Promoting independence within the home
Situation within the home
A person living in supported accommodation was diagnosed with dementia and suffered small seizures. Staff routinely visited him throughout the day but were particularly concerned that he may require assistance during the night.
Intervention within the home
The person was issued with a fall detector to alert staff if assistance was required during the day. A bed monitor was installed to give off an alert if he did not return to bed after a period of time and a door monitor was installed to alert staff if he went out during the night. All alerts were sent to a carer's pager which staff held onsite so that they could respond to the service user as and when required.
Outcome within the home
The gentleman has increased independence and privacy within his home. Staff report feeling more relaxed and confident supporting this independence as they know they will be alerted should the service user require assistance.
Providing individualised support/care packages
Care package situation
A care package including two Waking Night Support Workers was being provided to a young parent with learning disabilities to support and reinforce positive parenting skills.
Waking Night Support Workers normally work throughout the night and are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of people who use the service at this time. The care team was unsure of the parent's normal patterns of activity when support workers were not in the property.
Care package intervention
Using a system called 'Just Checking' allowed the team in partnership with the parent to identify the appropriate level of support required to meet her needs. This system can be installed for a four week period to provide information regarding normal activity patterns during the day and overnight. Staff were able to log on to a website to view activity patterns and provide support as required.
Care package outcome
The information provided from 'Just Checking' provided evidence of positive parenting skills which supported the removal of the two Waking Night Support Workers from the home. This resulted in increased independence, responsibility and privacy for the parent and family as well as cost savings from the care package.