1. ‘Getting to know you’ sheet – guidance on its use
The attached ‘Getting to know you’ sheet was designed at the request of relatives of
patients, who have been cared for on the general wards. These relatives felt that when
a patient was unable to tell the nurses about how they normally function and live
when at home, that the relatives themselves would be able to offer this information to
the nursing team.
Completing this sheet is not mandatory for all patients. It has been written in a way
that means it can be handed by the nursing staff to relatives, friends or informal
carers, in order for them to complete it. The nurses need to ask the relative to
complete it, asking for information about how the person normally functions and lives
when at home (or in a care home). Once the relative has completed it, they need to
give it back to the nurses on the ward.
It can also be utilised by the nursing staff when speaking to relatives or informal
carers over the telephone, if they are not able to visit the ward and complete the sheet.
To make the best use of the information, once it is completed, make sure all nursing
staff have access to it in the nursing notes. Please refer to it as a baseline for all
nursing care. It may also be useful as a tool, to offer potential explanations for any
changes in behaviour, while the person is in hospital, or can be very helpful if you are
trying to engage a patient in order to reduce their distress levels.
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2. Information for relatives and carers
Eating and drinking and providing help at mealtimes
Sometimes when people are admitted to hospital they need help with eating and
drinking. If this is the case with your relative, and you would like to assist at
mealtimes, the nurses would be pleased to accept your offer of help. Please note there
is no obligation on you to do this. Please would you first check with the nurses so
that, you can arrange the best time to visit the ward and assist your relative, as the
wards have specific visiting times. Please also check with the nurses if they are
documenting what your relative eats or drinks, so you can inform them, or complete
the charts. Always check with the nurses before assisting your relative, as there may
be changes to their health that affect what they can eat or drink, e.g. they may have a
swallowing difficulty, so please ask the nurse for details of any advice that you need
to follow.
In order for us to understand your relative’s needs there is an attached ‘Food and
Drink Getting to Know You’ form. Please complete as much as you can of this form
and pass it to the nurses, as this will enable them to assist your relative. This form
will be in a place where all the nurses can see it and then they can use it, as a guide for
every mealtime. If there is any change in the instructions or you have any other
comments, please inform the nursing team.
Your relative is most likely to be in a ward with other patients, some of whom may be
having difficulty eating. If this is the case please be sensitive to their needs. When
helping your relative to eat, either sit with your back to the other patients or sit
sideways, so as to give them as much privacy and dignity as possible.
Note: If your relative has special cutlery or other utensils, e.g. cups, they use at home,
then it may help them if you brought this in. Please label it first. If you do not want
to bring these in, if you can let the nurses know what your relative uses, they can try
to arrange for your relative to have these on the ward.
If your relative has dentures, please can you speak to the nurse about marking these
up with your relative’s initials, as dentures go missing and this often leads to patients
ending up on a soft diet. It is a good idea even if your relative is confused, to assist
them to fill the menu in themselves, so they see their own hand writing, they therefore
feel they have made a choice themselves.
If you wish to bring in food and drink for your relative to have, please check with the
nursing staff to make sure they can store this food. It is not possible to reheat food.
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3. Name: ___________________________ DOB: _________________________
 Name of relative/carer.
 Your relationship to the patient.
 How often do you see them? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? (Please circle).
 Do they live with you? Yes/No (please circle)
 What do they prefer to know as-
‘Food and Drink Getting to Know you’ Form
Have there been any significant change in their appetite or eating and drinking? Yes/
No (please circle). In the last few days? Yes/No (please circle). If yes, what changes
have you observed? Does their eating vary day-to-day or within a day or over a meal?
Can you provide as much information as possible on their usual food or drink intake.
Do they eat/drink at breakfast? Yes/No (please circle)
At breakfast: food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Do they eat or drink mid-morning? Yes/No (please circle)
Mid-morning: what food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Do they eat or drink at lunchtime?
At lunch: what food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Name: ___________________________ DOB: _________________________
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4. Do they eat or drink mid-afternoon?
Mid-afternoon: Food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Do they eat or drink at tea time?
At tea time: what food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Do they eat or drink at supper time?
At suppertime: what food and drink they like or dislike? How much? When?
Any other information you would like to give? E.g. weight loss/increase. Do they
wear dentures? Do they have problems with swallowing? Are there any special
dietary needs, e.g. modified or soft diet, thickened fluids, allergies etc.
Name: ___________________________ DOB: _________________________
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5. General Information
Sleep
- Which side of the bed?
- Light on or off?
- Sleep walker?
- Early riser?
- Light sleeper?
- Position of bedroom to toilet?
- What is usually taken to or not
to help sleep?
(i.e. Horlicks, medication.)
Waking
- Do they lie in bed or up straight
away?
- Any hygiene or dressing routine
before breakfast?
- Are they an early bird?
Toileting
- Tendency to constipation or not?
- Privacy
- Do they need prompting?
- How often?
- Any continence issues?
- Do they use continence aids?
Situations that increase or
decrease stress
- What situations?
- What helps to calm them?
- What helps if problems arise?
- Any comforting objects they may
want or use (i.e. photos, familiar
belongings or letter off carer i.e.
familiar handwriting).
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6. Communication
- When are they more alert
and able to listen?
- Speech problems or difficulty?
- Glasses/Hearing aid used?
- Can they read the written word?
- Do they prefer it quiet?
Previous occupation or role
-What was their job?
- Caring role?
- Postman?
- Very active?
Likes and dislikes
- Any habits or routines?
- TV/radio? – what programmes?
- Reading?
- Any other interests?
- Fears about hospital, doctors?
Anything else
- e.g. Faith/cultural needs
- Personality and character
- Relationships and things of
importance etc,
- Please feel free to add anything
that may be relevant.
- Life so far
Helen Pratt 2006 Pennine care NHS trust
Alzhiemers Society – This is me 2010
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