When people think of aged care, they immediately think of physical support. From medical support to personal hygiene and helping pick up the groceries, there are numerous services that help with a participant’s quality of life as they age!
However, in addition to physical support, it is also imperative to build a trusting relationship with the participant. As we grow older, it is important to maintain healthy, positive relationships, the kind that amplify our quality of life and make doing things that little bit easier.
Whether it be having someone to talk to, enjoy an outing or just have some quiet company, there are many reasons why relationship-based aged care is essential to providing an optimised service.
Here, we will talk about relationship-based aged care in Wollongong, and the benefits it provides for both participant and carer:
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So, what is it exactly?
Relationship-based elderly support is an approach that is based upon producing positive connections between carers, participants and their families. It prioritises the participant’s desire to make independent decisions and thus focuses on their specific needs (as opposed to a single approach for everyone).
Carers develop connections with their participants, which then allows them to develop specialised support plans that are designed to optimise the participant’s quality of life as they grow older. This helps the participant to feel an enhanced sense of self-worth and independence whilst providing them the support they may require to lead a full and happy life!
Benefits of this approach
There are multiple benefits for carers to develop a special bond with their participants, including:
1. Improved quality of life
Developing a connection with the participant can help them feel more engaged, helping improve their quality of life. Participants often feel that this service is taking away their independence and may even leave them lonely, so having someone who is there to provide a special connection helps them feel a greater sense of self-worth.
2. It advocates comprehensive health & wellbeing
As the carer will work to develop a specialised, tailor-made support service for the participant, the service can be suited to their needs. The participant’s emotional and social needs will be prioritised, which will enhance their feeling of physical and mental wellbeing, something which could potentially reduce their risk of other health problems.
3. Improved service quality
Through developing a special connection between carer and participant, they can produce a special plan for their individual needs, ensuring the participant receives optimised care. They will have the time to consider the participant’s goals and requirements, thus ensuring they have someone there to help them achieve these goals whilst providing the support they need for daily living.
4. It increases job satisfaction
This wonderful service works both ways, as the carer will also have the opportunity to become close with their participants and thus enjoy a higher job satisfaction level. After all, we all feel closer with someone when we have the time to get to know them properly, and so it’s important for the carer to also feel a sense of connection between them and their participant. This will, once again, help lead to a better standard of overall service, something which is fantastic for both parties!
As you can see, it is absolutely vital for carers to develop a special bond with their participants, especially as it can help increase the participant’s overall health and wellbeing. For these reasons this service is one that is heavily advocated in Australian aged care.
Building strong relationships in aged care is essential, and for Deaf residents, having access to Auslan interpreter services can make a significant difference.
