Care2 - Volume 4 - Winter Edition 2018 by CloserStill Media

VOLUME 4 | WINTER 2018

ISOLATION DURING WINTER BRINGING CHILDREN INTO CARE HOMES

A DAY IN THE WORKING LIFE OF A CARE HOME MANAGER THE POWER OF CARE A DIFFICULT ROLE IN A CARE HOME BEATING THE WINTER BLUES THE CARE SHOW 2018 CARER OF THE YEAR SPECIALLY DESIGNED FURNITURE FOR THE CARE COMMUNITY

SOME THINGS JUST GET

BETTER Something new is happening at

Health+Care 2019.

Stay tuned and save the dates. 26-27 JUNE 2019

www.healthpluscare.co.uk

WELCOME TO CARE2

WORDS FROM THE CARE GROUP MANAGER

warm welcome to our WINTER edition of Care². What a fantastic first year it has been for the team behind the newest magazine to the Care Sector and what a response we have had. We have highlighted case studies showing excellence within the market, the latest innovations and products available to care providers and even looked at “taboo” topics which people don’t often mention. This edition we review the Care Show, celebrating 20 years of serving the sector, the

winner of Carer of the YEAR, congratulations to Linda McPartland from Meadowvale Homecare, thoroughly deserved and well done all to all our monthly winners this year. In 2019 we will also be introducing our care provider of the month. As we approach the festive season, a time for families and friends to come together, we must also remember those who may not have such company and the isolation and loneliness they can feel and how we as an industry can support each other. We look to lighten the feel by delving into

alternative therapies and how being outside and active can make a huge impact on your residents and how green finger activities, indoors and out help improve moods. There are a number of case studies and researches, showing the great work happening within the sector which we hope you enjoy the read. We wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year. We look forward to seeing you in 2019 Michael Corbett, Care Group Manager

Building a better future for care 9-10 October 2019 NEC Birmingham

Building a better future for care

PUBLISHERS MICHAEL CORBETT ALEX JONES GUEST EDITORS FRANCESCA ROBINSON

FEATURES EDITORS HELEN OMOH-MENSAH CHARLOTTE CROSS ELLE GRACE KELLY

26-27 June 2019 ExCeL London

9-10 October 2019 NEC Birmingham

The event for senior care professionals

The event for the care community

CLOSERSTLL MEDIA PUBLICATIONS

CONTENTS

A LOOK BACK AT THE CARE SHOW POWER TO THE PEOPLE20 YEARS OF THE CARE SHOW

INVESTING IN PREVENTION: INCREASE UK SOCIAL CARE FUNDING

DEN CARE: INSPIRING DESIGN FOR CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS

ICY ISOLATION

SPECIAL RECOGNITION WHITEHAVEN SELECTS AUTUMNCARE TO MANAGE CARE PLANNING AND CARE RECORDS

20 21

INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY AT WESTWOOD HOUSE

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CARE HOME MANAGER

CARER OF THE MONTH CARER OF THE YEAR AT THE CARE SHOW 2018

CONTENTS

OVER 1 MILLION OLDER PEOPLE ARE LONELY

27 22

CARE2 TOP TIPS TO AVOID LONELINESS NEW PAPERS PUBLISHED ON POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF EGGS FOR OLDER PEOPLE

CURA DELIVERS A PLATFORM FOR BETTER CARE

A DIFFICULT ROLE IN A CARE HOME - HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP?

BEATING THE WINTER BLUES

THE MOBII TRAVELS TO CORNWALL

38 41 37

HEALTH+CARE 2018 INDICATES THE WAY AHEAD FOR THE CARE SECTOR

“ALEXA, CAN YOU SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH CARE NEEDS?”

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DOMICILIARY REGISTERED MANAGER LISA LONSDALE

THE CARE SHOW 2018

Proudly Sponsoring 20 Years of The Care Show

Building a better future for care

A look back at the Care Show 17-18 october 2018 6

THE CARE SHOW 2018

POWER TO THE PEOPLE 20 YEARS OF THE future for care CARE SHOW

Proudly Sponsoring 20 Years of The Care Show

Join us on the 9th - 10th October 2019 for The Care Show 2019

eople are at the heart of everything we do – that is the power of care! People-centred care was the big message echoed across The Care Show 2018 as it turned 20-years old, from the 3340+ visiting care professionals, to esteemed speakers and suppliers. And not just for the millions of people the profession cares for, but also the 1.47million people working in the sector. Opening the show, Debbie Ivanova, Deputy Chief Inspector, Adult Social Care Services, congratulated the audience, reinforcing how much should be celebrated across the sector, despite “continued pressure and difficulties”. “It really is down to you and your hard work” she applauded. As the UK’s largest completely care focused event, The Care Show welcomed its largest ever audience of operators and senior professionals across residential and

domiciliary care. Housing a hotbed of the latest products, solutions and services on its marketplace show floor, the show hosted over 60 new supplier brands this year.

the short-term injection from Government has helped, costs keep going up, so addressing long-term funding for adult social care remained a priority.

State of the nation Revealing the findings of the latest CQC report on the adult social care sector, Debbie outlined five key areas of focus. Top of the list, Quality of Care, is dependent upon person-centred care, underpinned by leadership and governance she said. For Access to Care & Support, she highlighted the need to address the UK’s ‘access lottery’, whereby ineffective coordination of services, has led to fragmented care in some areas. Capacity to meet demand and the right workforce to deliver care followed, where Debbie highlighted the immediate need for a better strategy to recruit the right talent, reporting an over-dependency on agency staff. Commenting on funding, she said that while

Integrated services Over 80 industry stalwarts took to the stage across two days, reinforcing the importance of a people-centric approach to exemplary care. To deliver this, many industry experts shared their desire for one umbrella care service. Bluebird Care’s Yvonne Hignell said industry must think differently, collaboratively delivering the care a person needs. While arbitrary barriers are being broken down, Downing Street’s decision to merge health and social care into one political portfolio as an example, she went on to say that “True innovation will come as we drop our egos and think more about the people than our individual job titles”.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EXHIBITING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CARE SHOW 2019, PLEASE VISIT THE WEB SITE AT: WWW.CARESHOW.CO.UK 7

THE CARE SHOW 2018

As the UK’s largest completely care focused event, The Care Show welcomed its largest ever audience of operators and senior professionals across residential and domiciliary care.

Unlocking hidden data insights Better sharing of data to deliver personalised care was represented across the show, where speakers, and suppliers shared best practice for bringing families, providers and departments together. NHS Digital’s Keith Strahan shared important updates on Information Governance, Cyber Security and the Data Security and Protection Toolkit and the new national offer of NHSmail for care providers, highlighting an urgent need to move away from archaic postal methods for resident notes. The good life What does a good life look like? questioned Alex Fox, CEO of Shared Lives Plus, as he advocated ways carers can build that personal relationship with those they care for. He feels it is important that we combine both the practical and medical needs of a person, with their social and emotional needs –

“there’s never been a service for loneliness” he points out. His matchmaking recruitment strategy, which can take three to six months to get right, has seen 10,000 carers specially paired with people based upon compatibility. “Friends, family and fun is what it’s all about” he said. Michael Corbett, Event Manager for The Care Show said: “Acting as a true barometer for the care sector, Care Show 2018 demonstrates just how vibrant, passionate and determined the UK is to deliver outstanding care to our vulnerable and ageing society. With visitor numbers up year-on-year, aisles, stands and theatres packed to the brim, and 97 percent of exhibitors already booked for 2019, The Care Show arms you with the highest quality tools, training and technologies to deliver exceptional care and operate a profitable care business.”

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT EXHIBITING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CARE SHOW 2019, PLEASE VISIT THE WEB SITE AT: WWW.CARESHOW.CO.UK 8

THE CARE SHOW 2018

“Facilitating such a wide range of information together makes the care show very unique”

“I went to the care show to meet with suppliers, it is important to me to be here to see new products that are out there”

THE CARE SHOW 2018

“I enjoy everything about the event. Stalls, guest speakers, professional practice and sharing ideas”

“The show is very informative on the challenges the industry is currently facing and how we can help support them”

THE CARE SHOW 2018

“The Care Show is much better than all the other shows we go to. This is the event of the year”

“The event has been great! Being here gives me the opportunity to see what is new in the market! I will be back again next year.”

