Supportive Relationships in a care setting.

RESPECTING CULTURE, BELIEFS AND LIFESTYLE OF THE CLIENT

• Respecting the client for who they are, their culture, beliefs, lifestyle and choices they’ve made which may be different to the professionals idea of right but it shows that the individual is being accepted as a unique individual  and your accepting the right to be different and to understand their preferences such as if they require treatment by a female.

RECOGNITION OF NEEDS

• With an effective relationship it enables you to identify the client’s needs and preferences as the persons needs differ from what they actually want to which the professional will need to decipher  to what their needs actually are
• An effective relationships also helps you to become aware of abuse taking place if for example a client’s behaviour changes once a certain staff member comes on shift

CONFIDENTIALITY

• Confidentiality needs to have a clear understanding of as professionals cannot offer 100% confidentiality to clients because the information may need to be shared to meet the individuals care needs.

WORKING PRACTICES

• To minimize abuse the professionals can work by making sure that their care service stays focused on the needs of the individual and by using the care value base.
• Clients can feel empowered from the care they receive through giving them choice and input on their support plans. Clients can feel secure from knowing when and who will be visiting her to give support. The client will feel her needs are taken into account and she is being treated with respect and dignity and not isolated and ignored as they will be encouraged to speak about their feelings due to being part of a person centred approach. The client will feels confident and informed if the communication between services is clearly recorded so everyone knows whats happening. The client will feel listened to and cared about due to services meeting the diverse needs of the client and ensured they are able to receive the same care as everyone else (not discriminated because of old age ‘its what you expect with your age’
• Inclusive practice like above is where the individual is fully involved in the decision making process.

PROTOCOLS FOR SHARING INFORMATION

• Good work practice is evident when there are clear protocols or understandings within organisations about confidentiality and the sharing of information which should only be given out on a need to know basis for example a cook at a day centre needing to know about allergies.

PROVIDING SAFE AMD SECURE ENVIRONMENT/ DUTY OF CARE

• Have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment to all staff and service users which not only includes the physical but the psychological environment. Having a ‘duty of care’ towards the service users and staff to where neither group should be put at risk because of the organisational inadequacies. A sufficient number of staff members need to be on duty to ensure the service can be run adequately and that protection is given at all times.

ADVOCACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

• Advocates from an external body like Age UK or Mind should be available to all who need support with making complaints. The names and the numbers of the advocates should be freely available, in a private zone to give confidentiality.

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

• Clients have the right to see their own records under the data protection act, access to personal files act and access to medical files act for whatever reason although a doctor does have the right to deny the access if it isn’t in the patients best interest.
• Working practices should encourage a positive and open person centred environment to where the individual feels valued, supported and respected through them being able to make their own decisions and choices relating to their lives.

SUPPORTIVE PRACTICE

• The humanistic approach focuses on treating people with dignity, respect and as unique individuals to which have diverse needs. This is an approach which professionals use to support people which emphasises the importance of the client in terms of their uniqueness and value.

• Carl Rodgers identified the core conditions which should be evident in the relationship of the professional and client. This consists of

• Empathy-  the ability to see and understand the situation through the eyes of the person enduring it.
• Congruence- to be genuine, transparent and real. Not acting as an expert but as an individual
• Unconditional positive regard – valuing, respecting and being non-judgemental towards the individual

• Elements of supportive professional relationships are – helping, enabling, empowering, making choices, maintaining privacy, confidentiality, advocacy, promoting rights, non-judgemental and using preferred methods of communication.

MEETING THE INDIVIDUALS NEEDS

• Usually when the client wants to discuss a problem it is called ‘presenting problem or need’. However it also leads to identifying needs which are less visible.
• Physical, intellectual, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual
• When the needs assessment of the individual is being completed, all aspects should be explored with the individuals consent. Being responsive to the needs and concerns ensures that the person centred approach is being effective.
• Flexibility is the key to responding positively to the individual and their needs
• Procedures use to be rigid and plainly for the benefit of the organisation and the staff. Now it is plainly focussed on the needs of the individual,
• If the client makes a complaint, the complaints procedure should be user-friendly and the process needs to be fully explained and support should be offered either through the organisation or the independent advocate.
• Supportive practices includes also the family and the carers. The individuals wishes may need to be taken into account and confidentiality should be observed closely at all times. The individual may not wish their family to know things such as if they have experienced sexual abuse, which must be respected.