Personalised Care Plans at Kingswood Court

The same doesn’t fit all when it comes to care. That’s exactly why we have personalised care plans in place for our residents. Everyone’s needs differ slightly, which is why it’s important that we understand exactly what our residents need, and when they need it.

What is an individual care plan?

An individual care plan, also known as a personalised care plan is a collaborative plan that addresses the care needs of an individual. They are used in care and residential homes to assess the needs of residents and to help staff better understand how to care for them. While they might not be necessary in all care settings, we think they’re a valuable tool that ensures residents are given the right level of care at all times.

We work with our residents and their friends and families to devise personal care plans that mean we can provide them with the highest level of care possible. We only want the best for our residents, and this is a fantastic way to ensure that we’re doing this.

 How do you make personalised care plans?

Clear and honest communication is the best way to make an accurate and effective personalised care plan. Speaking in person is the best way to communicate your needs, or those of a loved one, to care staff.

It’s essential that the information that you give is detailed, accurate and up to date - it’s no good giving care staff information that is out of date. This means it’s so important that, before you think about a personalised care plan, you assess the current needs of the person who requires care. This will give a care team the best chance of fulfilling their needs.

 How are individuals assessed?

There’s no set way of assessing a person's needs - there are various ways you can do this. As long as you’re able to understand a lot about the person and their health and wellbeing needs. While there’s no strict way of doing these assessments, they should include and cover the following:

- Personalised care plans should be led by the person needing care, as well as people that know them well - it’s important that the plan includes a way of capturing and recording conversations.

- It should include details about personal interests and hobbies so that anyone who reads their care plan can get a better idea of them as a person.

- There needs to be a detailed history of their health and wellbeing, including any medications, previous illnesses for example.

- Individuals who are being assessed should play an integral part in the planning and creation of their individual care plan.

What makes a good personalised individual care plan?

With so many factors to consider, creating a personalised individual care plan can seem daunting - this doesn’t have to be the case. For us at Kingswood Cross, we believe the most important thing is approaching a care plan from the perspective of the individual(s) it directly affects. In essence, we want the individual whose care plan we are creating to be involved from the outset.

Another key factor that makes a good personalised care plan is that it should be reviewed regularly. Someone's needs can change as they get older, for example, so it’s essential that care plans are revisited often. You could also choose to review someone’s individual care plan if their health deteriorates or if something relating to their health condition changes, for example.

Examples of a personalised care plan

Care plans can look different depending on who is doing them, so it’s hard to provide an example of a personalised care plan. However, here are some examples of what makes a good personalised care plan.

The best way to prepare an accurate personalised care plan is to communicate effectively with the individual and their friends and family. Here are some examples of what a personalised care plan should look at:

- The needs of the individual

- The care they already receive

- Care they’d like to receive

- Their personality

- Their hobbies and interests

- Their medical history

By keeping things transparent, you’re going to produce the best care plan possible that adheres to the needs of the individual - this is the end goal.