Shared Decisions with Decision Trees
As shared decision making is difficult to achieve within the care home setting, one of the groups introduced a ‘Decision Tree’ to facilitate the involvement of residents in decision about life in their care home.
Theme: Sharing Decision Making
Cohort 1
Project Title
Shared decisions with Decision Trees
Aim
To ensure shared decision making with residents is integral to life in care homes.
Description of the Intervention
One of the Groups introduced a 'Decision Tree' to facilitate the involvement of residents in decisions about life in their care home.
Participants identified difficulty with achieving shared decision making within the care home setting. They subsequently developed and introduced a ‘Decision Tree’ which is used to facilitate the involvement of residents in decisions about life in their care home.
Using this approach, a small tree, usually an artificial one, is placed in a focal point in the care home.
Alongside the tree a question is posted such as:
- Where would you like to go on an outing?
- What do you think about the current menu?
Leaves are located beside the tree, often represented by luggage tags and staff, residents and relatives are encouraged to answer the question by writing their views on a leaf and hanging it on the tree.
The tree is usually left ‘open for answers’ for a week, thereby giving people time to think about their answers.
Who was Involved?
Residents and Staff.
Which MHL Tools were used?
- Appreciative Inquiry
Evidence of Impact/Outcomes
In addition to its impact on shared decision making, the decision tree has proven to be a topic of conversation between staff and residents and appears to be particularly appreciated by residents with dementia who previously struggled with questionnaires or ‘on the spot’ questioning by staff.
Sustainability and Spread
Decision trees are now used in several care homes. The MHL NI team use a version of this to obtain evaluation and feedback at events.
Decision Tree in Practice
