Care homes are places where people go when they are struggling to live on their own. This can be seen as being quite a demoralising and often troubling time for that person because their freedom has been limited.
However, it does not always have to be this way. There are, in fact, plenty of different ways that a care home can feel like a happy and healthy place. That’s why we’re dedicating this one to the care assistants who want to do more for their residents.
Mix Up The Meals
Back when people lived at home, they could probably have cooked any meal that they wanted. It’s not a big thing to think about in the grand scheme of things by any means, but it does mean a lot to someone that they can still eat their favourite meals and that they have a little bit of freedom.
A good thing that you can therefore do in care homes is to give them a chance to do some supervised cooking once a week, and also to mix up the food and try to get some different options into the menu from time to time. It’ll make a big difference to someone.
Encourage Trips Outside
Policies on going outside will vary from one person to the next. No one wants to have to spend all of their days indoors, especially when there’s so much to see and do just outside.
This is, thankfully, easily remedied. All you have to do is get permission to try and take an elderly person outside for a little while. You don’t have to go that far, but you could just sit with them in a park and let them enjoy being outside. These are people, and you don’t want the inside of care homes in London to feel like a prison.
Make Sure That Their Health Remains a Priority
Working in a care home is not an easy task by any means. A lot of people often become stressed because they have a lot to do and a lot of legal processes to fill out to make sure that elderly people are properly safeguarded. However, there is also a lot that you can do to make sure that when it comes to getting the absolute most out of your time as a care assistant that you put the patients first.
An extra few minutes to help them do something isn’t going to cost anyone anything, but it means the world to these people. You are giving them a chance to get some of their freedom back and also demonstrating that you care – apathy in care homes can be a real issue. It’s just about being understanding and trying to create a much more relaxed atmosphere that puts an emphasis on their health.
So overall, there’s a lot of things that a care assistant can do to try and make their residents feel like they matter and that their needs are being catered to. Apathy in the workplace as a general practice is at an all time high. These are people who are putting their trust into your hands and so you can’t possibly let them down. It’s not always the easiest thing to do but it will be the most rewarding without a doubt when you know that you have made a genuine difference to someone’s life. Being in care does require that you have a high level of commitment and that you put the needs of the resident ahead of your own. It’s difficult but rewarding.
