Caring UK April 2015

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April 2015

incorporating

no.226 • £4.75

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Admiral Nurses impact on care, research claims

By Dominic Musgrave THE role of Admiral Nurses in homes has a significant impact on the care and support offered to residents living with a dementia, according to a new report.

The Orders of St John Care Trust commissioned the research work after obtaining a grant from the Burdett Trust for Nursing as part of its ‘Delivering Dignity through Empowered Leadership’ funding.

The project, entitled ‘Maximising the benefit of the My Home Life Admiral Nurse specialist post in the care home sector: perceived benefits for residents, informal carers and staff; optimum case load and identification of a business case’, examined the role of specialist Admiral Nurses operating within the group’s 70 care homes.

The research was carried out by the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester.

Victoria Elliot, OSJCT’s principal care consultant, research and innovation, said: “This comprehensive evaluation of the Admiral Nurse role within care homes has underlined the fact that Admiral Nurses significantly improve the quality of support that care teams are able to provide to residents with a dementia and their

families. As an organisation, we certainly recognise the added value such a role brings to the person centred care service we offer. We hope the report will provide a useful source of information for other care home providers who are seeking to support staff, improve links with the community and, above all, improve the quality of the care and support they provide to residents.

“We very much appreciate the work carried out by the team from the University of Worcester and of course the funding provided by the Burdett Trust, without which this evaluation project would not have been possible.”

The conclusions of the report are: The need to transfer residents living with a dementia from one home to another can be avoided, thereby strengthening the business case for the role of the Admiral Nurse.

Admiral Nurses by skilled use of their knowledge, expertise, support, and perceived independence had a positive impact on the culture of the care home.

There is evidence of an upskilling of employees at all levels of the organisation.

There is greater awareness of the services provided by OSJCT and improved interaction with the wider multidisciplinary team, as a result of Admiral Nurse driven activities.

Langley Haven wins Care Home Idol

A social care pioneer has been awarded Wales’s top honour. Mario Kreft MBE, the proprietor of the award winning Pendine Park care organisation and chair of Care Forum Wales, won the enterprise category at the St David Awards. The award was presented by First Minister Carwyn Jones at a glittering ceremony at the Senedd in Cardiff. Appropriately, he was accompanied by wife Gill who has played a major role in the development of Pendine Park since they set it up together in 1985. They established Pendine Park because they both had elderly grandparents who needed care and the places they went to see didn’t match their requirements – so they set up their own ‘family care home’.

LANGLEY Haven, which cares for residents with dementia, has won Care Home Idol.

The residents of the Slough care home battled against numerous others across the UK to win the talent contest with their rendition of ‘Maybe it’s because I am a Londoner’.

Yogesh Patel, operations director of the home, said: “We are obviously very happy for our team at Langley Haven who always go out of their way to ensure that the residents ‘ lives are made as entertaining and active as possible.

“To win Care Home Idol against all the care homes in the UK is great news, and honest reward for all their efforts.”

The other finalists in the contest were Ashley Gardens Care Centre in Kent, Forward Vision – a care home for adults with learning disabilities and the Oldest Choir in the World from St John’s House care home in Kirk Hammerton, York.

Langley Haven won a trophy, £500 and a Breezie tablet.

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Group celebrates Poetry Day with book launch AN EAST Anglia care provider celebrated World Poetry Day by launching a compilation of original poems written by residents from all 23 of its homes.

The book was officially launched at a special gathering at Healthcare Homes’ Oaklands House, Southwold.

Residents from Aldringham Court, The White House, Mill Lane, Foxgrove and Maynell travelled to Oaklands House to socialise with other residents and heard their poems being read aloud.

Two celebrities were also in attendance: local poet Dean Parkin, who is currently involved in an arts project entitled, “A poem for Suffolk” and former Coronation Street actor Stephen Hancock.

World Poetry Day is an international celebration of the importance of poetry and the oral tradition. It was introduced in 1999 by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Healthcare Homes’ participation in World Poetry Day is part of its annual celebration of the arts in 2015.

The poetry book launch follows closely on the homes’ participation in the UK’s Older People’s Day in October, which celebrated the achievements and contribu-

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Residents read ‘Thinking in Verse’ at its launch at Oaklands House in Southwold. tions that older people have made and continue to make to our society and the economy.

David Bates, chief operating officer for the group, said: “The Healthcare Homes poetry book is a real testament to the creativity, eloquence and humour of our older generation “This project initially stemmed from one of our recreation activities which are

planned by group activities co-ordinators Sue Campbell-Bannerman and Rita Coleman.

“Residents really got into the spirit of it and we realised that we had enough original work to create a compilation of poems for all to enjoy.”

300 copies of the poetry book have been printed and these will be available at all 23 Healthcare Homes.

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CARINGNEWS A resident at a Northampton care home has kept in touch via Skype with a former member of staff who returned to her native Poland to get married and start a family. St Christopher’s resident Nellie Tugwell was thrilled to be able to see and talk to Agata Wozniak and is currently knitting her baby booties for her first baby due in late summer. Estates coordinator Steve Clamp arranged the Skype call after the home recently had the computer installed in the library so that residents can keep in touch with family, learn to surf the internet and receive emails if they wish.

Television star Smug brings comedy to care home ONE of Manchester’s biggest stars of comedy and TV brought laughter to a care home as part of a stand-up marathon to raise money for Comic Relief.

Smug Roberts, renowned for his roles in Mrs Brown’s Boys and Phoenix Nights took to the stage at EachStep Blackley as he took on the task of performing 20 gigs in 20 hours to celebrate 20 years in the industry, and raise £2,000 for Comic Relief along the way.

It was a poignant reunion for Smug, real name Andy Wilkinson, whose mother was a resident at the specialist dementia service for several years until her recent passing.

A packed out house of staff, residents and families turned out in full voice and ready for lots of laughter – which Smug duly

delivered. Smug has remained a passionate supporter of the care home to this day, choosing to perform there as a token of his thanks for the care his mother received.

EachStep Blackley is part of national social care charity Community Integrated Care.

Home manager Michelle Phillips said: “Andy has always been so supportive of our work at EachStep, and we were delighted that he thought of us as part of his roadshow.”

“At EachStep, we’re always looking for new ways to welcome the community to our service and find interesting and novel activities for the people we support – they all had a brilliant time with lots of laughs, and will be talking about this very special night for a very long time.”

Public to see CQC ratings displayed across services PEOPLE and their families who use care services will soon be able to make more informed choices about their care by seeing first-hand if the CQC has judged them as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.

New rules mean health and care providers will have to make arrangements to prominently display their CQC rating from April 1.

Following a public consultation in February that generated more than 730 responses, the inspectorate’s final guidance for providers on how to display their performance ratings has now been issued.

CQC has developed a suite of posters that will be automatically generated through the regulator’s website for all care services that receive a rating to download, print and display.

People can expect to start seeing performance ratings on provider websites as well as across premises, public entrances and waiting areas of care services from 1 April.

In line with the regulator’s enforcement policy, appropriate action – including imposing a fine (fixed penalty notice) – can be taken should CQC find providers are in

breach of the regulation.

CQC chief executive David Behan said: “We know our ratings are an important source of information to support people’s choice of service, and the aim of this new requirement is all about helping to achieve better awareness and greater transparency for members of the public about which services are Outstanding, Good, Require Improvement or Inadequate.

“I am determined for CQC to be on the side of people, and their families, who are receiving health and adult social care services so they can get access to safe, high quality and compassionate services that they have every right to expect.”

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt added: “By making inspection ratings more visible, we are helping people make more informed choices about their care, celebrating success and driving up standards.

“We want to have the safest health and social care system in the world and we know in the wake of Mid Staffs that transparency is vital in helping to improve standards of care.

We have made significant changes to become safer and more transparent this is another important milestone.”

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Cathryn to climb for Alzheimer’s Society

Riverside Care Centre cooks Susan Jones and Lyn Spencer.

Home celebrates top hygiene award for fifth year running A LANCASHIRE care home has been recognised for its outstanding food hygiene standards for the fifth year running.

Canterbury Care’s Riverside Care Centre in Sawley has been awarded a five-star rating by Environmental Health after an unannounced rigorous inspection of its food hygiene standards.

The Environmental Health officer awarded the home the highest achievement due to it demonstrating a ‘high standard of compliance with statutory obligations and industry codes of recommended practice’ and noting that the home ‘conforms to accepted good practices in the trade.’

Riverside Care Centre provides residential care, including dementia care, for up to 40 residents.

The home has 40 single bedrooms and four lounge areas, which overlooks its large garden that its residents can enjoy, as well as a conservatory.

Manager Gail Ainsworth said: “We are delighted to have been awarded five stars by Environmental Health for the fifth year running.

“It is incredibly important that we continue to achieve the highest standards of food hygiene and all the members of staff at Riverside Care Centre are dedicated to upholding our excellent standards.”

CATHRYN Fewster, care manager with Caremark (Barnsley) has set her sights on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

Cathryn has decided to take on the challenge principally because she is passionate about raising awareness of this illness and supporting the shortfall in funding for research into dementia.

“A lot of the people we care for are diagnosed with dementia and others live with undiagnosed cognitive impairments. I think this illness is heart breaking,” said Cathryn.

“Imagine how frightened you feel when you are losing your memory and nothing around you looks familiar. It is also very hard for family members who physically have their loved ones there – just not as they once were.

“Research is underfunded for this disease and the support this organisation provides to people is invaluable.”

Her decision to take on this challenge is even more commendable because Cathryn has never climbed a mountain before. In fact you are more likely to find her in high heels than walking boots.

