Earlier this year I received a call from the manager of the care home, where my wife is a resident, asking me to drop by her office on my next visit. Such calls will always lead to much speculation so I wondered what was wrong! I needn’t have been concerned. Over a cup of coffee in her office, the manager asked me if I would consider taking on the voluntary role of Relatives Ambassador for the home. My immediate thought reaction was to decline because I already had a pretty full calendar but thinking rapidly on my feet, I realised this might be an opportunity to play my part in bridging any gaps between care home residents, their families, and the care home staff. So, I said I’d accept the role on condition it had a framework to it and wasn’t simply a job title without portfolio. We agreed that my priority deliverable would be to help the home with its outbound email communications to family members.
The home excels in caring – it’s not my core skill by a long way, nor should it be. On the other hand, I’m a fairly competent copy writer - it’s something for which they constantly receive criticism. Next on my list was to act as a conduit for relatives with concerns but who felt unable to complain for fear that any criticisms might be held against them or their resident family member. I’ve learnt in life that it’s all about how you complain, what words you use and the tone of your voice and not so much the substance of the issue itself. I didn’t want to get involved in specific family problems but instead guide them on how to approach airing a problem and ensuring a resolution is achieved in a timely manner.
Advocacy came up next which is quite easy for me because I’ve always been laser focussed on the rights of care home residents and am therefore comfortable discussing dignity and best possible care matters with the manager. Then we talked about encouraging family involvement in activities and events in order to build a community spirit and in this context the manager agreed that I should host regular on-site morning cafés which would not be attended by any staff members such that open, unhindered discussion would flow on matters common to everyone. Usually these are things such as the quality of food, reception not answering inbound calls in a timely manner, on-site car parking, room cleanliness, the quality of full-time staff versus agency staff. I don’t think any of these is unique to my wife’s home but people feel it’s cathartic to be able to collectively express their views.
Five months into the role, I’m finding that it’s not taking up as much of my time as I’d anticipated and working with the manager, we’re now looking at continuous feedback loops based on her regular outreach to family members, underpinned with surveys. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her on a much more 1:1 basis and with the home at 100% occupancy I’m convinced that the role of Relatives Ambassador does indeed add value to fostering a supportive community, ensuring transparent communication, and enhancing the overall care experience for residents and their families.
