Many people believe they are familiar with care homes and how they can assist family members later in life, however, these views are often outdated, leaving families researching what the best option is for their loved ones.
With 37 homes across the UK, luxury care home provider Ideal Carehomes, now part of the HC-One family of care homes, explain some of the most exciting advancements in the luxury care sector’s practices and what this means for residents.
Eco-friendly building designs
As with many industries, modern care homes are held to high standards when it comes to their carbon footprint. From the very beginning of a care home’s journey, technology is now being implemented in the building design stage to meet key sustainability targets, reducing a home’s emissions over its lifespan.
At Crofton Springs, a brand new care home in Cheltenham which will be the first Ideal Carehomes home operated by HC-One, sustainable building design has been championed. Solar panels and ground source heat pump technology have been installed, which means it will run entirely without the use of gas. The home, which features 66 en-suite bedrooms, a cinema room, a hair salon and landscaped sensory gardens, has been awarded an EPC rating of A, the highest rating possible.
“Adding sustainable technology is a really important part of the design process for us. We want our homes to have as little impact on the environment as possible and be built with the future in mind. By doing our bit for the planet, we can continue to help residents, and their families enjoy their local area for many years to come, providing all the support they need.” says Maria Taylor, Head of New Builds Commissioning, at the care home group.
Digital care plans
When it comes to day-to-day care, residents can now benefit from hyper-personalised care plans, made possible due to digital care plan software. Accessed on a handheld device, this software allows staff make notes on care activity for each resident, allowing an individual’s care approach to be constantly monitored and updated.
Debbie O’Donoghue, Regional Quality Director, explains, “We use digital care plans to ensure that all the information about a resident is easy to access and share between staff, no matter who is on shift, keeping everyone informed of even the smallest changes to a resident’s care. This not only makes the care highly efficient, giving staff more time to focus on the resident, but allows us to easily show families how their loved ones have been spending their time, which can help with their peace of mind too.”
A varied lifestyle
Modern care homes typically offer an array of facilities to keep residents entertained, from cafés and tea rooms to beauty salons and cinema rooms.
Residents at Ideal Carehomes operated by HC-One benefit from a varied timetable of activities within their homes, including pastimes such as crafting sessions, music workshops, animal visits and tai chi. All activities are carefully chosen by an activities coordinator and designed to be inclusive of all abilities. The curated activities programme keeps residents’ minds and bodies active, whilst providing a great space for socialising with others living at the home and the wider community.
Day trips and bespoke excursions are also on offer, along with designated time to explore the home’s local area. For example, residents of the new Crofton Springs home could visit Cheltenham’s Imperial Gardens and view the town’s impressive Regency architecture.
Specialised nutrition
As well as a varied timetable of activities, care home residents in 2024 can expect a varied menu of meals, snacks and beverages to choose from too.
Ideal Carehomes chefs cook up a wide selection of nutritional meals for their residents which can be served in the home’s dining areas, or a more private setting.
“Making sure residents are offered food which they enjoy is a really important part of what we do. Good food can help to make a resident feel more comfortable and at home, so we always want to dish up something tasty. Whether it’s a dietary requirement or a preference, we make sure everyone is catered for.” Rebecca Deamer, Kitchen Manager at Woodland View care home in Droitwich, comments.
Nicola Bales, a Managing Director at HC-One said, “The luxury care sector is constantly evolving and we’re proud to be at the forefront of these changes. It’s great to see the benefits new technologies and practices can bring to our residents, allowing us to give them the kind care they deserve, and support them to lead their best lives.”
Further information on the luxury care homes provided by Ideal Carehomes and operated by HC One can be found at www.idealcarehomes.co.uk.