Care homes house some of our society’s most vulnerable people. Among them are the elderly and those dealing with mobility issues and other chronic illnesses.
As the Covid-19 pandemic has proven, care homes can be particularly susceptible to public health threats, with many care homes suffering considerably during the last 18 months.
Beyond worldwide pandemics, care homes need to be run safely and be a happy, convivial place for both staff and residents.
With a wave of potential care home staff shortages on the horizon, it is important to create a great place to work.
If you’re a care home owner or manager, here are our top tips for how to run a safe and happy care home.
Table of Contents
Create a culture of honest communication
If there are threats or concerns to your care home’s safety, staff and residents should be able to raise issues easily.
Creating a culture of honest, open, and receptive communication will help everyone to feel they can voice any matters that they may wish to be addressed.
Have the right insurance cover
A care home is essentially a business and, just like any other business, it will need insurance. Obtain the correct level of care insurance to improve the safety of your care home, residents and staff.
Offer adequate and appropriate training
Training is important for all your staff, whether they are delivering medical care, cleaning, preparing food or performing any other task. Ensure training is delivered frequently and to a high standard.
In addition, it is important that job roles are assigned properly to ensure the best care.
Facilitate connections between residents and carers
Care home staff will usually have naturally caring personalities. It is important that residents and staff connect with one another and this should be facilitated and encouraged appropriately for the comfort of all.
Stay up to date with potential threats
It is important to be aware of any health or community threats that could affect your care home, especially illnesses that could affect residents and staff alike. Having contingency plans in place for different eventualities will help to mitigate risk.
Make time for staff rewards, gratitude, and fun
Care home staff work incredibly hard and often without the thanks and recognition they deserve.
By rewarding, thanking, and celebrating your staff, you will build a workplace culture that people want to stay in – even when times are tough. This will help you to retain good staff and brilliant carers.
Creating a happy and safe care home takes diligent and consistent work, but it can be achieved for staff, residents, and owners.
