. John’s |
| 4. Salvation Army Glenbrook Lodge | St. John’s |
| 5. Pleasant View Towers | St. John’s |
| 6. Saint Luke’s Homes | St. John’s |
| 7. St. Patrick’s Mercy Homes | St. John’s |
| 8. Caribou Memorial Veteran’s Pavilion | St. John’s |
| 9. Chancellor Park | St. John’s |
| 10. Lion’s Manor Nursing Home | Placentia |
| 11. Private Josiah Squibb Memorial Pavilion | Carbonear |
| 12. Golden Heights Manor | Bonavista |
| 13. Bonavista Protective Community Residence | Bonavista |
| 14. U.S. Memorial Health Centre | St. Lawrence |
| 15. Blue Crest Inter Faith Home | Grand Bank |
| 16. Dr. Albert O’Mahoney Memorial Manor | Clarenville |
| 17. Clarenville Protective Community Residence | Clarenville |
| Central Health | |
| 18. Notre Dame Bay Memorial Health Centre | Twillingate |
| 19. Fogo Island Health Centre | Fogo Island |
| 20. Bonnews Lodge | New-Wes-Valley |
| 21. Lakeside Homes | Gander |
| 22. Connaigre Peninsula Health Centre | Harbour Breton |
| 23. Dr. Hugh Twomey Health Centre | Botwood |
| 24. Baie Verte Health Centre | Baie Verte |
| 25. A. M. Guy Memorial Health Centre | Buchans |
| 26. North Haven Manor and Protective Community Residence | Lewisporte |
| 27. Valley Vista Senior Citizen’s Home | Springdale |
| 28. Carmelite House | Grand Falls-Windsor |
| Western Health | |
| 29. Dr. Charles L. Legrow Health Centre | Port aux Basques |
| 30. Calder Health Centre | Burgeo |
| 31. Bonne Bay Health Centre | Norris Point |
| 32. Rufus Guinchard Health Centre | Port Saunders |
| 33. Bay St. George Long Term Care Home | Stephenville Crossing |
| 34. Corner Brook Long Term Care Home | Corner Brook |
| 35. Protective Community Residences | Corner Brook |
| Labrador/ Grenfell | |
| 36. John M. Gray Health Centre & Complex | St. Anthony |
| 37. Labrador West Health Centre | Labrador City |
| 38. Labrador South Health Centre | Forteau |
| 39. Happy Valley-Goose Bay Long Term Care Home | Happy Valley-Goose Bay |