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A Planetree pioneer explains that there's more to this than bricks and mortar
In the late 1970s, Angelica Thieriot created the Planetree Organization in an attempt to personalize, humanize, and demystify the heal t hcare environment. Her vision was to design healthcare from the patient's perspective, and not just from that of staff convenience. Her plan addressed not only how each facility should be designed from architectural and patient physical comfort points of view but, more importantly, from an intrinsic point of view. That is, her philosophy required caregivers to rethink their paradigm of "giving" care. The new paradigm Thieriot d iscussed called for a holistic approach that encouraged healing in all dimensions. More importantly, it called for caregivers to rethink their reasons for choosing their career.1
Delano Regional Medical Center's (DRMC, Delano, California) journey with Pkmctrcc began in 1989; it was the first long-term care unit to employ Planetree principles. Its skilled nursing unit had regularly provided above-average care, but nothing set it apart from other long-term care facilities. Planetree consultants recognized a longing in DRMC's leadership to be different-to serve residents in a nontraditional manner that really made a difference in quality of life.
The Planetree transformation at DRMC included everything from rethinking the space and architecture of the unit to a reevaluation of the way care was delivered. Indeed, the most important change occurred in the way the caregivers thought about what they do. Their paradigm changed from "delivering" care to becoming a "partner" and a "facilitator" in care. In other words, the staff no longer "gave" a bed bath but rather "facilitated" the resident in the process.
This shift in thinking began with DRMC staff retreats, in which the Planetree philosophy was discussed and "resident-centered care" was defined. "Aha's" for each staff member occurred at these retreats, especially through the use of guided imagery. Staff were taken on a mental journey to a time of being ill and being the ones to receive care, and then to a time of caring for a loved one who was ill. These retreats also taught various specific components of Planetree, including art as therapy, music as therapy, and food as therapy. Teams and committees were developed with responsibility to establish each of the...