Implementing a Sexuality and Intimacy Policy in Long-Term Care

About this event:

This webinar is designed for long-term care (LTC) staff and other health professionals. The webinar will describe a long-term care home’s advocacy for a resident experiencing sexual expression and the need for policy change. During the presentation, participants will learn how education and policy changes were used to support and strengthen residents’ relationships and intimacy needs.

When a resident was admitted to Pioneer Ridge Long Term Care with sexual expressions that were being categorized as sexual aggression incidents in care plans, it highlighted a need for a change in policy and education within the home. The Pioneer Ridge team reviewed the following best practice guidelines: Preventing and Addressing Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults: Person-Centred, Collaborative, System-Wide Approaches and Supporting and Strengthening Families through Expected and Unexpected Life Events. Following review of the guidelines, the team worked to advocate and implement improvements to strengthen residents’ relationships needs.

This webinar will outline the steps and barriers to creating change that has demonstrated positive outcomes for the resident. The participants will learn about the team involved in creating the new policy, how education was provided, and how the team selected the appropriate person to deliver education. Furthermore, the webinar will also outline how the Pioneer Ridge team presently chart levels of sexual expression. The form for charting levels of sexual expression will also be shared.

During this presentation, participants will learn how to:

• create and implement a sexuality policy
• gain an understanding on how Pioneer Ridge developed their policy
• use focus charting, such as FDARP charting, to describe levels of sexual expression
• monitor and evaluate outcomes for sexual expression

Presenters and credentials:

Darcie Brown, RN & Best Practice Clinician, Pioneer Ridge Long Term Care Home