Books reviewed by James Woodward

Partners in Care

Partners in Care by Bob Woods, John Keady, Helen Ross and Clare WengerBob Woods, John Keady, Helen Ross and Clare Wenger
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2008, £25.52, ISBN 9781843106753

Care is always a partnership.  It involves equal partners who need to feel engaged understood and empowered.  Admission in to a care home is a serious and significant transition for an individual, their family and friends.  Sometimes we do not give enough attention to family and friends as they often feel uncertain about how they now ‘fit in’ to their loved one’s life.  This training package which consists of a booklet and a DVD, is designed to encourage family participation in the care home and develop a constructive partnership between staff in care homes, families and people with dementia.

One of the key strengths of this training material is its clarity and accessibility.  Four separate sessions are offered with a range of themes, group exercises and notes for the facilitator.  Each of the sessions explores a different theme: sharing information, sharing the care, developing supportive relationships and making the ‘partnership’ work.

Looking at the DVD and reading the notes gave me a partial insight into the quality of this material.  I decided that the best way to evaluate what was provided was to use it.  So, the best commendation that this reviewer can offer is that this material works for staff, residents’ relatives and indeed residents themselves.  Every care home should have access to this training material and be using it within their work.

James Woodward