Enhancing Care, Enhancing Life: Bringing the data to life through quotes
Par Family Councils Ontario
This is part 5, our final entry, in our series of posts on the Change Foundation Resident Councils and Family Councils Project report.
Throughout November we have discussed the results from Enhancing Care, Enhancing Life, a report on key findings from phase one of the Change Foundation’s Long-Term Care Resident Councils and Family Councils Project. Work such as this is important in helping to better understand the benefits and impacts of family engagement in Long-Term Care. Today we’ll wrap up our series on the Enhancing Care, Enhancing Life report by discussing quotes that help bring the data to life.
Previous posts in this series have reflected on the quantitative results from the surveys, such as the facts that 50% of staff assistants and administrators surveyed felt they have a positive relationship with the Family Council, and that 67% of family member respondents said they have a voice through the Council. In addition to the quantitative results, the reports also contain quotes from respondents that help to being the data to life. As quote from the summary report highlights the benefits and impact of Family Council: “Having a Family Council shows staff, residents and families that there is an added layer of culture at the home. We provide a lot of support and education to our members and to anyone who wants to take advantage of what is offered.”— participating family member. We know that support and education for families are two important Family Council goals; this report supports our belief that these goals are essential to families of LTC residents through hearing from families themselves.
We also know that strong, supportive and productive relationships between Council and LTC Home staff are the foundation of an effective Council. According to one Administrator/Staff Assistant respondent, “Having a Family Council demonstrates transparency and a willingness to work with families. Family representatives are well known at the home. This facilitates open communication and advocacy.” This quote really brings to life what we know about the less concrete impacts of having a Family Council at a LTC Home: family engagement in LTC has an impact on the culture, feel and operation of a Home. For more quotes from survey respondents, you can access the set of reports here: http://www.changefoundation.ca/enhancing-care-long-term-care-report/
The work exploring the role, functioning, impact, and leading practices of Family Councils is still ongoing. Phase 2 of the Change Foundation’s LTC project is a limited number of case studies that build on the finding of the Phase One report, Enhancing Care, Enhancing Life. As an active member of the Project Steering Committee, FCO is excited to see what happens next in this project! Stay tuned for more information next year.