Peter Rose, who previously set up Find Signage, has launched a new business to help care homes meet the wider range of challenges they face relating to the environment.
The Care Home Designer provides all the products and services required to create effective environments in care homes. Peter says: "Using the science and psychology of colour and our understanding of why people are challenged by their surroundings, we look at every aspect of the environment and how it can be made more effective and engaging. Our mantra is ‘everything for a reason'."
After years designing and manufacturing products to help people with dementia cope with their surroundings, Peter felt it was time to apply those skills to further improve their welfare by redesigning the surroundings that cause the challenges in the first place.
"The environment has a profound impact on residents, the people who work in the home and on the business itself," he continues. "Creating more enabling places for residents and staff contributes significantly to a more successful business. Currently, potentially viable homes are closing while demand is increasing, so ensuring homes are sustainable businesses is a primary objective."
As well as improving the quality of the ‘home’ experience for residents, the aim of the new business is to improve the working experience for staff and the health of the business too, by elevating the standard of care the home is able to deliver. "Quality of care is an important ingredient for a sustainable business," Peter explains.
"Initially, we need to learn about the property in question and the ambitions for its improvement. As much as possible this requires input from residents, staff, managers, owners and visitors too, and is time well spent to ensure we achieve universally appreciated goals."
Depending on how improvements need to be financed they can be planned in manageable ‘chunks’ to be executed in a logical order as and when funding is available. "We’ll be as supportive and flexible as possible to ensure the best long term results for all concerned," he concludes.
