Caring UK April 2017 by Script Media

April 2017

no.246 • £4.75 incorporating

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Survey reveals record-high satisfaction

By Dominic Musgrave

THE UK’s largest and most authoritative survey of care home standards has revealed the highest level of resident satisfaction since it began in 2012. The survey, conducted by market research organisation Ipsos MORI, questioned over 18,000 residents across 988 homes and 33 providers, resulting in the highest-ever average overall performance rating of 880 out of 1,000. For the 2016 Your Care Rating survey its scope was expanded to include the views of residents’ family and friends, as well as the residents themselves. Almost 11,000 took part in the Family and Friends survey, across 650 homes, producing an average OPR of 828 out of 1,000. The Your Care Rating survey not only looks at the performance of individual care homes but, due to its reach, is able to identify how specific regions of the UK as a whole perform, giving them an average OPR as well. Scottish care homes were awarded the highest average OPR this year by their residents, with a score of 897 out of 1,000. For the first time since the survey started in 2012, the maximum score has been achieved. Two smaller homes (20 or fewer residents) in Kent – Marlborough House in Folkestone and Rectory

House in Harrietsham, managed by Embrace Group, scored full marks across all four categories: Staff and Care, Home Comforts, Choice and Having a Say and Quality of Life. De Lucy House in Diss, Norfolk managed by Greensleeves Homes Trust, was awarded the highest score in the Family and Friends’ survey with an OPR of 973. The Family and Friends survey this year shows that the area respondents were most happy about in relation to their loved ones was the quality of life, with an average score of 890. Douglas Quinn, chairman of Your Care Rating, said: “The care home sector is often perceived negatively, but over 29,000 respondents, including relatives and friends of residents, as well as the residents themselves, across the UK have given overwhelmingly positive responses in the Your Care Rating survey. Life for these care home residents is generally happy and fulfilling and what’s more, their family and friends think so too. “This year’s results have set a new standard for care homes taking part in the Your Care Rating survey, and since we launched in 2012 we have seen the standards driven higher and higher. We cannot, however, be complacent and must always strive to make care homes the best they can be for the residents and their loved ones.”

Celebrity judge Robert Rinder spoke to 150 guests who enjoyed a fundraising evening in the Wohl Synagogue at the Betty and Asher Loftus Centre. The evening was organised by Jewish Care’s Friends of Lady Sarah Cohen House Committee, raising £4,000 for the home in Friern Barnet. The well-known criminal barrister, who recently took part in Strictly Come Dancing, spoke enthusiastically about his support for the work that Jewish Care does supporting older people in the Jewish community.

Enter your home for free in our all-new accolades CARE homes across the country are being urged to come forward and shout about what they’re good at, with an all-new industry awards celebration. The Caring UK Awards were founded by Script Media, owners of Caring UK magazine, and are completely free to enter. The awards aim to provide something for every type of facility and care team. Categories include: Care Home of the Year, Activities Team of the Year, Commitment to Training and Development, Care Team of the Year, Dementia Care Team, Retirement Village of the Year, End of Life, Volunteer Team of the Year, Management Team of the

Year, Best Innovation in Care, Care Employer of the Year, Care Group of the Year, Catering Team of the Year and Quality in Housekeeping. The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to someone who has dedicated their working life to the industry, and who has, as a result, made a long-term outstanding contribution. The awards will be presented at the care industry’s biggest end of year party, on Friday December 8 at The National Railway Museum in York. If you’re part of a first class team, or your care home is the best at what it does this is your time to be recognised. n Full entry details on page 26.

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Residents open own gallery following successful classes By Dominic Musgrave A GROUP of residents at a Camden care home is displaying its handiwork following the official opening of the Ash Court Art Gallery after a series of classes led by the home’s activities co-ordinator, Samantha Kalarus. The residents’ love of painting was inspired by a single artist’s palette that arrived at the home as part of an enrichment pack created by Ladder to the Moon. The box was packed with art materials to help engage and encourage residents to try out different activities – and painting was so popular that Samantha started to lead a regular painting class for people living in the home. “We now have a regular art class, where I choose a subject matter – whether it be a still life, or a landscape from memory – and the residents can let their artistic skills run

Activities co-ordinator Samantha Kalarus in the Ash Court gallery. free,” said Samantha. “I think some of the residents have taken themselves by surprise, especially by how good their works look when it isframed and hung on the wall – it is a real boost to their confidence,

while helping us to create a welcoming environment for all of our residents, shaped by the people who live here.” The gallery currently occupies a space next to the main lounge on the home’s first floor and features around

30 framed paintings, but Samantha has ambitious plans to expand. She added: “We have got plenty of space within Ash Court to display more works, so as long as they keep painting, we’ll keep displaying them. “It is fantastic to see these older people embracing and developing new skills, and we’ve had some great compliments already, with requests to purchase some of the works by visitors and residents alike.” Those visiting friends or relatives in the home can view the gallery at any time, but local people are also welcome to go along and see the work. “We hold open days throughout the year when we’ll be showcasing all of our residents’ skills, but if anyone wants to come along before then, they would be most welcome,” said centre manager, Steven Anderson.

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Schoolchildren bury time capsule at luxury home

Nurse Plus a finalist in top awards

By Dominic Musgrave PUPILS from Hillocks Primary School in Sutton-in-Ashfield helped staff at a new luxury care home bury a time capsule deep in the footings of the site. They were asked by the home to collect artefacts for the time capsule which would give children of the future a glimpse of what life was like in 2017. Pupils from years five and six visited Kingfisher Court with teaching assistant Michelle Scott and governor Naomi Parker. They had spent weeks discussing and deciding what to bury, and they agreed on a copy of the day’s Chad newspaper, sweets, some personal notes from the children and a small amount of money. Also present at the ceremony was local councillor Steve Carroll, and the time capsule included a recent article about his involvement with the school. Kingfisher Court manager Paul Quirk unveiled a sundial which will mark the spot of the time capsule in homage to the largest sundial in Europe being located at Portland Square in the town. He said: “We are all really pleased that the children have taken such an interest in our time capsule.

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Pupils and teachers from Hillocks Primary School in Sutton-in-Ashfield with staff from Kingfisher Court. Photo credit Therese Cooklin “It’s been a great day and we would Kingfisher Court is due to open in all like to thank Hillocks Primary April and will provide luxury stateSchool for coming to our home of-the-art facilities for 66 older people and taking part in burying the time from the surrounding area, complete capsule. with café, cinema and landscaped “We are sure that it will be a great gardens. talking point for our residents, and we The home has been designed and hope that some of the same children built by LNT Care Developments and will return in 30 years to dig up the acquired and run by Oakdale Care capsule with their own families.” Group.

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NATIONAL home care and agency staffing provider Nurse Plus has been announced as a finalist in two categories of the prestigious Health Investor Awards 2017. The company, which operates 50 branches across the UK, will be up against other national healthcare providers in the categories of ‘Recruiter of the Year’ and ‘Social Care Domiciliary Provider.’ Managing director Pamela Bruce said: “Nurse Plus is always striving to go above and beyond in all areas of the care sector. Our domiciliary care has grown rapidly over the last five years and we recognise how important our employees are in delivering this service. “Being nominated for these awards celebrates the high level of care that our workforce provides and we’re thrilled to have been recognised for our hard work.” Nurse Plus will be judged for its excellence in the provision of recruitment services in the healthcare sector, in addition to the delivery of quality care in a patient’s own home. The awards will take place on June 1 at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

CARINGNEWS

Provider launches ‘Connect Project’ By Dominic Musgrave

Grangefield staff and residents celebrate the award.

Home is best in county

GRANGEFIELD Care Home in Earls Barton village has been named the best in Northamptonshire. The award is part of the Global Pharma Magazine’s 2017 Social Care Awards, which aims to recognise organisations with the highest levels of care, compassion and courage. A hundred organisations from around the world were shortlisted and, from these, 20 went on to win awards in categories such as palliative care, autism, disability, nutrition and elderly care. Being a global award, companies from various countries received recognition, including England, Australia, USA, Belgium, Bermuda and Ecuador. Grangefield Care Home is a small, 20 bedded care home for the elderly, which was one of those to receive an award. “We are over the moon to be included as a winner alongside such

prestigious companies from around the world,” said Grangefield Care Home owner Nikul Odedra. ”We may be small but we have a big heart. “We are different from other care homes in that we try and make each and every day special for our residents. We provide lots of exciting activities, regular events and outings and home made cakes – all served up by an amazing team of carers who genuinely go out of their way to make residents happy. “We also spend a considerable amount of time and effort seeking feedback from both our residents and their relatives, which we use to help improve our service.” Grangefield has it own in-house pub called the Residents Arms. The home treats its residents to regular complimentary hairdressing, chiropody and massage therapy. The home also hosts garden and vintage tea parties and fancy dress events.

NIGHTINGALE Hammerson has launched a new project to connect residents to the wider community. The care home provider has signed up to ‘Connect Project’, run by Six Point Foundation, which provides a wide range of opportunities for residents to sustain a connection with the wider Jewish community through live streamed events. This extends to providing the opportunity for residents to rekindle interest exploring current theatre programmes in the West End, as well as in-house filming and streaming of live events to a bigger audience, and access to education programmes and seminars. It is hoped this will contribute to combatting loneliness, allowing all residents to have access to the same events and activities and also involve families and friends in them. The new project will also give residents training and support in using computers, internet connection and access to a range of entertainment, such as music and e-book libraries. The launch event included a number of talks from key individuals from the project, and also a chance for residents to learn about the new technology. As a demonstration, the home streamed extracts of “La

“This project will make a huge difference to all of our residents, and allow them to connect with family, friends and things of interest to them through many different strands of communication.” Boheme” and “Much ado about Nothing” from the Royal Opera House. The programme allows people to view content from places such as JW3, Belsize Park Synagogue and several other music venues. Alastair Addison, head of activities at Nightingale Hammerson, said: “This project will make a huge difference to all of our residents, and allow them to connect with family, friends and things of interest to them through many different strands of communication.” “The project will offer many opportunities which residents may have missed out on in recent years, including being involved in cultural events and education seminars. This will mean so much to our residents and it highlights the significance of connectivity and technology in the world today.”

