The Importance of Facilities Management in Care Homes

 

In the care sector, where vulnerable residents rely on a safe and nurturing environment, effective facilities management cannot be overstated. Care homes often face the challenge of managing large, diverse sites fraught with risks, amidst a backdrop of increasing demand for their services.

 

The care home sector is currently worth £15.9 billion a year in the UK with 410,000 residents. Care Home groups manage large disparate sites which are full of severe health and safety risks. There is growing demand for care services, and this is set to increase, with the UK on track to officially become a demographically ‘aging population’. The demand, coupled with notorious staff shortages and a lack of technological progress, means care homes are likely to lose control of their sites.

 

In the UK today, there are almost 11 million people aged 65 and over, or 19% of the total population of England. As we move towards an aging population, the need for meticulous facilities management in care homes is more critical than ever before. So, how can CAFM software support care home providers and improve the lives of care staff and residents? This article will unveil the importance of facilities management across the care sector as well as how CAFM software can support care home providers.

 

• • Why is facilities management important in care homes?
  • How does effective facilities management improve lives of tenants there?
  • How are care home staff affected by facilities management?
  • How can CAFM software support effective facilities management in care homes?
  • Why is visitor management important in care homes?
  • What will be the impact of care homes investing in Elogs CAFM+ Service Desk?

 

Why is facilities management important in care homes?

 

Ultimately, it’s all about people. Effective facilities management in care homes can give residents’ families confidence that their loved ones are being looked after properly. This involves a number of factors including regular asset maintenance and building safety checks. Also, maintenance activities need to be carried out by qualified suppliers and contractors who can be trusted around vulnerable people.

 

People want to leave their loved ones in places that feel safe. This is especially important since many residents are vulnerable either from mental or physical illnesses. So, creating a safe and secure environment is paramount for care home residents, their families, and the staff who work there.

 

Leading with compassion

 

Deciding to place a relative in a care home is a big decision and it can be a very difficult time for the families. Often care homes have many properties which can be difficult to manage, looking after many types of residents. These residents may have dementia, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, or any other condition that prevents them from living independently.

 

So, it’s important that care homes make this process as smooth and as compassionate as possible—this will help the residents, their families, and the care home staff feel safe and content. It’s also important to note that the media can be ruthless when it comes to care homes, especially when reputation is everything in this sector. That’s why facilities management is so crucial because it helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents and care staff.

 

In truth, the care sector has a thankless task because when they get things right, they receive no praise; but when they get it wrong, it could cause the downfall of the care home entirely.  At the end of the day, people put their trust in care homes, so the facilities and building management needs to be watertight across the board.

 

How does effective facilities management improve lives of tenants there?

 

How are care home staff affected by facilities management?

 

Given that care homes in the UK are often significantly understaffed, keeping care workers content and well is vital. 66% of care home providers in the UK admit to having challenges with staff retention, while 87% claim that it is hard to recruit new workers.

 

By streamlining maintenance processes and mitigating risks, efficient facilities management empowers staff to focus on providing quality care to residents. It alleviates administrative burdens, allowing staff to dedicate more time and attention to resident needs. Ultimately, this can enhance the quality of care provided. Facilities management is not just about driving efficiency but also empowering care home staff to use their time more appropriately by caring for the residents rather than having to worry about building maintenance and safety issues.

 

How can CAFM software support effective facilities management in care homes?

 

Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) software offers a comprehensive solution for managing maintenance activities, tracking assets, and ensuring compliance across your care homes. CAFM can empower care homes to schedule preventative maintenance tasks efficiently, monitor asset performance, and generate reports for informed decision-making.

 

Planned Preventative Maintenance

 

Planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is especially important within care homes. This is because residents and staff need to know when and where maintenance work is being carried out, as well as who the contractor is. Given that care homes often have many residents and workers, assets and resources (e.g. heating and lighting) are often functioning round the clock. This means that all assets and equipment need regular maintenance to perform at their peak.

 

Planned maintenance helps to plan and schedule maintenance activities to prevent unexpected equipment failures. This is vital for remaining complaint with government legislation. The HSE outline specific guidance around the maintenance of work equipment and why it’s important.

