Caring Uk September 2011 by Script Media

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September 2011

incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector

no.184 • £4.75 In association with

Staffing issue should be a priority - claim By Dominic Musgrave HOW care homes will be staffed in future to cope with the ever increasing aging population must be addressed now, it has been claimed. Sheila Scott, chief executive of the National Care Association, said where the extra carers are to come from should be made a priority by the Government. Speaking at a regional conference for care home owners and managers organised by the association in Derby, she said: “I find it extraordinary that we know the number of people requiring care will rise, yet no one at Westminster has got their head around this fact that this will happen. “They seem to think these extra staff are just going to materialise. The biggest challenge of all facing the sector is where are the staff to care for this rising number going to come from. “A colleague of mine says that at interviews in years to come it will no longer be a case of asking the questions about the job but simply when can you start? “We have to make the care industry an attractive place to work. There are a lot of graduates out there at the moment who cannot

get a job, so what talents do they have that we can tap into. We need to open our minds to opportunities, but some times we just don’t and get on with it.” Sheila also gave her views on the fees debate surrounding the care industry, adding that she had ‘no sympathy’ for the Government because the extra £2bn it earmarked last year for social care should have been ring-fenced. “There seems to be expectations that standards will keep rising, but this has to be the year when local authorities and PCTs get real and understand that the current financial climate is no different for care homes than everybody else,” added Sheila. “CRB checks have gone up, inflation has gone up, the amount the CQC charges care homes to register has risen by up to 40 per cent, and the minimum wage rises in October, yet most local authorities have either cut or at best froze the amount they pay. “Whatever happens, all care homes have seen a cut in fees this year, and we have to look at what we are going to do to maintain the standards of care.” Do you agree with Sheila’s opinions? Email Dominic Musgrave your views at dm@whpl.net or ring him on 01226 734407.

Incentive scheme first for Torbay care homes

Actress Beverly Callard officially opened a new £4.5m care home in Pontefract. Best known for her role as Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, she pulled a pint in the bar of the 64-bed Willow Park facility which has been built by North East based Eric Dixon (pictured above). To find out more turn to page 22

TORBAY is the first place in the country to use the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation payment incentive scheme to improve care and quality within homes. The local Care Trust and Care Quality Forum, which is made up of care home providers across the bay, developed six key indicators to assess care homes against the CQUIN framework. The national NHS initiative rewards healthcare providers for excellence in providing quality services. Hannah Hurrell, senior commissioner at Torbay Care Trust, said incentives are linked to a proportion of the homes’ income from the Trust and dependant on evidence submitted to meet agreed indicators. She added: “CQUIN aims to ensure that residents will receive the same high quality services, wherever they are cared for. It also means that homes are encouraged to continue to develop their quality and innovate.”

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Owner reunites resident with family members THE owner of a Bridlington care home has reunited one of her residents with members of her family that she has not seen for more than 30 years. When Valerie Coe moved into Rose Park from another care home almost a year ago her notes stated that she had no known family. But, through talking to her, Paula Fillingham and her staff quickly realised that she had a brother called Philip, who lived in the Wakefield area. Using the internet, Paula hit the jackpot when the first of the three P. Coe numbers listed for the city turned out to be Valerie’s uncle, who put them in touch. She said: “Valerie told us that she had not seen her brother for years, and asked if we could try to find him, which we said we would. “All we knew was that he lived in Wakefield and was a couple of years older than her. Two days after I spoke with Valerie’s uncle her brother telephoned us - it was a very emotional call. “It turned out that he was coming to

Bridlington the day after for a couple of weeks, and we arranged for him to come here during his holiday, which again was very emotional. “On talking to him we found out they had not seen each other for 32 years after they lost touch when their mother died. “Her father also died at a young age in a mining accident. Turns out Philip had been trying to track Valerie down in Withernsea, where she had previously been living, but had had no luck.” A party has been arranged at the home at the end of the month, where Valerie will also be reunited with three of her nieces and a nephew and their families. Paula added: “All of the staff and the relatives of the other residents living here have been invited to attend because we are one big family here. “Everyone is very excited, and a local baker is only charging us for the ingredients for a cake that we have ordered for the occasion.” Paula has previously put residents in touch with other family they had not seen for years at other homes.

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Editorial

BBC television presenter Harry Gration

Harry opens new home BBC TV presenter Harry Gration escaped the stresses and strains of his high-profile media job with a relaxing back massage when he officially opened a new Scarborough care centre. And when he wasn’t having his muscles relaxed at Eastfield House he was loosening up in the keep fit “chairobics” session and trying out the latest mobility scooter. Harry joined the Mayor of Scarborough and the town’s MP Robert Goodwill for the official opening at an open day to show how the centre has been transformed into a modern venue for care. They were joined by Susan Crookes, whose father, Dr Eustace Evans, was the original GP when Eastfield House was opened as a doctor’s surgery in 1956.

Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 Fax: 01226 734478 Healthcare Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@whpl.net Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ wharncliffepublishing.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. You can now follow us on Twitter at caringuk

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Hope helps theatre group celebrate A BIDEFORD care home played host to the Westward Ho! Youth Theatre Group to help celebrate its Queens Award for Voluntary Service. Founded in January 2005, the group gives children between the ages of eight and 21 the opportunity to sing, dance and act and stages two shows a year. It is the only volunteer group in North Devon to receive the award. Four members of the group were invited to Buckingham Palace to receive it and attend the Queen’s garden party, but the group wanted all its members and volunteers to be included in the celebration. Care South's Kenwith Castle matron Rae Vanstone said: “We were asked to help give the children a sense of being at the palace by providing a splendid venue for them to have their own celebratory picnic in the grounds.”

National award A LONDON nursing home has received a national award recognising end of life care. Broadlands Nursing Home in Cheam received a Commend status as part of the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) in Care Homes Quality Hallmark Awards.

