You might be thinking about moving your loved one into a care home, but want to be absolutely sure you are doing the right thing. But how can you tell what constitutes a good care home? By taking notes of the following red flags and avoiding any care homes that indulge in the following practices. And once you have whittled down your shortlist, you can check out some reputable care homes in Minehead.
Restricted Visiting
While some care homes might have good reasons for offering restricted visiting hours, this is usually because Alzheimer’s and other dementia illnesses can cause patients to become disruptive, and quarrelsome and even make patients attempt to leave the home. For the patients’ security in these care homes, access is closely monitored, and visiting hours are strictly regulated. But there should be no need for restricted visiting in care homes for those not suffering from these sorts of diseases – and unnecessary restrictions of this sort can be an effort to hide patient abuse, neglect, or simply the signs of a poorly run organization, none of which are ideal for your loved one.
Patients Not Treated With Dignity
Patients should always be treated with kindness and compassion. Any sign that patients are treated without dignity: being scolded for ‘slips’ in behavior; being left unclean following a toileting accident; not being helped to dress and brush their hair etc – should result in that care home being crossed off your list of potential homes.
Abuse of Patients
Quite apart from neglect which is unpleasant but fairly benign and usually not intended maliciously, there is actual abuse, which can take many forms: verbal, emotional, and physical – in which the patient faces harm from those who should be responsible for their care. Not only should these homes be crossed off your list, but the authorities should be consulted as a matter of urgency.
Unclean Surroundings
Dirt and germs go hand-in-hand and having your well-loved elderly relative living in squalid conditions is definitely not ideal. Staff should work to keep the care home clean and tidy at all times, so your relatives are able to stay in good health and maintain good hygiene at all times.
Understaffed and Overworked
If the care home is understaffed and overworked, your relative is at risk of all the other issues on this list; plus it can be even worse with conditions that could be alleviated with prompt treatment delayed to a point that treatment is unlikely to be effective. Understaffing leads to neglect, overwork can too – and it can lead to irritation and lashing out at needy patients too – which is absolutely not ideal.
Inadequate Nutrition
Finally, if the care home skimps on the provision of food, your elderly loved one is unlikely to thrive in that care home. Good nutrition can literally add years to lives, as well as help to manage long-term health plans and more: any care home worth its salt will offer a healthy and nutritious menu with several tempting choices.
