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What is TLC for LTC?
Teaching and Learning to Care: Training for Caregivers in Long-Term Care (TLC for LTC) is a series of six instructional modules designed so that staff development educators have everything they need to train direct care staff. The authoritative content in TLC for LTC was developed by the Delaware Valley Geriatric Education Center and faculty from the University of Pennsylvania’s Schools of Medicine and Nursing. They were written by authors with extensive knowledge of the long-term-care environment. The six topics include three on risk assessment and prevention, two on cognitive losses and associated behaviors, and one on palliative care. The ultimate goal of this series is to enable long-term-care staff to improve care of the frail elderly by improving staff skills as observers, reporters, and providers of individualized care.
(Two separate self-study modules are available for staff development educators to enhance their knowledge and skills in education and in quality improvement.)

What’s special about this series?
Staff development is vital to improving the quality of care delivered in long-term care, but is often cut short in financially difficult times.
This series:

1. addresses geriatrics-related topics that are central to quality care in long-term care settings whether institutional or community–based;
2. is based on the evidence -- on state-of-the-art knowledge and research;


3. is concise -- each module can be taught in 20-30 minute sessions;


4. is reuseable – making the series cost-effective and useful in orienting new staff;


5. targets a multidisciplinary audience including certified nursing assistants, dieticians, physical therapists, nurses and other caregivers; and


6. helps facilities meet Medicare, state and JCAHO requirements.

• Each module contains all materials needed for teaching:


• planning materials for the staff development educator


• tests, tranparencies and lecture notes for the instructor


• handouts for participants


• a video component to reinforce learning and structure discussion (except for Module 2)

What can my staff expect to learn?
Each module has its own set of learning objectives. The following provides an overview of content for each clinical module.

When People Fall: Prevention for Those at Risk Addresses:

1. Risk factors, or causes, associated with falls;
2. Interventions to prevent falls;
3. Components of a falls prevention program.

When Pressure Persists: Prevention of Pressure Ulcers for Those at Risk Addresses:

1. Causes of skin injury;
2. Prevention strategies;
3. Contributions of various team members in prevention.

When Wrong Things Happen with Medications: Risk and Prevention Addresses:

1. Conditions leading to adverse drug events in nursing homes;
2. Optimal nursing home drug prescribing practices;
3. Roles of various professionals in medication management.

When the Mind Falters: Cognitive Losses in Dementia Addresses:

1. Stages of dementia;
2. Related disability from specific cognitive impairments;
3. Steps to address acute changes in cognitive status.

When Behavior Challenges: Responding to Behaviors Associated with Cognitive Loss Addresses:

1. Framework for interpreting behavior and contributing factors;
2. Assessment strategies for identifying the meaning of behavior;
3. Individualized care to respond to behavior.

When People are Dying: Palliative Care Addresses:

1. The definition of palliative care;
2. Domains of palliative care;
3. Roles of various professionals in providing social and spiritual support before, during and after a resident’s death.

What if my facility wants more help?
Some facilities may be interested in working with a consultant to address a specific issue related to one or more module topic areas. For those institutions, the DVGEC has an agreement with Gerontologic Nursing Consultation Service (GNCS), and can offer reduced consulting rates to a limited number of facilities on a first-come, first-served basis. GNCS has a network of over 120 nurse consultants and associates, and over ten years of experience working with long-term care facilities.

To order, contact:
Sangeeta Bhojwani
Associate Director
215-573-7293
Sangeeta.Bhojwani@uphs.upenn.edu

For information about the series, contact:

Project Directors:

Authors: