Modern Equipment That Every Care Home Should Have
Deciding to move an elderly relative or friend into an assisted living complex can be difficult. However, a care home can provide senior citizens with some of the best years of their lives. Every one of these homes is unique, so you will need to arrange several viewings before you pick the correct facility for your loved one. But how do you make such a complicated choice?
Every care home will come equipped with the necessary apparatus to support your relative, but there are some additional factors that can swing your decision. As such, you should look out for some of the following equipment to decide whether you have found the best care home possible.
Laptops
The modern age is all about digital technology. Emailing has quickly become one of the most popular forms of communication in recent years, and the technology has expanded to include video calls in real-time. Therefore, any of your elderly relatives will need access to a laptop to keep you informed about their well-being.
It would be expensive to provide every care home resident with a personal laptop, but these individuals should have access to these machines whenever they need it. Make sure you ask about computer access when looking around a care facility to find out how often you will be able to communicate with your elderly relative.
T.V
Almost every care home will have an entertainment routine for its residents. These activities encourage socialisation and exercise among the elderly population, and you should receive a detailed list of events when you start looking around the place. However, no one wants to be active all the time. That is why it is important that the care home has at least one communal T.V for its residents.
A T.V can give an elderly person a chance to relax, but these devices can also keep them up to date on current news and events. Television may have a bad reputation; however, one of these machines can help you stay connected to the modern world.
Rising Beds
When new technology is first introduced, the price tag is normally sky-high. That is why it was uncommon to see rising beds in the average care home. Times have changed; however, it is more common than not for every resident to have access to one of these beds when living in a care home.
A rising bed can make getting in and out of bed a lot easier, and it provides the staff with better access to their residents. While you may not think that your relative needs a rising bed right now, they may need access to one in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to find a care home with this type of technology installed now rather than later.
Chairs
Just as beds have come a long way in the last few years, so too has chair technology. the average care home should now provide its residents with more than just a chair. Instead, these facilities now have access to some of the most scientifically beneficial chairs in history.
The right kind of chairs for nursing homes should include several factors. Firstly, these seats must be durable. You don’t want to keep replacing this equipment after a resident has a nasty fall. Secondly, these chairs need to be supportive. An ergonomically designed chair can prevent all manner of physical deterioration issues and help your residents with mobility. Lastly, a care home chair can now be fitted with certain patterns to help those with dementia. Contrasting shapes and patterns can stimulate the mind, keeping it active for longer. Also, these chairs are more recognisable to residents, which allows them to know that they are in a safe place when they see their favourite chair.
CCTV
CCTV is another invention that has a bad reputation in modern times. Unfortunately, this equipment is necessary for some care facilities, no matter your views on the technology.
The staff of a nursing home is responsible for keeping their residents as safe and secure as possible. However, these individuals cannot be everywhere at once. Sometimes, a person’s best interests involve finding out what they may have eaten or where they may have been throughout the day. Staff can easily find out the answers to these questions by reviewing CCTV footage. This technology can provide them with an accurate log of everything that has occurred under their roof, adding an extra layer of safety to the care of its residents.
Summary
There is no definitive list of equipment that every care home should have so long as they can keep your loved one safe and happy. However, the technology listed above can go a long way to improving the quality of life of your loved ones, so make sure you consider these details when searching for the right care home.