THE CARE SHOW 2018

“It is an excellent opportunity to discuss products and services at stands while networking”

“The products at The Care Show could make real changes to the people we support”

CARER OF THE MONTH

CARER OF THE MONTH DECEMBER

NOVEMBER

If you would like to nominate a carer that has gone above and beyond with their work in the care sector, let us know on social media or email careshowteam@closerstillmedia.com OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

Carer of the month

Congratulations

Julie Jones

Jefrey Prior

S u e Ba n k s

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for November 2018

JULIE JONES CONGRATULATIONS to Julie Jones, Decembers carer of the month! Despite working well over the hours she is paid for, she provides an unwavering level of care for her client and goes above and beyond in making sure his well-being is taken care of. Thank you Julie for being an amazing member of our care community!

JEFFREY PRIOR CONGRATULATIONS Jeffrey Prior! You are November’s carer of the month. Jeff has displayed an overwhelming level of care and commitment to his role, supporting his team to develop to their full potential and providing an extremely high level of care to the service user he works with. Thank you, Jeff, for being an outstanding member in the care community!

AUGUST

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for December 2018

JULY

Carer of the Month for September 2018

LILY MANSFIELD CONGRATULATIONS Lily Mansfield, Octobers Carer of the Month! Thank you for working incredibly hard every day! Lily has formed great relationships with all her service user’s and co-workers. She always comes to work with a smile on her face, her bubbly personality cheering everyone up. You are appreciated so much by your team and now we would also like to say thank you for all of your hard work. JUNE

SUE BANKS CONGRATULATIONS Sue Banks, September’s Carer of the Month! Thank you for going above and beyond to give outstanding care to your clients. The love and patience you give, make so many people’s lives better. You are truly valued by your colleagues and your clients, keep up your amazing work!

MAY

Carer of the month

Congratulations

Maria Codling

Catherine Howes

Jane Wolenscroft

Beth Ingham

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for August 2018

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for July 2018

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for June 2018

You are The Care Show’s

Carer of the Month for May 2018

Building a better future for care

Carer of the Month Certificate Aug Maria AW.indd 1

30/08/2018 09:09

Carer of the Month Certificate May Beth AW.indd 1

22/05/2018 17:03

TO NOMINATE A CARER THAT HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THEIR WORK IN THE CARE SECTOR, LET US KNOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR EMAIL CARESHOWTEAM@CLOSERSTILLMEDIA.COM

CARER OF THE YEAR

CARER OF THE YEAR AT THE CARE SHOW 2018 The first award ceremony for carer of the year was held at this year’s 20th Care Show. Over the last year, The Care Team have recognised and rewarded some outstanding carers and the team had a tough decision deciding 2018’s carer of the year. However, there was one carer in particular that stood out to the team, who was truly worthy of this award… Linda McPartland! 14

CARER OF THE YEAR

inda, her manager Lisa and several members of their team travelled down to Birmingham to attend the event. The team met with Linda and her team when she arrived at The Care Show, welcoming them into the VIP area. The team then proceeded to enjoy their day at The Care Show. Lisa, Linda’s manager commented that they “had a brilliant day networking with all professionals from the sector, seeing what products they had to offer our company and attended workshops by the guest speakers on the future of care.” As time ticked on, 5oclock came around and the celebrations for The Care Show’s 20th birthday kicked off. The drinks were flowing and the atmosphere was amazing. And then it was time to make the announcement… Linda McPartland from Meadowvale Home Care had won carer of the year. Her surprised and delighted face was a pleasure to see and the crowd cheered her on as Linda stood up to collect her award. Linda was chosen for this award for going above and beyond for her clients who she supports in the community. She works alongside some very complex individuals regarding mental health, she supports them through the most difficult situations that they find themselves in. Linda has learnt to understand the triggers and pressure points of mental health while bringing patience and dedication to her role. Working in mental health can be very challenging and it takes a very special kind of individual to excel in this role. Linda really deserved this award and we would also like to thank her manager Lisa for nominating her. Linda collected the award with the biggest smile on her face, as her team cheered her on. The care team all gathered round to congratulate Linda and thank her for the amazing work that she does every day. We asked both Linda and Lisa to give comment on their experience.

“I am still floating on cloud nine. I was totally speechless and crying with emotion. I felt so proud of myself and our company!”

Lisa Lonsdale, Manger at Meadowvale Home Care “The Care Show is a brilliant for employers to put their staff members forward for carer of month. As a registered manager I was over the moon for Linda and so very proud that she has been recognised for her passionate work. When Linda was announced as The Care Shows carer of the year, my heart burst with pride. The smile on her face was so amazing. This award has had such a positive impact upon Linda’s own self confidence and since winning the award, Linda gained the strength to apply of an internal post of progression. I can’t thank Elle and her wonderful team from The Care Show enough, for their support and for selecting Linda as carer of the month and then carer of the year 2018. This moment will never be forgotten and I feel all employers should take up the opportunity to put forward their staff as this really does make a difference.” Linda McPartland, winner of Carer of the Year “I was so overwhelmed to be nominated for carer of the year, winning carer of the month back in April was such a fantastic experience. When the ceremony started, I was absolutely amazed to hear my name read out and everyone burst into applause and cheered. People who didn’t even know me were happily applauding me. I have to say I was very overwhelmed and at first, I couldn’t get up and out of my chair. I am still floating on cloud nine. I was totally speechless and crying with emotion. I felt so proud of myself and our company! I love my job and my Meadowvale family and I work to the best of my ability. It is amazing to be recognised, not just for myself, but for all carers.”

Nomina your sta te membe ff rs Nominate your staff members So many carers go above and beyond to provide exceptional care to those who really need it. The Care Show continues its mission to publicly celebrate and thank these amazing carers. Please help us to find more fantastic carers, like Linda, who go above and beyond for those they care for. To nominate someone for carer of the month, please fill out the nominate a carer form on our Care Show website or send us a direct message on Twitter and Facebook. We look forward to reading more amazing care stories.

#POWEROFCARE

INVESTING IN PREVENTION: INCREASE UK SOCIAL CARE FUNDING World-class care starts at home: Led by the care industry’s top conference and exhibitions; The Care Show and Health+Care, social care chiefs call upon government to realise the power of care with a significant investment injection into the system. As it stands today, adult social care services currently face a £3.5 billion funding gap by 2025, just to maintain existing standards of care.

espite the eagerly awaited £20bn a year budget increase, NHS resources also remain overstretched. With greater funding, social care can create a dramatic release on healthcare system pressures and help keep people out of hospitals and managing conditions at home for a better quality of life and wellbeing. Give the ‘unsung heroes’ of the care profession the resources required to deliver world-class care to vulnerable adults in a home environment and alleviate the burgeoning pressures on NHS resources. We respectfully ask HM government to make much larger annual increases in funding for our social care system to provide the efficient, properly staffed and well-equipped system that we all need and deserve. Together, we can realise the power of care!

