Brucelea Haven’s Behavioural Support Team Celebrates 10 Years of Successful Care Provision

The Behavioural Support Team, also known as the BSO Team, has been in action at the Brucelea Haven long term care home in Walkerton for 10 years, providing support to residents who are experiencing responsive behaviours. The trained staff on Brucelea Haven’s BSO Team also provide education and resources to staff to identify triggers to these behaviours and intervene with gentle persuasive approaches to care. These strategies make a huge difference in the resident’s quality of life through their interactions with co-residents and staff members.  

Brucelea Haven’s priority is to provide non-pharmacological interventions to respond to the behaviours the individual is experiencing, some examples are:

• Sensory stimulation (aromatherapy, therapeutic touch)
• Task-based activities
• Creative outlets
• Weighted blankets
• Therapeutic cats and dogs

Brucelea Haven’s BSO Team members undergo specialized training, such as U-First, Gentle Persuasive Approach, and Provincial BSO Toolkit training. The BSO Toolkit is one way of ensuring continuity from the community to long term care and offers ways to improve communications from staff to staff on what non-pharmacological approaches work, using person-centered care approaches. When responsive behaviours arise, referrals for support are put in by the nursing staff for the BSO Team to assess and provide updates to the resident’s plan of care. Families are welcome to request referrals to the BSO Team as well and can continue to contact the Brucelea Haven Administrator with any questions and concerns.

Discover more about Long Term Care in Bruce County.

Join our team! Explore a mix of great LTC career opportunities at www.brucecounty.on.ca/jobs