Merindah Lodge - High Return Rates and High Levels of Satisfaction

Aged care facility managers sometimes express concern and frustration about getting few responses to resident and relative satisfaction surveys. In this article Merindah Lodge explains the strategies that helped them achieve an 89% return rate from relatives and an 86% return rate from residents.

Merindah Lodge is a Department of Human Services (Victorian Government) managed 36 bed aged care facility in Camperdown, in the south west of Victoria. The facility provides care for 1 respite, 7 low level and 28 high care residents. The facility is 34 years old and is fully staffed by Registered Nurses, Divisions 1 and 2.

A recent survey of the Residents and Relatives demonstrated high levels of satisfaction with the care and services provided by the facility. Management and staff were pleased with both the overall result (average 89%) and the participation rate of both residents and relatives.

Relatives sent back 31 surveys from the 35 that were sent out giving an overall return rate of 89%.

The facility posts the surveys out to Relatives with a Reply Paid return addressed envelope in November each year. The staff have found that it is important to send the surveys out early in the quarter before the Christmas festivities kick in. Staff have also discovered in the past that this strategy alone is not enough to secure a high response rate. Other strategies employed by the facility include:

• A reminder message is sent out via the Lodge's bi monthly newsletter, "The Merindah Messenger". This newsletter is posted out to all residents' family members.
• Strategically posted reminder signs are placed around the facility's entrance to remind family members to complete and return the surveys during November and December.
• The family members who attend the bi monthly Resident and Relatives meetings are reminded of the value that is placed on the annual satisfaction surveys and their importance to the evaluation of the care and services provided.
• Good organisation and coordination. Much of the credit for the success of these strategies is due to the wonderfully organised secretary, Maureen.

The return rate for Resident Surveys was 86% and this can be attributed to the reminders as previously discussed and also the much appreciated assistance of some of the visiting local school students. The students give freely of their time as part of their visits to assist residents who are unable to complete the surveys themselves. Merindah Lodge has two student programs. Students from Year 10 visit on occasions. There is also a regular program organised through the Activities Staff that has 5-6 students visiting throughout each term for 1-2 hour sessions each week. As well as being involved in the survey processes, the students interact and engage in activities with the residents. The program is part of the Community Service Curriculum. The students are provided training from the Activities staff for the surveys and they are not expected to do more than one survey per visit. As the Quality Co-ordinator, Bambi Vagg explains, "you need to adopt several strategies in order to improve and maintain a good response rate......and don't leave it to the last minute".

It is believed that the resurgence of interest in the surveys is due, in part, to improved satisfaction with improvements being made, and in particular, the garden re-development project that is now nearing completion. Due to a variety of reasons the garden project has faced many hurdles - related to both financial and manpower issues. Several Residents' family members had expressed disappointment about the state of the garden, and the delays experienced in getting the project underway during 2008-2009.

Residents and families can now see progress thanks to the tireless work of all the gardening volunteers and the generous financial contributions from the fund raising committees. As well, a very generous donation of bricks and garden supplies was made by one of the staff members and her husband to ensure the garden beds were built to a very professional standard.

The garden has been fortunate during the spring of 2009 to have a good mix of sunshine and rain which has provided ideal growing conditions for the new plants. Whilst not yet fully completed, the residents are able to access the garden and enjoy the sunshine and the lovely bright flowers. The official opening is eagerly awaited.

In summary the process for the garden redevelopment involved;

• Formation of a Garden Project Planning group with interested staff, residents, family members and volunteers and regular meetings.
• The drawing of formal garden plans for both planning and internal marketing purposes.
• Input from South West Healthcare to access funds.
• Entertainment for the residents with earthmoving equipment creating avid interest through the safety of windows.
• The entertainment for residents created by the transformation of the landscape from barren wasteland to a beautiful colourful oasis.
• Donations from the family members of some of the deceased residents to create living memories such as water features and statues.
• The donation of sun sails from a local community group.

The impact of the project is aptly described by the following comments included in the survey forms:

• When the gardens are finished they will be great.
• Thanks to the volunteers for their efforts, the gardens are finally taking shape.
• I find the staff very friendly and caring and the home is always immaculately clean and sparkling at all times.
• My mother's room is surrounded by lovely gardens.
• It is great for my dad to have access to the birds outside.