Adjusting to the Nursing Home: The Family’s Perspective
The period of adjustment to a nursing home can be a traumatic experience for family members. Family members are challenged to learn their new role within the structure of nursing home life. They must take on practical tasks rather than the hands-on care tasks they had once provided. Family members struggle to cope with the loss of not being able to care for the loved one on a daily basis.
Researchers agreed that families are able to help nursing home staff by educating them about individualized care needs. They also suggested that to improve the experience of the family around the time of admission, the nursing home staff should acknowledge and support the family's relationships with the resident.
One way you can help residents' family members adjust is by offering educational sessions. This is an excellent way to not only educate but also build relationships, offer support and help families cope. Education topics that are helpful for family members include learning about Alzheimer's disease, how it progresses, what to expect, how to communicate, approach techniques and how to find meaningful ways to spend time together.
Recently, after a Family Education Series, a daughter stated that she had wished she knew this information sooner. She didn't know the changes that were happening in her mother's brain. Learning more about the disease had helped her understand why her mother "did the thing she did." Some family members have never had the opportunity to learn about Alzheimer's diseases. At educational programs family members have an opportunity to meet and talk with other families.
There are so many benefits to offering family education to your residents' family members. If you are looking to set up some education there are many ways you can approach it. You can purchase a video (may I suggest Accepting the Challenge by Teepa Snow) or you can ask a physician to speak. I my opinion the most effective educational programs are the programs that your own staff develop and present to families. In a previous blog I wrote about how much we learn from our family members and residents, their lived experiences can teach us empathy and understanding. I believe that by offering education to our residents family members we are also continuing to learn.
What ideas or experiences have you had with offering education for your resident's family members?