FASHION Create a winter of content

Barbour Elmis waxed jacket in sage/ancient colourway, £319.

Joules Carmella knitted cable jumper, £79.95; Piper waterproof parka, £199.

Top/Left: Joules Jenna knitted pointelle stitch jumper, £69.95. Top/Right: Joules Derwent quilted jacket in dark pine or marine navy, £99.95. Bottom/Left: Barbour Dunoon tartan shirt, tailored fit, £69.95. Bottom/Right: Merino loose fit jumper from Schöffel in seagrass £139.95. For Local Stockists: www.barbour.com; www.schoffelcountry.com; www.joules.com.

Care Delivered in the Right Way LJM Homecare provides the right care, at the right time. That makes it the right service for your loved one, with both flexibility and peace of mind, ensuring your relative can remain in their own home...

The best care for your loved one is the care they really need. That sounds somewhat like we’re stating the obvious, but between independent living and full-time residential care there remains a large gap. It’s a gap that domiciliary care is able to fill, with a huge degree of success.

Perhaps your relative can live independently most of the time, but would feel the benefit from a little extra help at certain times of day? Perhaps a visit once or twice a day to help aid getting up in the morning or prior to bed? Perhaps a ‘night sit’ for temporary carers’ respite. Perhaps a once a day visit to ‘check in?’ Perhaps they’d like a visit every couple of days, or perhaps they’ve needs pertaining to weekly shopping or domestic help. Or perhaps you’re in need of temporary respite care for the purposes of giving a full-time carer a break or for recovery after an operation.

LJM caters for everything from general well-being checks to specialist care – the administration of medication, dementia, bariatric and end of life care, for example.

“Domiciliary care is the answer,” says Lindsay Nearn. “It’s flexible enough to begin with the question ‘what do you need?’ and is a holistic, people-centred service that’s based on keeping someone in their own home as long as it’s safe to do so, whilst ensuring the support they need to live independently, whether that support is practical, emotional or a mixture of both.”

Lindsay is a former Lincoln County Hospital Emergency Nurse Practitioner who saw the opportunity to provide care in clients’ own homes, enabling them to live independently, without having to commit to long-term, full-time residential care. LJM Homecare was founded five years ago and provides care across Lincoln and in a 10-mile radius of the city. The company is now employing 48 carers and providing over 40,000 hours of care each year across Lincoln.

“We’ve seen a particular increase in interest during the Covid pandemic, with relatives of loved ones less able to visit their older or less able relations.”

“Through domiciliary care, even relatives from outside the county or living overseas have the peace of mind of knowing that a professional, fully trained carer, with the support of the rest of the LJM Homecare team, can help to ensure their loved one is safe and well cared for.”

“Recently we’ve adopted the Birdie care app which works via mobile phones and tablets. Birdie provides live reporting of care to LJM, but its records can also be securely shared in real time so you can be inclusively connected with the care your loved one receives.”

“With a clear layout, it facilitates reporting of someone’s wellbeing, their daily diet, toileting, activity and moods, as well as carer’s activities, medication and any ongoing welfare or medical concerns.”

“Birdie is a game changer,” says Lindsay. “It’s an effective system. We instantly saw the benefits and became early adopters.”

“We invested in new tablets which – as well as facilitating Birdie to keep clients’ families enfranchised in their ongoing care – also allows us to keep families in touch with their loved ones via Zoom or Facetime video chat. We’re also seeing the benefit of Birdie for our dementia patients.”

“If someone enfranchised in their care visits and they’re told by the client that they haven’t eaten that day, for example, someone with permission – a relative, carer or neighbour – can quickly check back and be reassured the person has already had lunch.”

“Birdie operates securely across all mobile devices and within the confidentiality and welfare policies we operate. That means it’s secure, but flexible enough to, for instance, allow access by a relative, neighbour, or next of kin. Birdie can also be configured to allow information to be shared with other agencies like doctors or social workers, temporarily or permanently. One social worker has already praised its ease and its depth of information, using it in a multi-disciplinary meeting about someone’s ongoing care.”

“The point of domiciliary care is that it’s flexible enough to allow your loved one to live independently for longer and the level of care can increase – or decrease – according to their needs.”

“It’s totally bespoke, too, meaning anything from a visit to prevent someone being lonely to through-the-night care can be provided in an environment that someone is already familiar with.”

