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no.288 • £4.75 incorporating
October 2020
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Carers “walk a tightrope” over visits CARE providers are walking a tightrope as they allow residents to see their loved ones while keeping those same vulnerable people safe from Covid-19. On one side they understand how vital it is that care and nursing home residents, particularly those with dementia, see their loved ones to safeguard their mental health and overall happiness. But on the other they fear exposing all of their vulnerable residents and staff to a pandemic that has already claimed the lives of 15,484 care and nursing home residents across England and Wales. Provider organisation the Independent Care Group said the sector needed better support and better guidance from the Government as it tries to balance both sides of a delicate and dangerous situation. Chair Mike Padgham said: “A large number of care and nursing homes have been facilitating safe, socially-distanced visits, either outdoors during good weather or indoors. “But at the same time, we have a huge duty of care to all of our residents and staff to protect them from Covid-19. “The pandemic hasn’t gone away – the recent surge in infection cases shows that and we have to be
very mindful of a second wave. “If we are to allow home visits we have to be vigilant, and stick strictly to the Covid-19 safety instructions.” Care providers fear a second wave of Covid-19 would be particularly devastating for the older and vulnerable people they care for, who are particularly susceptible to the virus. “Every death is the tragic loss of a loved one – a mother, a father, a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter an aunt, uncle or friend,” Mike added. “We have to be extremely careful and not let Covid-19 capitalise on any complacency and claim yet more lives. “With winter coming on we are approaching a very dangerous, critical period in our fight against this pandemic and it is up to each and every one of us to take extreme care.” The ICG is calling on the Government to provide better guidance over home visits to give clarity to the sector. Providers are also worried about claims made against them over residents who die from coronavirus while in their care. They want the Government to indemnify providers against such action, as they do NHS care providers.
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Brinnington Hall residents have been strutting their stuff on the dancefloor to keep fit and have fun during the coronavirus pandemic. The care team at the Stckport home created the ‘Strictly Come Brinnington’ competition to bring both staff and residents together through their love of music and dancing. The residents and team worked together to create fun routines to showcase to their ‘studio audience’ in the home’s social area. The competition was such a success, virtually bringing not only the local community together but also sparking the attention of professional dancer Flavia Cacace. n Margaret Harley is pictured wearing her self made ‘Sandy’ wig from her lively Grease performance and holds up her first place certificate.
Annual awards postponed WE ARE extremely sad to bring you the news that we have taken the incredibly difficult decision to cancel this year’s Caring UK Awards. At a time when the care sector has shown such amazing determination and courage to get through these unprecedented times, we would have loved to have recognised these efforts at our glittering awards ceremony at the end of the year. Meeting all our finalists is always the highlight of our year and we love visiting care homes the length and breadth of the country but we feel that this isn’t appropriate in these current uncertain times. So after careful deliberation and discussions with the venue and sponsors, we feel that the most responsible course of action to protect the health and safety of our nominees and sponsors is to cancel this year’s awards and look ahead to 2021 and brighter times. The date is set for Thursday December 2 2021 and nominations will remain open throughout the year closing on August 31 2021. We’ll be returning to the fabulous
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Athena in Leicester and we are excited to have a full 15 months to ensure that next year’s celebration of excellence is the biggest and best yet. All nominations for this year’s awards will be carried over to next year – and nominees will have the opportunity to update their nominations should they wish to ahead of the closing date. Thank you for all your nominations and support and we look forward to celebrating your amazing feats in 2021. Thanks too to our sponsors for your continued loyalty and support. In the meantime, in view of the massive contribution our wonderful care homes and dedicated care workers have made during 2020 we will be launching our 2020 Roll of Honour in the coming weeks. We want to hear all your stories about selfless individuals who have gone above and beyond for those in their care, teams who have battled through the most harrowing of times as well as tales of bravery and love. Watch out for details on our social media pages, in Caring UK Weekly and in Caring UK magazine.
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CARINGNEWS
‘Voyage of the Damned’ sisters awarded British Empire Medals TWO sisters who fled the Nazis on a ship that was forced back to Europe have been awarded the British Empire Medal for their services to Holocaust Education by the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester at the Didsbury care village where they now reside. Dedicating their lives to educating people around the world on the holocaust and plight of refugees, Gisela Feldman and Sonja Sternberg had been due to collect their medals at The Monastery in Manchester after being named in the New Year’s Honours List earlier this year. But when the coronavirus outbreak meant this was no longer possible, Sir Warren Smith, who represents the Queen in Manchester, brought the awards ceremony to the sisters with a visit to Belong Morris Feinmann. Complete with Champagne, flowers and trays of kosher wine and biscuits, the outdoor event saw the sisters receive their medals surrounded by a sociallydistanced crowd of friends and fellow apartment tenants. Sir Warren said: “Gisela and Sonja have shown amazing courage throughout their lives, educating and inspiring future generations to do better by sharing their story. “It has been an honour and a privilege
www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 Email: bg@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant Sales Manager: Tracy Stacey Tel: 01226 734480 Email: cuk3@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk
Gisela and Sonja with the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester. to present them both, on behalf of Her Europe. The sisters arrived in London Majesty The Queen, with the British after being granted entry into England, Empire Medal, an award they much eventually settling in Manchester, where deserve.” their late mother resided in the original Alongside their mother, Gisela and Morris Feinmann home. Sonja were among more than 900 Jews Many were not as fortunate, with 255 fleeing Germany aboard the SS St Louis of the passengers later killed by the in 1939. Nazis when Hitler’s forces swept across On a journey later coined the ‘Voyage of Western Europe. the Damned’ the passengers had hoped In celebration of their awards, the to travel to Cuba in a bid to reach the sisters have been invited to attend The US, but when the ship was turned away Queen’s garden parties in London next in Havana, they were forced to return to year.
At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk
Editorial Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Group Production Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. Follow us on Twitter @caringuk
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CARINGNEWS
Dorset care home enables resident to share in family wedding joy THE Reverend Jim Cocke, the Church of England’s longest serving priest until his retirement in January, has thanked staff at his Dorset care home for helping him play an important role in his granddaughter’s wedding despite lockdown. Jim, 94, an ordained priest for more than 67 years, serving as Vicar of All Saints’, Headington, Oxford, is a resident at Colten Care’s Castle View care home in Poundbury. He had been due to give the address at the marriage ceremony of his granddaughter Lucy in April, but like many other weddings across the country the happy occasion had to be postponed because of Covid. When the service eventually went ahead under physical distancing restrictions, only 15 people were allowed in the church – St Giles’ at Hooke near Beaminster, Dorset – and Jim could not attend in person. Instead, staff at Castle View ensured he was able to prepare and send a personal address to be read out by Andrew Boggis, Lucy’s father, with kind permission of the Reverend Canon David Baldwin, who conducted the ceremony. Jim’s words highlighted the importance of partnership in sustaining love and marriage, and
Reverend Jim Cocke, a resident at Colten Care’s Castle View care home in Poundbury, Dorset, was enabled to receive a Covid-safe visit at the home from his granddaughter Lucy, her groom Nick Dawnay and mother of the bride, Jim’s daughter Fiona Boggis. when establishing a career – Lucy see the newlyweds face-to-face in is a doctor and new husband Nick their wedding attire along with his Dawnay is an army officer. daughter, Lucy’s mother, Fiona After the ceremony, Castle View Boggis. staff facilitated and hosted a CovidJim, who began his ministry as an safe visit which meant that Jim could assistant curate in 1952, becoming
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Vicar of All Saints’ in 1957, said: “I felt very much included in the special day. I thought Lucy looked so lovely. It was a great pity not a lot of people could go to the church because of the restrictions, but I am just so proud of her.” Lucy thanked the Castle View team for enabling the visit to see Jim, saying: “It made my day even more special knowing my grandfather was included.” Likewise, Fiona said: “The staff were brilliant. They did everything they could so Lucy and Nick could come and visit. “They even put out banners and balloons to welcome them. They couldn’t have been kinder.” Katja Williams, companionship team leader at Castle View, said: “We are very privileged to have Reverend Jim with us in the home. He kindly leads Sunday morning hymns and Bible reading much to the appreciation of those attending. “We were only too happy to do what we could to address the challenges of Covid restrictions and social distancing to ensure he could enjoy his family’s special day. We all extend our congratulations to the happy couple, wishing them a life of joy and blessings.”
No cases of lockdown blues at care home STAFF and residents at Rowans Care Centre in Macclesfield have been working hard to develop a new and innovative programme of activities to help combat social isolation during the coronavirus pandemic. An activity that residents have been enjoying is exchanging postcards and letters with pupils at nearby Ivy Bank Primary School. Staff at the care centre sent out an appeal on social media for people to write a card or letter to service users to ensure that the home remained engaged with the local community throughout the lockdown period. In their responses, pupils discussed a variety of topics, including their return to school, their excitement of seeing their friends again and what kind of activities they had been up to during lockdown. The cards were met with laughter and smiles from service users and many have expressed their amusement at some of the ways that the children have been keeping themselves occupied during the pandemic. Home manager Katherine Turner said: “Our residents were so excited to receive the cards from the local primary school. “It was so kind of them to let our residents know how they have been getting on during lockdown and some of the stories were fascinating. “After reading a story from one of the children, one of our residents has said they would like to try out a
PlayStation 4 and may even ask their family for one this Christmas.” As part of the new programme, staff at the home have also been working hard to make some of the residents’ favourite activities more accessible. This included creating large print books, talking books and talking newspapers for them to listen to. Audiobooks have been proven to increase an individual’s focus and attention span, as well as improving memory. The large print books, which feature increased font sizes and pictures, also help residents to enjoy reading activities with minimal assistance and allow them to feel a sense of independence within the home.
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CARINGNEWS
Should care home visitors and patients be tested for Covid-19? By Mayur Vohra DURING the Covid-19 crisis we have been exposed to a lot of new information, but when it comes down to understanding which tests are best to use within care homes, it can all become a bit of a minefield. There are many factors to consider when testing patients, staff and visitors, and do we want to split visitors and patients into ‘groups’ or are we best to adopt a safe environment to minimise risk and avoid the potential spread of the virus? While the Government does provide testing kids for Covid-19, it is important to understand what you are testing for. All registered adult care homes in England can apply for the live virus tests (Antigen) for staff on a weekly basis and residents every 28 days, whereas in Scotland, when a home has one or more confirmed cases, the local health board must offer testing for both staff and residents. In homes with no positive tests for two weeks or more, the local health board must still offer weekly testing of staff. In Wales, all residents and staff are tested when there is an on-going outbreak of Covid-19 infections, or if the care home has 50 or more beds.
