Care Home Magazine August 2023

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Chief Editor

Jade Evans jade.evans@cimltd.co.uk

Editorial Assistant

Brooke Tremain bt@cimltd.co.uk

Publication Manager

James Davies jamesd@cimltd.co.uk Tel: 01795 509 112

Account Manager

Hannah Moody hannah@cimltd.co.uk Tel: 01795 509 112

Administration Manager

Natalie Murray admin@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 103

Credit Facilities Manager

Gwen Lee creditcontrol@cimltd.co.uk

Tel: 01795 509 103

Design and Production

James Taylor james@cimltd.co.uk

Grant Waters grant@cimltd.co.uk

Marketing Manager

Lucas Payne lucas@cimltd.co.uk

Head of Social Media

Beth Kellock beth@cimltd.co.uk

Sales Director Tom Woollin tom@cimltd.co.uk

Chief Executive

John Denning

Editor’s Letter August 2023

Welcome back to another edition of Care Home Magazine where, this month, we delve into a very important area of a care home – the kitchen. In our extensive piece which includes commentary from industry giants, we look at the role of kitchens including the provision of nutritious meals, maintaining the wellbeing of residents and how to make meal times enjoyable. As part of the wider feature we include another one of our highly-sought after recipes in our Dishing Up piece which this month showcases a delicious vegan-inspired recipe from VfL as well as an insightful piece from apetito which explains how to create the right ambience and dining environment for residents with dementia.

With residents suffering from dementia making up a large proportion of care homes across the UK, there is plenty of evidence which shows the benefits of regular social interaction. Not only for dementia sufferers but the older generation and those living in care in general, advance massively from group activities. Our Activity of the Month in this issue is turning up the volume as we delve into singing, how it works in line with social engagement, reduces feelings of loneliness and massively boosts moods.

Making up the latter half of our August issue is an edit on security. Care homes are faced with unique challenges when it comes to safety and security, so, here we establish exactly what it is a care home must deliver and the importance of making this known in your marketing strategy.

Once again, we hope you enjoy another read of what is an discerning edition and please do reach out if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see.

Jade Evans, Chief Editor

hands. In the absence of an agreement the copyright of all contributions, literary, photographic or artistic, belongs to TGM Publishing Limited. The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the late appearance or non publication of any advertisement.

Table of Contents

6 Industry News

Providing insights into what’s currently happening within the care sector, we share a selection of the latest news.

8 Recreating Childhood

In a heart-warming piece from Lottie, we showcase the families at Cofton Park recreating their iconic childhood photos after being inspired by TikTok.

11 The Kitchen

In this extensive piece, from hygiene to meal planning, we look at the important role a kitchen plays in the setup of a care home and why it should be at the centre of your marketing strategy.

16 Dishing Up

Ensuring your kitchen isn’t short of inspiration, V for Life (VfL) shares a recipe guide to their delicious roasted cauliflower salad with tahini dressing, bound to be a hit with your residents.

24 Activity of the Month

In this August edition, we are turning up the volume as singing features as our Activity of the Month. Experimenting with vocals can provide a range of physical, emotional, and social advantages and in this piece we identify some of the benefits of singing in care homes and how to introduce it.

34 Security

Making up our focus on security we help to understand the unique challenges in a care home and what you must deliver.

Industry update

Bury St Edmunds care home celebrates ninth birthday in style

Acare home in Bury St Edmunds has celebrated its ninth anniversary with some special guests.

The team at Care UK’s Mildenhall Lodge, on St John’s Close, pulled out all the stops for a special birthday celebration, nine years after it welcomed its very first residents.

In true festive spirit, the home was decorated with banners and balloons, and there was live music from popular local duo, Caprice, who sang a range of songs from 1960s classics to modern favourites – a great opportunity for everyone to show off their best moves on the dancefloor.

Guests were also treated to a delicious assortment of party food and glass of fizz, along with a specially made cake to mark the occasion.

Deepa Reju, Home Manager at Mildenhall Lodge, commented: “It was wonderful to see residents and relatives celebrating the special milestone.

“The whole team worked hard to organise the event, and I am delighted to say that their efforts were rewarded – our birthday party will be one to remember for years to come. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who makes Mildenhall Lodge an amazing place to call home, and for helping to

make the day extra special.

“It’s been a wonderful nine years. We’ve welcomed some real characters to the home, built fantastic relationships with our neighbours and the wider community and made some longlasting memories along the way. We’re excited to see what’s in store for the next nine years and beyond.”

Care UK brings home bronze in prestigious Employee Experience Awards

Care UK has been announced as a bronze winner in the Best Employee Engagement category at the 2023 UK Employee Experience Awards.

Care UK were up against tough competition and were the only social care provider to take home an Employee Experience Award this year. The UK Employee Experience Awards ceremony recognises the best employers across all sectors to help raise the bar of global employers’ standards.

Care UK’s four key areas of focus for employee engagement last year impressed the judges. These included: The 40th anniversary of Care UK, where team members spent 40 days working towards a fundraising target of £40,000 –which was exceeded by £3,000 – to be distributed among local charities important to each home, while support teams did the same for the Care Workers’ Charity. This included everything from a 400mile bike ride – from Care UK’s oldest home to its newest – to

abseiling, sponsored walks, runs and mountain climbs, and ‘80s themed parties.

Levels of employee engagement and satisfaction continue to improve in a variety of ways, including training and career development – such as the Care-UK designed Deputy Home Manager and Home Manager programmes and supporting more than 700 colleagues on apprenticeship schemes. The number of benefits available to colleagues continues to increase, and last year the organisation successfully embedded around 2,300 new

colleagues from 26 new homes into the positive and welcoming culture of Care UK.