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Mungo is top dog as care home raises cash for disability charity By Dominic Musgrave

The Somerset Care Group has welcomed Jo Wren as its new executive director of development. This is a new board-level role to lead business growth and development of the group’s residential, learning disabilities, home care and training services. Jo is leading Somerset Care’s marketing and business development teams to share her extensive knowledge, as well as supporting the group’s ethos of delivering high quality, personalised care and support. Jo has worked at a senior level for a number of wellknown brands, including; Tesco, GlaxoSmithKline, Black and Decker, Imperial Brands and Gerber Refresco.

DISABILITY assistance dog Mungo was the canine guest of honour as a care home marked the end of a year’s fundraising for the charity that matched him with a New Forest woman. Residents and staff at Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge in Lymington have raised more than £600 for Canine Partners through events such as a garden party, quiz nights and raffles. At a cheque presentation at the home, they heard more about the work of the charity from volunteer Liz Downs and met Mungo and his partner Barbara Houston. Canine Partners provides specially trained assistance dogs for disabled people. The dogs can unload the washing machine, pick up dropped items, help someone get undressed, press buttons and fetch help in an emergency. Barbara said her life had been transformed since she was matched with black Labrador Mungo six years ago. “He’s an amazing companion and lifesaver who brings joy to my world,” she added. Liz explained how puppies undergo around two years’ training, learning tasks based on ‘touching, tugging and

With Mungo on his visit to Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge care home in Lymington is, from left: Canine Partners volunteer Liz Downs, Mungo’s partner Barbara Houston and, with the cheque for £612, home manager Janie Pearman. retrieving’ through play. Canine Partners currently has 366 She said: “Fully trained dogs don’t working partnerships across the UK. forget what they learn and, once they Each dog costs an average £20,000 are ready, we match them with a from selection as a puppy to person living with a disability based retirement at around 12 years of age. on their temperament, skills and The figure equates to £4.56 a day. character. Belmore Lodge activity organiser, “Every penny we receive in Jackie Fergusson, added: “It’s always donations helps towards our goal of our residents’ choice as to which making a real difference to people’s charities they want to support every lives. year. “We are very grateful for the funds “We were delighted to help Canine raised by the residents and staff here Partners as our main charity for at Belmore Lodge.” 2016.”

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Sarah Robinson, activity coordinator at Mandale House Care Home, Marcia Crossland, Hill Care customer relations manager, Daley Menzies, from Boots Opticians Stockton, Liz Jones, Hill Care customer relations officer, and Kirsty Walsh, activity coordinator at Ingleby Care Home.

Bag pack raises more than £700 for charity A CHARITY bag pack at a Teesside supermarket has raised over £700 for the Alzheimer’s Society. Staff from four care homes in Stockton and Hartlepool took to the tills at Tesco to help shoppers with their packing. The nurses, carers, activity coordinators and managers collected donations to help with the fight against dementia – with funds going towards research. The bag packers at the Durham Road store, in Stockton, came from four Hill Care Group homes, including:

n Ingleby Care Home, Ingleby Barwick. n Mandale House Care Home, Thornaby. n The Beeches Care Home, Newtown. n Queens Meadow Care Home, Hartlepool. Liz Jones, customer relations officer for Hill Care, said: “The day was amazing, with so many friendly, helpful people contributing to a great cause. We’re running a series of events across the Hill Care Group to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society – including cake sales and coffee mornings.”

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New survey results from Bidfood have revealed food and nutrition is one of the top factors family and friends consider when choosing a care home for loved ones. In light of this year’s recent Nutrition & Hydration Week, Samantha Elliott, nutritionist at Bidfood, explores why managers and decision makers need to take a holistic approach towards resident nutrition and the impact this can have on care home choice.

The whole package – why homes need to take a holistic view to nutrition ... IT goes without saying that food is fundamental to quality of life and, for older people in particular, can be critical to health and wellbeing. It also has great importance for those considering care home provision on someone else’s behalf. In fact, we surveyed families of care home residents, and found that 85 per cent felt that the food offered at a care home is important, with just under half (44 per cent) stating that a care home’s nutrition policy is a key part of their decisionmaking process. Our findings also demonstrated that the majority of people (70 per cent) would recommend a care home based on the implementation of its nutritional policy. However, good nutrition doesn’t start – or end – at the plate.

Food becomes physical We can all appreciate that mealtimes are key for care homes to deliver a positive nutritional impact. However, in order for homes to improve quality of life for residents as well as their own reputation, many are exploring the benefits of combining the right food with the right exercise. Appropriate exercise combined with the right nutritional food can lead to greater strength and stability, which helps to promote better quality of life. Nutrition and exercise is clearly an area of interest for families and friends of those in care homes. Our survey found that exercise and activity programmes are important to nearly two thirds of those that took part. NHS guidelines state that older adults should also undertake physical activity on at least two days a week. As well as building muscle strength, exercise can increase blood flow delivering oxygen, nutrients, glucose and water from balanced meals around the body. This shows how important a holistic approach to nutrition is. Full on empty food? Providing nutritious meals and avoiding ‘empty’ foods (those which are processed or have high sugar or salt content) while maintaining a gentle level of exercise for short sessions can contribute to greater physical and mental wellbeing.

Our appetites tend to reduce with age so for care homes, allowing residents to walk, lift light weights, and even dance or sing can help increase the desire to eat. Equally, having a diverse range of nutritional meals available, and offering smaller portion options with careful presentation may also help to boost appetites. What’s more, providing residents with the opportunity to eat outside of mealtimes, with midmorning and mid-afternoon snacks is a good way to ensure they are consuming enough food each day. Foodservice providers are always looking for new ways to support the care sector within budget guidelines. For example, at Bidfood, we have developed a wide range of reports to help our customers find the right products, including ‘Positive Steps’

– a report on healthier food products based on nutrition and health claims legislation, and the front of pack traffic light labelling criteria. Our Advice Centre team is available to help our customers with enquiries about special dietary requirements. By working closely with providers in the foodservice industry, care homes can cater to every need consistently, which in turn feeds into a positive reputation for the home or organisation. Ensuring loved ones are looked after in all areas can have a real impact on care home choice, quality of life for residents and the home’s reputation. It is acknowledged that providing the right food in a care home is the start to building health amongst the elderly. Care home managers should therefore be encouraged to play an active role in exercise provision and take a holistic approach to nutrition for it to benefit residents.

Uniforms specialists with over 30 years’ experience MELTEMI are specialists with over 30 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of uniforms for healthcare and administration. We provide a wide range of uniform options for Care Homes that not only create identity but also provide superior quality, comfort and thoughtfully designed features that protect your staff and provide outstanding performance across all roles. In addition to our healthcare garments we also offer a wide range of business suiting featuring a selection of co-ordinating, machine washable garments to keep your administration and management teams looking effortlessly smart. Meltemi offer a great selection of healthcare tunic designs and styles from stock and have just introduced an even greater choice as standard. We offer a sampling service so that you and your team can review the quality, colours and styles of garments and a comprehensive logo service to increase identity. We can also manufacture special sizes, accommodate any cultural and maternity requirements and offer a generous returns policy for exchange or refund. All healthcare garments can withstand industrial washing for infection control purposes and incorporate special features for

wearer comfort and flexibility such as our “Flexi Stretch” our comfort fabric with stretch and lightweight fabric options. All fabrics have been independently tested to ensure that they meet the rigours of the role whilst remaining comfortable and smart. For larger uniform projects we can offer a complete project management package including bespoke garment design, wearer trials, sizing sets, on-line ordering and bespoke stock holding agreements guaranteeing a fast delivery from our group-owned production facilities. Meltemi are full members of the Ethical Trading Initiative and have been audited to meet the demands of the NHS for ethical trading throughout our supply chain.

The one-click solution for labelling clothes ACROSS the UK busy care home staff spend over 6,000 hours a week rummaging through lost property and residents’ rooms to find mislaid clothing. That’s time that could be devoted to what your team does best, caring for your residents. Step forward Snappy Tags. Increasingly, care homes have seen the benefit of using Snappy Tags to label their residents’ clothing. Snappy Tags are discreet and resemble small buttons, making them comfortable and unobtrusive to the wearer. Names are permanently laser

etched into the tag, ensuring that they will never fade, even in multiple harsh industrial laundry conditions. Snappy Tags are simply snapped onto the garment seam or laundry label using the Snappy Tag applicator – and although they will not fall off in the laundry process, they can be easily removed using the applicator and reapplied to a new item of clothing. Snappy Tags is currently offering new customers a FREE applicator when you place an order for five or more packs of 50 Snappy Tags – an ideal opportunity to give it a try.

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Abacare calls for 200 carers A WELSH care provider is calling for kind and caring individuals from the country to put themselves forward for a care worker position. Abacare, which has offices in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Newtown, Bangor and Ystradgynlais, is looking to hire 200 new carers to provide care to its service users. Peter Angelides, CEO of the multi award-winning firm, said: “Our company has gone from strength to strength and we are now one of the biggest providers of care to the elderly and vulnerable within Wales. “Because demand for care is so high our team is always expanding and we’re regularly taking on new care workers to provide expert care across RCT, Newtown, Bangor, Ystradgynlais and the surrounding areas. “No experience is necessary, just a willingness to care and to learn. Our company induction includes first aid, dementia awareness, health and safety, food safety, infection control, handling medication and moving and handling service users. “There are lots of opportunities for internal advancement for all our team members who show commitment, reliability and true passion. We provide a great support network for all of our carers too. “Anyone who joins us can reach QCF level 2, 3 and 5 with our support and we’re urging anyone thinking of changing their job, or getting back into the work force again, to get in touch as soon as possible and not to miss out on this fantastic career opportunity.” Abacare provides all staff with full training and shadowing before they start, and they have additional, on the job support from the team 24/7. They are given free uniforms, access to a staff scooter scheme for those needing transport and a national staff discount scheme for all major brands as well as 28 days paid holiday, paid travel between calls and paid mileage.

