Aged Care specialist in training

[jilliejill]

Well, Ive joined up and I am now going to write something.

I would lke to ask a question of all nurses in aged care. is it a good thing to encourage family members to be involved in residsnet care??? Like turning the resident over, changing clothes and continancne pads, or is it better to to have family members to visit and provide outings and stimulation with communications and showing photos and fruits and certificates and hand made iterms from gandkids. I wonder if there are any of you out there who have a definitive professiional boundery on this question.

[snowfreeze, BSN, RN]

Well both work, depends on the family... Talk to them and find what they feel they need to do. Some families do baths and change patients briefs, some come in and feed them their meals. Others take them to outings or come and participate in our activities. Some families (and these are the exception where I work) just come in and complain, push the call light and time us, ask for toileting and bed changes often, question lab results, ask for lists of medications etc. Many of the initially problem families find we are willing to work with them in a reasonable manner and just settle into a comfortable routine.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

:yeahthat: Find out what they are comfortable with. I see both ends. The over involved families that stress out so much and need reminding that we (staff) are here to help the pts, it is our job and we enjoy doing it, etc. Of course we still encourage them to be involved, but that we will work together. Then you have the ones who will push a call bell and ask that you wipe thier noses.