Leah Pozo, Care UK’s Human Resources Director, said: “We are incredibly proud to have our approach to developing our colleagues recognised in this way. We have a strong ‘grow your own’ ethos and a great many of our home managers and directors have developed their career paths from team member through to their current senior role thanks to the development opportunities we offer.”

60 Years Later

Meet the families recreating their iconic childhood photos after being inspired by TikTok.

From reminiscing on fond memories to laughing at fashion choices and hairstyles - looking through old photos is a great way to get the whole family together.

To bring iconic memories back to life, families across Birmingham have recreated their favourite childhood photos - dating right back to the 1960s – after being inspired by a social media trend from TikTok.

Globally families and siblings alike have been recreating their favourite childhood photos.

So, with special attention to detail, families across Birmingham have perfectly recreated beloved photos and brought cherished memories back to life - right down to the outfits and facial expressions of each picture: including Grace (90 years old) and her two daughters Judith and Val who have recreated a treasured photo from a family day out in Rochdale.

Grace, Val, and Judith

Grace recreated a family photo with her two daughters - Val and Judith. The original photo was taken on a playing field in Rochdale and recently recreated in the landscaped gardens of Cofton Park Manor.

Val shared, “Recreating our family photo was great fun for everyone and it made my mum smile - we all need to have a laugh in life.

My favourite part was dressing up (although I wasn’t too sure about my knee-high white socks) and the expression on my sister’s face - it was very funny to see her re-enact this!”

Jean and Julie

Jean (87 years old) resident at Cofton Park Manor and her daughter Julie recreated a family photo from when Julie was a baby. In the original family photo Jean’s mum is by her side, which brought back very fond memories.

Jean remembered: “Julie was a very lovely baby and the picture brought back memories of my mum and dad. Julie was the first granddaughter and my dad adored her - my parents would take her on holiday to the beach and we have some great pictures from these times too!”

Julie is excited to see the final image and shared:, “recreating old family photos is a great idea, it’s nice to be silly sometimes and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Sybil and Michelle

For Mother and daughter duo, Sybil and Michelle it was a heart-warming experience to recreate a family photo from 1973 - when Michelle was just 3!

Sybil (82 years old) a resident at Cofton Park Manor shared: “I’ve loved the activity and I’ve loved my life with Michelle - we’re best friends. We had 25 photo albums full of memories to go through and

Grace, Val & Judith - Original Photo

Grace, Val & Judith - Recreated

it was lovely to see photos and silly memories of my late husband Des.”

Michelle enjoyed finding different photos she could recreate with her mum and shared how important it has been to find a home that organises meaningful activities like this:

“Before moving into Cofton Park manor Mum was able to join in on the activities in the home and it made me feel better knowing I was handing over her care to people I knew and trusted.”

Gail Bessent, Lifestyle Lead at Cofton Park Manor, who worked closely with residents to help bring their favourite family photos back to life, shared:

“I loved working with our residents and their relatives to

bring cherished family photos back to life. It’s been great to see the joy looking through old family photo albums with loved ones has brought to our residents.

I can’t wait to see what the recreated photos will look like. It’s been lots of fun organising the activity and working with each resident to gather replica props and outfits.”

From spending quality time together to bringing cherished memories back to life - celebrating family bonds is important, no matter your age, shared Chris Donnelly, Co-Founder at Lottie:

“There’s something so special about hearing the unique and fond memories searching through and recreating family photos has

brought to the residents at Cofton Park Manor.

“Family bonds play an important part in wellbeing and quality of life as we age. Engaging in activities that encourage reminiscing treasured memories can have a positive impact on the overall happiness of everyone involved.

“Projects like this one at Cofton Park Manor are not only a wonderful way to celebrate occasions, including Father’s Day, but also an opportunity to strengthen intergenerational relationships and create a sense of belonging within the care home community,” concluded Chris Donnelly.

Sourced by Lottie - lottie.org

Jean & Julie - Original Photo

Sybil & Michelle - Original Photo

Jean & Julie - Recreated

Sybil & Michelle - Recreated

The Kitchen

Creating a Nourishing Haven

From hygiene to meal planning, we look at the important role a kitchen plays in the setup of a care home and why it should be at the centre of your marketing strategy.

The kitchen is a vital component of a care home, and its importance stems from various aspects that contribute to the wellbeing and quality of life of the residents.

Offering residents nutritious and tasty meals should be a key aspect at any home and in order to execute this, organisation and forward planning is essential.

Wayne Wright, Culinary Development Chef for Education & Health Care, explained that before meal planning can begin in care kitchens, care home residents will need to receive a care plan from the hospital or undergo a health assessment. This information is crucial for caterers and must be obtained immediately as it will not only identify any dietary

requirements, but also prevent stock from being ordered and wasted on a resident to whom it is not appropriate.

“Meal planning is something that needs to be constantly reviewed, as a resident’s requirements can change regularly. To make sure this is reflected within meal plans, it’s essential for staff to be liaising regularly with residents and their families to ensure nothing is missed. However, it’s not just dietary requirements that care home caterers should be checking in with their residents. Understanding what dishes they like and dislike will help to keep them happy, ensure they remain well fed and remove unnecessary food waste”, added Wayne.

To help caterers keep on top of this, Wayne advises keeping a log

book with resident’s likes, dislikes and any special requirements. This will not only help to keep menu planning organised, but will also limit errors from occurring.

Life in a care home for many can sometimes become monotonous, so ensuring residents don’t get bored of the meals which are provided is a great contributor to their overall happiness.

