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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 9/27/07 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
December 12, 2004 UW-Green Bay lesson aids adult-care agency By Cynthia Hodnett The students, who are taking a course in management issues in nonprofit
organizations, are finishing a proposal that examines whether it's feasible
for the agency to hire a geriatric manager that would provide a support
system to caregivers.
"To me it's been great because they are doing a lot of groundwork that
I would have done on my own, but it would have taken me a long time to
do it," said Diana Brown, vice president for program services at the agency.
"Our social workers and program director were very excited about what
(the students) are doing."
Earlier this semester, the students toured the facility and met with
Alzheimer's patients who are in the agency's Adult Day Care program and
their caregivers. The students also conducted a focus group with the caregivers
to find out how the agency could better support them with issues such
as how to deal with their loved one's physician, finances and nursing
home selection. They also researched Alzheimer's on the Internet and which
other agencies in the country offer similar support groups.
The students presented these and other findings to N.E.W. Curative officials
and board of directors on Tuesday. They will receive a grade for their
work on the proposal.
"I really enjoyed the opportunity to actually work hands-on with a nonprofit
organization," said Jamie Kearns, a senior who is taking the class. "We
went into this blind. We didn't know what we were going to find or what
our needs will be. I can see how the work that we're doing actually reflects
on someone else and not just on my grade."
One discovery from the students' research focused on the needs of caregivers
who are retired spouses of Alzheimer's patients compared to the needs
of grown children of an individual with Alzheimer's. Retired spouses may
be concerned about who will take care of their husband or wife if they
pass away, while grown children may wonder how they will be able to raise
their own children while they care for an ill parent.
"This class is taught differently in that I had students write about
and learn about things that are harder to articulate and aren't found
in a book," said Lora Warner, instructor for the class and a nonprofit
management consultant.
"They are learning from experience — about practical things such
as how to lead a focus group, how do you search for other agencies that
are providing similar services."
Brown will use the students' findings to write another proposal in February
that will be used to apply for a $165,000 grant from the Helen Bader Foundation,
which supports nonprofit agencies that work to improve quality of life.
If approved, the grant will be used to hire a geriatric manager for three
years. After three years, the agency hopes to be able to generate enough
funding to keep the manager on board.
N.E.W. Curative works with about 120 Alzheimer's patients and another
22 people are waiting to get into the program, Brown said. Hiring the
geriatric manager would allow the agency to serve more families, she said.
"I'm really optimistic because there's a great need for it," she said.
"We're only able to help the families for eight hours a day but they've
got another 16 hours where they can use our assistance. And, even for
the families who are on the waiting list, the geriatric manager would
be able to help them while they are waiting."
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