The document discusses the My Home Life programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life for older individuals in care homes through a dignity-based approach. It emphasizes the importance of creating a caring community that supports personal identity, shared decision-making, and strong relationships within and outside the care environment. Various activities and collaborations are highlighted to empower care home managers and improve overall service quality in the sector.

1. Dignity in Care
Professor of Nursing: Care for Older People
City University
Director: My Home Life programme
Age UK, City University, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Dementia UK

2. Commission on Dignity
Recommendation 24
Care homes need to work with
residents to create an environment that
makes their lives happy, varied,
stimulating, fulfilling and dignified.
Being a caring community must be the
overarching principle that guides home
life. The My Home Life movement (see
case study) aims to support care home
managers achieving this.

3. My Home Life Programme UK
Promoting quality of life for
those living, dying, visiting and
working in care homes for
older people.
www.myhomelife.org.uk

4. Age UK, City University, Joseph Rowntree & Dementia UK
Other key organisations:
Relatives & Residents Association
National Care Forum
English Community Care Association
National Care Association
Registered Nursing Home Association
Care Forum Wales
Scottish Care
Independent Health & Care Providers
National Care Home R&D Forum

5. My Home Life programme: Activities
•Synthesising evidence – appreciative
•Empowering leaders – relational
•Developing resources – co-create
•Creating networks – sharing & support
•Supporting change - influencing
•Maintain momentum – proactive
www.myhomelife.org.uk

6. MHL Vision
Personalisation
1. Maintaining identity
2. Sharing decision-making
3. Creating community
Navigation
4. Managing transitions
5. Improving health & healthcare
6. Supporting good end-of-life
Transformation
7. Keeping workforce fit for purpose www.myhomelife.org.uk
8. Promoting a positive culture NCHR&D (2007)

7. MHL Leadership Support and Community
Development
Provide learning experience for a small
number of care home managers
(Leadership and Support)
Identify and reduce the barriers to QoL
across the wider system (Community
Development)
Create a supportive network for care
homes to celebrate & share best
practice, linked to MHL UK (My Home
Life network)

8. Relationship-centred care
Security: to feel safe
Belonging: to feel part of things
Continuity: to experience links and connections
Purpose: to have a goal(s) to aspire to
Achievement: to make progress towards these goals
Significance: to feel that you matter as a person
Nolan et al (2006)
Positive relationships within the home and
across the community of practice

9. SUCCES(S)
Simple – key messages
Unexpected - curiosity
Concrete – practical action
Credible – work with & for
Emotional – hearts & minds
Stories – share experience
Stretch – whole systems
Heath & Heath (2007)

10. The challenge is to hold the ‘and’
Quality Efficiency
Place of care Pace of care
Small acts of kindness Technical interventions
Remaining connected, & Transferability, flexibility of
known. teams
Person centeredness Collective need, cost.

11. Contact Details
Professor Julienne Meyer
City University
Philpot Street
London E1 2EA, England, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7040 5791/
Fax: +44 (0)20 7040 5529
Email: j.meyer@city.ac.uk
http://wwwmyhomelife.org.uk
http://city.ac.uk/dignityincare
http://www.city.ac.uk/bpop
http://www.city.ac.uk/listeningmakessense