To ensure that resident’s meals don’t become repetitive and boring, care home kitchens need to be equipped with a range of different and interesting recipes. Wayne explained: “Our dedicated online care space has a bank of over 700 care home specific recipes which are available to all customers. These can also be adapted depending on residents’ unique needs and requirements.

“Care home kitchens should be looking to change their menu several times a year. This can coincide with the changing of the seasons, allowing chefs to draw on flavours and dishes that link to the time of year. A spinach and goat’s cheese tartlet would be perfect on a warm summer’s day, or a beef Boddington and stilton pie would make for a tasty winter warmer.”

Themed days are another way to keep things fresh around care homes, as well as create a sense of excitement. Wayne told us that his most recent support around themed days has included The King’s Coronation and ‘Spin it back to the 50s’, a play on a Retro Love trend which gave residents a chance to relive past favourites from retro eras.

“As well as having a selection of dishes on the menu at meal times, care chefs should also be prepared to provide a number of off-menu dishes as well. For example, if a resident would like an omelette for lunch, the kitchen would benefit from being ready to provide one. To do this chefs need to have a wellrounded skillset, being able to cook more than just what’s on the menu”, added Wayne.

Caterers Campus can also help with creating menu options,

Meal planning is something that needs to be constantly reviewed.

preventing the repetition of dishes. Wayne revealed how the modules allow chefs to achieve a wellrounded skillset, which in turn gives them more scope to develop new and exciting menu options.

In terms of the key foods which should be staples in most care home meals, Wayne sees that there are always a number of cult classics in care homes - fish Fridays and roast dinners are always very popular - but residents are becoming more travelled and tastes are changing.

“We’re being asked to support care homes more and more to offer different cuisine options. Our flavours less travelled trend helps chefs tap into this with a focus on Pan-African, Cuban and Sri Lankan cuisines, as well as looking into unusual fusions, where ingredients, flavours and formats of popular dishes are mixed up to create something new and exciting.

“Care operators should also consider their location as this can influence the type of cuisine that may be popular. For example, African food is very popular in London, so if your care home is local to London this is something that should be considered”, Wayne finished.

At Sanctuary Care, menus are based on a framework which balances nutritional requirements with the food their residents like to eat. This framework offers flexibility for our care home chefs on a local

level to make small changes to accommodate regional dishes or to bring residents’ favourite meals onto the menus.

Mark Ord, Head of Hospitality Services for Sanctuary Care, explained that the process for creating their menus takes around six months: “Our hospitality team gathers information from our chefs, resident ambassadors (who act as representatives for residents within their individual care homes), home managers and food forums.

“Through the concept of coproduction, all residents are actively encouraged to input into our menus. This a key part of Sanctuary Care’s overarching mission to enrich our residents’ lives. Working together to develop our menus helps to facilitate a sense of

purpose and achievement amongst our residents, which we know from academic research1 is one of the six senses people need to live an enriched and fulfilled life.”

Mark explained how before a new menu or product is introduced, they hold tasting sessions with their residents. This creates an opportunity for residents to trial the product and share their feedback.

Sanctuary Care also have an annual review process, whereby feedback forms are shared to assess residents’ satisfaction with menu standards and food choices: “Local satisfaction is also monitored continually; if a particular dish isn’t well-rated, it is changed”, added Mark. Reviews are a great way to check that you’re still delivering in terms of your food offering as it is a

key part of all residents’ days.

Sanctuary Care have put a series of touchpoints in place to ensure their menus stay fresh and interesting. Across their homes, they hold monthly meetings with residents and relatives, offering the opportunity for menu changes to be discussed.

“Our resident ambassadors are proactive with their input into the quality and choices of meals provided and certainly keep us on our toes. Some of our residents even enjoy getting involved in the preparation and serving of food.

“We have also recently introduced a new initiative, called ‘Grow Your Own Way’, across our care homes nationwide. This project encourages residents to get involved with menu planning, by sowing and growing their own fruit and vegetables both indoors and in the care home gardens.

“The produce grown through this project is invariably used in dishes prepared by the home’s chefs, so our residents can enjoy

the fruit and vegetables they have harvested – again keeping residents interested in mealtime, whilst fostering a sense of purpose and achievement amongst our care home communities”, Mark added.

With most people in care homes being of the older generation, they require specific nutrients and in order to meet this demand, at Sanctuary Care, the dishes and menu choices are thoroughly researched and analysed by the hospitality team to ensure residents’ dietary needs are catered to through healthy, nutritionally balanced meals.

Due to the environment of a care home and the risk of infection being quite high amongst older and more fragile individuals, hygiene is of optimum importance in a kitchen setting.

To ensure high standards of food safety and hygiene, we advise working with Environmental Health Organisation bodies to develop a robust Food Management Safety System, like that of Sanctuary Care.

Mark revealed how each Sanctuary Care home undergoes multiple levels of local compliance inspections, including daily Chef Manager check lists, weekly Home Manager inspections, monthly Regional Manager Compliance inspections, and Annual Hospitality Audits, to ensure high hygiene levels are maintained.

As we know, the kitchen in a care home is much more than just a place for food preparation. It serves as a hub for nutrition, socialisation, therapeutic activities, cultural sensitivity, and maintaining residents’ overall wellbeing.

Investing in a well-equipped and efficiently run kitchen is paramount to ensuring the best possible care for residents in a care home setting.

Framework: improving care for olderpeople through a relationship-centred approach. Getting Research into Practice (GRIP) Report No 2. Project Report. University of Sheffield.

1. Nolan MR, Brown, J, Davies, S, Nolan, J and Keady, J, 2006. The Senses

Dishing Up

This month, V for Life (VfL) shares the recipe guide to a Vibrant, hearty roasted cauliflower salad with a nutty, protein-rich, tahini dressing.