She will be travelling to Africa on her own and has not yet met the others with whom she will be making the climb either.

The challenge itself is tough, with

Cathryn Fewster seven full days of trekking on steep and rocky terrain at altitude. The lower slopes can be wet and muddy, while higher up, barren and arid. The route passes through thick forest and scree en route to Uhuru Peak, the highest point.

This is a challenging trek at altitude, climbing one of the most impressive and well-known mountains in the world.

The clock is now ticking for Cathryn to build up her fitness and strength ready for her East African challenge, and she is now training hard with her adventure set for next January.

She added: “I am moving outside of my comfort zone for an amazing charity but I am determined to succeed.”

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Home aims to bridge the generation gap

Residents of The Dynes gave the home’s chef a night off when they got together for an evening of socialising and culinary fun. The Kemsing residential home was transformed into a pizzeria for the evening when the residents got together with staff in the dining room to make homemade pizzas for dinner. Nicky Pett, home manager, said: “The residents had a great time making their own pizzas, it was a really different activity and enabled them to be sociable with one another. Many of them still like to assist with household duties from time to time, as they would have done before moving in with us, so they really enjoyed getting involved.”

A WEST Lancashire care home has launched an initiative to encourage older residents to spend more quality time with younger people in the wider community.

Last year staff at the Hillcroft residential and care home in Aughton spearheaded a campaign to make older people in the local community feel more involved by inviting them to join residents at free activities and events held at the home and day trips out.

Now manager Margaret Sutcliffe is supporting a project called Connecting Generations aimed at bringing different age groups together.

Margaret was presented with a Community Involvement Award by West Lancashire Older People’s Champion, Councillor May Blake, at the Skelmersdale Library Memory Festival in recognition of the work she and the staff at the home have done on behalf of older people in the community, including the campaign to encourage care homes across the borough to invite local residents to join them for Christmas dinner.

That campaign was taken up by Connect 4 Life, a community project between Lancashire County Council and six local and national older people’s charities, resulting in 16 care homes taking part.

Margaret said: “The Connecting Generations initiative will involve residents at the home and older members of the public enjoying more activities and quality time with children and younger adults and, importantly, full family involvement across all the ages.”

The home’s events organiser Leslie Malone added: “We can’t wait to launch Connecting Generations, bringing together all ages across the community.

“To kick it off, West Lancashire College horticulture students will be creating a whole new look at Hillcroft, transforming our gardens with beach, woodland and sensory areas, and the older people will contribute their own thoughts and ideas for the area.

“School pupils from across West Lancashire will also be invited to join Hillcroft to join in with activities and events. We’re currently in talks with five primary and high schools.

“And we have spoken to several mums-and-tots groups who will be invited to monthly sessions at the home when our residents and visitors can give the younger mums the benefit of their wealth of knowledge of bringing up their own children.

“We will also be running heritage sessions where families can get together to research their own family history.”

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Care provider on a mission to change industry’s image Dene Park House resident Gladys Howe with home manager John Collinson and Councillor George Pattison.

Mayor helps to launch new-look care home GOSFORTH-based Dene Park House welcomed a VIP guest to officially open the newly refurbished care home, which now includes a bar and hair salon.

The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, George Pattison, attended the grand launch of the refurbishment, which is part of Akari Care’s £15million investment programme in its homes throughout the UK, and took part in a ribbon cutting with manager John Collinson George also took time to ‘pull a pint’ in the bar and serve a drink to resident Gladys Howe.

The home, which specialises in care for elderly residents, has benefited from a refurbishment to both its interior and exterior, which has enhanced the surroundings for residents and visitors.

The work involved a redecoration of

the entire care home, including bathrooms, communal areas and bedrooms fitted with new carpets, tiles, curtains, furniture and soft furnishings.

Two rooms, which were rarely used, have been transformed into a new bar and hair salon, so residents can enjoy a trip to the hairdressers and a relaxing drink.

John said: “A warm and homely environment is so important for the care and well-being of our residents and this refurbishment has had a very positive impact on them.

“This investment and refurbishment has made a real difference and the residents are really enjoying the new salon, bar and their newly redecorated rooms.

“The open day was a great opportunity to show members of the public the services we offer.”

A LEADING Welsh care provider is on a mission to change the image of the care industry and says it shouldn’t be viewed as a deskilled industry with poor working practices.

Abacare, which has offices in Newtown and Bangor, believes the care industry is often perceived as being badly paid with few benefits for care workers but it says this isn’t so.

Managing director Peter Angelides said: “Carers are often portrayed as being down beat, stressed and as having low self-esteem and we feel this needs to be addressed as it is often very far from the truth. From speaking with the carers we employ, many of them say working in care is a vocation and something they enjoy.

“We offer good rates of pay to our care workers as well as flexible hours to fit around their busy lifestyles. We also offer a range of benefits and incentives including a staff discount scheme, various team away days and career advancement opportunities.”

Peter Angelides Abacare was recently named Britain’s ‘Most Outstanding Care Agency’ at the UK Over 50s Housing Award.

Peter added: “We really value all of our team members and the extraordinary hard-work they put in every day.

“The skills they have are extremely important and we wouldn’t be able to provide the excellent levels of care to our service users without them.”

Association elects Avnish as chair CARE England, the largest representative body for care providers, has announced that Avnish Goyal, managing director of Hallmark Care Homes, has been elected as its new chair.

Chief executive, professor Martin Green OBE, said: “Avnish has been

associated with Care England and its predecessor body for over five years, and is a well-known figure within the social care sector. We are delighted at his appointment as chair and are very much looking forward to working with him over the coming years.”

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Care provider pays tribute to its staff with new awards Six residents at Hammerson House care home in North London have submitted paintings to the Royal Academy for a chance to have their work displayed at their Summer Exhibition, the world’s largest open-submission exhibition. Each year the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition gives artists from all walks of life an opportunity to submit their work for consideration to be showcased in the exhibition. The artistic residents, under the expert guidance of the care home’s art tutor Nigel Capel, have been working over the past few months using acrylic paints to create their masterpieces.

NATIONAL care home operator Maria Mallaband Care Group and Countrywide Care Homes are set to launch their first annual awards.

The awards have been created to acknowledge the efforts of staff and the impact they have on the lives of residents and their families.

Residents, colleagues, relatives and visitors can nominate those within the organisation who they feel have shown a unique passion and willingness to go above and beyond to deliver first class service and the best quality care.

Finalists will then be invited to an awards presentation evening at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on May 28.

The ceremony will consist of a drinks reception and dinner followed by the awards presentation and entertainment.

There are a total of nine categories available for nomination, as well as two special recognition awards.

The award categories were intended to represent all areas across the business from awards for frontline staff such as ‘Dignity in Care’ and ‘Most Innovative Activity Programme’ through to ‘Behind the Scenes’ and ‘Head Office Hero’ for those who provide exceptional support to their

Phil Burgan work colleagues.

Phil Burgan, chairman and CEO, said: “Unfortunately the nature of the awards can’t reflect every deserving individual, but you all know who you are and you should be extremely proud of yourselves.

“We are only as good as our staff.

My job is to try to communicate our core values to every member of staff so that even the person with the most menial of jobs feels engaged and part of our family.

“It’s extremely difficult to do but hopefully these awards will go some way to thanking everyone for their hard work and commitment.”

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Care home uses hens to find ‘Zen’

A CARE home in Glasgow has provided an innovative form of “therapy” for its residents by introducing a range of pets.

Bupa’s Darnley Court has seen a boost in the morale and mood of its residents after the arrival of the animals.

The care home hosts three chickens named Snap, Crackle and Pop alongside two rabbits and two budgies, which were purchased at the request of residents.

The home now also has plans to add to its growing collection of pets by ordering incubators to allow residents to birth their own chicks.

Tracy Barker, home manager, said: “The residents love having the pets in the home. It is wonderful to see the interaction with the pets and how they help to lift everyone.

“We are always trying to find the best ways to give our residents the best possible care and quality of life and try to think outside of the box on how we deliver this.”

Tracy added that the animals have also been a big hit with relatives who have come to visit family members.

As new research reveals just how important food is to those choosing a care home, Ellen Brown, care homes divisional manager at apetito, shares her advice on how to reassure prospective residents and their families that the food you serve will make them feel right at home ...

A taste of things to come THERE are of course many reasons that influence people’s decisions when making the choice of which care home is best for their loved one…

However, according to recent research by YouGov, for over 70 per cent of people, food is among their top priorities. When you consider that mealtimes are – or certainly should be – a highlight of the day for most care home residents, the emphasis placed on food is understandable.

What was particularly interesting about the research was that while it revealed that ‘providing healthy, nutritious food’ was obviously important, for the vast majority (71 per cent), ‘serving food that residents like and enjoy’ was the most popular aspect of a home’s food policy.

After all, no matter how nutritious the menu may be – if a resident doesn’t want to eat their meal in the first place, they won’t get enough of the nutrients they need!

So, how do homes reassure prospective residents, as well as their friends and family, that their menus tick all their boxes – in terms of personal preferences, cultural influences, special dietary

Ellen Brown requirements and appetite levels?

Sharing sample menus in welcome packs and talking through typical weekly options is useful, but at the end of the day there can be no substitute for letting your food speak for itself…

We strongly recommend to all care homes we work with that they hold a taster session, where potential new residents and their family have the opportunity to try a selection of meals from their menu before making a decision.

When you undoubtedly place a great deal of thought and effort into your menu selection and preparation,

why not showcase it with pride? Not only will this reassure your potential new resident that the food they will be offered tastes and looks good, they will also be reassured about the range they will be able to choose from.