2750 signatures

2500

signatures 2250 signatures

In two weeks, we have reached 2,500 signatures but we still have a long way to go. Please visit www.careshow.com or www.healthpluscare.co.uk to find the link to sign the petition. 16

#powerofcare

Be sure to sign up at careshow.co.uk/ petition

SPECIALLY DESIGNED FURNITURE FOR THE CARE INDUSTRY

DEN CARE

DEN CARE: INSPIRING DESIGN FOR CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS Den Care provides bespoke furniture and design services for the care industry, with a focus on the requirements of users with challenging behaviour, learning disabilities, mental health and dementia.

culmination of thoughtful design, technical excellence and quality production combined with affordability, our range of tailored design services and forward-thinking products help ease the lives of both service users and care staff. Armed with a wealth of experience in furniture design and interior fit-outs for the care industry, along with an interior designer who specialises in design for dementia, all Den Care products and services are created based on the latest research and effective care practices related to mental health issues. By offering a complete project management service for all design requirements including interior design advice, product specification, product design and full installation, Den Care can deliver a unique turnkey package solution. Proof Furniture: Designed to be beautiful, built to last... Manufactured in a 5-storey mill in Manchester, UK by a team of expert craftsmen, ‘Proof’ is a range of durable, waterproof, scratch proof

furniture pieces aimed at premium nursing homes, residential homes and the care industry. By combining expertise and experience with design and function ‘Proof’ furniture guarantees to stand up to the test of time in highly challenging environments. From antiligature cabinets to armchairs with cupholders and tilted settees that allow optimal drainage of liquids, our purpose-built furniture range addresses all of the issues faced by care providers when it comes to sourcing functional, comfortable and affordable furniture for challenging markets. The Jigsaw Range: The replaceable range that lasts a lifetime The Jigsaw range is a unique collection that offers longevity and a solution for those whose furniture suffers lots of wear and tear and damage. Built using a modular formation, all products within the range separate into six pieces, and so if one section is damaged, only that section needs to be repaired as opposed to repairing a full unit. This patented and innovative design makes the Jigsaw range

recyclable and due to its unique formation it offers colossal cost saving, efficiency and environmental benefits. Den Care: Design that will be remembered... Whether it’s a bariatric chair, a high-backed dementia chair or a full interior fit-out for a mental health ward, Den Care have the team, expertise and knowledge to deliver the whole project with innovation and flair right from concept through to completion. Always working with the ethos that durable furniture does not have to be ugly, we strive to create functional yet elegant pieces that truly enhance the environment along with the service users quality of life and comfort levels, ensuring that not only are the needs of an organisation met, but also the needs of family and care staff.

Come and visit our purpose-built showroom launching March 2019 or visit www.den-care.co.uk for further information.

ICY ISOLATION

ICY ISOLATION As the UK braces for its coldest winter for 10 years, with snow and freezing temperatures lasting until at least January according to weather forecasters, the elderly and vulnerable may find themselves housebound, whether at home, or in a residential care facility. Some of The Care Show 2018â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speakers and exhibitors share their top advice on ways that care providers can prepare ahead of time to help avoid social as well as physical isolation for those they care for during the colder months. 18

ICY ISOLATION

Contingency planning In all parts of the UK, local authorities and health and social care providers are encouraged to have contingencies in place to cover winter risks. For example, the Department of Health publishes a Cold Weather Plan for England which is regularly updated and designed to raise people’s awareness of cold weather risks. Dr Joshua Macaulay, director of operations at Westmorland Homecare, rolled out an initiative to help deal with heavy snow this March, whereby paramedics winter-ready 4x4s helped ensure home carers reached their elderly clients. The Event Safety Group teamed up with Westmorland Homecare, of Kendal, to make sure elderly people in rural and farm communities did not go without essential visits from their carers. “Our contingency plans are working well in the severe weather,” said Dr Macaulay, “and teaming up with Event Safety Group has meant we can still deliver care to patients in the community even in hard-to-reach areas. Hypothermia is a killer, especially in the elderly, and having 4x4s and paramedics has meant we can keep all our patients safe and warm.” Prioritised care Prioritising care as the cold winter bites is crucial, both for the wellbeing of those relying on homecare and the safety of care givers. Exhibiting at The Care Show, OneTouchHealth is launching a new smart technology solution to help home carers assess and prioritise those that require care more urgently. ‘Virtual Carer’, launching in early 2019 enables carers to conduct short video calls with their elderly patients to quickly assess who is in most urgent need of support. Follow-ups and visits can then be planned accordingly, drastically reducing time spent travelling during bad weather.

Digital intervention Social isolation during the winter is a very real issue, both for those living alone at home, and in care homes. Visits from family and friends may drop off during the cold weather due to adverse conditions, or those seeking respite in warmer climates abroad. In the care home environment, Care Show speaker Simon Hooper, CEO of RemindMecare cannot stress enough, the importance of digital inclusion. “Feeling disconnected from the outside world, elderly residents often feel isolated” he said. He believes activity-based apps play an important role in keeping residents connected with their families. He says that new apps give families the chance to be engaged in the care process - they can see, and even create, the activities being conducted with their family member. Not only can family members log in and see what their loved one has been doing or talking about, they can also upload content to share with them. “A great example is the grandkids sending pictures or emails to their grandparent to help everyone stay as close as possible” he says.

The latest Cold Weather Plan for England can be downloaded from: https://bit. ly/20tXMbm. The UKHCA’s top tips for running your home care business in adverse weather conditions can be found at: https://bit.ly/2PbxfD0

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

SPECIAL RECOGNITION Aleyda Maycock Nominated by their daughter Alexia Maycock My parents have been married for 53 years and together for 55 and over those years have been partners in all senses of the word. Since my father was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014, my Mother has taken on the role of full time carer. She not only runs the household, but cares for him in everything he needs on a daily basis. This is everything from washing and dressing him in the mornings, feeding him, ensuring he is safe and that he leads as full a life as is possible as he rapidly deteriorates. He is not capable of even making a cup of tea so she literally does everything. Her capacity to do this never fails to amaze me. She does it all with love and affection and only recently has accepted any external assistance. She is a true inspiration and a remarkable woman. Even he occasionally is able to recognise what she does for him!

Know someone who is not a carer but deserves a special shout out? Email: careshowteam@closerstillmedia.com

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

“AutumnCare really went the extra mile to tailor the system to our organisational needs. Staff made sure the solution that was provided was the right solution for us” – Beverly, Home Manager.

WHITEHAVEN SELECTS AUTUMNCARE TO MANAGE CARE PLANNING AND CARE RECORDS The search for a Care Management System Whitehaven Residential Home provides both residential and dementia care for elderly people in Horndean, Hampshire. The care home strives to deliver high quality person centred care. Staff get to know each resident as an individual and tailor the care provided to suit their specific needs. Home Manager Beverly contacted AutumnCare earlier this year as she began her search for a new care management system. Whitehaven had used other electronic systems in the past, but these had failed to satisfy all of their requirements. The Selection Process Beverly had observed the great results experienced by AutumnCare clients. This

bolstered her beliefs that AutumnCare would make a genuine difference at Whitehaven. The Maple Care Home has boosted their CQC Rating from Requires Improvement to Good since implementing AutumnCare. CQC inspectors largely attributed this to improvements in care planning and completeness of care records. Whitehaven also wanted a system that could assist them with writing comprehensive care plans. Care Planning Beverly found “staff were particularly impressed with AutumnCare’s care planning capabilities.” Electronic care planning significantly reduces time spent on data entry. The discrepancies

that occur in paper records are eliminated with AutumnCare, which auto-propagates information so it never needs to be entered twice. This ensures consistency of records, which helps towards compliance with safety. AutumnCare automatically generates care plans based on information entered into the associated assessment. Staff are also prompted to create highly detailed plans inclusive of all the details that make a resident unique. The time saved allows Whitehaven staff to spend more time on the delivery of care. They are able to engage in meaningful activities and one on one time with residents. Beverly has deemed AutumnCare “the only system that was comprehensive enough to meet all of our requirements.” Next Steps Whitehaven will look at implementing an eMAR in the New Year. They were pleased to note that AutumnCare offers a fully integrated MAR sheet to add on to their care system. We look forward to continuing to work with Whitehaven and other organisations that promote high quality individualised care.

