Housing

Visibly Better accreditation schemes

Summary: Information about Visibly Better, our comprehensive accreditation scheme for residential and nursing homes, and for providers of sheltered housing.

Contrasting hand rails found in RNIB Visibly Better accredited homes.

What is Visibly Better?

Visibly Better is a comprehensive accreditation scheme developed by RNIB for residential and nursing homes, and for providers of sheltered housing.

While RNIB assumes that all clients or tenants receive a quality service in all aspects of life within the home or housing environment, Visibly Better is focused on improving the service and equality of rights for clients who are blind or partially sighted.

It involves achieving a set of standards based around three areas:

1. staff training

2. communication and information

3. environment (internal and external).

Staff training

This requires a staff development programme to be set up so all staff receive visual awareness training. Visibly Better comes complete with the training package to enable this to be carried out.

Visual awareness training covers:

  • vision and ageing
  • understanding sight problems
  • coping with sight loss
  • activities of daily living
  • orientation and mobility
  • the environment.

Communication and information

Our scheme enables clients of residential or nursing homes, or tenants of sheltered housing, to maintain independence by addressing these areas:

  • accessible information
  • provision of information
  • developing links with the community
  • the development of leisure activities.

Internal and external environment

The training also covers ways in which the environment can be improved for people with serious sight problems, including the use of colour contrast, control of light and glare and tactile signage.

Why has it been introduced?

There are three main reasons for introducing an RNIB accreditation scheme into the residential and nursing home and sheltered housing sectors:

1. Each year a large number of enquiries are made to RNIB requesting details of accommodation suitable for older people with a sight problem.

2. To assist providers in ensuring that their service is accessible under the Disability Discrimination Act.

3. Many older people living in residential and nursing care or sheltered accommodation experience difficulties due to sight problems.

Who benefits from Visibly Better accreditation?

Existing client group

When Visibly Better was piloted by a selection of residential and nursing homes and sheltered housing schemes, the client group benefited by better communication. For example, all communications were written in large print.

Staff members, backed up by their training, were able to recognise clients with sight problems, who had previously not been diagnosed, and get medical attention or put in support systems for them.

Future client group

Potential clients will know that an RNIB recommended establishment would give them a certain standard of service and enable them to take an active part in the life of the home or live more independently in their accommodation.

Members of staff

Through staff understanding more about the needs of older people with sight loss, clients can be enabled to regain some independence, therefore needing less assistance with everyday tasks. For example, clients/tenants finding their own way around the environment will result in carers having more time to spend on other aspects of their work.

The knowledge and information, gained through the training, give people confidence to handle problems and take responsibility.

Managers

Managers can be confident that by achieving Visibly Better accreditation they are adding to the quality of service provided to their residents or tenants who have sight problems.

The home will be able to advertise their achievement through:

  • use of the RNIB Visibly Better logo – such as on stationery and brochures
  • an external wall plaque
  • a certificate of Visibly Better accreditation
  • RNIB will inform older people, carers and professional bodies that the home or sheltered housing is RNIB accredited.

How do you achieve Visibly Better accreditation?

Visibly Better comes as a complete package, including:

  • set of accreditation standards
  • information factsheets
  • in-house training materials – Older People and Sight Loss
  • self assessment action plan
  • telephone support from your RNIB Verification Team
  • verification visit and accreditation.

The process of achieving Visibly Better accreditation begins with the completion of a self-assessment action plan, which is designed to indicate what needs to be done in order to achieve the required standards.

The required staff training programme is then implemented using the materials provided or alternatively delivered by RNIB Training and Practice Development team trainers.

Any changes and additions which need to be made to the way in which your service operates can be easily identified and acted upon with the help of the easy-to-read factsheets contained in your complete package.

The final paperwork should be completed and returned to your RNIB Verification Team, after which a representative will conduct a verification visit.

Feedback, news and experiences

Cost

The scheme costs £550 in total, split as follows:

  • Scheme membership (including training materials): £300
  • Registration fee (payable on successful completion of verification audit): £250

Please note that an annual renewal fee of £250 is payable from year two onwards.

Application details

Start now! Download the order form (Word) and send to the address below. Alternatively, you can contact us for further information or to request details to be sent by post.

Contact us

RNIB Visibly Better Accreditation team
58-72 John Bright Street
Birmingham
B1 1BN
Telephone: 0121 665 4243
Fax: 0121 665 4254
Email: nh&sctraining@rnib.org.uk

Related information

Content author: nh&sctraining@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 15/08/2008 16:25

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