Involving Families in Care Homes

Book excerpt: Families often wrestle with the decision to move a person with dementia into a care home. The decision can be highly charged and emotional, involving feelings of loss, sadness and guilt. Moreover, developing a good relationship between the family and the care home is not an easy matter. In this accessible guide the authors take person-centred dementia care a step forward by outlining ways in which care homes can help families to become partners in the caring process. Using case examples, quotations and research-based evidence, the authors offer practical advice and good practice guidelines for supporting relatives who choose to be involved in the care of people with dementia living in a care home, as well as highlighting the value of this involvement. The book is written in an easy-to-read style and incorporates useful features such as checklists for reviewing current practices and summaries of key points for each chapter. An invaluable resource for care home managers and staff, this book will also be helpful for families of people with dementia, as well as for students and researchers interested in dementia care practice.