FIND OUT MORE FROM AUTUMNCARE BY VISITING WWW.AUTUMN.CARE 21

CARE HOME BRINGING CHILDREN ARTICLE INTO CARE HOMES

INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVITY AT WESTWOOD HOUSE My name is Stella Bernatek and I have been the General Manager at Westwood House in Sydenham, London for 4 years now. We are a care home in the Barchester Healthcare Group and have 200 homes across the country. Westwood House is a 43-bed facility and we provide nursing and residential care. We also have a Memory lane Community which accommodates 23 residents who are all living with Dementia.

hilst providing meaningful activities on a daily basis I am always looking at what else we can do and how to structure our Activity provision to the needs of our Residents and how to introduce new concepts. Earlier this year we hosted some children from the Conor Academy of Irish Dance to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. The residents and

relatives and staff all absolutely loved it and it lifted everyone’s atmosphere in the whole home. Having seen how much everybody enjoyed watching the children I was was really keen to commence some regular intergenerational activity in the home. What started as a Facebook post on a local facebook group page asking if people would be interested in bringing their children in to

the home resulted in a local Nursery Manager, Sandra Hunt and her deputy Roxanne, at Little Elms in Sydenham, contacting me within a few days to express their interest. Within a few weeks we had had a meeting and had a plan in place where the Nursery would visit us on alternate Thursday mornings for a session from 9.45am-11.30am. Sandra’s nursery were also all very keen to get involved

BRINGING CHILDREN INTO CARE HOMES

“Our residents have really enjoyed the visits and every time we talk about the ‘nursery children’ their faces light up and it starts some lovely conversations.” with this and were very excited about it. As this was new to us it was very much trial and error but it went very well right from the beginning. The children and are all aged 4 and seem to enjoy their trip on the bus to see us and are always suitably dressed for the weather and very excited when they reach us. We all agreed that it would be the same group of children, at least at the beginning, as much as possible so that they could get used to us and we to them. We kept the initial resident group quite small as well to allow some stability too. Over time the children have changed, where the older ones have left Little Elms to go off to school and the younger ones

have started visiting us. Our residents have really enjoyed the visits and every time we talk about the ‘nursery children’ their faces light up and it starts some lovely conversations. For one particular female resident the first visit provoked some very sad memories but as we had discussed this with the Clinical Psychologist and she was with us for that session, she was able to support the resident. Over the next few visits it allowed her to address some of her memories and to talk more openly about her memories. This lady is now one of the first to be ready for the children and is much brighter in her mood during their visit and she enjoys their visits.

While I was trying to get this Nursery visit organised and off the ground, I received lots of messages from other parents who wanted to bring their children in to the home too. Some were Mums locally who were happy to come to us on an informal basis, others wanted to come every week and others wanted to just pop in to see what we were doing. After some more organisation we now have a session running every Friday morning from 10am-12pm every Friday. The children range from 3 months to 3.5 years old and some of their older siblings who are at school also visit us during half terms and holidays. We have provided toys and games and we meet in our ground floor lounge where we usually have between 3-8 Mums and their little ones. Again, this was new to us all so we met initially to talk about what we both wanted to gain from this experience. Some of the Mums said that the children do not have grandparents or may not be able to see them regularly. Others may not have grandparents in this country. Some of our Mums are on maternity leave and live very locally and are happy to bring their children in and have also met other local Mums which has been really lovely to see. Some of our residents also may not see their grandchildren as often as they would like to and they are able to share in the lives of these children even if for a short time every week. The children and their Mums have really taken to this experience and it is so lovely to see them all arrive and how the whole mood in the home is lifted when they turn up. Children’s laughter and chatter really brighten up everybody’s day! One of the residents Doris has told me “I really enjoy the children visiting us as it reminds me of when I was young. They tickle me when they run around and jump and hop! And I am always happy to see them running around in the garden too!”. This feedback is so lovely to hear and I am delighted this experience has been such a hit. With Christmas fast approaching we will be arranging some ‘baking’ sessions with both sets of children and look forward to making some Christmas decorations and some edible goodies for everyone to enjoy. We are also just arranging for a new Mums harmony singing group who will be visiting us soon and they are all Mum’s who enjoy singing and also bring their babies with them. They are called ‘thulamama’ and we look forward to meeting them soon.

YOU EAT SLEEP AND DRINK BEING A HOMES MANAGER

A DAY IN THE WORKING LIFE OF A CARE HOME MANAGER

ell, for anybody that is already a home’s manager Residential or Nursing you don’t need for me to tell you it’s a way of life, you eat sleep and drink being a homes manager. It’s a passion that is difficult to describe and you have a steely determination to provide the best care and daily lived experience for your residents. Simple.. NO!! Walking through the front door first thing, morning everybody. How’s thing since I left the building at 8pm last night (this was due to our Halloween party for residents and family) good fun had by all might I add. Back to my day, verbal hand over from Senior staff prior to reading daily hand over documents. Are ALL my residents okay?? Pick up on any major concerns that may have occurred over night, then on to start my day with pending managerial tasks. I’ll start with the staff rota; night carer rang in sick. Delegate to Deputy manager requesting regular update on progress. Ok next.. Conference call at 10.30am with senior management to discuss occupancy/budgets, I need to organise information to refer too, to provide an accurate overview of the homes position to date. I work on the principle of an open door policy for residents, relatives and staff to

encourage positive communication for which I stand by for all the right reasons, this can challenge at times when concentration /focus is required. Conference call completed amendment to budget required, with time frame to do so. With a knock at the office door, staff have concerns regarding the well being of a resident.. everything stops at this point regarding paperwork, my residents always come first, so off I go. I make it my business to know all of the residents individually to actively be very much part of their care and support that is provided within the home, and yes role up my sleeves and be an active part of my staff team as and when the need arises, suspending my “To Do list” back in the office!! Back to my desk, having completed a manager’s walk around on my way back from responding to a concern with resident’s health and followed up with a call to GP. I finish off my cold mug of coffee, while making a start on the quality assurance Compliance audit, useful but time consuming. With many conversations and telephone calls later with audit completed, again I head out to be eyes and ears in the home and actively engage with residents my favourite part of the day, the part of the day that may

vary in timing, but the fundamental reason I chose to be a care home manager with 50 residents living their senior years within the home, one of which I strive together with my whole staff team provide person cantered care that is enjoyed through positive daily lived experience with meaningful activity. Tomorrow is another day with many more challenges, stresses and hopefully achievements with laughter along the way in our residential care home and the reason I come in to work. My ethos is to lead by example, support staff and ensure my residents are comfortable happy and content. At the end of my day I say good night, see you in the morning. To then entrust my staff to continue to provide care and support in such a way that is individual, respectful and caring from the team that I lead. ‘ We at CQC Solutions offer a Managers Induction programme that can be tailored to align with your organisations vision, strategy and policy and procedures. We also offer ongoing Manager mentorship and training for key topics to offer you the solutions to any day to concerns you may be facing when trying to provide the best possible care and service to your Service Users.’ Get in touch and let us support you with all your Care, Quality and Compliance needs.

OVER 1 MILLION OLDER PEOPLE ARE LONELY

OVER 1 MILLION OLDER PEOPLE ARE LONELY Over 1 million older people say they are always or often feel lonely, according to an evidence review conducted by AGE UK.

ore worryingly loneliness can be as harmful for health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and can make people twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s, says the report. Care home residents can be particularly vulnerable to loneliness after moving into unfamiliar surroundings. Their sight, mobility, and ability to think and remember may be deteriorating and they may feel they are losing their identity. Many residents receive no visitors. But there is a lot that care home managers can do to relieve the loneliness of residents. Louise Goulden, a marketing strategist, who set up The Together Project, a community interest company to tackle loneliness, runs weekly singing and social group for babies and toddlers in residential care homes. The singing breaks the ice and encourages care home residents to mingle and chat with the youngsters. The initiative has succeeded in uplifting

the mood and happiness levels of residents, improved their motor skills and physical abilities and improved the verbal and communication skills of those living with dementia. It has also given residents a sense of ‘something to look forward to’ Care home staff have also benefited from an uplift in mood and a reduction in stress levels. Care Quality Commission inspectors have commented positively on the project. Mark Redmond, senior lecturer, Health and Social Care, University of Gloucestershire, says residential homes are increasingly developing circles of support with volunteers to combat loneliness. He says projects like gardening on allotments or keeping chickens can be very therapeutic. In a blog on socialcare.co.uk Mr Redmond says: “Some of these ideas have a range of positive consequences. They bring meaning and value to older residents, and are a great marketing opportunity for the home, providing a unique way of recruiting potential staff.”

