Services
CLS Care homes are happy, friendly places where people benefit from the companionship and care of the people who live and work in them. The people who live with us need assistance with daily living in a variety of ways & the staff who work there have the right amount of training and competence to support people day to day.
More importantly though we have people who can put people at ease, create a sense of fun and a place to live where our resident feel like they belong.
This we believe is our real strength, have a look some of the things going on and the personalities who make our care homes what they are. Click here to see our newsletter Calypso to get a flavour of our care homes across our communities.
Around the clock care - CLS Care Homes provide 24 hour support to older people who require assistance with daily living. There are different forms of around the clock care in a care home, the following section is designed to help you understand the different options.
Residential and Nursing Care - care homes are categorised according to the level of care that they can deliver. You may have heard them described in terms of residential homes, nursing homes or dual-registered homes, the following should give you some background as to the differences.
Quite simply the difference between Residential & Nursing care relates to the amount of help that people living in them require to undertake normal tasks associated with daily living. Things such as:
Getting around the house
Using the toilet
Eating and drinking
Getting dressed and undressed
Getting in an out of bed
Taking prescribed medication
Preparing meals and drinks
Washing and bathing
There is a scale of need, older people in residential care may need help with all of the above but where that persons needs are at a certain level e.g. if a person was bedridden, frail and had a medical condition that required regular attention from a nurse they would be assessed as needing a nursing service.
Dementia, EMI, Alzheimers - in addition to those registration categories that indicate the level of physical need that a person has you may have also seen care homes as being registered as Dementia or EMI (Elderly Mentally Infirm) clients.
To clarify - Dementia is a generic term for a set of symptoms, there are many routes and pathways to an older person developing these difficulties, Alzheimers disease is simply one of them. Whatever the cause the commonality for the symptoms of dementia are generally:
Problems with short term memory
Problems with orientation within a normal environment
Problems with communication and expression
Problems with recognition and sense of self
Some of the above disabilties to a certain point are associated with the normal process of ageing but for certain people they are so severe that they need specialist help. Several CLS residential care homes can provide this extra level of care for details please go to our locations section. You can also find out about CLS's approach to dementia care click here. CLS's approach addresses the needs of the 'whole person' from a physical, social and emotional perspective as well as carefully considering the design of the accomodation, this is our real strength.
Short Term, Respite, Intermediate Care - in addition to people who reside in our care homes on a long term basis there are also people who come to stay with for a short term stay. This may be following a stay in hospital to rehabiltate or it may be to prevent a stay in hospital.
Another reason for a person to come to us on a short term basis may be to give a main carer a break. Perhaps an older person has a relative or friend who helps to support them in the community and they wish to take a holiday, a short term stay would allow them to do so with peace of mind
Registration and assessment - for all of the above types of care there is an overriding principle - that all care homes (or beds within care homes) are classified or registered as having adequate resources to cater for a certain level of need. In order for a person to be able to live there, that individual must be assessed by a professional to determine that the care available in that particular setting would meet their needs appropriately. This is a safeguard to ensure that a) a person receives the right amount of care in the right place for them b) a persons care needs doesnt adversely affect other people living in that home.
An independent organisation called CSCI (the Commission for Social Care Inspection) monitors whether there is this 'match' between a persons needs and care received in all 24 hour care settings and not only those for older people.
What is a CSCI report?
Other sources of information - CLS provide excellent care home services & they are a valuable part of many people lives. There is increasing choice relating to housing/ care options open to older people and you should investigate fully which one is the best for you or your relative. The links below will lead you to some independent organisations that help older people find the right option for their circumstances.
The Elderly Accomodation Council - HousingCare.org
Counsel and Care
Age Concern
Help the Aged