Since there are only two fully vegetarian care homes in the UK, one of VfL’s major goals is improve the standard of vegan and vegetarian catering in existing homes. We seek to do this through our UK List, which is a geographical listing of organisations and care homes that make a special effort to cater for vegetarians and vegans. We are striving towards a vision where at least 1 in every 6 UK care homes are

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30–40 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower

• 1 red onion

• 2 tbsp oil

• 30g/1oz parsley, finely chopped

• 100g/3½oz baby spinach

Dressing

• 50g/1¾oz tahini

• 120ml/4fl oz water

• 15g/½oz smooth peanut butter

• 2 garlic cloves

• 4 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp of cumin

Topping

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 tin/240g/8½oz chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and left to dry

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp onion powder

Garnish

• 2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

• 4 tbsp sliced almonds, roasted

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

members of our UK List – and 1 in every 100 will be VfL accredited.

Many people are becoming more health-conscious, vegetarian and vegan meals have seen a surge in popularity in order to improve overall well-being. Studies have shown that well-balanced vegetarian diets can be beneficial for weight management, reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer, all of which are essential in care homes in order to improve the quality of life.

This plant-based dish brings with it a well-balanced meal with plenty of flavour. Not only that, it looks beautifully visually appealing for your residents too!

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Cover a flat baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the cauliflower by chopping into small florets of a similar size. Peel the onion, cut in half, then slice. Place the cauliflower florets and the onion in the tray, drizzle with oil and toss until coated.

3. Roast the cauliflower and onion for 20 minutes. Stir the cauliflower and roast for a further 15 minutes.

4. Prepare the dressing by adding all the ingredients into a food processor or use a stick blender and blend until creamy. Set aside until required.

5. To prepare the chickpeas, make sure they are dry by patting with a paper towel.

6. Preheat the oil and add the chickpeas. Fry until golden and crispy, then turn off the heat and add the topping spices. Coat the chickpeas and place them on a

paper towel to cool.

7. When the cauliflower is cooked leave it to cool slightly or completely.

8. If using seeds from a pomegranate, slice the pomegranate in half and using a wooden spoon tap the back of the pomegranate over a bowl so the seeds fall out.

9. Place roasted cauliflower and onions in the bowl and add dressing. Gently mix, so the florets get coated but don’t fall apart.

10. Add the baby spinach and parsley, gently mix.

11. Serve on a plate, then top with sliced spring onion, toasted almonds, and pomegranate seeds. Enjoy cold or warm.

vforlife.org.uk

Getting the dining environment right

For those living with dementia the dining environment plays a crucial factor at mealtimes. Too many stimulations and distractions can be overwhelming, which prevents an enjoyable dining experience, in turn reducing the opportunity for good nutritional intake, which can affect quality of life.

Some simple changes to the dining room design can be an effective way to improve the overall dining experience.

The key consideration is to create a calm and welcoming environment, that is safe and easy for residents with dementia to navigate.

We recommend care homes stick to neutral colour tones that add warmth but are not over stimulating. Busy brightly patterned wallpaper can act as a distraction to resident when eating, as well as making the room difficult for those living with dementia to navigate through the room.

Having neutral painted walls with maybe one single ‘feature’ wall is a great way to incorporate colour without being confusing and will also help residents to determine the space of a room because of its obvious contrast compared to the other walls in the room.

The careful use of artwork and pictures on the walls is another way to gently add some colour and stimulation to the room. Choose pieces which tie in nicely with the chosen theme for the room – using colours that coordinate with the feature wall. Most importantly, keep things minimal – with just one or two large statement pieces on

the wall. Beautiful pictures of food can be a good approach to help encourage appetites.

In general, colour perception diminishes with age as vision gets weaker, so it becomes harder to judge the space of a room. The use of colour contrast through paint is an effective tool to help everyone interpret and navigate the physical environment of the room.

Whenever possible, paint should be in a matte finish and not gloss. This is because a glossy surface can look wet or slippery, which can be very confusing or distressing for residents.

How food is served and presented can make a lot of difference too. For example, bright multi-patterned plates can be

confusing for residents living with dementia. Plain white plates are much easier to showcase food in a clean, interesting way.

Offering varied menus that include favourite and nostalgic options helps to encourage interest in mealtimes. If you’re introducing new dishes, make sure you have a menu which includes description of the food, so residents know exactly what they’re choosing to eat.

apetito is proud to not only create food that is enjoyed and shared but also work in partnership with care homes to develop an excellent dining experience which ensures the well-being of residents. Discover more about apetito’s care homes service by visiting https://apetito.link/CHMag

Richard Woodward, General Manager of apetito’s Care Home division looks at how to create the right ambience and dining environment for residents with dementia.

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Care Home of the Month Aarandale Manor, Mill Hill, London

Aarandale Manor is a purpose-built luxury Care Home in a prominent position conveniently located in Mill Hill which is an affluent suburb in the London Borough of Barnet. It has been specifically designed to provide welcoming communal areas, with quieter lounges on each floor for contemplation and private visits with family and loved ones and offers larger than average luxury

bedroom suites.

The home offers a modern yet classical, luxurious and smart decor, and Kirsty Harris, Home Manager revealed how the luxury appearance as expected with most high-end homes provides an excellent first impression.

“Aarandale Manor retains a homely feel that envelops you, the staff team and the home’s culture provide an instant warmth and together with the aesthetically

pleasing environment our occupancy remains full with a waiting list for new residents.”

