Environmental Services: Creating a Home Away From Home
For residents and their families, adjusting to living and visiting a long-term care facility can take time. Healthcare community leaders strive to create home-like environments of warmth and familiarity where residents feel comfortable living and where family members look forward to visiting.
One key factor in ensuring consistency in how residents live and feel is through the Environmental Services (EVS) department. The role of EVS in healthcare hospitality is essential to residents’ quality of life. Collaborating with this integral department will not only positively impact residents daily but also provide the best first impression for family and friends visiting and create a welcoming environment for those looking at your community as their potential new home.
Welcoming Atmosphere
Crafting a home-like environment begins when residents and their loved ones step through the door of a healthcare facility. Residents and guests observe every detail. The EVS team can ensure that your facility makes the best first impression, from being greeted in a clean lobby to walking through the hallways on sparkling floors to entering rooms where every inch has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Overall, this will leave everyone with a feeling and sense of comfort knowing your community prioritizes cleanliness and infection control.
Staff and Resident Connections
Human connection and interpersonal relationships are influential factors in maintaining overall health. Listening to residents and engaging in conversations can make residents feel valued. Often, EVS team members may be the constant connection residents have at a facility, especially when family members are not able to visit as often as they would like. As EVS team members come in to complete their daily cleaning, they can engage with residents and be a resource for facility leadership to provide continuous satisfaction by quickly identifying and mitigating their needs. Additionally, when friends and loved ones visit and witness these interactions, they can feel more inclined to express gratitude to the staff, forming a connection themselves.
Personal Touches
Adding personal touches can make a difference in residents’ routines. Personal touches can be simple yet have a lasting impact. EVS team members are a great resource for identifying and providing ways to connect with residents. Remembering the exact ways residents had their items on their dressers and putting them back in the same manner after cleaning, hanging personal clothing after it was laundered in the preferred area in their closet, or a housekeeper leaving a note after cleaning with a personal message are great ways to make residents feel seen and heard in their home simple gestures that go a long way.
These guiding principles are simple ways to cultivate a home-like atmosphere. Collaborating with the EVS department in your community can elevate everyday experiences for residents, fostering a quality living experience. With almost 50 years of service, Healthcare Services Group’s dedicated team members go beyond traditional expectations to deliver exceptional experiences and enhanced outcomes. Learn more about our EVS services and how HCSG can support your community at HCSG.com/EVS.
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