CARE POLICY

Our aims and objectives  are to promote a flexible Approach to care which recognises the need for individuality and respect for resident's previous lifestyles.

We aim to provide for the most basic needs of the older people in our care, however at a time when a person decides to give up his/her home, we try to make this as painless as possible. We aim to provide an environment where they can continue to live their life with dignity, respect and a right to self determination and choice.

Through these aims we are creating a warm and homely atmosphere, with staff who are caring, supportive, compassionate and sensitive to the needs of older people and their families.

Our homes allow our residents to enjoy...

PRIVACY

RIGHTS

CHOICE

INDEPENDENCE

FULFILLMENT

DIGNITY

CLIENTS CHARTER OF RIGHTS

The purpose of this charter is to allow you, as a Resident of this Home, to control as much of your life as possible and to enjoy the following rights :-

1. To retain your personal Privacy, Dignity, and Independence.

2. To have skilled, sensitive care enabling you to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

3. To have your Social, Emotional, Religious and Political needs accepted and respected.

4. To be consulted about daily living arrangements and to participate in discussions regarding changes, moving and facilities and services provided.

5. To make decisions about your care (G.P., Medication, Financial Affairs etc.).

6. To leave the Home.

7. To any special aids or equipment which it is agreed that you need and is appropriate for the Home to provide.

8. To have the same access to services in the community as any other citizen.

9. To have your belongings treated with respect and to bring your own furniture into the Home.

10. To have access to a Complaints Procedure (in confidence if required) and to be represented by someone selected by yourself.

11. To choose what you want to wear.

12. To keep in touch with your family and friends.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

To provide a co-ordinated, planned continuum of care, to support, counsel and advise residents and families, to utilise a multi-dimensional formula of health staff from other disciplines, which will create a structured approach to care planning for residents with mental health problems.

To offer a facility for mentally ill residents to experience a small living group environment, rather than a larger more traditional psychiatric hospital which geographically is removed from tile community it sits in.

The aims and objectives for this new venture are as follows:

I ) To maintain a safe comfortable and homely environment, conducive to needs and desires of residents.

2) To provide trained staff with appropriate skills to meet residents needs.

3) To obtain sufficient history and information either prior to admission or from admission. To enable the commencement of effective care planning for the individual resident.

4) To allocate a keyworker (named person) accountable for determining the residents individual needs and problems.

5) The keyworker (named person) to implement a planned program of care using various skills and systems.

6) The keyworker (named person) to promote and maintain the highest possible standards of care/practice using resources available.

7) Integrate local health employees and specialised care managers for support mechanisms.

8) To provide efficient communication channels for residents and families.

9) Recognise the needs for a healthy diet and allowing for choice.

10) To identify residents religious faith and give assistance to facilitate all cultural and religious practices.

11) To maintain a professional approach and appearance at all times.


We aim to achieve this through;

1) Planned admissions.

This will be achieved through the following ways.

a) Manager to make domiciliary visit to prospective residents own home, followed by an invitation to prospective resident to visit the Care Home and see the facilities.
Therefore they will get a better view of the home arid the services offered and meet other residents.

b) When on the visit to Haydon View the prospective resident and the relatives will be given the admission assessment form to be completed. If they agree to a trial period (being one month) then the terms and conditions of residence and scale of fees will be given to them.

c) Any other person in authority who has had dealings with the resident will be contacted for their opinion, this may be their doctor, community psychiatric nurse, psychologist or the prime carer whilst at home.

2) Care planning through a keyworker system.

3) Assessment of need with the participation of carers and the participation of the resident.

4) Allowing decision making through residents participation in decisions regarding the home.


A copy of the admission assessment form is given as part of the normal procedure taken before admitting anyone into the home. The complaints procedure is given at the time of signing the contracts. Residents and their relatives will be informed by the manager that if they are worried about anything, they may discuss this with the manager in the first instance.

Training for staff will be an ongoing commitment by the management team so that staff will understand the needs of the residents. We already have five staff committed to NVQ level Ill in the Mental Health Option. We also have keyworkers assigned to each resident, therefore the resident and keyworker build up personal, less threatening relationships which helps the resident feel more at ease with the staff member(s). It is therefore quite likely that the resident will tell the keyworker what problems they may have, this may also work the other way, and that the keyworker will get to know the resident so well that they will know when things are not quite right. This enables the resident to play an active part in the running of the home.

As the resident becomes more at ease with their keyworker, the relative may notice this too and therefore will he more willing to discuss any problems they may have with the keyworker or the manager.

5) Stimulation and motivation through activities.

At present we have recreational sessions. The residents participate in sedentary and non-sedentary activities, we find even the most disorientated residents join in and enjoy these sessions.

TYPE: Dominoes, cards, basket weaving and art sessions, swimming, outside entertainers, quizzes, summer and winter fetes and many more planned activities through our activity coordinator.

FREQUENCY: Most afternoon and some evenings.
We also have music afternoons from outside entertainers. We also find that part of everyday care involves asking questions about the resident's past life whilst browsing through their old photograph albums, we find that this is enjoyed by the resident and a lot is remembered by giving a sense of familiarity to the resident. The resident(s) are able to hold onto this information and participate in the therapeutic nature of this activity

6) Maintenance of links with family, friends and the local community.

We have a league of friends for our homes and the Residents committee meets regularly.

