An increasing awareness of the challenges faced by people living with autism and other neurodiverse conditions has meant that greater emphasis is being placed on this important aspect of health and social care. While many neurodiverse people are able to live independently, or with certain levels of support, in their own homes, others require residential care to help keep them healthy, safe and fulfilled.
Care home managers must make certain adjustments to ensure that their neurodiverse residents can cope well with life in their setting and that family members can feel reassured that their loved one is being cared for appropriately and with dignity. This can be simplified with the use of digital care management systems, such as Care Vision. Here are some key elements of care provision for people affected by autism and other types of neurodiversity.
Person-led care planning
Person-led care plans are vital for anyone requiring care, residential or otherwise. They enable any therapies, medical treatment, social care support and communications to be tailored to the person in question. This leads to improved quality of care, fewer misunderstandings or omissions and greater engagement with the proposed plan by the person and their family. People with autism are not all the same and do not necessarily all need the same type of support. Having access to customisable care planning and personal record-keeping tools like Care Vision can provide makes person-led planning much easier to achieve.
Encouraging autonomy
Empowering neurodiverse people to make choices for themselves wherever possible can help boost confidence, teach decision-making skills and increase personal safety. Every person will have a different capacity for decision-making, which should be reflected in the level of support they receive and how their care plan is constructed. People with autism and other neurodiverse conditions may need adjustments to help them in this. These could include longer thinking time before being asked for their choice or a quiet space in which to reflect. Of course, safety must be a priority and unwise decisions should still be challenged and discussed to help increase understanding.
Health and medical support
People with autism can have exactly the same types of medical concerns and healthcare issues as any other person. Depending on communication skills and cognitive abilities, however, it can be harder for some people to express medical needs, especially in an emergency or heightened emotional state. Living in residential care will enable people to receive quality healthcare quickly, on site, and by staff who will be more familiar to them than in a hospital or other medical setting. Care Vision includes medication tools such as eMAR and care notes functions to assist those involved in residents’ care to check and follow healthcare and medication regimens and update any information around dosages, side-effects etc.
Supporting communication
Neurodiverse care home residents’ levels and methods of communication can be as varied as the people themselves. As well as verbal communications, which may not be possible for all neurodiverse residents, other options could include photographs, visual timetables, apps, email, smart phones, tablets, notebooks and pens. It is a good idea to have an many of these available around the care home as possible to allow for maximum access to communications aids. These can be used to communicate with care home staff, fellow residents and with family members and friends outside the setting. Always give people plenty of space and time to communicate in their own way. Be aware of how behaviours, especially challenging ones, can often be a different form of communication.
Environment and other stress factors
Sensory reviews of areas where people with autism spend their time can help create a soothing, calm environment for residents to feel safe and at ease. Adaptations around reducing sounds, light and bright colours can also be helpful. There are various accessibility settings on technology to help with this, as well as devices such as noise-cancelling headphones and coloured filters for lights. Staff should also be aware of any sensory issues around scents (e.g. not wearing strong perfumes) and how and when to touch residents, for example whether or not to hug them and how to provide personal care. Provide safe ways for residents to meet sensory needs. This can be included in their care plan and personal records on Care Vision.
Staff training and anti-discrimination measures
Care Vision can help managers keep track of which staff members have received training and have additional qualifications around neurodiversity and avoiding discriminatory behaviour towards residents. It can also help keep discreet records of any staff members who are autistic themselves, or affected by similar issues. Having access to this information helps managers look after their teams and ensure that they are not affected by discrimination and that any adjustments that are needed for them to work comfortably are in place.
For further information about quality care for people with autism, take a look at this comprehensive report from the National Autistic Taskforce: https://nationalautistictaskforce.org.uk/an-independent-guide-to-quality-care-for-autistic-people/#background.