Within in-home care, connecting carers, agencies, those receiving care, and their loved ones has never been more important. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that connecting all parties in the ‘circle of care’ is essential, particularly for reassuring families, taking a preventative approach to client care, and easing pressure on carers.
The importance of the Circle of Care
When a loved one needs help, everyone expects they receive the best care possible. Therefore, for an in-home care agency, putting the client at the centre of care service is fundamental.
However, a good circle of care should include more than just carers and clients. It should encompass everyone who is in touch with the client: agency managers and administrators, doctors and social care workers, and family. And, if required, emergency services.
All need access to the client’s health information and technology makes this information easily accessible and shareable amongst all stakeholders. The benefits include:
Peace of mind for family members
This is particularly important for those living far away. With technology, family members can see health updates of their loved one at any time. We can’t emphasise enough how important this aspect is for home carers, who are able to easily let families know about anything relating to the person being cared for, whether that’s meals, medication or mood.
Significant cost savings for carers
With fuel prices going up and the cost of living crisis getting worse, not having to go into the office to pick up or drop off clients’ records can make a big difference in saving time and money.
Management
For agencies, it means better and more accurate management of the care service provided, as they can monitor in real-time carers’ visits, care given, and any follow up notes.
There has always been a disconnect between the information carers have in comparison to the information held by family members, hospitals, and other stakeholders. The pandemic heightened this issue even more, as family visits decreased. Fortunately, technology has empowered everyone in the circle of care to be kept in the loop.
How technology is supporting the sector
We saw during the pandemic that it is possible for carers to deliver the highest standard of home care by providing them with simple but effective technology. Notably, we have seen first-hand how deploying user-friendly technology can almost double its uptake among staff. Through mobile apps, for example, carers can read all the information they need such as clients’ support plans, receive notifications from their head office or use the app to write client notes. And of course, when it comes to the circle of care, it makes life easier for family and friends who can easily access the information they need when they need it.
CareLineLive is proud to be part of the Circle of Care, by facilitating communication between all parties and giving carers back more time to spend with clients.
Author: Merina Martin, Product Manager, CareLineLive
