We like to make sure that treating all our home care clients with the utmost dignity is always at the forefront of our minds. At Bridgewater Home Care we use our ongoing training to seek out ways in which we can improve quality of care for all our clients and their families. Every individual, no matter what their personal circumstances, must be treated the respect and dignity they deserve throughout their time with us.
So how do we ensure a client’s comfort and dignity when we support them with personal care, and in all areas of their lives?
Firstly, we follow something called the 10 Dignity Do’s, which have been created by numerous focus groups across the U.K. to find out what Dignity in Care meant to people.
Out of these focus groups came the values and actions that all high-quality services must follow to respect people’s dignity.
The 10 Dignity Do’s:
1. Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse
2. Support people with the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your family
3. Treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service
4. Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control
5. Listen and support people to express their needs and wants
6. Respect people’s right to privacy
7. Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution
8. Engage with family members and carers as care partners
9. Assist people to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem
10. Act to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation
How do we put these into practice?
We go to great lengths to ensure we match our carers and our clients together and uphold the highest ideals of dignity and respect for people’s privacy. We go above and beyond with our mandatory training. We work with carers that do precisely that: Care. We match carers to clients so that a bond can be built over time, and your loved one doesn’t feel uncomfortable during intimate care settings with a stranger.
Personal care should be in an individualised, non-rushed setting. That’s why all our carers have completed the Bridgewater Home Care induction programme, as well as an intensive training course in social care. All our carers are required to provide three references and are subject to an enhanced DBS (formerly CRB) check and safeguarding of vulnerable adults check before supporting any of our clients. This is another way that we make sure of compassionate carers carry out all levels of personal care with unmatched respect for your loved one’s personal pride and dignity.
If you’d like to learn more about dignity in care, please get in touch today. We’d be delighted to answer any questions you may have. You can contact the team on 01942 215 888 or email us info@bridgewaterhomecare.co.uk.
