How Barchester Strengthens Family Bonds Through Resident Care

When your loved one moves into a care home, it’s natural to focus on their medical needs and physical well-being. Yet emotional and social connections are equally important as we age – and families play an essential role in creating a sense of comfort, reducing feelings of loneliness, and supporting overall well-being when a loved one is in care.

Within our care homes, we see the powerful impact that families can make every single day. That’s why we embrace a family-centred care approach, dedicated to supporting family and friends through open communication, flexible visiting arrangements, and shared participation in activities. 

By providing opportunities to connect and make new memories, we can help our residents to feel truly at home while strengthening the bonds that matter most.

Why Does Family Involvement Matter in Elderly Care?

We all need social connections to flourish, and having social connections with the ones we love is particularly important. In fact, family involvement in elderly care – whether that’s residential, dementia or nursing care – has been proven to improve care home residents’ quality of life and satisfaction.

Elderly people are more susceptible to loneliness, which can occur when their social connections don’t meet their needs. This loneliness is linked to depressed mood, memory decline, diminished functional abilities, and extended hospital stays. Lack of social connections doesn’t just have an emotional impact, but often a physical one too. 

How Can Family Connections Improve Resident Well-being?

Strong family bonds can both comfort residents and actively contribute to a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life. 

As well as the life-enriching activities and emotional support provided by our care homes, we always encourage families to maintain regular contact with loved ones and strive to work alongside families to deliver the best care and support possible.

Knowing that a loved one is involved in their care planning often gives residents a sense of security and belonging, which can improve mood, self-esteem, and even physical health. At the same time, families can help caregivers understand their preferences, habits, and personal histories, allowing care to be more personalised and meaningful. 

Regular visits, phone calls, or even virtual check-ins also reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety in residents too.

What are the Ways Barchester Builds Stronger Family Relationships?

With a family-centred care approach, grounded in great communication, openness to feedback, flexible visiting and personalised care, Barchester gives families peace of mind. 

• Always welcome: We don’t have specific visiting hours – our residents’ friends and families are encouraged to visit whenever they can, at any time, as long as each guest respects the dignity and privacy of other care home residents.
• Regular meetings: By organising meetings and agendas together with residents, families and friends, we encourage everyone to express their views, make suggestions and ask questions.
• Personalised care planning: We are committed to supporting independence and choice in every aspect of our residents’ daily lives. By enabling families to have a role in elderly care planning, we can better understand and address each person’s unique needs.

How to Keep Families Connected

Staying connected with loved ones shouldn’t have to be difficult – at Barchester, we try to make it as easy as possible. We foster a family-friendly culture where residents and their loved ones feel welcome, supported, and involved.  

From creating spaces that feel warm and comforting to planning shared activities, all of our resident care homes are designed to bring people together – creating meaningful opportunities for families to stay close, strengthen relationships, and create lasting memories.

Regular Visits and Visiting Routines

Regular visits are one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to keep families connected. Familiar faces, warm conversations, and shared time together bring comfort and reassurance to residents, helping them feel valued and supported.

Whether it’s a weekly afternoon tea or a Sunday walk in the garden – adding consistency to visiting routines can also create a sense of stability and normalcy in their day-to-day lives, as well as becoming something for loved ones to look forward to.

For families with busy schedules or those living further away, even short visits can make a huge difference. We support this by offering flexible visiting hours and comfortable spaces for families to gather.

Virtual Calls and Digital Communication

From a quick check-in to a group call with multiple family members – when it’s not possible to physically visit a loved one, digital communication can be a great way to stay in touch. Something as simple as seeing a loved one’s smile on a video call or hearing their laugh through the phone can help provide a sense of ease and happiness, no matter the distance.

This is particularly true when communicating with a person with dementia. As a loved one’s dementia progresses, they may struggle with verbal communication, but video calls featuring familiar faces and gestures can make communication easier to digest and understand.

Family Involvement in Activities

Shared activities allow families and residents to create new memories together, rather than just reminiscing on the past. 

At Barchester, families are invited to spend quality time with their loved ones through planned activities, including (but certainly not limited to) summer fêtes, games and entertainment, seasonal celebrations, and local outings. Joining in is encouraged and very beneficial for residents, who often feel more motivated and confident to join in when their family is present.

Families are also welcome to join their loved ones for pre-booked meals, with the option of using the private dining spaces available in many of our homes. This allows residents to enjoy personal celebrations or simple family catch-ups in a more intimate setting, helping to maintain those important family bonds.

Shared Celebrations and Events

Shared celebrations and events also play a vital role in life within care homes, and each year, there are so many occasions to celebrate. When it comes to birthdays, we want each one to be special and memorable for both our residents and their families and friends. Families often get involved in planning the menu, cake, and decorations to reflect the resident’s wishes.

Community days are another regular occurrence at Barchester, bringing residents, staff, and families together while also establishing strong relationships with local communities. These usually involve fundraising activities and entertainment that’s suitable for all ages, supporting local clubs, groups, schools and good causes. Even families who are simply enquiring about our care homes are welcomed into these events, giving them a real sense of our warm and inclusive atmosphere.