Get off the laundry merry-go-round A RELIABLE and efficient laundry set-up is an integral part of any care home. Aside from ensuring the comfort of residents and keeping their families happy, effective washing and finishing of bedding, towels, and clothing is vital for achieving optimum levels of cleanliness and infection control. Traditionally, care homes have relied on in-house laundries, however a recent survey highlighted that

homes are facing increasing problems with on-site laundry processes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one in seven of those asked reported that their current set-up is simply ineffective, increasing the total cost of their operation and wasting valuable time. Having recognised this, a growing number of nursing and residential homes are turning to laundry services specialists such as Berendsen and outsourcing the job. Working with an experienced

laundry provider, such as Berendsen, means that care homes can benefit not only from latest technology and a constant, reliable supply of high quality linens, but also from expert knowledge and outstanding customer support. The process is simple and removes the complexities of having to wash a high volume of textiles, replacing that set-up with a straightforward and flexible collection and delivery system and a washing and finishing process

carried out to the highest standards, for one single, predictable cost, making budgeting easy. Outsourcing laundry frees up space in a care home, while saving money and time that can be reinvested elsewhere in the business where there is perhaps a greater need for it. It allows staff to focus attention on delivering exceptional care, safe in the knowledge that their linen needs will always be met.

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Care home residents take part in dementia research exhibited at FACT Liverpool By Dominic Musgrave RESIDENTS and their families from Green Heys Care Home, in Liverpool, have participated in a pioneering artistic research project that explores the impact that touch can have in promoting stimulation and emotional connection in dementia care. The findings were revealed to participants for the first time during a special exhibition launch at FACT (Foundation for Arts and Creative Technology) in the city recently. Green Heys, which is part of award-winning social care charity Community Integrated Care, supports 50 older people including those living with dementia. The home was invited by leading arts collective, Invisible Flock, to take part in the dementia research project, ‘Hold’. The six-month programme, which began in August 2016, has seen the artists and technology developers from Invisible Flock spend time with three Green Heys residents who live with dementia, as well as the important people in their lives – including family members and care staff. Through in-depth conversations and activity sessions they have explored the different everyday ways in which touch is personally

Staff at Green Heys Care Home. important to them. The insight from the research has led to the development of a 3D prototype – an augmented interactive photo album that has personal memorable photographs and videos digitally projected onto it.

It cleverly tracks where and how people touch the pages as well as their vital signs, such as pulse rates, revealing insightful details about the importance of photos and how we interact with them both physically and emotionally.

Following the reveal of the innovative prototype to participants, artists from Invisible Flock, along with Professor Nadia Berthouze from University College London, who supported the project, hosted an intimate Q&A session with the audience. They then accompanied guests on a guided tour through the exhibition. The project was funded by a Wellcome Trust Arts Award – a grant from the charitable foundation for projects that engage the public with biomedical science through the arts. With touch being one of the least understood human senses, it is hoped that this research will have exciting practical applications in the future. Deborah Higgins, service manager at Green Heys, said: “We were delighted to be invited to take part in this project and have the opportunity to explore innovative approaches to dementia care. “It’s really important for us at Green Heys to keep our relatives, and the community, connected with the people we support. “It’s been a really collaborative project and Invisible Flock did a fantastic job in created a really exciting photo album that we can completely personalise for the people we support.”

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Award nod for techsavvy care provider By Dominic Musgrave

Touchsafe Pro offers flexible and efficient 24/7 support AID CALL, a business unit of Legrand Assisted Living & Healthcare, has been leading the way in wireless nurse call technology in hospitals and care homes for over 40 years. Its Touchsafe Pro system operates over a dynamic self-healing mesh network which is quick and undisruptive to install as there’s no need for cables. Chris Donnelly, Aid Call national sales manager, said: “We specialise in the research, design and manufacture of technology enabled care solutions. “Our Touchsafe Pro system is a direct result of our continued investment in R&D based on feedback from our customers at the front line of care delivery. “Going wireless offers many benefits, not least greater freedom and flexibility to provide a more

personalised approach to care provision, offering patients greater independence and making them more comfortable in their environment.” The Aid Call Touchsafe Pro is a flexible, cost-efficient system which is designed to be adaptable to changing care environments. Its user-friendly touchscreen technology enables on screen data to be personalised and an automatic triage system means all calls are displayed in order of their priority. The benefits include improved response times whilst its integrated call logging system ensures all information is fully tracked and recorded. The silent call option also means patients don’t get disturbed with loud alarms.

ONE of the country’s most innovative care providers is celebrating after being recognised at the highest possible level with a nomination for a prestigious award. For the first time, Edinburghheadquartered Blackwood Housing and Care has been shortlisted as a finalist for the coveted UK Housing Awards 2017, in the inaugural Outstanding Approach to Promoting Digital Inclusion category. The nomination recognises Blackwood’s achievements over the past 12 months in enabling independent living through the use of cutting edge technology. Training on Blackwood’s integrated digital care system, CleverCogs, has opened up new horizons for some customers that have never been online before, and tailored sessions and dedicated support has helped customers overcome their anxieties and fears, enabling them to explore the digital world. Fanchea Kelly, chief executive at Blackwood, said: “It is wonderful for Blackwood to be shortlisted for this award, especially as this is the inaugural year for this category so this is a huge success for us. “Our recent business growth and the rollout out of our CleverCogs technology across Scotland are just a few examples of our digital achievements and we are delighted

Fanchea Kelly, chief executive at Blackwood. to see our efforts and hard work recognised in this way. “This is a huge year for us as the construction of our highly accessible Blackwood House development is now well underway in Dundee, so to kick it all off by being shortlisted for such a prestigious award is very exciting indeed.” The winner will be announced at and awards ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel in London on Wednesday, April 26.

Enabling care ... SEKOIA is a digital care planning platform for the care sector freeing up time for what is important – providing care. The solution consists of touch screens with customised apps that provide access to all the information needed, right where needed. The results are endless: n Enhanced care. n Fewer incidents. n Greater Job Satisfaction. Tailored to your needs Sekoia provides you with an overview of your daily tasks and lets you manage your day, Record Health Data, Share Information and Report Incidents, all with lightning speed at the touch of a button. We have more than 30 applications that we put together according to your requirements. To ease your workflow and to ensure care that is based on the

individual needs of each resident – Care Plans that are truly person – centred. 33% less time spent on administration Sekoia customers are making huge reductions to staff time spend on administrative task and more time spent with the resident. 50% fewer mistakes Most care homes reduce the number of incidents, by preventing loss of information at handover to colleagues or temporary staff. Digitally supported workflow enables a better care quality. 1,000,000 care tasks a month Sekoia is rolled out to more than 75 care homes which support over 10.000 users in their core tasks. Where we have 1,000,000 tasks completed every month.

www.sekoia-care.co.uk

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Range combines proven radio frequency technology with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi BUILT on 40 years’ experience in the care sector, Courtney Thorne developed the Altra range utilising smart-mobile technology to provide a wireless system that combines proven radio frequency technology with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The company is so confident that Altra offers the ultimate in wireless nurse-call capability and reliability that a three-year warranty comes as standard. In addition to call buttons and pull cords, Altra includes wireless pressure mats, floor sensors and the ‘Altra Wear’ pendant which is worn by residents giving complete freedom of movement by combining multiple sensors with a digital microphone to detect falls and send location information even if the resident is unable to raise the alarm. Suitable for all residential care environments, including those that accommodate people with dementia, with names of residents appearing on the touch screen, ensuring that even agency staff can identify residents by name and location. Response times and call duration reports aid management deliver greater efficiencies with accountability and evidencing. Smaller touch screens can be located in communal areas providing alerts with location without requiring staff to return to the office to consult

Discover the benefits of Care Control

the Altra Touch. Stylish call lights can be mounted outside rooms providing at-a-glance indication of calls made from the corridor. Designed in-house, using extensive research from care home staff and residents.

Altra uses the European 869.2MHz social alarms frequency reducing interference, with ‘listen before talk’ anti-collision to ensure absolute reliability and dedicated Wi-Fi network providing robust connectivity without using the care home’s network.

THE introduction of digital technologies in care and management can offer a great many benefits for care homes, something that CQC appear very happy to see happening. And Care Control users are discovering the benefits in terms of the quality recording of care, ease of completing assessments, and the management reporting functions. The comprehensive nature of the Care Control system, combined with the fact that it was developed by a care home for care homes is encouraging many homes to evaluate and implement Care Control. And users of Care Control are eagerly awaiting the next innovation. You can meet Care Control at the Caring UK conference on May 10 in Bournemouth.

Comprehensive Care Home Management

Meet Regulations and Standards

Visibility, Anytime, Anywhere

Control your Care Quality

Implementation and training made easy with e-learning from Care Control Student

www.carecontrol.co.uk

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New home gains support with names from all ages By Dominic Musgrave SOMERSET Care’s latest addition to its portfolio is set to open in the spring. Stockmoor Lodge will replace Milton House in Bridgwater, providing residential, nursing, specialist dementia support and day care. Despite already having its name, the new home was without names for the different areas in the home. Barbara Lee, manager of Stockmoor Lodge, opened up the naming to staff, residents, their relatives and local school children – offering competition prizes for the winners. The two areas on the ground floor will now be known as ‘Quantock View’, as named by a pupil in year six at Somerset Bridge Primary School. The other area on the ground floor was named ‘Sedgemoor’ by housekeeper Mary Woodward. On the first floor an area will be called ‘Willows’, which was also named by a pupil in year six from Somerset Bridge Primary School Also on the first floor will be ‘Sharon’s Way’, which was picked by member of staff Shirley Roberts,. The two areas on the second floor were suggested by two relatives. The first will be known as ‘Kingscliff’ suggested by the daughter of a

Barbara Lee with the two winning pupils from Somerset Bridge Primary School. resident at the home. The second the children involved with this competition. It’s not long now until area has been named ‘Carousel’ by the daughter of another resident at the move; excitement is certainly building for us all.” the home in dedication to Bridgwater Love2shop vouchers were given to Carnival. Barbara said: “The residents and the winning staff and relatives. The school was given WH Smith vouchers staff are delighted to have names for all areas of their new home. It for the individual children and for the was lovely to liaise with Somerset class to buy reading materials for its book corner. Bridge Primary School and to get

New manager is appointed at Ashlands

NEW Care has appointed Hayley Bebbington as registered manager of its soon-to-open care home, Ashlands Manor, Hayley in Ashton-onBebbington Mersey, Sale. In her new role Hayley takes responsibility for the state-ofthe-art 57-bed care facility on Ashlands, its 55 residents and 80-strong employee team. She has worked within the industry for many years, most recently as a divisional clinical lead nurse responsible for monitoring and improving the quality of care and nursing across a portfolio of more than 60 homes. Hayley said: “I am looking forward to being part of a company with an exciting future that has the same heart, passion and ideals as myself. “I plan to work with my team to establish Ashlands Manor as one of the best homes in the area with a reputation for outstanding provision in care for the elderly and a happy environment that offers peace of mind and the personal touch for loved ones and family members.”

