How a Senior Care Facility Creates Satisfied Residents and Relatives – Concrete Examples of Successful Work

Ensuring that residents and their relatives are satisfied is one of the most important goals for a senior care facility. By focusing on individualized care, open communication, and meaningful activities, the facility can create an environment where both residents and their relatives feel safe and well cared for. Here are some concrete examples of how this can be achieved.

One way to involve residents and relatives in quality development is to work with user reviews. Residents and their relatives can participate in evaluating the quality of different areas from their perspective.

Another method is to maintain an ongoing dialogue with residents and their relatives about the quality work being carried out at the facility. They can help evaluate current improvement efforts.

Currently, Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare conducts open comparisons within elderly care through surveys sent to residents and their relatives. These surveys are sent to those in senior care facilities and home care, focusing on factors such as the sense of security, preventive work, and end-of-life care. These results are presented at the unit level, allowing those interested to see how their facility compares to others.

A senior care facility can also conduct its own surveys to measure how the facility is performing for residents and their relatives with statements such as:  
- Meals are nutritious and enjoyable  
- Staff always treat me with respect  
- The noise level in my unit is comfortable  
- I am never bothered by unpleasant smells  
- The climate at the facility is comfortable  
- Visitors feel welcome at the facility  
- The activities offered match my interests  
- Staff follow through with what we agree upon in the care plan.

These statements can be supplemented with opportunities for comments, providing inspiration for future quality improvements at the unit. In the future, it might even be possible to evaluate the care actions themselves—for example, how it felt to be bathed or fed by a particular staff member.

Person-Centered Care and Support

Individual Care Plans: By developing care plans tailored to each resident's needs and preferences, the facility can ensure that care truly meets their expectations. These plans should cover everything from medical needs to personal interests and routines, helping residents feel respected and seen as individuals.  
Flexible Care: Offering flexibility in care allows the facility to adapt to each resident's daily needs and preferences. For example, residents may have the choice of when to eat, participate in activities, or have "alone time" to feel more involved in their own daily lives.

Meaningful Activities

Tailored Activities: Activities that are adapted to residents' interests and abilities contribute to better quality of life. A senior care facility can arrange activities ranging from crafts, music sessions, movie nights, and garden walks to more specialized activities like cooking classes or book clubs. The key is that the activities are meaningful and engaging for the residents.  
Participation in Planning: Involving residents in planning activities gives them a sense of ownership and control over their daily lives. This can be done through resident councils or by regularly collecting feedback and suggestions.

Open and Clear Communication

Regular Updates for Relatives: Keeping relatives informed about the facility’s routines, activities, and the residents’ health creates trust and confidence. This can be done through newsletters, phone calls, or regular information meetings.  
Resident Influence on Care: It is important that residents and their relatives feel they have a say in decisions about care and support. By creating easy channels for suggestions or feedback, the facility shows that it listens and adapts to residents' needs.

Creating a Welcoming Environment

Home-like Atmosphere: Creating a home-like environment in the senior care facility helps residents feel more at ease. Allowing them to decorate their rooms with personal items and designing shared spaces that are both functional and pleasant can increase comfort.  
Welcoming Relatives: The involvement of relatives plays an important role in residents' well-being. Making it easy for relatives to visit the facility and participate in activities fosters a sense of community that strengthens relationships. For example, organizing family dinners, open house days, or themed evenings can include relatives in the social life of the facility.

Follow-up and Evaluation

Gathering Feedback: Regular surveys and conversations with both residents and their relatives provide the facility with valuable feedback on what works well and what could be improved. This fosters a sense that their opinions are valued and that the facility is always striving to improve care.  
Follow-up on Improvements: It is essential that the improvements and changes implemented at the facility are followed up to ensure they achieve the desired results. By regularly evaluating the changes, the facility can quickly adjust and tailor its services to meet residents’ needs.

Staff as the Key to Success

Staff Approach: One of the most important factors for creating satisfied residents and relatives is how staff interact with the residents. Encouraging empathy, respect, and attentiveness in all interactions can make a significant difference in how residents experience their daily lives.  
Continuous Training and Development: Regular education and professional development for staff ensure that they have the tools and knowledge needed to provide the best care. This can include training in person-centered care, communication, or specialized care for elderly residents with specific needs.

Summary

By working with person-centered care, offering meaningful activities, maintaining clear and open communication, and creating a comfortable and welcoming environment, the senior care facility can ensure satisfied residents and relatives. The key to success lies in being attentive to the needs of both residents and their relatives and continuously following up and adapting care based on their wishes and conditions.
Reflection questions - satisfied residents:

Care staff:
- How do you work to gauge how the residents feel at your place?
- Are the residents truly influencing the range of activities at the accommodation?

Manager, nurse, occupational therapist and physiotherapist:
- How can you capture the residents and their relatives' experience of quality in the elderly care home?
- What are you doing today to create participation and co-determination in terms of the quality of the elderly care home?

Residents and relatives:
- How do you experience the opportunities for influence?
- Is there anything you would like to see improved?

Read more - About moving into a retirement home

Erland Olsson
Specialist nurse
Sofrosyne - Better care every day