During their lives, most elderly couples and people reach a stage where they can no longer care for themselves. Usually, this leads to their family members setting them up in a care home or senior living center like Chelsea Senior Living (chelseaseniorliving.com/locations/new-york/plainview/).
For every party involved, this is a big moment. Of course, there’s extra pressure on the care homeowners and employees, as it’s their responsibility to provide excellent care.
This raises a question: what are the qualities of a good care home?
Whether you’re a care homeowner or someone who is looking to move into a care home, you will find this guide to be really useful.
Mobility Equipment
Firstly, mobility equipment.
Most care home residents struggle to move around as well as they used to. For example, many of them have frail bodies which means they struggle to walk up and down the stairs.
Because of this, it’s essential that every care home has high-quality mobility equipment, including wheelchairs, scooters, access ramps, and more.
As a care home, you can get all the equipment you need from medical-supermarket.com.
Security
Security is incredibly important.
A good care home will have security cameras and alarms spread throughout the property. Also, at night, some care homes hire security guards who patrol the area to keep residents safe.
No matter the size or scale of your care home, you must have security measures in place!
Activity Days
Being active is an important part of life – especially for the elderly.
Therefore, every day, residents should be given the option to engage in different activities, from walks around the block to reading and painting clubs.
This way, their physical and mental health will benefit.
Supplements
Supplements are a great way to boost the health of elderly people. Healthcare professionals recommend that they take vitamin D supplements. This is particularly important during winter when there’s very limited sunlight.
Therefore, good care homes must supply their residents with all the supplements that they need.
Skin and Teeth Care
As you get older, your skin and teeth become more prone to problems. This is why it’s essential that you take good care of your resident’s skin and teeth.
Your nurses need to implement a daily skincare routine for residents (ideally, you should use an emollient and cleansing cloth) whilst helping those who need it to brush their teeth once in the morning and once in the evening.
Additionally, make sure to use community dental services where dentists come to your care home to take a look at any teeth problems that occur.
Warm Atmosphere
Care homes should always have a warm and welcoming atmosphere. This benefits everyone, from the residents and nurses to guests who come to visit during the week.
To create a warm atmosphere, you need to focus on high-quality décor, relaxing music, and friendly service. The key is to make each room ‘feel like home’ rather than a nursing facility.
Cleanliness
Naturally, care homes need a lot of maintenance. Drinks get spilt, dust builds up, and various other problems can occur. Therefore, you should hire a housekeeper to keep everything nice and clean. Depending on the size of your nursing home, you may need to hire multiple housekeepers on a rotation basis.
Healthy Food
Your residents must have a healthy diet. Meals should also vary from day-to-day to prevent meals from becoming boring and routine. Remember to ask your residents what their personal preferences are.