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Residents call the shots in new charter

BALHOUSIE Care Group has launched a participation charter that commits to residents getting a bigger say than ever in the care they receive. The Balhousie Participation Charter, which was launched recently to the operator’s 24 care home managers, states that residents must be part of events in the facilities, be able to speak out about their care, be involved in writing policies, and have a say in recruiting staff. The charter is a culmination of Balhousie’s company-wide drive towards personalisation of care and increased participation across the group’s care homes, an initiative it calls ‘Together We’re Great’. The charter was created by Balhousie residents and staff and inspired by National Involvement Network and the Association for Real Change Scotland. Louise Barnett, director of operations at Balhousie Care Group, said: “Given the huge success of our Together We’re Great initiative, which has encouraged bridge-building among care home staff, head office support staff and residents, we felt that a Participation Charter was the next step.”

www.bluerockcare.com

Pioneering apprenticeship at Yeovil nursing home By Dominic Musgrave SPECIALIST dementia care provider Camelot Care has been working with Yeovil College to develop an innovative new apprenticeship pathway, with the first apprentice starting his training recently. Matthew Wright, 20, has begun working at Acacia Nursing Home as an apprentice activities co-ordinator, shadowing existing activities co-ordinator Danni Whitehouse, who will pass on her knowledge and act as a mentor. He said: “It is really important for the people with dementia who live at Acacia to have a choice of activities to keep them engaged. “I feel very lucky to have landed this new apprenticeship, which will let me earn a recognised qualification in a sector that is getting bigger all the time.” The pathway for the NVQ Level 2 qualification was put together by Honey Morris, training support officer at Yeovil College, and Clare Woodhead, operations manager for Camelot Care. Matthew will receive training in providing support for residents when they go on trips outside the home, and for care planning and identification of appropriate leisure

Apprentice Matthew Wright with activities co-ordinator Danni Whitehouse. activities. He will be employed and social care units as before, but at Acacia for a full working week, the new pathway focuses particularly with regular time out for formal on providing him with the skills and training sessions at Yeovil District knowledge to become a specialist Hospital, whose classroom training activities co-ordinator.” programmes are tailored to meet the “We believe it is very important for demands of his working environment. Camelot Care to be at the forefront His assessor will also visit him at in developing professionals to work Acacia on a regular basis to observe in our sector, especially since more him putting his practical skills into will be needed with each year that play in the home. passes to support the ever-increasing Clare added: “Our apprentice will number of people living with complete some of the same health dementia.”

Manor Art launches new ‘Back in the Day’ packs MANOR Art is a picture framing business established for some 25 years and built upon the creation, manufacture and installation of impactful wall art projects. The company operates extensively in the healthcare and hospitality sectors, working within leading brands including Marriott, Arora Hotels, Travelodge, Jury’s Inn, BUPA, Malmaison, HC-One, Anchor, Priory, and FSHC amongst others; managing projects from start to finish alongside interior design and fit-out partners. This manifests from an early understanding of any care home project, utilising Manor Art’s in-house design team and artists, to produce a first class product along with installation within contractor’s deadlines – something we pride ourselves on. Additionally, and having a strong heritage in driving ‘Pictures with Dementia in mind’, Manor Art has launched a new 146 page dementia picture brochure, along with an easy to order guide. The pictures are divided into categories, to allow both easy viewing and to assist when grouping pictures in order to theme the room or corridor pictures. Alongside the new dementia picture brochure, and as part of our ongoing commitment to use pictures as a positive aid in dementia care, we are also pleased to launch in this

Bringing practicality and style to the care sector edition of Caring UK the new vintage magazine packs. Called ‘Back in the Day’ the packs include six carefully chosen magazines from the 50’s/60’s/70’s and 80’s and are available to order in ladies interest, gentlemen’s interest and mixed interest packs of six. Available in singles for 1:1 carers at home, or in multiple orders for care home groups, the magazines having been extensively trialled offer a perfect way to positively engage and encourage and evoke reminiscence, nostalgia and happy memories.

Creating a sensory experience with your walls – Stunning Vinyl Wall Graphics and Murals, created and installed by Lustalux Lustalux Ltd, A2 & A3 Anchorage Business Park, Preston, PR2 2YL 01772 726622 www.lustalux.co.uk/vinyl-graphics

WITH over 15 years’ care sector design experience in their team, Mood Interiors’ specialises in creating interior spaces for the health and care sector. The team at Mood Interiors had been developing and designing bespoke homes in the care sector for over 15 years. Through their unique experiences, the duo Preet & Bal launched a boutique interior design firm primarily, into the specialist sectors, which enables both design and functionality to harmonise within the healthcare environment. At Mood Interiors’ the knowledge of the specialist sector, vision of Interior spaces and passion for design allows ease of communication, between clients and the Mood team. They have a portfolio of projects to demonstrate, the high-end, quality schemes already

executed and delivered within various care settings. Residential care, extra care, supported living and specific needs including autism, dementia and disability, Mood Interiors is devoted to bringing a fresh, inviting and homely feel to the care sector. This team is focused on challenging the institutional norms of yesterday through luxury durable fabrics, furniture and accessories all suitable for the care environment. Mood Interiors’ understanding of the needs of those in care is built from invaluable experience. Whether it is Autism or complex needs, they strongly believe that introducing design schemes with specific colours, textures and products can help enable people and deliver on positive outcomes.

Shackletons’ national sales manager Jason Bloom spent a day with Jen Bernard, managing director of Bernard Interiors, to discuss designing for the elderly and people with dementia within care home interiors, and discover why visual brand identity is so important.

The importance of brand identity for care homes Q: You’re experts at creating the visual brand identity for care homes, but why is identity so important? Designing the identity is not just about aesthetics, it’s the whole package for residents and staff, influencing how they live and work. For residents it’s about the location and their life experiences, making the environment a happy, comfortable and fulfilling part of their life journey. So for example we’re considering how residents experience eating, socialising, resting, activities, moving around. For staff it’s about providing an environment in which they can provide great care safely, and which is designed to streamline routine tasks.

So care homes are more open and welcoming, there are more activities and events, they are more vibrant and residents have their own lifestyles.

Q: What process do you take your clients through to achieve the right identity? The best projects are when we are included in the development team with the client and architect from the outset. This means together we can tune in to the client’s vision from the start, and the whole team has an opportunity to build strong relationships. This enables better ongoing communication and ultimately achieves exceptional end results. We look at the target market and current care provision in the area to position the development to maximise results from a business perspective. We look at local history and industries to see what potential residents would be familiar with and how this could be reflected in the design. Then it’s space planning and optimising natural light and views right through to discussing marketing of the completed development. Ideas evolve through the process. We take account of how residents and staff will use the space, and all

Q: How can good interior design support the function of a care home? We talk to operational staff about their needs and what would make their jobs easier. It’s often to do with space planning which is where projects including the interior designer from the outset can be more successful than those which ‘bolt on’ interior design after the build. Also investing in relevant, durable materials which will stand the test of time. For example wide width vinyl wall coverings reduce the need for painting maintenance, are wipeable to help with infection control and often come with a seven to 10-year guarantee.

Q: People want to feel they’re in a home from home, how can design provide that comfort? It’s about light, finishes, texture, colour, familiarity and scale. As soon as someone walks into a care home they should feel at ease, warm and relaxed . The external landscaping is important too, so views into the garden where you might see vegetable patches as well as more formal planting are reminiscent of home.

Bernard Interiors’ managing director Jen Bernard. For example a residents’ lounge the time we keep in mind that the may now become a hub area which development will be home to many allows for more varied activities and people at the end of their lives. That’s has more of a ‘hotel’ feel. a very special motivation. Q: How important has interior design become for care homes? It’s essential, standards are rising across the industry all the time. Care provision is a growing market especially for dementia care and here the right, high quality design can help people to continue to enjoy their lives in a homely and safe environment. Dementia research is providing new insights into effective care and design which we include in all of our interiors. We are now revisiting projects completed several years ago to redesign for needs, it’s a process of continual investment and improvement.

Q: Why has designing for care homes become a different proposition from what it used to be? People generally have higher expectations of care, their environment and service. So they’re looking for more comfort and luxury, more recognised care standards, better presentation overall. There’s more specialist dementia care too with its particular design demands. People are more sociable in different ways. Elderly people use wi-fi, they are more active, they want to continue their interests as far as they can, including being part of their local communities.

Q: What design do’s and don’ts should care home owners consider when designing interiors for elderly care? Don’t compromise on quality, don’t follow fashion fads, don’t think of interior design as a superficial thing to be done at the last minute. Do invest for longer-term benefits, and do make a professional interior designer part of your development team from day one.

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Dana O’Donnell, interior design manager at NHG, a healthcare supply provider to care homes and the healthcare industry, discusses the importance of outdoor areas in care homes and shares predictions for the future of care environment design.

