St Louis’ Relative Networking Group – for family and friends

St Louis Aged Care has been caring for older relatives of families for more than 70 years. Over this time, we have stayed in close contact with family members, supporting them to transition the care of a loved one to our residence or to a home care service. Key to our success has been keeping an open communication channel between our staff and families so that family members have peace of mind about their relatives in our care.

When a relative is placed in an aged care residence or starts a home care plan, it is natural for families to:

  • Wonder if they have made the right decision
  • Be concerned that they are getting the right level of care
  • Request some changes in the care that is provided
  • Want to be kept informed of their loved one’s wellbeing
  • Want peace of mind that all is well with their loved one in our care

Over the years we have developed various ways to help families feel more ease. For example, last year we introduced CareApp - a social platform for Aged care workers to stay in touch with families who have a relative in our residence.

Our most recent initiative is the Relative Networking Group. Our families requested a forum to openly discuss their experiences and be more involved in the decisions around care. We responded by creating this group which starts in November (details below).

The purpose of the Relative Networking Group

The group is an opportunity for relatives to get together in a social environment where they discuss and share their experiences about transitioning a loved one into a nursing home or a home care service. It offers support and a confidential space to discuss their experience and provide feedback. St Louis staff will facilitate the event, but it will essentially be run by the participants of the group to:

  • Brainstorm
  • Offer support
  • Share tips/stories/hugs
  • Learn from guest speakers
  • Set future agendas - what would you like to learn more about?

Who should attend

Any family member or close friend of a loved in our residence can attend. The first event in November will be a meet and greet, and the frequency of meetings with future agendas will be agreed at this initial meeting - good reasons to come along!

St Louis’ social programs and lifestyle coordinators will be facilitating the event.

What happens with the information shared?

The information shared in the group is private and confidential and will remain in the group, with further involvement from the St Louis team only where required to provide feedback.

The benefits and outcomes for families

This group provides an opportunity for relatives to voice their opinions, air their concerns and make suggestions for improving processes and health care plans, in an informal setting. It is also a space to relax and enjoy some social time with other people going through a similar experience.

Especially for those who are new to the St Louis family, it will provide the support needed during the transition to an aged care facility or a home care plan. This forum is primarily about families and their needs.

Down the track we foresee guest speakers and other informative events that support overall decision making and care for older relatives.

We encourage families of St Louis to come along and get involved. The details for the first meeting are below:

When: Tuesday 19th November 6pm – 7.30pm

Where: St Louis Nursing Home - 21 Foster St, Parkside

Drinks and nibbles supplied (soup lovingly made by our residents)

RSVP: Anne: [email protected] or Sarah: [email protected].

We look forward to sharing an enjoyable and informative evening together at this first event.

Want to learn more?

Networking Blog