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November 2011
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Residents left malnourished claims report By Dominic Musgrave ONE in seven nursing homes is breaking the law and failing to give its residents enough food and water, it has been claimed. CQC inspectors found vulnerable patients left malnourished and dehydrated by staff who did not ensure regular meals and water. Of the 599 inspected between October 2010 and July 2011, 10 per cent had ‘moderate’ concerns and four per cent ‘major’ ones. Care homes without nursing faired better, with only five per cent of the 1,139 inspected having ‘moderate’ concerns and two per cent ‘major’. Amanda Sherlock, director of operations at the CQC, pointed out that the majority of homes inspected did comply. She added: “The essential standards say nursing homes must ensure people in their care are given a choice of nutritious food and drink, and all the support they need to eat and drink properly. “The majority of care homes we've inspected do comply with the essential standards. But our inspectors have also seen providers where meals are simply placed in front of frail, vulnerable people, who are least able to complain, with no attempt to help them eat,
until their food is cleared away uneaten. “It is completely unacceptable where people have been losing weight alarmingly - yet no attempt has been made to find out why, to offer them adequate assistance or to refer them to a specialist for help. “In these cases we will respond quickly where we find noncompliance with the essential standards including using our enforcement powers where the quality and safety of care is so compromised that it does not comply with regulations.” The figures follow recent criticism of hospitals by the inspectorate after it was revealed one in five NHS hospitals had failed the elderly by ‘putting paperwork before people’. Lee Sheppard, divisional manager for care homes at apetito, added: “In the 21st century, to learn that some of the country’s most frail and vulnerable people are being denied sufficient nourishment is incredible. “We’re not talking about a complex medical issue here. It’s a basic, essential element of care. The fact that these individuals are in care should not take the element of choice and a love of food away. “As well as being one of life’s simple pleasures, food really is the best medicine.”
Dementia art project launched
Former BBC newsreader Martyn Lewis unveiled the newly revamped clubhouse at a Bath retirement village. And it immediately become the venue for the first Avonpark Village Festival, where eight weeks of planned events including coffee mornings, seminars, wine tasting and lunches firmly established the remodelled facilities as sitting at the heart of the retirement village. Martyn, whose mother lived at Avonpark, met residents before unveiling a plaque to mark the occasion. The facility was acquired by Retirement Villages Ltd last November.
A PIONEERING art therapy project for people with dementia as been launched by a county council. ‘Touching Minds’ takes specially-commissioned artworks into care homes and other venues in Leicestershire, to stimulate adults with dementia. Two tables have been developed to display visual and tactile works of art for people to interact with. There are 22 interchangeable works of art which can be tailored to the specific needs of a group of people or one individual person. A trial of the scheme has shown that people with dementia enjoyed handling and looking at the art and it inspired them to try out art activities. Chris Knifton, senior lecturer in mental health nursing at De Montfort University, said: “The touch tables provide a useful interactive and therapeutic tool for reaching people with more advanced dementia, based on the use of touch and other senses.”