Comments for My Home Life http://myhomelife.org.uk Quality care for older people in care homes via relationship-centred care Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:58 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Care homes could be better if we all accepted that standards by Carolyn Page http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/care-homes-could-be-better-if-we-all-accepted-that-standards/comment-page-1/ Carolyn Page Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:58 +0000 http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/care-homes-could-be-better-if-we-all-accepted-that-standards/#comment-25 How do you make people care? My mum had a stroke was unable to walk or talk. While in repite one care home forgot she was there gave her a main meal but no dessert or drink. Another asked if she had asked to get up at 11am. She couldn't speak! They gave her tea to drink she only liked coffee. She could only watch tv & read a paper. They gave her remote that didn't work & didn't get her a newspaper but still charged £100 a day. Disgraceful! They should hang there heads in shame. How do you make people care? My mum had a stroke was unable to walk or talk. While in repite one care home forgot she was there gave her a main meal but no dessert or drink. Another asked if she had asked to get up at 11am. She couldn’t speak! They gave her tea to drink she only liked coffee. She could only watch tv & read a paper. They gave her remote that didn’t work & didn’t get her a newspaper but still charged £100 a day. Disgraceful! They should hang there heads in shame.

]]> Comment on Care homes could be better if we all accepted that standards by Melissa March http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/care-homes-could-be-better-if-we-all-accepted-that-standards/comment-page-1/ Melissa March Mon, 14 May 2012 12:53:36 +0000 http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/care-homes-could-be-better-if-we-all-accepted-that-standards/#comment-24 Opportunities for learning, for self development, for reflection, for being you and for mental stimulation are as important for older people as for anybody else. They lead to huge health benefits and well being all round. This is a large part of making care better. Opportunities for learning, for self development, for reflection, for being you and for mental stimulation are as important for older people as for anybody else. They lead to huge health benefits and well being all round. This is a large part of making care better.

]]> Comment on An open, positive culture that allows meaningful relationshi by Vicki Shaw http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/an-open-positive-culture-that-allows-meaningful-relationshi/comment-page-1/ Vicki Shaw Fri, 11 May 2012 15:41:57 +0000 http://myhomelife.org.uk/stickyleave/an-open-positive-culture-that-allows-meaningful-relationshi/#comment-23 I believe that strong leadership is crucial in providing staff with a positive approach and good quality care. Providing meaninful occupation for residents so that they are not bored will help people to continue living their lives rather than waiting to die of boredom! I believe that strong leadership is crucial in providing staff with a positive approach and good quality care. Providing meaninful occupation for residents so that they are not bored will help people to continue living their lives rather than waiting to die of boredom!

]]> Comment on What is good practice? by Gloria Haynes http://myhomelife.org.uk/good-practice/comment-page-1/ Gloria Haynes Wed, 02 May 2012 11:41:30 +0000 http://myhomelife.org.uk/?page_id=13#comment-18 Care work has a poor status in this society. This is at odds with the reality of the work care staff do, and the skills they must adopt, in order to do their job. Supporting an older person to live their life with dignity and comfort requires considerable skill and energy. Understanding the difficulty someone faces when they have to move into a care home; the impact and stigma of losing ones own home, independence and autonomy requires a care worker to develop communication skills which will help the person through this traumatic period of their life. This comprehensive piece of care work is required for each person moving into the home. Because we are individuals a different care approach is required for each person. It isn’t possible to treat everyone the same. As well as different personalities we each have different preferences regarding comfort, entertainment and occupation, different health care needs, and particular mental health conditions. The care worker must learn to manage all of these issues in order to properly care for each of the different people in the care home. Although we have driven up the quality of care in care homes, by demanding high standards and good outcomes, we haven’t yet addressed the difficulties experienced by the people who deliver care. The reality for a care worker is that they work in a sector that carries low social standing and little value. The quality of training available in each organisation and the level of pay are both factors which influence people’s decision about working in care homes. We often struggle to attract the right kind of people into care work. Professionalising care work, in a similar way to nursing, would do justice to the level of skill and learning required of the care worker and attract people who are dedicating to develop their care practice. Care work has a poor status in this society. This is at odds with the reality of the work care staff do, and the skills they must adopt, in order to do their job.
Supporting an older person to live their life with dignity and comfort requires considerable skill and energy. Understanding the difficulty someone faces when they have to move into a care home; the impact and stigma of losing ones own home, independence and autonomy requires a care worker to develop communication skills which will help the person through this traumatic period of their life. This comprehensive piece of care work is required for each person moving into the home.
Because we are individuals a different care approach is required for each person. It isn’t possible to treat everyone the same. As well as different personalities we each have different preferences regarding comfort, entertainment and occupation, different health care needs, and particular mental health conditions. The care worker must learn to manage all of these issues in order to properly care for each of the different people in the care home.
Although we have driven up the quality of care in care homes, by demanding high standards and good outcomes, we haven’t yet addressed the difficulties experienced by the people who deliver care. The reality for a care worker is that they work in a sector that carries low social standing and little value. The quality of training available in each organisation and the level of pay are both factors which influence people’s decision about working in care homes. We often struggle to attract the right kind of people into care work. Professionalising care work, in a similar way to nursing, would do justice to the level of skill and learning required of the care worker and attract people who are dedicating to develop their care practice.

]]> Comment on My Home Life West Midlands by tom owen http://myhomelife.org.uk/my-home-life-west-midlands/comment-page-1/ tom owen Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:19:37 +0000 http://myhomelifemovement.org/?p=185#comment-3 Sadly, MHL West midlands did not develop beyond our initial sharing day. However, feel free to talk to your local council about whether they would wish to host a network. Best wishes Tom Director - MY Home life Sadly, MHL West midlands did not develop beyond our initial sharing day. However, feel free to talk to your local council about whether they would wish to host a network.
Best wishes
Tom
Director – MY Home life

]]> Comment on My Home Life West Midlands by Gloria Godfrey http://myhomelife.org.uk/my-home-life-west-midlands/comment-page-1/ Gloria Godfrey Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:16:49 +0000 http://myhomelifemovement.org/?p=185#comment-2 Hi am doing some work with Care homes in Warwickshire so would love to know whether the West Mids MHL network was ever developed Hi am doing some work with Care homes in Warwickshire so would love to know whether the West Mids MHL network was ever developed

]]> Comment on My Home Life Brighton & Hove Reaps Reward of Successful Launch by Jane Freund http://myhomelife.org.uk/my-home-life-brighton-hove-reaps-reward-of-successful-launch-2/comment-page-1/ Jane Freund Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:26:29 +0000 http://myhomelifemovement.org/?p=267#comment-5 It would be fantastic to make contact with you. We launched our advice and support website in September, and wish to give it a wider circulation. I think when you take a look you will find it entirely compatable with your aims.What you are doing is very exciting. My colleague, Rose Fordham, has worked in social care for 30 years and was an East Sussex Inspector. We are based in Hastings. We are also keen to establish good practice, and would be very interested in visiting to see what you are doing. I look forward to hearing from you. It would be fantastic to make contact with you. We launched our advice and support website in September, and wish to give it a wider circulation. I think when you take a look you will find it entirely compatable with your aims.What you are doing is very exciting.

My colleague, Rose Fordham, has worked in social care for 30 years and was an East Sussex Inspector. We are based in Hastings.

We are also keen to establish good practice, and would be very interested in visiting to see what you are doing.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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