How to ensure the safety of your residents in care homes

If you run a care home for the elderly or vulnerable then the safety and wellbeing of your residents should be your absolute top priority at all times. All of your policies and practices should be based around offering the very best levels of care and safety for everyone that stays with you. This also plays a large part in any CQC inspections, who will check to make sure that residents are as safe as possible, and every effort is being made to protect them.

It is important to remember that safety comes in many different forms, from physical safety to providing a healthy environment. Care should be person-centred at all times in order to prevent harm and identify any risks that might be posed.

Here, Malcolm Humphreys, Director at We Print Lanyards, shares his insight into how care staff can ensure the safety of all of residents while they are in your care home.

Moving and handling

One of the biggest risks to residents safety is in the moving and handling of them. Many will require a lot of help when it comes to getting out of bed, dressing and washing, and so your staff need to be trained in the best ways to help someone move. They will need to ensure that they are offering appropriate levels of support in the correct areas, whilst also protecting themselves from injuries caused by heavy lifting.

In some cases, equipment such as hoists might be needed to make the transfer and movement of a resident safer and more efficient.

Infection control

The COVID-19 pandemic threw into sharp focus how easy it is to bring a dangerous infection into a care home. Many people were shocked at how quickly it was able to spread from person to person and so it is vital that there are proper procedures in place to tackle this. You should make sure that you take every effort to limit exposure, and have adequate levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves available.

Medicines

How medicines are administered is another important aspect of safety, and you need to ensure that staff are properly trained in this. They need to be fully aware of how medicines should be stored and administered to prevent theft or accidents from occurring.

Personal alarms

Providing residents with a personal alarm each allows them to notify you immediately if there is a problem. It can be worn comfortably at all times, but can alert a member of staff quickly and easily to let them know who is in trouble and where they can be found to ensure that they receive help as quickly as possible.

Violence

Unfortunately, there can be incidents of violence in care homes, particularly in the case of residents suffering from cognitive issues such as dementia or Alzhiemer’s disease. Staff need to be aware of anyone who may be at risk of this and should learn to protect themselves and other residents. It is important to ensure that the resident themself is also safe and not able to cause harm to themselves.

Equipment

There is a lot of equipment to be found in a care home and it needs to be regularly maintained in order to ensure it is in safe working order. You should keep records of any tests and examinations of equipment as well as any work or servicing that has been done.

Night visits

During the day, your staff will be mingling amongst the residents and it is much easier to keep an eye on them. Once everyone goes to bed, it is important that you still carry out discreet night visits to check that they are ok during the night and can report any concerns.

Trips and falls

You may have a number of residents who are unsteady on their feet, and they are likely to be particularly vulnerable to trips and falls, which can leave them hospitalised. According to the HSE, these were the biggest cause of non-fatal injuries in 2019/20. You therefore need to ensure that there are no trailing wires, wet floors or obstructions.

Fire safety

Fire safety is important in any business, but this is particularly the case where you have residents who are less mobile or may have trouble understanding. You should have clear procedures in place for staff to follow in the event of a fire, as well as ensuring there is a good fire alarm system fitted as well.

Open dialogue

One of the best ways to ensure safety in your care home is for there to be an ongoing open dialogue. This should allow staff, residents and families to voice any concerns that they may have and to ensure that they are properly recorded and investigated. People should feel comfortable coming forward and confident that any concerns they may have will be taken seriously.

Responsible person

Whilst safety should be everyone’s concern, there should be someone within the business who monitors risk and safety within the care home. They should carry out regular risk assessments and ensure that any necessary work is carried out quickly and to a good standard. They should also be responsible for making sure that there are clear and thorough policies and procedures in place for staff to follow to ensure that everyone knows what the expectations of them are and can be held accountable if these are not followed.

You need to be aware of your legal responsibilities, but you should always try to aim higher than this, to ensure everyone receives the best possible care.

Safety should be the concern of everyone who works in the care home, but the correct policies and procedures need to come from the very top. You need to ensure that there is strict guidance to be followed in order to ensure that high standards of health and safety are maintained at all times. When you are dealing with the elderly or vulnerable, even the smallest mistake or oversight has the potential to be fatal, so it should be taken seriously at all times.