Looking after people, especially other people’s friends, family and loved ones is certainly a huge responsibility. This is exacerbated if the loved ones are more vulnerable (i.e., they are elderly) as the responsibility increases considerably. If you own, manage or are simply employed within a care home, this article is for you. Read on to learn how to run a care home successfully.
Put the residents first
This first tip should go without saying. A care home should provide care – it is all in the name. The most important thing, therefore, is to ensure that the residents within a care home are well cared for. So, there needs to be an emphasis placed on fulfilling the residents’ needs, wants and preferences. To do this you must have effective communication between all parties within the care home. From managers, assistant managers, employees, carers and residents, there needs to be a clear line of communication. So, make sure you utilise tools like this aged care software, for example, to streamline communication and facilitate the exchange of information. Also, make sure to always talk to and ask residents for feedback. This can be an invaluable tool, as it will allow the care home and employees to identify any potential areas for improvement. After all, you can always find ways to improve. Importantly also, it will allow the care home to gauge whether or not residents are happy with the level of care and services provided. As the saying goes, you will never know unless you ask.
Equipment
A perhaps slightly overlooked factor in ensuring a care home is run successfully is equipment. In a care home, things will have to be modified and altered to suit and work well for the elder residents. From toilets, bathrooms to nursing beds, seating and linen, there are a lot of different pieces of equipment that a care home will need to have. So, ensure the care home equipment you do have is more than adequate. The more tailored it is to your residents, the better.
Hygiene
After the horrors we saw during Covid-19, we now know how important it is to be on top of hygiene to prevent the spread of disease in care home settings. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to viruses, and once one resident becomes ill, it can quickly spread to other residents. Luckily, proper Facilities Management can help to reduce the risk of disease, ensuring bedding, towels, blankets and clothing remains clean. This is especially important for residents with dementia who often mistakenly wear clothing belonging to others. This creates the perfect environment for cross-contamination, but good hygiene measures will ensure everyone in the home remains healthy and happy.
Well trained staff
Another important factor that largely influences a care homes’ success (success in this article is defined as the care homes’ ability to take care of the needs of the resident), is the staff. Having a well-trained workforce is essential as it can boost morale, productivity, safety, value and independence, which are all important in care homes. If your staff is ill-prepared and poorly trained, the care home will not be able to run at its smoothest. This is problematic of course as it interferes with the wellbeing of residents. So, make sure all staff are well trained and qualified before they take on any responsibilities. Also, make sure they are treated well and valued.
Have an amazing business plan
Although many of us do not like toe it this way, running a care home is essentially running a business. So, like any other business, the care home needs to have a watertight business plan. Within it, there should be considerations regarding finance, resilience and compassion. Think about every little detail and incorporate it. It is better to be prepared early than regret it in the future.
