The Different Types of Conflicts in Care Homes And How to Handle Them
Disagreements in care homes can happen for all sorts of reasons. But some issues are small and easy to clear up, while others need more time and care.
Below, you’ll find a straightforward guide to the kinds of conflict that can arise in residential and nursing care, along with practical suggestions for dealing with them constructively.
How do You Handle Disagreements in Care Homes?
Disagreements in care homes should be handled promptly, and most importantly, calmly. The first step is to raise the issue with a senior staff member and be clear about what happened and why it’s a concern. Listen to their response, ask for next steps and follow up in writing if needed. Keeping your loved one’s well-being in mind will guide the conversation toward a fair resolution.
Why Conflicts Happen in Care Settings
It’s easy to think of conflict as something caused by a mistake or bad behaviour, but often it’s more complex than that. In care homes, disagreements usually come from a mix of pressures, expectations and emotions on all sides.
Living in any shared environment can be challenging. And in care homes, residents may have different routines, lifestyle preferences or health conditions that affect how they interact with others. For families, emotions run high because seeing a loved one change, decline or struggle can make even small issues feel heavier than they are. And for care staff, balancing the needs of several people while following care plans and policies isn’t always straightforward.
Misunderstandings often grow out of assumptions or gaps in communication, not bad intent. Recognising that conflict usually has context behind it makes it easier to approach the situation with more clarity and less blame.
6 Common Situations Where Conflict Can Arise
Most of the time, conflicts and disputes in care homes build up through small moments that feel unresolved.
These are some of the situations where tension can start to show:
Tension between residents
Shared spaces can be challenging if you’re living with people you don’t know very well, especially when routines clash or communication is difficult. This is particularly true when residents have different care needs or are living with conditions like dementia.
Family concerns about how something was handled
Sometimes a family member has questions about a change in routine, a missed update or how a particular situation was managed. If the explanation isn’t clear, it can cause more frustration.
Miscommunication or delays in information
When families don’t hear about something important, or hear it too late, it can, rightfully, cause concern. Even small communication gaps can lead to bigger misunderstandings.
Different care expectations
Care staff are trained to work with care plans and routines, but families often bring their own views of what ‘good care’ should look like. If those expectations don’t match, it can cause friction.
Disagreements between relatives
Not every family sees things the same way. When decisions need to be made, such as about health, finances or even day-to-day preferences, it could bring long-standing tensions to the surface.
Internal staff issues
If there’s tension within the staff team, it can affect how care is delivered or how confidently families are communicated with, even if the issue isn’t obvious at first. That’s why it’s important to choose a care home that has high staff retention and a close-knit team with a family-like feel.
When a Disagreement Becomes a Complaint
Not every issue can be resolved through a quick chat. So, if you’ve already raised a concern and it hasn’t been acknowledged or acted on, it might be time to take a more formal step.
Care homes are expected to have a complaints process, but most residents and families think they’re making a fuss if they use it. But it means you’re asking for the concern to be taken seriously and handled correctly, and that’s entirely reasonable.
If you decide to put something in writing, try to keep it as clear and specific as possible.
Focus on what happened, what’s been discussed so far and the outcome you’re hoping for. A written response should follow, along with some indication of what happens next.
In situations where you’re worried about safety or where the issue is being avoided, it’s appropriate to contact the care provider or local authority. You can also speak to the regulator (the CQC if you’re in England) if you feel the home isn’t responding in the way it should.
Formal complaints aren’t always easy to make, but they exist for a reason, and sometimes they’re the step that ensures something gets the attention it needs.
Finding the Right Way Forward
Don’t worry, disagreements in care homes aren’t unusual. So if one arises, now you know how to work through it properly.
Not every concern needs to be a formal complaint, but when it does, there are clear steps to take. Remember, being direct, staying calm and asking the right questions can make a difficult situation way easier to manage for everyone involved.
Ready to explore...
