Feedback from Südamekodud residents

2024

In general, residents are satisfied with the service — 91% of respondents confirmed this. Many respondents were unable to answer some questions — for example, 19% could not evaluate whether the food is tasty. Therefore, while 77% say the food tastes good, it does not mean that the remaining 23% are dissatisfied.

In early summer 2024, Südamekodud conducted its second group-wide resident feedback survey. The goal was to gather residents’ personal impressions and experiences in order to make Südamekodud’s services even better suited to their needs and preferences.

Residents evaluate that:

Statement / quality aspect	Agreed with the statement
Staff respect their privacy	89% of respondents
Feel safe in the presence of staff	94% of respondents
Feel safe even when alone	89% of respondents
Receive the help and services they need	83% of respondents
Are satisfied with the care provided	88% of respondents
The food offered tastes good to them	77% of respondents
Meal times are suitable	94% of respondents
Can go outside whenever they wish	84% of respondents
Are satisfied that they can engage in enjoyable activities at Südamekodu	70% of respondents
Agree that they are treated with respect at Südamekodu	83% of respondents
Agree that Südamekodud staff are friendly	91% of respondents
Would recommend Südamekodud to others who might need such services	85% of respondents

Residents particularly miss visits from loved ones, their own home and the feeling of homeliness, conversation partners, good health, and this time many mentioned a wish for massage. They find other residents, lack of doctors, and staff who do not speak Estonian to be disturbing. The most important aspects are good care, tasty food, safety, friendly staff, cleanliness, and simply having a place to be. For some, activities and events are very important, while others prefer peace and quiet. Opinions about food are also divided: some are satisfied and feel the portions are sufficient, while others see shortcomings in catering.

We greatly value the feedback of our residents — it is the only way we can improve our services.

As in 2022, the questionnaire was based on the InterRAI subjective satisfaction survey, which is specifically designed for older people. Residents could answer orally, giving their responses to volunteers from MTÜ Vabatahtlikud Seltsilised (across Estonia), two youth summer workers, or office employees (at Merivälja Südamekodu). In total, responses were collected from 11 Südamekodud houses (all except Tartu, which had no residents at the time of the survey). Altogether, 349 elderly people participated, 78% of whom were women. Most respondents have lived in Südamekodud for more than one year. Participation was voluntary. Residents with memory impairments were not interviewed — their relatives and/or guardians could respond on their behalf.Residents were asked for feedback in the following areas:

Privacy
Food and meal times
Safety
Comfort and wellbeing
Daily decision-making
Respect / dignity
Staff responsiveness
Connection and communication between staff and residents
Opportunities for activities
Other open-ended questions about satisfaction
a) I would recommend this care home to others who might need it.
b) I am satisfied with the service provided by Südamekodu.
c) Is there anything that bothers me in daily life?
d) Is there something I miss while living in Südamekodu?
e) What is most important for me while living in Südamekodu?
f) What brings me joy here?

What is most important to you while living in Südamekodu?

“I can be active and interact with others.”

“Help is always nearby and food is on the table.”

“To be treated with humanity.”

“To be noticed and cared for, and to get help when I need it.”

“A sense of safety. Cleanliness. Care.”

Feedback from Südamekodud employees

2024

The employee satisfaction survey was conducted in June 2024. A total of 57% of employees from 11 houses responded. At that time, the Tartu Südamekodu had not yet opened. The largest share of respondents has worked at Südamekodu for 1–5 years. 78% of respondents are full-time employees.

Feedback was collected in eight work-related areas:

My work and work organization
Professional development
Salary and benefits
Management (home-level and group-level leadership)
Cooperation
Information flow
Work environment and tools
Südamekodud as an employer / organization

The highest possible score for a question was 4.0, and the lowest was 1.0.

Statement / quality aspect	Score 2024	Score 2021
I know what my job tasks are	3,7	3,7
I feel that my work is valued	3,0	2,9
I enjoy my work	3,6	3,6
I feel I have the knowledge and skills needed for my work	3,4	3,3
I can use my knowledge, skills, and abilities in my position	3,5	3,7
My salary corresponds to my workload and contribution	2,5	2,2
My salary is competitive in the job market	2,4	2,0
The home manager acknowledges and praises employees for good work results	3,4	3,2
The home manager adequately explains their decisions	3,4	3,2
I like the colleagues I work with	3,3	3,5
Employees are encouraged to express their opinions	3,0	3,3
I feel that I contribute and am open to cooperation	3,5	–
The information necessary for my work is accessible to me	3,1	3,1
Changes made in Südamekodud are adequately explained to employees	3,1	3,3
I have the tools I need for my work	3,4	3,6
When I talk to others about my workplace, I say only good things	3,4	3,5
Working here motivates me to give my best every day	3,4	3,6

My work and work organization: The overall assessment of work and work organization at Südamekodud is good. Employees enjoy their work, with an average score of 3.6. They are also well aware of their job responsibilities, rated 3.7. The lowest score in this category was for the statement “I feel that my work is valued” (3.0), but it has improved by 0.2 points compared to 2021.

