Communication with resident, family members helps ease transition
Friday January 25, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
When a new resident is getting ready to move into Almonte Country Haven, administrator Rick Gourlie says his first order of business is to start an open dialogue with family members so they know what to expect from the home.

Likewise, Gourlie says it’s important for the long-term care home to understand the expectations of the resident’s family. After giving the resident and their family members the initial tour, Gourlie carefully explains every part of the admission process.

“When I do a tour, I also tell the family that we are open 24 hours, seven days a week, and I encourage them to come back on a day when the administrator’s not here,” says Gourlie. “The only way that you’re going to know, if you’re a family member, that this home is what I pretend it to be is if you’re here to watch it.”

On average, Gourlie says the Ottawa-area long-term care sees about one-third, or 27, of its 82 beds become available each year.

Once the resident is admitted, Gourlie advises the individual to keep their first day open. Moving into a long-term care home is a new phase in one’s life and the new resident needs time to adjust to the change.

From experience, Gourlie finds the best time to book an admission tour is over the lunch hour. This allows the resident and time to relax and enjoy a meal alongside other residents. Because their first day can be exhausting, Gourlie makes a point of not asking the resident too many questions at the end of the tour.

One of the things that can help with the transition process is to pair the new resident with another resident whom they might share a common interest, Gourlie adds.

Gourlie says for many new residents, the switch from living on their own to living with more than 80 people can be difficult at first.

“It comes down to the fact that you used to have an apartment (and) you used to have many (things) that you did for yourself that now have to be done by someone else, so it’s a new phase in your life,” says Gourlie.