There is nothing more reassuring than being in the right place at the right time, boosting residents’ self-esteem and confidence in their ability to be in control of their lives.
Conversely, not being where they want to be when they need to be there is frustrating and stressful, negatively affecting self-esteem and even causing anxiety.
Beyond creating attractive and highly visible announcements they will notice — using bright colours, larger fonts, and pictures or graphics to pique residents’ interest — where you display the information plays an equally important role in engaging them and helping them get there on their own, on time.
Use of the following 4 “Rs” will give your residents the confidence they need to feel in control of their lives and comfortable with their decisions.
1. Repetition: Build a progressive path for communicating your message. Start with calendars in each suite, then repeat by posting in elevators, activity rooms, on main activity boards at reception, etc. These repeated opportunities for viewing add credibility to the accuracy and value of the information, which leads to positive…
2. Reinforcement: Your residents will feel comfortable they have all the information they need to make decisions on their own. Posting in several strategic places in the residence ensures the message will get noticed throughout the day, and the more often it is read, the greater the chances for…
3. Retention: Take advantage of every opportunity to let your residents know what events and activities are planned for the day/week/month. Gone are the days of instant recall. If you want to help them remember, you need to provide the right memory aids — and one of the easiest and most effective started with the first “R.”
So, we’ve covered the benefits of Repetition, Reinforcement, and Retention, which brings us to the fourth — and most beneficial — “R” for boosting residents’ self-esteem…
4. Reassurance: Your residents will feel empowered knowing they can find out what they want and need to know, on their own. They will be more confident in their decisions and more self-assured when they don’t feel the need to ask others what is happening or how to get there (on time). Hmm, that brings us to a “bonus R,” perhaps the most important of all…reducing their anxiety.
Follow these four “Rs” and see for yourself how effective they “R” in boosting your residents’ self-esteem!
