The Implementation of a Model of Person-Centred Practice In Older ...

The implementation of a model of person-centred practice in older person settings
as if it was recent … I am able to get up and go to bed when I want. I have people
coming in and I suppose I can go out – I don’t know if I want to … “ (Resident story)
Whilst there was increasing evidence of choice being facilitated, for example, greater
choice of mealtimes, more choice of recreational activities, individualised waking and
retiring times, there continued to be a sense of this being inconsistent and individual
nurse/care worker dependent:
“Does anyone take responsibility for monitoring radio and television usage?”
(observation note)
“It would be good if people could remember or know when films like the westerns are
on because all of the men like them. They were films you would have gone to see in
the picture houses – John Wayne is great. You can talk for hours about them. A keg
of Guinness would be good too – I do not like the cans. He [pointing to another
resident] has one when a friend or sister comes into visit” (Resident story)
The involvement of families in the life-world of the residential setting and of residents
was a challenge and one that was considered to be critical to the ongoing
development of practice in residential settings. At some stage in the majority of the
stories, residents recounted family-oriented experiences – experiences that they
valued, missed, still wanted or felt sad about. In all cases, these family-related
experiences provided a significant source of reminiscence for residents:
“I became a widow 44 years ago. My husband was only 39. He had cancer and we
didn’t know at the time and we were not expecting him to die. I got a phone call at 2
o’clock in the morning and was told he was dead., I was all alone when I got the
phone call. I worked in [shop name] in the boot section – we made loads of money. I
had no kids so I had a lonely life, but I had my sister’s kids. I spoilt them really. I
was good to them and now they are good to me. I go to my sister’s every Sunday for
dinner and my nephew/nieces call nearly every day to me. They ask do I want
anything and they’ll always bring it to me” (Resident story)
“I’m alright, I don’t like to be a patient anywhere but I don’t have a choice about it. I’m
here till I go into a box. When I was a young fella I used to play around kicking ball
with the others from the area and go fishing with my friends. When I had to take
early retirement I used to walk every day for about 3-4 hours. I used to walk all over
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