The new year brings with it new opportunities to make your Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE) succeed like never before. As someone who owns or manages an RCFE, you may be wondering about certain ways to continue improving your operations for the benefit of residents and staff alike. With our extensive knowledge of how RCFEs run, we would like to offer you some useful tips as you work to make this year the best one ever.
1. Evaluate Current Staff Performance and Increase Training Where Necessary
As your staff is responsible for handling residents’ daily needs and generally providing the highest level of care possible, it is vital that all of them have the specialized knowledge and skills required to do the job properly. Take the time to assess how your staff is currently performing, and note any deficiencies that need to be addressed. From there, you can focus on setting up training and development opportunities where necessary to get your staff where they need to be.
2. Focus on Improving Staff Communication with Residents and Their Families
Good communication is absolutely essential for RCFEs to operate well. Your staff needs to be able to communicate properly with residents as well as residents’ family members. We encourage you to read through our previous blog posts on the matter:
Ways to Improve Communication Between RCFE Staff and Residents
3. Ensure that Your RCFE Provides a Safe and Pleasant Environment
As someone who runs an RCFE, you are well aware that resident and staff safety is a top priority. Spend some time reviewing current safety plans and procedures, and make sure that they are in line with the most up-to-date safety mandates. Consider if there are any areas that need improvement, and then implement concrete plans to address them.
Another top priority is making sure that residents and staff alike are happy and comfortable in the RCFE. In this regard, you can assess current satisfaction levels for both groups, and make changes if needed. The happier and more fulfilled your residents and staff are, the likelier it is that your RCFE will prosper.
4. Ensure Compliance with Current Operating Regulations
All RCFEs are required to be in compliance with pertinent state and local regulations. As these regulations can be altered over time, be sure to stay fully informed regarding any additional requirements or changes that will directly impact your business operations. The last thing you want is to have to deal with any penalties due to regulatory infractions.
5. Take Advantage of the Latest Technologies
You should consider allocating funds for updated technology for your RCFE that can improve operations and bolster the safety of residents and staff. Such technologies may include digital medical records, smart home systems, or even automated security monitoring systems. Having such technologies in place can ultimately help RCFE owners save time and money while simultaneously providing improved quality of care.
6. Work to Keep Your RCFE Financially Healthy
It is also important to review the financial status of your RCFE on an annual basis to help make sure that it can continue being successful. This often means assessing existing revenue streams and seeking out viable opportunities to increase and diversify your sources of income. You’ll also want to take stock of all the costs associated with running the RCFE and find ways to reduce expenses where possible. Please see our other blog piece on this topic. You should also look for creative ways to improve occupancy rates if needed, such as investing in additional marketing strategies or offering certain incentives, such as discounts, for those aiming to move into a facility.
7. Review Your RCFE Insurance Policies and Adjust Where Needed
As having the right insurance policies in place is essential for your RCFE to thrive, we strongly recommend taking the time to review your existing coverages and make changes where appropriate. A leading provider of RCFE insurance for facilities across California, InsureMyRCFE would welcome the opportunity to speak with you regarding your needs. Please give us a call at (805) 413-5668.
