WASHROOM Loo Cares
What types of washroom products work best in a care home? Stephen Wright from Tork manufacturer SCA looks at the impact ease of use, home-from-home products and even dispenser colour can have on the wellbeing of older residents.
Nursing and care home residents can be among the most vulnerable people in our society. It is the task of nursing home staff to provide reassurance while making their environment as comfortable as possible. As part of that effort, hygiene is always key since any infection could be life- threatening to older people living with existing conditions.
Current legislation sets minimum standards for nursing home washrooms. According to a January 2008 document issued by the Department of Health, there should be a minimum of two separate toilets and one assisted toilet for every five patients.
Nursing home washrooms should be clearly marked and conveniently located near to communal rooms. They should also be fully enclosed and offer suitable hand washing and drying facilities that meet infection control guidelines.
The aim of these rules is to preserve the dignity of residents and ensure that they have adequate washroom provision. But there are further steps that care home managers can take to make washrooms even more comfortable, pleasant and easy to use.
People who suffer from arthritis or rheumatism may struggle with the types of toilet tissue systems where the paper becomes “lost” inside the dispenser. They may also have an issue with push-button soap dispensers where a degree of strength is required to access the soap inside. Harsh, abrasive paper products and soaps could aggravate sensitive and delicate skin.
Mild soaps, user-friendly hand towels, soft toilet tissue and easy-to-use dispensers all have a part to play in
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the care home washroom. The Tork Foam Soap system, for example, has been designed to have a low push- force button that makes it easy to use even for people with weak hands, arthritis or rheumatism.
When it comes to drying the hands, a disposable paper towel will create more of a “home from home” ambience than a potentially noisy air dryer while also being more hygienic than a textile towel. A system such as the Tork XpressTM Extra Soft Multifold Hand Towel Dispenser is ideal because the towels are self- presenting which means they are easy to access even with one hand. Their softness also makes them gentle on delicate skin.
“The aim of these rules is to preserve the dignity of residents and ensure that they have adequate washroom provision.”
The Tork Folded Toilet Paper system is another good option in a care home because the paper can be easily accessed with one hand. It is available in a soft format and is housed in a compact unit that has less of a clinical feel than a jumbo roll dispenser. The Tork Xpress Multifold and the Tork Folded Toilet Paper dispensers present sheets of paper one at a time to help keep the risk of cross-contamination to a minimum.
While it is crucial that all care home dispensers should be easy to use, they also need to be easy to locate – even for those who are visually impaired. White dispensers can be hard to spot
against the white walls favoured in many care homes. For this reason, dispensers in a contrasting colour work well. Tork Elevation dispensers, for example, are available in black. Colour-coded stickers on all Tork skincare dispensers in the healthcare sector indicate whether there is soap, sanitiser or moisturiser inside.
The Care Quality Commission is working to ensure that all residents receive safe, effective and compassionate high-quality care and that staff put the health and wellbeing of older people at the centre of their work. Providing safe, hygienic and easy-to-use washrooms can help fulfill this aim.
Soft towels, easy-to-locate units and soap dispensers that anyone can operate may seem a small part of the residential care environment. But if together they help people use the washroom unassisted and in private, they can have a major impact on the dignity of residents and a significant effect on their quality of life.
www.sca.com/uk
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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