Similarly, for homes looking to introduce changes to the meals they serve, holding a taster session for residents and their loved ones offers an ideal opportunity to try out new recipes and get feedback on new dishes before making them permanent fixtures on their menu.

We encourage all homes to add a sense of occasion to these sessions by hosting them for lunch or dinner, where relatives are invited to dine with residents to give their views on new options.

In fact, before we work with any new care homes, we urge them to host a tasting session in the first instance before they even consider taking on our services. After all, the introduction of any change can seem daunting.

By giving residents and their families the chance to try our meals will reassure them that they, taste, smell and look as appetising as the food they would enjoy eating in their own homes.

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Working together to ensure a person-centred care approach A PERSON-CENTRED, integrated approach to care is fast becoming a preferred model by healthcare professionals and care home managers alike, and is now being adopted as a priority in the UK and part of the Government’s Putting People First programme for social care.

By offering care home residents an integrated approach to care which focuses on their individual needs and requirements healthcare professionals and care home managers can really engage with their residents, creating meaningful relationships which can really work towards offering a best practice model of care.

Resident TV doctor and healthcare expert with Repose Furniture, Dr Hilary Jones, recently took part in a question and answer session to uncover how the CQC together with healthcare professionals, care home providers, and specialist furniture manufacturers, can work together to ensure an integrated, person centred approach to care, keeping best practice at the forefront for care home residents.

Question: Elderly people in care homes often suffer from a variety of long term healthcare problems, which require specialist care and support. With this in mind how could the CQC ensure that care home residents are receiving the care they require?

Answer: Today all care providers have a responsibility to care for and support all older people including those living in residential, nursing, respite and rehabilitation care homes. This includes a commitment to treat everyone with dignity and respect and to provide them with choice and control over their own care. Specific individual requirements should be provided as far as possible in wellequipped facilities with specially trained, caring staff on duty 24 hours a day.

The CQC can oversee this. They can ensure that people retain as much independence as possible in comfort

Dr Hilary Jones and privacy. They can encourage providers to provide personalised accommodation for individual taste together with pleasant communal dining and lounge areas. Specialist furniture designed specifically for the needs of the elderly, such as comfortable bespoke armchairs and seating makes a huge difference. Specialised seating, such as that manufactured by Repose Furniture, can correctly support residents who may spend a large proportion of their day seated; such seats can also form the basis of a number of exercise routines for those residents with limited mobility.

Care home residents should be encouraged to engage in varied activity programmes to keep their minds busy and prevent isolation. By employing an activities co-ordinator to engage residents in the things they are most interested, care homes can actively promote physical and mental wellbeing.

Q: Who needs to be involved in order to effectively achieve a person-centred, integrated approach to patient care?

A: One important aspect of this kind of integrated approach is liaison between care home managers, GPs, and other healthcare professionals who should be working together to coordinate patients’ needs in a singular approach. The CQC clearly have a responsibility to make sure that all medications for example are handled in the safest way but these high standards should reach out into other areas and this holds true for specialist dementia and end-of-life care providers also. Each healthcare provider should know and understand what others are also doing. For example the GP, district nurse, hospital consultant, chiropodist, occupational therapist, pharmacist and physiotherapist should be working in partnership. Care home managers are in an excellent position to co-ordinate these approaches and to ensure that residents obtain the very best care tailored to their personal needs.

Q: Can you outline some of the benefits as a result of offering a person-centred, integrated care plan as opposed to a more generalised approach?

A: The traditional generalised approach to care for the elderly left people feeling disempowered and rather helpless. Benefits of offering residents a person-centred, integrated approach to care would include putting residents and their families at the heart of all decisions. The collaborative team philosophy should ensure that the residents enjoy as much independence as possible with as little conflict and as much compassion, dignity, and respect as possible.

This personalisation approach is seen to be beneficial to everyone and its incorporation into health and social care is now being adopted as a priority in the UK and part of the Government’s Putting People First programme for social care.

Q: Would an integrated approach to care home healthcare give rise to better understanding of a patient’s healthcare needs?

A: Patients and residents come from different backgrounds and upbringings and maintain their own beliefs and interests. Each will have their own set of social circumstances and medical care needs. With integrated care, patients and residents are seen as equal parties in planning, developing, and assessing their care to ensure that it is appropriate to their needs. It relies on the personal qualities of each person in care and the staff to build non-judgemental and empathetic relationships. A person centred care plan can accommodate all of these individual requirements ensuring that staff are applying time and care in a cost-effective manner and to the maximum satisfaction of the patient and their family.

Q: Do you believe that there are steps managers at care homes can take to facilitate an integrated approach to patient care?

A: Managers at care homes can take many steps to facilitate an integrated approach to patient care. By speaking to the patients themselves and to their families they can build a picture of that person’s past and present, and of their medical and social care needs and preferences. The resident themselves can help decide which activities they wish to be involved in and to what extent. Their medical and nursing requirements can be tailored to their individual needs and each healthcare professional informed in turn as to what role is expected of them in the context of which other services are being delivered.

Depersonalisation, lack of control, and the removal of individuality was once the greatest fear for somebody entering residential care. With an integrated approach to person centred care there is no reason why these fears and apprehensions should not become a thing of the past.

Care home opens traditional sweet shop A BLACKHALL Colliery care home is celebrating the addition of a new retro sweet shop.

Field View recently finished work on their traditional sweet shop and celebrated in style by hosting a grand opening for residents and families.

They were invited to try their hand at popcorn and candy floss making before treating themselves to a pickand-mix from the shelves of traditional treats and from the handmade sweet cart dubbed “Sweet Field Treats”.

Joanne Chambers from Sweet Dreams, a traditional sweet shop in Peterlee, County Durham, donated old-fashioned sweet jars and supplied Field View with many of the traditional sweets on offer such as

mint humbugs, liquorice, and pear drops. It will also double as an activities room and can be used for hosting events such as birthday parties and fetes.

The shop has been a labour of love for the home’s maintenance man Ian Noble who painted and decorated itand built the sweet cart by hand.

Manager Michelle Howarth, who came up with the idea, said: “Our vintage sweet shop will improve our clients’ sense of choice and independence, as well as stimulate memories with tastes of the past.

“We also hope the store will enhance the lives of our residents living with dementia through reminiscence therapy and allowing them to maintain their freedom of choice, dignity and individualism.”

Residents Dorothy Pitcher and Ann Parker with care manager Michelle Howarth.

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Meet our Wetherby speakers ...

THE first of Caring UK’s series of conferences takes place at Wetherby on May 13.

Alongside the Shaping the Future of Care event, which is being held at the racecourse, will be an exhibition showcasing the latest products available on the market.

This will include the likes of Leeds Care Association, Shackleton’s, Signature Aromas and Aidcall.

A stellar line-up of speakers has been lined up for the conference, which is a must-attend event for all local care home and domiciliary care operators and managers based in the area.

NCA chairman Nadra Ahmed OBE will begin proceedings, followed by Skills for Care’s locality manager Fiona MacMillan’s presentation entitled ‘Supporting the Dementia Workforce’.

Derek Breingan, head of health and social care sector for Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Plc, who are kindly sponsoring the event, will round off the first session with a look at ‘The Changing Shape of Finance in the Care Sector’.

After the break, which gives delegates an opportunity for network and visit the extensive exhibition, Ros Sanderson, head of inspectorate north at the CQC, will give an update from the regulator.

Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England will then talk about ‘A New Strategy for the

Speakers lined up for the Wetherby conference include, from the left: Derek Breingan, Neil Hargreaves and John Kennedy.

Future of Social Care in an Era of Increasing Dementia.

The morning session will be completed by Neil Hargreaves from apetito Limited who will take a close look at ‘Dining with Dignity’.

After lunch the event will be brought to a close by John Kennedy, director of care services at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

All those who attend the day will receive a certificate and a goody bag.

The day will be chaired by Tony Barry, sales and marketing director for Script Media.

Caring UK editor Dominic Musgrave said: “As you can see we have once again put together a stellar line-up of speakers who will talk about a range of topics throughout the day.

“With the exhibition running alongside and the opportunity to network, this conferences is truly not to be missed, and I would urge all care home and domiciliary care operators and managers in the area to attend this event.

Caring UK’s conferences are held in association with Care England and the NCA.

Further events are planned to take place on July 1 and 2 at The Bristol Pavilion in Bristol and the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay respectively.

And on September 29 and 30 the conferences move to The AGEAS Bowl in Southampton and The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury.

To find out more about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, or to book your place at these must-attend events, turn to pages 14 and 15 or visit www.caring-uk.co.uk and follow the link.

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Under-funding picture is revealed by UKHCA

By Dominic Musgrave

Apprenticeships take centre stage at Whitway House SIX learners from Whitway House in Dorchester who recently completed their Intermediate Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care have had their achievements recognised in an awards ceremony organised by their employer.

Care home manager Dawn Blacknell was keen to congratulate Loretta Bowen, Dannielle Townsend, Kylie Hansford, Laura Hamilton, Ellie Kerridge and Denise Murphy on their success, which also provided Whitway House with the perfect excuse for a party.

Dawn said: “I wanted to reward the hard work of our six learners and an awards ceremony seemed like a great way to do this. We really appreciate all of the effort our apprentices have put into their qualifications and are extremely proud of their achievements.”

Whitway House delivered the apprenticeships in partnership with Connect 2 Care, the national

training provider, which has played an integral part in the care home’s staff training provision since 2013.