Mayur Vohra
New admissions, residents being transferred between homes, and any patient discharged from hospital and moved to a care home must be tested, regardless of if they were admitted to hospital for Covid-19 or not. A weekly testing programme also exists for care homes without an infection for 28 days, including testing staff and residents. The testing methods mentioned above are Antigen tests, which is different to the antibody tests. An Antigen tests detects for the protein or glycans found on the surface of the Covid-19 virus, and therefore picks up whether the person tested currently has an active infection of the virus. This is useful to prevent any new infections coming into direct contact with a care home, so they know to self-isolate for two weeks say they test positive.
There is then the test which looks for the IgG and IgM antibodies which are produced if you have had Covid19, and it is effective in minimising risk and infection within care homes. The results of the test could be a good way to group patients into different areas i.e. patients with the antibodies present can be put with new residents or spread out amongst other residents to minimise transition. It is also useful to understand how to put ratios of staff with and without antibodies on each shift, plus this separation method also helps relieve some anxiety of residents and staff. Next comes peace of mind for visitors, as say a visitor has not yet had the virus, extra care can be taken to keep the visitor in a separate room or limit all close contact with staff and the patient they are visiting. You may also want to encourage Zoom calls or glass screens during visiting hours as an extra precaution. When it comes to IgG and IgM testing, there are a number of different antibody testing methods available in the UK, ranging from lab tests to the Rapid Finger-Prick test. They also come at a range of price points and many of which need to be sent to a lab. What we advise care home managers to do is apply for their own
box of Rapid-Finger-Prick testing, which can be administered by a nurse as each guest arrives, and the results are shown within 15 minutes. This quick and effective method will give confidence within the care home that the risk of passing on an infection is massively reduced as the virus has already been present in their body. There is then the laboratory-based tests which are another effective method and should be carried out by a nurse, however these swabs need to be couriered off site and results again can take anything from 24 hours. It is a very costly method which would not be the best method for care homes, plus this would delay all same-day visits. Lastly, there is a lot of stigma on how reliable the tests are as they are still not 100 per cent accurate but are said to now be 96 per cent accurate if administered properly. It is thought that PCR Swab tests have a better sensitivity, which is the percentage number of positive tests out of total actual individuals with the illness, however antigen tests can produce results quicker and is a cheaper method to test. This is why it is more commonly used for testing communities and groups. n Mayur Vohra is the CEO of Antibodychecks.com
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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement
Christmas decorations – a new approach DECORATING your home for Christmas is always an enjoyable event for both residents and staff. But this year, as we deal with Covid-19, we might like to put some thought to the amount and type of decorations we plan to put up. Recognising the difficulty in keeping Christmas trees and traditional decorations clean and tidy, Care Home Murals now offer an effective solution with its new Pop-Up Christmas Roller Banners. We are all familiar with roller banners, and we know how visually striking they can be. Care Home Murals has produced a new range, featuring specially created festive designs, that present a simple and practical alternative. At 2m high and almost 1m wide, these colourful Pop-Ups are certainly eye-catching as well as convenient. At the time of going to press, designs include
richly decorated Christmas Trees, Christmas Firesides with stockings ready for Santa’s visit, and delightfully accessible Christmas Carols. Pop-Ups are suitable for any room or corridor, taking up minimal space against a wall or in a corner. If you have found traditional decorations cluttering your home or hindering movement for staff and residents – and the tea trolley – Pop-Ups could be the perfect answer. Each Pop-Up comes ready for use and is very easy to put up with built-in feet for added stability. The printed surface is tough and smooth making it easy to wipe down and keep clean. Of course, nothing compares to the traditional Christmas decorations that we know and love. But when space is at a premium and cleanliness is paramount, these Christmas Pop-Up Roller Banners are a perfect alternative.
The Pop-Up Christmas Roller Banners come complete with a carry-bag, so they may be easily and safely stored for use next year. n Care Home Murals design wallpaper murals exclusively for care homes. Their murals are more than just beautifully decorative. They have significant purpose and offer many benefits for care home residents, including those with dementia. Inspiration for their mural designs comes from their customers – carers who have a desire and vision to use wall imagery to enhance the environment and day-to-day lives of their residents. Their team of professional mural artists, illustrators and photographers have created a range of murals that seeks to meet these aspirations as imaginatively as possible. For more information visit www.carehomemurals.co.uk
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CARINGNEWS
Provider’s apprenticeship scheme nominated for prestigious award BUPA Care Services is a finalist in the ‘Best Apprenticeship’ category at the upcoming CIPD Management Awards. The awards recognise companies putting employees first, with Bupa celebrated for creating clear pathways for career progression. The commendation is for Bupa’s Care Leadership Programme, designed to fast-track colleagues into leadership roles within its care homes. Since its launch, the scheme has gone from strength to strength and now attracts around 70 new learners a year. Programme retention rates have jumped, rising from 63 per cent to 95 per cent amongst existing learners – far ahead of the industry average of 65.5 per cent. The figure rises further amongst new learners, with 100 per cent continuing for at least 12 months Cheryl McKown, apprenticeship manager for Bupa, said: “Working with Lifetime Training we’ve created a unique programme, and we’re thrilled to see the finished product being so well received. “It offers real value to our people and equips them with a foundation degree. More than this, it helps them to deliver for our residents and colleagues alike.
“Apprenticeships take dedication, as people balance their studies alongside their personal and professional lives, but I’m proud of the team who’ve stepped up to support them. “Likewise, I’m pleased that we’ve developed talented colleagues already in the business. “It’s a win-win situation. I’m always hearing from colleagues they’re glad to find somewhere that cares about their career. “Plus, with recruitment in the sector being notoriously competitive, this programme helps us retain key talent and attract more applicants into our
care homes.” The Care Leadership Programme is one strand of Bupa’s apprenticeship system, which was refreshed in 2017. As part of the company’s commitment to apprenticeships, it appointed a dedicated team as well as a network of champions, who work closely with individual care homes to ensure the apprenticeships are beneficial to all involved. The application process has been streamlined – halving the enrolment time to just eight weeks. A guide for managers and prospective learners was also created, clearly setting out roles and responsibilities.
Other tools included a dashboard to track progress and identify where apprentices needed extra support, and the launch of ‘MyStudies @ Bupa’ – an online platform for learning and sharing success stories. Learners from across Bupa’s care homes are grouped into cohorts so that they can stay in touch and learn from each other. They are assigned personal mentors to guide them through the programme. Topics for discussion range from caring for personal physical and mental wellbeing and how to lead teams through change, which has proved especially useful during the pandemic. The Care Leadership Programme is just one strand of Bupa’s apprenticeship offering. Across the care home business it currently has nearly 500 apprentices, with roles covering all areas from housekeeping, catering and care, through to homelevel and senior management. Its apprenticeships help to champion under-represented groups and fast track them to success. Across Bupa’s care homes, 39 per cent of apprentices are from an ethnic minority background compared to a national average of 11 per cent. The awards will be held digitally on September 28 and 29.
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CARINGNEWS
Care provider says ‘thank you’ to staff OWNERS of two care homes in West Oxfordshire threw a party to thank the nurses and care teams who have done an exceptional job looking after the residents during the pandemic. The dedication of all staff during such a challenging time has been highlighted by residents and families, at both Rosebank and Churchfields, and is just one of the many reasons why they wanted to reward them for their tremendous efforts. As a way of thanking the care teams and to show their appreciation, husband and wife, Jane and Gerry Roberts, organised an evening BBQ for staff to enjoy at Churchfields, which was socially distanced, in the garden. Jane said: “I’m delighted with my team’s response to Covid-19. Everyone has gone above and beyond to ensure our residents at Rosebank and Churchfields are safe, happy, and secure, and they continue to do so every day. “The evening was a wonderful opportunity to relax together as a team after a difficult few months. It was a much needed tonic for everyone.” Rosebank hosted a cowboy-themed party on the day of what would have been the annual garden fete, for staff and residents to celebrate together. Jane added: “Families and residents have been extremely grateful for everything the staff have done and
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continue to do. “Their frequent gifts and letters have not only been appreciated, but have helped boost staff morale too. Supporting relatives and residents to use Skype calls, and coming up with creative ways to keep residents entertained, are just two of the ways staff at Rosebank and Churchfields have been helping residents.” Both homes are welcoming new residents. Families are welcome to view the homes. All procedures are in place to allow this to happen safely.
How safe are your ratings? By Richard Fairburn
THE coronavirus pandemic should, and maybe even will, be a trigger for a root and branch review of the methodology of regulation and inspection, and the effectiveness of its judgements of the quality of a service. That single missed signature. That PRN protocol with just, not, quite, enough, detail. The minor and inconsequential defects to be found in any complex organisation. The rubber stamp of “requires improvement” applied to 22 per cent of nursing homes and 14 per cent of residential homes, branding these services publicly (as well as arbitrarily and inconsistently) as providing “substandard” care. The commitment and sacrifice of care workers and care providers in recent months proves beyond all reasonable doubt that there are more appropriate tests of a good service. But as well as inspection methodology, the time has come to review the regulatory framework as well. As a nursing home owner from February 1986 at the time of commencement of the Registered Homes Act, there were no quality standards in the legislation, although our health authority was most insistent on adequate supplies of bed linen and crockery. Quality monitoring as we know it was not born until amendments to regulations in 2006. Winterbourne View changed all that, launching the regulator on a journey to ever-increasing and ever more disproportionate requirements, to the point that the missed signature is deemed to be a breach of the
regulations. Back in the day the registered manager was the only person in the world who could commit an offence – such as failure to affix the certificate of registration. The RM remains the bullseye of enforcement (other than the more recent care worker offence of illtreatment or wilful neglect). Thus the 1984 concept of ‘the-onlyperson-in-the-world-who-can-managethe-care-service’ has survived all other developments in the care industry and in its regulatory controls. It is common knowledge that nurse managers in particular are becoming more and more difficult (and costly) to recruit and retain, in no small measure because of the burgeoning administrative duties that take them away from the delivery of care itself. Despite the blanket issue of fixed penalty notices back in 2013 (which only stopped when some brave litigant took them to the High Court), in October 2017 there were still 1,912 locations (1,319 care homes and 612 domiciliary care agencies) with a registered manager condition but no registered manager. Nursing homes could become the exclusive province of large corporates with sufficient financial power. It is high time that the registered manager condition of the last millennium was scrapped, in favour perhaps of a provision for notification of managerial and governance arrangements with, dare I say it, a proportionate scale of expectations according to the size and complexity of a service, fit for the purpose of this millennium. It will need a change of legislation. And some new thinking about the back covering approach to regulation and inspection. Email me at mail@hsc-prof.com
GRATNELLS Medical products have been at the forefront of NHS and hospital storage for more than 40 years. The wide range of products available includes trolleys, frames, trays and multiple optional accessories that can be used to make up the ideal solution for medical environments. Also ideal for use in the health and social care sector, the Gratnells Medical range would fit suitably into care homes, dental practices and other surgeries. The popular Gratnells Medical Compact trolley boasts a small footprint and can easily fit into working environments that are challenged for space. The trolley system is fully mobile, can easily be moved between working environments and is treated with BioCote® offering maximum protection against infection. The complete Compact Range is compatible with all standard sized Gratnells trays which are also antimicrobial in translucent or kiwi jelly tint. In addition to the favoured Compact trolley, the new Gratnells Callero Shield Range is fully antimicrobial and is increasing in popularity throughout the education and medical sectors. Boasting double and treble width trolleys, as
well as the Gratnells Rover, the entire range is flexible and moves with ease. Some uses of the Gratnells Medical range include, but aren’t limited to: n Safely store and move important records and files with reduced risk of cross contamination within care homes or surgeries. n Offers a protected storage solution for essential PPE equipment, as well as a solution for transportation and distribution. n Trays are a suitable alternative for storage of uniforms and can be used by staff to transport clothing and equipment between work and home. n Organise, move and administer medication to patients. n Organise, move and store essential surgical equipment and tools. n Protected home for personal effects including clothing, personal hygiene items and electronic devices. n Add antimicrobial lids for extra protection, particularly when transporting materials. Enquiries: Browse the full Gratnells Medical range at https://www.gratnellsmedical.com/ or call 0800 169 6854.