The overall design of the home plays an important role in the type of care Aarandale Manor provides. The theme on the dementia floor is centred around London Transport and iconic London landmarks which Kirsty explained is to inspire reminiscing and promote communication between staff and residents as memories are shared.

“The luxury theme is maintained throughout the home but enhanced with dementia friendly way finding signage and sensory items to promote living well with dementia”, Kirsty added.

Aarandale Manor has a range of living options and as a registered nursing home they can support residents through their life’s journey from residential, nursing, dementia right through to palliative care.

“Through this journey our residents get to know us all, building relationships, friendships and trust, enabling us to not just person-centred care but a more in

depth, tailored and personal care support approach.”

It is through forums, surveys and open-door policies where choices on likes and dislikes are discussed what makes the home stand out to potential residents. Kirsty and her team value the importance in listening but she commented: “it’s important to recognise and listen but most importantly embracing new ideas and celebrate choice for all.”

The home also offers a range of professional services as the boast a strong philosophy of when a new resident moves in it should be a change of postcode and not necessarily a change of lifestyle: “unless of course we are enhancing that lifestyle”, commented Kirsty.

Working closely with the MultiDisciplinary team, the home has had residents discharged to them from hospital that have flourished under their care and have seen improvements in their mobility and overall wellbeing, meaning they have been able to return home living with loved ones.

At Aarandale Manor they are strong believers that embracing and being part of the local community has a huge bearing on their reputation: “Supporting and helping each other and being accessible to our community whilst creating our own community family within our home is essential for us.

“Living with purpose is so important to everyone. We listen to our residents and their families where possible in order to help them fulfil this”, added Kirsty.

Take the lovely Ann Fox as an example who featured in a previous issue of Care Home Magazine. Ann loves helping on the home’s reception, greeting people, professionals, family and friends alike and the team encourage this because it provides her with a sense of purpose.

“To me as a manager, it’s about listening to people, supporting each other and embracing new ideas to help us learn and thrive” finished Kirsty.

www.abbeyhealthcare.org.uk/ aarandale-manor

Paving the Way

After previously introducing you to Famileo, the innovative brand which transforms photos and messages from family members into personalised physical newspapers for care home residents, we are pleased to share case studies from two care homes who explain first-hand the benefits the platform has on their residents, staff and relatives alike.

Famileo supports care homes, families and residents to maintain communication which is sometimes lost when relatives move out of the family home.

Below, we speak with Jaide FosterHaworth, Activities Coordinator at MHA Pennystone Court Care Home and Sharon Holston, Activities Coordinator at MHA Chapel Fields in Frodsham, who are each in charge of the weekly Famileo dose in their homes, here, we to delve into the benefits as we learn the true magic of Famileo.

When did you start working with Famileo?

Sharon: “It was right around the end of the COVID pandemic. We had a team meeting and Famileo was brought to us. I was keen to give it a try as I am an advocate for anything that will offer a bit

of ‘niceness’ for our residents. It seemed a lot of work in the beginning and I felt as if it could be a bit overwhelming, but it really

wasn’t, it was so straightforward because the instructions are so indepth. Since we started using it, it’s gone from strength to strength and now 47 out of my 54 residents are registered.”

Jaide: “I’ve only been working at this home since January but it has been a staple in my routine since then. I’ve never heard of anything like Famileo before; I’ve been working in care for six years and I think it’s genius. At first I was daunted because it sounded a bit too technical but it is so, so easy to use.”

Do you think Famileo has also worked so well because of the support the brand offer you?

Sharon: Definitely, the team I speak with at Famileo are lovely and so helpful. Also, I really do push it quite

a lot because I can see first-hand the smiles on the resident’s faces.” Jaide: “Certainly. Every time I speak with Kelly from Famileo, it’s like we’ve known each other for ages. I know I can always go to her if I’m worried about anything. These newspapers need to run like clockwork because of the vast effect they have on our residents, so the support is needed and very well executed.”

What were the main reasons Famileo stuck out and made you want to give it a go?

Sharon: “I love that it’s visual and for the people who can’t read for themselves, I read it with them, so it works for everyone. It offers one-toone time and also it’s there forever, they don’t expire. I put them all in folders so we can reminisce back if a resident mentions somebody, I can say: ‘oh, well let’s have a look what they did last week or the week before.’ We have one lady here and her granddaughter recently bought a house in Devon – I know that she will never be able to go to that house but she’s been able to watch the renovations unfold right in front of her eyes because of Famileo and now she feels like she’s been there. I can also send photos directly back, so I could respond to that with a

photo of her grandmother with a tambourine joining in one of our music therapy classes, so that way, everyone is in the know.”

How often do your residents have a newspaper from Famileo?

Sharon: “Every Monday, even if it’s a bank holiday, and my goodness do they look forward to it. Many of our residents swear by routine and this is a really important part of it. Jaide: “We get to choose when residents have them, whether it’s weekly, fortnightly or monthly but ours have it every Monday and they relish the moment the chaplain comes round with them.”

What kind of benefits have you seen amongst the residents since implementing the newspapers into the home?

Sharon: “Our residents are so proud when they receive them, they love showing them off, so they often share them around which is great for starting conversations in the home, which I think is massively improving their quality of life. I love that it goes back to what they’re used too. Everything is so heavily technology-based nowadays but

this is going from technology back to a newspaper, which they can easily associate their past with and its familiarity.

Jaide: “Our residents love it. They know when to expect it on a Monday afternoon and honestly, their faces light up. I think it’s the fact the feel ‘in the know’ – it really bridges the barrier of separation from the world outside the care home.”

How do you use Famileo in your marketingsuccessfulstrategies?

