What does safety and quality mean in aged care homes?

In the context of aged care, safety and quality are often viewed in terms of preventing abuse and neglect or other restrictive practices. However, the absence of harmful events does not necessarily indicate a positive culture in a care home. Residents of aged care homes need to feel respected, valued, safe and have choices. Observations of resident rights and values are essential for quality of life.

Research on safety culture in aged care homes

The importance of a safety culture cannot be overemphasised. In an aged care home, this culture can contribute to the quality of care and the level of safety. However, in the home, safety rules must be relevant and practicable to employees and residents. The safety culture of an elderly care home like in https://www.respect.com.au/ is a significant asset, but it must be implemented responsibly and systematically. However, many of these homes do not have this culture.

While the quality of care is essential, it is vital to consider the perspective of patients and service users. Only a small number of studies have addressed safety culture, and none included the perspectives of loved ones. This gap in the literature has led to the development of a safety culture in care homes. It is essential because care homes provide homes for individuals with cognitive and functional limitations. Research on safety culture in aged care homes must include the perspectives of service users and residents.

Assessment tools for assessing safety culture

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety culture of aged care homes using several assessment tools. These tools include the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAT), Communicating About Nursing Errors (CANER), and the Safety Organising Scale. Using various assessment tools in the same study helped identify patterns and trends related to safety culture. The findings showed that many aged care homes did not meet the SAT criteria for a positive safety culture.

The study also uncovered gaps in existing knowledge regarding the safety culture of aged care homes. The majority of identified studies used quantitative approaches to assess safety culture. In many cases, the assessment tools are self-completion cross-sectional surveys, subject to varying levels of subjective response. These responses do not necessarily reflect the complexity of influences on safety culture. Furthermore, the use of SATs, and other survey tools that focus on organisational culture, may not capture deeper levels of culture, thereby making the findings unreliable.

Although the current evidence base on safety culture in aged care homes is very comprehensive, it is still lacking. It was mainly due to a lack of research in this area. 

Several assessment tools are available for an accurate assessment of the safety culture in aged care homes. Some of these tools are culturally relevant and have been validated by researchers. The California Endowment also has a list of such tools. They also provide annotated bibliographies for each tool. Healthcare professionals can use these assessment tools. There are also several online resources to support the application of these tools.

Falls as the leading cause of injury in aged care homes

Many health conditions can contribute to a senior’s risk of falling. These can include decreased physical strength, vision problems, and foot issues. Some elderly residents may also experience an increased risk of falling due to environmental factors. While these factors may not be easily changed, some can reduce the severity of falls. 

Falling is among older Australians’ most common causes of injuries and death. Falls can cause several serious injuries, including hip fractures and head trauma. It can make it difficult for older people to continue performing activities and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Falls can also reduce a person’s confidence in walking, leading to decreased physical activity. For this reason, a resident’s physical activity should be monitored regularly. A health professional should be consulted if a senior resident has fallen or has experienced a severe injury.

Cleanliness as a key priority

The cleaning process in aged care homes must be thorough and consistent. Careful hand hygiene is essential before and after cleaning and when changing gloves. The aged care environment is very sensitive, and a clean, hygienic environment is essential to their health and wellbeing. Care staff should ventilate the room before leaving it or provide a window for ventilation and follow a systematic procedure for disinfecting the facility.

In addition to using air purification filters, nursing homes should also ensure that the air in the facility is free from solid contaminants. A good air purifier can help reduce these harmful gases and improve residents’ comfort. It is also a good idea to clean areas where high traffic occurs. It includes kitchen surfaces, staff rooms and door handles. These are high-traffic areas and are likely to accumulate dust and germs.