care homes

Report on an evaluation of new build schemes for older people that received capital funding from the Extra Care Housing Fund in the first two rounds, from 2004–2006.

The evaluation aimed to examine the development of the schemes from their implementation, and to follow the residents’ experiences and health over time. A particular feature of the evaluation was to compare explicitly costs and outcomes with those for residents moving into care homes.

Staff in care homes for older people can be confused as to what constitutes restraint, and unsure how to balance their responsibilities to residents with the rights of residents to make their own decisions. This report is based on a selection of literature that addresses these questions, as well as considering how, when and why restraint is used. Report published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) in October 2009.

Statistics release which presents the latest figures for free personal care (FPC) and free nursing care (FNC). The figures presented differ slightly from previous publications due to corrections being submitted during the validation process.

Introduction to the 'Preventing Infection in Care' resource, which contains programmes on the causes of infection; information on common infections experienced in care homes; and a programme that describes the steps you should take if there is an outbreak of infection in your setting.

Short induction programme introducing the 10 standard infection control precautions – the practical steps that can be taken to prevent infections.

Most micro-organisms are harmless, but some can have serious consequences particularly for vulnerable groups including older people or people with certain medical conditions.

This video resource documents particular causes of infection and how to control them.

Vulnerable people can take longer to recover from infections and some can be life threatening.

This video resource documents specific infections - what they are, what symptoms they cause, how they are transmitted, and how they are managed and can be controlled.

Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, outbreaks of infection may occur, and whilst infections can affect people of all ages, older people living in care homes can suffer more severe illness and a more rapid deterioration.

This video resource documents best practice for dealing with outbreaks of infection in care.

There are 10 elements to the standard infection control precautions (SICPs) providing international guidance on infection prevention and control.

SICPs are the necessary precautions that all health and social care staff must adhere to, to reduce the risk of transmission of micro-organisms from both recognised and unrecognised sources of infection.

This video resource details the 10 elements to SICPs.

The most common way germs are spread is by people's hands. Hands are covered in a range of micro-organisms, many harmless, but some can also cause illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting, flu and other serious illness.

This video resource documents appropriate hand hygiene for working in care environments.