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Oh I wouldn't want to put a relative in the home I work in. Luckily, all the staff are lovely and so caring to the residents. I used to work in a private home, the difference there was incredible and I don't just mean with the food.
At our place the residents are just sat in a room all day, never go on outings, don't really do any activities. We've got a lovely male resident who loves fruit and salad and I know some of the staff have bought him fresh fruit pots on their breaks out of their own money!
We all complain about the home but we've got a useless manager and it's all budget, budget, budget.
I also found that in the private home, the residents' families came to visit them more regularly and seemed more caring. Most of the residents at our place do not have visitors at all, quite sad.
The only reason we're thinking of food ideas it because there was a meeting with the big boss and we told her we weren't happy. The cook is not happy at all about us interfering with her menus but we're trying to do what we can to ensure the residents have more variety in their diets.
It's so frustrating but I love my job and old people :)