CALA News & Views | Issue 49 | Top 5

Listening is also a large part of communication. Although we may not be able to have a solution for everything, for a resident, family or staff member, the act of being heard goes a long way. As you listen to a resident or family concern, you may not have a solution at that very moment, but let them know that you will get back to them, and then arrange a date and time to do so. It shows you have heard the concern, that you have listened. And that you are invested in the outcome. Communication is a two-way street; talking and listening, both are equally important with resident, staff and family interactions. Trust is built by consistent messaging. Consistent messaging comes through effective communication. Resident satisfaction increases when associates are informed, trained and know that they are part of an organization that values them and the work they do. Achieving high resident and family satisfaction is a top goal of every Assisted Living community. We take pride in delivering quality services and enriching the lives of our residents and their family members. But achieving that goal of high resident and family satisfaction does not just happen. It takes work and a focus every day on why we do what we do. As insiders in this field who have also had loved ones living in Assisted Living, we would like to share five things to keep in mind when working with residents and families. Here are some insights from experiencing both perspectives. 3 4 5 and Family Satisfaction Staff interactions with residents is one of the more secret ingredients. Most of your staff will interact almost every day with residents. The residents talk to them during care, dining or while their apartment is being cleaned. It is important to understand the dynamic. And it is important for staff to understand that even though they may be busy and need to get on to the next task, they need to have conversation while in the apartment or at the table with the resident. Staff need to understand that it is OK to spend the extra five minutes to engage with the resident. Those few extra minutes can help a resident feel heard and feel like they are a true part of the community. Have fun. That sounds so simple, and yet there are certainly days when nothing seems to be very fun. But our residents deserve to find joy in living each day. We need to think about the activities that will engage our residents. How many times have you seen a resident and staff member enjoying an activity together and both of their faces are exuding joy. Our residents deserve to live in a place they love, and our associates deserve to work in a place they love. Every community has a focus on increasing resident and family satisfaction, as well as associate satisfaction. Satisfaction for all comes when an organization focuses on its culture, effective and transparent communication, has good listening skills, encourages staff interactions with residents and desires to build a community where each day can be filled with fun.