Facilitated reflection meetings as a relational approach to problem-solving within long-term care facilities

Care workers have valuable knowledge to contribute to the improvement of their work environments. Yet incorporating their perspectives into organizational decision-making within long-term care facilities (LTCFs) has been an ongoing challenge. In this article we investigate a promising practice that brought workers and management together in weekly and bimonthly facilitated reflection meetings to identify and resolve problems. Drawing on observations as well as individual and group interviews, we sought to understand whether and how this intervention worked from the perspective of participants. Our study found that one of the main achievements was creating a safe space for workers to speak honestly. They felt heard and treated with respect. In this context, they were willing to surface concerns, failures, and problems for collective deliberation and action. The inclusion of a range of occupational groups ensured that the solutions developed were sensitive to context, including organizational and occupational realities. While the outcomes of the process were impressive, this paper highlights the relational work that created trust, respect, and a spirit of collaboration. We suggest that such facilitated reflection processes may serve as an important strategy to improve the organization of work in LTCFs, one that is particularly well-suited to the dynamic and relational nature of care.