How rescue dog Skip became part of family A DOG who was given a second chance of life by a Bromsgrove care home after being rescued by the Blue Cross has been featured in the August edition of Dogs Monthly. Skip was adopted by Oldfield Residential Care Group’s Bluebrooke facility for those residents who had to give up their pets when they moved in and, consequently, missed their fourlegged friends. It was the idea of manager Lianne Sturmey to have a dog for the home and, since his arrival, Skip has proved a huge hit. She said: “Skip has been brilliant and has really made himself part of the family here. The home wouldn’t be the same without him. “Skip has a special place in the hearts of all the residents and staff here and we would definitely recommend having a pet to other homes in the area.” “Money can’t buy the pet therapy he gives, and the residents faces light up whenever he wanders into one of the lounges. It never fails to amaze me that those residents with dementia remember him and still say ‘Morning Skip’ every day.” Prior to having Skip, the staff had

Skip with residents at Bluebrooke. thought about getting a pet therapy organisation in, but the waiting lists are often so long that setting the activity up is a lengthy process. And, by having him, as well as giving a rescued animal another chance, delighting the residents and staff and getting them out and about when they take him for a walk, it has led to some people who did not communicate very well to be more confident and come out of

themselves. Skip used to stay at the home all the time, but it led to the problem of him having 'too many owners' and he now goes home with Lianne each night and comes back each morning to give him a bit more stability. Tracy said Skip being at the home was one of the factors which led to the daughter of another resident choosing Bluebrooke for her.

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Sweet shop goes down a treat in Poole RESIDENTS at a Poole care home have opened their very own shop selling traditional sweets, gifts and homemade cakes. Treats and Sweets has been built at Care UK’s Mitchell House by the home’s maintenance man after the idea was suggested at a meeting by manager Diana Wiltshire. As well as selling fudge, Turkish delight and candy shrimps, the shop also has its own traditional till and weighing scales to encourage the residents to get involved. Diana said: “We look after people here with a severe level of dementia but always aim to offer them as many activities as possible. “Our team of activities co-ordinators treat them as individuals and we always look at what they can do without our assistance rather than what they cannot do. “In a meeting I just happened to say that I would like to see a shop. We used to have a volunteer who ran a trolley selling a variety of things around the home but she has retired. “When the idea was suggested it

was like giving them £1m and they were very enthused by the idea.” The residents were asked what they would like to see on sale in the shop, and their relatives were also informed of what the home planned to do with the money they had donated at various events. Diana added: “Any money made goes back into purchasing goods for the shop or into the residents’ fund as we like to take them out on as many trips as we can. “The residents enjoy pricing up the goods and getting involved in any way they can. Serving one another in the shop is something to put on the care plans, but because of their dementia they tend to only be able to do it for 20 minutes at a time. “It is a big part of the home and we now intend to turn it into a focal point and paint a mural of other shop fronts so the residents can sit outside with a cup of coffee and a piece of cake and enjoy the area.” The shop was opened by the local town crier David Squires and 92year-old resident Win Beyer.

Residents at an Aberdeen nursing home were treated to an afternoon of music to mark its silver jubilee. As part of the celebrations at Hawkhill House, the Robert Burns World Federation NE Federation put on a variety of performances that included a bagpiper, a selection of Burns and Scottish songs, recitals, cello, violin, piano and clarsach music. The performers are pictured with Hawkhill House owner Rona Tayler

ECCA launches new online shop ECCA has launched a new online shop that is open to care providers throughout the UK. The shop contains an extensive range of more than 3,500 independent living and dementia aids that have been sourced from reputable manufacturers, fully guaranteed and NHS tested where necessary to ensure fitness for purpose.

The shop also offers dementia signage and related specialist products. Chief executive Martin Green said: “This shop has been launched with the care provider in mind. “It brings together range, quality and low prices all in one place and, more importantly, it’s easy to use.”

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New gym proves age is no barrier to keeping fit WITH the Olympics less than a year away residents at a Woking care home are showing that sports are not just for the young with the launch of their new gym. Residents and day centre visitors to Care UK’s Kingsleigh facility can maintain life-long passions for competitive sport with equipment and exercises specially designed to keep them physically and mentally in shape. The gym equipment includes a treadmill, mini seated steppers and exercise bikes. As well as using the machines, residents are also taking part in seated netball, softball tennis and indoor golf. Activities co-ordinator Pauline Dolan said many residents are carrying on the sports they loved before they moved into the home – and introducing them to others. She added: “Keeping active is vital to overall well-being as we get older. By keeping suppleness and strength, the risk of falls can be greatly reduced. “Exercises that promote hand-eye co-ordination and boost circulation are also good for keeping the brain in tip-top shape. “We have several keen hockey players. We clear out the furniture from the lounge and dining room and play three or four-a-side. They have a whale of a time and other residents join in, cheering from the side lines. “We also have a demon table tennis player who enjoys taking on all comers. When he runs out of players, we put the table against the wall and he plays against himself. He can go on for hours – it’s no wonder he is so fit and such an excellent player.” The home is committed to helping residents maintain their interest and hobbies, and the group has developed Activity Based Care to

Residents Valerie Bensusan and John Battye show age is no bar to staying active. ensure they remain fit, active and independent. Manager Wendy Dodimead said: “We want to show that age is no bar to keeping up your favourite hobbies and staying fit. If a resident has an interest, we will do our best to

nurture it.” The home also provides short-term respite care if residents’ usual carers are temporarily unavailable, or are going away on holiday, or the resident wants a time for rest and recuperation.

Summer fayre goes with a swing ... THE swinging sixties returned to a Horncastle care home for its annual summer fayre. Staff, residents and visitors dressed in 60s fashions and danced to music from the decade at the event at Tanglewood, while attractions included a raffle, a bottle stall and chocolate tombola. Activities co-ordinator at the home, Cherry Wilkinson, said: “The 60s theme was a great hit. The day went really well and we had a real party atmosphere.” The event, opened by former Horncastle mayor Jack Simpson, raised more than £500 for the residents’ activities fund.

