Effective and efficient communication between residents, staff, and family members in a long-term care facility

1. Paige Thompson
April 10th, 2015
ASM 150
Week 3 Reflection
Identify and list the barriers to communication with family.
As important as communication between staff and caregivers of older
adults and the families of those residents, several barriers are fairly common,
both in the viewpoint of the family members and in those of the staff
members. Disagreement is common between these two groups, often
centering on the way to care for the older adult and on who should play
which roles in said care. Family members often feel that they can’t
communicate suggestions or complaints without affecting the care given to
their loved ones, frequently fearing negative consequences for the resident.
Many relatives may feel they are bothering staff or that they’ll appear stupid
when they ask questions. Staff members feel they don’t have the time to
effectively communicate or have meaningful conversations with family
members. And family members often don’t share enough information about
their loved one to allow the staff to care for them the best way possible. Socio-
economic, racial and cultural differences can cause stereotypes and
communication rifts between staff and relatives, and some family members
feel that they can’t trust staff. On the other hand, many staff members feel that
families have expectations for their relative’s healthcare that is unattainable.

2. Research methods to effectively communicate with family members.
There are many ways to alleviate the issues that come between an
older person’s caregivers and family members. One of the most effective ways
is through education of both the family members and of staff. A program
called Partners in Caregiving has been found to help everyone caring for an
older person do so effectively. It’s important for families to share medical,
emotional, and social needs with staff in order to reduce behavioral
symptoms. Partners in Caregiving aids both sides in cooperating and
communicating with each other in an effective way. It also fosters better
relationships to enforce empathy development and conflict resolution. The
most important part of Partners in Caregiving is that it works with both
families and staff, rather than focusing on one side of the equation.
Sometimes, that big of a solution is a little too big for a facility, and smaller
steps must be taken. In a situation like this, it may be better to simply show
interest in the family as a whole. Firstly, make sure to orient the family
members to the facility and staff members so they feel comfortable in the
environment where their loved one lives. Also make sure to make the family
member feels comfortable asking questions and communicating with staff.
Learn what you can about the family members and the relationships within
the family. Make sure to address the needs of the family, not just the
residents, especially making sure they’re as educated and informed as

3. possible. Involve family in the planning of resident as well as offering them
programs to be involved in, such as special meals, holiday events, or other
special programs.
Discuss generational differences in communicating.
There are several differences between each generation’s preferred
methods of communication. The older adult will most likely be a member of
the silent generation, who prefer more formal methods of communication,
including written letters and in person interactions. They like more
professional and respectful language and also like telephone calls. The family
of these residents will be from the three most recent generations: Baby
Boomers, Gen Xers, or the Millennials. Baby Boomers prefer group decisions
and personal interaction, but also like to communicate via email or Facebook:
they make up the largest group of new users of the social media site. Gen X
and Millennials communicate similarly; they prefer straightforward
communication and would just as soon make a decision independently than
collaborate with others. If they have to include others, they prefer to do so
through instant message, social media (Facebook, Twitter) or through text
message and cellphone calls.