Family Involvement Checklist
To support families when they have a family member moving into a care home.
Family Involvement Checklist
Primary Theme: Facilitating Transitions
Secondary Theme: Shared Decision Making
Cohort 17 (2022-2023)
Project Title
Family involvement checklist.
Aim of Project
To support families when they have a family member moving into a care home.
Description of the Intervention
Particpanst explored the experience of the pre-admission process from the perspective of relatives and family members. Participants were curious to understand how families experienced the period leading up to a loved one's admission to a care home and whether there were opportunities to improve involvement and support during this significant transition.
Through engagement with relatives, residents and staff, participants discovered that experiences of the pre-admission process varied considerably and were not always positive. Using the Caring Conversations Framework, the cohort undertook discovery work to better understand the needs, concerns and expectations of families. A key finding was that families valued being listened to and actively involved in shaping the care home experience from the outset.
The initiative adopted a co-design approach, recognising that meaningful improvements are best achieved when residents, relatives and staff work together. Families reported feeling both surprised and honoured to be invited to contribute to the development of improvements, highlighting the importance of partnership and collaborative decision-making.
Who was involved?
Families and staff.
What MHL Tools were used?
Emotional touchpoints methodlogy
Changes Implemented
Drawing on the findings from the discovery phase, relatives, residents and staff worked together to envision and co-create a Family Involvement Induction Checklist. This checklist was designed to strengthen family engagement during the pre-admission process and ensure that relatives felt welcomed, informed and included as partners in care.
The checklist incorporated learning gathered throughout the project and provided a structured approach to involving families before and during admission. By embedding family perspectives into the design of the resource, the cohort sought to create a more relationship-centred and inclusive transition experience.
Evidence of Impact/Outcomes
Following implementation of the checklist within participating care settings, families reported a number of positive outcomes. In particular, they described feeling more involved in the admission process and experiencing a stronger sense of connection with the care home community. Rather than feeling like visitors, relatives reported an increased sense of belonging and partnership in supporting their loved one’s care.
Key outcomes of the initiative included:
- Increased family involvement in the pre-admission and induction process.
- Improved collaboration between residents, relatives and staff. Enhanced feelings of inclusion, partnership and belonging among family members. ]
- Development of a practical co-designed resource to support consistent practice across care settings.
- Sharing of learning and improvement tools with other care home leaders through the My Home Life Celebration Event.
