Building bridges between families and nursing home staff: the Partners in Caregiving Program

Compelling evidence exists that conflict and communication problems occur between nursing home staff and family members of residents. However, few interventions have been documented that simultaneously address the needs of both groups. The Partners in Caregiving program was created to train staff and family members in communication techniques and conflict resolution skills. Through a joint meeting with facility administrators, both groups also have the opportunity to influence facility practices. Evaluation data indicated that satisfaction with the program was extremely high, and that positive changes in staff-family interactions occurred.