How to record activities in care settings easily with Care Control

Recording activities in care: How Care Control makes it simple

When we think about quality care, it’s easy to focus on personal care tasks, medication, and health monitoring. But there’s another vital part of care that shouldn’t be overlooked – activities.

From craft sessions and baking afternoons to gentle exercise classes and social gatherings, activities are essential for supporting wellbeing. They bring connection, joy, and structure into daily life, helping service users feel part of a community.

But here’s the challenge: recording activities in care can quickly become admin-heavy. With multiple residents taking part, writing up notes for each individual is time-consuming. Staff often end up duplicating records, which increases workload and can lead to inconsistencies.

 

Why accurate activity recording matters

Recording activities isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s a key part of demonstrating quality, person-centred care. Accurate, up-to-date records help evidence that residents are receiving stimulating, meaningful experiences that support their physical, emotional and social wellbeing.

It’s also a core expectation set by investigating and regulatory bodies across the UK. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England, for example, reviews activity records under its Well-led and Responsive key lines of enquiry. These records help inspectors understand how care homes promote engagement, inclusion and dignity – and how well care plans are being followed.

In Scotland, the Care Inspectorate expects services to evidence how they meet the Health and Social Care Standards, particularly those focused on wellbeing and participation. Consistent activity logs show that people are encouraged to live life to the full, in ways that are personal to them.

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) in Northern Ireland take a similar stance. Their inspection frameworks highlight the importance of maintaining clear, contemporaneous records of how people spend their day, the choices offered, and the outcomes achieved.

Incomplete or inconsistent documentation can raise red flags during inspections or investigations – particularly around person-centred practice, social inclusion, or mental wellbeing. That’s why having a system that makes recording simple, structured and reliable is essential for every care setting.

 

The link between activity recording and quality ratings

Evidence of meaningful activities often features heavily in inspection reports and contributes to stronger CQC ratings under the Well-led and Caring domains. When providers can clearly show how daily life is enriched – through accessible, engaging records – it supports a positive narrative about the home’s culture, values and approach to wellbeing.

In contrast, poor or inconsistent documentation can make it harder to demonstrate quality outcomes, even when excellent work is happening. Paper records can be misplaced or incomplete, meaning vital examples of good practice never make it into inspection evidence.

That’s why digital tools for activity recording are becoming increasingly important. A digital care management system helps ensure that everything from quizzes to music therapy sessions is recorded in real time, without adding paperwork or pressure to busy teams.

 

 

How Care Control keeps it simple

That’s where Care Control Cloud makes a real difference. Our all-in-one digital care software makes it quick and easy for staff to log group and individual activities directly from any device.

Each entry is automatically linked to the person’s care plan, creating a complete picture of their engagement, preferences and wellbeing over time. Managers can instantly review participation levels, identify trends, and demonstrate compliance during inspections -all at the click of a button.

By simplifying activity recording, Care Control frees up valuable staff time while improving accuracy, consistency and transparency. It ensures that the great work your teams do every day is properly captured, evidenced and celebrated.

 

Why recording activities matters

Activities aren’t just “nice extras” in care – they’re a crucial part of person-centred support. CQC and other regulators look for evidence that providers are promoting wellbeing, inclusion, and choice. Recording activities consistently helps you demonstrate this.

It also ensures that:

• Families can see how loved ones are engaging day-to-day

• Staff can track participation across the service

• Providers can evidence meaningful care to inspectors

The challenge has always been balancing recording accurately with not taking away from the activity itself. Care staff want to be present with service users, not tied up in paperwork.

 

Recording activities in care with Care Control

That’s why we’ve designed our software to make group activity recording quick, easy, and consistent.

With Care Control you can:

🎯 Record the whole session once for all service users involved – no duplication, no wasted time.
📝 Add a single comment for the activity, keeping notes clear, concise, and relevant.
🤖 Use MargoAI to enhance and extend your comments, giving greater clarity and insight with just one click.

This means your records are accurate, your staff save time, and you can focus on what matters most – delivering meaningful care.

Top tip: carers benefit too!

This functionality isn’t just for activity coordinators, managers or deputy managers. Carers and support staff can use the same process when recording activities throughout the day.

Whether it’s a group walk in the garden, a baking session, or a music afternoon, staff can log it quickly and easily. This consistency across your service means better records, less duplication, and more time with residents.

 

Reducing admin, boosting care

The real benefit of recording activities in Care Control is that it reduces unnecessary admin. Instead of spending valuable minutes writing multiple entries, staff complete one record that applies to everyone involved.

The result?

• Accurate records that meet compliance needs

• Consistent notes across your service

• More time to spend engaging with residents

Recording care doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools, it becomes part of the process – not a burden.

 

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Try it for yourself!

We know care providers want to see software in action, not just read about it. That’s why we’d love to show you how quick and effortless it is to record a group activity with Care Control. Book a demo today and see how our digital care system helps you save time, stay compliant, and keep activity records simple.

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