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Appeal over closure is withdrawn THE owner of a Kent care home that was closed down after its registration was cancelled has withdrawn his appeal against the decision. The registration of Sea View Lodge in Herne Bay, owned by partners Shahid and Nelofa Sheikh, was cancelled in June after the CQC made an urgent application to Canterbury Magistrates’ Court to protect the safety of residents following serious concerns about people’s welfare. Shahid originally appealed but has since withdrawn it which means it remains cancelled and the owners can no longer offer care services. Roxy Boyce, regional director for the inspectorate in the South East, said the eight residents were all placed in respite care or other nursing homes. She added: “We acted quickly to protect the safety and welfare of people at Sea View Lodge as soon as staff came forward with their concerns. “All services must meet essential standards of care and we will take

action where services are failing people. “Closing a care home is never a decision taken lightly. These are places where people live and which they consider as their homes. But the only way to properly protect residents at Sea View Lodge was to close the home immediately, and move residents to other locations where care is of a better standard.” CQC gathered evidence that demonstrated people experienced poor standards of care which amounted to neglect following concerns raised by staff whistleblowers. They also found that there was a failure to manage long term health conditions, low staff numbers and people were cared for by staff who did not have the training, knowledge and skills to meet their needs. The safeguarding allegations at the home, which was two-star rated at its last inspection last summer, have been referred to the police.

Local news reader Sangeeta Bhabra joined the mayor of Tonbridge and Malling Brian Luker and his wife Joy Luker at a care home’s annual summer fete. More than £1,000 was raised at the event at The Abbeyfield Kent Society’s St Martins residential home, which included a tombola, fancy dress competition, a dog show, a dance show and stalls from local suppliers. The money will fund days out for St Martins residents later in the year, while a donation was also made to Abbeyfield Kent’s Who Cares? Initiative, which helps give older people peace of mind by offering a bursary fund to help keep them in their home when they can no longer afford the cost of care. Sangeeta Bhabra is pictured with residents at St Martins fete

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Care home party marks award wins A MANCHESTER care home held a party for staff, residents and their families to mark the official presentation of two awards. Greater Manchester Police assistant chief constable Terry Sweeney, who holds the Forces portfolio for vulnerable adults, presented the dignity in care award to Dover House senior carer Penny Rooney, while Amavi Attisso received the fivestar food hygiene award from Trafford’s environmental health officer Nigel Smith. The home, which is owned by Cathy Conchie, is one of only eight care homes in the borough to have received the award, which was achieved after residents, families and staff ware interviewed and observed by a number of assessors. Amavi, Rachel Davidson, Clare Hicks, Mary Gough and Gina McIntyre were also presented with their NVQ level three certificates at the party by head of Trafford police, Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts.

Landlords turn to experienced care home operator By Dominic Musgrave ONE of the UK’s most experienced care home operators has revealed that he has been approached by three landlords to take over 11 Southern Cross homes throughout Scotland. Robert Kilgour, who founded Four Seasons Health Care in Fife in 1989, building it up over 10 years into a UK-wide group with over 100 care homes, has pledged to ensure the continuity of care for residents and their families and also to provide job security to all the staff. In 1999 he left Four Seasons after successfully spearheading the publicprivate takeover of Crestacare Plc in a deal worth £127 million. Robert currently owns and runs three care homes in Edinburgh and the Lothians under the Renaissance Care brand, consisting of 80 beds and 120 staff, and expects to be operating the Southern Cross facilities by the beginning of October. He said: “In recent weeks it has

Robert Kilgour become apparent that many landlords do not have the experience and track-record to provide the high quality of care that residents and their families expect and deserve. “Word in the industry has obviously spread and we’re receiving a steady stream of enquiries from other landlords looking for help in

ensuring a smooth transition away from the difficulties experienced by Southern Cross. “I expect we’ll be making further announcements about additional Scottish homes in the near future.” Robert and the landlords he represents have pledged that all 11 homes will remain open and will benefit from a seven figure capital investment programme to refurbish the facilities that improve residents’ experience. He added: “I have an established team of experienced and trusted figures within the care home sector, many of whom I have worked with for years and trust implicitly. “It is clearly a very complex and delicate situation but one in which we have the right skills, experience and resources to undertake.” “Our aim has always been to provide residents with a good quality of life within a pleasing and safe environment and we will ensure that this approach is reflected across all the homes that we manage.”

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Cellists hit right note for residents LIVE performances by a pair of cellists at a Suffolk nursing home have been music to the ears of its residents. Aldringham Court welcomed Emily Robinson and Jenny Bullock from ‘Musicians on Call’, which takes music to people who are unable to go to concerts and other live events. Activities co-ordinator Sharron Watson said: “The pair played classical music and took requests from residents, who asked for songs from the Sound of Music and Disney films. “The residents loved their visits – it’s something different for them as they don’t get to hear live music played very often.” Some residents from the Healthcare Homes run facility also recently enjoyed a visit to the Suffolk Punch Trust in Woodbridge. Among the features was a display of agricultural machinery. The home has recently undergone a major expansion programme, which includes the addition of 11 new en-suite bedrooms to take the registration up to 45.

Racy success for care home manager Mandy By Dominic Musgrave THE manager of a Bromsgrove care home has proved she is still fastest and best when it comes to stock hatch racing. When manager Mandy Kennedy joined Regents Court in March, her new colleagues were surprised to discover her passion for life in the fast lane. And the 39-year-old retained her national ladies’ stock hatch title for a second successive year in her Fiat Punto at Ashbourne in Derbyshire. Self-confessed ‘petrol-head’ Mandy took up the sport three years ago after her eldest son, Lee, began competing and encouraged her to have a go. Her latest triumph behind the wheel was not all plain sailing as terrible weather conditions meant up to four inches of water on parts of the track. As if that wasn’t bad enough her throttle got stuck meaning she couldn’t slow down for the last four laps. She was able to keep three corners tight but then on every

fourth the car would drift out wide giving other competitors the chance to take the lead. Mandy, who says the sport is a ‘great stress buster’, added: “I was almost taken out on the first lap by an eager new driver, and the last corner was completely under water and the car just wouldn’t slow down, but I managed to keep control. “I’m thrilled to have retained the title. “The car was completely unrecognisable by the end of the race though, as it ended up a dirty brown all over due to the mud and rain. “In my role as Regents Court manager, I’m able to bring a wealth of experience in dementia care and I’m really enjoying the role so far. But the stock hatch racing certainly makes a change to my day job.” Does a member of staff at your care home have an unusual hobby or talent? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@whpl.net or telephone 01226 734407.