Outdoor areas should not be overlooked IT goes without saying, interior design needs to be suitable for purpose and aesthetically pleasing, creating a place where people want to live and are safe – but even more so when it is for a care home environment. By future proofing designs, they will appeal to millennials and stand the test of time. Added to this, designers will opt for materials that are durable, long lasting and aesthetically pleasing. When selecting furniture choose options that provide a variety of comfortable seat heights to suit all mobility groups and ages and allow flexibility in the furniture layout for a variety of activities. You should also use contrasting upholstery fabrics with surrounding materials to help residents navigate around rooms with ease. It’s important to provide easy to read signage and use dark colours against light colours to make sure there is a minimum contrast of 30 degrees light reflectance between two surfaces. If used correctly, colours have significant positive impacts for care patients, as they can create pathways and guide patients around environments allowing them to identify specific rooms such as bathrooms and communal areas.

Added to this, practical considerations should not be ignored, particularly when it comes to flooring. A good quality carpet is essential in care environments and must have impervious backing, and if vinyl floors are required they must be adequately anti-slip rated. Flooring should also be strong, safe and hardwearing and able to withstand pressures from trollies and zimmer frames. While investing in high quality flooring, furniture and upholsteries will often scare care home owners and managers, they will see a higher return on investment in the long term. Predictions for the future The average life expectancy is increasing at a rapid rate, as in 2012 it was 82 and it has since risen to 95 as reported by Public Health England last year. This increase will see dementia and Alzheimer’s becoming more common, presenting a higher need for dementia considerations in care design. Care homes need to adapt with the times and offer the high standards of living that people are accustomed to, and interior design is moving away from the traditional, conservative look and is approaching the standards of hospitality.

Dana O’Donnell The recent introductions of ‘care villages’ are a step in the right direction. Care villages are introducing contemporary designs for residents and families by creating a luxurious, community feel. The environments are well equipped and serviced to provide the care needed as people age, but also enable residents to age well. Need for outdoor and activity space However, while the introduction of care villages are providing positivity for the industry, outdoor areas still need vast improvements. Care home owners should provide more activity rooms such as a hairdressers or shops as destinations,

to give residents the feeling of going out without leaving the security of the building. While many care homes have gardens, only a select few have safe, secure outdoor environments for their residents to enjoy fresh air and sun light. Common views of care home residents staying in bed or in the same seat for days on end have given the care industry a bad name. A focus on outdoor design will offer a fresh perspective, and the benefits of being outdoors have been scientifically proven. Studies have found that being outdoors can improve shortterm memory, restore mental energy, relieve stress and reduce risks of early death. But a key barrier for care home owners and managers is the additional costs the creation and development of an outdoor area would incur. However, the initial up-front investment would lead to a significant return almost straight away. For inspiration, I’d recommend turning to Hogeweyk – a care village in Holland. The owners created a village to suit residents’ different lifestyles to give them a sense of community, familiarity, independence and access to safe, comfortable outdoor areas.

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Former manager is promoted to regional director position By Dominic Musgrave A FORMER care home manager from Glasgow who started out as a part time nurse for a care service provider is celebrating after being promoted – to regional director. Lyn McConville, who began working night shifts two days a week at Bupa’s Darnley Court, has revealed how this can lead to a successful career path in the industry – using her own career as evidence. Now a regional director, Lyn is responsible for a team of managers across nine homes, ensuring each one delivers the highest possible standard of customer care for residents and their relatives. After taking time out of work to raise her family, Lyn joined Darnley Court in 1993, and her commitment to ensuring residents had the best quality of life was quickly recognised. This continuous dedication to the residents and determination to go above and beyond to provide the highest level of care possible soon led to her being offered the job of unit manager. From there, she climbed the career ladder, working in a variety of roles across a number of Bupa care homes, including as clinical services manager and manager at Quayside care home in Yoker, before being promoted to

Lyn McConville her current position at the end of last year. Lyn said: “Having been a full time mum for five years, I began my career with Bupa in 1993 and the support I’ve been given since in terms of development has been fantastic. “Progressing to the position of regional director has been very gratifying. I feel honoured that Bupa believe I am capable of doing this job and I think that starting out as a Staff Nurse has given me a valuable insight into how important that role is.

“I really enjoyed my time as a staff nurse and being able to care for and build relationships with the residents was an incredibly rewarding first job. The rapport and connection between them and our staff is definitely one of the perks of the job and there is a real sense of community within Bupa. “I feel very privileged to be able to work with elderly people, to be part of their journey and to help make their life the best it can be for themselves and their loved ones. It can be a tough and challenging career, but the laughs we have on a daily basis make up for the times that can be difficult.” Lyn thinks working for care homes in the private sector can lead to a very rewarding career and would encourage others to follow in her footsteps. She added: “I can honestly say that one of the main reasons I am where I am today is because of the incredible progression opportunities and constant encouragement that Bupa offers. “I never thought that I would go from being a part time night shift Staff Nurse to managing nine care homes and playing a key role in keeping them running at a very high level, but it just goes to show that with the right help and support, this type of career success is entirely possible.”

Director’s role for Malcolm HALLMARK Care Homes has appointed Malcolm Ross as a nonexecutive director. Malcolm, who has 45 years’ operational experience working in the international, hospitality, entertainment and leisure sectors will both inspire and support the care provider to reach its overall goals. He plans to do so by supporting the group’s 15 facilities with their customer service and care provision, helping to create a culture that is essential for consistency, continuous improvement and sustained commercial success. Malcolm brings with him over 10 years’ experience working at Disney resorts, in both Paris and Orlando, where he was the vice president of resort operations. He said: “I have been greatly impressed by the culture and passion of the business and I have witnessed high-quality, relationship-centred care being given to our residents in the homes I have visited. I am both highly motivated and inspired to help deliver excellence across all of our homes and I know I have made the right decision in joining the Hallmark Care Homes family.”

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CQC prosecutes Liverpool home for care failings

The Heffle Court team that is tackling Mount Snowdon.

Care team take on April Fools’ Day challenge A TEAM from Heffle Court, a care home run by Caring Homes in East Sussex, will be reaching new heights as they climb Mount Snowdon. The team of six – home manager Debby Potter, deputy manager Steve Orwell, administrator Julie Wishman, nurse Tina Hewitt, head chef Sam Armstrong and assistant chef Stuart Potter – will be raising funds to support a colleague’s daughter who has been diagnosed with cancer after giving birth to her first baby. Debby said: “This originally came about because it was on Julie’s bucket list and it grew from there. We decided to support her with the challenge and hopefully make money for a good cause in the process.” Heffle Court in Heathfield is a purpose-built home providing

specialist care for up to 39 elderly residents living with a form of dementia. The home offers a range of care, from residential to nursing care, depending upon the individual needs of each resident. “We are getting all our gear together for the Snowdon challenge such as walking boots and waterproof coats,” added Debby. “Some of us have already started training by walking across the South Downs – others have been thinking about it. Steve is an experienced mountain climber so will be showing us the way.” Mount Snowdon is one of the three highest peaks in the UK at 3,560ft and the Heffle Court team will make the trip for the challenge to get underway at 9am on April 1.

Residents have a hoot ...

RESIDENTS at Wealstone, the Croftwood Care-run residential home in Chester, had a hoot when they were visited by two very special feathered friends: Twiggy the tawny owl and Spike the barn owl. During the visit residents were given the chance to hold and stroke the pair, both three years old, while their handler, Pamela Graham from Owl Friends, taught the residents all about the owls, their personalities and her experiences while handrearing them. Joy White, home manager, said: “We have plenty of fun and

interesting activities going on at Wealstone, and always try to make sure there is something for everyone. Watching the residents get up close and personal with these beautiful and magnificent birds was just brilliant. “Not many people get the chance to hold an owl, and having the opportunity clearly brought a great deal of joy to everyone who joined in. “The residents were left with smiles on their faces and were talking about Twiggy and Spike for days after the visit.”

A CARE provider that failed in its duty to provide safe care and treatment has been ordered to pay £82,429.72 in fines and costs by Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. The Care Quality Commission brought the prosecution against the owners of Mossley Manor Care Home, following 14 offences including failing to provide safe care and treatment resulting in residents being exposed to significant risk of avoidable harm, failure to notify the CQC of the deaths of ten residents, and failure to notify CQC of three serious incidents. The registered providers, brothers Amjad Latif and Amer Latif, of Liverpool, pleaded guilty to all offences. Jenny Ashworth, prosecuting, told the court as a result of concerns from the family of a prospective resident, the CQC inspected Mossley Manor Care Home during May and June 2015 and were appalled at what they found. Inspectors found some residents who were unkempt, smelling strongly of urine or body odour; some had not received a bath or shower in the previous three weeks. Bedrooms were not being cleaned regularly and some contained mouldy and congealed tea and coffee cups. Carpets were dirty and dusty. Communal toilets did not contain soap, hand towels or bins. When there was no hot water staff had to boil pans of water in the kitchen to wash residents. Initially CQC gave the Latif brothers 24 hours to submit an action plan to make urgent improvements. When inspectors visited again a few days later to check if this was being implemented there were still serious concerns. CQC applied to Liverpool Magistrates to urgently cancel the provider’s registration and close Mossley Manor. The court was told that the care home had failed to control risks of serious injury. There was no proper system in place for assessing the risks to the health and safety of individual people. One woman who

was blind and had a history of falls was found injured on the floor of her room on three occasions but the provider failed to take action to stop it happening again. A 77-year-old man who was at risk of choking was twice taken to hospital – but there was conflicting advice for staff on how they should support him to eat and drink safely. Amjad and Amer were fined £60,000 for failing to provide safe care and treatment and £20,800, for the 13 offences of failing to notify CQC. They were also ordered to pay the prosecution costs of £1509.72 and a £120 victim surcharge. Debbie Westhead, CQC’s deputy chief inspector for adult social care, said: “People who use adult social care services such as care homes should expect to be kept safe from harm and treated with dignity. Our inspectors found the services provided at Mossley Manor Care Home, Liverpool fell well short of what people should expect, exposing some of the most vulnerable people in our society to unimaginable indignities. “Under the care of brothers Amjad Latif and Amer Latif, people using this service were not protected from this neglect and we were forced to urgently cancel the registration and close Mossley Manor Care Home. We worked closely with Liverpool City Council at the time so that people living at the home could find alternative accommodation. “It was for these reasons and more that we used regulatory powers to prosecute them for a failure to provide safe care and treatment resulting in a significant risk of exposure to avoidable harm. We also prosecuted them for failure to notify CQC of the deaths of ten people using their services and three serious incidents. “We are pleased to hear that the seriousness of their crimes has been recognised by Liverpool Magistrates Court and they have been ordered to pay £82,429.72 in fines and costs.”