7) To promote the individuals right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality.

8) To encourage past hobbies and social activities.

9) Encourage staff to develop skills in recognition of residents physical, emotional, social and psychological needs.

10) To encourage staff skills in report writing, team building and formal supervision, which will create a safe and secure environment for residents to live.

MEETING THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS

When dealing with residents who have a mental health problem, staff must be patient, compassionate and caring. Staff must be flexible and able to deal with situations that can become volatile. Staff will endeavor to meet the needs of residents who have a disability. This includes dressing/undressing, bathing, toileting, eating and drinking. Sympathy and patience will be given to avoid unnecessary anxiety to any resident.
All medications are administered by a senior staff member. All medication is prescribed by a medical doctor and will be adhered to in accordance with the resident's medical care plan and Inspection Unit guidelines. The packaging of medication is controlled via the local pharmacist.
The medication needed are recorded in the cardex system, and also in the personal care plans.
We have a good relationship with local pharmacists, who are very willing to come to the home when needed to give training and advice on medication - their uses - side effects - risks etc.

1) Care plans will be used to record, when, why and how much medication was needed, and will be countersigned by the doctor.
2) As staff already do now, they will be able to contact the management team at any time for advice.
3) The doctor from the the local Health Centres will be contacted regularly and will be requested to make visits for medication reviews and treatments.
4) We have a good working relationship with staff at the local Health Centres.

We use a 'closed' medication system in accordance with inspection regulations and guidance.

SOCIALLY

The social life of any person is a personal thing and requires to be tailored in accordance with the care plan of the individual. We aim to provide a stimulating and motivated method to activities of an occupational or therapeutic nature. Outings are regularly planned.

Outings may be for individuals or for groups, depending on, circumstances, who is available at the time to help and the weather. We are not always able to take out residents in the winter for health reasons, also we have found that once the dark nights and colder weather arrives, residents themselves do not wish to go out.

It would also depend (in the case of elderly mentally frail residents) on their current mental state, it would be unwise to take (try and take) someone out if they are agitated, for example.

We also provide a pleasant walled garden and encourage those who wish to participate in some light gardening skills.

SPIRITUALLY

Any resident who wishes to maintain their spiritual needs will be given the opportunity to fulfill this important need.

INDEPENDENCE

Depending on the physical arid mental state or each individual, independence will be encouraged in a safe and secure environment. Encouragement will be given in the individuals right to choice and fulfillment. Self-respect is the right of all residents and staff are skilled at encouraging residents to maintain as much independence as possible.

Selection criteria and mechanisms for review.

We already admit and provide care for residents who have a high level of mental health problems, we cater for people who shout, wander, become (agitated, people with depression and people who have a history of documented psychosis.

Our staff are trained in dealing with aggression and challenging behaviour, we cater for physical as well as mental health problems. Staff are well supported by the management team who are available 24 hours a day.
We are however, unable to meet the needs of people who have extreme violent outbursts.

Being a member of the British Federation of Care Home Proprietors, we already use a comprehensive admission process, this consists of a detailed pro-forma.

We also have a more detailed admission form for residents with a mental health problem, this gives a breakdown of past and present problems in all areas in relation to structured planned admission and subsequent assessment and care packaging. We clarify all information verbally with other disciplines who have had involvement with the person concerned.

We ensure that the service provided to residents with mental health problems are reviewed in the most acceptable manner to both the residential home and the resident/carer/care manager.

We aim to provide a comprehensive care-planning package consisting of a care plan audit, as follows;

Quality Assurance Check-list

1 ) Each resident will have an individual care plan maintained by the keyworker. It will contain the following:

a) Areas of life completed. (Biographical picture)

b) Personal plan completed.

c) Evidence that resident has participated in the formulation of the care plan.

This is is done by asking the relatives from time to time on how they feel the resident are doing since admission and recording this in the residents care plan, at the point of review. We always ask relatives if they feel any area could be improved, this is also recorded in the residents care plan.
If the resident is able to do so, we ask questions, set the goals and record the findings in the residents care plan.

d) A goal plan, with realistic aims and objectives, goals to be measurable.

e) Reviews will be monthly on each resident unless otherwise specified by the Manager.

f) Support sessions to the named keyworker on a regular basis.

This is done by monthly support sessions, where the management team will obtain feedback from the keyworker on how they are doing and also how the resident is doing. This will be recorded. If there are problems arising they can be brought up in the sessions and will also be the topic of the next session.

These sessions are monthly.  We do feel that support, supervision and appraisal are very important and promotes a well run home.

We also aim to provide a friendly home from home, to try as much as possible to meet the mental, spiritual, physical and social needs of residents.

PRIVACY

Staff must at all times be aware of the importance for residents to maintain the right to privacy. This will be carried out by the following:

Toilet doors must be closed when a resident is using the toilet, locks are supplied.

It is the aim of the management team to supply locks to every bedroom door. Each resident will also have access to a lockable drawer in his or her room.

Residents will have the freedom to go to their rooms whenever they wish, especially when having visitors.

Telephone calls will be made/taken in private by the resident, assistance may be needed for some residents, this will be given.

All matters relating to a resident are CONFIDENTIAL, and will be treated as such.

DIGNITY

Staff play all important part in maintaining the dignity of residents, to maintain is to respect. The aim of all staff is to ensure that the quality of life is made as comfortable and dignified as possible.