Nursing Homes And The Lutheran Home For

The Aging Essay, Research Paper

Nursing Homes and The Lutheran Home for the Aging

Recently, I had the pleasure of having a personal tour of the Lutheran

Home for the Aging located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. I chose this area of study

because it happened to be convenient in location for me as well as easily

accessible to a source of an interviewee that I felt comfortable with and who is

also very comfortable with myself. I find it much easier to conduct an

interview and get more relevant information from a source that I’ve already had

former contact with and also established a friendship with. I interviewed, age

48, who was a social worker at the Lutheran Home for the Aging for 12 years

until she changed career paths that would benefit herself more as well as her

family. graduated from the University of with a Social Work degree and is

presently pursing a two year Dental Hygiene degree(Associate Degree). She

explained to me that at the time she was hired at the nursing home it was not

necessary for social workers to have to take a test in order to obtain a license

and a position in the social work field, a position that she held for twelve

years explained to me how she was “Grandfathered” into her social worker

position and did not have to take a test for a license until it was required

after years of responsible and professional work in the Home for the Aging.

The Lutheran Home for the Aging was founded in 1906 by John C. Koch,

with the motivation and desire to promote residential care for his fellow aging

Lutheran constituents. Along with the supportive interests of other Lutherans,

he purchased approximately eight acres of land. A large house on the property

served as the Home’s first building and within a year of its founding, it had

reached a capacity of twenty members. Today the same desire and motivation has

increased the residential population to 313 members, age 65 and over. The

founders of the Home did more than provide a place to live for the Aging. They

founded a tradition of excellence and quality care that continues even to this

day. The mission of the home is to “take a leadership role in resident

satisfaction by providing superior services in a Christian atmosphere that meet

or exceed the expectations of each resident and his or her family” (”Lutheran

Home for the Aging” 1). Through the years, with renovations and expansions, the

facility has evolved into a nursing facility providing skilled nursing care and

related therapeutic care to all the residents 24 hours a day. The Lutheran Home

for the Aging is a non-profit organization and is a recognized service

organization of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. The Home is governed by The

Board of Directors, which consists of men and women from various congregations

located throughout the Milwaukee area. They constantly review and evaluate the

quality of care in relationship to the purpose of the Home and are also in

control of delegating a responsible and competent administrator who is the

leader and manager of the Home.

There is a full array of highly trained and competent staff that keep

the Lutheran Home for the Aging running smoothly and up to standard. As I

researched what quality nursing homes should offer to those in need of a variety

of daily and sometimes complex assistance, I was surprised that this Home for

the Aging met most, if not all the criteria of a “model” nursing home. Some of

the services offered include personal , dietary, therapeutic, social,

recreational and nursing services. There are also meals, laundry facilities,

housekeeping, and 24-hour medical services provided by professional nursing care

and attending physicians. In addition, as most non-profit organizations homes,

there are religious services and counseling programs provided. Some of the

daily responsibilities and individual aspects of the diverse staff include the

following:

. The activities coordinator is a trained therapist or someone designated to

help and assist residents’ individual needs and create programs that provide

recreation, entertainment and therapy for the residents.

. The social service staff consists of social workers, counselors, and , in

some nursing homes, a psychologist who assist in coping of the emotional and

psychological aspects of aging, the transitional problems that may arise when

first entering an aging home, and daily problems and frustrations.

. A food service director oversees nursing homes’ daily meal program. Many

homes including the Lutheran Home for the Aging, have a Dietitian that meet the

individual daily requirements of each resident, whether therapeutic diet or

normal, and try to ensure that meals are appetizing also.

. The Pastoral care staff consists of ordained, professional, or lay persons

trained to meet the spiritual needs of residents through worship, study, and

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