The second care value is maintaining confidentiality of information; Greengables conquer this by keeping all written things in a filing system locked away and by every care worker understanding that they cannot pass this information to anyone outside of the nursing home. Sometimes it is necessary to tell a manager or another person in charge about clients personal details but it wouldn’t be following the care value base if a care worker told the client they wouldn’t tell anybody then had to because it is defying against the clients trust, the care worker must tell the client that it might be important to share the information with other care workers or authorities. If the care value, maintaining confidentiality of information was not followed then the client might keep things to themselves from then on, they might feel they cannot trust the care worker anymore and that they do not matter and they might feel they are not safe within Greengables anymore.
The third care value is promoting and supporting individuals’ rights, Greengables value every client as a different individual, entitle them to their own choice of where they would like to eat etc and allow them to go where they want to go. Greengables encourages the clients to be as independent as possible by asking them their opinion about things first or asking them if they’d like to do something or go somewhere or join in on activity before they take them, if a client can’t get in the bath but can wash themselves on their own then the staff help them into the bath but leave them to wash by themselves just with supervision; Greengables have to think about both their own and the clients health and safety first. They also think the clients should have their own say and beliefs but ask them to be responsible and respect other clients. An example of this care value not being followed would be if a care worker didn’t ask the client there opinion and did everything for them, like bathing, feeding, moving around the home even if the client was able to do it by themselves. The consequences to this care value being abused could be a client feeling they have no independence anymore and that they have to rely on the care workers constantly it may make them feel that their own home is a better place and it might also make them feel they have no dignity anymore or lose their sense of self-worth.
The fourth care value is acknowledging individuals’ personal beliefs and identity, Greengables accept that every client is different but treating them the same, they have to understand that the clients have different opinions and they accept each client for who they are and don’t criticise them for what they believe in. Greengables do this by letting the clients wear they like to wear, spending their spare time how they like and letting them be addressed how they prefer to be addressed. An example of this would be if a client belonged to a religion with certain beliefs on how to dress then a clients would be allowed to dress like this as long as it was suitable and didn’t affect the other clients. Skilled care workers should get to know the clients and how the client needs to be treated this way the care worker can treat the client differently but not in a prejudiced way. This could cause the client to feel unhappy and unwanted, maybe racially abused if that is the case.
The fifth care value is protecting individuals from abuse, Greengables have courses which care workers have to do before qualifying for Greengables and train staff to report any suspected neglect or abuse towards any clients. Greengables protect clients from abuse by reporting any bruises or marks etc on a client whether it looks suspicious or not or telling a supervisor/manager if a client confided in staff about some kind of abuse. Abuse might happen because the care worker might lose their temper or patience with one of the clients or because of discrimination or prejudice due to certain groups or individuals being different from the abuser, it is a clients right for the care workers to treat them right and have someone stop it if it does happen. If this care value wasn’t followed correctly then a client may be:
- Physically abused - Hitting, pushing or kicking.
- Sexually abused - Interfering with a persons body in a sexual way when they do not consent it.
- Verbally abused - Insults, put-downs or name-calling.
- Neglected by a care worker - Avoidance, ignoring them or not giving them the help they need to receive.
- Devaluing - Letting a person see that he or she is though less valuable than others or by denying him or her care that others receive.
This would make a client feel emotionally upset and unwanted, the client might feel they are not important and could withdraw themselves from activities within Greengables because they do not want to be humiliated.
The sixth care value is promoting effective communication and relationships, Greengables try to make sure that clients are comfortable with their environment of the nursing home and ask their opinion, they have to understand the clients needs, fears and wishes. The clients always have time to communicate between one another, they do not have to but they have the choice. They also ensure the clients have relationships and time to bond with staff. Greengables overcome this care value by employing confident staff who are willing to talk to clients and make strong, trusting relationship, the clients have time all day everyday to make relationships it is just their choice to do so. If a care worker was to ignore the clients needs, fears or wishes or if the client struggled to talk the same language as the care worker and was ignored because the care worker didn’t bother attempting to communicate with the client this care value wouldn’t be followed. This could result in a client feeling they don’t have to be sensitive to others or respect others opinions and feelings; they might lower in self-esteem.
The seventh care value is providing individualised care, Greengables respect the clients’ thoughts, they treat all the residents as individuals and make sure each clients individual needs are cared for. For example, if a client needed a wheelchair because they could not walk, Greengables would provide this one client with a wheelchair unless someone else needed one and not give all the clients a wheelchair. It is vitally important that the clients have control over their lives just with the extra help on things they struggle with. In a kitchen it would be a lot easier for the catering staff to make one thing but this is not following the seventh care value; the kitchen should make certain foods for people with religious beliefs and certain foods for those who are allergic or need to be on a certain diet. This could result in the client feeling un-catered for and that they do not matter.
If the care value base was not used at all, the clients that used the services at Greengables could tell their families, who could remove the client from the nursing home and into another meaning Greengables wouldn’t receive as much money as they need or want and it wouldn’t reach the standards that the government want and could be shut down until improved. The care value base is important because it prevents abuse and keeps the service to suitable standards.
At Black Firs Playgroup the care value base is approached in a slightly different way. The clients at Black Firs Playgroup are children therefore they have to learn about building relationships with people and might not have the knowledge to tell someone about abuse. Staff at Black Firs Playgroup would be looking for physical damage, a change in mood or a change in noticeable emotional feeling of the child. The children could be abused by parents or other people at home or could be bullied by other children, which isn’t as likely because they are a bit young. The children are less likely to be verbally abused than the older residents at Greengables because some children will not understand hurtful words for example. Both the clients from a nursing home and a nursery are at a vulnerable age because younger people take more explaining and understanding and older people are frail. At Greengables the staff would be looking for physical abuse, a change in mood and contribution to things or psychological abuse. This abuse could be from other clients, their family who visit or the care workers. The staff at Greengables have more chance of getting told or confided in by a client because they already know how to make relationships but might struggle to speak etc after a stroke for example.