Welcoming Visitor Spaces

We understand the importance of providing comfortable, welcoming spaces for residents to spend time with their visitors. Quiet lounges within our homes are a popular choice, offering a calm and relaxed environment for family catch-ups, personal conversations, or simply enjoying each other’s company. Many of our homes have cafés in the reception areas, and outdoor seating areas in the gardens too. 

There are plenty of spaces throughout our homes where residents and their loved ones can meet. Whether it’s for a private celebration, a casual visit, or joining in with daily activities, these areas are designed to feel inviting and homely, ensuring that every visit is enjoyable.

Emotional and Practical Family Support

Our thoughtful, people-first approach extends beyond our residents to include their families and friends. We are committed to understanding each family’s unique needs, ensuring we provide the highest level of support.

Easing the Transition into Care

Adjusting to life in a nursing, dementia or residential care home can be a big change for both residents and their families. Barchester places great importance on making this transition as smooth and positive as possible.

One of the ways we do this is through our ‘Getting to Know Me’ booklet, which captures hobbies, likes and dislikes, life stories, and religious beliefs, bringing families together as they reminisce as well as helping staff to provide truly personalised care. The completed booklet often becomes a treasured keepsake for families too.

Many of our homes also host support and information events aimed at helping families navigate the sometimes complex process of moving into a care home. Here, families can receive expert advice and guidance on fundraising or accessing resources to support their loved one’s needs. By offering this early engagement, our homes help relatives to feel more confident, informed, and prepared.

Unfortunately sometimes, especially for those living with dementia, paranoia, anxiety and emotional attachment to the family home can make moving into a care home particularly difficult. When someone with dementia is refusing to go into a care home, it can be quite a challenging time for relatives to know what to do. If this happens, our expert teams work closely with families to reduce stress and distress, improve communication, and promote overall well-being. This collaboration ensures that families can spend quality, meaningful time with their loved ones in a supportive environment.

Open Communication with Care Teams

Open communication between families and care teams is at the heart of providing the best possible support. With regular updates, feedback sessions, and invitations to participate in care reviews, families can have an active role in elderly care planning at Barchester. 

Our teams also encourage family involvement through regular feedback. Relatives are welcome to share their views by speaking to any member of the team, using suggestion cards available year-round, or providing feedback through our “Tell Barchester” Customer Satisfaction Survey.

By maintaining open, ongoing communication, we create a partnership where families feel heard, valued, and confident that their loved one is receiving personalised, high-quality care.

Guidance, Reassurance and Advocacy

At Barchester, another way we prioritise guidance, reassurance and advocacy is through our Resident Ambassadors, who are actively involved in all aspects of home life. As residents themselves, they guide tours, assist with staff recruitment, and participate in resident, family, and friends meetings.

Resident Ambassadors act as the voice of our care home residents, providing an additional channel for expressing concerns, sharing suggestions, and highlighting where the home is doing well. They also often serve as buddies for new residents and their families, offering reassurance and support as they settle in.

Final Thoughts: Making Care a Shared Journey

At Barchester, we believe that care is most meaningful when it is a shared journey between care home residents, families, and our dedicated teams. By involving families in activities, celebrations, care planning, and everyday life, we create an environment where residents feel valued, understood, and supported as best as they could possibly be.

Open communication, inclusive events, welcoming spaces, and personalised care all contribute to building and maintaining strong relationships between families and their loved ones – making life in our care homes not just about support, but about living fully and joyfully.

FAQs

How does resident care help strengthen family relationships?

Resident care that works to involve families can promote connection, communication, and shared experiences. By participating in activities, celebrations, and care planning, families can support and spend quality time with their loved ones while creating new memories together, strengthening bonds and improving emotional well-being for everyone.

Can families be involved in creating care plans?

Yes. Family involvement in care is essential to our approach at Barchester. We involve families and friends through regular updates, feedback sessions, and invitations to care reviews, ensuring that care reflects each of our residents’ needs, preferences, and routines.

How often can I visit my loved one in a care home?

Visits are encouraged and flexible. Families can visit as often as they wish, whenever they wish, as long as each guest respects the dignity and privacy of other residents. They can also pre-book to attend meals, attend events, or participate in activities – helping to maintain strong connections and provide comfort to residents.

How can care home life reduce stress for family caregivers?

Caring for elderly loved ones, particularly those living with dementia, can have a huge impact on family members. People living with dementia can experience aggression, paranoia and confusion, especially at the later stages, and it’s important to navigate these outbursts calmly. 

Care homes can ease these physical and emotional demands on family caregivers by providing professional, personalised support for residents.

At Barchester, open communication, guidance, and involvement in care planning help to give families reassurance and peace of mind – allowing them to enjoy quality time with their loved ones rather than managing all care responsibilities alone.

How do Barchester care homes support residents with dementia and their families?

Our teams work closely with residents and their families to reduce stress, enhance communication, and promote overall well-being. Through tailored care plans, dementia-friendly activities, and expert guidance from our staff, residents receive compassionate, personalised support.

By encouraging family involvement in elderly care, we also empower loved ones to share meaningful and enjoyable moments with our residents, strengthening bonds and enhancing quality of life.

Are there activities available that families can join in with?

Yes, plenty! Barchester care homes offer a range of activities that families can pre-book and take part in, from community events and celebrations to meals and shared hobbies. These opportunities help families create new memories, strengthen bonds, and enjoy quality time with their loved ones.