Sharon: “I do most of the show arounds here and always make sure I include Famileo in my welcome pack to promote it – families absolutely love it.”

Jaide: “Whenever our management team are showing potential residents around, I am always brought in and introduced and given the opportunity to give a rundown of what we use in the home. I always make sure I mention Famileo and give them a leaflet on how it works, it’s a great unique selling point.”

To work with Famileo or to see a demonstration, contact 01823711679 or email sales@famileo.com

www.famileopro.com/en-gb/

Take Notes

The adage ‘music is medicine’ may literally be true – studies have shown that singing and making music can boost the immune system and reduce anxiety, even more so when done in a group. In this issue, we share the power of singing as our Activity of the Month, as we delve into the benefits and explore how you can work it into your home.

Music in general, but singing specifically, in care homes can present numerous benefits for both the residents and the staff. Music has a powerful impact on our emotions and cognitive abilities.

Participating in singing can often promote, improved mood and a more positive demeanour amongst residents throughout the day, which can positively impact their overall quality of life and interactions with others.

Interaction is one of the key benefits of any kind of group activity. One way of advancing

this even further is by integrating intergenerational bonding. Encourage children or young adults, either from local schools or relatives, to join the residents when they engage in a singing activity. This can foster a sense of connection between different age groups as well as trigger fond memories from the residents’ younger years, improving recall which is great for those with dementia.

Singing has also been shown to lower the levels of stress hormones in the body, promoting relaxation. Due to singing involving controlled

breathing and vocal exercises, it can serve as a form of physical activity, helping with mobility and overall health.

It is evident that involving residents in group singing activities can present a plethora of benefits to all care home residents, but there are many ways you can magnify these benefits by taking it to the next level. The Social Care Institute for Excellence recommends adding value to the activity by making it themed. For example, on a particular day you may only sing country and western music and this can be elevated further by

decorating the activity hall in line with the theme.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence advises: “have food or drink to fit the theme”, in order to make it a complete experience, one which residents will remember and will spark plenty of conversation.

Remember that some residents will be more confident than others,

and for new residents joining in with group sessions can be daunting. The team at The Social Care Institute for Excellence advise providing advance notice to participants, “so that a potentially new experience is offered in a nonthreatening way.”

When considering feelings of anxiety around activities in care

homes, it’s important to remember that some participants have a regular routine and may become overwhelmed if tea-breaks don’t happen at the same time as normal.

“Pre-warning residents about the change of routine or planning the session times to coincide with breaks may be wise”, added the team at The Social Care Institute of Excellence.

To add a competitive and entertaining edge to the musical sessions, you could incorporate quizzes. Perhaps play a song and encourage residents to guess the name and the artist or play a familiar song and see who can finish the lyrics. These are all ways to make the days in a care home a little more interactive.

Singing in care homes is a great activity to introduce as the benefits are endless. Adding singing to your website too as a regular occurrence is a great way to entice new and potential residents as it demonstrates the extra steps you’re taking to improve emotional wellbeing, cognitive abilities and physical health.

A Reliable Solution

When recruitment is a continuing challenge, BA Healthcare provide tailored, affordable long-term solutions for the care sector. In this exclusive interview with the team’s UK Director, Richard Canavan, we delve into how the brand’s solution is unique and the ways in which it could elevate your care home logistics.

Please introduce us to BA Healthcare and the idea behind the brand.

We’re an Anglo-Filipino team, based in Malaysia and the UK. We provide international personnel, mainly ex-pats from The Philippines, for the UK health and social care sector. In fact, we’ve been doing it for over 20 years, placing almost 10,000 people in the UK.

The idea is simple – we partner with providers to build workforce sustainability. The best people, committed to careers in health and social care.

How does the recruitment solution from BA Healthcare stand out from others on the market?

There are two very important differences. First, the quality of the people we place. We only work with people with real qualifications and meaningful experience (often in several different countries) and we prepare and train them in house, at scale, so we know they

are really job-ready. Second is our commitment to ethical recruitment, which is why we are the only recruitment business recognised by so many sector bodies including Care England and the National Care Forum.

What is the key aim of BA Healthcare?

To be a partner to our clients. To be a business partners can trust and rely on, a business they know understands what they do, where they want to go, and is as concerned about their reputation as they are.

Tell us about what your service includes.

Almost everything! We provide a complete international recruitment service from developing a strategy, to coordinating candidate selection, immigration processes, preparing and upskilling candidates, and then working with our clients to coordinate effective pre-departure and on-boarding processes.

How do you offer clients peace of mind that BA Healthcare is secure and they are hiring individuals?trustworthy

We do a huge amount of work with every single person we place. Before they meet a potential employer, we will have interviewed them twice, checked their qualifications and experience, their immigration history and their motivations for working in the UK to make sure they are someone really committed to a career in care and someone who will really make a difference to a provider.

What benefits can our readers throughexperience working with BA Healthcare?

A 99% 3-year retention rate. Reduction in bank and agency spend by up to 90% in under 6 months, a service that is cost neutral in around 3 months. Most of all, the ability to look to the future with confidence, knowing workforce challenges won’t hold them back.

uk@ba-healthcare.org

www.ba-healthcare.org

Work with a business you can trust. Get people who really want to work with you. Get OSCE-ready nurses and experienced carers who really want to build careers in health and social care in the UK.

Do all this, with no risk while making real savings and building a sustainable workforce.

Don’t jeopardse your reputation - talk to us about affordable and ethical recruitment.

With over 20 years experience and thousands of successful placements, BA Healthcare is the choice of providers, care associations and professional bodies across the UK.

www.ba-healthcare.org

affordable, intelligent, international recruitment.

