Care home residents' families are being asked to sign permission forms so staff can call them pet names like 'love', 'darling' and 'sweetheart'
Families of residents at Norwood House Care Home have been asked whether they give 'consent' to their loved one being referred to by terms of endearment Have YOU been asked to sign a consent form? Email [email protected]
Families are being asked to sign permission forms allowing for care home staff to call residents pet names like 'love', 'darling' and 'sweetheart'.
Relatives of those living at Norwood House Care Home in Middleton, Suffolk, received consent forms earlier this month in which they were asked if they grant permission for staff to refer to residents using terms of endearment.
The form asks families whether they do, or do not, 'give consent for the staff of Norwood House' to refer to their relative 'with the following terms of endearment' which include 'my love', 'lovely', 'my lovely', 'dear' and 'my dear'.
Norwood House Care Home, in Middleton, Suffolk, has asked for families' consent for staff to call residents pet names such as 'dear', 'sweetheart' and 'my love'
Norwood House, a former farmhouse situated in Middleton Moor, is a residential home which specialises in dementia care.
The home began sending out the waivers earlier this month over concerns that not all terms of endearment will be acceptable to everyone.
General manager of Norwood House, Jose Simoes, said feedback from relatives has been 'overwhelmingly positive', with some saying they 'found it funny' as they would never have thought of it.
An example of the consent form sent to families of residents at Norwood House
Speaking to the Telegraph, Jose Simoes, general manager of Norwood House, said: 'The reaction from relatives has been absolutely positive. It’s about dignity and choice for our residents.'
Addressing the concerns over pet names, he added: 'It’s harmless; however, in this day and age, what is harmless to one person might not be to another.
'If there is a staff member who likes to use a term of endearment, they’ll know which ones the residents are comfortable with.'
Mr Simoes explained that the purpose of the waiver is to give people a choice, and to be 'open and dignified' in the care they provide to residents.
He noted that terms of endearment can often 'be a grey area' and the new measure was introduced to ensure they do not 'upset anybody'.
The new measure was brought in to ensure no resident felt uncomfortable with the use of certain terms of endearment
He added: 'If I was to call you sweetheart, you would be able to tell me if you don’t like it.
'But a lot of our residents lack the capacity to tell us if it is something they are comfortable with.'
To ensure these residents are comfortable with the terms of endearment used, the forms were sent to next of kin.
Staff at the care home have been told to primarily use names to refer to residents, however, the new measure now allows for staff to know which pet names are appropriate for each resident.