“We go above and beyond to provide high quality, person-centred care for individuals. The resulting peace of mind that our clients and their families experience speaks for itself. That’s why we offer completely free, no-obligation and Covid-safe discussions with relatives and their loved ones, exploring whether a service like LJM Homecare offers can meet their needs. So, if you’ve concern over the independence of a loved one, call for a chat... we would love to help discuss your needs and we’ll be happy to explain more.” n

A Warm Welcome Awaits... This month we’re meeting the Home Manager behind one of Lincolnshire’s newest and most beautifully appointed care homes, Tanglewood Healthcare’s Krzysztof Krzysztofiak...

THIS MONTH we meet Tanglewood Healthcare’s Krzysztof Krzysztofiak, Home Manager for Boston’s newest Care Home, Avocet House.

What made you join the care sector? I had been working as a Senior Care Assistant in Poland before I came to England in 2012. I was fortunate to secure a position at Cedar Falls Care Home in Spalding under the leadership of Nike Ajewole who is now the Managing Director for Tanglewood.

What do you enjoy about the care sector? Caring for people and helping them lead fulfilling enabling lives is my passion. I learnt many things at Cedar Falls, but probably the most important is that age, health, ability and living in a care home are no barriers to happiness and social inclusion.

What experience do you have in the care sector? I have 19 years of experience working in the care sector. In Poland I worked two jobs, as Special Education Needs Teacher and also as a Senior Care Assistant in nursing home. I have always loved working with people and

What are your qualifications? I have a BSc in Special Education Needs Teacher and MSc in Education Therapy, NVQ Level 5 Management and Leadership with PEARSON, and a Level 2 certificate in Mental Health Awareness that I took with the Social Care and Northern Council for Further Education.

What motivates you to succeed in the sector? What facilities will Avocet House offer the I am committed to making sure that older people that come to live or stay there? people enjoy inclusive and engaging lives in I am very proud of the beautiful home my care home. I am dedicated to making a we have created for residents. Bedrooms are difference every day. My aim is to develop a spacious and modern with full en-suite wet team that put the needs, passions, choices room facilities. and interests of the residents before all else. There are multiple lounges designed with Tell me a little about your care team? residents in mind, and a fabulous garden I am proud of the kind, caring and very rooms. We have a vintage style café with its compassionate team I have recruited for own retro kitchen, a library and a cinema Avocet House. They have all been employed room to enjoy favourite films on the big particularly older people.

because they are dedicated people. I have screen. There is truly something for everyone. been inspired by the individuals I have met... it really has been amazing! Why should your home look after someone’s friend or relative? Why is it important to ensure you have Tanglewood is a trusted and regulated group stimulating activities in your home? of care homes with strong professional Activities are a great way to socialise and relationships, Avocet House will be part of build a community. We look at life histories the Tanglewood legacy. so that we can ensure individual needs are met. Of course we also respect that some of our residents enjoy quieter times too, we have lovely areas to sit, contemplate and feed the soul. My team will ensure families and their loved ones are safe and happy. We understand moving into a care home is a life changing decision, we support everyone through the transition and we genuinely care.

How will Avocet House support the people that come to live or stay there? Avocet House is a purpose built care home and will provide residential and specialist dementia care for 66 residents over three floors. We provide the care and facilities to support their every need so that our residents feel safe and comfortable in their surroundings.

Would you place your loved one in your home Yes, most definitely! My greatest pride will be to build a community where relatives, friends and family feel included.

We will also try hard to connect with the local community so that our residents can maintain those important outside links. My own family will always be my measure.

n Tanglewood was founded in 1989 and is Lincolnshire’s largest private care home provider. n The company provide nursing and residential care in Spalding, Boston, Coningsby, Horncastle, Lincoln & Alford with bungalows for the elderly in Spalding and Horncastle too. n The company’s services are rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). n Care Home Awards 2019 winners of: Best Smaller Care Home Group (Overall Achievement Winner 2019), Best Clinical Facilities and Best Training & Recruitment.

Find Out More: Call 01205 336897 or email avocethouseenquiries@twhealthcare.co.uk to book a visit. Alternatively, go online at www.tanglewoodcarehomes.co.uk to view our brochure and take a virtual tour.