Dawn added: “We depend on Connect 2 Care to help our staff achieve their goals. The achievements of these six learners prove just how successful our staff training programme is. It allows the home to help its employees progress, whilst also ensuring that it offers the highest level of care to its service users.”

All six apprentices are now looking forward to putting their new found skills to use in their roles at Whitway house and many are undertaking further qualifications with Connect 2 Care in order to further enhance their knowledge.

Enquiries: To find out more about Connect 2 Care’s apprenticeships and short courses, contact Connect 2 Care on 0800 954 2803 or visit www.connect2care.net

UKHCA, the professional organisation for domiciliary care providers, has released the national and regional picture of underfunding of homecare services for older people across the United Kingdom, using data obtained under freedom of information legislation.

The report exposes the level of risk that councils in Great Britain (and health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland) place on a system intended to support older people.

Continued constraints on local government funding can only exacerbate an already critical situation.

Just 28 councils (of the 203 authorities where an average price could be established) paid their independent and voluntary sector homecare providers fees at or above UKHCA’s minimum price for homecare of £15.74 per hour.

The average price for an hour for homecare for older people in a sample week was: United Kingdom: £13.66 per hour.

England: £13.77 per hour.

Wales: £14.28 per hour.

Scotland: £13.68 per hour.

Northern Ireland: £11.35 per hour.

‘Heat maps’ in the report provide graphical illustration of prices paid by

individual councils across the UK’s regions.

The findings highlight the low rates paid in Northern Ireland; a northsouth divide across England; and the impact of dominant purchasing power of councils in Greater London.

UKHCA’s policy director Colin Angel said: “Low prices paid for homecare services carry a number of risks, including poor terms and conditions for the workforce, insufficient resources to organise the service and insufficient training for the complex work that supports the increasingly frail and disabled individuals who qualify for state-funded support.

“Unless this underfunding is addressed, the independent and voluntary sector will continue to struggle to recruit and retain careworkers with the right disposition, training and qualifications.

“Ultimately, the care market will become commercially unsustainable for the providers who deliver most of the homecare purchased by the state within the UK.” The report makes recommendations for councils, providers and government in all four UK administrations, including effective oversight of authorities’ commissioning practices by independent regulators.

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Stroke survivor credits recovery to his carer

By Dominic Musgrave

Joan Nixon, a resident at Colten Care's Winchester home St Catherine’s View, strokes Lionel the raccoon. Holding him is handler Tilewa Ojo from The Creature Teachers.

Animal encounters delight care home’s residents WHEN Lionel, Echo, Zeus, Ernie, Fraggle and Gili spent an afternoon at a Winchester dementia care home, they gave residents a close-up look into the animal world.

The six visitors, led by their experienced handlers, delighted all at Colten Care’s St Catherine’s View.

Lionel is an 11-month-old raccoon, Gili a three-year-old laughing kookaburra, and Ernie and Fraggle a pair of ferrets.

Echo is a four-year-old barn owl while Zeus is a chinchilla.

The visit was organised as a

relaxing and therapeutic treat for the residents. It was supervised throughout by Lisa Kiely and Tilewa Ojo from the animal encounters company The Creature Teachers.

They ensured residents enjoyed coming face to face with the unusual characters in their midst.

Vanda Baker, home manager at St Catherines View, said: “It was lovely to watch our residents see this amazing wildlife close up. The opportunity to look at and stroke these animals brought smiles out all round.”

Staff training reaches new levels STAFF at an East Lancashire care home have embarked on an innovative course which will enable them to offer advanced support to those in their care.

Eight healthcare workers at Springhill Care Home in Accrington have enrolled on a 15-month course leading to the assistant practitioner qualification.

The programme will closely adhere to many aspects of a registered nursing course, and will make a major contribution to the life of the

residents and staff at this award winning home.

Theresa Swan, learning and development manager at Springhill, said: “This exciting innovation will not only benefit the individual staff concerned in increasing their qualifications and experience, but will ensure we remain focused on the quality standards of care we deliver.

“Everything we undertake is designed to assist us with the increasing challenges for those who work in health and social care.”

Age Active puts residents through their paces RESIDENTS at Parklands care home in Poynton were put through their paces by Age Active, an organisation aiming to encourage healthy habits in older people.

Age Active managing director Andrew Power led the residents through a series of stretches, breathing exercises, and free-weight movements, all carefully designed to increase mobility, general fitness, and mental stimulation.

The sessions are part of CLS’s continuing programme of activities designed to improve each resident’s, health, happiness and quality of life.

Staff have already seen an improvement in the health and happiness of some residents, undoubtedly due to the sessions with Andy.

Denise Gleaves, activity coordinator at Parklands, said: “We didn’t realise just how much some of the residents would enjoy these exercise sessions.

“Some of the quieter people at the home have been getting involved and socialising a lot more as a result of Andy’s visits, and there are one or two residents who are definitely benefiting health-wise. Andy is so enthusiastic and such a lovely gentleman, it is no wonder that people are looking forward to his next visit.”

Age Active tailors exercise sessions to the needs and abilities of the participants.

The organisation operates in the belief that older people in the UK can benefit a great deal by becoming more active.

A FORMER professional footballer who survived a stroked credited his amazing recovery to his care worker whose dedicated care helped him get back to better health.

Barry Moody who is 74, was left with no feeling down his left side following a stroke in 2007 and doctors advised him that they did not expect him to be able to walk again. Barry was devastated to receive this news having been very independent prior to his stroke and a keen boxer.

Initially his rehabilitation was slow but life began to improve for Barry in 2012 when he started to receive home care from Caremark (Redcar & Cleveland).

His allocated carer, Sophie Hood, calls on Barry three times a day to help with his personal care, his medication, as well as supporting him with other daily living tasks.

Client and care worker have formed a good bond and Barry trusts Sophie implicitly to support him with his daily life and values all the encouragement to keep positive and keep improving.

“The rapport we have built up has enabled me to progress much more quickly and remain happy. My family and I are eternally grateful for her care and kindness and without her my whole positive attitude would be in jeopardy,” said Barry.

Although he spends some time in

Barry Moody with his care worker Sophie Hood. his wheelchair, Barry attributes his amazing progress to the kind and dedicated care he has received from Sophie, whom he calls “his rock”.

Through her focused care Barry has felt encouraged and empowered and is still able to walk. In addition he has regained some of the feeling in his left side.

Sophie added: “I enjoy caring for people and getting such nice things said about you makes the job so rewarding. I am glad I have been able to play a little part in Barry’s recovery.”

A Welsh older people’s charity has appointed Reg Noyes (pictured right) to take the lead on coordinating a new arts project in care homes. Reg is Age Cymru’s cARTrefu project coordinator and has a background in film development for companies such as Universal Pictures and StudioCanal. cARTrefu is an arts project funded by the Arts Council for Wales and the Baring Foundation. One of Reg’s key aims is to set up eight-week residencies in care homes in visual arts, words, music and performing arts over the next two years. He said: “I’m looking forward to working with an eclectic group of artists who can bring a wealth of experience, ideas and enthusiasm to care homes across Wales. I hope to establish cARTrefu as a lasting project at Age Cymru continuing our engagement with care homes and artists across Wales.”

Firm to double its offering A RELATIVELY new Shrewsbury care company is now able to double the services it offers after registering with the regulator.

Caring Angels had a successful visit from the CQC and has been approved to carry out care services.

The company, set up last May by Becky Morris, had six customers waiting for the homecare services.

She said: “We have been offering services like housework, taking people shopping and to appointments since we started but a lot of people had been asking us for personal care.

“It was something I had intended to branch out into but you have to be

legally registered to provide personal care so we needed to wait until we were able to.

“The CQC registration means we can double the services we offer, we do respite as well a range of personal care, and we may need to increase staff numbers in the near future.”

The company, which has seven members of staff with a combined 135 years’ experience, will have yearly inspections and spot inspections from CQC officers.

It also offers a 12-week induction programme for new staff and 22 inhouse courses to help train and develop staff. Becky has worked in the industry since the age of 17.

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Residents Margery Crockett and Lillian Benson enjoy high tea with CLS activity coordinator Nicola Newens.

Care home takes part in national tea party HOLCROFT Grange care home in Culcheth, Cheshire, joined the nation for a brew when it took part in this year’s ‘Time for a Cuppa’ campaign in support of Dementia UK. Residents at the CLS-run home enjoyed an afternoon of high tea in the company of friends and family, complete with bone china tea sets, homemade scones and clotted cream; followed by a challenging round of memory-testing, 1940sthemed quizzes.

Shirley Paton, home manager at Holcroft Grange, said: “It’s such a

great cause that we wanted to really go-to-town with the day.

“I was especially delighted by how many members of the public came along and took part as we’re always looking to strengthen our ties with the community. Most importantly of all, however, the residents clearly had a ball.”

‘Time for a Cuppa’ is a nationwide campaign run by Dementia UK to help increase awareness around dementia, and raise funds to provide expert care and support to people living with or affected by the condition.

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CARINGCLEANING, LAUNDRY AND HYGIENE

New ranges saving homes thousands OVER the last 12 months Gompels Healthcare Ltd has introduced a range of new products that have been making waves in the care home sector. With an emphasis on cost reduction, each new line can cut costs by 10 per cent or more.

Perhaps the pick of the bunch, Gompels no fuss Concentrated Cleaning System delivers a 750ml trigger spray for only 20p.

This is a real breakthrough in the sector, exceeding the requirements of BS EN 13704 and BS EN 1276 and offering massive cost savings of up to 90 per cent against some branded

trigger spray cleaners on the market.

