Championing Dignity in Care

This week I became a Dignity Champion.  I felt quite privileged to be following in the footsteps of Michael Parkinson who has been the Government's Dignity Ambassador since 2008 and frontman for the Dignity in Care Campaign.  I am also joining a growing  group of people from all  walks of life - Dignity Champions -  who believe passionately that Dignity is a basic human right and that care services must be compassionate, person-centred as well as efficient.  Dignity Champions  promote dignity within the care sector and take practical steps to improve dignity for clients in service delivery.

I'm keen to see Dignity being promoted in the home care sector.  I've seen enough poor practice to know that often older people with care needs  are just a number or a "call" to be made, a set of tasks to be completed  as quickly as possible to move onto the next one.   This is not "care" and disrespectful to the person with care needs.  I hope to challenge poor practice and train my staff to treat their clients with respect - as human beings who have a right to privacy, independence and control of their lives.    Its not always  big changes that's required.  Small changes such as addressing a client respectfully in the way they would wish, asking their opinion,  giving them a choice or asking their permission before performing a personal task.

As a Dignity Champion I will pledge to promote the following values in the SureCare home care service and within the home care sector:

1. Having a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse
2. Supporting clients with the same respect as I would expect for a member of my family
3. Treating each client as an individual by offering a personalised service
4. Enabling cleints to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control
5. Listening and supporting clients  to express their needs and wants
6. Respecting clients right to privacy
7. Ensuring clients can complain without fear of retribution
8. Engaging with family members as care partners
9. Assisting clients to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem
10. Doing everything possible to alleviate clients loneliness and isolation

For more information on SureCare please see our website - http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/