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Nearly every nursing home has a resident council. But I would venture to guess that most employees and volunteers don’t know what goes on behind those closed doors. Am I right?
Every council is unique because of the preferences, abilities, and needs of the residents. The one common goal they all share, however, is providing a forum by which residents have a voice in developing a positive, healthy living environment. Today I’ll summarize this essential process.
What does a resident council do?
- Discusses concerns identified by the residents along with possible solutions
- Plans activities and special events
- Shares nonconfidential information, such as staffing changes or building projects
- Brings up new ideas and suggestions
- Hosts educational meetings such as guest speakers
- Plans service projects and fundraising events
- Other tasks as determined by the residents
Who attends resident council meetings?
All residents have a right to attend resident council meetings. However, it might surprise you to learn that anyone else is there only by invitation from the residents. The resident council has the right to meet alone and run the meetings by themselves.
That being said, a staff liaison usually attends the meetings. (More about that later.) Another person you might see at a resident council meeting is an ombudsman. This person can help facilitate problem-solving. They also provide education regarding nursing home regulations and resident rights.
What does a resident council meeting look like?
You’ll find that the format of a resident council meeting varies enormously from one nursing home to the next. Some groups elect officers and run formal business meetings. Others choose to be casual. Still others use distinct styles of communication, such as learning circles.
Residents decide how often they wish to meet. This could be weekly, monthly, or whatever the residents deem appropriate. Many resident councils also form short-term committees to work on specific issues or projects.
A nursing home might hold smaller resident council meetings on individual facility neighborhoods, or there might be one large meeting for all residents. In some communities, the council sends representatives to meet with residents from other local long-term care facilities.
How can a resident council benefit the facility?
Sadly, I’ve seen situations where staff view resident council meetings as just a place where residents go to complain. As a result, they don’t take the meetings seriously.
The good news is that the resident council can help the facility in several ways:
- Lets management know about concerns that might not have come to their attention yet
- Brings up problems when they’re still minor and can easily be fixed
- Dispels inaccurate rumors going around the facility
- Comes up with unique and creative solutions to problems
- Improves communication between residents and staff
- Eases the burden on staff by helping with planning events and serving on committees
How does the resident council benefit individual residents?
Attending and actively taking part in council meetings offers a variety of benefits to your residents. These include:
- Lets residents know their opinions matter
- Promotes socialization and the development of friendships
- Offers residents the satisfaction of seeing positive changes because of their efforts
- Promotes personal growth and learning
- Results in better care and a better living environment for all residents
How can your facility support the resident council?
First, the nursing home must provide a private place for residents to hold their council meetings. They also need to appoint a staff liaison.
The liaison provides support services for the group. It’s important that they encourage the participants while resisting the temptation to take over the meetings.
This person’s role varies depending on the needs and requests of the residents. Examples might include:
- Help a newly formed resident council get started
- Take meeting minutes
- Make arrangements for a guest speaker requested by the group
- Answer questions about nursing home policies and regulations
- Advertise upcoming meetings and encourage resident participation
Concerns and suggestions brought up at resident council meetings need to be reviewed and addressed by the appropriate staff. That being said, not every request must be implemented by the nursing home.
I think it’s crucial for all staff and volunteers to understand the role of the resident council. This means including the topic at orientation as well as during periodic in-service training. As a result, front-line caregivers will encourage resident participation and assure that residents make it to the meetings.
Do you have suggestions for creating a successful resident council? Please share your thoughts in the comment section!
Another meeting you may have questions about is the resident care conference. Find answers in this post.
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