Care Campaign for the Vulnerable is learning of the pressures faced by conscientious led Care Providers striving to offer a caring and safe environment to both service users and staff. Safety monitoring is proving to be a invaluable care assist tool - bringing a more open and transparent culture into care homes as well as saving valuable resources within the care home sector and the NHS
Care Campaign for the Vulnerable - TIME TO, IN PART, RELAX CARE HOME EMBARGOES....?
READ HERE - CARE HOME PROFESSIONALhttps://www.carehomeprofessional.com/campaign-group-calls-on-care-providers-to-relax-visiting-embargoes/
CCFTV is calling for providers to in part relax visiting embargoes in care homes. Elderly people and their families have been separated for weeks and it's now imperative that some thought is given as to how to begin to ease shielding to enable families to have some interaction with their elderly vulnerable loved ones.
We of course are acutely aware that providers are wanting to protect all vulnerable people in their care however with recent testing for both staff and residents, it is not impossible to think that residents with a negative test could participate in socially distanced visiting arrangements.
Some providers have already set up visiting areas in gardens for example that keep the resident screened from family members but allow for conversation and sight of each other. Maintaining a 2m distance rule ensures resident welfare is protected but restores much needed family interaction. Families that have been contacting us are desperate to re-engage with loved ones knowing that their time may be limited.
For those residents unable to leave bedrooms because of frailty or illness, we urge providers to consider restricted family visits, with perhaps only the immediate next of kin and of course those individuals suitably screened and wearing PPE. It is important that families have the opportunity to say farewell to a very unwell loved one.
CCFTV is delighted to see that some providers are already using screening equipment such as temperature recording cameras at entrances. Any visitor must pass by that screening device and have an acceptable reading before being invited to put on PPE prior to accessing a resident area. Good practice such as this will demonstrates that real effort is being made to both protect the vulnerable but also facilitate engagement with their family at a time when they are simply desperate for that contact.
Other providers have encouraged ‘drive bys’ so families and residents can see each other. Some have arranged open window conversations, and many have used facetime/SKYPE/Zoom technologies to try to keep residents and families in touch. All of these efforts are commendable.
However, Care Campaign for the Vulnerable is urging providers to start thinking about easing lockdown in a way that allows greater actual face to face engagement. With testing at least allowing resident COVID status to be determined, risk can then be assessed on an individual basis. Most care homes have several lounge areas and therefore designated visiting rooms could be selected. Those rooms could be well ventilated, PPE ready and visits arranged on a scheduled basis.
CCFTV doesn’t have all the answers just some thoughts as to how older people desperate for sight of their families could have those wishes respected and perhaps delivered. For those families who have already lost vulnerable loved ones as a result of COVID and did not have the opportunity to visit and say farewell, the trauma of such is very real. Many are anxious, depressed and emotional as a result. We therefore must make every effort to reconnect families and residents where possible as none of us know when a vaccine will actually be available.
CCFTV AMBASSADOR CARE HOME SHEDFIELD LODGE IN HAMPSHIRE, ANNOUNCED ON THE 10TH JUNE THAT FROM THE 21ST JUNE THE HOME WILL BE FACILITATING AFTERNOON VISITS ON A PRE BOOKED TIME SLOT BASIS SO RESIDENTS CAN BE REUNITED WITH LOVED ONES. ANDREW GEACH CEO OF SHEDFIELD LODGE SAID ''WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OOPORTUNITY TO THANK FAMILIES FOR ALL THEIR KINDNESS, SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING AT WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR EVERYONE''
WELL DONE SHEDFIELD LODGE CARE HOME AND ALL CARE PROVIDERS WORKING HARD TO FINALLY REUNITE FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES SAFELY.
"The evidence from Providers who have installed CCTV seems to me to merit careful attention and to be quite persuasive"
Just some of the Care Providers who support our CCTV Safety Monitoring in Care Homes
Download their 'Safety Monitoring In Communal Areas in Care Homes' document
Chiltern and South Bucks District Council SAFE PLACE SCHEME has called on Care Campaign for the Vulnerable to add our support to the initiative for those who are vulnerable in the community to get help if out and about and feeling scared , lost or confused.
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Care Campaign for the Vulnerable is learning of the pressures faced by conscientious led Care Providers striving to offer a caring and safe environment to both service users and staff. Safety monitoring is proving to be a invaluable care assist tool - bringing a more open and transparent culture into care homes as well as saving valuable resources within the care home sector and the NHS