Mandy Kennedy

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Makeover allows residents to grow their own food ... RESIDENTS at a care home near Bognor Regis will soon be enjoying home-grown vegetables after its grounds had a makeover. Ten members of the local branch of the Prince’s Trust aged between 16 and 25 spent two weeks transforming the gardens at Chalcraft Hall, digging a pond, making a wheelchair ramp on the lawn and creating raised beds so the residents can get involved. Marilyn Francis, manager at the 20bed home, said the produce grown will be used by the chef in the kitchen. She added: “As part of their selfdevelopment scheme the youngsters needed a project in the community that the would design from the beginning, source the materials and complete the work. We initially suggested they could make us a pond but they did a lot more for us and what they have created is another focal point for the residents to enjoy. “The beds have been raised to waist height so those residents that enjoyed gardening before they moved here can once again get involved. Many of them had allotments so have been very keen to start planting.”

Carrots, beetroot, peppers, lettuces and tomatoes will all be planted over the next few weeks, with the residents then able to eat what they have grown. Marilyn added: “We have chosen vegetables that grow quickly so that the residents can watch them grow from start to finish and can regularly keep an eye on their progress. Being able to eat them in sandwiches or salads will also give them a real sense of achievement.” Prince’s Trust project co-ordinator Roy Newnham said the work is the community placement of the 12week course. He added: “The young people have had to find the right project, plan it, source the materials and then work out how to complete it. “So it gives them planning skills, teamwork and communication skills. “Those who are on the course typically suffer from low esteem and self-confidence, so the idea is to get them in a position to go on to higher education or jobs.” Are you currently working on a project similar to this? Let Dominic Musgrave know by ringing 01226 734407 or email dm@whpl.net

Resident Derek Maurice tends to a rhubarb crop

Friendships and fitness grow in village allotments GREEN-FINGERED residents at an award-winning Northampton retirement village are keeping fit and enjoying each others’ company while growing their own food on their allotments. As part of National Allotments Week, residents at Richmond Northampton have been busy growing a variety of produce, including potatoes, onions, sweet corn, apples, pears, lettuce and lots of soft fruits. Two further allotments are also being prepared by the company – one will have a fruit cage and the other a traditional Victorian kitchen garden with raised beds. The six allotments are just a short walk from the retirement village, and residents pay Grange Park parish council an annual rent of £25 per allotment, or half that for a smaller sized plot.

Head gardener at Richmond Northampton Nick Ives said: “The landscaped grounds and gardens at the retirement village are carefully tendered for the residents to enjoy so they don’t have to get involved with any work. “However, some people were missing their gardens and the thrill of growing their own seasonal fruit and vegetables, so we arranged for them to have access to local allotments. “We did all the heavy work to prepare the ground, and built a pagoda for them to sit and chat while taking breaks from gardening.” Richmond Northampton has won the Daily Express New Homes Garden Award and, along with other the firms other sites, has been awarded ‘Best Retirement Development’ by both the What House? Awards and the Daily Mail Property Awards.

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Develop your staff so you get the best out of your team By Brinda Bungaroo TO HAVE charisma in leadership is always a bonus, for it’s more about what you do and how you do it in order to achieve the best results. As managers we have visions as to how we want our home to function and run on a daily basis, while we also have future ambitions on how we want to further develop and improve our services. In order to translate and transfer such vision and ambition one must gain trust of the workforce so that the goal can be achieved. It’s not an easy task to make your ambition visible to the people you want to influence. It requires good leadership with inspiration to motivate and have the ability to influence and translate that shared vision. In this current economic climate, it is crucial to drive forward staff team and improve the quality of our services. As managers we have an immense responsibility to provide a clear concept to the commitment we have towards the provision of good standards of care. To do so it is about supporting our staff to develop their skills through coaching, mentoring and delegating responsibility that will enable them to contribute to the improvement of the services. Delegation of task is not just shifting responsibilities, it’s also about giving staff the opportunity to shine and further develop their skills. It’s about giving them the autonomy, listening to them and respects their views. This exercise has proven successful in our team, my staff feel motivated, confident and happy in their work. They are more willing to take on training and further develop their skills, which for me as their manager I feel motivated to invest in their training. The concept of good communication cannot be underestimated, as it’s the driving force towards making all the difference. As home managers we have the commitment towards all

Brinda Bungaroo the people who use our services, but most importantly towards our staff team. It is important to spare time to listen and talk to staff. Show them you care about them and their well being matters to you. Work alongside them without demeaning them and remind them from time to time that you are there for them as much as you are for the service users. Staff are the greatest asset of any organisation, therefore they need to be valued and acknowledged for their efforts and dedication. Keeping your staff team happy equals having committed staff who will stay in your organisation for a long time which means continuity of care for your service users and improving the services and providing quality in the care. It all stems from the recruitment stage of choosing the right person for the right job. It’s about identifying the person with the right attitude and abilities towards caring for people. This must be continued with a proper induction programme alongside monitoring of performances and supervision. It is an ongoing process which involves true commitment with a genuine passion and integrity in motivating and building the team. Brinda is manager of Neva Manor care home in Weston super Mare.

Home’s blooming happy RESIDENTS at a Solihull care home are feeling rosy after being presented with a donation of plants from the recent BBC Gardeners’ World Live exhibition. Silver Birches, managed by not-forprofit Accord Housing Association, has received a selection of shrubs, plants and flowers left over from the show, which took place at

Birmingham’s NEC in June. The care home in Chelmsley Wood was chosen to receive the donation as part of a project with Solihull Sustain, a support service for voluntary and community groups in the area. Sprucing up of the Silver Birches’ garden was carried out by members of ‘Team NEC’ led by estates manager Ross James.

