RE: Thin Edge of Dignity Video

July ____, 2014

Dear______:

Enclosed is the video “Thin Edge of Dignity”. This video is based on the experiences of Dr. Richard “Dick” Weinman while living in an assisted living facility in Oregon. Dr. Weinman does a superb job of communicating the thoughts and feelings that he, and many people who live in a facility setting, have experienced. The thoughts, feelings and experiences expressed in this video are strictly those of Dr. Weinman and are shared with you for the purposes of awareness, public education and training. In this video, you will learn about Dr. Weinman’s life before he moved into the assisted living facility, what life has been like for him living there and experiences he had when his wife lived in a memory care community. The purpose of this video is to communicate the message of person centeredness—those little, but easy, things caregivers can do that can be significant in maintaining a person’s independence and sense of identity. Dr. Weinman also talks about how it feels when the assisted living facility’s routine does not mesh with his customary activities. Dr. Weinman is a notable writer and active member of the long term care community. His essays have been used in the training of administrators and other long term care setting staff, the American Association of Retired Persons ( AARP) have given him a voice on their blog and he has been a keynote speaker for Long Term Care Ombudsman volunteers. A discussion guide accompanies this video to help facilitate conversation after viewing it. When viewing this video, we hope you pay close attention and think about the setting where you work or those that you come into contact with and what person-centered practices might be put into place to better accommodate the people who live there.

Sincerely,

Disclaimer: This video was developed for teaching purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this video are solely those of Dr. Weinman and are not the views and opinions of the Department of Human Services.