Who are Who are Retreat House?
The ability to build upon existing care plans is a fantastic feature. The monitoring capabilities are exceptional as well, offering comprehensive interlinking of information. I love the monitoring that is really good, it all interlinks and the checklists I LOVE the checklists.
Tell me about your services?
We are a small residential care home for young adults aged 18 to 65 with learning disabilities, mental health issues, and autism, located in Southampton. With a decade of experience, we provide dedicated support to four individuals who have unique needs and complexities. Currently, our home is at full capacity, with a team of 12 compassionate staff members who ensure their wellbeing.
Our mission revolves around assisting our residents with daily living skills. We have a dining room, lounge and a communal area and we are in the process of getting a sensory room, which will further enrich their experiences. From making beds with care to cleaning their bedrooms and bathrooms, doing laundry, and ironing, we help our residents master these essential tasks. Additionally, we organise outings into the community, both individually and as a group, to boost their engagement and enjoyment. For instance, tomorrow, two of our residents will be off to the cinema followed by cocktails, with our unwavering support by their side.
Furthermore, our residents have access to day centres that cater to their diverse interests. One centre offers interaction with animals, while the other focuses on skill-building activities, allowing them to disassemble and assemble various objects. We also prioritise their emotional wellbeing, providing personalised one-on-one support to those who require it due to their unique needs.
In our care home, the transition for our residents is a long-term commitment. They live together, actively participate in decision-making such as menu selection, contribute to cooking meals, and lend a helping hand to one another through small tasks. At the end of the day, this is their home, where they belong and create a sense of belonging.
What was your need for going digital?
It was a case of moving forward. My partner and I, both in our 60s can be a bit old-fashioned, decided it was time to move forward with this. We saw digital care software on social media and staff that have previously used various platforms highlighted the benefits of digital care software. We actually had not heard of Care Control at this point. However, the main point was to bring our home up to the 21st century really.
What made you choose Care Control?
While browsing a social media platform for business owners and managers, I sought recommendations for software platforms. Among the various providers mentioned, your company stood out, and I narrowed down my choices to four companies for further evaluation and demos. After that, we decided on Care Control, due to your eMAR system, which other people did not have, and it was easy to use and as I am getting to know the system it really is easy to use. It was presented really well, when I asked a question about something I was just shown it. Additionally, it really suited us as a smaller home with its seamless integration and interconnected features, unlike some other options that lacked such cohesion
How easy has it been going from paper to digital?
It has been very easy, despite the initial time investment required to input all the information, once the system was up and running, it proved to be incredibly user-friendly. The monitoring aspect of the software has been particularly impressive, seamlessly integrating with checklists and automatically populating relevant information. Our staff wholeheartedly embraced the system and found it easy to navigate, even when dealing with more complex features like eMAR, following proper training. Personally, I have undergone training with Charlotte, and our manager will soon receive training as well, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the system. We still need to tweak the wording of a few things to suit our needs but you have the option to do whatever you want.
What are the main benefits you have seen from being with Care Control?
There are numerous benefits to using Care Control. Firstly, the staff can access their rotas, supervisions, and other essential information through Pocket, streamlining communication. Charlotte, our incredible trainer, has been an invaluable resource throughout this process. She promptly responds to my emails and has guided me through the system, making it easy to comprehend. She’s just made it easy and now I understand the simplicity of it. As a result, we have expanded our utilisation of the system. Now, all staff training, supervisions, and personal details are stored within it. The days of manually creating rotas on Excel are behind us, saving me time and effort. While there may be some initial background work required, once it’s completed, the system becomes a comprehensive tool that empowers us to accomplish anything we need. I absolutely love it.
What is your favourite feature of Care Control so far?
I love the functionality of the Rotas, staff files, and care planning within Care Control. One of the standout aspects is the ease of creating and following care plans. The system ensures that no sections are missed, providing valuable guidance until completion. Furthermore, the ability to build upon existing care plans is a fantastic feature. The monitoring capabilities are exceptional as well, offering comprehensive interlinking of information. I love the monitoring that is really good, it all interlinks and the checklists I LOVE the checklists. I love sending out checklists to the staff, you can see that everything that has been set has actually been done. It’s a level of accountability and efficiency that I truly appreciate.
What do your staff think of Care Control?
The feedback from our staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Even our two team members who experience severe dyslexia have found a way to thrive with the system. They utilise the microphone feature to verbally input their text, allowing them to quickly adapt and navigate the system with ease. To ensure a smooth transition, any entries they make are reviewed by a senior staff member during the initial three months. This supportive measure provides them with an extra layer of assistance as they become familiar with the system.
Have your residents been able to see any benefits of Care Control?
Yes, not only can family members observe their loved ones through Care Control, but social workers also have access to the platform. They can view photos that showcase the activities and experiences of our residents. They also recognise its usage and often mention, “You’re putting that on Care Control.” While they may not be aware of its full usage or technical details, but they understand that it involves documenting information on the computer and captures the dedicated efforts of our staff members.
What are your top tips for those choosing to implement a digital records system?
Just do it, it’s the easiest thing ever. It will greatly simplify life for everyone, particularly when it comes to typing—you can even dictate instead of manually typing. You can do so much more than you can with paper and writing things up. You can build on certain things and it goes to different areas and all the analysis goes right across the board. With Care Control, all the information you need is readily accessible, whereas attempting to write a similar level of analysis would require months of effort.