CARE HOMES

Care Homes

Care Homes

Introduction

Once again the care of older people in our care homes and hospitals has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent weeks with stories of neglect, indifference and even older people dying of thirst. The efforts to make dignity central to the care given are ongoing and yet many older people and their families continue to experience horrific treatment.

Care Homes are an integral part of the local community, a place where relationships established between the people for whom the care home is a home, the staff and careers and families. The majority of people residing in care homes aged 85 plus. Many enter the care home as people with multiple-complex needs, including cognitive impairment. These people have an extraordinary life experience and have experience a variety of losses along their own journey. The care home will be the place where they choose to spend the remainder of their lives. End of life care and the whole concept of living and dying well is a key component of residing in a care home (Folbre, 2001).

Discussion

I have used the pseudonym Chris for the purpose of this care study for the patient in order to protect his identity and maintain confidentiality (NMC, 2008). There is also a legal obligation under Data Protection Act (1998) not to disclose patient's personal details. Chris is a 73 year old male, who I worked with in a residential home for people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour, where he was residing. Chris has been diagnosed with a learning disability (LD), which means that he has significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and learn new skills (Department of Health, 2002). This issue appears to be a overlooked by healthcare staff and I refer to it in conclusions of in this assignment.

Every member of staff has to familiarise himself with Chris's care plan and its updates and follow them closely in order to provide seamless care to the patient. Each section of the care plan requires member of staff signature as a confirmation that they understood its content and will act accordingly to it. Just after medication he had time for his personal care. Staff used to say the word “shower” in a friendly manner to prompt Chris and pass to him his dressing gown, which he usually put on himself. Then staff positioned a night commode next to Chris's bed to enable him to transfer onto it from his bed. A member of staff always assisted with this, trying to make this process as safe as possible. The home manager carried out a moving and handling risk assessment for Chris, which is an integral part of his care plan (Bettal Quality Consultancy, 2009). Chris, on the night commode and in his dressing gown, made choices about his clothing for the day according to the weather. Arguably this did not promote much dignity, because the patient was o night commode, but supported the patient's independence (General Social Care Council, ...