How Can Care Homes Create a Pleasant Environment for Their Residents?

A care home must make sure that it is a welcoming and pleasurable place to live for both current and future residents. For example, what does the home smell like when you first walk in? Does it smell like fresh flowers or is there a hint of urine?  

If you own a care home, it is absolutely crucial that your reception and lobby areas are friendly and hospitable for visitors. This will undoubtedly encourage new residents to regard your home as a place where they would enjoy living, especially if you have adorned it with fresh flowers or created an aroma of fresh bread. People will quickly form a favourable opinion and they may even imagine that they are visiting a five-star hotel and therefore look forward to their stay.    

This article will provide some guidance on how to improve your care home and make it more accommodating for new and existing residents. Remember, you should try to create a customer experience based on the ideal resident you have in mind.

Ensure that the home always smells fresh

The care home must have a pleasant aroma at all times. You therefore need to employ a well-trained cleaning team and ensure that every part of the building is maintained to the highest standards. Pay careful attention to;

• Bathrooms
• Carpets
• Dining rooms
• Floors
• Lounge areas
• Residents’ rooms
• Toilets

Housekeepers will also need to use the best cleaning materials and keep an appropriate work schedule.

Another issue that management should consider relates to continence. For example, there should be an action plan in place to assess its impact on the home’s floors and furnishings. 

You may have to deal with two types of incontinence.

The first type is urinary incontinence and this is a common problem, especially among the elderly. Care home managers can reduce incidents by making it easier for residents to access the toilets. It may also be beneficial to provide protective products such as pads and pants. Unfortunately, when residents remove these items, it is likely to affect the home’s physical environment. These types of situations can be managed by choosing appropriate furniture or by installing hard flooring.     

The second type is faecal incontinence. This does not happen often but it can be a problem for the environment. Physical disabilities and mental conditions such as dementia, or a reaction to certain medications, can be the root cause. 

Decisions and policies made for the benefit of residents 

Management should strive to ensure that every decision is made with the benefit of residents in mind. In this respect, it wouldn’t hurt for managers to put themselves in the shoes of their residents once in a while. Remember, the residents will have expectations about the type of service they want to receive. If they are not satisfied, they will move elsewhere.     

Nurture a culture of positivity and dedication among staff

In order to improve your care home, you need to attract potential residents and convince existing ones to remain with you. From the first moment a visitor arrives, you should surround them with positivity. Don’t be afraid to highlight the level of professionalism that exists within the home.  

By taking care of even the smallest details, you can create an excellent first impression. For example: 

• Ensure parking spots for visitors and staff are clearly defined
• The reception area should be well-designed, tidy and welcoming
• Have a guest book on display with a pen and hand gel available 

Management and staff should be proud of their home

Reputable care homes will always attract the best staff, including those who want to work as a care home nurse. To ensure your facility maintains its high standards, you will need to:

• Hire only the best employees
• Make sure that the residents enjoy every day of their stay

Management and staff should always follow a customer-oriented culture. This will involve being friendly and accessible to visitors and residents. The team should provide a warm welcome to anyone who enters the home and this must include making positive eye contact. Your residents’ families and friends will appreciate a show of positive emotional support and interaction. They will view it as an assurance that their loved ones are being well treated.     

Determine what type of residents your home can accommodate

First of all, management and staff should nurture an inclusive sense of community with the residents. This could comprise acts of friendship and celebrating events to highlight the bond between staff and residents.   

Unfortunately, sometimes a resident may have undergone so many changes that the home can no longer accommodate their needs. Their continued stay may even disrupt their fellow residents’ quality of life. In this scenario, managers may have to make the difficult decision of recommending that they are transferred to an appropriate facility elsewhere. Otherwise, they could negatively affect the lifestyles of the other residents.  

Conclusion

When it comes to attracting potential residents and engaging existing ones, it is essential that care homes adopt a customer-oriented approach. Positive first impressions are vital if the business is going to expand. You can start by designing a professional-looking reception area and lobby. Next, make sure that visitors are met by fresh smells when they walk through the door. Although there will of course be challenges, management and staff can overcome them by adopting a professional and positive attitude.