Care Inspectorate tells Aden House care home in Inverness to improve staffing and building maintenance to reduce risk of Covid-19 and enhance the lives of residents
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An Inverness care home has been ordered to improve building maintenance to reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection spreading.
An unannounced visit by independent inspectors found that a poor state of repair inside some rooms in Aden House, in Annfield Road, presented a safety risk to residents and staff.
While many aspects of care at the assisted-living facility were praised, there were also criticisms of how inadequate staffing was reducing residents’ quality of life.
Inspectors have asked for improvements to be made by the end of January next year.
Aden House, which registered as a care home in 2002, looks after up to 24 residents and had 20 in its care when the Care Inspectorate visited on October 21.
There are 22 en-suite rooms, two lounges, a quiet seating area and a dining room on the ground floor, as well as garden areas.
The report said: “We found that work to the environment to enhance people and staff’s safety was required. To reduce the risk of spread of infection, the environment should be clean and well maintained.
“There was damage to door frames, walls and chipped paintwork. This increased the risk of spread of infection because they could not be cleaned effectively.”
Other improvements were required to a storeroom, floor coverings and a corridor fire escape area where equipment might have hindered safe evacuation.
Inspectors spoke to eight relatives and seven people living in the care home and described positive feedback, with people “very satisfied” with the levels of care.
Those in care reported good relationships with staff and felt safe, while relatives were also very positive about the care their loved ones received.
However, the report concluded there was only “adequate” care and support for people’s wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report described staff as being “rushed”, with little time for extra interaction, adding: “The service should make sure staffing levels are right to support people to eat and drink at their own pace. This is vital to keeping people well.”
