About CHEC√ / Our Achievements

Education:

• We are making the public aware of the value of advance healthcare planning to protect their freedom of choice in health care. Thousands of interested people have been provided with forms and background materials through discussion groups at churches, synagogues, elder centers, civic organizations, health fairs, hospitals, nursing homes and doctors’ offices.
  
  
• We have completed a video documentary, based on the tragic case of a family in California, which serves as a stimulus for thinking about advance health care directives. This video is being used by AARP, universities, hospitals and ethics institutions. Use instructions on the video page to obtain a copy, and view video to preview the video.
  
  
• Designed Advance Healthcare Directive (AD) Posters, which were placed in doctors’ offices, local private pharmacies, local Santa Monica buses and distributed through bank statements to make people aware of an AD and its importance.

Care in Nursing Homes:

• We have completed a one-year in depth study of one nursing home practices. This has led to improving end-of-life care by introducing training programs for nursing home personnel in psychosocial support and for volunteers serving as “compassionate visitors.” Another nursing home now has a similar sustaining program. Need for improvement in other areas were determined, and we are pursuing corrective solutions.
  
  
• Completed our major pilot project with a local nursing home, testing whether we can improve the clinical and ethical aspects of care by lectures, workshops and demonstrations for the caregivers. From the project we learned:
  
  
  • Psychosocial and spiritual aspects of care improved to win high praise from the participating nursing home residents.
    
    
  • The rate of inappropriate admissions to the hospital had been reduced by 50%.
    
    
  • The number of deficiencies found by the inspector of the State Health Department were reduced – 16 to 9.
    
    
  • The caregivers have become more aware of end-of-life and advance directive issues.
    
    
  • The local fire department paramedics are participating in an education program facilitating cooperation between nursing home personnel and themselves regarding inappropriate transfers from nursing homes to hospitals.
    
    
• Completed Psychosocial Group for lonely residents in a 2nd local nursing home, which is being self sustained and continues to show how important such a group is for nursing home residents.

Monthly Seminars:

• In Medicine, Ethics and Human Values, now in its 35th year. These educational seminars are offered not only to the medical and other ancillary hospital staff but also to the local community.

On Site Training and Workshops:

• Workshops for healthcare personnel to improve communication skills and sensitivity, especially for terminally ill patients and their families.
  
  
• A training course in these subjects as a part of the Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center’s Palliative Care program.
  
  
• End-of-life Training for volunteers to assist medical personnel and family caregivers under the direction of nursing personnel. This program provides ten 90-minute sessions including recognition of patients and family needs; communication and companionship; maintaining respect, dignity and independence when possible; grief, loss and bereavement; diverse cultural response to death and dying; spiritual support; working with other “team members”, assisting with daily living, and transportation; discussing with family and patient the use of advance health care planning and the palliative care and hospice concepts, i.e. training the volunteers to become part of an end-of-life team caring for the dying patient and their family.
  
  
• Provide training in psychosocial well-being in local nursing homes to improve end-of-life care of their residents.
  
  
• Provide speakers to present workshops on the importance of Advance Health Care Directives.