Taking the decision to move into a care home is one of the hardest things many people face as they reach old age or require additional care support. From the fear of losing independence to working out what they want to bring with them, there will be many questions and concerns running round the heads of the person preparing to enter care, as well as their circle of friends and families.
As care providers, our role is to offer as much reassurance and information as the person needs to help them make their decisions and settle in to their new home. This means professional, compassionate support and advice from their initial enquiry, right through to admissions day and the person’s first few weeks in the care home. A great way to ensure that all areas are covered and that admission systems function easily and effectively is to use care management software to co-ordinate the entire process. Here are five ways in which Care Vision’s care management software can help you help your newest residents quickly feel at home.
Inclusivity and communications
A vital part of welcoming new residents is making them feel comfortable and able to communicate with you and your team to make their needs and preferences known. Equally, people should never feel discriminated against or awkward about asking for cultural, religious, dietary or other adjustments to be made. Being able to record all needs and preferences electronically can help ensure that information is accurate and secure. Having all the details in one place enables the care home to provide genuine person-led care, right from the start. No need for multiple sources of information that could conflict with each other or go missing.
Personalised welcome pack
We all feel happier about the situations we find ourselves in when we know more about what is expected of us and what we can expect in return. Using care management software to draw up a personalised welcome pack is a very important way to help people feel more confident as they prepare to move into the care home. For example, being able to tell people exactly how their medications and treatments will be managed using the details stored on Care Vision’s digital software will prove far more helpful and reassuring than some generic text about the general healthcare services on offer. Being able to add the names of staff members who will be looking after the new arrival to the welcome pack gives a more personalised tone too.
Easy admissions
Care Vision’s software also helps to make admissions procedures far easier. Each resident has their own set of records, stored securely on the system for confidential access by those who need to see them. Details can be accessed remotely too, meaning that any issues can be resolved straight away, at any time of the day or night. In terms of new arrivals, this means that queries can be answered quickly and any problems with the room, healthcare plans etc. can be sorted out without delay. The system can also integrate with other third-party software, so that GP records, hospital treatment details and other key details can be easily transferred across to the new care home.
Family and friends
One of the first questions a lot of new care residents ask is how and when friends and family can visit them. In normal circumstances, visits should be encouraged as they add greatly to the person’s quality of life and morale. Care Vision’s care management system includes a comprehensive electronic visitors’ book for people coming on site to sign in and provide a lasting record of when and why they have visited. This keeps people safe within the care home and enables staff to look back at previous visiting activity if any issues or queries should arise later on.
Practicalities
Finally, helping someone move into their new care home involves a lot of planning, list-making and making decisions. Without adequate administrative systems to help, vital things could be missed. Care Visions software enables records to be kept on each person in a systematic, details way. Medication records are kept safe in the eMAR feature. Additionally, dietary preferences, healthcare treatments, cultural or language considerations can be added for comprehensive, compassionate and, above all, personalised support.
