Is your care home equipped for bariatric residents?
Care home scales are crucial for weighing residents on admission and also for regular monitoring of health whilst they are at the home.
Increasingly bariatric patients are put forward for care homes, but according to this report one in ten care home staff has forced to turn away an obese person due to a lack of bariatric facilities.
One in four older people are now obese - prompting long term concern for the care home sector. But what more can be done, and how can bariatric scales help? This blog post explains.
What does the report say?
Research from carehome.co.uk has found that only 39% of owners, managers and staff said their care home had bariatric facilities, with 13% having to turn away obese people looking for a home.
The rate of obesity in the adult population is expected to rise to one in three in the next 10 years.
Increasingly, a growing number of care homes in the UK are building bariatric rooms to care for people who are severely overweight. However the cost of providing these rooms with appropriate facility and extra workers for moving and handling is deterring many care homes.
Davina Ludlow, chair of carehome.co.uk, said: “The number of severely overweight older people is rising in the UK, and while some care homes have started building bariatric rooms to accommodate residents who are obese, over half are unprepared for this and have no specialist infrastructure.”
How will bariatric scales help with being prepared for bariatric patients?
Davina continued, “With obesity on the increase, it is vital that the care sector is able to cater for the needs of bariatric residents,” - and Marsden agrees.
Bariatric patients cannot be weighed on weighing scales that do not have a suitable capacity - choose a bariatric scale which is specially designed for weighing larger patients. Typically they feature a large platform and high weighing capacity. Legally, for medical use, they must be Class III Approved.
When should care home residents be weighed?
According to NICE, “People in care homes should be screened on admission and when there is clinical concern.”
Oksana Rastegajeva of Abbey View Residence told Marsden, “It is important to weigh residents on admission so you have something to compare their reading to later or and see if their health has improved or worsened. NICE adds, “Weight should be taken daily if there are concerns regarding fluid balance - otherwise weekly to monthly is fine.”
You can find out more about when and why care home residents are weighed in this white paper.
Care home scales for bariatric residents
Marsden M-530: This is a high capacity, highly accurate bariatric floor scale. It has a low profile base and the separate indicator means it can be used in care homes for discreet weighing. Choose from a 300kg or 500kg capacity.
Marsden M-200: This is a premium, high capacity chair scale with an extra-wide super-sized seat. It has a 250kg or 300kg capacity. Fitted with footrests and armrests and brakes, it ensures the resident is safe and comfortable when being weighed.
Marsden M-800: This bariatric weighing scale has a high capacity, sturdy handrails and large, flat base. Catering for residents up to 300kg, it also features Hold, Tare and BMI.
To browse Marsden’s range of bariatric scales click here. For help in choosing the right care home scale for your needs, call 01709 364296 or contact us here.