The new Center for Innovation is staffed by Ruth Bish, RN, and Janet Davis, BA, ACC. Ruth has been serving as a nurse educator for the Pennsylvania Nursing Care Facilities Best Practices Project since 2000. Ruth’s primary areas of expertise are implementation of quality improvement protocols in areas such as depression, pain, incontinence, pressure ulcers, functional improvement. Janet has over 25 years’ experience in long-term care with particular expertise in dementia care, activity planning, fall management, and safe bed systems. She has been a regional director for the Pennsylvania Restraint Reduction Initiative for the past 10 years.

PANPHA's goal for the Center is to elevate the expertise and innovation of PANPHA members by cross-pollinating outstanding programs and actions to improve care. The Center will:

• Be a repository of best practices and innovations for the provision of senior services, including: culture change; technology; workforce/talent development; and job enhancement.
• Coordinate visits with PANPHA members to learn about and share best rpactices.
• Develop and maintain information about innovation in senior services to include a website and an on-line community of practice or related list serves.
• Be a resource to PANPHA as the Association advocates to government and the public for the future of aging services for Pennsylvania.

The Center will rely on members to commit to sharing innovative practices and integrating new practices. For more information about the PANPHA Center for Innovation, contact Kashmira Narinesingh-Smith, Kendal Outreach, LLC, telephone: 610-335-1280 or knsmith@kendaloutreach.org.