Luxury home being developed thanks to funding from Bank

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Home set to transfer into new ownership

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Work begins on extra care housing scheme

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Company expands with home purchase A NORTH Yorkshire-based care company is defying the gloom surrounding the care home market and expanding through the purchase of a nursing home. At a time when insolvencies amongst care businesses is on the rise, St Cecilia’s Care Services in Scarborough has completed the purchase of the 44-bed Queen Margaret’s Nursing Home in the town and plans to invest in its future. The award-winning and familyowned company already owns the St Cecilia’s care home and the Eastfield House day care centre in Scarborough and is excited at the new addition. Owner Mike Padgham said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome the former Queen Margaret’s Nursing Home into the St Cecilia’s family and really excited about its future. “It has lovely residents, excellent management and staff and is a very prominent, landmark building in Scarborough.”

Since 2010, 380 care home businesses have gone under and between 2015 and 2016, the number of nursing homes fell from 4,697 to 4,633 - the first decline in five years. But Mike added: “The news on care homes is currently gloomy, but we believe that demand for nursing home care remains strong. People are living longer and their care needs are growing and becoming more complex. “This addition to our company helps us to grow, enjoy the benefits of economies of scale and strengthen our operation for the future. “We have dedicated more than 25 years to providing the best level of care that we can and look forward to extending that commitment to the nursing home, its residents, their families and to the staff team.” The purchase was completed with the support of NatWest senior relationship manager Phillipa Bagshaw.

St Cecilia’s Care Services owner Mike Padgham (second from the right) with staff.

Relationship director of Clydesdale & Yorkshire Bank Gavin Dean with Cinnamon Care Capital commercial director Stuart Norris, Clydesdale & Yorkshire Bank head of healthcare Derek Breingan and MD of Cinnamon Care Capital Declan Walsh.

Luxury home being developed thanks to funding from Bank A NEW, purpose-built care home has been developed in Birstall on the outskirts of Leicester after receiving a multi-million pound funding package from Clydesdale Bank’s specialist and acquisition finance team. The home, Cedar Mews, offers 73 beds over three storeys and enjoys views over the surrounding Leicestershire countryside. The state-of-the-art facility includes a cinema, spacious residents’ lounges and large bedrooms, all with en-suite wet rooms. There is an emphasis on providing fine dining and a range of activities

for all residents, as well as the highest standards of health and dementia care. The development employs around 100 members of staff. Declan Walsh, managing director, Cinnamon Care Group, said: “We are pleased to have secured funding for Cedar Mews, Cinnamon Care Collection’s latest care home in Birstall, Leicester. “We have developed a strong relationship with Clydesdale Bank, this being our fifth care home funded by them, which we look forward to continuing as we grow our business.”

Home set to transfer into new ownership A CARDIFF nursing home that employs 90 staff, caring for 60 elderly residents is to be bought by Linc Cymru as part of its plans to expand the portfolio of social care and affordable housing schemes it owns and manages across south Wales. Ty Coch in Llanishen has been run as a successful nursing home for more than 20 years and is a member of both the Registered Nursing Home Association and Care Forum Wales. Staff working at the home will become employees of Linc, while residents and their families will see no interruption in the services provided at Ty Coch. CSSIW, the regulatory body for social care in Wales, will oversee the transfer of Ty Coch across to Linc in a process that is expected to take between two and three months. During that period, Linc’s management will work closely with the owners to ensure a smooth transition for residents and staff to continue its tradition of delivering high quality care in a friendly, community-focused environment. Anne Thomas, executive director of Linc Care, said: “We have been in discussion with the owners of Ty Coch nursing home in Llanishen for a number of months and are in the process of finalising the purchase of the home as a going concern. “This is great news for the residents and staff at Ty Coch who will

continue to live and work at the home, with the staff becoming the newest members of the Linc team, now numbering more than 500 employees across Wales.” Welsh care homes are set to come under greater scrutiny when the new Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Bill comes into force in 2017, with the introduction of a “fit and proper person” test for service providers as well individuals responsible for managing care services. Under the new regulations, providers will be registered in a particular service area, such as residential or domiciliary care and produce an annual report on their performance for the CSSIW. Future inspections will follow existing standards but also include an assessment of service users’ wellbeing. Anne added: “Ty Coch will make a welcome addition to our portfolio and demonstrates Linc’s commitment to continued investment in delivering high quality residential and social care schemes, at a time when the sector as a whole is under severe pressure. With the shortage of hospital beds locally, it is essential that homes like Ty Coch continue to thrive and provide caring environments that not only meet the needs of local families but also take some of the burden off the NHS.”

Clarendon Mews care home.

DC Care sells Leicester care home

SPECIALIST business transfer agent DC Care has completed the sale of Clarendon Mews Care Limited, which includes Clarendon Mews care home, in the centre of Leicester for an undisclosed sum. Ideally placed, close to the main city hospital, this purpose built care home is registered for 45 clients over the age of 65. The home has a ‘Good’ CQC rating and was part of a family owned group, prior to being moved to its own limited company for the purpose

of sale. Alison Willoughby, DC Care regional director, oversaw the sale, and stressed the importance of building a good team of advisors She said: “In every transaction it’s vital that the right team is built around the client. A solicitor who understands the particular nuances of healthcare, advisors who can certify financial information and an agent that acts as a conduit for everyone all help to ensure a sale stands the very best chance of success.”

How you can make the most of your apprenticeship levy in the care sector HART Learning & Development is helping organisations in the care sector to understand the implications of the apprenticeship levy and how it can be used to grow and develop the workforce. If you’re a business with a payroll bill of £3m or more, you will pay 0.5 per cent of that bill as a levy from May – which can either be spent on training and developing staff through apprenticeships or lost as a tax. Lucy Hann, managing director of Hart L&D, said: “The apprenticeship levy is designed to pay for the cost of training apprentices, and it’s making health and care businesses think again about how they engage with apprenticeships. “Apprenticeships can be used for bringing in young people and training them up, training existing staff or to fill skills shortages. “We all see the news week in week out where the care sector is highlighted as being “strapped for cash” and even under-performing in terms of skills of the workforce, so this is a wonderful opportunity to use this money for positive steps forward.” If you think your organisation will pay the levy, here are the top five things Hart L&D suggests that care businesses should do to prepare for it:

Lucy Hann 1. Think of the levy as a new workforce development budget If you’re a levy paying business, you are about to have a sizeable workforce development budget to play with. Government is loosening eligibility rules so you will be able to use your levy funds to pay for more or less any apprenticeship for anyone.

There’s a wide range of health and social care apprenticeships now. Employees, new and existing, young and old, can be apprentices. So if your care business has training needs that you have been wishing you could afford to tackle, this is your opportunity. And actually, if you want to spend more than your levy, or if you’re too small to pay the levy, the subsidies available could still make staff development more affordable.

You can also negotiate on price under a maximum cap set by Government.

2. Commit to engaging with young people Thinking about what you can do and in what those of us at Hart L&D call the ‘engaging phase’ – and committing to work with young people in your local community – will help you play your part in the creation of a vibrant talent pipeline for your business and the care sector more widely.

5. Plan and pilot apprenticeship programmes If you’re going to make the most of the new rules, now is the time to be getting really into the details of your plans. You need to consider where your training needs – met or unmet – are and how apprenticeships can fill them, your attraction strategies and career paths to see how you can bring in the best people and keep them. You also need to factor in the impact of your training budgets into your financial planning. Piloting apprenticeship programmes is a good way of knowing what works before launching in a big way. Doing these things now will mean that when May rolls around, you will be well prepared.

3. Choose a training provider You will be able to use Government’s Online Apprenticeship Service to choose a supplier – who has met certain quality checks – to train your apprentices. You can choose to work with different suppliers for different specialisms, or let one partner handle everything.

4. Think about where to advertise apprenticeships to get the best applicants You will need to think about where and how you can best run advertisements that will attract young people to your business; this might include targeted efforts to attract candidates from different communities and talent pools.

An artist’s impression of the Larkfield extra care housing scheme.

Work begins on extra care housing scheme THE Abbeyfield Kent Society has started work on its Maidstone extra care housing scheme, one of three planned projects in Kent, which combined, will provide care and housing for hundreds of older people. The Larkfield extra care housing scheme, which is scheduled for completion in 2018, will provide 74 one-and-two bed apartments for over 55s, all available on an affordable rent basis (with 20 reserved specifically for veterans). Work started at the end of September, with the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, Viscount De L’Isle, joining the Society and other guests at a celebratory event on site. As well as the Larkfield scheme, the Society, which celebrates its 50th year, also has plans for two further schemes in Tonbridge and Wateringbury. The first of these is in Tonbridge, where works are

due to start formally in the near future. As a second all affordable scheme, it will comprise a mix of 59 one and two bedroom apartments with 35 available for rent and 24 for sale through Older Peoples Shared Ownership. Leon Steer, chief executive of the Society, said: “Our charity has been providing accommodation and care for older people in Kent for 50 years and we aim to use our experience to continue meeting the changing needs of our older community for the next 50 years. “These projects will create three years of development work, an abundance of new permanent jobs, strengthening the economy and relieving the suffering of many vulnerable people, as well as supporting the NHS and housing market.”

