The environment of care homes across the UK are of significant importance, not only from a residents wellbeing point of view, but also from a health care and staff welfare perspective.
Sarah Barsby Marketing Director Intastop Ltd, comments on how a properly equipped care home can support residents, preserve and protect the infrastructure of the home, form part of its infection control policy and create a working environment that allows the staff to offer the highest levels of care in line with the CQC guidelines.
Protecting people
An ever increasing number of care home providers are creating homes that allow their residents to enjoy a home from home setting and are truly equipped for the 21st century. At the heart of this is an interior specification that is easy to maintain and clean, placing infection control as a priority and also supporting the legal requirements of operating a care home.
As an ongoing measure to protect residents with their mobility around the care home and also to permit access to bathing areas, Intastop has launched a brand new range of products to the UK market.
Its Tubocolour Grabrails are manufactured in Italy, by Ponte Giulio, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of safety solutions for bathrooms, they benefit from BioCote antimicrobial and biocompatible protection which means they not only help reduce the spread of microbes including bacteria, mould and fungi but they also boast anti-slip credentials bringing a new dimension of safety and infection control to more elements of building interior specification, in both new build projects and refurbishments. Particularly suited to a care home environment the rails assist in the safe passage of less mobile residents around the home and can also help with sitting and standing from chairs, showers and other facilities in the home where access may previously have been prohibited or compromised.
The range of grab rails, shower rails, shower seats and bathroom accessories complements the existing range of door and wall protection for which Intastop are renowned.
Protecting buidings
Intastop has an enviable range of products all designed to protect and assist, and many are ideally suited to creating environments in care homes where tangible benefits can be realised for staff and residents. Many of its wall and door protection products also offer anti-bacterial qualities that are ultra hardwearing, allow co-ordination with interior schemes due to the colour options available, and are easy to fit and maintain ensuring building maintenance schedules are easy to manage and are cost effective.
The walls and doors of care homes are required to be particularly hard wearing to protect against volume of traffic and the use of mobility aids in the building. Yet as it is a home consideration also needs to be given to the aesthetics, this is where Aspex® Impact Protection Sheet from Intastop comes into its own. The bespoke sheet allows the transference of high quality images and logos create a striking visual impact which offers a new level of flexibility to its wall protection. Resting areas or corridors which aim to offer a stimulating visual image such as a woodland walk or calming meadow greatly benefit from this type of product due to its durability, long lasting and maintenance free nature.
Other areas of the home such as bathrooms and kitchens require an alternative form of wall protection, still as durable, hygienic and maintenance free, Intastop’s I-Genic range of sheet has proved itself time and time again as an alternative to tiling. Its smooth structure means there is no grout to deal with and its hygienic non-porus make up means that cleaning is easy and extremely effective.
Minor Details
It is only recently that technology has allowed us to create a care home environment where the building itself not only provides the protective infrastructure to ensure residents and staff are comfortable and safe but one that can also assist in the cognitive care of residents too. By providing stimulating hygenic wall murals and even down to non-slip grabrails, which are a product often overlooked when it comes to supporting individuals cognitive needs however, these combined and inconjunction with additional sensory tools and new building products can greatly support a resident’s sense of independence and well being.
For further detailed information about the company and its product range, visit www.intastop.com