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16 Lambton House Care home near Chesterle-Street in County Durham held a socially distanced opening event for its new Rainbow Tea Room which is set in the dementia friendly sensory garden. The new facility was opened by Alzheimer’s Society champion Pat Boyes, while also in attendance were residents, members of the care team and local Independent Councillor Alan Bell. Registered manager Marie Grant said: “We have been unable to take our residents on outings or to the local community centre for tea and coffee since the home was locked down in March so we decided to create an old fashioned tearoom for residents here in the gardens. The building was previously used as an accounts office and training room. Our maintenance team has done a fantastic job. We named it the Rainbow Tea Room as we felt it was very appropriate at this time.” The home has so far remained Covid-free throughout the pandemic.
Introducing Mulberry Court SHACKLETONS has provided traditional and contemporary healthcare furniture for senior living since 1959. We work closely with our clients creating practical and stylish environments whether it be a new build or refurbishment project. One of our most recent projects is Mulberry Court in Chalfont St Peter. Drawing Room Interiors specified our upholstered chairs, occasional furniture and bespoke cabinetry for the refurbishment of a 24 bed care home, set in a picturesque village in the heart of Buckinghamshire. Our bespoke capabilities enable us to realise the concepts created by interior designers and specifiers. We worked together with Drawing Room Interiors to produce various pieces of bespoke cabinetry including a TV unit in the ground floor lounge and dining room. Diana Celella, director of Drawing Room Interiors, said: “For this project we needed to select not only a company with quality products to help
create the boutique feel, but also a company with bespoke cabinetry capabilities. “For this reason we selected Shackletons. The experience of working with them was excellent – from start to finish.” Design led and customer focussed, we continually provide a range of outstanding quality products designed with care in mind. Enquiries: Call 01924 868482 or visit www.shackletonsltd.co.uk
New tenants welcomed at scheme’s extension NATALIE and Linford Duncan are two of the first tenants to move into Brunelcare’s new 62-bed extension at Waverley Gardens. The couple, who have been married for 52 years, have lived in the Lockleaze area of Bristol for 35 years, and left their family home to move into their two-bedroom flat at Waverley Gardens recently. Natalie said: “I love living at Waverley Gardens, we have the prettiest views all around our apartment and even though we don’t need care at the moment, we’re in a place where we can receive it, no questions asked. “It’s like the apartment is built for us, it’s just beautiful and we couldn’t ask for anything else. It’s a great place to live.” The Waverley Gardens build commenced in September 2019 and is now officially open and taking on new residents to live in the scheme’s one or two bedroom apartments, built with later life in mind. Ten of the properties are also available to purchase via shared ownership, with the renaming 52 being Bristol City Council referrals. Linford added: “The employees here are brilliant and the other tenants are very friendly. There’s a huge communal lounge if you fancy getting out of the apartment, and an on-site restaurant if we don’t fancy cooking lunch or dinner. It’s given us
Natalie and Linford Duncan. a new lease of life living here and we couldn’t be happier.” The scheme’s award winning design includes a number of communal spaces, multiple shared gardens and has a secure community feel. Other shared facilities include a communal lounge, restaurant open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week, a hair salon, parking and an on-site maintenance man. Christina Rees, community service manager, said: “It’s very exciting that we are now able to welcome new tenants to the site. Everyone who has come to live with us seems to be enjoying their new home. “It’s great to have some new faces around and we are looking forward to welcoming new people with the properties that are available at the scheme too.”
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apetito continues to find innovative ways to support homes in lockdown By Neil Hargreaves FUNDAMENTALLY, menu provision across care homes has not changed during the pandemic, with great food and nutrition remaining a key priority amidst homes looking to continue to offer an enjoyable dining experience to their residents. For the majority of homes, visitors have been asked to stay away since lockdown measures were announced, to ensure the safety of residents and staff, and food has taken on an even more important role, being one of life’s simple pleasures that residents can look forward to, and enjoy. However, what has changed is ‘how we all work’. Resident safety is the utmost priority and businesses have had to change the way they work, repurposing systems, processes, and deliveries to ensure homes have the maximum protection. For example, here at apetito, we immediately changed our delivery process to ‘no contact’ deliveries. This means arranging delivery to a set timeline, advising of arrival on a remote basis and ensuring that goods could be delivered to an agreed location and taken in by staff working at the care home, in a way that is safe and does not impact on residents. It has also meant that the normal ways of working in offering high levels of service and value-add, where our teams would normally be going into a care home for regular meetings across elements such as ‘menu-planning’, new innovation and sampling, has clearly not been able to take place. Everyone has to ‘do things differently’ now and for us, it is enormously important that our customers can trust us to keep them safe. As a result, we have forged new ways of working, which have enabled service levels to be maintained both through video calls on a ‘remote’ basis, and more recently through the launch of ‘the apetiser’, our mobile presentation suite which we launched at the end of June and is now travelling round the country and receiving a warm welcome from every home it visits. The apetiser has been a tremendously exciting development.
It allows us to present to care homes without entering the home itself alongside safety concerns and procedures that are in place. “It has been specially fitted out to offer care homes the opportunity to enjoy socially distanced presentations and food tastings and communicate how we can support them in enhancing the quality of their resident dining while reducing costs amidst the challenges that they are facing. Challenges, which look set to continue in months’ ahead. Right now, we know that every penny counts for care homes and alongside delivering great food and nutrition, we can help care homes through reducing waste, labour, and associated costs. Most importantly, we can mobilise new services quickly and safely, which right now is top of mind for many of the care homes we are talking to. Fast-paced change is driving fresh innovation at a pace we would have formerly not believed possible… If someone told me a year ago, we would be developing around 50 new meals in less than 49 days, I would have said that was impossible. But that’s exactly what has happened, and what we are finding is that the speed of change is accelerating alongside remote service features and socially distanced working practices. And this year, not only have we
changed HOW we work, we decided to take a different approach to our new product development and reached out to five leading chefs in the South West whose businesses had been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, including Jethro Lawrence who will be known to many for his appearance on BBC’s MasterChef, the Professionals. The result … was six new meals, created by those chefs – in just 49 days from concept to production – directly for our customers, which we launched in early August as the first in an ongoing series within our Culinary Inspirations’ collection. Culinary Inspirations unrolls in a six-part series over the next four months. The second wave in the series recently went live – and in what we believe is an important landmark, we saw the addition of 10 new, texture modified meals to help care homes manage nutrition and provide meals for residents that are living with dysphagia, which often affects those living with dementia. Dementia is believed to affect around 70 per cent of residents living in care homes and of those 80 per cent, it is estimated that between 13 per cent and – 57 per cent of those residents will be impacted by dysphagia at some point in their lives. Texture modified moulded meals are an important element that allow residents to dine with dignity and return enjoyment to their meals.
Our new texture modified meals in the Culinary Inspirations’ range include a new world-leading rice mould component to our Level 4, Purée Petite softer foods range. This may sound easy, but it isn’t. Due to its grainy nature and high starch content, rice is notoriously challenging to fully purée, and this is a ground-breaking move for us which we believe will be welcomed by those with swallowing difficulties who are unable to eat rice in its solid form. Equally important is the visual aspect as it also looks as good as it tastes. With rice now accompanying each of the new texture modified dishes, and with more than 500 calories and 15g of protein in every 275g portion size, the carefully developed new meals include: Beef Chilli featuring a warming puréed beef chilli with kidney beans, served with rice and peas; Sweet and Sour Chicken, which comprises puréed chicken, pineapple and peppers in a sweet and sour sauce along with rice and peas, and Chicken Tikka Masala. This delicious, puréed chicken has been infused with a medium spiced coconut and tomato sauce and is served with rice and creamed spinach. At the same time, in a move to deliver pioneering visual innovations, we’ve introduced a range of IDDSI Level 5 meals. First of their kind, the four meals in this range feature a moulded protein element, which aims to stimulate and entice residents’ appetites, whilst further bringing dignity back to dining. New dishes include Salmon in Dill Sauce, Beef in Gravy, Beef Grill steak, and Vegetable and West Country Cheddar Cheese Bake. Furthermore, we’ve also added a further three dishes to its standard Level 5 range, including Fisherman’s Bake, Creamy Chicken Pie and Pasta Bolognese. Next in our Culinary Inspirations’ collection will come a new pasta range, and a series of new plantbased dishes, which we are very excited to add to the range. n Neil Hargreaves is the care homes divisional manager at apetito,
apetiser provides a nutritious dining experience ON a sunny August morning, apetito’s apetiser pulled into the Caring UK office car park to bring us a taste of what has kept them busy over the last few months. And what a treat it was – stepping inside the mobile presentation suite, we were greeted by an array of beautifully presented dishes from their new Culinary Inspirations range. The delicious aromas came courtesy of recently-added dishes which the meals provider had created with the help of some top-class restaurant chefs. From Coronation Chicken to Leek, Cheddar and Ham Tart; Chicken and Chorizo Paella to Sausage and Smoked Ham Frittata; Smoked Haddock and West Country Cheddar Omelette and Chicken and Sweetcorn Bake – these were especially created to provide a nutritious and
interesting dining experience for care home residents. Add to this, new additions to the Texture Modified range, new plant-based dishes and a new pasta range it’s clear to see – and taste – the innovation and hard work that has been going on during lockdown. With tables and chairs at the front of the trailer, it was an enjoyable, carefree and sociable way to sample the new range in the great outdoors. apetito’s mobile presentation suite, the apetiser, is travelling round the UK to care homes. To book a visit to your care home or to find out more details on apetito’s Culinary Inspirations range check out https://www.apetito.co.uk/ trust-us/ or contact 01225 569403. Caring UK would certainly recommend it.