SPONSORED BY

Centre of activity excellence awarded to Yorkshire home By Dominic Musgrave

STAFF at Rastrick Hall & Grange in Brighouse have been awarded the highest activity accreditation by care group Orchard Care Homes. As part of a company focus to drive up standards of care across all homes, the award primarily recognises the valuable contribution that staff make to their homes. The group-wide initiative encourages homes to apply to be Centres of Excellence so they can lead by example and support other homes in their area through idea sharing and best example practice. Emma Townley and Sarah Bamforth, activity coordinators, were praised for their dynamic plan of activities in the home, and for their teamwork in creating a programme that reaches the broad interests and needs of the 70-plus residents. Joanne Davy, home manager, said: “This award is a great boost to the home and we are really pleased. “The staff have been working hard to create a good community life within the home, where each resident is valued and stimulated, and this a welcome recognition of that team effort.” To achieve the accolade of Centre of Activity Excellence, each home must achieve certain criteria, this includes: meaningful activities are delivered within the home and

Home manager Joanne Davy, activity coordinator Sarah Bamforth, director of customer experience Tracey Tomlinson, activity coordinator Emma Townley and staff member Janice Kirby. “We have been monitoring and they are person centred, all activity working with the staff at Rastrick recording is up to date, activity Hall & Grange for the past year, information boards are maintained, and the steps they have made to and the activity coordinator is enhance the lives of their residents managing a defined monthly has been huge.” budget. At least one Centre of Activity Tracey Tomlinson, director of Excellence will be established in customer experience at Orchard each cluster area of Orchard Care Care Homes, added: “We put a great Homes across the country. deal of importance on activities The designated centre will then within our homes as we want each resident to feel value and interaction act as a go-to point to give support and training to those homes in its in what should be their ‘home from vicinity. home’.

www.requiredsystems.com

Caister-on-Sea home is highly commended

CLAREMONT House and Lodge residential nursing home in Caisteron-Sea has received a Highly Commended accolade at the Norfolk Care Awards in the ‘Excellence in Delivering Dementia Care’ category. The awards showcase and give recognition to organisations and individuals who demonstrate excellence and are committed to providing quality care and support services across Norfolk. Claremont House and Lodge specialises in providing innovative ways of supporting those living with dementia. Care is tailored around each individual and the team go to great lengths to make each and every resident feel at home. A mock ‘pub’ has been created to allow residents to enjoy social occasions, and a hobbies shed has been built in the gardens to allow one of the residents to continue his love of carpentry and gardening. Managing director of the Healthcare Homes Group, Mike Osborne, said “We are very proud of our teams and their achievements. On behalf of the group, I would personally like to thank them for all the work they do. “As a group we strive to provide the best care possible to our residents and this can only be achieved with the support of strong, committed teams. “Achieving recognition amongst our peers is a wonderful reflection of the dedication and professionalism they demonstrate every day.”

Care boss named ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’

Independent research agency Smith & Henderson has announced the winners of its inaugural Best Employers in Care Awards, based on feedback from thousands of carers. Home Instead Senior Care received the Best Large Employer Award, Right at Home was recognised with the Best Mid-Size Employer Award (pictured), Bridgewater Home Care received the Best Local (Independent) Employer Award and Home Instead Senior Care Basingstoke received the Best Local (Franchise) Employer Award. Care workers were asked to complete a confidential survey about what it is like to work at their organisation, with questions covering leadership, training, communication, client focus and whether they would recommend their company as a great place to work.

New Required Systems document download manager AN online, cloud-based system giving you instant access to the most up-to-date procedures and forms required to evidence compliance with the new CQC Fundamental Standards for England. We provide all the policies, procedures, forms and audit tools you need to comply with legislation where you are based. Enquiries: Call 01236 782477, visit www.requiredsystems.com or email peter@requiredsystems.com

CARE home operator Harnoop Atkar has been named ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ in a national awards ceremony at the House of Commons. Harnoop, chief executive of Oakland Primecare, won the accolade at the 11th Asian Voice Political and Public Life Award. Oakland Primecare operates Woodland Grove care home in Loughton, Essex, and Hastings Court in Hastings, East Sussex. Harnoop, who lives with his family in Chigwell, said the award was an honour to receive. “I only realised I was a finalist when I got to the ceremony,” he added. “To win was a real honour and I’m thrilled to have this recognition.” The Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards are given annually to individuals who have made a difference to their local communities. The judges recognised Harnoop’s skills as an entrepreneur, having successfully led a deal raising £30m of investment to support Oakland Primecare’s next phase of growth, which will increase its number of beds from 152 to approximately 800. “My father, Sav Atkar, began his care business in the late 1980s and had always worked very hard to make it successful,” said Harnoop. “I grew up watching and being influenced by him and used to help my mum with the payroll and admin

as it was an opportunity for me to get involved. “However, when I got my degree I wanted to go somewhere completely different.” He gained a degree in chemical engineering in 2008 and entered the graduate training programme at Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria. Harnoop moved into the commercial arm of the company working on procurement and contract management before taking positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst and Young as a management consultant. “I had lots of ideas and I wanted to use my experience working in the City towards expanding the foundation my father had established,” he said. “My vision was to take the company further to become the market-leading care home group in the country. “The investment and belief we received from Synova Capital has helped towards us achieving that objective.” Woodland Grove care home in Loughton offers residential, nursing, respite and dementia care for up to 72 people, while Hastings Court provides personal, nursing and dementia care for up to 80 residents and is aiming to become the first home in East Sussex to achieve Butterfly status for its dementia care.

CARINGNEWS

Marketing department in running for award

Keen knitters at Galsworthy House care home in Kingston Upon Thames are casting on to create hats for premature babies at nearby Kingston Hospital. Activities co-ordinators Irene Giordano and Sue Ottoway have picked out patterns to start work on the hats with members of the regular Tuesday knitting group. Statistics have shown that a hat is very useful to a small baby in helping it regulate its temperature, and most premature baby units offer hand knitted hats as a gift as soon as the baby is admitted to the unit. Irene said: “Knitting and crochet are popular with our residents and a great activity for older people as they keep the fingers moving and the brain busy Activities co-ordinator Irene Giordano is pictured with a resident.

THE marketing team at Colchester based Caring Homes Group is celebrating after being shortlisted for a prestigious national industry award. The team, based at Bradbury House, Colchester Business Park, has had the marketing campaign for Caring Homes flagship Home of Compassion in Thames Ditton picked out by the Chartered Institute of Marketing in the Marketing Excellence Awards 2017. Sales and marketing director Mark Sherriff said: “The aim of the campaign was to work with and support Caring Homes’ operational team both before and after the launch of Home of Compassion last year. The main challenge was to deliver a target number of enquiries and bed sales in a very competitive local marketplace in Surrey. “To do this we used recognised research and carried out our own, drawing up a campaign which started six months before Home of Compassion opened and continuing for 12 months after the opening.” The extensive campaign included commissioning new photography to represent the real age of care home residents (average age 86 and range from 80-100), and adopting brand standards with a more emotional narrative throughout. The campaign, which included

billboards, direct mail, advertorials, brochures and advertising was a success – meeting the set commercial aims and objectives. Home of Compassion offers nursing, residential and dementia care. The impressive Grade II mansion was restored and extended to create a modern care home which sets new standards for care. Mark added: “I am delighted one of our campaigns has been recognised in this way as it reflects the amount of hard work put in by everyone involved. “The campaign has also had a positive impact on marketing for other Caring Homes premium-end care homes throughout the country in terms of the signage, brochures and on-going marketing plans we use.” Caring Homes is a leading provider of care homes for the elderly with a head office in Colchester, Essex, and more than 60 homes throughout England and in Wales and Scotland. The Home of Compassion campaign – named A Caring Perspective – has been shortlisted in the Large Marketing Campaign of the Year Category alongside campaigns for a number of organisations including the National Lottery and EDF Energy. The winner will be announced at a Grosvenor House Hotel in London on April 27.

Charity to pay more than NLW

Rabbi Ellituv, Belong Morris Feinmann’s general manager Debbie Baker, Morris Feinmann Trustees Jonathan Engler, Vanessa Goldstone and Ian Paul.

Double appointment for Belong Morris Feinmann TWO senior management appointments have been announced for specialist care village, Belong Morris Feinmann in Didsbury, Manchester, which is currently under construction and is set to open in the summer. Deborah Baker has been appointed as general manager and Catherine Haycock as support manager. Belong Morris Feinmann will offer 24-hour support, including specialist nursing and dementia care to older people in Manchester’s Jewish community, thanks to a partnership between specialist care operator Belong and the Morris Feinmann Homes Trust. Deborah, who has previously managed a Jewish care home in North Manchester, is joining Belong from her role as general manager of Sunrise Care village in Bramhall, South Manchester. Deborah is a registered nurse and is experienced in rolling out new care projects, having previously orchestrated the creation of the ‘Brighterkind’ Four Seasons brand.

Catherine has vast experience working alongside nurse teams and is accredited to deliver dementia awareness training. She has previously led Sunrise staff teams in Hale Barns and South Manchester, and has worked for both Age Concern and Manchester Care as a registered manager. Phil Orton, head of people at Belong, said: “We are delighted to welcome both Deborah and Catherine to the Belong team. Their strong track records in the care sector make them ideally placed to lead the new Morris Feinmann village.” The development will be the sixth Belong village in the North West and will comprise six households, each catering for 12 people in their own en-suite facilities and with a private lounge, dining room and kosher kitchen in every household. The village also includes 13 new one and two-bedroomed independent living apartments for rent or purchase and a hub of facilities including a kosher bistro, synagogue, exercise studio, internet cafe and library.

A CHARITY care and housing provider in Bristol is leading the way in deciding to pay its staff at least 25p per hour more than the National Living Wage this year. Due to come in to effect on April 1, the National Living Wage is being increased for workers aged 25 and over. Brunelcare will pay a minimum of £7.75 per hour for all colleagues aged 19 years and over. This is 25 pence

more than the mandatory £7.50 National Living Wage. Brunelcare’s CEO, Kevin Fairman, said: “The high quality care and services we provide relies entirely on the hard work and dedication of our staff. “We believe this decision to pay more than the National Living Wage helps to show our appreciation of our staff and will hopefully encourage more people to join us.”

