NATIONAL CARE HOME OPEN DAY IS A CHANCE FOR PUBLIC TO INSPECT HOMES

June 19, 2014

This Friday care homes across the UK will be opening their doors to the public for National Care Hope Open Day. This excellent initiative gives the wider community an opportunity to take a look inside their local care home and see for themselves the wonderful care being provided for elderly people. For the care homes it’s a chance to counteract the tidal wave of negative publicity surrounding the sector in recent years and build trust with the people living on their doorstep. So how should the pubic evaluate their local care home?

As a layman it’s hard to know too much about the medical and nursing aspect of the home from a single visit but taking a closer look at the catering and housekeeping aspects of the home – criteria we focus on at the CAP Awards – can often tell you a great deal about that care home.

Here’s a simple guide to tell you a few things to look out for:

Housekeeping – cleaning

Is there any little debris i.e. insects in light covers? This shows attention to detail with regular cleaning of the most difficult areas to access.

Is there any dust/insects on the window frames behind curtains and window blinds? This shows good cleaning practices and that items not readily in view are being cleaned.

Cleaning equipment. Are cloths, brushes, mops colour-coded for use in specific locations? A chart may be visible to explain this. This practice helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Are the following clean? Corners at low level e.g. showers, general flooring, etc. and flooring around door frames i.e. particularly where the door hinges should be free from dust and debris.

Toilets should be stocked with the necessary consumables i.e. hand soaps, loo paper, hand towels, etc. Bins to not be over-flowing.

Catering

Any food items on display (fruit, biscuits) should be in prime condition. Fruit should not be bruised and biscuits should not be broken or covered in crumbs. This shows attention to detail.

Dining fixtures and fittings should be in good order i.e. cutlery clean, place mats clean and in good condition, dining room chairs clean i.e. the underside of the frame and arms are not sticky.

The weekly menu should be available with at least the daily menu on display. The menu should be focused on home-made dishes with at least one fresh vegetable per service.

Good practice is for verbal, written and electronic feedback on the food and beverage on offer. All feedback should be evidenced with a summary plus actions taken as required. Look for evidence on quality feedback from the residents. Do they like what is on offer? They are the experts!

The kitchen should be clean, in good condition and tidy with no bad odors e.g. smell of burnt fat from the fryers.

The catering staff should be in clean uniforms i.e. aprons, safe footwear, hair covered or tided back, clean tunic top.

Enjoy your visit and let us know how you get on by sharing your stories with us

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