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Life at a care home on the outskirts of York has been transformed after the manager changed the activities plan. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Activity switch is beneficial for all WHEN Rosevale Care Home manager Nikki Durrant noticed residents were asleep shortly after they had eaten breakfast she asked the staff why? And once it soon came to light that they were bored and had nothing to do she decided to change things at the Wellburn Care Home run facility, which has led to activities now being run three times a day. She told Caring UK that the changes have proved beneficial for everybody, although some staff were a little opposed to the idea at first. “It was quite a radical change to the way we worked, but there is no reason why a resident must have a bath in the morning and not the afternoon,” Nikki said. “Had the switch caused major headaches for the staff then I would have done something about it such as getting an extra person in, but it hasn’t. “Residents are not forced to join in any activities if they don’t wish to, but by having the extra activities we have found that they sleep a lot better at night and we don’t have

residents wandering about because we are keeping them active in the day. “We do a wide variety of things here from pottery and exercise classes to trips out to the shops and walks around the village to the nearby duck pond. “We also have a residents’ request book that we try our best to act on if possible. One resident wanted to go on holiday so while her room is being redecorated she has moved to another of the group’s homes in Richmond.” The home was bought by Wellburn four years ago, and Nikki has been there for eight, working her way up from team leader to deputy manager to her current role. She added: “I must admit that I felt quite dubious at first when I heard that the home was being sold because I didn’t want it to lose its family feel, but it is totally different. “The firm’s motto is ‘Care Without Compromise’ and they really do put the residents at the centre of everything they do. The owner strives for 110 per cent in all that he

Rosevale Care Home does. “I see ourselves as extended family to the residents, and if a relative wants to come and visit someone at 9pm then they are more than welcome to do so.

“As part of the family feel at the home we also have a PAT dog coming to visit us regularly. I also bring my dog and cockatiel in when I’m on holiday and the staff are also encouraged to do the same.”

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Colleagues toil to delight residents with new garden

Activities co-ordinators Marian Preece and Lyn Newell

A NEW garden created to delight the senses of residents living at a care home near Walsall has been officially opened. The garden at Lakeview features sweetscented, colourful plants such as roses and lavender, and has been created by two members of staff. Activities co-ordinator Marian Preece, who is due to retire next year, decided she wanted to create the garden as a lasting retirement gift for the residents and, with colleague Lyn Newell, the pair set about transforming the outdoor space into a sensory garden. The pair, who work with residents with dementia in the home’s Ullswater and Loweswater units, have held various events to raise £5,000 over the past two years towards the project, including a sponsored wheelchair push. Marian said: “I wanted the garden completed before I retire next year, as my retirement present to the residents to say thanks for what they have brought to my time here. “I have worked here for five-and-a-half years now and I have loved it. Lyn and I

work together as a good team and we love our residents to bits. “We knew this garden would bring so much to their lives.” The Preece and Newall Sensory Garden – named in honour of Marian and Lyn – was opened by local councillor Cath Perry and blessed by Reverend Mark Thomas, who carries out services at the home. Families who had helped contribute towards the garden were also in attendance. Lyn said: “It’s a very special place for the residents and their families. The residents are going to be able to do their activities outside in their new surroundings, and it’s a beautiful place for their families to spend a little time with them. “It’s not only a sensory garden, it’s also a memorial garden dedicated to those residents who have passed away. A lot of families have donated quite large sums of money towards the project, which we have used to buy plants and flowers in memory of their loved ones. “It’s taken two years of blood, sweat and tears but we’re very proud of what we’ve created.”

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Care home to close amid rent struggle A HEREFORDSHIRE care home is to close because it can no longer afford the rent charged by the county council. The Chestnuts in Ross-on-Wye is home to 24 elderly people and has been run by volunteers as a nonprofit charity association for 20 years. The trustees of The Chestnuts (Ross on Wye) Housing Association Limited have said the lease, due to expire in September, can only be renewed at more than double the rent. A spokesman told Caring UK the decision has been both “difficult and painful”. He added: “The impact of closure on residents, staff and their families has been uppermost in the minds of the trustees, who have come to this decision mindful of their duties to a charitable housing association. “With current local authority funding set well below the true cost of provision, and the risk that this will worsen, it would be irresponsible to attempt to continue to operate in an environment where volunteer charity trustees are being asked to set fees

for privately funded residents at a rate to substantially subsidise those with personal budgets. “Consultation with residents, staff and The Wye Valley NHS Trust has begun in order to facilitate closure and resettlement in a well ordered fashion. “Liquidators have been appointed to conduct the winding up of the charitable association. Efforts will be made to find parties willing to take over the home subject to terms acceptable to the local authority. The council said it had worked hard with the trustees to reach agreement and was saddened by the decision. A statement from them said it wanted to ensure that residents receive the care they need. It added: “Our social workers are working very closely with families and professionals to make sure the needs of all residents continue to be met. “We will ensure that every care is taken to minimise disruption and make sure all transfers are as smooth and stress-free as possible.”

A Hampshire care home hosted its 20th annual garden party with entertainment provided by Lockerley Silver Band. Caroline Noakes MP and Lockerley carnival queen Leila Shaw hot footed it from Romsey Town Carnival to join former Test Valley mayor Brian Page and

his wife Dorothy at Greenview Residential Care Home. More than 200 people joined the residents at the event, with a group of volunteers assisting people with transport and other support issues. Picture: Greenview owner Ian Bradford with carnival queen Leila Shaw

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The man behind what was one of the Republic of Ireland’s largest care home companies is now building his first care home in West Yorkshire. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Eric Dixon with care home administra tor Gail Evans and manager Pat Green.