19 Advertiser’s announcement
‘Culinary Inspirations’ launched LEADING care home meals provider apetito has launched ‘Culinary Inspirations’ – the most significant product launch that will see the company add nearly 50 new dishes to its range in an exciting six-part series over the next three months. Culinary Inspirations includes an innovative range of main meals, new additions to the company’s awardwinning Texture Modified range, a host of delicious new plant-based dishes, and an authentic new pasta range that comes packed with flavour and delicious sauces. Care homes will now be able to offer their residents the first six new dishes from the Culinary Inspirations range. And for these new dishes – in what is described as ‘a unique approach to product development’ – apetito has reached out to five top chefs across the South West (whose businesses had been adversely impacted by coronavirus) to partner its in-house team in the creation of this very special range. In just under six weeks this pool of chef talent (from rising stars to Michelin-star experience) worked with apetito’s in-house chefs and dietitian to deliver the quality and innovation that the company is so renowned for. New dishes include a flavourpacked ham, leek and Cheddar tart created by the respected Peter Vaughan of Vaughan’s Kitchen, and a twist on the classic coronation
chicken designed by Jethro Lawrence, head chef at Woolley Grange and BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals’ quarter finalist. Care homes divisional manager Neil Hargreaves said the launch was “highly innovative and incredibly exciting.” He added: “Everything we do here at apetito seeks to enhance and deliver an exceptional dining experience for care home residents. “We know how important it is to our care home partners to be able to offer choice and innovation alongside helping residents who have more specialist dietary needs, such as those living with dysphagia. “Our Culinary Inspirations range is a major initiative that we are unveiling over a three month period and not only brings great new choice, but it also looks to add further value into the dining experience for residents – for example we are very excited by the new additions to our Texture Modified range which launches later this month.” As a leading supplier of meals to the care sector, apetito works in partnership with care homes to serve great tasting, nutritious food while delivering real cost savings, supporting the best dining experience and meeting diverse dietary needs. Through a dedicated support team, apetito can offer care homes fast and safe mobilisation and a bespoke service tailored to individual care
Chef Jethro Lawrence’s coronation chicken. home challenges. apetito’s mobile presentation suite, the apetiser, (which allows for safe, socially distanced sampling of its meals), is travelling round the UK to care homes. To book a visit to your care home or to find out more details on apetito’s Culinary Inspirations range; check out https://www.apetito.co.uk/trustus/ or contact 01225 569403. Full list of chefs and their apetito dishes: n Jethro Lawrence – head chef, Woolley Grange Hotel and Restaurant
– coronation chicken. n Peter Vaughan – Vaughan’s Kitchen, Devizes: leek, Cheddar and ham tart. n Henry Scott – Henry’s Restaurant, Bath: chicken and chorizo paella. n Richard Knighting – Corkage Restaurant, Bath: sausage and smoked ham frittata. n Rob Allcock – head chef and landlord, The Long Arms, South Wraxall: smoked haddock and West Country Cheddar omellette. n Rob Allcock: chicken and sweetcorn bake.
Trust apetito...
To provide a great dining experience
Contact us to start your partnership today Call 01225 569 462 Visit apetito.co.uk
With over 200 meals to choose from, including our market leading Texture Modified range, we cater for all dietary and culutral preferences. Our wide range of dishes ensures residents have a variety of meals to choose from and are always looking forward to mealtimes.
20
‘Later living village’ planned for Inverness A NEW later living village is being proposed in the Milton of Leys area of Inverness. The courtyard development of 11 two bedroom homes will form part of a new multi-million pound care hub planned by Grantown based Parklands Care Homes. The single storey properties will offer double and single bedrooms, living room with bay windows, kitchen/dining room, sun room, bathroom and storage. Each property will have a semiprivate garden area and a parking space. Within the courtyard development, a central open area will be created with stone dykes, seats, grass and decorative shrub planting, forming an attractive shared space for residents. Communal areas will be landscaped with native species plants, trees and hedgerows and will be maintained by Parklands Care Homes. The site will also offer visitor parking. The homes will include high levels of thermal insulation to maximise heat retention and LED lighting throughout to reduce energy use. The new village will form an integral part of the new care hub envisaged by Parklands that will also include a 59 bed care home, already granted planning permission. Work on the care home is likely to begin in early 2021 once a preferred contractor is selected. If approved, it is hoped the village project will be built in tandem with
An artist’s impression of the new later living village in Inverness.
the care home or shortly after. A playgroup for local children also forms part of the care hub vision. The proposed village development is designed to act as a bridge between independent living and the care home sector. Residents will be able to access the range of social activities, cleaning, laundry and catering services offered by the care home, while leading otherwise independent lives. Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes, said: “Since we were initially granted planning consent for the Milton of Leys site in 2018, our plans have evolved and we
believe this new mix of care home provision and independent living better reflects the care needs of the local community. “Our homes will be aimed at older people who, while able to lead relatively independent lives, feel they might benefit from the additional support of a professional care team. “For those who ultimately require full time care support, the village will act as a stepping stone to our new care home. “If successful, this is a model that we would like to roll out to other areas. “More of us are living longer and
fuller lives and the way we provide care for older people needs to be more flexible. “Not only does this new model ensure older people can continue to live largely independent lives, it will help to release housing stock as the older generation downsizes. “This is a relatively new concept for the Highlands, not least because our care hub will also include a playgroup for local children. We think it will be hugely beneficial for the city and wider region.” A planning application for the later living village has now been submitted to The Highland Council.
Advertiser’s announcement
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Dorgard reduces spread risk of germs and viruses AROUND 80 per cent of infections are spread by touch, including touching contaminated surfaces such as door handles. In care homes, ensuring residents adhere to strict sanitising guidelines can be very difficult and can cause stress and anxiety for them too. Removing the need to open doors as residents and staff walk from room to room is an easy solution to eliminate the need to touch door handles and hand plates. The elderly are one of the most vulnerable group of people with regards to infections like flu and Covid-19, finding ways to reduce the spread of these diseases is therefore paramount. Dorgard offers a solution to legally hold fire doors open so staff and residents can move around the building ‘contact free’, reducing the
risk of cross-infection with germs and viruses. These battery-powered door holders are easily fitted to a fire door by a handyman. The device ‘listens’ for the sound of your fire alarm and when the alarm goes off the Dorgard automatically releases the door and allows it to close, preventing the spread of fire and toxic smoke. Hence, not only is the risk of cross infection reduced, the fire safety of the building is also maintained. With a range of Dorgards to choose from you will find a solution that is ideal for your setting. The original Dorgard is perfect for small to medium settings with normal or low noise levels. For noisier environments, where enhanced sound recognition is beneficial, Dorgard SmartSound offers a great solution.
Minimising contact with door handles reduces the risk of germs and viruses spreading. Dorgard offers you a safe and legal way to hold your fire doors open, preventing the spread of germs and viruses as well as fire.
Dorgard, the legal way to hold fire doors open and reduce cross infection. Dorgard, Dorgard SmartSound, and Dorgard Pro come with a 5 year extended warranty from Safelincs. FREEPHONE 0800 612 7908
www.safelincs.co.uk Ref: CUK/CV20
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A RESIDENT at Patcham Nursing Home has enjoyed celebrating his SURREY-based care homefellow The Royal 104th birthday alongside Alfred Seafarers’ Society is reaping the residents, a relative and staff rewards of its green initiatives after members. cutting its plastic usage bywas 74,000 The Brighton care home filled itemscards per year dramatically with and to balloons as Lenreduce its carbonmarked footprint. Goldman his special day with maritime charity and caters for a The full English breakfast a birthday 68 residents at his its Belvedere House cake featuring favourite photo nursing on care home hastop. prevented printed the icingand on the 52,000 plastic cups and 22,000 wet Throughout the day he received wipes reaching landfill by rolling lots of from presents and birthday wishes, out an environmental plan, fronted including a digital photo frame gifted byhim staff.by the home so he can display to Commander Brianmemories Boxall-Hunt, his favourite family from chief executive of the throughout his life. Society, said: public awareness Len,“Although who is a keen poet, was also and willingness to reduce carbon surprised with special bunting, made emissions is currently high on the by activities coordinator Paula Grout, news agenda, we identified the need which included the verses from some to begin investing in green technology of the poems he has written on the many years ago and are experiencing front. the benefits every day. As of the birthday celebrations “Aspart a not-for-profit organisation, at home, Len was also joined by wethe have to manage the challenge of his daughter, the garden for keeping costsFleur, downin where possible awhile special socially-distanced afternoon delivering an outstanding level tea. of innovative care to all our residents Although Len’s wife unable to that depend on us forwas a good quality attend of life. the garden party on the day, Len said he was delighted “While investing in greenthat he got to share was his special day with his technology a big investment for daughter, a safe distance. the home,from not only are we beginning said: had an amazing toHe reap the“Ifinancial rewards,birthday; but can the staff members at thetohome really be proud of our efforts reduce our went above and beyond toas make my carbon footprint as much possible. day special. “Our staff have been pivotal to this “Mythe favourite part of prevented the and fact they have
thousands of unnecessary single-use plastic objects from being thrown away demonstrates our ability as a collective society to drive meaningful environmental change.” In addition to this, the senior management team has been working to reduce the home’s reliance on fossil fuels over the last three years by installing solar panels, which have cut electricity bills by around 15 per cent. The site’s sustainable pellet-fired biomass boiler has reduced gas usage by around 20 per cent and a 135m celebrations seeing my borehole haswas alsodefinitely been sunk to supply daughter, Fleur. fresh water at a projected saving of “The period of allowing restrictedthe visits £8,000 per year, charity has been in tough, but it felt very to invest facilities for the home and special being able to see her again to its residents. celebrate this together.” Alongside itsmilestone work to reduce waste Len, who isemissions a former history teacher, and carbon at its care was born inRoyal Weston-Super-Mare in home, The Alfred Seafarers’ August andproduced moved toaBrighton Society1916, has also top tips as a child. guide for like-minded businesses to In addition to his keen interest in reducing plastic waste: poetry, he has published a number n Prevent waste contamination by of books about his growing nonup in using a second binlife to separate Brighton and his experiences in India recyclables. during the contact war. n Recycle lenses at your Manager Pat Hurst added: “Len nearest opticians. is fantastic resident andinstead is always n aUse microfibre cloths of delighting us with aboutand his wet wipes that canstories be washed life or poems that he has written. reused an important of n“Len Use is recyclable papermember straws rather the thanPatcham plastic. family and it was very enjoyable to be able cups to celebrate this n Use compostable as opposed milestone with him.” to single-use plastics.
