Description

Brain Storms: A Cognitive–Linguistic Stimulation Program for Persons with Dementia

A cognitive–linguistic stimulation program to help you successfully
manage your clients with dementia. Includes over 100 activities!
Also includes a free staff training DVD.

From the Author

"The product you have purchased is 20 years in the making. When I entered the speech pathology job market I was personally ill-prepared to recognize or impact the communication environment of demented patients in nursing homes. My attitude then was the attitude I often encounter today. In 1980, I was far too valuable and well trained to spend time wasting away in a nursing home environment where patients would not benefit from my rehabilitation genius. Where did I learn this attitude? Was I trained to minimize long-term care? Was I afraid of frail, elderly, demented patients? Was I so intrigued with private treatment rooms, scheduled treatment time, a desk of my own, rubbing elbows with medical personnel daily, high visibility, or controlled therapy environments? I suspect all of the above.

Somewhere along the way the attitude changed for me. I assume if you are purchasing this product that you are either excited about treating dementia patients or desperate to make the best out of what you perceive as a difficult job assignment."

 —Lou Eaves, Author

Implementing Brain Storms can positively impact each component of the Healthcare Success Triangle

Marketing—More families will choose your facility knowing their loved-ones will be involved in stimulating activities every week of the year and year after year if necessary.

Reimbursement —Materials can be used to implement Medicare reimbursable   functional maintenance programs and to increase the Medicaid case mix per diem rate through Restorative Nursing Programs. 

Passing State Inspection —Quality indicators can be successfully addressed.

Adult sensitive material promotes
learning and cooperation

Five steps to success:

1. Evaluate client and determine most appropriate functional maintenance program and materials needed including Brain Storms material
2. Train staff to implement this program
3. Transition this program to restorative nursing and/or nursing aids incorporating Brain Storms materials into program every week for 52 weeks and year after year if appropriate
4. Submit charges for Medicare skilled therapy portion of program
5. Submit additional charges for restorative nursing program if appropriate

Skilled therapy and restorative nursing departments become consistent revenue generating sources by creating facility "at-risk" registry

Quality indicators can be successfully addressed  

• Behavioral symptoms affecting others
• Incidence of cognitive decline
• Incidence of decline in late loss ADL
• Prevalence of little or no activity
• Lack of corrective action for sensory or communication problems

Program Contents

 

Administrative Manual:

• Regulatory justification for implementing the program including dementia program coverage issues
• Assessment/Standardized testing guidelines
• Guidelines for billable and non-billable services
• Guidelines for care plan development including long and short term goals
• Components of the functional maintenance program and how to address each one
• Forms that make everything work
• Documentation wording
• Skilled care check lists for SLP-OT-PT

Material Packet:

• 130 activities with instructions for each
• Perpetual 52-week calendar listing specific activities for each week during the year

This product pays for itself with increased revenues generated during the first billing period you implement the Brain Storms program. Also, add just 6 residents to your Restorative Nursing Program using Brain Storms and realize a yearly revenue increase of approx. $20,732 assuming a $.71 increase per diem rate and a 100 bed facility with 80 Medicaid patients. 

Special note: This product has a 60-day money back guarantee to give you enough time to see the benefits of Brain Storms

Additional Photos

Customer Reviews

Testimonial

I make psychiatric rounds at the four nursing homes in Hall County, and have been doing so for, I would say the past ten years. Consequently, it falls my responsibility to evaluate and attempt to find appropriate medication for many residents whose diagnosis is that of dementia of one variety or the other. Many of these patients had a premorbid diagnosis of chronic mental illness, but they now also are struggling with dementia.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that a program such as yours is needed badly, in all the nursing homes I visit, and would also be appropriate for patients with varying stages of dementia who are at home. I find that your program is unique; I have never seen anything quite like it, and certainly no program of this sort exists in any of the homes that I visit. One of the nursing homes that I visit has an abbreviated behavior modification and monitoring program for violent behavior, but I have not been impressed with its efficacy, and it certainly is not nearly as comprehensive as your program.

I feel that your program is well organized, and you seem quite adept at selecting appropriate candidates for the program and training staff to deliver the various activities and assessments.

To date, I think that I can clearly see results and success, in terms of cognitive progress and behavioral progress in many of the patients that I am following, who are participating in your program. I certainly would believe that other nursing home administrators, physicians, and nurses, would be interested in putting the program in their facility, and I would feel that it is definitely marketable.

Much of the appeal of the program is that it takes a very simple approach, but one which is clearly able to be defined, altered according to need, and with measurable results.

  —John W. Garland, III, M.D., FAPA

When residents are involved in stimulating activities, time demands of staff can be reduced.

Testimonial

Brain Storms has had the most profound impact on both staff and residents. You will see the difference from the beginning. You will see residents you didn't think could read, holding newspapers. You find them conversing when you did not think they could speak or merely thought they had nothing to say. It has been a blessing to all: staff, families, and most of all the residents. It restores pride. 

 —Norma Duck, RN

Testimonial

 Several of the residents in this program are now "communicating" with other residents and identifying staff members by name instead of constantly requiring each staff member to stop in an attempt to calm them each time they pass by. This program has greatly improved communication among our residents and decreased the time demands of our staff as these residents are much more satisfied and are much more easily entertained and re-directed. This program has become so popular among the residents and staff that we have residents and staff asking to become involved.

The activities used are very simple for any staff member to assist residents and the outcomes are very noticeable. Our physicians have been very excited with noted improvements in their residents. We are excited too, not only because the quality of life of our residents has improved, but also because billable units for speech has increased.

This program would be an asset to any organization, physician or family dealing with the dementia resident and I highly recommend it.

 —Gail M. Patrick, LNHA
Nursing Home Administrator

Target Audience

Who Can Implement This Program?

• A Speech-Language Pathologist or an Occupational Therapist



• A Recreational Therapist can also implement this program if Medicare is not being billed for the implementation part of this program.

Author

Lou Eaves, M.S., CCC-SLP, has a B.S. degree in Speech Education from the University of Southern Mississippi, M.S. degree in Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi, and M.S. degree in Speech Pathology from Louisiana State University. She has 30 years experience in direct clinical services and administration of rehabilitation services for geriatric patients. Employment settings have included private practice, hospital, outpatient, home health and long-term care. Mrs. Eaves is currently in private practice providing direct clinical services in long-term care, consultation services related to dementia services, and product development for service delivery. Her publications include Brain Storms, A cognitive–linguistic stimulation program to manage clients with dementia as well as online educational materials related to dementia and dementia interventions.