Member contribution notes from Shareshop held on 10 July 2024
The following key points were made by contributors during the shareshop. Documents that were shared in the chat are shown below in this posting.
- It is best to be fully prepared for the day 1 move-in of new residents, by having shown the room to the resident and family beforehand and also having performed key assessments before day 1 if at all possible.
- Try to have the room furnished, cleaned and with the preferred furnishings and ornaments of the new resident, so that they can quickly fit in.
- Test all elements of the room/apartment/house beforehand to avoid stress and embarrasment:
- Electrical outlets
- cupboard doors
- Water points (hot water!)
- etc.
- Take care not to overload new residents with too much information
- Link an existing resident to the new resident to introduce the new person to activities and other aspects of the place that they will be staying in. (some have "Passage leaders", others have "buddy systems" in place).
- Accompany the resident to their first meal
- Try to have an appropriate meal ready for the resident from day 1 - prep the catering team!
- Prep the staff of ALL service providers so that the person is welcomed from the entrance (security) through all aspects of their first day experience, including catering, care and even gardens staff.
- Try to welcome people with a message like "Welcome Mr XXX, we have been looking forward to you."
- Settling in can take between 3 days and 3 months
- Day 1 may go well, but the reality will sink in and there may be difficult days after the first week - be prepared for this decline.
- Provide a booklet to the family on day 1, showing all the activities, times for visits and other aspects that will set their minds at ease. This may help them with feelings of guilt.
- Try to be aware of whether the person is moving in of their own free will or not - this can make the process easier to handle. Be cautious of "dumping" by family and the hiding of conditions that may require special attention - assessments are very important.
- it is vital that the family, the resident and the staff fully understand the Care Plan.
- Try to be aware of the details of the wants, needs and interests of new residents. The more that is known, the better for all concerned.
- Consider the use of forms that ask "What do you need to know about me and what do I need to know about you?"
- Service providers should play their part in ensuring that care service providers gather information on the residents that help all to provide an outstanding personalised service.
- This information can lead to all sorts of connections and activities between residents and also help residents to feel at home more quickly. Example was given by Syd of his cousin who let it be known that she likes to paint and read, and was soon giving painting classes and hosting book club in her room!
- While there may exist a need to do a thorough physical inspection of new residents for legal and other reasons, this should be done as part of the daily routine if done on day 1 - with due consideration for the stress of the person concerned. it is all in the "HOW" it is done. In some cases, the detailed assessments are done a few days before moving in, to avoid adding to the stress on moving day.
- It was noted that pre-assessments sometimes paint a picture that is far removed from actual status of the person moving in. In some cases the person can recover so well that they can move to independent or assisted living from the Care Centre - in other cases the person is much more frail than was indicated on the pre-assessment (for a number of reasons)