Must Haves

In this piece, we explore five products from Renray your care home shouldn’t be without along with the benefits each one offers.

We have been designing and manufacturing furniture with residents in mind for well over 50 years. Throughout this time, we have innovated and picked up a few hints as to what essential furniture you need for your care home. Here is a selection of pieces and why they are invaluable in maintaining a safe and homely care home.

Overbed Table

Overbed tables make resident’s lives easier, allowing space for meals, important items or other activities from their bed.

If your residents have mobility problems that make it hard to get up and out of bed, then an overbed table is the perfect solution.

Designed for ease of use and practicality, these tables provide a surface that offer users more independence, allowing them to eat their meals on, keep up with hobbies, or put important items on. The surfaces are laminated, meaning they are easy to keep hygienic and clean.

Compact High Back Chair

High back chairs offer better support for the head, neck and shoulders than other types of chair. They are better for the back, from the base of the neck all the way down to the lumbar.

Some people feel they are simply more comfortable than armchairs or rise recliners, offering ergonomic design for a more comfortable and relaxing approach to seating. More compact ranges such as our Modica and Teramo collections are ideal for smaller bedrooms as well.

Lockable Bedside Cabinet

Bedside lockers are typically overlooked in care homes, but they offer an excellent storage solution for many important items, and so require a high-quality, ergonomic design. Renray Healthcare understands this and subsequently supplies a popular range of bedside lockers that can be tailored for the style of your rooms and have lockable drawers for extra security, offering residents peace of mind.

Profiling Bed

A profiling bed is an excellent option for people who may need additional support when positioning in bed or spending extended periods of time in bed. Profiling beds are electric, height adjustable beds that are commonly used in care homes, domestic homes and hospitals. Profiling beds are generally used for patients

with disabilities, those with poor mobility, and the elderly.

Profiling beds can be a large investment for any care home or hospital. Here at Renray we only supply affordable profiling beds of the highest quality, ensuring your home is compliant with current bed standards, and gaps and clearances stipulated within those standards.

Homely and Joyous Curtains –

Soft furnishings always make the best finishing touches. Here at Renray Healthcare, our care home soft furnishing range only includes the best quality designed curtains, bed throws, blinds, cushions and more. There’s no need to worry about matching your current décor, all our soft furnishings are available in a wide variety of fabrics and finishes. Never underestimate the effect of a good set of curtains.

www.renrayhealthcare.com

Fostering Joy

In this exclusive piece with the experts at Elite Care Services, we delve into the importance of companionship and the effects it can have on care home residents.

In an often isolating world, companionship becomes a lifeline for many seniors. The power of having a caring companion cannot be overstated. It provides the social connection and emotional support necessary for their overall well-being.

The emotional support companionship offers can change lives for the better. Companions are there to lend a listening ear, show empathy, and provide understanding. They become a reliable source of comfort, helping people navigate challenges and maintain a positive outlook on life.

Over the years, we can lose our passions, our hobbies and our special interests. It’s understandable; life can get in the way sometimes and other things can take priority. But it is really important to not lose out on the joy those things can bring us. Companions can help to reignite those passions and bring back the spark for many who have lost it. It can be as simple as a conversation, or a shared interest; it feels good when someone wants to join in on your hobbies and listen to what you have to say.

The health benefits of companionship care are vast. Going for walks, engaging in light activity, and developing motor skills through hobbies like sewing, painting or knitting are all seemingly simple pastimes companion carers can encourage which actually play a crucial role in maintaining hand strength and motor skills. Imagine these hobbies as an investment in your future self, a way to ensure that you can continue to enjoy the things you love. They provide the support and encouragement needed to focus on what brings

you joy, making every stitch and every creation even more meaningful.

Another significant benefit of having a companion by your side is the increased sense of security and peace of mind they provide. As we age, concerns about safety and well-being become more pronounced. Having a caring and attentive companion alleviates these worries, knowing that someone is there to lend a helping hand and offer immediate support in times of need. Companions can also be there to notice changes in health, which can be vital in catching early signs of illness, and can provide peace of mind for families.

Whether it’s assistance with household tasks, accompanying a loved one to appointments, or

simply being a reassuring presence during daily activities, a companion becomes a trusted ally. They are there to ensure your comfort, safety, and overall peace of mind.

At Elite Care Services, we understand the profound impact that companionship has on enhancing vulnerable lives. Our dedicated companion care staff are passionate about fostering joy and encouraging meaningful engagement for all service users, including those leaving care and respite homes, just like yours.

elitecare.co.uk

Care homes and standard family homes have different requirements when it comes to their distinct purposes and the people they cater to. Here are five ways care home security should differ from a family home.

Access Control and Monitoring

Your care home needs a robust access control system to ensure the safety of your residents. This includes secure entry points with electronic key cards or biometric access for staff and visitors. Additionally, the facility should be equipped with surveillance cameras from reputable brands to monitor common areas and ensure that residents are safe and receive proper care.

Wander Prevention Measures

Many care home residents may suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s, which can lead to wandering behaviour. Your care home should have specialised wander prevention systems in place, such as door alarms or motion sensors, to prevent residents from wandering into unsafe areas or leaving the premises unnoticed.

Emergency Response Systems

Within any care home, it’s essential that efficient emergency response systems are fitted to handle any medical or security related incidents. This may include panic buttons in residents’ rooms, intercoms for quick communication with staff, and a well-defined emergency protocol to address different situations effectively.

Staff Training

The staff within your care home must receive specific security training to handle various scenarios unique to the care home environment. Training should cover emergency procedures, conflict resolution, resident safety and proper use of security equipment and should be re-visited when needed.

