What Does It Mean to Partner with the Care Team?

You’ve probably heard us say that we see family members as a crucial part of the care team at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center. But what does that really mean? How can you become involved in your loved one’s care and community?

One thing we like to say oftentimes is “we’re not you.” We’re here to give your loved one the best experience possible, but nothing can ever take your place in your loved one’s life. The life enhancement teams on both the Boston and NewBridge on the Charles campuses are resources for you to ask questions and assist in anything to make you and your loved one more comfortable. Often times, a family member can make a big impact on a patient’s recovery and provide support throughout the care journey. 

Jana Galvin and Carolyn Cassetina, community life leaders at HRC-Boston and HRC-NewBridge, offer some ways you can partner with your loved one’s care team.

Communication

Our goal is to meet every individual need, but you as a family member know your loved one best. You can let the care team know various qualities and characteristics of your loved one to help us better understand who they are as a person. For example, your “mother doesn’t like watching television at night” or “my mother loves to bake.” We’re always watching for changes in your loved one’s condition, and you can let us know if you notice any subtle differences in mood, personality, or physical comfort. Communication is extremely important in providing the best care for your loved one.

Becoming part of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center community

You’re part of the community, and we want you to feel at home here. We try to make sure families feel welcomed and we invite you to join various activities and events. Activity calendars are posted on each floor, and shared quarterly in this newsletter. And when the holidays come around, did you know that all family members are welcome to join us for services? No tickets are required. 

Here are some other ways that you can join the HRC community:

• When you visit, take your loved one to the café or spend time outdoors – just give the staff a heads up that you’re leaving the floor or household.
• Ask your loved one who their friends are, and get to know them. Ask them to join your visit, start a game, or have a conversation about current events.
• Plan an activity for the floor or household, like a movie night or watching a sporting event together.

If there’s something you’d like to plan, the life enhancement team can help you and be a resource. Ask if there are particular days or times when this type of support might be most helpful.

At both HRC-Boston and HRC-NewBridge, some family members have really involved themselves in the greater community. For example, a family member of one patient took a trip to Africa and went on a safari.

When he returned, he had a community slide show to share pictures and stories of the trip to his mom, Mildred Skolnick, and others. “We were going to show the pictures just to our mom, but decided that the rest of the patients would find it interesting too. So, my wife and I created a presentation for all the patients to see and we believe they enjoyed it. We had a great time showing it to them and plan to show other trips in the future.”

If you’d like a more regular role in the community, you can also join the formal volunteer program at HRC, and help with things like patient transport, companionship, or pet therapy visits.

Engage in the care plan

There are also ways that you can be involved in the medical and physical care of your loved one:

• Get to know the clinical team and the staff members who are involved in therapies and treatments.
• Stop by for part of a PT or expressive therapies session to see how your loved one is progressing (just give us a heads up that you’ll be coming so we'll be prepared.)
• If you see that your loved one needs cleaning up after a meal, help them with a new shirt or outfit.
• Refill your loved one’s water glass if you see that they’re thirsty.

Small actions like these help your loved one feel more comfortable and make for a more rewarding visit to HRC. Your participation helps us, and it helps to build a community where all feel welcome. Each floor or household has a designated nurse manager and life enhancement team member; reach out to them if you have any questions about how you can become involved and engaged with your loved one’s community. We promise, you’ll feel tremendous personal rewards if you do.