Springdale families applauded for helping form councils at other homes
Pleasant Meadow Manor LEC attests to the difference a supportive philosophy makes
Monday, March 31, 2014 — Deron Hamel
Pleasant Meadow Manor life enrichment co-ordinator (LEC) Chris Garden is applauding the Springdale Country Manor family council for helping families at her home establish their own council.
The LEC adds that the Springdale Country Manor group has a clear message they pass on to family members at other long-term care homes: family councils should exist to support staff members, not find fault.
By being supportive of staff members, family councils can help enhance a home’s atmosphere, Garden says. It’s a philosophy she says has made a difference at the Norwood long-term care home.
“Staff members are happier; they work together better, they’re there for the residents more, the home just flows better,” Garden says. “This makes a huge difference.”
Garden adds that with a supportive atmosphere, staff members work together better as a team, as opposed to working in individual “silos.”
“Everybody is happier,” says Garden, adding the Springdale families have come to Norwood twice to help her home’s council.
The OMNIway recently spoke with Springdale Country Manor family council chair Carol Delahey about the success the family council — whose members prefer to call a “family circle” — has had spreading its message to other long-term care homes in the Peterborough area.
To help promote a supportive culture in long-term care homes, the Springdale Country Manor families also share the initiatives they undertake, such as the Guardian Angels program, which sees staff members who go above and beyond for residents.
Delahey says the rationale behind creating a supportive atmosphere is simple.
“If we want the residents to be happy, we have to have happy staff members,” she says.
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