 

Regularly upkeeping your care homes is essential in ensuring you are complying with the latest health and safety regulations. If you don’t check your assets and equipment regularly, it could pose a threat to resident and staff safety. Planned or preventative maintenance is often a better strategy in ensuring health and safety. By maintaining your assets on regular basis, you mitigate the risk of potentially dangerous equipment failure.

 

Without routine checks, health and safety risks can be missed or neglected, meaning your care homes could become unsafe. A CAFM system can help you effectively implement preventative maintenance. With a CAFM system, PPM planners can efficiently track maintenance activities, monitor asset performance, and generate comprehensive reports for better decision-making.

 

Elogs CAFM allows you streamline facilities management, cut costs and maximise efficiency. We recently launched an improved PPM tool in the CAFM system which gives you more control of your PPM planner. This enables you to manage and edit your scheduled maintenance tasks ahead of time. With Elogs CAFM, you can remain compliant and ensure that you keep your buildings, residents, and care home staff, safe at all times.

 

24/7 Support

 

One of the main challenges for care homes is trying to deal with building issues out of hours. A CAFM with a 24/7 service desk is much more beneficial for care homes because they offer round the clock care. So, if a building issue arises, care homes can resolve them swiftly, protecting the residents and minimising disruption.

 

A CAFM with a full-time service desk means that the care home staff can focus on looking after the residents and leave the facilities management to the service desk team. Families want to know that their loved ones are staying in a care home that is functioning, warm and safe. A CAFM system gives them peace of mind that building issues are addressed promptly, and assets are being fixed to mitigate safety risks.

 

Elogs is one of the few providers who offer an integrated solution in the form of a CAFM+ Service Desk. Every action taken by our service desk team is traceable and auditable in the CAFM system. This gives care home providers complete transparency and visibility of their buildings. With Elogs, you not only get an advanced CAFM platform, but also a devoted team who care about your problems and are deeply committed to solving them. Unlike an outsourced approach, our service desk team are driven by compassion, empathy, and a willingness to provide practical solutions.

 

Evidence Compliance & Safety

 

CAFM software can help care homes log requests, get quotes, schedule PPM work, as well as planning for any remedial works that may need to occur. CAFM systems help care homes create an environment that is heavily regulated in terms of compliance and quality care. The care sector is heavily scrutinised by local authorities and councils to make sure they are compliant. Care home providers therefore need to prove how they protect their residents and showcase how they manage their buildings effectively.

 

Elogs CAFM allows you to provide digital evidence that your buildings are compliant, safe, and up-to-scratch. Our CAFM system also integrates with Meridian, a risk management software. This will help you to better manage compliance activities across your business. With Elogs CAFM acts as a centralised system for critical facility-related data, including asset information, maintenance records, and work order requests. By consolidating this information in a central database, CAFM software makes facilities management simple. Elogs CAFM allows you to share all this critical information with internal and external parties who may require it.

 

Why is visitor management important in care homes?

 

Security also plays a key role in care home management. Care homes need to be secure in order to protect their workers and residents. Systems such as Elogs Occupier Portal can help ensure the safety and security of your buildings.

 

Occupier Portal offers a clear view of exactly who is in your buildings at any given time. This is even more important in care homes where visitors are filtering in and out all the time. Having a visitor management process in place also provides a better experience for your visitors, residents, and care home workers. It will improve the reputation of your care home and ensure that visitors and residents always feel safe and secure.

 

 

What will be the impact of care homes investing in Elogs CAFM+ Service Desk?

 

Investing in Elogs CAFM+ Service Desk will help families feel confident in entrusting their loved ones to care homes. It will also support care home providers by allowing them to access digital evidence of maintenance and building activities to ensure compliance.

 

Also, Elogs CAFM system integrates with Prosure360, a supply chain management software. This gives you full control of your supply chain. This unique platform shows whether your contractors and suppliers meet your specific business requirements. Finding reliable and qualified suppliers is extremely important in ensuring the safety of care home residents and workers. Prosure360 is the perfect platform for helping care homes reduce risk by selecting verified, trustworthy, and compliant service providers.

 

Ensuring a safe, well-maintained environment is not just about regulatory compliance. It’s about creating a nurturing space where residents feel secure and cared for. By embracing technology like CAFM software and prioritising PPM maintenance practices, care homes can uphold their commitment to providing exceptional care and supporting residents and their families.

 

Looking for a solution to simplify facilities management across your care homes? Look no further.

 

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