Who we are
Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care is an unprecedented action of long term care colleagues, government regulators and academics coming together to effect change in an antiquated system. WNYAPCC is the “first in the nation” community-based strategic plan that will introduce, refine, and promote person-centered care culture change. Of 16,000 nursing homes and 36,000 assisted living facilities nationwide, only several hundred have adopted deep systems change. Encouragingly, thousands have begun the journey including many from Western New York.

Mission
To achieve Person-Centered Care in Long Term Care that:

• Engages individuals in meaningful quality of life choices.
• Focuses on individual preferences and lifelong patterns.
• Restores social connectedness and normalcy to daily life.
• It's not home-like....it's home.

Vision
Increase the number of long term care organizations in Western New York that have some or all of the following qualities:

• Care and all related acitivities focused on the person not the institution;
• A living environment that is designed to be home-like rather than an institution;
• Close relationships exist among and between residents, family members, staff, and community;
• Work organized to support and empower all staff to respond to residents' needs and desires;
• A sense of community that empowers collaborative staff, and resident and family decision making; and
• Strategies to continually identify ways to do things better.

Goals
This is an opportunity to come together to frame the future for not only our elders in our community, but to create a system that will welcome, sustain, and grow a dedicated workforce of long-term care professionals. The benefits of the Western New York Alliance for Person-Centered Care initiative are simple, it will:

• Improve the quality of life for residents
• Address the quality of life issues raised by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the New York State Department of Health
• Reduce staff turnover through increased job satisfaction
• Increase credibility of the field of nursing and other long-term care professions
• Assist in building a “learning community” where we can learn by identifying needs, overcoming barriers through shared problem solving, implementing solutions and measuring for success
• Create a resource network as person-centered care is implemented

The WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care has begun formal meetings between the steering committee and other community partners to identify specific actions our community can take to introduce and advance this world for care.

A full scale symposium is planned for Friday, September 19, 2008 in order to officially kick-off this initiative. The symposium will feature Dr. William Thomas, a Harvard-educated physician and board-certified geriatrician who founded The Eden Alternative. Dr. Thomas is dedicated to eliminating loneliness, boredom and helplessness that make life intolerable in most of today’s long-term facilities.

The symposium is open to civic and business leaders, healthcare professionals and the public where they can learn more about person-centered care and the role each of us can play.

As part of a national movement the WNY Alliance for Person-Centered Care is focused on transforming long term care in the Western New York region. In these efforts, the goal is to be a resource for regions across the country who will be dedicated to person-centered care.

Please contact Robert Meiss for more information at rmeiss@beechwoodcare.org
or call 716-504-1000.

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