Zyaad Khoyrutty, facilities and compliance manager at Chiswick Nursing Centre in London, said: “Gompels introduced us to trying their concentrates system, it’s simple, easy to use, very cost effective and the staff love it.

“The unit promotes compliance with its easy instructions. I would strongly recommend trying the units and see the savings for yourself.”

Why not get on board with Gompels and try some of these products for yourself, and see how much you could save.

On-site laundries getting care homes into a spin NEW research has exposed the hassle that on-site laundries are causing to care homes, with over 60 per cent reporting that machine breakdowns are causing the most trouble to residents, care home staff and owners.

Over half of care homes across the UK suffer machine breakdowns as often as every six months, with the average home experiencing at least two per year – but several reporting as many as four a year.

With wash cycles being operated 24/7 across care homes, the effects of a breakdown on both cost and time are significant.

One in seven care homes do not consider their laundry services to be particularly effective, with a large number of homes also reporting that their laundries are too time-consuming for their staff.

Nearly two-thirds of care home managers would like to make changes to their laundries.

Many have highlighted the benefits of partnering with a laundry services provider, including freeing up both staff time and valuable space as well as reducing costs and hassle.

The research was conducted by Market Measures Ltd and commissioned by Berendsen, the leading provider of textile services to care homes and the healthcare sector.

410 care homes were interviewed between January and February.

Enquiries: To learn more about Berendsen’s services visit www.berendsen.co.uk/care

Professional range is ideal for sites needing to launder bulky loads FOR B&Bs, care homes, sports clubs, schools and smaller hotels, laundry can be a big problem.

Domestic washing machines can not cope, commercial ones are too big and expensive, and outsourcing can be costly and difficult to manage.

That is why Samsung has developed the Professional Laundry range. It’s big enough to deal with awkward loads like king size duvets or the teams muddy away kit, but small enough to fit in the utility room. It also has a sanitize programme that meets CQC standards.

The Samsung Professional Laundry washer, model WF431, has a 14kg capacity. Although it retails at up to 60 per cent less than competitors’ models, it is packed with clever energy-saving and performance-enhancing technologies.

In addition it is backed by a comprehensive twoyear parts and labour warranty.

One of the smartest features is the digital inverter motor. Because it is direct drive it has fewer moving parts and, being brushless, it creates little noise or vibration.

Compared to conventional motors, it uses 50 per cent less energy and delivers a reliably long service life.

The washing process uses Samsung’s established Eco Bubble technology, which manages the remarkable double-bubble benefit of improving wash results and reducing energy consumption.

Enquiries: For more information visit www.franciscopro.com or www.uropa-distribution.co.uk

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Operator given grant for music programme CARE home organisation Nightingale Hammerson has been awarded £10,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to support its music therapy programme for residents suffering with dementia at Nightingale House.

Most residents living at the South London-based care home have some form of memory impairment; with many of them living with dementia.

The fund for music therapy within the care home will enable the charity to build upon its pass success with the program and to expand, having more frequent sessions and reach more residents.

People with dementia can often feel isolated and frustrated with the loss of communication and motor skills.

Music therapy is a therapeutically recognised technique which encourages older people to express themselves creatively through listening, singing and moving to music.

This type of therapy has been proven to be particularly beneficial in improving the health and wellbeing of dementia sufferers.

Not only can music therapy alleviate the stresses and frustrations of living

with dementia but, listening to familiar songs has been found to unlock memories and encourage verbal and non-verbal expression, which can increase important social and cognitive interaction amongst dementia sufferers.

Leon Smith, executive vice president of Nightingale Hammerson, said: “People living with dementia have a special ability to be able to remember songs and tunes.

“We cannot thank the Big Lottery enough for supporting us with our music therapy project which enhances the lives of our residents so greatly. This is a wonderful therapy which provides a stimulating, engaging and reassuring environment for our residents.”

Nightingale provides specialised person-centered care to all residents and house a state-of-the-art dementia ‘Wohl Wing’ which is home to over 40 residents with dementia.

Nightingale also had successful partnership with the dementia group at the University of Bradford, and their research has been put into practice throughout the wing.

Residents at a care home in Stockton-on-Tees were spun a tall tale thanks to the children from St Patricks Primary School who visited as part of National Story Telling Week.

Fourteen children visited Mandale House with their favourite novels in hand. The residents were then treated to some classic tales when the children split into pairs and read to them.

NRS Healthcare launch new product catalogue THE new NRS Healthcare catalogue features the latest range of equipment suitable for care homes use, such as: Moving and handing equipment.

Dementia care solutions.

Infection control products.

Specialised furniture.

Toileting and bathing solutions.

Eating and drinking aids.

Mobility and access equipment.

Care call systems.

Many of our products are exclusively designed in house with input from our team of occupational therapists, who also operate a free product advice service, should you require it. Email productadvice@nrshealthcare.co.uk or call 0845 121 8113.

With a 67-year heritage, NRS Healthcare is committed to supporting the needs of older people, disabled adults and their carers.

Enquiries: Request your free catalogue by calling 0845 121 8111, emailing

customerservice@nrshealthcare.co.uk or visiting www.nrshealthcare.co.uk/prof

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Dementia charity and university join forces for music project

By Dominic Musgrave SOUTH Yorkshire dementia charity Lost Chord is joining up with the University of Sheffield for a research project examining the impact of music on the lives of people living with the condition.

Lost Chord provides interactive musical experiences with professional musicians for people living with dementia in care homes and day centres across the region and nationally.

But the new research project will take a look at how the charity works and give a greater understanding of how music can have a major impact in dementia cases.

Heading the project is Dr Victoria Williamson, Vice Chancellor’s Fellow for the Arts and Humanities at the University of Sheffield and a Visiting Fellow at the School of Advanced Studies at the University of London.

She said: “Evidence demonstrates that musical interventions such as those provided by Lost Chord can improve the physical and mental state and provide vital emotional and social connections for individuals with dementia.

“My team and I will observe and record the development and delivery of interventions on site in care homes in the South Yorkshire area and this will allow us to build a knowledge repository for planning future investigations into the effects of music provision on the lives of people with dementia.

“This project will provide a firm foundation for a long-term externally funded study programme of music in dementia care.”

Lost Chord chief executive Helena Muller added: “We are delighted to be strengthening our links with the University of Sheffield and are equally pleased that our work in dementia care is being recognised in this way.

“I know from 15 years of personal experience as chief executive of Lost Chord just how great an impact music can and does have on the lives of people living with dementia.

“Anything we can do to help unlock the mysteries of this condition and help to enhance the lives of people living with dementia is something we are extremely keen to be a part of, and we look forward to working with Dr Williamson in the months ahead.”

Homes open their doors RESIDENTS, staff and guests at Four Seasons’ care homes across the UK took part in a fundraising event to raise awareness for Dementia UK. Care homes nationwide hosted a ‘Time for a Cuppa!’ day to show support for Dementia UK and the Admiral Nurses who work closely with those who live with dementia.

Homes opened their doors to their communities and hosted various activities, such as tea parties, tea cosy knitting sessions and tea tastings.

Some of Four Seasons’ care homes also organised informal drop in sessions during the week for people in the local community who are living with dementia, together with their relatives and friends. These sessions

provided an opportunity to meet informally to share experiences and to obtain advice from one of Four Seasons’ dementia specialists.

Alistair How, chief operating officer at Four Seasons, said: “We believe it is very important that people are able to access information about dementia freely and easily. Our free drop-in sessions give people the chance to ask any questions they may have about dementia in a relaxed setting, and are not linked to whether people are looking for a care home. We were delighted to take part in ‘Time For A Cuppa’ to raise awareness about dementia and show our support for all the good work that Dementia UK and the Admiral Nurses do.”

Residents and their families at Belong Crewe celebrated Dignity Action Day in style with a nostalgic 1950s themed party. Staff at the care village dressed in their best outfits and the bistro was transformed into a 50s American diner, serving hot dogs, burgers and milkshakes. The party was completed with dancing and a name that famous tune competition, while people living in the village had a competition to design themed boards representing what the 50s had meant to them. Ray Knott from Belong Crewe is pictured with experience day support workers Mandy James and Julie Kenworthy.

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QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BY

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Changing the PACE of palliative care in homes A TEAM of researchers from Lancaster University are setting up a new research study which will be collecting data from care homes in England over the next 12 months.

The ‘PACE’ study will explore whether or not care home residents have better outcomes when formal palliative care structures are in place.

The project is being led by professor Sheila Payne and professor Katherine Froggatt from Lancaster University, and aims to recruit 50 care homes, residential and nursing, across England.

The study will compare homes in countries with formal palliative care structures to those in countries without structures across the EU. Information will be collected on all residents that have died in the care homes over the past three months and will look at: Patient outcomes; such as quality of life, quality of death and quality of palliative care.

The characteristics of the care

home; such as number of beds and services offered.

Care home staff knowledge, practices and attitudes in relation to end of life care.

Care homes that agree to take part in the study will be asked to identify a contact person, such as a matron, who will be visited by a member of the research team.

At the visit the contact person will be asked to complete two questionnaires and provided with three information packs to send out to the deceased residents’ nurse/professional care giver most closely involved in the resident’s care at the care home, their GP and their closest relative or friend.

The visit should last around one hour and care homes that take part in the study will receive full support from the research team.

The research is funded by the EU FP7 Seventh Framework Programme and is being conducted in six countries: Belgium, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and the UK.