5 4 3 2 1

Resident Privacy Considerations

While security is essential, your care home must also prioritise the privacy and dignity of residents. It’s important to remember that security measures should be discreet and non-intrusive, ensuring that residents’ rights and personal space are respected.

GET IN TOUCH

We’d love to hear from you on how your business is progressing in 2023. Specifically, any new ideas you’ve implemented, any ways you are making additional revenue, your sustainability initiatives and your plans for the rest of the year – we know that a lot of you are doing inspiring things every day in your businesses and we want to give you the opportunity to shout about it.

Please reach out to jamesd@cimltd.co.uk for the opportunity to be featured in Care Home Magazine.

Safe and Secure

Looking at the unique security challenges care homes face, we delve into exactly what must be delivered to make your environment appealing to potential residents.

Safeguarding residents physically and emotionally is a top priority for care homes and often requires a comprehensive approach.

Within a care setting, there are lots of different factors to consider when ensuring the safety and wellbeing of older adults, those with unique care needs, or those living with a neurological condition such as dementia.

For example, it’s important that

care home residents can continue living in a home-from-home environment that’s safe and secure, without any security adaptations impacting this.

Hannah Karim, Care Expert Manager at Lottie, explained how another security challenge to be considered is the wellbeing of staff: “This could include the steps and procedures in place to handle situations where a resident may have challenging behaviour, or

health and safety procedures such as wearing PPE and practising good hygiene.”

There’s no doubt that security demands and rules will change over the years within a care environment, but staple pieces of equipment or software will always be a necessity.

In Hannah’s opinion, access control systems should be implemented across a home to prevent unauthorised entry and ensure resident privacy. Access

controls also help to ensure vulnerable residents or those living with dementia can move around the home in an environment that’s safe and secure, with a reduced risk of the resident becoming lost or confused.

Investing in staff training is crucial to ensure security within a care home. Hannah added: “Setting clear policies and frameworks with simple paths to report any issues or misconduct, in which all members of staff have been trained, helps to encourage the safeguarding of residents throughout a care home.

“With more data becoming stored digitally, cybersecurity measures are also essential to protect sensitive resident information. Care homes should invest in a safe and secure

technology system when recording or sharing any personal information such as residents’, names, ages, contact details and unique care needs. It’s the responsibility of the care home manager that their team members are trained on how to use any technology within the home.”

To ensure your security measures are up to standards, there are a number of steps which can be taken. A simple starting point for reviewing a care home’s security measures internally is to check industry regulatory guidelines, and compare these against procedures and policies within their own care home. This can include guidelines related to physical security, access control, data protection and resident safety.

Hannah explained how familiarising yourself with the relevant regulatory guidelines and standards for care homes will ensure you’re up to date with the latest security standards of the care sector, along with any steps you need to take to align with these guidelines.

“Seeking expert advice and support from a safeguarding and security expert within the care sector or in cyber security (when it comes to any technology) will help you identify gaps or weaknesses within your safeguarding offerings. It’ll also help you to understand what areas of security your home is performing well in and how you can use these learnings to strengthen other areas.

“Similarly, researching and implementing best practices for care home security will allow you to be as thorough as possible when reviewing the security of your home and any new services or technology to implement and avoid any potential issues later down the line”, added Hannah.

In order to keep on top of your residents’ and staff’s safety, care homes should conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential hazards specific to their environment. Different types of risk assessments can take place, and the frequency of these assessments may depend on various factors, including regulatory requirements, changes in the care home’s infrastructure or operations and the nature of the resident population.

An initial risk assessment should be conducted when a care home is newly established or significant changes occur, such as relocating

to a new facility or undergoing substantial renovations. This assessment establishes a baseline understanding of the risks and hazards present in the care home.

Periodic risk assessments are often carried out annually and help to identify any changes in the care home’s operations or physical environment that may introduce new risks or impact existing ones. This allows care home managers to reduce potential health and safety risks.

Trigger-based assessments should be conducted whenever there are significant changes in the care home’s operations, such as the introduction of new services or the implementation of new policies and procedures.

Incident-driven assessments will need to be conducted following any significant incidents or accidents within the care home. These assessments help identify

the root causes of incidents and allow you to take corrective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

“Ultimately, risk assessments in care homes should be seen as an ongoing process. Care homes should regularly review and update their risk assessments to ensure they remain relevant and effective. Sometimes, involving staff members, residents and their families in the risk assessment process can provide valuable insights and perspectives”, said Hannah.

Security measures can be used as a USP when appealing to new and potential residents, as investing in security measures within a care home, and continually reviewing your offering, will help you to become an industry leader in promoting good wellbeing and safeguarding residents.

Hannah explained how high

security standards also provide families and care seekers peace of mind that their loved one will be moving into a safe and positive environment whilst receiving a high level of expert care.

Research conducted by Lottie found that 97% of care seekers believe a care home’s policies and procedures are a crucial factor in their decision-making process,

whilst 77% report resident morale and satisfaction as a determining factor in their final decision.

“By emphasising features like 24/7 surveillance, access control systems, trained staff and emergency response protocols, care homes can differentiate themselves from competitors. Communicating the proactive steps taken to ensure

a secure environment - including cybersecurity measures and resident privacy protectioncan be particularly appealing to prospective residents”, Hannah concluded.

Ultimately, demonstrating a strong focus on security can reassure prospective residents that their safety is a top priority, building trust and attracting new residents.

apetito 0808 239 2399

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Borderless 0800 001 6942

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Famileo Pro 0117 205 1185

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Care Supply Store 01375 651 609

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Castra Solutions 0300 124 5005

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HobSensus 01787 320604

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Girbau 01462 427780

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