Seniors experiencing a loss of autonomy
Caregiver for a senior in a residence: How to communicate with the care team
Is your friend or family member living at a residence and receiving care? To ensure the person’s well-being, good communication with the care team is critical. Here are some tips to establish a relationship based on effective listening and communication.
Cooperation based on listening and respect
To foster a good relationship with the residence’s care team, it’s important to communicate respectfully. Here are some tips on how to do this:
Practise active listening to encourage trusting and respectful discussion. Active listening means listening to the other person attentively while keeping both visual and emotional contact during your conversation to show that you’re engaged and interested.
Rephrase to avoid misunderstandings. Use your own words to summarize what the other person is saying to confirm that you both understand the same thing.
Prepare in advance by writing down the points you want to discuss, the questions you’d like to ask, or the information you want to provide the team. This will make sure you remember everything and feel prepared.
Be positive and polite, and avoid accusations. Ask questions before passing judgment, and express your opinions respectfully and courteously.
Be attentive to the needs of the team and your friend or family member. Don’t be shy to share your knowledge and observations about your friend or family member’s situation.
Ask questions, express your concerns, and share your opinion.
The intervention plan ensures quality follow‑up care
A few weeks after the person moves into the residence, you’ll be invited to a meeting with the care team so that you can establish an intervention plan together. The following subjects should be discussed: your friend or family member’s state of health, lifestyle, daily activities, mobility, and cognitive abilities, and your own daily involvement. These meetings should take place about twice a year.
The intervention plan is a way to define your role and the support you want to provide, for example when the person is getting dressed, having meals, using the bathroom, etc. You can also schedule regular outings and activities. For example, if you have a weekly activity planned with the person, you can add this information to the intervention plan so that the care team is aware of it.
It’s important for you to attend these meetings, because you are aware of the person’s medical record, allergies, lifestyle, and preferences. You can provide the care team with valuable information about the person’s health, which can help them make informed decisions about the quality of care needed and the treatments that should be administered.
How to deal with staff changes
The reality of care in a residence can include challenges caused by staff changes. It’s nevertheless important to recognize the efforts of the care team, who ensure your friend or family member’s well-being.
To ensure continuous, high-quality care, open communication and collaboration is essential.
Also, to avoid having to repeat yourself to new team members, prepare a checklist with everything there is to know about your friend or family member. You can give it to them when they need to provide care or support to the person.
A bit of advice in the event of disagreement
If you have disagreements with members of the care team – for example, if you’re not satisfied with some of the care provided, if you have trouble getting follow-up, or if a member of the team made inappropriate or rude comments – it’s important to deal with the problem constructively. Here’s a bit of advice to help you manage difficult situations.
Choose a good time to talk about it
Don’t put off talking about your disagreement with the person concerned. This can prevent the situation from deteriorating.
Before talking to them, make sure they’re available, and choose a time when you won’t interrupt their tasks. For example, a member of the team shouldn’t be interrupted while they’re distributing medication, because this could lead to mistakes. Suggest a specific time to meet for your conversation instead.
If you call the person on the telephone, avoid mealtimes, wakeup time or bedtime, or shift change.
Stay respectful
Conflict can happen, but the way you manage it is important. To resolve problems constructively, it’s essential to stay respectful and follow these tips:
- Avoid unpleasant comments about health professionals, even where there is a disagreement.
- Speak in the first person (use “I” statements, not “you” statements) to describe the problematic situation and explain how you felt, without attacking the other person.
- Ask the team members to explain information you don’t understand well.
- Express your needs clearly and try to define the problem and find solutions together.
Talk to the people in charge of the institution
If the disagreements persist, don’t hesitate to talk to the coordinator or the people in charge of the institution to look for solutions that will guarantee the well-being of your friend or family member. These people can play a critical problem-solving role.
Contact the users’ committee or the residents’ committee
If the problem occurs in a long-term care facility or an intermediary resource, you can also get in touch with the users’ committee or the residents’ committee. Their role is to ensure the dignity of and respect for the residents. They can therefore act as spokespersons with the people in charge of the facility and as mediators to resolve conflicts. Some private nursing homes also have residents’ committees that can help you deal with the problem. Talk to staff at the facility to find out if a committee exists and, if so, how to contact it.
Recourses exist if you want to file a complaint
If you’re having a problem with a health or social services professional, you can also file a complaint. To learn more about your recourses and the support resources available, see our page on Options in the event of problems with a health or social services professional.
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The information presented on this page is not a legal opinion or legal advice. This page explains in a general way the law that applies in Quebec. To obtain a legal opinion or legal advice on your personal situation, consult a legal professional.