My Home Life

http://www.myhomelife.org.uk

My Home Life is a new initiative from Help The Aged (UK), aimed at improving the quality of life of those who are living, dying, visiting and working in care homes for older people.

My Home Life aims to celebrate existing best practice in care homes and promote care homes as a positive option for older people. The My Home Life team is developing a range of resources, practice development initiatives and other activities.

Over 60 academic researchers worked in partnership with care home practitioners, independent advisors and voluntary groups to examine evidence on the quality of life of older people in care homes.

Based on this review, the My Home Life team put together a program of ongoing research and development to help staff optimize the quality of life in care homes.

This research helped identify eight best practice themes which together form a vision for care homes in the 21st century:

• Managing transitions
  
• Maintaining identity
  
• Creating community
  
• Sharing decision-making
  
• Improving health & healthcare
  
• Supporting good end-of-life
  
• Keeping workforce fit for purpose
  
• Promoting a positive culture

The My Home Life program has already the following documents available at the Resources section of the website:

• My Home Life: A review of the literature - details the evidence for best practice
  
• My Home Life report - outlines key findings of the literature review along with testimonies from residents
  
• The My Home Life summary - a brief executive summary of the program and the underpinning Issue 1 Care Home Staff Bulletin: Managing Transitions (PDF, 380k)
  
• Managing transitions poster
  
• Managing transitions bulletin

As the program advances, the team will continue to publish regular updates, tips and examples of best practice.