Two care homes run by a family business in Cheshire have become the first in the UK to receive a gold award for their proactive approach to sensory loss.

Chapel House Nursing Home and Plessington Court Residential Home, owned by Chapel House Care, achieved the award from training provider incus. The two-year process, developed by the Deafness Support Network (DSN), sees participants go through training, assessments and audits. The awards aim to ensure care home residents with sensory loss are communicated with correctly, have their specific needs met and are supported to live fulfilling lives.

Chapel House Care owner Cathrina Moore said: “Cognitive problems can be exacerbated by sensory issues so it is important to ensure that we minimise the impact of this by reducing issues for each of our residents. As a result of the incus training, our staff have been trained to approach sensory loss issues with specialist techniques.”

The homes have installed light-up doorbells so residents with hearing loss are not startled by those entering their room.  Residents can also access the homes’ portable loop system and use specialist headphones when watching television, and regular hearing tests identify those who need more support. “We’ve noticed that people are joining in with more activities and interacting better with their relatives,” said Moore.

Dr Jenna Littlejohn, who co-developed the programme, said: “Unmanaged sensory impairment exacerbates social isolation and loneliness, ultimately leading to poorer quality of life. It is associated with an increased risk of depression, stroke, hypertension, dementia, frailty, falls and early mortality. Through a bespoke package of works, incus helps to guide care staff to promote good sensory health for residents.”

 Brian Cadwallader, incus-care training manager said: “Chapel House and Plessington Court staff excelled in all areas of the incus  programme, resulting in two very deserved gold awards.”