Working as a full-time caregiver, providing quality care is your ultimate priority. And while this can be guaranteed through your caring and commitment, there are external factors, which can affect a person’s quality of life.
Health and safety in care homes are essential considerations, making a huge difference in patients’ safety and, ultimately, their happiness.
Staying up-to-date with health and safety procedures – particularly as a busy and devoted caregiver – may seem incredibly difficult, especially with so many potential hazards. But that’s precisely why it’s so important. Luckily for caregivers and care home residents alike, it’s as easy as checking the right boxes.
The most important thing to remember is that a care home’s health and safety policy is a specialised one, with factors not generally considered hazardous posing various risks in this kind of environment. As with all other environments, there will be an array of hazardous factors unique to every care home, which is why it’s essential for site owners to use good judgment and eliminate any potential risks specific to their care home. Tailored care is the name of the game – and this is how it can be achieved.
Sight
Elders are increasingly prone to problems with their vision. Caregivers in care homes are required to either remove anything from the ground level that poses a risk to the health or safety of patients or clearly highlight the potential hazard.
Strength
Care home residents lose strength as they get age, making once easy tasks significantly more difficult. Caregivers are responsible for removing as many obstacles as necessary from patients’ lives. Anything involving strength or physical exertion should be avoided and caregiver assistance offered wherever possible.
Travel
Getting from place to place becomes infinitely more difficult later in life. Any aspect of a resident’s surroundings, which makes travel more problematic should be treated as a hazard. Ensuring optimal mobility and ease of travel for patients is essential to complying with Health and Safety Laws. Wherever possible, implement measure to make getting from A to B, stress-free.
Handrails should be accessible anywhere beyond level ground that’s more difficult to navigate. With 1 in 3 of care home patients likely to fall without an obstruction, this is an absolute necessity. Caregivers must also be given adequate training in order to help residents who are less mobile or even unable to travel without assistance, so that they can get around as easily as possible.
Access
With many elderly people suffering from regular and even constant pain, it’s vital that all medicine cabinets are locked and out of sight. Some patients may believe they have the authority to self-medicate. Thus, caregivers and care home owners are responsible for restricting patient access to medications they have not been prescribed.
For more information on some of the hazards care home patients face in this environment, click on the image, Staying Healthy Staying Safe above.
Providing the highest level of care to patients and residents results from ensuring that all needs are accommodated. Patients and residents deserve the very best. By identifying and addressing potential hazards, they will remain safe and happy.
PAT Test North East has created a health and safety resource, offering business owners and caregivers alike a comprehensive guide to detecting and eliminating safety hazards in all kinds of environments. Portable appliance testing is an essential aspect of health and safety, ensuring the safe functionality and use of all electrical appliances on any premises. While this is a major concern in care homes, the above four are potential risks that caregivers should be aware of to ensure their patients live in a safer environment.
Richard Ayre is a professional PAT tester, providing expert portable appliance testing to businesses and organisations throughout the North East in the UK. With PAT Test North East[TCV Update 11/25/2022 URL updated] your site can comply with Health & Safety Law, ensuring that all electrical appliances are safe and functional. Richard’s years of experience make him a health and safety expert and an industry leader in PAT testing.
Great information.