Residents and carers celebrated A NOTTINGHAM care home hosted its own awards night to celebrate its residents and carers. Hazelgrove, part of the Milford Care Group, awarded over 20 medals and certificates to its winning nominees. The 14 award categories, which included social butterfly, ultimate can-do attitude, best dressed and biggest diva, each had a team member and a family nominee. The winners were selected after voting slips were distributed throughout the home and the results

tallied. Jenna Roy, activities co-ordinator, said: “We refer to the residents as family members as we try to be a bit family. We spend every day with them and this is their home. “We decided to elect a team member and family member nominee for each award to get everyone involved, from the kitchen staff to the carers and residents. “Everybody plays an important role and we wanted everyone to feel recognised.”

CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

Visit Health+Care for Gompels provides you with ideas and inspiration the service you deserve ... AWARD winning Health+Care will see over 4,000 care business owners, directors and managers gather for inspiration, ideas and in-depth sector knowledge. A hard-hitting programme delivered by the highest calibre of speakers will showcase the latest innovations and expert advice to help tackle the mounting pressure on care businesses while providing enhanced care for patients and residents. The programme has been carefully formulated over the last five years. Mike Broad, programme director, said: “Delegates won’t waste time in long laborious seminars hearing from those who have no idea what it’s like in the real world. “Instead, delegates can combine short inspiring talks from those who have already changed the way their care businesses run and have improved their outcomes. “Managers, directors and owners of care businesses will gain valuable insights into how to perform their roles better and run more effective operations.”

New for this year: n Care Home Live – a real-life care home will be at the heart of Health+Care where delegates have the unique opportunity to actually pickup and test the latest residential care innovations. n Care and Nutrition Hub – for the first time, Health+Care delegates can learn about the latest guidance around catering and nutrition via a dedicated theatre as well as network with sector approved suppliers. n Care at Home Pavilion – Health+Care are delighted to announce domiciliary organisations can network, share best practice and build valuable contacts with the NHS, CCGs and Trusts at a unique pavilion area of the show. Senior care business professionals are entitled to a fully subsidised pass to attend the conference on June 28 and 29, but free passes need to be secured before March 31: www. healthpluscare.co.uk/caringuk After this date conference passes will be charged at £599+VAT.

PFC supply laundry equipment to dementia care home in Norfolk THE Moorings Care Home in the small village of Earsham near Bungay on the Norfolk/Suffolk border is owned and run by Cygnet Care and is registered for elderly residents with dementia. The home has recently undergone a substantial purpose-built extension adding an additional 22 rooms to the 29 in the original building. All are single rooms with en-suite facilities. Part of the redevelopment involved moving the laundry from the original building into the new extension. The laundry was supplied by Armstrong dealer PFC Commercial Laundry of Norwich. The two washers were still in good working order and so were moved over to the new building. But it was decided to replace the existing electric tumble dryer with a Huebsch 330 double stacking gas dryer - each section providing 13.5kg capacity – as it is more energy efficient. The laundry is operated by a dedicated member of staff during the day and is usually operational from 9am to 2pm every day with care staff doing additional loads in the evening. Bedding is sent out, so the on premises laundry only handles the residents’ personal clothing.

GOMPELS HealthCare Ltd provides its customers with the service they deserve. From next day delivery to free online tools, they offer much more than your standard supplier. How you may ask? COSHH library allows their customers to download COSHH datasheets all from one place, for products they’ve ordered. COSHH library saves their customers time, and makes sure they are compliant. Another great feature that Gompels has is its Risk Assessment wizard. This wizard allows customers to create risk assessments in as little as three minutes.

The clever software pulls the important information from the COSHH datasheet so they don’t have to go hunting through datasheets. Gompels Analytics allows customers to monitor spend, without the need for paperwork and invoices. Analytics has many features and also allows customers with more than one site to compare spend. Gompels customers are also able to keep track of their spend by setting alerts. These alerts will notify them if a site orders over a certain value, comes within a certain percentage of their budget, or even order too many of a product.

Well Careplus proven to improve quality and efficiency RESEARCHERS at Cardiff University have found that Well Careplus’ Well Pad reduces administrative tasks in care homes by up to 65 hours each month. The technology allows staff to spend more time on face-to-face resident care, which would ordinarily cost care homes an extra £1,400 per month. Results of the study of 66 care homes using the medicine management tool showed that staff previously devoted up to 300 hours each month on paperwork and associated administrative tasks. Use of the Well Pad reduced this time dramatically, by up to 60%. The Well Pad remains the only technology driven medicines management system capable of delivering time efficiency savings of up to: n 30% for daily medicine administration. n 70% reduction in prescription ordering. n 70% reduction in booking in process. n 70% reduction in overall end of month process. Shiraz Khan, head of Well Careplus, said: “From speaking to care home managers, we know that the

traditional paper-based processes used to manage medicines in the vast majority of care homes, are outdated and arduous. “Our technology is proving to dramatically reduce the amount of time being spent on medicine management” Enquiries: Visit www.well.co.uk/WellCareplus call 03302 23 24 25 or email careplus@well.co.uk

New life to intimate care

Enquiries: Call 01603 747836, email pfccommercial@mail.com or visit www.pfccommercials.co.uk

THE new and improved Vita range of wash & dry toilets give people a stylish solution to retaining independence and dignity in the bathroom. Clos-o-Mat, the UK’s leader in helpful toileting at home and away, has applied to the new look Vita range its 56 years of experience of working with people to optimise their hygiene and independence in the bathroom. The Vita range is, the company believes, the most ‘fit for purpose’ collection of wash & dry toilets available in the UK. It encompasses the top-selling unit of its kind, the Palma Vita, the wall-hung Lima Vita, and the height-adjustable Lima Lifter, all of which look like – and can be used as conventional WCs, but have built-in washing and drying, so eliminate the need to wipe clean. Now, they feature an updated, more modern, aesthetically pleasing, sweeping design, to compliment even the most contemporary bathroom. The new look is in part achieved using a

combination of traditional ceramic, and state of the art plastics that deliver optimum resilience and durability. Enquiries: Call 0161 969 1199, visit www.clos-o-mat.com or email info@clos-o-mat.com

Simple solutions

More affordable, more absorbent. New incontinence range DEVELOPED over 12 months, Anov – the name of the new range, provides more absorption than leading incontinence brands and incorporates a variety of premium quality products. Beaucare® Medical is the exclusive stockist and distributor of the new Anov incontinence range in the UK. It is estimated that incontinence affects between three and six million people in the UK. It affects both men and women of any age, but is more common in women. The new Anov range includes products to suit all degrees of incontinence including Light Pads, Shaped Pads, Slips, Pull ups and Pants.

Operations director Heather Mawrey said: “We were aware that care home budgets were being squeezed and that residents’ comfort was key. We developed the new Anov range over 12 months with those factors in mind.” To accompany the launch, Beaucare is providing care homes with full product training and support materials to help assess each patient for their individual requirements. Contact Beaucare for more information plus a full comparison between the Anov product range and the leading brand. Enquiries: Call 01423 873666, email sales@ beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

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.

CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

Eldercare can offer advice

RESEARCH suggests that the vast majority of people moving into care with funds above the local authority capital limit are not aware that they have any other option than running their assets down to pay for that care, hoping that the money will last. There is an alternative and it’s called a care fees annuity. It’s not the same as a retirement annuity as these plans are medically underwritten to reflect the person’s age and state of health. In other words, much higher

incomes can be generated than from standard annuities. A plan may not be appropriate or even affordable but, at Eldercare Solutions, we can easily advise your customers what the cost is likely to be so they know if it is worth researching and considering further. Our SOLLA accredited advisers are very experienced in care fees planning and you can be confident they will give balanced, unbiased, easy to understand advice.

Lustalux finds a niche RESEARCH has shown that dementia and Alzheimer’s sufferers can respond positively to particular types of decor and that the importance of creating the correct type of environment using familiar images cannot be underestimated. Memories are extremely important in elderly care. These can often be stimulated by displaying scenes and vistas that automatically trigger feelings of

comfort and well-being. Among their many talents Lustalux Ltd specialises in the design and installation of a stunning range of wall graphics and murals, and have found a niche in the care home sector. Whether you require your own images applied to your walls or windows or you want us to create a bespoke scheme to create a sensory experience for your guests, Lustalux can help.

For all your timber requirements Easy-to-use door solution

KATELL Bespoke is a fast-growing division of Katell Ltd, offering a free design and consultation service for bespoke timber product manufacturing, colour matching, spray facilities and assistance with all your commercial joinery projects. We can cater for one-off furniture pieces, a batch of timber contract furniture – whatever your timber requirements, we will be able to help. Our customer base now includes architects, interior designers, shop

fitting companies, care homes and our range of timber products ranges from bespoke bedroom furniture, receptions, bars, restaurants, care home room design and adaptations and stunning, statement fireplace pieces to adorn any room setting. Katell are proud to be a successful British manufacturing company, specialising in quality timber products, with an excellent reputation for delivering quality and reliability – every time.

If you have got a news story for the next issue of Caring UK email it to dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

FOR SALE WELL ESTABLISHED CARE HOME COMPLEX IN YORKSHIRE REGISTEREED FOR 42 TURN OVER 750K : GROSS PROFIT 30% OWNERS WISHING TO RETIRE ARE LOOKING FOR OFFERS FROM AN ESTABLISHED OPERATOR INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD SEND THEIR DETAILS TO:

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CARE assistants in nursing and residential homes have a vital role in aiding the mobility of residents. Many residents experience the difficulty to open the heavy fire doors that are so important to stop the spread of fire. Having a large workload and encountering time-consuming problems, such as having to hold open cumbersome fire doors to help a resident or to be able to push a wheelchair through it, can lead to

carers looking for their own solutions. Unfortunately, these solutions unknowingly are often illegal and put residents’ lives at risk. Fire doors should only be held open with devices that will automatically close the door should the fire alarm sound. Dorgard is a simple and easy-toinstall solution that will allow doors to be held open and will allow your fire door to close in the event of a fire. Your handyman can install these battery-operated devices.