Minimising environmental factors that may cause discomfort or distress

The following are examples of things in the area around an individual, the environment they find themselves in, that may cause discomfort or distress:

• Lighting (e.g. if the lights are too bright, flickering/flashing lights)
• Temperature (adjust the room temperature so that the person feels comfortable, seasonal changes in temperature)
• Noise (e.g. close doors or windows, adjust the volume on the television)
• Unpleasant odours (e.g. clear away and be aware of things that might create an unpleasant smell)

The important thing to remember is to ask the person about anything that they are not happy with and then do what you can to make the environment as comfortable as possible for the person.

If you are worried that the individual’s environment is causing them distress and you can not solve this right away, inform your line manager to get advice about how to make changes.

Informal carers and relatives might be another source of information, with regards to distress and discomfort, as they will know the individual best and may have solutions that you haven’t though of.

An important part of your role is to notice that an individual’s environments may be causing them distress and take action to address this (as above).

Use to answer question 5.2c of the Care Certificate