I tried to quickly think on my feet so I would look knowledgeable and said, " A Shahbaz is a universal worker that will be all by themselves in the house and will do everything." Having built up a great deal of trust in me, she said "Oh," politely nodded and rolled on to her room. Then I started thinking. I could have done better than that. With that description, I may have scared her to death. So I dug out "What Are Old People For?" and re-read the section on the Shahbaz. It made a lot more sense this time. Boy, was I off base in my explanation.
Dr. Thomas chose this word, Shahbaz, because of a mythical story he was familiar with. In the story, a falcon befriends an old man and becomes his protector, sustainer and nurturer. That is cool but the story gets better. Not only did the falcon take care of the old man, but the falcon received new found strengths, powers, and capacities. You see, the marriage of the falcon and the elder was new and beautiful. At the end of the story, everybody won. Life was better for the old man and the falcon. But that is not where the story ends; that is where the story begins. From the pages of a make believe, mythic story, the first Shahbaz came to life in Tupelo, Mississippi. I now had a deeper understanding and respect of the Shahbaz.
So now, when asked, I have a very different answer. A Shahbaz is, first and foremost, a compassionate, giving, selfless person who cares for and advocates for the elders. They work in The Cottages to protect, sustain, and nurture the elders. They plan and prepare meals. They make an environment that is safe and enjoyable. They know, truly know, and love the elders. They learn their habits. They ask the elders what they want and include them in the decisions of the home. They become family. They serve as pastor. They connect. They listen and learn. They soak up wisdom. They open their hearts to the elder which is in direct contrast to what many of us in long term care have done in the past......I will post more about this one day. It's a BIG job, but more than that, it is a calling.
The next day, I went to see the elder that had asked me about the Shahbaz. Knowing that she was an avid reader, I simply handed her the book with the pages marked that told the story of the Shahbaz.....(to be continued.)
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The Cottages at St. Martin's Project
It’s simply home...With an on-going commitment to the enhancement of quality of life for elders, St. Martin’s in the Pines is pursuing a unique and revolutionary care model for those requiring long-term skilled nursing. “The Cottages at St. Martin’s”, the first six residential-style nursing homes to be built in Alabama and part of a national movement known as THE GREEN HOUSE® Project have been in operation since late 2008. As a pioneer in the state, St. Martin’s serves as a beacon of hope for culture change in long-term care.
The GREEN HOUSE® model creates a small, intimate community for a group of 10 elders. A radical departure from traditional skilled nursing homes, The GREEN HOUSE® home alters size, interior design, staffing patterns, and methods of delivering skilled nursing services.
Its primary purpose is to serve as a place where elders can receive assistance and support with activities of daily living as well as clinical care, but without the assistance and care becoming the focus of their existence.
The physical transformation is only one element of the GREEN HOUSE® model. Staff responsibilities are dramatically different from those in a conventional nursing home. The traditional certified nursing assistant receives a new role of universal care worker called a “Shahbaz”. Each is given additional training, in ways to protect, sustain, and nurture the elders living in The Cottage and to take on a broader array of responsibilities, including facilitating meaningful activities, cooking, light housekeeping and laundry. Each house is also served by a clinical support team of nurses, medical directors, social workers, physical therapists, and others. These professionals are not stationed within the houses, but visit according to a schedule, much like a home-health model.
Privacy...Dignity...Autonomy...Home...Small...Cozy...Family...Nurturing
...Safe...Smart...GREEN
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