Eric makes a Yorkshire move WILLOW Park in Pontefract boasts its own bar, cinema, cafe and beauty salon, as well as 64 en suite bedrooms for people requiring residential, nursing or specialist dementia care. Built on the site of a former pub of the same name, it is the brainchild of Eric Dixon, who helped to build up Silver Stream before it was bought out in 2007 after 10 years. Eric, who personally has more than 20 years’ experience in the sector, said the £4.5m facility is the first of several he plans to build in West Yorkshire over the next few years. He added: “The first home I built was designed by the same architect

that has designed this one. I used him in Ireland and he has done more than 90 since. “This is probably the best one I have done to date. We are always looking to improve and it is very much a learning curve. “But it is all about the care and making sure the residents are as well looked after as possible. “With all the homes I have been involved with I always try and get the residents and their families running the home as much as possible. “We will be asking them to oversee the cafe and bar, as well as getting

involved with other activities, and they will all be invited to participate in some of the training going on, particularly those with dementia, because it is an uncertain time for families.” More than 500 people applied for the 60 jobs available at the home, and Eric head-hunted both manager Pat Green and her deputy Ann Wilding. He added: “I believe that the home is only as good as the manager in charge, and if you have a high quality manager at the top that filters down. “I like to think that with my experience I am able to spot a good manager, which is why I went for Pat.

Both she and Ann are fairly local to the area, which I think is important as a care home should be at the centre of the community. “I want us all to take pride in what we do because I care about what I am doing. Building a home in the UK was something I considered doing for a while, but because of the recession finding the funding was tough. “We will build other homes in West Yorkshire in future but will never become a big company because I never want to get to the stage where I don’t have full control.” Funding for Willow Park was provided by NatWest.

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Transformation for retirement village clubhouse WORK has begun on the remodelling of the clubhouse at a Bath retirement village. The three-month programme at Avonpark Village near Bath will see the communal facilities transformed. The entire reception area will be opened up, extra seating areas created and further dining options added with the addition of a new servery. The current library and lounge area will be remodelled, resulting in a larger, more functional area, while the conservatory will be redecorated and new furniture added. Administration and staff areas will also be improved. “This is the next phase in our work to improve Avonpark Village and ensure residents have the very best surroundings,” said Paul Walsh, managing director for the care and operations division of Retirement Villages. “We have put in place temporary facilities for residents and their guests to use during the work which we expect to take until October.” Avonpark Village was acquired by Retirement Villages last November and comprises 99 studios, apartments, cottages and houses, a 27 bed residential home, a 15 bed nursing home and a 32 bed dementia unit.

Decision gives every resident their own ‘personal address’ RESIDENTS at a Northern Ireland care home have taken a vote to improve their orientation within the home. Sunnymead residential home in Armagh was established within a private Victorian house and has been developed and grown in size over recent years, meaning it now has six corridors to negotiate. At a meeting residents decided they would like to name each one with an individual street name, which will help them, new staff and visitors become familiar with the home’s layout more quickly. Voting took place with all residents enthusiastic to have their say and vote for their favourite areas throughout the county of Armagh. Manager Amanda Leitch said: “In our lifetimes most people will live in various houses, but each house is our ‘home’ because of the rituals, routines and personal touches we decide to bring to the space. Each house has its own unique address. “When residents choose to live in Sunnymead they simply move house, in order to ensure that they can continue to live happy, fulfilled and purposeful lives. “The naming of each corridor will enable every resident to have their own ‘personal’ address within

Saints and Scholars primary school children Becka and Darragh with Sunnymead resident Mildred McStraw and one of the new street signs. Amanda added: “There are lots of Sunnymead, and will promote misconceptions about care homes individuality and belonging within and we wanted to show the the community. It gives them a sense youngsters what life is like living of purpose. here. You never know, some of them “All of their mail is now directed to may be recruited as carers here one them at their own address care of the day. home, and some residents have even “The school was so happy that they put knockers on their room doors.” are going to design another project The home worked in partnership for the next academic year, which we with Saints and Scholars’ Integrated think will be around healthy eating Primary School on the shared and lifestyle. learning initiative to reminisce and “We think it will start off by us investigate the history of the corridor planting a variety of vegetables which names which residents voted for. The we will then eat as a big meal aim of the initiative was to enhance at the end of the project, but intergenerational relationships, the final details have not been promote understanding and confirmed yet.” learning.

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Thousands of homes without a manager, new figures reveal THOUSANDS of care homes across England do not have a registered manager, according to new information obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. And hundreds have significant breaches of standards which place thousands of older people at risk of poor care and worse, according to figure obtained by Action on Elder Abuse. They show that at the start of July more than 3,000 active care homes had conditions placed upon them by the regulator requiring them to have a registered manager in place, (the person legally responsible and legally accountable for every aspect of running the home), with 16 per cent of them waiting for CQC clearance. Action on Elder Abuse chief executive Gary FitzGerald said: “At a time when serious questions are being asked about

the quality of care provision for older people and whether or not the regulator is ‘fit for purpose’, and when the Government is considering a wider role for the private sector in health and care provision, these figures demonstrate a frightening picture of the state of residential care in England. The registered manager holds a crucial role in establishing and maintaining standards of quality and to have so many homes with requirements of this type is appalling.” CQC has confirmed that there were 10,856 inspections of care homes between April 1 2009 and March 31 2010, while in the following year there were only 3,805. Gary said inspectors were diverted to the registration process, away from their primary function, but the public were not told. He added: “Given the frighten-

ing reduction in the number of overall inspections – some 65 per cent in a year – it is hardly surprising to see so many significant breaches of standards now occurring. Face to face inspections, not desk top reviews, are the only effective way of monitoring compliance and the regulator has been quietly withdrawing from these methods, leaving many local authorities struggling to fill the gap created. CQC information in June may have given the impression that Southern Cross was the major problem in the sector but, as these figures show, this was misleading. We are witnessing a sector wide problem and it is worth noting that, with the closure of Southern Cross, many of their care homes are just transferring to other existing care provider companies, some of whom have serious breaches of standards.”