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Staff and residents from Stocks Hall Nursing Home in Burscough came together to celebrate the 80th birthday of care assistant Sheila Hardman. Sheila was on annual leave during her official birthday celebration and returned to work to celebratory surprises from her work colleagues. The Burscough family serenaded her with a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ as gifts, cards and flowers were presented. Manager Sammi Molyneux said: “Sheila is such an important part of life here and always has a kind word for everyone. We are very proud to have her as part of the team and delighted to have marked this special milestone.”
Arquella_Marketing_CaringUK_Final01_CMYK_OL.pdf 1 17/03/2020 15:55:08
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THE 2021
CARING
UK AWARDS Thursday 2nd December 2021,
THE ATHENA,LEICESTER We are extremely sad to bring you the news that we have taken the incredibly difficult decision to cancel this year’s Caring UK Awards. All nominations for this year’s awards will be carried over to next year – and nominees will have the opportunity to update their nominations should they wish to ahead of the closing date. Thank you for all your nominations and support and we look forward to celebrating your amazing feats in 2021. Thanks too to our sponsors for your continued loyalty and support.
N O M I N AT I O N S W I L L R E M A I N O P E N T H R O U G H O U T THE YEAR CLOSING ON AUGUST 31ST 2021
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Care Home Division
CARINGNEWS
Handling Dysphagia safely and sensitively By Dr. Elizabeth Boaden DYSPHAGIA is a shockingly common issue. It frequently affects between 50 and 74 per cent of care home residents; not to mention countless individuals suffering from a variety of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, and even many young children. Regardless of age or mental state, dysphagia is a frequent cause of preventable death due to an overall lack of understanding and capability of those within the healthcare, residential care and childcare sectors. I have been working in this field of study for more than 30 years. As such, I have developed a passion for the importance of understanding dysphagia and have worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life of those living with the condition. Below I have detailed exactly what dysphagia is and the ways in which it should be handled safely and sensitively.
Dr Elizabeth Boaden stomach. The leading issues associated with dysphagia, aside from the anxious or depressive state this potentially debilitating condition can lead to, are the physical problems. Not only can it cause an inability to take in enough fluids and calories to effectively nourish the body; there are also the dangers of choking or aspiration at play.
What is Dysphagia? To put it simply, dysphagia means difficulty swallowing. The condition has varying degrees of severity, from those with minor issues when it comes to eating and drinking, to those who are completely unable to swallow, or are unable to do so safely. Problems with the structures or the neural control involved in any part of the swallowing process can result in dysphagia. A stroke, or separate disorder of the nervous system, can make it much more difficult for an individual to swallow safely. If the tongue, cheek or throat muscles are weak, this can also result in difficulties chewing or moving the food, drink or saliva toward the
Awareness and education According to the National Patient Safety Agency ‘more than 60,000 people die annually from complications related to dysphagia’. This makes it the sixth leading cause of death in the USA. Due to its frequency and potential severity, those working in the elderly care sector should be totally prepared to assist with anyone suffering from swallowing difficulties. Unfortunately, this isn’t currently the case for everyone. To help healthcare workers gain a full understanding of the intricacies of the condition and prevent unnecessary deaths, education is key. I have assisted in the creation of
a comprehensive set of courses on dysphagia that has been researched and put together for healthcare workers and nurses. These are due to be available from the learning management system myAko shortly, thoroughly detailing everything care staff must be aware of in order to effectively identify, support and care for individuals with swallowing difficulties. There is currently a substantial waiting list of those seeking an appointment with a speech and language therapist, a list that has only increased since the outbreak of Covid-19. Technology presents an opportunity for the NHS to reduce current waiting lists, as nurses and carers can complete the online training and support SLTs to undertake remote assessments, utilising technology like teleswallowing, ultimately improving early diagnosis and treatment. The signs The first stages of the education process for healthcare workers is understanding the five stages of the swallowing process and acknowledging how a single problem can lead to more serious complications. Recognising the severity of the issue can encourage people to start looking out for signs that people are suffering. There are multiple, clear ways dysphagia can be identified in residents. Firstly, it may be reported by the individual themselves, or their families. Alternatively, you may notice a change in the individual’s behaviour around mealtimes. This may display as food refusal, or noticeable difficulty when they attempt to chew or swallow their
food or drink. Less obvious, but still notable, indications of dysphagia can include food and drink being left in the mouth after swallowing, or perhaps just a particularly long time between starting and finishing their meal. If swallowing is an ongoing issue, the individual may even experience weight loss. Equally, staff should also be mindful of aspiration. This symptom is far more obvious and can include constant coughing and throat clearing, sweating, eye watering and the individual’s face turning red. Should aspiration continue over a prolonged period of time, individuals are likely to experience dehydration, weight loss, frequent chest infections, or even pneumonia. It’s essential that care staff are able to screen for dysphagia as efficiently as possible, as any delay may have detrimental effects. In fact, delays in dysphagia screening have been associated with a one per cent increase in stroke-associated pneumonia. Moving forward With all of the above in mind, it should be considered imperative for anyone in a position of care to have a comprehensive understanding of dysphagia and all that can be done to minimise the risks. Aside from the possibility of death, swallowing difficulties can also have a huge impact on an individual’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, making it the duty of a care worker to do all they can to ease this struggle. n Dr. Elizabeth Boaden is a Fellow of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
Love of gardening inspires produce show across operator’s care homes AN ARMY of green-fingered care home residents have overcome the challenges of Covid restrictions to stage a forthcoming garden produce show. All 21 Colten Care homes in Hampshire, Dorset, Sussex and Wiltshire have taken part, with residents eagerly planting and growing their entries over several months. Show classes include fruit, vegetables, preserves, ‘Spud in a bucket’-potato weighing, and recycling spare objects and materials into planters. Participants have built houses for visiting wildlife, baked cakes on garden-related themes, created watercolour paintings and pieces of writing, and recorded their involvement in photobooks. Head gardener Charles Hubberstey, who came up with the idea of a ‘village produce show’ last year, said: “2019 was so successful we decided to make it an annual event. “Our residents didn’t want to let Covid stop them so we agreed a work-around for this year. “We asked all homes to submit
their entries online using photo and video evidence. It’s clear from the response that the interest we had in our inaugural year is very much still there.” As well the homes’ gardeners, residents have had the support of their companionship teams in preparing and recording their entries. Emily Hudson, a companionship team leader, added: “There has been a huge buzz about the show. People have said it’s a shame that we can’t get together in person to display all the entries in one place as we did last year but everyone has just got on with it and are doing their best. “It is so rewarding to help make something like this happen. People are really keen to see what the results will be and what other homes have been doing.” The competition comes to a climax later this month, with entries uploaded to a central image library and winners set to be announced via online video. Judges include gardening experts such as Charles plus companionship team colleagues across the homes.
Jean Moss with her planter made from a recycled straw boater. Looking on is fellow Wellington Grange resident Maureen King.
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CARINGNEWS
Resident Tony explores loneliness and isolation through photography
A special window visit took place at Stocks Hall Nursing and Care Group as Peter Grunwell and his wife Vivian celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. The visit was made possible by staff at Stocks Hall Mawdesley Care Home,where Peter lives. He is currently shielding due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Vivian said: “It meant everything to me that we got to spend our 60th anniversary together. It’s very difficult not being able to see Peter in person, however the nurses and care staff at Stocks Hall Mawdesley did everything they could to make this visit possible. It was lovely to toast our celebration with a glass of champagne.”
SINCE the easing of lockdown due to Covid 19, Tony Fisher a resident at Riddings, one of Guinness Care’s independent living schemes in Derbyshire, has been able to resume taking photographs of people for his next exhibition entitled ‘Only the Lonely?’. For the exhibition, due in the Autumn, he is currently taking photographs of people (ensuring social distancing) which explores loneliness, isolation and well-being, something he has battled with personally for more than 40 years. Tony has lived and worked in the East Midlands region as a professional photographer and filmmaker for many years, especially in the community arts sector, and funding for his forthcoming exhibition was received from the Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants. He said: “I have been interested in arts since I was at school and art college and have been taking pictures and making art all my life, it is something that gives me constant pleasure. “Each picture I take means something to me and I love to capture the vibrant colours, and sometimes in monochrome, of the world around me and share them with others. “At a resident meeting earlier this year, I was really touched to be
asked to put up framed photographs in our lovely community room we have in our flats once renovation is completed.” Steve Smith, independent living adviser at Guinness Care, added: “Tony keeps himself busy and works tirelessly both campaigning on mental health issues and championing the good work carried out by so many people who suffer mental health. “His photography skills and his eye for detail promote both the impact of mental health, loneliness and isolation but also bring joy and his images are very thought provoking. “Tony has won several awards and has exhibited in many galleries across
the country. “I think the man is a genius and an inspiration.” Tony has recently received an honourable mention from the 15th Julia Margaret Cameron Award in the Worldwide Photography Gala Awards. Also, one of Tony’s photographs is featured in the Lockdown Collection of Historic England and his photo ‘At the Boundry’ has been chosen to represent the East Midlands region in the Historic England Archive. He also spends his time working for mental health charities and local hospitals such as Rethink Mental Illness and Anxiety UK, MIND, and The Culture, Health and Wellbeing Alliance’.
Advertiser’s announcement
Taking care of your energy By Steve Skipsey AT a time when many care homes are either in the process of constructing new or extending existing premises, this would be an excellent opportunity to consider whether your energy requirements could be greener, renewable or simply better for you. This is where we can help. We’re Credo Limited, a family-run energy consultancy firm who specialise in a variety of sectors including education, charity, hospitality and are currently working closely with care homes. So much is changing within this sector and we’re excited to have been invited by Caring UK to help care homes adapt in this ever changing world. Green energy contracts are on the rise and this is the perfect time to consider adopting a more environmentally-friendly stance to energy contracts. Having being part of the energy community for several years, we’ve built up good, long-standing
Steve Skipsey connections with major energy providers and can provide assistance as to which of these would best cater to your individual requirements. Our services include examining existing contracts and generating reports based on costs to the user, VAT arrangements and contracting type – be it fixed or variable. From these reports, we can then advise the best course of action based on the information gathered. However, our services don’t end with the signing of a contract – we continue to provide assistance for as
long as you need us. Many of our customers take advantage of our bill validation service meaning we review your billing on a regular ongoing basis to assess any issues and deal with them as they arise; be it incorrect VAT rating, overcharging or just to provide information on your current consumption and billing accuracy. Whatever you’re wanting from your contract, we can build a package suited to you. All as part of our standard offering and at no cost to the client. Managing contracts of energy meters for a care home is much like any other business where the finance managers and owners receive a constant stream of calls from brokers each promising to get you the best deal.
