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Already vulnerable older adults and people who have serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for more serious complications from COVID-19. To minimise the threat of coronavirus it is advisable that you review your client’s care plans and update these with the most relevant information. Below you’ll find some advice on reviewing care plans to improve the health and safety of your clients throughout this pandemic.
Ensure your client’s personal details are up to date. It is particularly important that the individual’s GP, pharmacy and next of kin details are accurate in case of emergencies. Have a discussion with your client about any concerns or anxieties they have around COVID-19 and how you can support them with these. These additional support needs can be documented as part of the care plan or added under the general notes in the carer’s app so that the client’s needs are easily visible to care workers.
We recommend checking that your client’s medication list is up to date. Perhaps you could liaise with the client’s pharmacy team and GP, to ensure that medications are up to date and that this list is reflected in the Carer’s app. If an older adult was previously collecting medications independently, from their local pharmacy, please support them to enquire whether home delivery can be arranged. Alternatively, explore whether it is possible for a loved one or care professional to collect medication on behalf of the individual. Please also be aware that there is currently immense pressure on dispensaries and pharmacies so the advice is to order repeat prescriptions no more than 10 days before a client is due to run out.
Our assessment tools are useful in ensuring your client is safe from potential risks. We currently offer two risk assessments in the care plan section on the app. These include The Mental Capacity Assessment and our Environment and Fire Risk Assessment. We have recently introduced a suite of additional assessment tools including the gold standard Waterlow score and a handy Moving & Handling assessment. These tools are useful in assessing your clients’ risks and care planning according to any identified needs.
Enquire to see if your client has an anticipatory care plan (ACP) in place. An ACP outlines the actions needed if a person experiences a deterioration in health or faces an emergency, this is usually created by a health professional or GP. This is particularly important for any of your clients who have a long-term health condition or who live alone. Implementing or reviewing an ACP will help them understand their health conditions, what services are available and how to use the system well in an emergency. Encourage your client to link in with their relevant health teams or their GP if they are uncertain about any health-related aspects of their plan. Ensure that ACP’s are shared with anyone involved in this person’s care.
You may need to prioritise care planning according to the needs of your clients. The government has specified that there are certain groups more susceptible to COVID-19. These include those with a history of transplants – like kidney or liver transplants, those having treatments for some cancers, individuals with long-term lung disease or those with certain blood conditions that make it harder to fight infection. We recommend that older adults who are at greatest risk should be prioritised where possible. Our Care Recipient Risk Rating (feature available soon) will enable Care managers to add a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status to clients and sort them by status, ensuring the most at-risk or in-need clients can be easily identified.
For useful ideas about care plan tasks to consider adding to your clients visit please see here.
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