Residents at The Elms in Crewe have been delighted to find their garden alive with the sound of birdsong thanks to a generous donation from a group of local IT apprentices. Working under a citizenship project led by the learning and training organisation Escalla, the group came together to build a number of nest boxes – two of which have been installed at the CLS-run care home. Home manager Nicola Brennan said: “Everyone’s delighted with the boxes. Especially as, at CLS, we do all we can to actively support our residents to remain active and independent for as long as possible. ”

Group wins two awards THE Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group collected two awards at Central Lancashire's Got Talent Provider Awards 2015.

The celebration event took place at the Gujarat Hindu Society Temple in Preston. The Lancashire County Council-run event is a showcase of the county's care services across a range of categories. The day is in recognition of the various groups and social care providers within the county who have achieved success throughout the services they provide.

Award categories included Innovation, Partnership, Wellbeing and Prevention, People and Workforce, Community, Technology and Personalisation.

Stocks Hall Nursing and Care Group were awarded a Highly

Commendation status in ‘the People and Workforce Category’ and outright winner status of the ‘Community Award’.

The Stocks Hall Group was described as a “leading Lancashire provider and a great example for others to follow”.

Sue Lace, managing director, said: “We believe that quality care can only be achieved through well motivated staff that are committed to our core philosophy and values.

“The Stocks Hall Group places such values high on recruitment, nurturing and development of all staff.

Receiving these awards acknowledges our commitment to quality care and drives us on to continue to be a pioneering, leading, provider of care in Lancashire.”

Charity launches Toolkit ISLE of Wight charity Independent Arts has released its debut publication Getting Creative In Care: A Toolkit for activities co-ordinators and carers.

The Toolkit has been written by the charity’s project manager Caroline Ash, who has a wealth of experience programming arts based activities and music performances in care homes across the Isle of Wight.

Designed for activities co-ordinators in nursing and care home settings, The Toolkit highlights the importance of creative and stimulating activities, creative activities for dementia patients, and offers a clear insight into procedures and safeguarding for volunteer recruitment.

The Toolkit features more than 75 creative activity ideas, for both group and one-to-one scenarios, and

includes templates, prompt sheets and easy to follow instructions making it a handy and cost effective resource.

The Toolkit links to CQC Outcome 4 and the provision of meaningful activity to residents in care homes, and supports NICE quality standard 50; the mental wellbeing of older people.

Kate Ball, chief executive of Independent Arts, said: “Independent Arts has been delivering creative arts activities in care settings for 28 years, and so it is really exciting that we have now compiled all our experience and knowledge into the Toolkit.

“It allows the charity to increase the reach of our work, and ensure that care home residents across the UK are able to access meaningful creative activity.”

Helping you to comply with the regulator IT IS not just CQC that require services in the care sector to be able to evidence compliance.

Your bank and local authorities placing service users are becoming more demanding.

The two major failures in CQC inspections are poor record keeping and drug administration.

Required Systems Ltd has all the quality systems you need to be compliant, incorporating all the forthcoming changes from CQC. To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com

Meltemi launches new uniform brochure FOR A smart less formal look for care staff, why not take a look at the new tunic just launched by clothing specialist, Meltemi.

The new Universal tunic comes in a range of bright colour combinations and in a lightweight fabric, ideal for those working in a warm environment and styled to provide a professional but less clinical appearance.

Their new brochure is full of great ideas for clothing staff. With more colours and a greater range of matching male and female garments, Meltemi have the ideal collection to clothe staff across your organisation.

This now includes a range of workwear and catering garments, perfect for maintenance staff or those involved in food preparation.

As specialist uniform suppliers to care providers across the UK, Meltemi provide a fast and reliable supply of high quality clothing at competitive prices.

Enquiries: For more information, a copy of their new brochure or to request samples, call 01603 731332, email sales@meltemi.co.uk or visit www.meltemi.co.uk

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Wheelchair accessible vehicles: which is the right one for a care home?

By Dave Jones BUYING the correct wheelchair accessible vehicle for your care home is one of those financial decisions that you absolutely must get right.

Due to the necessary modifications, WAVs can be more expensive than regular models, and once you start factoring in running costs you might find your WAV eating up more of your budget than you initially anticipated.

Do not let this happen. Our guide will help you to make the right decision, and avoid regret.

1. What will your WAV be used for?

In order to choose the right WAV, you need to know what you’ll be using it for on a daily or weekly basis. In the months before you make a purchase, take note every time that a resident could benefit from access to a WAV. Mark how often this takes place, the distance that they would like to travel, and how many passenger seats are needed. This way when the time comes to make a purchase, you’ll have all the necessary information at your fingertips.

Think twice before buying a larger vehicle for those ‘just in case’ moments. Using a large vehicle for a small trip is less convenient and more expensive than you might think. It makes much more sense to buy your vehicle for the trips you’ll be making most often.

2. Who’s going to drive it?

You might be the one who is buying the vehicle, but you should also spare a thought for the person who’s going to drive it. Ask your driver whether they prefer a manual or an automatic, and check whether they have experience with larger vehicles. You might want to consider the costs of an advanced driver.

If possible, it can be a good idea to take your driver along with you when making the purchase. Are they going to be comfortable driving this type of vehicle? Driving a large WAV is very different from driving a Nissan Micra, so work with your driver in order to reduce the possibility of bangs and scratches, or worse. The Citroen Berlingo and Renault Kangoo are both smaller WAV models which are easy to drive and park.

3. Where are you going to park?

The majority of WAVs are accessed by the rear of the vehicle via a fold down ramp. You’ll need to be sure that there is adequate space to fold down the ramp at the designated parking space at the care home. Smaller vehicles have smaller ramps, which tends to make it much easier to enter and exit the vehicle.

Extending a ramp is simple enough for anyone to manage, but the carer will sometimes need to push the wheelchair user up the ramp and into position. With this in mind, it is important to have a carer who is physically able to handle an occupied wheelchair on a slope. Losing control of the wheelchair on the ramp could be dangerous.

If you are concerned about this possibility, then you should consider looking into a WAV that comes with a mechanical lift, such as a Peugeot Boxer and the Renault Master, or having winch assistance on the vehicle.

4. What’s your monthly budget?

Buying a WAV isn’t just a one-off payment. Just like all vehicles, certain running costs and maintenance costs will be incurred over time. As a general rule of thumb, remember that the smaller the vehicle, the lower the costs. If you need a vehicle with lower

Dave Jones than average running costs, then I recommend taking a look at the Renault Kangoo, Fiat Doblo, Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner and the Fiat Quobo. These days petrol tends to be the more economical choice than diesel, but all of these vehicles come in both varieties. If you wish to fix your monthly budget, a contract hire agreement with a specialist on either a new, or for a particularly low monthly fee a used vehicle.

5. What experience does your car dealer have with wheelchair vehicles?

It’s important to evaluate the credentials of your dealer before making a significant purchase. Wheelchair accessible vehicles come with a different rule book to conventional vehicles, so your average car salesperson won’t be the best person to ask.

Instead, try to find someone with specialist knowledge of WAVs to help you make the right decision.

Check how many years’ experience they have had with WAVs, and make sure that they have a large range of vehicles on offer, so that they can sell you the vehicle that is right for your needs, rather than simply the one that they have in stock. This is where those notes you’ve been taking will come in really useful, the more information that you’re able to give your specialist, the better equipped they’ll be to find you the right car.

I’ve left the most important thing until last. It is essential that your residents and staff feel confident, calm and comfortable in your wheelchair accessible vehicle. An experienced WAV specialist will be able to find you a vehicle that suits your needs, whatever your budget.

Dave Jones is the director of Mobility Nationwide, a family-run business who are dedicated to helping people find the right wheelchair accessible vehicle for their lifestyle.

Mayor helps firm in double Chester launch SURECARE has officially launched its Chester branch and SureCare Local micro franchise in the city.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Bob Rudd, and MP Stephen Mosley were present to open the dual service which will provide a wide range of care and home services to people of all ages.

Services include adult health and social care, home services, respite and holiday care and childcare.

Rachel Gallagher is the branch registered manager of SureCare Chester, while mother and daughter team Carole Southgate and Clare Potter are heading up the Chester SureCare Local. SureCare also has its head office in Chester, where its management team looks after the company’s extensive network of franchises and branches across the UK. The company is led by managing director Gary Farrer, who acquired the business from previous owner Housing & Care 21 in November.

Gary said: “We are delighted to be able to offer SureCare’s ever growing range of care and home services to

people in Chester and Wirral.

“We have expanded our service offering considerably in recent months and are now able to meet the needs of the elderly, children, working parents, families and the disabled.”

While SureCare has almost 30 full franchises in England, Chester is only the second SureCare Local micro franchise to be launched. The micro model opens up the opportunity for more people to become franchisees, covering a small territory (typically a population of 100,000).

SureCare was the first care company in the UK to launch micro franchise opportunities last year with the first opening in York.

Gary added: “During the coming year, we will be adding to the number of franchises we have across the UK, as well as rolling out additional services.

“The care requirements of people of all ages has never been greater and it is imperative that companies like SureCare are able to fully meet the needs of its clients.”

Rob Parsons, SureCare MD Gary Farrer, Rachel Gallagher, Councillor Bob Rudd and MP Stephen Mosley at the opening of SureCare’s Chester branch.

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Development given a name A NEW housing with care development in Stamford Hill has been given a name in a ceremony.

Limetree Court is a Hanover Housing Association extra care housing development, created in partnership with Hackney Council. The purpose-built facility, formerly named Buccleuch House, is situated in Clapton Common, close to Stamford Hill.

A naming ceremony for the new development saw Hanover's head of operations (extra care) David Hanks hand over a commemorative lime tree plant to Hackney Council.