Often there is little or no support when it comes to protection by a regulator as many businesses find to their cost With this in mind, we value the relationships we have established so much that we generate a significant proportion of our business from referrals via our clients and other business professionals. We operate with integrity and believe transparency is key. Credo is OJEU registered and happy to assist care homes around the UK. n Steve Skipsey is a director at Credo (North East) Limited. If we can be of assistance with any of your energy contract requirements, please contact us on 07500 048859 or email me on steve@credoltd.uk Visit www.credoltd.uk
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17/03/2020 15:45
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CARINGNEWS
Team make resident’s dream come true with bedroom makeover
The shop at Bruce Lodge.
Provider supports annual World Alzheimer’s Month BOROUGH Care is supporting World Alzheimer’s Month, a whole month dedicated to raising awareness of dementia and challenging the stigma that surrounds it. The operator has more than 20 years’ experience helping older people with dementia who live in its 11 homes across Stockport; a borough with dementia prevalence rates higher than the national average. This year’s campaign hopes to get people talking, using the hashtag #LetsTalkAboutDementia, in order to drive change and better support those living with dementia. Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, said: “We believe good dementia care is about creating a positive and flexible culture that supports and respects people. “Every resident is different and we treat them as the individuals they are. Our staff spend time getting to know each person; talking to them, and their families, about their lives, their likes, dislikes and what they enjoy doing. “Our ethos is that everyone should be encouraged and supported to live
life in colour, whatever their age, health or capabilities. “To help us achieve this, we’ve created dementia friendly spaces in our homes that encourage activities, friendship and the freedom to lead fulfilling and valuable lives.” Borough Care’s homes are designed so residents living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can live as independently as possible. The company has used its extensive dementia expertise to create safe and stimulating spaces for people living with the disease. Some of the group’s homes have been designed as small villages, with residents having their own real-life cafes, shops, cinemas or even pubs to visit. This gives people a sense of living in a community, enables them to carry on doing everyday activities and helps them continue to interact with people in ordinary ways. To support residents and their families, all Borough Care staff have access to ongoing dementia training, to ensure their knowledge and practical skills are kept up to date.
Care group praises its team A CARE group which operates two care home in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has praised its team for being unsung heroes during the global pandemic. Woodleigh Care has two care homes in the town, Woodleigh Christian Care Home and Baily House, looking after 110 residents with a range of care needs. It was established in 1988 by a local nurse, and in 2003 it was bought by John and Gail Walton, who added Baily House in 2014. The business has been supported during the pandemic by Yorkshire Bank, owned by Virgin Money, who has provided tailored financial solutions to allow the group to continue to operate effectively, John said: “The pandemic showed what an important part we play in the NHS. We are an integral part of the health service and we did all we could to step up and support the NHS. “It has been tough year, but the way the staff have reacted has been amazing. They are the unsung heroes and have gone above and beyond for
our residents. “We are very much part of the local community in Mansfield and it’s been difficult for everyone. We have been using technology as much as possible to keep residents connected with their families and have set up visiting pods in the garden to allow safe socially distanced visits. We have also tried different ways to keep our residents engaged and stimulated.” Woodleigh Care joined Yorkshire Bank in April and it was the experience of the health and social care team that was one of the reasons they decided to switch banks. John said: “It’s important that my banking team are specialists in health care, who are able to understand the industry and give advice on what’s happening. “Covid-19 has been allencompassing and we’re still not quite sure what the future will look like. It’s important that we have the support from the Bank to allow us to manage through these challenging times.”
STAFF at Newfield Lodge in Castleford have made 97-year-old resident Nellie Reed’s dreams come true with a bedroom makeover. Nellie, who has lived at the care home since April 2019, placed a ‘wish’ on the wishing tree to move into a garden suite from her first floor room. She loves to be outdoors in the fresh air and has a keen passion for gardening, so it was her dream to have a room that opened directly out onto her very own private gardens. After a short wait a garden suite became available and staff were able to surprise Nellie with a tour around her new room. Nellie, who was born and raised in Castleford, is well known for helping out around the home and loves to be involved in daily tasks such as keeping the gardens tidy and pottering around with the staff. As soon as she had seen her new room Nellie began working alongside the maintenance and domestic teams to design and redecorate the space exactly to her taste. She chose an almond paint and, along with some of her personal furniture such as a chest of drawers and her favourite reclining armchair, Nellie’s new room was starting to feel like home. She worked with the staff to pick out new bedding and soft furnishings, along with deciding the perfect spot for her beloved photographs, mirrors and other trinkets. They even colour co-ordinated her wardrobes to ensure every inch of her room offered that ‘wow factor’ feeling. Nellie said “The team has been fantastic from start to finish of the makeover. They made sure I had lots of input into the finished design,
Nellie Reed in her new bedroom. but they did include lots of special surprise touches that really made it special. “I now am able to enjoy my new room and as well as sit in my own patio area outside which I love.” Home manager Lynn Robinson added: ‘Nellie is a fantastic lady and definitely a fun and inspiring resident. “When a garden room became available we made sure plans were in place for Nellie to move in right away. “On the morning of the grand reveal the team were beaming with excitement to show Nellie the product of their hard work. “Nellie was delighted with the results and it was very emotional and incredibly heart-warming afternoon. She said she felt like royalty and asked staff to curtsy on their way in for the remainder of the day.”
Graysford Hall in Stoneygate, Leicester has been shortlisted for a prestigious Knight Frank Award in the luxury care home of the year category. The care home and healthcare industry insights giant recognises excellence in care homes across the UK, publishing an annual guide as well as presenting an overall award. Graysford Hall was opened in 2019 by new provider Sanders Senior Living, developed by the Runwood Homes group, made it as a finalist from all of the entries due to its design, innovation, interiors and range of facilities available for residents to enjoy.
CARINGUNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR
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Advertiser’s announcement
Choosing the right uniform What are the health and safety benefits for staff of your uniforms? A good uniform is one that fits well and allows for ease of movement. A front fastening tunic is best so that wearers are able to remove soiled tunics without having to take off over the head. The fabric should be washable at 85 degrees for infection control and the tunic should retain its professional appearance for a minimum of two years’ normal wear. How is having a carer uniform beneficial to care home residents? Recognition of staff by role is really important, particularly for residents. They want to know who the appropriate person is to speak to and be confident that the member of staff is qualified to assist them. In some cases this can be particularly helpful for dementia patients who otherwise might find it difficult to distinguish between a senior nurse and a member of the housekeeping team. How do your uniforms help support care home staff professionalism, team spirit and pride in their role? Feeling and looking smart and professional at work is an important factor in raising staff morale.
Garment fit and quality of staff uniforms is also key to ensuring staff feel comfortable and appropriately dressed for their role. It’s no surprise to anyone working in healthcare that staff who feel valued and professional have a positive impact on the quality of patient care given and uniforms play a big part in the pride staff take in their performance. What innovations differentiate your uniforms from other products on the market? Care homes are generally quite warm environments and so it’s important that staff are clothed appropriately for comfort. As a solution for this, we offer lightweight tunics which are typically around 140gsm whereas standard tunic fabric weights are 195gsm to 220gsm. Infection control is very important for both staff and residents. The cuff lining on our tunics and scrubs face downwards, meaning germs are less likely to collect in these areas. The processes we’ve implemented in the production and delivery of our garments enables Meltemi to achieve level 4 Labour Standards Assurance Scheme – the highest rating available.
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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement
Jean Davies celebrated her 100th birthday in style at Sunrise of Sonning. The team organised for her day to begin with a pamper session and she had her hair, nails and make-up done. Jean then had a conference call with her close family including her daughter and her grandchildren. Her grandson prepared a video compilation from her more distant relatives as she has a very large family located all around the world. After the call, Jean’s daughter came to the home for a socially distanced window visit. With assistance from the team, Jean opened her birthday cards and gifts from her family.
How coronavirus is changing the care sector ... By Philippa Shirtcliffe
“This bug is particularly wily, particularly bad… We are dealing with a very clever bug…” THIS was the prescient view held by Professor Gabriel Leung, Dean of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong in February before the novel coronavirus became a Pandemic. Since Professor Leung made his prophetic comments on BBC Newsnight the virus has claimed nearly 900,000 lives. But in addition to severely impacting the elderly, the vulnerable and those with underlying health conditions, coronavirus has succeeded in eating away at the inter-generational glue that binds our communities together in a way that Brexit never could do.
