What is the legislation regarding washing and dressing older people in the early hours of the morning? Can they be washed and dressed by the night staff just because of staffing levels?

There is no direct legislation regarding this but there is good practice.

No person whatever their age in receipt of care should be woken up, washed and dressed for the convenience of the care staff or the care home and certainly not outside normal waking hours.

If an older person wakes normally very early and wishes to get washed and dressed that is a different matter altogether.

Many people wake really early, I am one of them but as I have already said that is quite different to waking someone up for the convenience of the service.

Best wishes.

Sheila

About Sheila Scott

Sheila Scott OBE from National Care Association (NCA). Care is Sheila’s life; she possesses a strong command of the issues facing the care sector informed by her long career as a nursing professional, the owner and manager of a care business and as a leader in the care sector.

Ask the Care Specialists

"*" indicates required fields

Full Name*

Work Email Address*

Your Question*

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

What is the legislation regarding washing and dressing older people in the early hours of the morning? Can they be washed and dressed by the night staff just because of staffing levels?

About Sheila Scott

Ask the Care Specialists

Related Questions

What sort of registration do I need to provide a phlebotomy service?

Is a care home in the UK allowed to change the resident’s doctor’s surgeries without notifying the family?

How can I get domiciliary care contracts?