My Health, My Care, My Home - healthcare framework for adults living in care homes: easy read

Prevention - stopping an illness before it starts by keeping people well

People can stay well with support:

• to eat healthy food and drink lots of water
• with movement and activity to keep their minds active
• by staying connected to people
• with hearing and eye care
• with support for continence and bowel care
• with skin and wound care
• with emotional and spiritual support

Every person living in a care home should have a personal plan giving information about how care and support will be provided.

Recommendations - what we want to see happen

• people living in care homes must be supported to go to any public health programmes that are right for their age such as:
  • bowel cancer screening
  • immunisations against flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal and shingles infections
• staff must be able to get advice, education and guidance about infection, prevention and control in care homes
• everyone living in a care home will have a personal plan that is checked regularly

There must be good ways to develop these plans and put them in place.

• a medication review should take place when someone first moves into a care home, and then at least once a year after that
• regular dental, sight, and hearing checks should continue to be part of an individual's personal plan when they move into a care home
• there should be a named dentist for each care home and contracts with local optometry and hearing services
• staff should use resources to look after all people's needs, not just their medical needs
• care home staff should ask people about their religious and spiritual beliefs and their needs should be looked after

These needs should be checked regularly as part of care plans.

• people should be supported to keep links in their local community to support their mobility, independence and communication