Other ideas, for combatting loneliness include: 1.

Don’t just invite the vicar in to see the residents, invite the church in for a regular Sunday service.

2. If you are losing local services such as a village post office, open one up in your home. You won’t need much room and it can make the home become the hub of the local community. 3. Invite the local WI in to have a regular coffee morning which residents can attend 4. Get involved with a local history project or museum and encourage schools to participate in an oral history project with local residents.

CARE2 TOP TIPS

CARE TOP TIPS TO AVOID 2

LONELINESS

The team here at Care2 understand that loneliness within the elderly community is a great concern and can be very damaging for a person’s health. With this in mind we have come together to think of our best top tips to combat loneliness. Skype and Facetime Platforms like skype and facetime are an excellent way for people to stay in contact with those that they love. Even if someone’s loved ones live on the other side of the world, they can still see their face and keep up to date on each other’s lives. Bringing fun activities into care homes This can be anything! From contacting local schools for the children to preform their nativity’s to hosting a charity bake sale. Westwood house are leading by example here, they contacted a local nursery who now visit bi-weekly. Read the full story on pages 20-21. Group Activities Regular activities put on in care homes encourage people to socialise. Our favourite club ideas include, a book club, a film club, an arts and crafts club and a board games club.

Age UK The amazing charity Age UK offer free weekly friendship calls. They match older people with a friendly volunteer who shares similar interests and hobbies. Share this number 0800 434 6105 and help someone meet a new friend. Photos Help those you care for fill their home/room with photos that remind them of everyone that loves them. Music Therapy This not only brings people together but music has been proven to make people feel uplifted, contented and improve general health. Why not contact your local choir and enquire about a visit today.

Exercise Helps both the mind and body feel better. Staying in one place too long can increase the feeling of loneliness, it is important to go out and breath in fresh air. There is also new equipment especially designed for the older generation that will help those you care for feel mentally and physically better. Animals Pets can bring a great source of comfort. Although many care homes may not be able to facilitate keeping animals, there is certainly the ability to bring animals in once a week. Whether this is done by contacting the local shelter, a doggy day care centre or simply asking family members to bring their pets over for the day.

Contact the team at the careshowteam@closerstillmedia.com if you have any tips of your own so we can share your good work. 27

EGGS ARE AN IDEAL FOOD FOR OLDER PEOPLE

“An adequate intake of high quality protein from sources such as eggs could help to prevent the degeneration of skeletal muscle.”

NEW PAPERS PUBLISHED ON POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF EGGS FOR OLDER PEOPLE

wo new papers have been published investigating how eggs could offer an opportunity to increase protein intake and help prevent muscle decline in older people, based on research by a team at Bournemouth University, part-funded by the British Egg Industry Council. Protein is needed for the growth and repair of body cells and tissues; as people age, loss in muscle mass and strength (sarcopenia) can increase protein requirements. An adequate intake of high quality protein from sources such as eggs could help to prevent the degeneration of skeletal muscle. The researchers noted that as a nutrientdense, high quality source of protein, of soft texture and easy to cook, eggs are an ideal food for older people. However, UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data shows that current intake of eggs and egg dishes in older adults is only 2% of daily total energy intake, and only 3% of average daily protein intake. The new research projects considered a number of potential strategies which may help increase egg consumption in older age groups. The first paper, published online in September in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics, entitled Could

Eggs Help Increase Dietary Protein Intake in Older Adults? – Exploring Reasons for the Consumption and Non-Consumption of Eggs in People over 55 years old, identifies reasons for eating or not eating eggs in a sample of 42 British adults over the age of 55 years. Many of the reasons apply to food intake in general, or to other protein-rich foods, but some were specific to eggs and the older population, including: the properties of the food (such as texture and flavour) and convenience (culinary skills, effort and time to prepare) combined with physical health/ abilities (eating abilities, sensory abilities, and physical abilities). One of the authors of the paper, Katherine Appleton, said: “The number and range of reasons provided for eating or not eating eggs are interesting, but the comments that combine the characteristics of eggs with the impacts of age on eating are particularly valuable.” Sensory analyses with older adults have previously shown that eggs were popular for their soft texture. Moreover, for foods that are difficult to chew like meat, the chewing ability of older adults as well as the processing method (minced beef vs beef steak) can affect the postprandial digestion and absorption rates of the protein, meaning that even when

people do eat meat they may not benefit optimally from the protein provided. Eggs are also notably much easier to prepare than many other protein-rich foods, and ease of preparation in terms of effort and time as well as skills and abilities was specifically mentioned by some of the participants in the study. The second paper, Towards a Food-Based Intervention to Increase Protein Intakes in Older Adults: Challenges to and Facilitators of Egg Consumption, published online in October in Nutrients, reports on the findings of a detailed questionnaire on egg intake and eating habits, completed by 230 older adults across the UK. Strongest associations were found between a higher habitual egg intake and greater liking and/or greater agreement that eggs are tasty and add variety to the diet; higher agreement that eggs are an everyday type of food; less agreement that a certain type of person eats eggs; and greater agreement with eating less with ageing. Studies have shown that improving flavour by adding spices, flavour enhancers or sauces can increase intakes of protein-rich foods in older adults. Associations with agreement that eggs are an everyday type of food would suggest a benefit from promoting eggs in this manner.

EGGS ARE AN IDEAL FOOD FOR OLDER PEOPLE The findings also suggest that there are two different types of high egg consumer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; those who consume a lot of eggs on a habitual basis in specific (regular) circumstances and those who consume eggs in a lot of dishes and recipes. These findings suggest benefit from recipes for novel dishes, to increase taste, flavour and variety, to encourage egg intakes in older adults, and to include those who prefer a more habitual consumption, simple everyday recipes that involve well known combinations of eggs and other foods, such as bacon or ham, may be particularly successful. Additional findings demonstrating an association between habitual egg intake and less agreement that eggs are good value for money are surprising, but it is possible that individuals do not want to admit value - or cost-based judgements. The findings, however, suggest that strategies that promote value-for-money may be counterproductive. Findings related to lower agreement that

eggs may increase cholesterol or risk of heart disease suggest that campaigns that continue to address misconceptions that eggs are associated with specific health risks may be beneficial. Katherine Appleton comments: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Our results suggest that strategies to increase egg consumption should focus on: improving tastiness and adding variety; promoting eggs as an everyday type of food; reducing stereotypes about who does and who does not consume eggs; and promoting eggs for people who have noticed the effects of ageing on their food intake.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The researchers concluded that future work evaluating the value of these strategies for increasing protein intake in this age group would clearly be of value.

Cura delivers a platform for better care “We love the voice recognition. It has reduced a significant amount of time for care workers taking notes.” Joanna Nykiel, Director Nightingale Retirement Care

Client Success Story: Nightingale Retirement Care The Nightingale home is part of a family run group of residential homes and for more than 30 years they have offered a bespoke support and personal care service to private clients. No. of rooms: 37 No. of residents: 49 No. of care workers: 43 Type of service: residential home Cura solutions used: care plans, daily

Joanna Nykiel, director of Nightingale Retirement Care, believed tablet-based software would help her staff do a better job. However she was pleasantly surprised, not only by how easy to was to introduce Cura Systems, but the positive difference it has made to daily life and quality of care for the residents. Even though Nightingale already had an electronic system, it was time consuming to use and tied up staff for long periods as they laboriously entered data on a PC. With Cura, the voice recognition facility and simple layout means most necessary information can be processed as staff do their rounds. What once took the entire morning is now finished by 10am, giving staff the opportunity to relax and chat with the residents, maybe reading the paper together or playing a game.

records, forms, voice recognition

“The system is easy to use and very accurate,” says Ms Nykiel, who has been with Nightingales group for a decade. “Everything is in one place - you just tap and enter data.” Simple navigation was important, but most of the time, staff don’t even need to do a lot of that. “We thought that voice recognition would be perfect for us," says Ms Nykiel, “and staff can complete a lot of notes by just talking with guests.” Ms Nykiel was also impressed by the planning that goes into introducing the system, and the one-to-one training that allowed her to prepare, learn and ask questions. Even better, the training was convenient as “Cura came to us and worked with us”. Having researched a number of new systems, Ms Nykiel appreciates the passionate commitment to great care that went into developing Cura, its wide-ranging flexibility and its transparent pricing system. The carers working with the 49 residents have adopted the software with great enthusiasm, and Ms Nykiel says “every single staff member uses Cura happily”. As the system enables them to work on tablets, this gives them the ability to complete a lot of admin while they are on the move. A couple of staff members were initially resistant to adopting the software as they had no experience with computers, but once they had their training and some follow-up supervision, they soon had the skills to use the interface with confidence. Ultimately Cura Systems supports Nightingale Retirement Care by adapting to their way of doing things, and providing a platform where the carers Ultimate can get more done with less effort.

