News

Bluestem Communities re-accredited in innovative dementia care program

NORTH NEWTON, Kan. – Following site visits in the fall of 2024, Bluestem Communities’ long-term care campuses – Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton and Schowalter Villa in Hesston – have both been re-accredited in the Comfort Matters dementia care program.

“It is vital that Bluestem Communities operate with best practices in caring for people diagnosed with dementia,” said James Krehbiel, Bluestem Communities president and CEO. “Having accreditation as a Comfort Matters provider demonstrates a commitment to care practices that provide the best quality of care and quality of life for people living with dementia.” 

Comfort Matters is a research- and evidence-based philosophy and care practice that provides a holistic and integrated approach to improve quality of care and life for people with dementia. The award-winning program was developed at the Beatitudes Campus, a senior living community in Glendale, Ariz., through more than a decade of research around person-directed health care practices and the latest science on supporting people who live with dementia. Focuses of the program include individual flexibility, freedom and respect in a safe and nurturing space where care is infused with compassion and connection, and reducing the use of antipsychotic medications in those with difficulty thinking.

Schowalter Villa first became a Comfort Matters-accredited provider in 2016, followed by Kidron Bethel Village in 2019. At Bluestem Communities, Comfort Matters is a philosophy that extends beyond nursing care and permeates the entirety of the campuses and staff. Both campuses require their entire staff in all departments– more than 500 people combined – complete Comfort Matters training. 

“We believe that every staff member plays a part in providing outstanding care, so it’s important that every person fully understand the kind of person-centered care we strive to provide,” said Krehbiel.

During their most recent site visit, the Comfort Matters accreditation team noted the staff dedication to and connection with residents at both Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa, a key component of Comfort Matters practice.

“The communities of Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa deeply understand the value of comfort for people living with dementia,” said Tena Alonzo, director of the Comfort Matters program and member of the accreditation team. “Bluestem Communities residents live better lives because of each staff member’s ongoing dedication.”

Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa are both part of Bluestem Communities, a non-profit organization of life plan communities offering several living and care options for seniors, including independent living, assisted living, health care and PACE (Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in south central Kansas.

To learn more about Bluestem Communities and its memory care program, visit bluestemks.org or call 888-388-7445.

###

Photo: A Bluestem Communities resident and nurse explore the tactile elements in the Memory Loop, a stimulating experience for individuals in memory care. Bluestem Communities’ campuses of Kidron Bethel Village and Schowalter Villa were both recently re-accredited in the Comfort Matters dementia care program.

 

About Bluestem Communities

Bluestem Communities is a nonprofit organization in south central Kansas that serves seniors through various living options, care settings and care-centered services. Visit bluestemks.org.