Few would argue against the fact that it’s the workers themselves that form the backbone of the supported housing industry. They provide essential care and support to people with a variety of needs ranging from behavioural problems to more obvious physical disabilities and mental health issues, all while trying to forge positive relationships with residents.
Ultimately, they help those residents live more independently and improve their quality of life, but when they spend so much of their time helping others it can be so difficult to find the time to help themselves.
Support workers often face many challenges and pressures in their work, such as heavy workloads, tight schedules, low pay, and high turnover rates, which can affect their well-being, motivation, and performance. Ultimately this will impact the outcomes and satisfaction of the people they support. Hence, it benefits everyone involved if the workers are given the time that they need to be the best versions of themselves.
More time means more opportunities to:
- Build rapport and trust with the people they support and their families.
- Understand their needs, preferences, and goals, and tailor their services accordingly.
- Provide holistic and person-centred support that addresses not only physical, but also emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of health and well-being.
- Engage in meaningful activities and interactions that enhance the skills, confidence, and happiness of the people they support.
- Communicate and collaborate with other professionals and agencies involved in the process.
- Reflect on their practice and learn from their experiences and feedback.
- Take care of their health and well-being and avoid burnout and stress.
How can care management software improve job satisfaction?
One of the most profound ways to give support workers more time is to use care management software to streamline and simplify their work processes. This is a powerful digital tool that helps support workers plan, deliver, monitor, and evaluate their care services while communicating and coordinating with their managers and colleagues.
Some of the benefits of using care management software for support workers are:
Reduced paperwork and administration
Care management software can automate and digitise many tasks that support workers usually do manually, such as filling out forms, writing reports, updating records, and submitting invoices. This can save them time and hassle and allow them to focus more on the people they support.
Improved quality and consistency of care
Care management software can provide support workers with access to real-time and accurate information about the people they support, such as their care plans, medical history, medication, allergies, and preferences. This can help them deliver safer and more effective personalised care.
Enhanced communication and collaboration
Care management software can enable support workers to communicate and share information with their managers, colleagues, and other professionals securely and conveniently. This can improve teamwork, coordination, and continuity of care, and reduce errors and misunderstandings.
Increased feedback and recognition
Care management software can help support workers collect and analyse data and evidence about their work, such as the outcomes and satisfaction of the people they support, the time and resources they use, and the challenges and risks they face. This can help them demonstrate their value and impact and receive feedback and recognition for their work.
Greater autonomy and flexibility
Care management software can give support workers more control and choice over their work, such as their schedules, routes, tasks, and methods. This can help them work more efficiently and effectively and adapt to the changing needs and situations of the people they support.
By using care management software, support workers can not only save time, but also improve their job satisfaction, which can lead to better retention, engagement, and performance. This, in turn, can benefit the people they support, the organisations they work for, and the healthcare system as a whole. To learn more about how the ECCO care management software solution can lay the foundations for your supported housing organisation, contact us today.