How Care Plans Can Enhance Your Care Journey
What Is a Care Plan?
A care plan is essential if you are going to be cared for as you wish. Having a plan in place means that you have structure in the care you’re going to receive and that your caregivers can deliver consistent care, whether that’s loved ones or care professionals. The NHS defines a care plan as “for anyone who needs care or cares for someone else” and that it will contain “the type of support you need, how this support will be given (and) how much money your council will spend on your care.”
What Are Care Plans For?
Care plans ensure that the person who is being cared for gets the support they need for as long as they need it. A person could be at the start of a support journey, need palliative care or be approaching the end of their life, but it’s still essential that they get the support they need in the way they want it delivered. Helping Hands insists on providing person-centred care to all of our employees, as we know that’s the best way to keep you fully at the centre of your care journey.
How Often Should Care Plans Be Reviewed?
The NHS recommends that nursing care plans be reviewed in the “first few months of support starting and then once every year.” This will likely be the case if you’re receiving care in a local authority-run facility, or they are providing it for you at home. However, if you have care at home from Helping Hands, we will continually monitor your care plan and make sure that you’re living as independently and comfortably as possible in the home you love. That’s because we manage every aspect of your care from the moment you first get in touch, and for as long as you need us.
What Should Be Included In a Care Plan?
A care plan doesn’t just contain important information about your condition, your crae requirements and your preferences, it should be compiled with a ‘whole-person’, holistic approach that will make sure that if something or someone is important to you, it goes in the plan. This includes information that helps your caregivers to care for you in the best ways they can, and details like:
What's important to the customer
Your wishes and routines should be at the centre of the care plan to make sure you can live as well as possible
Specific goals of the customer
Your goals will be relevant to your prognosis but will include how you want to live for the duration of your care
What equipment the customer needs
This is important as your equipment will need to remain fit for purpose and be checked regularly
What the customer is capable of
As your needs and your abilities change, it’s important that your care plan is flexible enough to meet those changes
Points of contact for the customer
Having someone for you to contact if you have questions about your care, and your caregiver to contact when necessary is crucial
Carer requirements
Such as using equipment correctly, medication administration, and who the carer should contact if they have any issues or questions
Why Care Plans Are Important
Care plans are important because they give structure to a person’s care and also make sure that there are measurable markers that can indicate how a person’s condition is progressing. Without a care plan in place, it’s much harder to establish indicators that will monitor if someone’s care is ‘fit for purpose’ and meeting their needs properly.
How Do Care Plans Meet The Needs of Individuals?
It can be difficult to know what should be included in your care plan to make sure it is as personalised as possible, however as long as it is regularly reviewed and it contains information about you, your condition and your everyday routines then it should be doing what it’s meant to. It should be regularly reviewed to ensure that this continues to be the case and that it is straightforward for caregivers to follow. If you are not satisfied with your care plan and you are receiving care from your local authority then their adult social services department should be contacted if there is a problem. Another great reason for having care from Helping Hands, though, is that we’ll ensure your care plan contains all the information necessary and ensure it always remains flexible to your changing needs.
Plan of Care vs a Care Plan, Is There a Difference?
While the terms are often interchanged, there are subtle differences between a plan of care and a care plan. The initial discussions that outline the type of care that is to be delivered, the assessment and the decisions made around the strategy of care are all part of the plan, whereas the final written document outlining the day-to-day actions is the care plan. The plan of care will involve care professionals assessing what exactly the person needs to live as well as possible, whether that’s equipment in the home or a particular treatment for instance, and the care plan will be the tangible document that caregivers will refer to that ensures all the person’s needs are addressed.
Find out More on Care Plans with Helping Hands
Helping Hands have been delivering exceptional visiting and live-in care since we were established in 1989, so it’s no wonder we’re considered the UK’s most trusted home care provider. We understand the importance of care plans as an integral part of your whole care package, and we’ll always ensure that your plan is followed as closely as possible so that you live your way. You should always be at the centre of your own care experience, and that’s why we believe so strongly in putting our customers first, delivering a holistic approach to care that is fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales.