What Makes for Good Quality Care in Residential Settings?

Title: What makes for good quality care in residential settings? What actually is residential care and who we care for? Residential care is for people who can not continue living in their own home, even with support from home care services. You can stay in residential care for a short time known as respite care, over a longer period or permanently. There is a wide range of reasons for needing this type of support, for example, if a person has significant physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental ill health, an alcohol or drug dependency, or is at risk of injury or abuse. This often has serious impacts on their life-opportunities - for example, working, having sexual relationships, or starting a family. Residential care can help you to continue living safely, whilst giving your family or carer peace of mind knowing you are in a safe and supportive environment. Residential care should provide you with day to day support, a comfortable and safe environment to live in, activities of real interest and enjoyment, privacy and dignity, support for your physical, spiritual, intellectual, emotional and social needs. To ensure good quality of care, clients have the right to information, access to services, choice, safety, privacy and confidentiality, dignity and comfort, continuity of services, and opinion. To fulfil these rights, the needs of service providers must be met as well. These include the needs for: training, information, proper infrastructure and supplies, guidance, backup, respect and encouragement, feedback on their performance, and opportunities for self expression. Good quality of care enhances clients' satisfaction and their use of services. It increases job satisfaction and motivation among service providers, and leads to greater sustainability of services.
Some care homes are registered to meet a specific care need, for example dementia or terminal illness. Each of the the residential homes is different and client groups differ. Variety