Relatives Meeting

[2jays]

Cant seem to find a post that defines what I should expect at a Relatives Meeting at the care home

As far as I understand, there has never been a relatives meeting at mums care home, and the new manager is setting one up for the first time next week.

What should I expect to hear / say at these meetings?

Since meeting privately with this manager, she has been an amazing support to me. I have never had a problem with the care mum receives, it was just the communication from the home that was non existent. This is slowly changing. To be fair, anything that I highlighted as a major issue for me and sis, has being dealt with, the rest is acknowledged and I have been assured will be looked into and changes made.

 

[Taz]

Hi

Dad has been in his current CH since August of last year and thus far there has not been a Relatives Meeting.......a few have been advertised but they have been cancelled.

The last one was apparently cancelled a few days before but they forgot to put a note up so those of us who had taken time off work to attend were left sitting around waiting to be called in until one of us asked a member of staff and we were told it was not going to happen.

No apology, no reason given....nothing.

Myself and another relative are now trying to set up a Relatives Forum, run by us for us, so that we can disseminate information and provide support to each other if needed.

Hope the meeting you're going to is helpful

x

 

[creativesarah]

Hope it goes well whatever it is!

just dont return with any new relatives would be my advice

 

[Saffie]

At our relatives' meetings, it's a case of anything goes really. The trouble is only a few ever bother to turn up which I think is dreadful. A couple seem to moan about what I would consider very minor things though they obviously matter to the people who moan I guess, and we offer suggestions for improvement. The manager tells us what is happening in the home and about any changes and we just say what we think. Some good ideas have come from the meetings and I like to be kept in informed.

Next time I shall complain - again! - about the fact that residents are in the lounge with nothing to do/look at on the tables or trollies in front of them. The TV is switched off more now but they have Magic FM on it instead which I think is worse! Most of the residents of Dave's lounge are in special chairs for only a few hours so spend most of their time in bed and can listen to their own choice of music on CDs - as I pointed out yesterday when I found Dave's own TV tuned to Magic! Fortunately. the idea for communication notebooks came out of one relatives' meeting so I was able to write this down - nicely!

Sorry - I don't always moan and most of the carers agree with me but are too busy or complacent to change things! The Activities organizers certainly try to get them to give the residents things to do. I hope your meeting goes well - just having them shows a willingness to be open which is a good thing.

p.s. They are usually held every other month.

 

[2jays]

Thanks folks

Like the idea of a communication book. Will suggest at the meeting

Also like the idea of relatives forum.

We had a "meet new manager" cheese and wine party 5-7pm last night which I went to.

70 residents - 6 relatives turned up.

Doesn't bode well that the relatives meetings (without cheese and wine) will be well attended does it?

I'm hoping the relatives apathy is due to the previous matron being so uncommunicative and once they realise this new matron is so much better, they will attend future meetings.

It's good to hope, I think, but with a bit of cynicism thrown in, just in case

 

[creativesarah]

perhaps you could take cream cakes!

just dont drop them in the gutter first!

 

[drummond]

Cant seem to find a post that defines what I should expect at a Relatives Meeting at the care home

As far as I understand, there has never been a relatives meeting at mums care home, and the new manager is setting one up for the first time next week.

What should I expect to hear / say at these meetings?

Since meeting privately with this manager, she has been an amazing support to me. I have never had a problem with the care mum receives, it was just the communication from the home that was non existent. This is slowly changing. To be fair, anything that I highlighted as a major issue for me and sis, has being dealt with, the rest is acknowledged and I have been assured will be looked into and changes made.

a few years ago,my mum was in a care home,& we had a relatives meeting every year.myself,husband,social worker & staff from the home.just to ensure that we were still happy with mum's care & wether we had any concerns or worries. I just assumed that this was always done,in all homes but obviously not. hope your meeting goes well.

 

[Saffie]

70 residents - 6 relatives turned up.

80 residents in Dave's nursing home and usually about 7 turn up - 2 for the same chap. 10 beds are respite care though.

 

[jan.s]

Hi 2Jays. I go along to the relatives meetings, because I want to support the home and the manager who is relatively new.

The first meeting, I was shocked, that some people used it as a forum to complain about incidents with their mum! To me those issues should be dealt with in private, but there are still a couple who do this, but in the meetings I have attended I am starting to see a difference. (meetings are held monthly, one at 3.00 and the next month at 7.00, but because of distance I only go to the afternoon meetings, when I visit Rog).

The manager is working hard to resolve many of the issues that existed when she took over, but some people seem to think it should all happen immediately!

I have been asked to go on a new committee that she is setting up to oversee spending of the funds raised for the residents. In the past, such money has just gone into CH funds and disappeared. So that is a positive step.

I have also used it as a forum to make suggestions, some of which have happened.

Jan x