Virtual meetings pioneered by AAT THE challenge of specifying solutions to facilitate hospital discharge or enable minor or major adaptations works is being addressed via a pioneering approach by AAT. The company, which specialises in safe transfer and support systems for people with reduced mobility, has become – it believes – the first healthcare equipment provider to offer virtual team meetings. “Everyone is shouting about the provision of remote assessments, but how can the community care and adaptations teams make a valid assessment, and make a home appropriate, if they don’t know all the solutions available?” said AAT director Peter Wingrave. AAT’s entire product range – stairclimbers, posture systems and support solutions – enable people with reduced mobility to be appropriate and safely discharged from hospital, and/or to be empowered to access all areas of their home without the need for major adaptative building work, and all its associated disruption and cost. AAT’s national team can offer tailored briefing sessions/ team meetings for occupational therapists,
trusted assessors and adaptations teams. Sessions can cover how to enable a wheelchair user to transfer between levels safely and with dignity, how to healthily and safely support clients with reduced mobility to sit, bathe and/or sleep, how to empower carers to raise a fallen person safely and with dignity, and how to help people stand without the need for a riser/recliner. Sessions can be undertaken via whichever channel is preferred – Skype, Teams or Zoom. “Our aim is to help the adaptations teams and professionals to make informed choices, that deliver what is necessary and appropriate, what is reasonable and practical,” added Peter. “Budgets are tight, despite additional Government funding, and time is even more limited than ever, so it is important to be aware of alternatives that enable a rapid, best value solution. “Don’t forget, most local authorities already have at least one of our stairclimbers in stores, which further expediates a solution, if only all involved are aware.” Enquiries: Call 01978 821875 or email sales@aatgb.com
New skincare and incontinence leaflet
A NEW ‘Skincare management in incontinence’ leaflet is available from Thornton & Ross Pharmaceuticals – manufacturers of Zerolon® Barrier Cream. Accredited by the Association for Continence Advice (ACA), the leaflet is designed as a quick guide for all health professionals involved with continence care. Including recommendations from NICE, the leaflet also outlines factors to consider when selecting a barrier cream and advice on helping prevent incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). Zerolon® Barrier Cream is the latest addition to the Zeroderma emollients and barrier creams range, specially formulated to prevent irritation from bodily fluids including urine, faeces and exudate. Enquiries: To receive a free pdf copy of ‘Skincare management in incontinence’ email zeroderma@thorntonross.com or visit www.zeroderma.co.uk
Different generations have been forced apart With no vaccine in sight, many elderly communities have had no choice but to shield themselves from the virus. This has meant that the contact they would have once have had with younger family members, friends and neighbours has been dramatically reduced. Many pensioners (and young people) feel hopelessly marooned. It follows of course, that the coronavirus’ insidious ability to strike fear into the very heart of our communities has also had a huge impact on social care services. With the University of Stirling recently revealing that care homes in England reported a 79 per cent increase in excess deaths at the height of the first wave of the pandemic, many worried families reacted by taking elderly relatives out of care homes. As a result, domiciliary care agencies have suddenly found themselves in great demand. A powerful illustration of this trend was provide by Skills for Care, when recent data revealed that there are more roles in domiciliary care than there are in residential services. Compliance must move with the times If this trend continues, this will of course have huge ramifications for the care sector. However, at the same time, it’s important to stress that care homes will still have an integral role to play in our communities – both now and in the long-term future. But the way that packages of care are dispensed, paid for, managed and regulated may well change. In the short term, for example, until we find a way to contain the coronavirus – it is likely that there will be a much greater demand for ‘livein’ care. However, these much more bespoke
Philippa Shirtcliffe person-centred services cost much more than traditional care offerings. Why? Well, many people infected with Covid-19 likely to suffer long term health effects from the disease, care providers will need a greater number of skilled staff to help postCoviders stay healthy. Regulation will need to reflect this seismic shift and new policies and procedures will need to be drafted as roles and responsibilities change. As head of care quality at QCS, this is something we are already looking into. With question marks being raised as to whether – under the current financial care sector model – these services will be accessible and affordable to everyone, cutting-edge assistive technology and up-to-date policies to match, which allow people to access the precise amount of care to continue to live independently, will lower costs and add great value. A shared community care sector model But if Covid-19 has taught us one lesson – it is fostering and preserving shared communities across different generations – that brings people together. In the Netherlands, before Covid struck, community programmes were developed to enable students and pensioners to live side by side, while in the UK, Channel Four followed a large retirement home, where threeyear-olds mixed with pensioners. Both showcased the profound benefits to health and mental wellbeing even though the generational divide was vast. In a post-Covid world, if we are to outsmart ‘the really clever bug’ – then providing the right compliance is in place – we should embrace intergenerational living. Not only does it provide an enriching environment for the young and the old, but it is the panacea that can help society to recover from the greatest pandemic of our time. n Philippa Shirtcliffe is head of care quality at QCS.
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How to innovate for everyone’s benefit
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SELLING CARE HOMES NATIONWIDE
Firm’s first UK franchise hits £2m turnover IN-HOME care provider Visiting Angels has celebrated a momentous milestone as its first franchise office reached a turnover of £2million. Just six months after breaking the £1million mark, the Sheffield-based office has doubled in size, as well as now providing more than 1,750 weekly hours of care to tits clients. Managing director Dan Archer said: “When we launched in 2017 we projected a million-pound turnover in year three. “So to achieve that, smash through it and double it within six months is astounding. “It just goes to show that despite the recent economic uncertainty it is possible to grow a profitable business in the care sector with the right team. “It also indicates that our ‘carercentric’ approach, where we put our carers at the heart of the business, is the right thing to do. It is an incredibly proud moment indeed.”
This approach includes offering care workers a minimum wage of £10 per hour with guaranteed annual increases, a generous mileage allowance, regular car servicing and valeting, a mobile phone and much more. All of this helps to ensure that everyone feels valued. Dan added: “It was an incredibly proud moment, especially as we’re seeing such incredible growth throughout the rest of the UK network too.” “The first milestone was a great achievement – this second one is excellent,” said fellow franchisee, Gareth Redmayne, who launched Visiting Angels South Hertfordshire in September 2019. Within a year of its launch, Dan and his team were awarded ‘Best International Franchise’ at Visiting Angels’ annual conference in Philadelphia, crowned as the fastestgrowing office in the brand’s history.
Dan Archer and registered manager Tray Hall. Established in the US in 1998, Dan was the first to bring the brand Visiting Angels is one of America’s to the UK and, upon its launch in largest care franchises, with more 2017, Visiting Angels was the nation’s than 600 offices operating in five first ‘carer-centric’ in-home care countries. provider.
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SOLD Charnley House, Hyde, Cheshire
ANOTHER SUCCESSFULL SALE BY LAMONT JOHNSON The home is located in Hyde, Greater Manchester. It is a care home registered for 40, partly purpose built, in existing ownership for over 35 years and offers 39 bedrooms, and with the home benefiting from an overall CQC rating of “Good.”
Totally Confidential dential No Obligation
We would whole heartedly recommend ‘‘Lamont Johnson Ltd to any Care Home owner thinking of selling ’’
Stuart and Lynn Lanceley Proprietors, Charnley House
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SELLING THIS YEAR, PHONE US TODAY
The home has been sold on behalf of Mr and Mrs Lanceley, and purchased by Mr Peter Hill, of the Chesterfield, Derbyshire based Devonshire Care.
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OVER 01937 842 758 m.07920 475 440 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE
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SELLING CARE HOMES NATIONWIDE
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New appointment at South West provider
Bank House care home
New owners for Bury home DC Care has completed of the sale of Mr and Mrs Lowe’s shares in Crystal House Platinum Limited, owners of Bank House care home in Bury, Manchester. The sizable stone-built property enjoys an elevated position and resides within generous grounds. Two sympathetically designed extensions have been added, creating a spacious environment. In addition to the generous care space, there is an annexe which houses administration, a large training room and a quiet lounge. Bank House is a long established and highly regarded nursing home, registered for 43 within the care categories of old age, dementia, physical disability, sensory impairment and younger adults. Having previously sold The Bungalow, Bolton, in 2018 for Mr and Mrs Lowe, who wished to retire, it was repeat business for DC Care. The business was appraised by DC Care’s Northern region director
Alison Willoughby and the sale was managed by senior sales negotiator Lisa Rushworh. Alison said: “I would very much like to congratulate Mr and Mrs Lowe on the sale of Bank House. It was a collective effort from all parties keeping the transaction moving during the Covid pandemic, and with a flight ban put into place shortly before the anticipated completion date, as the purchasers were internationally based. “We worked closely with Daniel Corker of Windles Solicitors, acting for Mr and Mrs Lowe, who was a great help in ensuring the transaction flowed as smoothly as possible.” The home was acquired for an undisclosed sum by Dr Rana Hafeez Ur-Rehman, Dr Khalid Sultan, Dr Arshad Mahmood and Dr Muhammad Saleem Jaffar of AKRS Carehomes Properties Limited. Mrs Lowe will continue to provide support to the incoming providers during a transitional phase.
specialist healthcare business agents
SOUTH West-based Camelot Care has appointed a new activities co-ordinator at its Avalon nursing home in Bridgwater, Somerset. Former senior care worker Jason Saunders, 30, will devise and arrange daily activities and entertainment for the home’s residents. “I am absolutely passionate about supporting people to live the best lives possible and making sure they have a stimulating environment to meet their needs,” he said. “Providing opportunities for individuals to use their skills and enhance their quality of life, while maintaining their independence and privacy, is essential. “With the current restrictions due to Covid-19 where residents maybe be unable to meet with their families, we want to do all we can to help raise their spirits.” Jason says he will be encouraging people to keep moving through dance and activities including skittles and bowling and walks to the local park. In approaching his job, Jason says it is important to take time to observe residents to see what makes them tick and to speak with their families to help paint a picture of the person. To make his point Jason tells a story from a previous post about a resident who constantly tapped with her fingers on whatever surface was next to her. “No-one could get to the bottom of
Jason Saunders the tapping, but after watching the film Titanic one day, I realised she was actually ‘sending’ messages in Morse Code. “We later confirmed that she had worked in government communications during the War. It taught me there is always more going on under the surface than we might first realise.” Before moving into the care sector Jason worked as a pub manager in Bridgwater and helped to raise money for the Help for Heroes charity at the town’s annual carnival last year. Jason was given the job after interviewing for a post as a senior care worker at Avalon, but assistant manager Jess Hawker had other ideas.
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SOLD
Gosberton House, Near Spalding, Lincolnshire - Reg 46
On behalf of Gordon and Violet Lee, DC Care is delighted to announce the recent successful sale of Gosberton House, a historic family-run care home located in the idyllic Lincolnshire village of Gosberton near Spalding. When industry knowledge and wisdom are needed, when a discreet sale is desired, our clients choose DC Care to sell their healthcare business.
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Castleoak looks to the future with two Board appointments CASTLEOAK has made two Boardlevel appointments as it fixes its sights on “leading the market”. Kate Still takes up the new position of chief operations officer, focusing on the business’s performance and organisational development, responsible for all non-financial aspects, including people; customer satisfaction; communications; supply chain management; and health, safety and environmental management. She joins Castleoak from Citizen Housing where she was COO with responsibility for 850 staff, 30,000 properties and revenue of more than £150m. Kate has worked with some of the UK’s largest social housing companies, was previously national housing director at Sanctuary Group, and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing. With a background spanning finance, housing maintenance, social enterprise, local government and management consultancy, Kate has more than 20 years’ experience as a business strategist and operations leader with a focus on innovation, continuous improvement and transformational change. “I want to work with a business that delivers high levels of both financial and social value, so I was drawn
Kate Still (left) and Lisa Gledhill have joined the Castleoak team. to Castleoak because of its values Castleoak’s ambition to lead its and its heritage of creating a high market.” quality, purpose-driven product that Lisa Gledhill joins as MD, addresses a really important need,” Developments with responsibility she said. both for Castleoak’s development “I am also passionate about really business and joint ventures. understanding customers and She has more than 25 years’ markets, where they are heading and experience as a development and leading them through innovation. So construction leader and a background I feel my experience in that will give spanning real estate, infrastructure me real insight into how we develop and property development, our offer, and am delighted to take up investment, construction and a position that is so key to realising consultancy.
Lisa started her career with Arup, spending her first 10 years in technical, digital and project management roles. After gaining financial qualifications, she moved to Laing O’Rourke and then to Lendlease, working in investment, construction and development roles, latterly leading major mixed-use redevelopment schemes in London and Singapore. She is the non-executive director and chair at EdCity Development Limited, a not-for-profit development which aims to create an education and charity hub in White City, London. Lisa is also a chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. “With a momentum that was building ahead of and that has been accelerated by the pandemic, I believe we now have an unprecedented opportunity to make step changes in this sector, centred around excellent customer experience, addressing flexibility around tenure and affordability,” she said. “So this is a great time to be joining Castleoak, with its fantastic track record and ambitions to combine that with the best ideas and innovations, from within the sector and beyond, to lead this vibrant market.”