Professional development: In terms of professional development, a clear need emerged for additional training, particularly in dealing with residents.
The three main training needs among employees:

Handling challenging residents (65% of respondents)
Ergonomic working methods (39% of respondents)
Managing physical and mental aggression (38% of respondents)

Salary and benefits: The salary section received by far the lowest ratings. Although the results have in some cases improved compared to 2021, the overall scores remain low. Most employees do not consider their salary competitive. The lowest ratings came from employees in Valkla and Piigaste homes, where the results fell below 2 — down to 1.5 in Valkla and 1.9 in Piigaste.
However, other benefits received higher ratings and are generally well appreciated (e.g., sports and health support, compensation for glasses and work shoes, birthday acknowledgements, etc.).

Management (home-level and group-level leadership): Ratings for direct supervisors were generally high, mostly between 3.3 and 3.5. Employees perceive stable leadership, though with some internal variation between houses. In Valkla, where several management changes occurred, ratings were slightly lower since the new manager could not yet be properly evaluated during the survey. The highest management ratings were seen in Merivälja, Paide, Piigaste, and Saaremaa Südamekodud. The general manager was rated slightly higher than care or maintenance managers.

Cooperation: In terms of cooperation, employees feel that it has declined compared to 2021. Interestingly, although the overall cooperation rating has dropped, employees rate their own contribution to teamwork highly.

Information flow: Although information sharing was generally rated as good, two issues emerged that need more focus in the future: explaining ongoing changes within Südamekodud and communicating goals, development directions, and expected results. At present, this information does not reach employees sufficiently.

Work environment and tools: This area is generally rated as good, with an average score of 3.4. Two issues stand out as needing more attention: a stress-free work environment — many employees find their work stressful due to heavy workload and staff shortages — and proper ventilation, which was noted as lacking in several houses.

Südamekodud as an employer / organization: In this area, the lowest-rated statement was “I rarely think about leaving this job” — 3.0. Few employees fully agreed with this statement, and many have considered other job options. However, the score has remained unchanged compared to 2021. On a positive note, employees generally speak well of the employer and say that working at Südamekodu motivates them to give their best each day.

Main directions for improvement based on employee feedback:

A motivating and competitive pay system
Recognition of employees and their contributions
Employee training
Stronger and clearer communication so that everyone feels part of Südamekodud — including better explanation of goals, expected results, and clearer communication about changes.

What is most important for me when working at Südamekodud?

“A sense of belonging, recognition for good work, and good relationships with colleagues and leaders.”

“To be there and provide support primarily to the residents of Südamekodu, but also to colleagues and residents’ families.”

“It is important for me to see that residents and their families are satisfied with life in our home.”

“I love my work.”

“The most important thing for me is to be there for people who truly need it — to bring joy and positivity to the final years of their lives.”

“I feel joy myself when I can make someone’s day brighter!”

Feedback from relatives and local governments

We sent a feedback request to 899 relatives and guardians and 79 local governments. In total, we received responses from 288 relatives (32% of all). Among them were 46 guardians (16%) and 242 relatives (84%). 26 local governments responded.

Information about Südamekodud is obtained mainly through the website. Over one third (39%) of respondents consider location to be the most important factor when choosing a service provider. The presence of a pleasant manager is also valued (13%). A total of 82% of respondents are satisfied or rather satisfied with communication. As an area for improvement, respondents suggested that information could be clearer and/or timelier.

As in the 2021 survey, respondents again expressed a wish to receive regular written updates about their relatives. Understandably, they expect to be informed whenever there are changes in health status, care needs, or, for example, room changes.

Relatives, guardians, and local governments were presented with various statements to agree or disagree with. Below are the most important aspects of the service and the average ratings on a 1-to-4 scale (1 = disagree / dissatisfied, 4 = agree / satisfied).

The feedback survey of relatives, guardians, and local governments was conducted in May this year. The goal was to gather information about their satisfaction with Südamekodud’s service and cooperation, and to identify potential areas for improvement so that we can continue to provide the best possible care for our residents.

Statement / quality aspect	2024 average rating by relatives / guardians (scale 1–4)	2024 average rating by local governments (scale 1–4)	2021 average rating
The service is of good quality	3,2	3,6	3,1
The price-quality ratio of the service is appropriate	2,9	3,6	2,6
The service is in a convenient location	3,6	3,3	2,9
The staff are competent	3,3	3,3	3,6
The elderly are well cared for	3,3	3,6	3,5
The elderly feel at home while receiving the service	3,1	Not asked	3,3
The food offered to residents is good	3,2	3,6	3,4
I would recommend Südamekodud’s service to others	3,2	3,7	3,6

In their feedback, relatives and guardians mentioned occasional lack of language skills among caregivers, gaps in communication, and a desire for more daytime activities and outdoor walks. Similar to residents, they miss the option of massage and family doctor visits. Relatives said they would be willing to pay for additional services such as various therapies and mental health support, but not for overnight nursing services (47% said no and 45% were unsure).

Based on all written comments and suggestions, we have compiled house-specific summaries so that each manager can improve service quality and communication in their own Südamekodu home.

Our mission is to preserve the dignity of older people and bring them joy in life. The feedback helps us move toward our vision of being the best home-like care service provider in Estonia.

Feedback

Feedback from Südamekodud residents

2024

What is most important to you while living in Südamekodu?

Feedback from Südamekodud employees

2024

What is most important for me when working at Südamekodud?

Feedback from relatives and local governments

We are very grateful for the feedback given to us!