Family Councils and Peer Support
by Family Councils Ontario
Family Councils have been promoted as a way for families to be involved in the Long Term Care Home of their loved one. Family Councils not only provide an opportunity to work towards positive change in the Home, but they also provide a chance for family members to connect to others who share their experiences and can provide emotional, practical, informational and affirmational support.
There is sometimes an artificial distinction made between a Family Council and a peer support group and yet the principles of peer support are the basis for the creation of Family Councils. Family Councils are by and for families, with an emphasis on mutual support in addition to education, problem solving and communication.
Since the Long Term Care Homes Act was enacted pressure has been put on Homes to ensure they have a Family Council. Establishing a Family Council is often done through a staff member being assigned to organize and host meetings of families. The staff member (Staff Assistant to the Family Council) may organize guest speakers, consider activities for the Family Council to be involved in, provide updates or gather resources for the families to use in building a Family Council. These supportive staff members can be of great help in creating and maintaining a Family Council, but it is an important for families and for the staff involved to know that Family Councils are designed to be run by families and that the powers of a Family Council come directly from legislation; they are not “granted” or “permitted” by the Home, making it essential that all decisions regarding how to organize, what activities to pursue etc… are made by the members of the Council.
Often Council meetings are perceived as a venue to complain about and criticize the care the Home is providing to its residents. While it is important for families to ensure safe, high quality care for their relative, Family Councils are much more than a complaint group. On the other hand, in some Homes families have said there is no need for a Council as they have no concerns or find that addressing concerns directly with the staff is effective. In both cases, families may be missing out on the other benefits a Family Council provides to its members: a venue for learning about issues affecting residents and families (e.g. health conditions), a way to give and receive peer support, and a vehicle to facilitate communication and promote partnerships between the Home staff and families. Family Councils contribute to the richness and vibrancy of life in the Home and provide a place where friends can be made and support can be found at a time in one’s life where caregiving is an ongoing concern that restricts our social network and life beyond the role of caregiver.
The definition of peer support for Family Councils must remain flexible but the following principles apply to both Family Councils and peer support groups:
· Respect
· Confidentiality
· By members for members. For a Family Council, our saying is ‘by families for families.’
· Discussing problems and exploring solutions
· Building a culture of positive mutual support
· Advocacy on shared issues
· Education
When the group focuses on only one of the principles then the meetings can become negative and members are less likely to join in, resulting in membership dropping. Creating regular meetings that embrace all the principles with everyone taking responsibility for the success of the meeting can be a rewarding and enriching experience for all – families, residents and staff.