Family Council Training

Big Wheels...Little Wheels, Family Council Training

Background: Although caregivers for institutionalized elderly may have less responsibility for their relatives, they tend to experience stress and burnout as they transition from having been in charge, to taking on a more secondary role. Family Councils serve as a viable advocacy and family inclusion concept, which support quality of life and quality of care initiatives in long-term care facilities. The Bexar Area Agency on Aging Ombudsman Program, developed a research-based Practitioner’s Guide, and Train the Trainer Outline, titled “Big Wheels...Little Wheels”, that focuses on teaching long-term care facility staff and family members, proven skills, techniques, and methodologies of establishing successful and productive Family Councils.

COMMITMENT: Get the nursing home to recognize that the Family Council is autonomous from its organizational structure, and to offer the council meeting space and whatever support it requires.

Hold a Family Night, and present a “user friendly” Family Council Orientation;

Identify volunteer family members, (from the family night), that will serve on a Family Council Organizing Committee, which will commit to a three-phase skills training process;

Hold an inaugural Organizing Committee planning session, outlining the three training phases;

Organizing Committee sets scheduled calendar dates and times, for the training sessions;

TRAINING PHASES: Unity of Purpose, Empowerment with Responsibility, Building on Strengths.

Taking Stock of group experiences, skills, knowledge of Aging Issues, level of commitments;

Developing a vision by recognizing resident needs, and setting realistic goals and objectives;

Setting priorities by agreeing as a committee of the whole, on 3 to 5 year-one achievable goals;

Create the Governance Structure by having the Organizing Committee, present its year-one goals to the general membership, (at a specially planned Family Night Event), and asking for volunteers to serve on various ad-hoc committees (such as greeting committee, activities committee, membership committee, correspondence committee, newsletter committee, etc.), one of which each member of the Organizing Committee has already volunteered to Chair;

Inquiry Process, is the time spent during the last phase of training and development, where the newly formed Family Council, will focus on challenge areas, brainstorm solutions, synthesize solutions, and develop an Action Plan, (this is part of the Evaluation Process).

Implications: Family Councils establish the essence of “connectivity” between the family members of the Residents’ new community. Family members quickly discover that they have more in common than they expected, and start to “bond” as a group, whose commitment will go far towards building sound communication and relationships with the facility staff, and newly arriving residents and their family members, thereby contributing to the highest level of quality life and care for all residents.

Funding: The Facilities will usually sponsor expenses, and the Family Council can hold fundraising.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Nick Monreal, Jr. at (210) 362-5236 or email: nmonreal@aacog.com.

TDD users can communicate with Bexar AAA by dialing Relay Texas at 800-456-5094.
TTY users should dial Relay Texas at 800-735-2989.

Access to Benefits Coalition Additional Aging Resources Alamo Area Gold Pages Benefits CheckUp Program Bexar County Assisted Living Facilities Task Force Bexar County Area Plan FY2008-2010 Elders Advocacy Network Education Workshops Healthy Spirit - Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Project S.I.E.N. - Seniors Involved in Exercise and Nutrition Kinship Caregiver Resource Guide Publications Region Newsletter Senior Advisory Committees Calendars, Members, and Minutes Senior Fire Safety & Falls Prevention Program \| English Translation Transcript Support Groups for Grandparents or Older Relatives Raising Children Star+Plus Program Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services TEXERCISE
	Big Wheels...Little Wheels, Family Council Training *Background:* Although caregivers for institutionalized elderly may have less responsibility for their relatives, they tend to experience stress and burnout as they transition from having been in charge, to taking on a more secondary role. Family Councils serve as a viable advocacy and family inclusion concept, which support quality of life and quality of care initiatives in long-term care facilities. The Bexar Area Agency on Aging Ombudsman Program, developed a research-based Practitioner’s Guide, and Train the Trainer Outline, titled “Big Wheels...Little Wheels”, that focuses on teaching long-term care facility staff and family members, proven skills, techniques, and methodologies of establishing successful and productive Family Councils. COMMITMENT: Get the nursing home to recognize that the Family Council is autonomous from its organizational structure, and to offer the council meeting space and whatever support it requires. Hold a Family Night, and present a “user friendly” Family Council Orientation; Identify volunteer family members, (from the family night), that will serve on a Family Council Organizing Committee, which will commit to a three-phase skills training process; Hold an inaugural Organizing Committee planning session, outlining the three training phases; Organizing Committee sets scheduled calendar dates and times, for the training sessions; TRAINING PHASES: Unity of Purpose, Empowerment with Responsibility, Building on Strengths. Taking Stock of group experiences, skills, knowledge of Aging Issues, level of commitments; Developing a vision by recognizing resident needs, and setting realistic goals and objectives; Setting priorities by agreeing as a committee of the whole, on 3 to 5 year-one achievable goals; Create the Governance Structure by having the Organizing Committee, present its year-one goals to the general membership, (at a specially planned Family Night Event), and asking for volunteers to serve on various ad-hoc committees (such as greeting committee, activities committee, membership committee, correspondence committee, newsletter committee, etc.), one of which each member of the Organizing Committee has already volunteered to Chair; Inquiry Process, is the time spent during the last phase of training and development, where the newly formed Family Council, will focus on challenge areas, brainstorm solutions, synthesize solutions, and develop an Action Plan, (this is part of the Evaluation Process). *Implications: Family Councils establish the essence of “connectivity” between the family members of the Residents’ new community. Family members quickly discover that they have more in common than they expected, and start to “bond” as a group, whose commitment will go far towards building sound communication and relationships with the facility staff, and newly arriving residents and their family members, thereby contributing to the highest level of quality life and care for all residents. Funding: The Facilities will usually sponsor expenses, and the Family Council can hold fundraising. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:* Nick Monreal, Jr. at (210) 362-5236 or email: nmonreal@aacog.com. TDD users can communicate with Bexar AAA by dialing Relay Texas at 800-456-5094. TTY users should dial Relay Texas at 800-735-2989.