The facility is a partnership between Hanover, Hill Residential and Agudas Israel Housing Association. It will have a total of 107 new apartments.

The project is unusual as it will be split into three distinct parts of the

building, harmonised externally through an attractive contemporary design.

The development includes a purpose-built extra care housing development of 43 one and two bedroom flats for older people at social rent, designed to Housing our Aging Population: Panel for Innovation standards.

Residents of the new development will have access to a range of services including an estate manager service and 24-hour care team, as well as a lounge, guest room, and electric scooter store.

Each apartment will have a modern fitted kitchen, a stylish shower room and an emergency response alarm with assisted technologies.

David said: “Lime Tree Court is an excellent example of partnership working and we have been deeply

Partners celebrate Limetree Court with a commemorative lime tree. committed to supporting this landmark development, which provides an extensive support structure tailored to the needs of people in the community.

“We are delighted that we will pro-

vide housing solutions to older people in Hackney with care needs that can be met by 24-hour support.”

The first residents are expected to move into the Lime Tree Court extra care development in May.

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Care home’s first phase completed PHASE one of a residential and dementia care environment in Bedford has been completed.

Bedford Citizens Housing Association’s Charter House project, which now has CQC approval, consists of a 72-bed new build residential and dementia care home to replace an outdated 64-bed facility, which is due for re-development into 42 extra care apartments later this year.

The new care home features an additional 1,000sqm of space to accommodate the latest in leisure facilities for residents which include a restaurant, gym, cinema, and spa and beauty facilities.

The development was no mean feat for care home development company NorthStar, who had to overcome a logistical issue of considering how an Army cadet building, placed in the middle of the proposed development site, could fit into the design plans for the new care home.

Director Ian Holmes said: “We didn’t take the easy route and build around the old Army cadet building.

Preferring to take a pragmatic view of the project, we worked with the Estates Department at East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association and provided them with a new development in a better position with several classrooms, up-to-date facilities, a hall and new parade

DC Care has completed the sale of a former care home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The property was owned privately by a family and has been sold to an experienced operator who has plans to re-open the home in the near future.

Former home set to be converted Dick Wilkinson, chair of trustees at Bedford Citizens Housing Association, Vanessa Connolly, CEO of Bedford Citizens Housing Association, The Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis, and Ian Holmes, director at NorthStar, marking the official opening of the Charter House Project. ground.”

The new cadet building was officially opened by The Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis, along with representatives from East Anglia Reserve Forces & Cadets Association.

SPECIALIST property adviser Christie + Co has sold the former Croft Nursing Home in Wallington, Surrey in excess of the asking price.

The substantial 22-bedroom property has been purchased by Redbrick Wealth, an international property investment firm, who made an offer within an hour of viewing .

The property comprises two attached dwellings with a link building and was run as a care home until last October. The new owner has purchased the premises with a view of converting it into residential apartments.

William Langton of Christie + Co’s London office handled the sale. He said: “The Croft generated tremendous interest and we are delighted to have ensured a smooth and quick transaction for our client.

“We arranged two open viewing days which were both very well attended, reflecting the high level of interest in the care sector. Our recent Business Outlook report revealed that average care property prices increased by 9.8 per cent during 2014, with demand particularly strong in the hotspots of London and the south-east.”

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Insure your reputation, not just your home ...

By David Waters ALL care home owners know that a comprehensive insurance policy is indispensable to protect their care homes, their staff and their residents.

Fewer, perhaps, would consider insurance as a means of protecting their reputation; a means of building and safeguarding a positive profile and providing protection from unwarranted or unfair attacks.

A care home owner and client recently contacted us after a local newspaper published false accusations in its online edition relating to an incident in which a resident sustained injuries.

The article was littered with misinformation and consequently the managing director of the care home approached CHIS to see if we had any recommendations.

Fortunately, the legal expenses section of our client’s CHIS insurance policy covers circumstances such as these, and we immediately put him in touch with a specialist PR company.

Liaising with the care home’s management team, the PR company drafted a document detailing the allegations in the article that were incorrect, before communicating them to the newspaper’s editor.

These included the assertion that the care home had not followed correct procedures, despite the local

The Anchor team and Castleoak are joined by local residents Celia and Ian Evans. From the left: Paul Watkins, construction manager; Howard Nankivell, Anchor sales and marketing director; Simon Greenstreet, Castleoak customer partnerships director; Jon Schofield, Anchor head of construction.

David Waters council clearing it of any wrong doing. Just 24 hours later the newspaper published a written apology and correction, much to the care home owner’s relief.

The PR company cost just over £1,000, which was fully covered by the client’s insurance policy. This case highlights the benefits of choosing an insurance broker that thinks laterally and creatively and having a high quality insurance cover in place.

Insurance is much more than just a number game. In this litigious society where care homes often find themselves under the glare of the media spotlight, it’s worth remembering the role that good insurance can play in preserving your reputation.

David Waters is MD of CHIS.

Castleoak on schedule with topping out ceremony WEYBRIDGE residents joined Anchor and construction partner Castleoak to celebrate the care group’s new £12.4m residential retirement development becoming watertight.

With the design and build programme at Austin Place on schedule for the 65 one-and two-bed luxury independent living apartments, the property will handover in October.

Anchor’s director of sales and marketing, Howard Nankivell, said: “This is a proud moment for Anchor as the development is now really starting to take shape. People will be able to make the most of living in a spectacular setting with the peace of mind that there are a range of housing and

support options available to them.

“Austin Place is Anchor’s latest example of how we find solutions to our customers’ aspirations and changing needs; our developments offer a supportive and secure environment for the over 55s without compromising their independence.”

Anchor’s Austin Place will have a wealth of on-site facilities, including a hair and beauty salon, treatment room, coffee shop, lounge, reading room, tranquil rooftop retreat and beautiful landscaped gardens. The retirement properties are being offered exclusively for sale through Hamptons International Estate Agents.

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Barchester holds key to future care at Tennyson Wharf BARCHESTER Healthcare has received the keys to Tennyson Wharf Care Home in Burton Waters, enhancing the independent care home provider’s portfolio.

Debra Owen, general manager at Tennyson Wharf, was delighted to accept the keys to the latest 60-bed property from Frank Butler, finishing manager at specialist care home construction company Castleoak.

Tennyson Wharf, commissioned from Castleoak by Barchester Healthcare and Cinnamon Care Capital, will meet the demand for high quality nursing and residential services, including dedicated dementia care in the local community.

During the build more than 50,000 bricks were laid and 11,962 plants, trees and shrubs were used to create the landscaped grounds.

Debra said: “We are delighted to partner again with Cinnamon, and Castleoak has done a fantastic job constructing a stunning care home opposite the Burton Waters marina.

Our expert interior design team has also added flair with bright furnishings and homely finishing touches.

“Our intention is to create a home that offers quality to our residents, where we can provide person-centred care to meet their individual needs. I look forward to welcoming our first residents this month.”

Jan Marshall with carer Joanne Fisher.

Cardiff firm off to a flyer A COMPANY providing home care to people in the Cardiff area has got off to a flying start, attracting clients and creating jobs for the area.

Just weeks after opening, Heritage Healthcare Cardiff has expanded into new premises, with better facilities to cope with demand for its services and enable the business to grow further. A number of clients are already taking advantage of the services and 13 staff have been recruited, with more expected to follow.

Jameela Rangoonwala, owner and

director, said: “We now have a fantastic team of carers in place and are delighted to be working with clients to support them to lead as full and independent life as possible.

“We are looking forward to working with many more people in the Cardiff area providing a high quality of care that makes a genuine difference to people’s lives and the new office space will help to facilitate this.”

Heritage Healthcare Cardiff works with clients in the city and surrounding towns and villages.

CHIS and PrimeCare establish new insurance market for care providers CARE Home Insurance Services and PrimeCare Insurance, the UK’s only dedicated insurance brokers for the care sector, have negotiated a replacement insurer for Hiscox following its withdrawal from the care insurance market.

New and existing CHIS and PrimeCare Insurance clients now have access to RSA plc, previously Royal Sun Alliance.

David Waters, CHIS and PrimeCare Insurance MD, said: “I am delighted that in these tough times, with a number of insurers withdrawing from the care sector, we have successfully secured extensive insurance cover for our clients with one of the UK’s

leading and most financially secure insurers.”

RSA plc is replicating the policy wording previously used on CHIS and PrimeCare Insurance’s Hiscox insurance policies.

This means care homes and domiciliary care providers insured through CHIS and PrimeCare Insurance will receive the same comprehensive levels of cover and service which they have enjoyed historically.

The claims service will be marketleading, with a prompt settlement facility for material damage claims and dedicated lawyers for liability claims.

Celebrating the outstanding rating are Vida Hall’s registered manager Bernadette Mossman, Andrew Jones MP and resident Carrie Holt.

Dementia home gains ‘outstanding’ rating A SPECIALIST dementia facility in Harrogate has become the first in the UK to be awarded ‘outstanding’ by the inspectorate.

Vida Hall achieved the highest possible rating, and is also the first care home in the region to achieve an ‘outstanding’ award under the CQC’s new, more rigorous inspection criteria, which was introduced last October.

Debbie Westhead, deputy chief inspector for adult social care in the North, said: “We found that Vida Hall was providing an outstanding service to the people it supported and to their families, and the team there should be extremely proud of the work they do.

“It is particularly pleasing to note the many positive comments from people and the systems and process in place to identify risk to people’s health and wellbeing.

“It is very clear that Vida Hall has adopted some ground-breaking initiatives.