“

This is brilliant from my perspective as a client,” says Ms Nykiel, who believes that going digital is the future for residential care. For us it was obvious that Cura was the next step forward.

”

Contact the Cura Systems team today

020 3621 9111

info@cura.systems

www.cura.systems

A PLATFORM FOR BETTER CARE

CURA DELIVERS A PLATFORM FOR BETTER CARE Joanna Nykiel, director of Nightingale Retirement Care, believed tablet-based software would help her staff do a better job. However she was pleasantly surprised, not only by how easy to was to introduce Cura Systems, but the positive difference it has made to daily life and quality of care for the residents.

ven though Nightingale already had an electronic system, it was time consuming to use and tied up staff for long periods as they laboriously entered data on a PC. With Cura, the voice recognition facility and simple layout means most necessary information can be processed as staff do their rounds. What once took the entire morning is now finished by 10am, giving staff the opportunity to relax and chat with the residents, maybe reading the paper together or playing a game. “The system is easy to use and very accurate,” says Ms Nykiel, who has been with Nightingales group for a decade. “Everything is in one place - you just tap and enter data.” Simple navigation was important, but most of the time, staff don’t even need to do a lot of that. “We thought that voice recognition would be perfect for us,” says Ms Nykiel, “and staff can complete a lot of notes by just talking with guests.” Ms Nykiel was also impressed by the planning that goes into introducing the system, and the one-to-one training that allowed her to prepare, learn and ask questions. Even better, the training was

convenient as “Cura came to us and worked with us”. Having researched a number of new systems, Ms Nykiel appreciates the passionate commitment to great care that went into developing Cura, its wide-ranging flexibility and its transparent pricing system. The carers working with the 49 residents have adopted the software with great enthusiasm, and Ms Nykiel says “every single staff member uses Cura happily”. As the system enables them to work on tablets, this gives them the ability to complete a lot of admin while they are on the move. A couple of staff members were initially resistant to adopting the software as they had no experience with computers, but once they had their training and some follow-up supervision, they soon had the skills to use the interface with confidence. Ultimately Cura Systems supports Nightingale Retirement Care by adapting to their way of doing things, and providing a platform where the carers can get more done with less effort. “This is brilliant from my perspective as a client,” says Ms Nykiel, who believes that going digital is the future for residential care. “For us it was obvious that Cura was the next step forward.”

“As the system enables them to work on tablets, this gives them the ability to complete a lot of admin while they are on the move.”

For more information, contact Cura Systems: Tel: 020 3621 911 Email: info@cura.systems Web: www.cura.systems

IMPACT ON SHIFT SAFETY OVER 12 MONTHS

98%

99%

100%

90%

“SAFE AND CARING” CULTURE

86% 85%

76% 74%

HOW CAN CARE LEADERS TRANSFORM CARE HOME CULTURES?

TRANSITIONING CULTURE

‘AVERAGE’ CULTURE

The latest research shows that “safe and caring cultures” hold the key to care home success - But, until now, no one has developed a foolproof way of creating one Demand for Residential Care is set to expand unprecedentedly over the next 20 years … and holds great promise for operators IF they can minimise or eliminate the risks “the average care home culture” presents to care leaders intent on building new homes from scratch. More than any other industry, care is about PEOPLE. Care starts and ends with people. The essence of successful residential care is perhaps summed up by the statement: “HAPPY carers make for HAPPY residents”. To put it another way: “Getting the carers right” is the key to quality care provision in the residential care sector”. In most care homes, carers fall into one of 3 categories: 1.

“Really Caring Carers” - whose actions are always caring.

“Disrupters” who repeatedly break the rules and upset type 1’s (above)

“Adapters” who gradually adjust to align with prevailing shifts and cultures

Too many ‘type 2’ carers prevent care leaders from building the “safe and caring cultures” now thought to be essential by care industry researchers. Until now, care home leaders haven’t been able to avoid recruiting large numbers of ‘type 2’ carers. Now, however, using CQE technology, they can recruit the carers they need - and build “safe and caring cultures” from scratch - and unprecedentedly, systematically avoid the carers they don’t want. CQE’s research suggests that when the proportion of ‘type 1’ carers exceeds 65%, “average” care cultures start a transition to “safe and caring” ones.

Now, results suggest that as soon as a care leader deploys CQE’s safer shifts, an immediate 20% bump in shift-safety results - and, as a consequence, the prevailing culture begins a transition to a “Safe & Caring” one. How care leaders are expected to build and maintain “safe and caring cultures” has never been made clear. No reliable and repeatable process to accomplish it has ever featured in any Care Publication, CQC document, or care research document - anywhere in the world! In a world-first, CQE’s tools empower any competent care leader to confidently embark on the culture-building process - and to measure, track, document and maintain their progress whilst doing so.

Hitherto it has been immensely difficult to create “safe and caring cultures” in existing care homes - and all-but impossible from a standing start in newstarts.

FIND OUT MORE FROM CQE TALKS IN THE NEW YEAR CQ-ECO.CO.UK • 01925 751521

TECH SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE CQC RATINGS

A DIFFICULT ROLE IN A CARE HOME - HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP? Care Home Managers have a broad range of responsibilities, from providing the best possible care through to improving CQC ratings. Without effective technology solutions, this can quickly become overwhelming and difficult to manage.

any care homes struggle with a shortage of skilled staff and, coupled with increases in the minimum wage, their employees’ time is the most precious resource. With enormous workloads, staff are often overworked, which can result in lengthy waiting times for residents in need of help or care. Often the best performing care homes have a greater understanding of this, and, by implementing smart solutions, avoid wasting staff time completing paperwork. Examples of these solutions include automation and ‘cloud’ technology. For example, a remote nurse call reporting system automatically records, monitors, and analyses care home activity, so staff do not waste their time ticking boxes and adding notes to forms. Care home managers and owners can access this information remotely and quickly,

and compare performance against previous periods for each care home, or even groups of homes. Reports also improve staff planning, which in turn contributes to more effective management of human resources. Automated performance reports save staff time and provide more accurate data for management personnel. Simon Pedzisi is director of Care Services at Nightingale Hammerson, a leading specialist residential care home and charity that has just been awarded an overall ‘Outstanding’ rating by the CQC. He shares his experience of Courtney Thorne equipment: “Delivering the highest standards of care is the number one priority for Nightingale Hammerson. The Courtney Thorne nurse call system is easy to operate for both staff and patients, and affords added value to our management team with up-to-date and easy-to-access data. This data ensures that we have accurate information

about response rates, helping us reassure relatives about the standard of care being provided to their loved ones.” That’s only one suggestion on how technology can improve daily care home operations. Courtney Thorne looked into more issues Care Home Managers face, and have developed a series of innovative solutions to help solve them. Watch the latest animation to see if you can recognise yourself and your own daily challenges, then learn how Altra Smart Wireless Nurse Call technology helps reduce stress and create a calmer home environment.