Caring UK Commerce section brings you all the latest property, business and training news every month.

In this issue: Annual State of

the Industry Report Page 26

Southern Cross

closure ‘will be felt across the industry’ Page 27

Small and

efficient providers can show a way out of the care home ‘crisis’ Page 28

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CARINGCOMMERCE Variations to the CQC and inspections, the bedding down of The Health and Social Care Act, Government policy changes to care funding, and issues with fees, are just some of the challenges facing care homes. Dominic Musgrave spoke to several leading figures about the state of the industry.

What does the future hold? MORE distressed care home businesses will come to market via administrators in future, with some of them of a decent size and quality and very saleable, it has been claimed. Anita Allen, director of DC Care Property Agents, told Caring UK that historic over-gearing and poor management are often the reasons for the failure of these businesses. She added: “The appetite of investors is strong, with excellent levels of interest in the care home units we are marketing for insolvency partnerships. “Moving forward it is vital that the banks increase their support of the quality buyers in the sector, as many have been restricted in their expansion plans. “If funding is even slightly more attainable we believe this will improve the overall market, with increased business sales and more new build developments being

implemented.” But NCA chairman Nadra Ahmed said the need for social care within the 'Big Society' will become ever more crucial as we ‘hurtle toward the demographic time bomb’. She added: “We currently face this with a fractured regulator, a cash strapped commissioner and a disparate workforce. “Social care is undervalued and yet it is the only industry which can and will support hundreds and thousands of individuals in their chosen environment. “The challenge of how to fund this essential service remains a hot topic and one which the government needs to commit to resolve. “I believe we have the opportunity to get this right; the regulator must regulate, the commissioner must commission based on actually fulfilling the needs of the individual and the sector must be enabled to invest and innovate so together

‘No option but to tax us’ THE state of the UK care industry is by no means unique in the world, it has been claimed. But Tony Upward, managing director of LNT Software, says that the Government is cutting every cost it can and ‘waving its deficit reduction figures around like a winning lottery ticket’. He added: “Where will the required £2billion a year come from? If we raise NI contributions for care this year will the situation be resolved? I personally do not believe so, capacity will certainly not be increased and how would quality be tested. “It will mean that we the public have accepted another precedent, so when we need more money for policemen to control rioting the Government could happily raise it again, much like fuel – it hit 70p and the blockades were out. Now we are watching fuel creep up to £1.50 a litre in some places, but what action is taken by the Government – a 0.01p decrease compared

to the almost £0.60 tax HMRC dutifully collect on each litre.” He said that to generate the revenue required to reform social care, the government has no option but to tax us in some way. “But rest assured, like fuel, what goes up does not come down,” added Tony. “Andrew Dilnot’s suggestion of a £35k cap is a sensible step towards making the cover of long term care insurable. “However, if the cap in individual contributions is set much higher and the tax free lump sum on all pension funds is extended for those that buy the long term care cover, it should be cheaper for the Government and stimulate insurers to offer policies for purchase against the risk. “Unfortunately there will always be big news stories in the media, but that should not affect the country’s ability to apply pressure to the Government to carry out (or at least begin) reform within the postcode lottery care sector.”

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we can face the future with confidence.” Julie Wright, managing director of Wright Care Home Solutions, said that while some care providers still have issues to address, standards within the industry are much improved on recent years. She added: “It appears there are still homes struggling to fill beds, which may result in difficulties in paying mortgages and rents. “This will continue for some providers, particularly where care offered is not in line with local authority perceived need or where owners/managers are reliant on ‘old style’ marketing of their homes. “One of the changes impacting on occupancy is mobility. “Key promoters of homes such as social workers, care managers and district nurses who stayed in one place and one job for many years, are now less static.

Nadra Ahmed Julie Wright “In the past a good relationship with outside agencies almost secured the filling of beds. With people moving jobs and areas, this is no longer the case and homes need to market actively to ensure that they stay on ‘the radar’ in order to increase occupancy.” She added that marketing is key skill that managers need but not all have as their role continually changes, with many needing to lead the business and so delegating care to other grades of staff.

‘How state funding develops will steer future developments’ By Jeremy Huband WE have seen few business transfers taking place, and the facilities we see on the market tend to be smaller units or those with some kind of issue which require a certain type of operator to run. Not always the case but a trend. Where we are asked to fund smaller units we draw upon our recent experience of softer occupancy levels and adjust our appetite for debt accordingly. As each home is different what debt we are happy to support will change and reflect sustainable occupancy will sustain. You will hear EBITDA (income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortsation) mentioned and available debt as a multiple of this. As a rule well-run, well-located and well-laid out homes will attractive the higher levels of debt: higher multiples of EBITDA. We are seeing smaller homes in wealthier areas usually enjoying better fee rates and a closer following from the local community they serve than possibly you would expect. These areas are often ones where the corporate operators would like to build new homes but find obtaining sites difficult and planning problematic. So this may leave the local home unopposed. Currently, we are funding a number of such care homes to either extend their units or build new ones in the 40-bed range. While 40-beds appear sub-optimal to some, the fee rates generated compensate for the fewer rooms and make for attractive care homes and lending propositions. They tend to cater for private payers,

so side step the state funding issues faced by many. The other area we are seeing interest is in specialist units looking at care in the ‘difficult to do unless you are in it already’ areas. These are bespoke units complementing existing homes catering for their niche. We are keen to back experienced operators growing established businesses models. An area where I have seen little activity this year are large homes supporting local authority funded residents suffering from dementia. While demand for these units must be on the increase uncertainty on fee rates and recent press have reduced activity. Going forward I believe state funding for elderly residents will be agreed and minimum fee levels set. Homes are required to serve residents who can not be supported in their own homes and we should be seeing more funding requests to support this demand. I also wonder whether nursing homes will need to be reviewed and a new category introduced to allow nurses to just cover waking hours. This would allow fees to be reduced whilst retaining a business model which can survive and grow whilst providing a satisfactory level of care. Over the next 12 months I would expect to see good operators doing more of the same, expanding into markets they know and improving what they have already. That said, everyone has one eye on how state funding develops as this will steer future developments in the sector. Jeremy Huband is director commercial banking of RBS Healthcare London.

