There are many components that go into securing and maintaining excellence in aged care.

From making sure that organisational systems are working smoothly and schedules run on time, through to ensuring that all the boxes have been ticked regarding policy changes, a lot is going on.

Yet at the heart of all the bustle, it is arguably those on the front line, the carers and nurses working in the daily routine that bring and see a much needed quality, humanity.

Scientific studies that have taken a look at the lives, input and wisdom of carers, have only fortified the notion that the people who are actually doing the work, are the ones that know what works and what doesn’t.

Changing Landscapes

A recent study was published in The British Journal of Social Work that investigated the changing policy landscape for aged care and the front line staff who are tasked with seeing change implemented.

The study looked at the impact of the introduction of consumer-directed care and its aim  to provide residents with greater autonomy and choice over their care services.

The study looked closely at front line staff and their perceptions about the changing policy, including  its impacts on facilities and residents.

What the study found was that carers had keen insight into what was working and what elements were causing frustration and confusion.

Insight

The study highlighted that carers found that the coordination of care, communication and the consistency of care delivery, were extremely important components affecting consumer directed care (CDC).

These components they saw impacting client relationships and quality of care.

Understanding carer insight and adjusting both the process of information gathering and policy creation, is where aged care organisations and policy makers can benefit most from the keen insight that carers can provide.

The study displayed the ability of carers to identify key areas of consideration when deliberating on changes to aged care and community care.

There is arguably a central role for carers in the process of policy creation, as they are integral to cultivating positive relationships, ensuring consistency and continuity in care, and managing the needs and expectations of clients.

Additionally, it is carers that are consistently facilitating support and advocacy of care options that work for both the residents and care staff.

The Invaluable Nature Of Rapport

An integral component of any smooth running facility is the rapport that carers have built between themselves and clients, over long nights, days, months and years.

Across ups and downs in moods and health, carers have created bonds built on trust, consistency and powerfully, providing dignity.

As the report states, rapport “is an invaluable component of community care that needs to be incorporated into CDC models”.

Understanding The Tricky Elements

The study showed that carers understood the nuances of the balance between empowering clients in self-determining choices, and when to exercise their duty of care towards their clients.

That balance is incredibly vital in facilitating the effectiveness of CDC in local and international facilities.

The study encouraged that the insights of carers allowed for deep and honest discussions about how policy changes were implemented, their effectiveness, and possible roadblocks along the way.

In attempting to navigate the design and implementation of “appropriate, quality, accessible and sustainable services to support older people’s needs” those on the front line and their insights have been and will always be crucially needed and relevant.