For more information, contact Courtney Thorne: Web: www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

BEATING THE WINTER BLUES

BEATING THE WINTER BLUES As days get shorter, and temperatures colder, feeling a bit blue during the winter months is a normal response to the end of the summer season and darker wintery days. However, for the one in three people in the UK susceptible to winter-induced Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this time of year can be especially tough. So, what alternative therapies and creative ideas are care providers utilising to help the vulnerable and elderly through the colder months? 34

BEATING THE WINTER BLUES

rought on by a lack of sunlight and vitamin D, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression affecting a person’s energy levels, appetite and sleeping habits, as well as making them feel irritable, and disinterested in socialising. Many elderly people with Alzheimer’s or dementia are at risk of developing depression because of the on-going changes in their brains’ chemistries. Down at The Care Show 2018, Energised Life introduced care providers to the benefits of deep relaxation therapies, including sunlight therapy to support their residents’ wellbeing. Introduced in the 1980s, it is thought that light may improve SAD by encouraging the brain to reduce the production of melatonin (a hormone that makes you sleepy) and increase the production of serotonin (a hormone that affects your mood). Relaxing in a massage chair, Energised Life’s Healing Cabin transports residents to an exotic Caribbean beach or the Cumbrian countryside, combining light therapy, with mindfulness techniques and aromatherapy. With rental and permanent installation options available, care providers can offer one-off sessions or implement as an ongoing course of treatment for residents. Get outside A more natural alternative to light therapy is daily exposure to sunlight. Just a few minutes of sunlight each day can be beneficial, but how can this be achieved for those with physical health implications exacerbated by the cold? At this year’s Care Show, Bounce Alzheimer’s Therapy (BAT) introduced a new solution; its combined therapeutic table tennis table and heated pod, enabling residents to participate in the world’s number one brain sport, outside. And for the more adventurous at heart, Retired Major Jonathan Cunningham MBE,

who owns Rosebank Care Home and manages Birkdale Park Nursing Home in Southport, Merseyside, has transformed the well-being of residents – by taking them on rickshaw rides around the pretty Victorian resort. “Our old dears absolutely love their trips out,” explains Mr Cunningham. “They’re more engaged with the people and world around them and their appetite is much better. Their sleep patterns improve, anxiety levels reduce and there seems to be much greater emotional contentment. And, aside from the benefits of enhanced Vitamin D, they just love tucking in to an ice cream,” he says. Ice cream aside perhaps, wintery rickshaw rides to enjoy the local area and festivities could provide an engaging alternative to wheelchairs and minibuses this winter. Plant power Whilst therapeutic gardening is more challenging in the winter, a simple way to help boost the physical and emotional wellbeing of residents, is to bring nature inside. The mere presence of green plants lowers our systolic blood pressure, improves our overall moods, and makes the air we breathe more humid. And whilst living green plants are the basis of this approach, fresh cut flowers can make a great start for any care provider keen to explore this concept. Floral specialists MeadowSweet advocated the benefits of seasonal posies at this year’s Care Show, citing multiple studies showing that flowers are a natural moderator of moods and have strong positive effects on emotional health. So, whilst funds remain tight across all facets of the social care industry, there are a plethora of alternative therapies and activities out there to suit different budgets. Care2 would love to hear about others that you as care providers are implementing this winter to help residents feel happier and healthier. Get in touch if you think we should cover your story!

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SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO HAVE MEANINGFUL AND STIMULATING INTERACTIONS

THE MOBII TRAVELS TO CORNWALL The Green care home in Redruth, which is operated by Cornwall Care, have recently become the proud owners of a Mobii, a mobile projection system designed to stimulate movement, communication and meaningful activity.

first for the care industry in Cornwall, this motion-activated unit can project onto tables, beds and floors creating an interactive surface that responds to any movement. With more than 300 different apps, quizzes and activities available it is engaging home members with a huge variety of physical and social experiences including painting, quizzes, music and agility/coordination games with beanbags, batons, brushes and balls. The system has just recently won the coveted National Dementia Care Outstanding Product Award 2018 at the 9th National Dementia Care Awards in Brighton. Sam Tatum, Care Manager of The Green, a 42-bed care home, is already overwhelmed by the feedback: “We look after people with complex dementia and mental health needs so to see them actively using the system and

working together is so heartwarming.’’ ‘’The Mobii is amazing, it’s so good for co-ordination, reminiscence and such a great social tool. The response we have had from our residents has been fantastic and to see them enjoying it together has made me quite emotional.’’ She also highlighted the advantages of it being a mobile system as some of their residents are nursed in their bedrooms. ‘‘It’s fabulous that we can project directly onto their beds so they can enjoy the music [and colourful scenes and sounds from nature].’’ The staff are looking forward to personalising the system by creating activities using old and new photos of Redruth to use with the painting effect to help residents reminisce and share memories about the town. Anne Thomas, chief executive of Cornwall

Care, a not-for-profit charity, said: “We are delighted that our residents at The Green are already gaining so much from this wonderful technology. Supporting people to have meaningful and stimulating interaction is an important part of what we do and we will continue to embrace new ways of enriching the lives and experiences of everyone in our care.” Cornwall Care is planning to raise funds to install more Mobii systems in other care homes that it operates.

To find out more/to book a free demonstration please contact us on: Tel: 01442 215 555 Email: care@omi.uk Web: www.omi.uk Twitter and Facebook: @OMinteractive1

HEALTH+CARE 2018

HEALTH+CARE 2018 INDICATES THE WAY AHEAD FOR THE CARE SECTOR Health+Care 2018 addressed the biggest challenges facing those in the care sector, examining major issues around recruitment and leadership, the use of technology and social media, and the impact of Brexit and an ageing society. As always, striving for excellence was a key theme of the conference, held at the Excel centre in London on 27th and 28th June. 38

HEALTH+CARE 2018

ob Coulthard, managing director of Judgement Index, tackled the thorny issue of leadership in care. Judgement Index has developed a values-based behavioural analysis tool, and conducted a large scale study of ‘outstanding’ care managers. He delivered an analysis of a leader’s qualities, saying they must be flexible enough to “adopt the appropriate style” to suit different situations, and emphasised “the energy that you put out will be what will be reflected and delivered within the team”. Delegates continue to be highly interested in potential solutions to recruitment woes. Sophie Coulthard, principal consultant at Judgment Index, offered “actionable advice” in five points, including using company values to market your business, making better use of social media, creating and promoting a wellbeing policy, and having an induction plan in place for new staff. And Neil Eastwood from Sticky People Ltd provided some homecare recruitment secrets, describing recruitment and retention as “the number one growth constraint for your business”. He said the sector offers “job stability and longevity against, for example, high street retail. We should not be frightened of retail; retail should be frightened of us. We just have to get the message right.” This can be achieved are through using local connections, selling a job effectively, making the application process easier, and using Facebook more effectively. But he acknowledged that the lack of clarity surrounding Brexit had led to stasis

within the sector. Concerns about Brexit surfaced on more than one occasion. Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), when questioned at the end of her speech on whether the Government has a contingency plan for staffing after Brexit, replied: “I don’t think we have got a plan at the moment,” and admitted that she was “worried too”. The Health Education Workforce Strategy has been delayed to coincide with the publication of the Green Paper, now due in the autumn. Colin Angel, policy and campaigns director at the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), advised: “The indications are that we need to concentrate on recruiting people who are in the UK with the right to work. Don’t rely on freedom of movement continuing – you are going to be competing even more than you currently are for good people.” The challenges posed by an ageing society, and how businesses in the sector can prepare ahead, were also a focus. Jon Chapman, Director at Pinders, a business appraiser and valuer, said that, because care homes will be taking on more residents with much higher needs than in the past, “You have got to look very clearly at who your market is. Deliver an appropriate service for the appropriate market.” Bhavna Keane Rao, director and lead consultant at BKR Care Consultancy, described IT as “the way forward. The changes in the sector will be that somewhere along the line IT has to help us … it has to, because we don’t have enough money.” IT can also attract younger people to the sector, said Neil Eastwood, helping with the

greater numbers of staff that will be required to cope with an ageing society. “Technology can allow us to attract different demographics of staff. And the ability of technology to make things more efficient is really exciting and makes staff more likely to stay.” IT solutions complement the core aspects of a successful care organisation — quality, efficiency, compliance, and control — according to a case study presented by Access UK. It looked at how audit tools, people planners, and human resources and financial packages stored at cloud level can reduce workload and improve efficiency. Stefano Rinaldi is a registered manager and service director at New Directions FSC which uses the software. He pointed out: “To achieve ‘outstanding’, you need a vast evidence base, but it is hard to do that and deliver care. You need technology to help you.” And, he added: “It has made us a more attractive organisation for commissioners.” The exciting and stimulating environment at Health+Care 2018 provided an overview of the major hurdles and opportunities in the care sector, and indicates the way forward to building a better future for care.

