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

9.6 Self-RespectAcknowledging residents’ value was key to their self-respect. Staff drawing onresidents’ expertise or life experience in some way, for example asking them tohelp out or sit on a committee, gave the message that they still had something tooffer. Recognition of achievement was also important to residents. Acknowledgementcould be either formal or informal including, for example, a piece in the hospitalnewsletter or simply thanking or praising them for their help. Some facilitiesfacilitated resident respondents to help with the running of the facility in some way,for example helping with the garden or setting up the altar. Resident respondentsderived great satisfaction from this. Some facilities deliberately involved residentsin the running of the facility; it was part of their approach to care. Others, however,did not seem to see this as important. It was noticeable that resident respondentsliving in facilities where no formal opportunities to help were provided createdways to help. This could be helping out a room-mate with greater disabilitiesthan they had, or fetching and carrying for someone in a wheelchair. In interviewsthese respondents proudly described how they ‘helped out’. Clearly, helping insome way was important for residents’ self-identity and self-esteem (Table 9.7).Table 9.7: Self-respect through involvement and recognition179Self-respect gained throughopportunities to helpI’m now on the committee (responsible forsetting up the garden). … I’m more on theadministration end. I did a lot of gardeningbefore I came and I won prizes. … That’s whyI do that here and once they got it going hereI’m helping them, so they’re still getting itgoing. (GN1 Resident 01, Public)Int: And you set up the altar.I do all that. … I keep an eye that I’m notrunning out of things and as I say make surethere are candles and … count out hosts andall that for. … I do a list then anyone wantsmasses said for anybody or people die inthe house, we have a list ready for the priest,people who are sick and all that you know,there are all little things like that.(LCI Resident 01, Private)Limited opportunitiesto helpIt was a big, big change whenI came here because in (wherethe resident previously lived)after each meal we’d all go outto the kitchen, we’d help with thewashing-up and all that sort ofthing … and we’d have great funthere washing up. Of course hereyou’re not allowed in the kitchen.I went in to the kitchen after I camehere to help. I said ‘I’ll give a bitof a hand’, they said ‘what areyou doing in here … you’re notallowed in the kitchen becauseif anything happened to you theinsurance wouldn’t cover (you)’.… I miss all that. (LC1 Resident01, Private)