Be a Safety Hero – Engage Team Members in Regular Trainings on Safety in Assisted Living Facilities

While it’s tempting to grumble about state and federal regulations for assisted living facilities, when the team and administrators of senior care facilities know and follow safety regulations it’s not just about compliance, it’s about saving lives – and that’s the bottom line. These safety heroes also build organizational credibility and public trust, enabling organizational success.

Everyone involved with assisted living facilities should consider safety their top goal. This includes leadership, the care team, other co-workers, residents, and families. The importance of compliance courses like Fire Safety, Resident Abuse, and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) cannot be overstated. These courses help co-workers create a safe, ethical, and respectful environment for residents. In a person-focused model of care, safety is always a priority.

Safety in assisted living facilities – filling the training gaps

The Compliance Courses at SeniorLivingU, are available through our custom contracted services which allow teams to use the LMS (Learning Management System) to complete vital courses that ensure safety in assisted living facilities. These easily-accessed courses help all team members stay knowledgeable about safety best practices and legal requirements. Individuals, whether a manager, clinical care worker, or other team member, can use the LMS to get to the classes. This immediate access helps administrators put training materials on topics like Fire Safety, Resident Abuse, and HIPAA in front of the care team, and other staff, quickly and as needed.

SeniorLivingU courses in Fire Safety, Resident Abuse, and HIPAA

Staying current in these three compliance areas can have a significant impact on safety in assisted living facilities. Fires, in particular, can be catastrophic for residents. Training in fire safety empowers the team to prevent fires, respond to them effectively, and lead rapid evacuation.

Training in HIPAA regulations provides a different kind of protection – one that is critical to shielding residents’ health information. All team members need a thorough understanding of confidentiality, data security, and how to prevent security breaches.

Side by side with fire safety and HIPAA training, the team must understand how resident abuse happens so that they can protect the physicality and dignity of those in their care. This training will ensure respectful treatment, privacy and autonomy, and informed consent.

Why compliance courses matter

What happens if safety compliance training takes a back seat? As one study by the Gerontology Society of America points out, higher levels of training are associated with better outcomes. This means that the inverse is also likely to be true – lower levels of training can lead to worse outcomes – from injuries to behavioral health problems to pain.

The people caring for residents most directly may or may not have formal education and training. In many states it generally takes two to four years of full-time education to become an LPN or an RN. But PCAs (Personal Care Assistants) are often trained by the assisted living community itself. Safety training for the whole team, from the newest to the most educated, is the only way to make sure residents are safe and cared for properly.

The Compliance Courses at SeniorLivingU are about much more than government regulation. They enable effective learning on best practices for all levels of staff – people who are committed to keeping residents safe. They are an indispensable resource for fostering growth, enhancing skills, and maintaining high standards of safety in assisted living facilities.

SeniorLivingU provides convenient education tools designed by senior living experts for all levels of retirement community staff. To learn more, visit our FAQ page or contact us today!