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Introduction

From the moment we are born, we are aging. Yet many of us fear our own aging, as well as dependency and loss of control. Many of us have watched helplessly as our parents, spouses, or other loved ones lose their choice of where and how they receive care. Understandably, at the thought that we might have to move away from our own homes when we need long-term care, we fear losing dignity and privacy. These losses are powerful reasons for change. The present and the past do not have to be the future if we act together now. 

We all want to make our own choices about how and where we live. An informed consumer makes better choices.  Since we are all getting older, we need to create a vision about meaningful choices and a strategy that will make those choices available. The culture change movement is working to create these choices.

Culture change works to create home wherever we live. The term culture change refers to a transformation of long-term care services. Culture change focuses on person-directed care, sometimes also referred to as person-centered care. Person-directed care values include dignity, respect, purposeful living, and having the freedom to make informed choices about daily life and health care.

Long-term care can be changed. It can be different. Many nursing homes are changing and have changed, which proves that it can be done. Consumers can create the demand for this new type of long-term care.

This section of the Pioneer Network website will direct you to resources that we hope you will find helpful as current or future consumers of long-term care, as well as advocates for change.

Here is an overview of what you will find in this section:

You may wonder how you can determine whether a nursing home or assisted living community is person-directed. There are some key questions you can ask these communities to see if they are practicing person-directed care. Click here to see these "Key Questions."

The terminology used in long-term care and culture change may seem like a foreign language to you. The Long-Term Care and Culture Change Glossary will help you understand what many of these terms mean.

There are many organizations that can offer you information about long-term care and help you become an informed consumer. Click her for a list of these Helpful Organizations and Websites.

Pioneer Network has received funding from the Picker Institute, to conduct small meetings with consumers to offer them information on long-term care and the need for change. To learn more about the Creating Home Consumer Project, and to obtain the handouts that are shared at these meetings, click here.

Pioneer Network was asked by AARP to partner with them in developing a webinar entitled Live a Good Life Wherever You Call Home: How Long-Term Care is Changing to Meet Your Needs. To learn more about this webinar, click here.

We encourage you to explore the other parts of our website to find additional information on culture change that might be of interest. For example, if you would like to learn about case studies of long-term care communities that have been involved in culture change, go to the this area of the Provider section.