“IT can also attract younger people to the sector... helping with the greater numbers of staff that will be required to cope with an ageing society”

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ALEXA RELIEVES FEELINGS OF ISOLATION

“ALEXA, CAN YOU SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH CARE NEEDS?” A trial exploring the use of voice activated Amazon Echo Alexa devices in the homes of people with social care needs has had a profound impact on users.

he voice activated assistant enabled more than two thirds of users to regain some degree of independence for the first time in years. Nearly three quarters said the device changed their lives for the better and 62 per cent said it helped to relieve feelings of isolation. The pilot, conducted by Hampshire County Council in partnership with Argenti, a consortium led by PA Consulting, installed a customised version of the Alexa device into the homes of 50 people with care needs. The voice-activated home speaker with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity enabled users to carry out a range of functions including; setting reminders for medication and calendar appointments, turning on music, podcasts, audiobooks or the radio, writing online shopping lists for carers, activating smart lights and fans, calling family and friends and setting prompts to check when the carer was due to arrive. The ability to achieve these things using voice activation alone made a massive difference to users. They had all relied on carers for much of their daily lives, so being able to accomplish simple tasks by themselves returned a large part of their independence.

The project was given a £50,000 grant from the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Local Investment Programme, funded by NHS Digital, to encourage councils to spend on technology to improve social care. Challenges identified by the trial were that the devices would not be suitable for everyone – two users struggled to use them. Nearly a quarter of users expressed concerns about data governance – users needed to open Amazon accounts and were worried that Amazon would hold some of their data particularly about care-based conversations. However overall the devices were popular with users who ended up opting to keep their devices. Councillor Liz Fairhurst, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health, described the project as a “world first” for Hampshire: “We are very excited about the possibilities this project could open up in the future, and its potential to benefit the future of social care,” she said. Councillor Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Technology can never be a replacement for care, but it can play a really effective role in helping people to live at home for longer.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DOMICILIARY REGISTERED MANAGER LISA LONSDALE Lisa Lonsdale the Registered Manager of Meadowvale Homecare based in Redcar and Cleveland, covering all areas of the Borough, this is a typical Monday morning.

unday Evening I set my Alarm 3 times, 6:45am, 7am and 7:15am ready for Monday morning, we all know how fast the weekends go and sometime I feel the weekend has passed in the blink of an eye. The alarm wakes me at 6:45am I feel like I have just fallen asleep and you are waking me already, so I hit the snooze button… 15 minutes later, I start my day by having breakfast, coffee and meditation to assist me as a full-time working mother and manager of 120+ clients, and 85 members of staff within a domiciliary homecare sector. I waken my 15 year old daughter for school; we both start to get ready the week ahead, starting with Monday morning. Engaging all my skills as a mother to prompt my daughter

to get a move on so we both aren’t late. At 8:10am we grab coats and bags and fly out of the door. I drop my daughter off at school and head to the office ready for the office phone to start ringing after the weekend on-call at 8:30am. I arrive at work, entering the office opening all blinds, put the heating on, open emergency fire doors, put the printing on and completing all office checklist paper work for compliance. All fridge and water temperatures completed and documented. The office staffs start to arrive; we greet each other and ask if we have had a good weekend? We all have a catch up and ensure where fit and well for the day ahead. We start by yes that’s right coffee/tea, while one staff member makes coffee, we

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... print off the on-call notes from the weekend and discuss within our team. When we complete handover, this is spilt into areas of the coordinators to action. Handover is different from day to day, week to week. Some days there will be no actions, as they have no emergency calls, some days there may be pressure of sickness, and bad weather, if it’s been snowing. This has frustrated the rest of the team. I’m already conscious of my workload. I need to support staff in covering allocated calls for our clients, call the GP for clients where needed, district nurse visits may be needed, speak with a client’s family members/social workers if there has been concerns over the weekend, Safeguarding alerts may need to be submitted, CQC online submissions may need to actioned, hold a supervision sessions for probationary sign offs, update company policies and procedures. Discuss with the Recruitment and Training officer where we are with our interviews for new recruits, and discuss with coordinators new packages of care. I am reminded of care plans and risk assessments to be reviewed today with staff that needed support, following the weekend events. I check emails and respond in order of priority, as well as responding to calls. I take several phone calls to support the office staff with any queries, new referrals, concerns or information and advice. It is a typical Monday – overwhelming at times, but as a team we support each other throughout the day. I assist the staff deal with their pressures of sickness “if you think realistically, what effect will one staff member being sick have on the rest of us?” This helps put things into perspective. “Yes, the clients’ clear communication skills / delegation skills are needed. Calls to Care professionals and clients are to be made to communicate when staff members have gone down sick and explain what measures and plans have been put in place. Care Professionals will be running a little later than usual but no harm will come, as we prioritize all clients’ calls. Yes, it will be busier, but everything will be fine, we pull together as a Team” at Times some office staff (coordinators, seniors, management) need to support the staff on the front line and go out a complete our calls for the clients too. However, we come back feeling refreshed as we have dealt with the concerns and provided all care needed.

The office continues to get busier, as staff attends to hand in time sheets and all documentation. Some staff knock at my office door and asks for a quiet word, I invite them in and we discuss any concerns or positive feedback they may have. Some staff come to me for reassurance and to lend an ear as they may have some personal concerns they need support with. I have always had an open-door policy, and each staff member is always welcome to come and speak with me when needed. I have appointments booked in my diary for probationary sign offs, however each staff member is important, so it’s important for me not to come over as I don’t have the time, due to other appointments. As the staff attend for supervisions, I collect their file and check all paper work and training is up to date, I invite staff in to the office and

“It is a typical Monday – overwhelming at times, but as a team we support each other throughout the day.”

at 5pm; however, care is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, so we don’t always finish on time. We at times stay back to ensure all calls are covered, deadlines have been met, office is tidy and we are ready for another busy day tomorrow. Collect my daughter from after-school revision sessions, or ensure I’m home for my husband going to work. I prepare a family evening meal, support with homework; have a general tidy around the home, before taking my mum to work for 7:30pm. While out I will call and ensure clients are have received the high care standards, maybe complete some spot checks while out and about. When arriving home, I can’t wait to slide into something comfortable, yes you guessed it… pyjamas and slippers, however, no alcohol it’s a school night. I unwind and reflect on the day’s events. I always think how grateful I am to be in this position and making a difference in other people’s life’s, before heading off to bed and going to sleep, I read a little before my eyes become heavy, and as I drift to sleep. In this line of work, it is impossible to switch off completely. My mobile phone is set with 3 alarms and it is beside me, as I never know whether I may get a telephone call, text message or email that I need to respond too. The story continues, and each day is a different story...

discuss how the supervision will be set out. I take pride in my work this is not a quick process. Discussions need to be typed up, all documentation up to date and ensuring this is signed and dated correctly. All documents uploaded onto online portals and reentered for the next supervisions. Around Lunch Time the manager director Andrew comes into the office for the afternoon, to focus upon local authority accounts, and to have a catch up with myself, and the rest of the staff. At times there are certain actions and requirements we need to action from the director, so we have prioritize these two met deadlines. Before we know it, its approaching 4:45pm office closes at 5pm and on-call takes over. I finish reports and other paperwork and check the roster covered for tomorrow. I leave

Building a better future for care 9-10 October 2019 NEC Birmingham

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