Improving Quality of Life for Older People in Long-Stay Care ...

The real meI’m there in a photograph where I’m lovely in it.Int: Well, I’ll have to have a look at that.You can see it there … I’d lovely black hair. (GN2 Resident 03, Public)I had brown hair when I come in. So you can imagine it. And I never got it done andI went snow white … and when the neighbours come in they go ‘Oh my God, youare white’ (laugh) … because they saw me when I was brown. I have photographsthere of me when I was brown. Am I there anywhere? (GN1 Resident 05, Public)There appeared to be two contrasting perspectives on the importance of havingbelongings around. Some resident respondents found it a comfort; their possessionsevoked happy memories and helped them feel at home. Others appeared not towant such reminders. Anxiety about the security of their belongings may also haveinhibited them. Some resident respondents, in both public and private facilities,expressed concern about the security of their belongings. Similarly, staff respondentswere divided as to whether it was good or not for residents to have their possessionsaround them. Many acknowledged that it was important that residents had their‘bits and pieces’. However, a few commented that possessions from home hadthe potential to create a longing to be back home.171Another way in which residents expressed their individuality was through theirobservance of their faith. Many resident respondents spoke about the strengthand comfort they derived from their faith. Opportunities to attend mass wereparticularly important to these residents (Table 9.3). In some facilities, residentshad an opportunity to attend daily mass, which they valued highly. However, someresident respondents reported that they had less opportunity to attend mass thanthey would have liked. Resident respondents and staff reported that the decline inthe number of priests made it more difficult to find a priest able to visit to say mass,particularly on Sundays. Many facilities offered alternatives, for example meeting tosay the rosary or for a prayer service. Resident respondents who were not Catholichad greater difficulty in finding ways to express their faith.