Get residents involved. Provide social functions and events that allow residents to get to know one another. Understand that conflicts often occur when residents are bored or don't have the right mental and social stimulation. Develop activities within the facility that engage residents and encourage individuals to pursue their own hobbies and interests if they are able.
Eliminate stress. Assess your facility to determine what potential stressors may be causing resident-to-resident conflict. Take the steps necessary to eliminate or reduce the stressors as much as possible. For example, if constantly changing staff is a stressor and causing resident-to-resident conflict, the facility needs to develop and implement retention efforts for nurses, aides and other staff members.
Watch for signs of conflict. Learn what signs residents exhibit when they are upset or stressed, as this can allow you to calm them down and prevent conflict from escalating. Work individually with residents to develop a method for calming down or decreasing their stress. Help residents to self-identify when they are becoming agitated so they can remove themselves from the situation rather than require staff to intercede.
Mediate a discussion between residents. Bring the residents having a conflict together at a time when both are calmed down to discuss the differences or problems they are having. Allow each resident to have an opportunity to express his or her point of view without the other resident interrupting them. Help the residents develop a solution to the problem they both can agree on.
Separate the residents. Move one of the residents to another room if the resident-to-resident conflict is between two people who live together. Transfer one resident to a different wing or floor of the facility if conflict erupts in common areas--such as hallways, dining rooms and lounges--and an agreement can't be reached.