View/Open - ARAN - National University of Ireland, Galway

215
Chapter 5 Findings
say to myself a couple of times ‘be patient with yourself, it’s going
to take time here just as much as it would in another ward maybe
for other reasons’.”
(H03)
Staff participants described the benefits of working in one place for a
long time:
“It’s lovely because you can build up a relationship with them and I
didn’t have that in other places”
(H03)
“I went into him and he didn’t say anything at all and then he was
like ‘oh I know your voice’ and I said ‘oh ya I was on holiday’, ‘oh
that’s right, you’ve got a nice colour’ and then he got washed and
changed….. he recognised my voice even though I was two weeks
gone.”
(H04) (Barthel 8)
Resident participants described how they can make friends with regular
staff:
“I’m an open type and that is how they get to know me. I like to
have the craic and I have nicknames for most of them.”
(R07) (Barthel 8)
The analysis of the data also revealed that person-to-person care involves
respecting the resident and maintaining their dignity. This includes maintaining
privacy and managing their wardrobe and clothing. All staff talked about the
frustrations of managing the residents’ wardrobes and clothing and the need for
non-communal clothing. Some staff felt that ongoing education would help staff
to remember the privacy and dignity needs of the residents, which is an essential
part of their autonomy.
One family participant expressed dismay at their relative not wearing the right
clothes:
“Well now, I put his clothes in outfits….and then sometimes I come
in and he has non-matching clothes on and I think ‘oh’.”
(F04) (Barthel 2)