20 Feb LaDawn Whiteside
My professional career began as an Assistant Activity Director in a nursing home, before spending 25 years in healthcare regulation. As the Complaint and Abuse Coordinator with a healthcare regulatory agency for over 20 years, I have had the unique opportunity to listen, advise, recommend, mediate, advocate, and resolve issues related to concerns of residents/patients, health care facilities and/or family members.
Between 2004 and 2014, I participated in over 200 Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) hearings between healthcare facilities and the
regulatory agency. As a result, I comprehend the complexities of employee conflicts, discharge planning challenges and the care planning process with healthcare facilities. I retired from the Senior and Long Term Care Division in the Home and Community Based Waiver program May 2017.
I am a Board member of MtMA and the lead on the civil monetary reinvestment grant to delay and prevent discharge from nursing facilities. I am active in the faith communities and assisted living communities. I received formal training on Eldercaring Coordination this year and am planning to be mindfully engaged in this work with high conflict families in 2020.
Additionally, since 1990, I have been a renter and/or a landlord. As a member of the Montana Landlords Association, I have provided training and education to association members regarding the differences between mediation and small claims court.
Conflict areas I-Mediate:
Employee disputes; discharge notice conflicts; delinquent payment issues; Facility Admission Contract/ Agreement issues; conflicts between residents, family members and facilities and landlord/tenant disputes.
Elder Mediation and Eldercaring Coordination are my areas of specialty.
Training available: Caregiver support, elder abuse, landlord and tenant conflicts, Solving communication barriers during care plan meetings, family conflict due to issues of aging, disability etiquette, resource development.
My favorite things are collaborating with people to further advocacy of elders and planning. I love creating goals and strategies to accomplish more than thought possible.
Each year I select a word that drives me. My word for 2019 is Carpe Diem or seize the day! I am still pondering my word for 2020