THE UK’s population is ageing. In fact, evidence suggests that in 50 years, there are likely to be an additional 8.5 million people over 65 years. This is a population roughly the same size as London. But why is the UK population ageing? One of the main reasons for this is the improvements in healthcare and medicines. Another reason why people are living longer is that they are taking better care of themselves.
However, while all of this is fantastic news, it brings with it some challenges. One of the main challenges we face is a shortage of quality care homes. The good news is that we’ve recently seen a considerable increase in the number of people opening care homes for elderly residents.
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While this may be true, research has shown that many elderly care homes in the UK are not up to the required standard. However, the good news is that there are many things care home owners can do to improve their care homes for their residents and employees. If you’re running a care home and want to know how to improve, here are some of our top tips to help you:
Make it Feel Homely
One of the best tips we can give you is to make your care home feel homely for your residents. This is important because, while you and your employees come and go, your residents spend most of their time there and consider it their home. If your care home feels more like a clinic or office than a home, your residents will never feel comfortable or relaxed.
The good news is that it’s easy to make a care home feel more homely. For example, you could purchase some plants or flowers to make the space more inviting and add some paintings or artwork on the walls. As well as this, it’s also a good idea to buy some good quality furniture for your residents to enjoy.
While care home furniture needs to be practical, this doesn’t mean it can’t be comfy and elegant. There are some fantastic pieces of furniture that are both practical, stylish and comfortable. One example of a supplier that offers all of this is care home furniture and curtain manufacturer Nichol & Hill.
Passions and Hobbies are Important
Many care home owners believe it is much too hard to organise activities for their residents due to time constraints. However, organising activities is extremely important for your residents’ happiness. In fact, research has shown that residents who are engaged are much more likely to be happier and much less likely to feel lonely. As well as this, it has also been shown that care homes that prioritise their residents’ satisfaction are much more likely to be rated higher.
Cleanliness is Key
No matter what type of business you own, it’s important to keep it clean and hygienic if you want it to succeed. This is even more true when running a care home as you look after vulnerable, elderly residents. Unfortunately, research suggests that many care homes in the UK are not up to standard with cleaning and hygiene. The good news is that this is an easy issue to solve.
Manage the Care Home Effectively
Many care homeowners find themselves running on autopilot. This is usually because of the long hours and difficult job they do. However, running on autopilot can have a negative impact on your care home.
Health and Wellbeing
We all know that exercise can help to improve our health. In fact, even light exercise has been shown to reduce chronic pain, improve heart health, and make a person feel happier. However, while this may be true, most elderly care home residents get little to no exercise during the week.
If you want to improve your care home, consider encouraging your residents to exercise daily. There are lots of exercises that are perfect for older adults. For example, your residents could walk around the care home grounds or they could dance to their favourite songs on the radio.
Get Feedback from Your Residents, Their Families and Your Employees
One of the best ways to find out how well your care home is doing is by talking to your residents, their families, and your employees. They will be able to give you honest advice about how well they think the care home is performing and what you could do to improve it. After all, they are the ones who spend the majority of their time there.
Care homes have always been an essential part of the health care system. However, thanks to the ageing population in the UK, the need for them is likely to increase in the coming years. While this may be true, many care homes are not fit for purpose. The good news is that these care homes can be brought up to scratch with effort and hard work. If you own a care home and want to improve it for your employees and residents, follow our tips above.