“Staff act with utmost professionalism and management was dedicated to providing a safe, compassionate and high quality

service. It is for this and many other reasons why the service has received the highest rating we can give.”

Vida Hall is owned by Harrogatebased Vida Healthcare, which was set up in 2010 by father and son team Chris and James Rycroft with a view to developing a pioneering new care home for people living with dementia.

James said: “We set out to be a centre of excellence and to change perceptions about dementia care and that aim runs through everything.

“We are very proud of our amazing team who are very passionate about what they do and this CQC report is a fantastic endorsement of them and all their efforts.”

Vida Hall is the company’s first facility. The 70-bed home provides residential and day care for people living with dementia and opened in February 2013, creating 120 new jobs and having taken three years to plan, design and develop.

Plans for a new 125-bed second facility, also in Harrogate, were recently approved by planners and could see the first residents moving in late spring/summer 2016.

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Touchsafe Pro range to launch at Care Show AIDCALL is proud to announce the release of their newest innovation: The Touchsafe Pro. Building on the success of their Touchsafe range, The Touchsafe Pro is the product of over thirty-five years of industry-leading experience, an increased investment into research and development, and the invaluable feedback of our loyal customers. The Touchsafe Pro has been designed with the care home market in mind.

Its wireless configuration allows for

complete flexibility, facilitates individual resident requirements and provides cost savings into the future.

Powerful features will improve the speed of call responses and increase the depth of information available to both staff and management.

This will heighten team performance and support staff in providing the most effective care.

The Touchsafe Pro range will be launched at Care Show Bournemouth on March 25 and 26.

Reducing both patient falls and manual handling risks with one bed IN A double-blind peer reviewed article regarding falls prevention in healthcare organisations, Gibson C et al (2011) finds that patient falls are the most commonly reported safety incidents in hospitals, leading to injury in around 30 per cent of cases.

The conclusion of the article is that, in collaboration with: a falls prevention programme; sensor alarms; and training, low profiling beds are fundamentally important in reducing the £15million per year costs to the NHS of patient falls in healthcare.

Alpine HC has developed an entirely new bed

Ramblegard guarantees a fall preventative solution AS providers of fall prevention equipment, Ramblegard was founded in early 1996 introducing its flagship ‘Floorgard’ system, a simple and reliable product which has enjoyed widespread success for many years.

This was the foundation on which Ramblegard was built becoming a now established reputable player in the marketplace.

The continuous development of the Ramblegard range has embraced the benefits of many exciting new technologies.

Systems now offer complete wireless functionality and various sensor options including infra-red, pressure and proximity devices creating a

unique and complete range.

This has allowed Ramblegard to guarantee a fall preventative solution in your care environment.

Along with this comes the support of dedicated technicians and distribution centres throughout UK and Ireland, delivering solutions to your door the very next day setting Ramblegard apart in its field.

Ramblegard also have the ability to design and install bespoke solutions to your individual requirement. Our commitment to you is…”To assist carers stay a step ahead in monitoring patients, with the primary focus on prevention of falls.”

Enquiries: Please view our advert on page nine.

Simple solutions SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems.

The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition.

With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur.

Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple...

The WACMAT® will then be clean and odourfree, ready to perform time and time again.

Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone.

Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

Snug Positioning Pillows SNUG Positioning Pillows are uniquely shaped cushions designed to secure stable and comfortable body positioning in bed and armchair.

Intended to improve quality of life, Snug Positioning Pillows help to redistribute and minimise pressure on vulnerable body areas, helping to prevent sores and irritations.

Durable, comfortable, washable and flame retardant, Snug Positioning Pillows secure patients’ stability and improve carers’ accessibility for washing, changing, feeding and medicating.

Perfect for use in care homes, Snug Positioning Pillows facilitate patients’ alertness, self-awareness and perception of surroundings.

Alertness enhances interaction with carers and participation in rehabilitation, recreation and other activities for faster recoveries and better quality of life.

Snug Positioning Pillows help people with brain

injuries, apallic syndrome, dementia, visual impairment, hemiplegia, limited mobility, people at risk of pressure ulcers, elderly and terminally ill.

Available in several shapes that meet different patients’ needs, Snug Positioning Pillows improve standards of care and quality of life.

Enquiries: Call Win Health Ltd on 01835 864866 or visit www.win-health.com

Management buy-out ensures Knightsbridge is in safe hands

Claim VAT back on your home even if you are not VAT registered IT is true, care providers can reclaim VAT worth about £3,000 per bed for any residents who stayed in your home between 1993 and 2002 paid for by the local authority.

You don’t have to be VAT registered to make a claim. We can usually find the information required with minimal disruption to your business.

How is this possible? Well in 2002 a care provider called Kingscrest challenged the view held by HMRC and won. There is no cost to you unless we are successful.

Typical claims: 50 beds – £240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287 beds – £1.25m.

And the best part is that you get the money in your bank account before you pay us. Don’t forget the tax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.

for the healthcare market named the Opera® ProSafe.

The new Opera® ProSafe ranges from 180700mm meaning, in contrast with most profiling beds, it removes the need for separate low and standard beds.

Not only does the Opera® ProSafe reduce in height to become one of the lowest beds on the market, but it also extends up to a similar height as most standard beds, allowing for care without the increased risk of manual handling accidents.

Enquiries: Call Alpine HC on 01482 210021.

THE future of Bradford-based Knightsbridge Furniture is in safe hands following announcement of a buy-out by the company’s managing director Alan Towns and operations director Peter Denham.

Knightsbridge Furniture has been producing seating, tables and cabinets for the international contract arena for over 80 years, with specialist divisions now covering the healthcare, residential care, hospitality and corporate sectors.

The company continues to balance traditional craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing technology and a commitment to sustainability, and holds preferred supplier status with the NHS, the SHS, HSE Ireland and key providers of private and charitable healthcare.

Alan and Peter extend an invitation to all existing Knightsbridge customers as well as to potential new clients.

“We’d love to give you a personal tour of this fabulous – and historic – plant, so please do get in touch,” said Alan. “We’re all very proud of our workplace here, and are keen to demonstrate in

person how we can help you with your furniture choices.”

Enquiries: To arrange a visit call 01274 731442, e-mail Alan.Towns@knightsbridgefurniture.co.uk or visit www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

Beaucare launch new medical catalogue

Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.

OUR most comprehensive catalogue to date is packed full of all the everyday medical equipment and consumables a care home requires.

We have broadened our product offerings within a number of ranges, including introducing new nursing profiling beds, which were showcased at the Birmingham Care Show last year, and dementia care products to mention a few.

We guarantee a one stop shop policy, with orders placed by 5pm being delivered next day at no extra cost.

Beaucare® Medical Ltd, established since 1992, is the UK’s premier supplier of hygiene, medical supplies and equipment to individual care homes, care home groups, hospitals and NHS Trusts.

Enquiries: To obtain your copy call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

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Refurbishment to benefit residents

By Dominic Musgrave RESIDENTS at Claremont Care Home in Whitletts, Ayr, are enjoying a bright new facility thanks to a £500,000 refurbishment programme.

The home has been redecorated throughout as part of Bupa’s multimillion-pound commitment to providing better services for older people.

All bedrooms have been fully redecorated and the majority fitted out with new furniture.

The redevelopment has also seen the creation of 32 ‘premium’ rooms offering larger rooms or stunning garden views.

Elsewhere, new furnishings and flooring have been installed in the corridors, shared lounge and dining areas, while a number of bathrooms have been equipped with specialist baths.

Claremont – which is made up of four separate units – is equipped to look after people with nursing care requirements and also offers

Signs

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dementia and respite care, alongside providing support for residents diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The care home has also introduced dementia friendly destination points, to help residents living with the condition feel more at home.

These include a library, old fashioned kitchen, farm theme, country and western theme and old fashioned bar.

The new look was officially unveiled by the Provost of South Ayrshire, Councillor Helen Moonie.

She joined residents, families and local people at a ceremony to mark the completion of the work.

Carol Barr, home manager at Claremont, said: “We have a great team here and we’re all really pleased to be able to offer even better facilities and a smart new look for our residents.

“We’re grateful to Councillor Moonie for helping us to mark the big day – and we are grateful to families, friends and local people for attending the celebration.”

Safehands Holidays opens second hotel SAFEHANDS Holidays offer a fantastic choice of two hotels The New Mayfair Hotel, Blackpool or the newly opened Esplanade in Llandudno.

Both of our hotels are situated on the promenade at each resort and are fully accessible with specialist facilities. So if you need a holiday and require a bit of assistance, reassurance or want to have a break away with your family or carers then look no further.

The New Mayfair in Blackpool has been a popular destination for guests, old and new, their friends, families and carers for over four years. Its success has led to the expansion of Safehands Holidays, with an investment of £3.5million seeing the grand opening of the second hotel The Esplanade, Llandudno.

Boasting an enviable position on Llandudno’s elegant Victorian promenade, this listed property has been carefully renovated over the

past year and has now opened its doors to the public, offering holidays with a difference.

Fully accessible facilities in a hotel environment where you will be treated with dignity and equality by staff, who along with their own jobs within the hotel, are trained in care and first aid so you can rest assured that you are indeed in ‘Safehands’ Bedrooms in both hotels have modern level access shower facilities and many boast panoramic seaviews.

Many of the rooms also feature electric profiling beds, ceiling track hoists and shower chair commodes.

Twins, singles, adjoining suites and family rooms are available across three floors.

With both hotels offering nightly entertainment and holiday packages including bed, breakfast and evening meal you can relax and unwind in the ground floor restaurant and lounge while taking in the serene and tranquil sea views these resorts have to offer.

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