Over the last eighteen months the social care sector has changed unequivocally across the entire world. We’ve broadened our thoughts and ideas. Our processes have evolved and developed to enable us to operate successfully and care safely in this brave new world.
Our eyes have been opened to a new way of working. A virtual world filled with Zoom, WhatsApp and Facetime. A world we’ve rarely ventured into before and one which we’ve taken on with flair and dedication. And do you know what, I wouldn’t want to go back.
Before the pandemic, the social care sector was already on a road to becoming more “person focused”. Assessments would let us know if a person could eat and hydrate independently or if they needed support and equipment to get from one place to another. Whilst all this information is important, I am grateful for our development and the valuable lessons we have learned. Having to think outside the box and be creative has opened us up to a new way of working. A resident will now move into their new home having already (virtually) met the team who will be caring for them and the residents who will become new friends. Through social media they’ve seen the lifestyle and the laughter they can look forward to.
It’s been a joy for our new residents and those living in our homes to take part in our virtual tours… and so easy for us to do! Our team member conducting the tour would wear the special ‘I’m on a virtual tour’ banner enabled residents and every member of the team they met along the way, to wave and smile. Our prospective residents could start to feel the warmth and the life within the home despite not being able to visit yet.
Minimising contact with the vulnerable especially in hospitals and the wider community meant we spent more time talking over the phone or “zooming” with prospective residents, their families and the wider MDT teams. Teamwork has always been key at Majesticare but across all care homes it became imperative to every successful assessment and admission.
For us, we’ve been able to build relationships much earlier in the process. We’ve been able to involve and meet family members from across the UK and overseas, getting to know our new resident and who and what was important to them. We learnt their personal nuances and asked important questions; how do you take your tea, do you prefer a mug or a cup? Would you prefer a blanket or a duvet on your bed, do you like to sleep with the window ajar? These are the details that make a difference and enable the resident to ‘Continue Being Me’ from the moment they arrive.
At Majesticare a person’s specialist support will never be an obstacle to encouraging them to ‘Continue Being Me’. We consider it our privilege to learn and our duty to always support, to nourish and enhance ‘me’ each day through how we care and the provision of activity.
We’ve learned that any care assessment is based upon both life history and the wishes of the individual in that very moment. We continue to build on that initial assessment to create a wonderful plan of care that makes every resident feel like ‘me’.
‘Continue being me’ is about our dedication to ensure everyone’s ‘me’ is about a unique person who has travelled a unique life journey. Everyone is, in every sense, a unique individual with unique needs, memories and dreams and we believe that learning this starts at the assessment process and the very beginning of a new chapter of life.