“Our fingerprints are all over every sale”.
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From corporate clients to private owners and charities, our experience provides the right advice and support throughout the deal process.
Whether acting for the seller or purchaser, our areas of expertise include: • Nursing and Residential Homes • Independent Hospitals • Specialist Care Homes Including Learning Disability & Mental Health • Children’s Services and Schools • Turn-key Developments • Vacant Properties • Land and Development Sites
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Stuart Kerr from national contractor Willmott Dixon discusses how community engagement was the driving force behind the successful overhaul of a leading Nottingham extra care facility.
How to innovate for everyone’s benefit ALTHOUGH care facilities for older people have become a part of everyday life in the last century, demand for services and facilities is ever-changing. When designing a redevelopment project for a community of older people, it’s important to factor in a structured approach to resident relations. The £13m Winwood Heights, Nottingham’s newest retirement village, comprises an industry-leading new build extra-care facility as well as the regeneration of two existing blocks of flats. It was completed in summer 2019 on behalf of Nottingham City Homes, and included the renovation of 180 independent living apartments and the demolition of old garages and a community centre to make way for a state-of-the-art extra care centre designed by Halsall Lloyd Partnership and comprising 44 extra care apartments, a sky lounge, a beauty salon and an expansive shared lounge. The carefully considered approach to resident engagement and involvement is what sets this project apart. Connecting with the community Like many extra-care developments, community engagement played a huge role in the Winwood Heights project. Willmott Dixon adopted an innovative approach to engagement by encouraging residents to be involved at every stage, from design and build to completion. As soon as the project was awarded
to us and we met with Nottingham City Homes, it was clear that a lot of community engagement was part of the brief. Engaging with residents and the local community was absolutely integral to the project. We encouraged residents to come to us with their concerns and ideas, and where we could, we took them on board to improve the design and tailor it to what residents wanted to see. We held regular liaison sessions which not only allowed us to address any concerns at the root of the problem and reassure residents, but also allowed us to take on board resident suggestions, many of which ended up in the final build. A prime example was the request for the redevelopment of a path that links two nearby roads – it wasn’t part of the original plan, but we incorporated it into the build as it provided added benefit to residents and the wider community. We made sure that residents were involved every step of the way. Going the extra mile to give them peace of mind is ultimately what made this project such a success, both on a construction level and for our project portfolio.” By ensuring that both supply partners and residents worked together throughout the planning, pre-construction and construction phases, the scheme was delivered within budget and on time – while also ensuring that Willmott Dixon received a score of 45 on the Considerate Constructor Scheme,
something that is rare on a project of this scale. Designing and building with older people in mind The existing site at Woodthorpe Grange Park was home to two 1960s tower blocks known as Woodthorpe Court and Winchester Court. Owned by Nottingham City Council and managed by Nottingham City Homes, the development at Woodthorpe Grange Park is one of Nottingham’s many independent living communities for people aged over 55. The most significant elements of the project were the new build extra care facility between the two existing clocks, and refurbishment of the ageing facades of the tower blocks themselves. Throughout an extensive design development process between architect, client and contractor, the brief evolved to maximise the potential of the site. Winwood Heights takes social housing for the over 55s to the next level and sets a new benchmark for older people’s living. We considered the appearance of the building and the way it integrated into its surroundings – the look had to be sympathetic to the parkland setting, and the design for all three elements of the project had to provide a dynamic and modern external aesthetic while blending in with the natural environment of the park – we retained mature trees and hedgerows around the site, and planted additional trees and vegetation to enhance its ecological value.
The development – which was procured through the Scape Major Works Framework – included a new EWI (external wall insulation) system, to improve the look of the two existing tower blocks on the site. As well as looking great, the EWI also boosted both buildings’ thermal performance to create warmer and more comfortable living conditions for residents Willmott Dixon’s community engagement didn’t stop at the redevelopment process. They arranged charitable events for residents, such as raising money for the British Lung Foundation, and worked with the wider community to help ensure a lasting legacy. Willmott Dixon also worked with Nottingham City Council to support local people into finding jobs, and supported a school engagement project, Budding Brunels, by offering careers advice and work experience to 25 students. Apprentices were engaged through the supply chain, with more than 330 weeks’ experience provided. Using local labour and products was also key within the development, with 79 per cent of labour coming from within 40 miles, and 45 per cent within 10 miles. 88 per cent of the work sourced was delivered through SMEs, 40 per cent of goods were sourced from within 10 miles and 80 per cent within 40 miles. It was a pleasure working with Nottingham City Homes to create this fantastic facility. We’re really proud to have been involved.
Service to bring a new level of personalised care A NEW homecare service in Worthing has opened after a successful application with the Care Quality Commission. Support Solutions West Sussex will provide a wide range of homecare services across the West Sussex region, focusing their support to both adults and children throughout the community. Trained carers will be able to assist with daily tasks such as shopping and household chores, personal care, and ensuring that medication is
taken as directed. Driven by providing genuine support across the local area, the new care service aims to change the way homecare is delivered. Carole Westgate, managing director, said: “I’m excited to be opening up this channel of support to the people of West Sussex. “We ask the right questions to ensure the correct personalised package of care and support is offered to clients and their families. “With the use of assisted
technology, we will enhance the support provided by our carers to help keep loved ones safe and secure.” The West Sussex branch is a franchise of the rapidly growing Support Solutions network. Its community care model has worked extremely well in other areas of the UK, enabling community living while allowing those clients they care for to maintain independence. Catherine McClure, managing
director of the Support Solutions network, added: “We are absolutely thrilled that Carole has decided to open her very own Support Solutions branch in the West Sussex area. “We have been working closely with Carole over the past three months and it’s fantastic to see how much passion she brings to the role. “This will be a valuable asset to those in the Worthing and surrounding areas and we can’t wait to see the positive affect it will have on the community.”
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CARINGNEWS
Virtual celebration set to recognise county’s care workers’ Covid-19 work THE Surrey Care Association is set to host a virtual celebration of social care in the county as it looks to mark the work undertaken by adult social care workers throughout the coronavirus crisis. Aiming to celebrate the outstanding dedication displayed by carers since the advent of Covid-19, the association is doing away with its usual annual awards, which recognise individual achievements across the year, and is instead hosting the celebration in acknowledgement of the work that’s been done right across the sector. Set for November 20, the event will be hosted via Zoom, and will be looking to celebrate the industry’s contribution to combatting the impact of the virus using a collage of positive, vibrant videos that showcase the best of social care. Erica Lockhart, chief executive of the Surrey Care Association, said: “As a sector we’ve been at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus, supporting and caring for the most vulnerable in society. “Following a very tough time we’re looking to celebrate our achievements by hosting a positive event that highlights the very best of carers and the caring industry. “We’re not limiting it to professional social care workers though, and are inviting those who look after relatives at home to also get involved – with part of this being a collage of video clips that serve to display the
rewarding nature of care.” The Surrey Care Association is asking providers and carers to submit videos that demonstrate how their teams or individuals have kept both themselves and those they care for entertained during an extremely challenging time. The event is open to anyone who operates in a care capacity, so if they care for a loved one, or have a loved one in receipt of care either at a care home or via homecare they’re free to register their interest – and are also welcome to submit a video. The collated videos will be broken down into multiple categories which will be highlighted during the event and cover: n Best PPE dress up. n Inventive lockdown programme for residents/service users. n Family lockdown catch up. n Staff dance and music. n Creative cooking. n Recognising teams. n Memories. Erica added: “Many care providers have been sharing their experiences during the pandemic via video – either over zoom calls or via WhatsApp or by using other sharing platforms as they help to keep people informed and connected. “Consequently then, we know there’s a wealth of brilliant footage out there, and we’re asking people to send these into us so that we can create a wonderful vision of care in Surrey.”
CareDocs: more than a software provider CareDocs has a fantastic reputation among care providers. Many people will have heard of us because of our digital care recording and management software. Our user-friendly system, industry experts and unrivalled customer service has gained us thousands of loyal users across the UK which we help to deliver outstanding care. But did you know there’s more to us than just our software? If you’re still using a paper-based system, you’ve probably thought about making the switch to digital but unsure what exactly goes into the transition. Overhauling your entire way of working sounds like a lot of effort but CareDocs was created to reduce timeconsuming admin tasks – and we want that benefit to start before you even turn on your new computer. We’ve been supplying and installing hardware, answering tech queries and
repairing equipment since our launch in 2008. Our aim is to make the entire process as simple as possible. This includes setting you up, customising your system and training you on the software. That way, when we leave, you can continue your care and instantly benefit from a more efficient way of working. Should you wish for multiple staff to use the system at once you can hire additional laptops and dedicated mobile devices like smartphones and tablets to provide essential point of care recording. After you’re up and running you’re not left to fend for yourself. We have a dedicated, UK-based support team and an out-of-office service that includes evenings, weekend and bank holidays. We’re always standing by to help you with your questions and to fix or replace your hardware if you find a fault.
What is Medau Movement? FOR almost seven decades Medau Movement has been privileged to work with many different groups in the community which has accommodated all age groups from pre-school to seniors to the frail elderly. Our unique approach to exercise often includes the use of handheld apparatus, and our teaching to a wide variety of music guarantees you won’t be bored. In Covid-free times our apparatus would include balls and clubs for instance, but for our six-session DVD we are including three sessions without apparatus and three with improvised apparatus: a rolled up magazine, a knotted pillowcase and a ‘shower ball’ – our creativity is endless even in times of pandemic. Using apparatus channels the focus
away from self-consciousness and is what sets Medau Movement apart in group exercise. Our approach to exercise ensures all class participants exercise safely whilst presenting them with age appropriate challenges, and more importantly, keeping them active. Because of lockdown, our teachers have not been allowed into their normal care homes to carry on delivering face-to-face classes, so we decided to create this DVD so you can all still enjoy doing our classes free of charge. As we all know remaining active is crucial to a healthier lifestyle and we hope your residents enjoy doing our exercises as much as we enjoy delivering them. The DVD will be in November’s Caring UK magazine.
Residents at Brunelcare’s Robinson House have made their debut on the front cover of Vogue magazine. The Bristol care home decided to ‘strike a pose’ and get involved with the social media craze, where people superimpose themselves onto the cover of Vogue magazine to replicate other famous celebrity shoots. The carers couldn’t resist getting involved in the challenge and their images have been shared across social media. Activity coordinator Maria Jones said: “Getting involved in the Vogue challenge was lots of fun. I enjoyed being a part of it and taking all the pictures of the residents It was great to see them smiling – they enjoyed the challenge and I think some of them felt like real celebrities.”
THE ART OF COMFORT
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