More than a third of care homes reported staff being injured by residents during a three-month period, according to a survey by the Alzheimer’s Society.
The study also found that 70% of homes recorded at least one instance of challenging behaviour by residents, while 22% experienced more than 10 incidents in that same period.
And because the survey only includes cases that were formally recorded, it’s likely the actual figures are far higher.
Serious implications for care providers
A high percentage of these instances involved residents suffering from a form of dementia. That’s because the part of the brain damaged by dementia also causes behavioural changes and, often, this manifests itself in challenging behaviour – often, if the person doesn’t understand what’s going on around them or feel their privacy’s being invaded.
Those stats highlight the importance of training your workforce. Because if staff don’t have the skills and knowledge to deal with challenging behaviour, situations can easily spiral out of control – with serious implications for care providers.
Retain and recruit the best staff
Excessive staff turnover has affected the care industry for some time, which means care home operators need to do everything in their power to retain and recruit the best employees.
If staff continuously find themselves in dangerous situations and lack the training to deal with the task at hand, it’s likely they won’t be comfortable working in that environment. There is also a huge risk, should a staff member suffer injury due to their mishandling of a situation.
Providing a safe working environment is a legal requirement, but creating one that’s fulfilling and rewarding should also be one of your highest priorities from a business point of view.
Protect and boost the reputation of your business
A better trained workforce helps you provide better care for your clients and, ultimately boosts the reputation and standing of your business. When it comes to coping with challenging behaviour, providing staff with specialist skills is particularly important.
It’s hugely upsetting for family members to see their loved ones becoming distressed and behaving aggressively. They may already feel some guilt about leaving their relative in care and, to see them being treated by care staff who are unable to cope, will only make them more anxious.
But if your staff is trained to understand residents’ personalities, recognise these situations early and diffuse them with care and professionalism, it’s a huge asset for your business. Becoming known as a provider who can manage challenging behaviour compassionately is also a strong selling point and will help set you apart from the competition.
Conversely, if situations aren’t handled appropriately, the potential damage to your business is a real possibility – impacting on your ability to win clients and recruit staff.
Find out more
Redcrier’s ‘Coping with Aggression in the Workplace’ training is a flexible course that will enable staff to resolve challenging situations.
It gives staff the know-how to identify challenging behaviour, think of the possible implications and who it can affect. Importantly the course also allows staff to reduce the likelihood of clients being harmed by their owns actions or actions of others.
For more information visit our website or contact us on 01823 332200.
