Residents’ councils foster democracy in long-term care
Thursday February 7, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Charlotte Graydon says residents’ councils are important because they ensure that people living in long-term care homes have their voice heard in a democratic manner.

Graydon, president of the residents’ council at Burnbrae Gardens, adds that she and her fellow residents at the Campbellford long-term care home have worked well with the home’s management when it comes to addressing issues of concern.

The residents’ council meets once per month to discuss some of the major aspects of the home. Meetings are also attended by representatives from the management team.

“We go over any problems or concerns for nursing, problems or concerns for dietary (and) problems or concerns for programming, so residents have an input in all of the different (departments) in the home,” says April Faux, Burnbrae’s life enrichment co-ordinator, who regularly attends council meetings. Faux adds that residents’ council is also where the once-per-month residents’ choice meal is selected.

Faux also reads out everything management has done to address residents’ concerns, as well as what the management team plans to do in the future.

When concerns do arise, there are systems in place to ensure issues of concern are quickly resolved.

When residents mention concerns during the meeting, management then writes a formal letter to Graydon, outlining how the home plans to correct the situation.

The manager of the department in question then follows up with Graydon to keep her up to date on how the situation is being handled.

In her time as council president, Graydon says the process has been successful. She adds that because the avenues of communication between residents and management are strong, problems are quickly rectified.

“They’re pretty quick on that sort of thing. And if they aren’t, I remind them,” Graydon says with a chuckle. “(Residents’ council is) a very good thing. It gives (residents) a chance to have input in they want to.”