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Southern Cross closure ‘will be felt across the industry’ SOUTHERN Cross’ closure will be felt across and have wider implications for the care industry, it has been claimed Marcel Bradbury, a solicitor specialising in the sale and purchase of care homes at Adams and Remers LLP, said it will affect those owners running individual and small multiples of homes. He told Caring UK there could be a funding gap as some banks are pulling back from lending to the sector. “I have been approached by a number of clients who have expressed an interest in buying some of Southern Cross’ failing homes,” said Marcel. “But they are going to find funding these purchases impossible unless they have significant assets and can afford to service a higher cost of borrowing. “They are also very worried that there may now be a perception of a problem in the care home market as a whole, which will affect them and business opportunities such as expanding and buying more homes in the future.” He predicted that some Southern Cross homes could be sold off for other uses, adding that the ‘whole episode has potentially set the industry back a couple of years’. “We know already that lenders are not keen to lend money for the purchase of care homes with a low occupancy level or regulatory problems,” said Marcel. “Prospective buyers

Marcel Bradbury could have previously considered a leasehold arrangement where they were able to take over the home and make the necessary improvements with a contract in place to allow them to buy the property after a couple of years. Such arrangements may now be more difficult to fund. “There is now likely to be some of the Southern Cross homes sold off for other uses and I think it will certainly make an unsettled climate and life more difficult for care home owners looking to expand for the foreseeable future.” Do you agree with Marcel? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@whpl.net or telephone 01226 734407.

Manager Angi Knight at the site of the new home.

First home to create up to 60 jobs THE opening of a leading care provider’s first care home in Coventry is set to create up to 60 jobs. Coundon Manor is a purpose built nursing home being built by Priory Group with single, en-suite accommodation for 74 residents needing nursing or dementia nursing care. The dementia house will reflect the

latest research in the condition, focussing on a person’s abilities. All residents will also have access to carefully planned activities and a wide range of professionals including a hairdresser, chiropodist, optician and GP. The site, which is expected to open later this year, will be managed by Angi Knight.

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Small and efficient providers can show a way out of the care home ‘crisis’ By Harry Cormie

DC Care has completed the sale of a 30bed care home in South Shields to allow its previous owner to retire after 25 years. Built in the early 1900s, the home was extended in the mid 1990s, with many of the residents’ rooms and day spaces having sea views. The home has been acquired by established operator Om Gupta for an undisclosed sum.

Two homes underway A DERBYSHIRE firm has won contracts worth a total of £14m to build two state-of-the art care homes. Ashover-based Wildgoose Construction has secured the deals with the Restful Homes Group for a £9m facility in Lichfield, Staffordshire and a £5m one in Stratford. Work has started in Lichfield and the build is scheduled to take 52 weeks. The 112-bed care home will be built over three storeys in the grounds of the Samuel Johnson Hospital. There will be a range of modern facilities including hairdressing salons and a roof garden. The build in Stratford has also started and is scheduled to be completed next March. The 64-bed care home will include a large restaurant, a café bar, hairdressing salons and an in-house cinema.

EVENTS at care home giant Southern Cross have understandably shaken the sector and have inevitably raised questions about existing models for providing a stable and commercially sustainable environment for an ageing population. It is difficult to argue that the troubles affecting Britain’s biggest provider are anything other than a slow-motion tragedy. The consequences of the potential closure of a number of the company’s 752 homes, caring for some 31,000 people, obviously alarm UNISON, with worries over thousands of jobs. But this unpalatable situation hardly comes as a surprise to informed opinion in the financial press and property professionals, who have been warning for years that the business model of these massive entities was fatally flawed. Far too much money was hoovered out of the businesses by private equity companies, who also funded expansion using eyewatering levels of debt. The companies were mercilessly asset-stripped and future strategy was predicated on unrealistically high levels of occupancy and fixed rentals. When local authorities

Harry Cormie chose not to increase their funding at the last review date in April, it was arguably the straw which broke the camel’s back. But despite all these elements, it is disingenuous for anyone who takes the sector seriously to claim that this is a final and fatal failure of the alleged privatisation of care home provision in the UK. That argument ignores that local authority provision of end-of-life care has been in inexorable decline since the 1980s. Some authorities have pulled out of care home provision altogether, which in many cases has been a blessed relief, since their inbuilt inefficiencies and access to unlimited funds took their cost of care provision to ludicrous levels.

The only ones who have been providing the care that elderly people need, at a price that is economically viable have been small groups of providers, small chains and individuals, who have been servicing the market in a quietly efficient manner. And they have quite effortlessly met the demands of a rigorous regulatory regime which includes scheduled and unscheduled inspections, strict fire, health and safety and environmental health standards and the highest levels of staff quality, rostering and record keeping. Quality operators still seek to invest in the sector and I know of many wishing to acquire further new homes or expand existing ones. Of course, they are businesses and have to run at a profit in order to re-invest in future care. But these providers have worked hard to create a decent quality of life for their residents and in most cases they have made a damn good job of it. If those who are wondering what the care home business model should be, in light of recent events, they don’t really have to look much further. Harry Cormie is a consultant, specialising in the commercial sector with DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.

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Major extension to offer ‘assisted living’ option AN established Cheshire care home is undergoing a major extension programme which will include the creation of eight new living rooms and enable it to offer a new level of ‘assisted living’. The new facilities at Southfield House will provide an opportunity for those people who prefer to continue an independent lifestyle yet with the security and peace-of-mind that there is care on hand if needed. The new developments will see the integration of the adjacent house, ‘Norwood’, with the existing 15-bedroom care home with the two properties linked by additional new buildings which will house new kitchen and dining facilities. The interior of Norwood is also being totally remodelled to provide seven new en-suite living rooms, a lounge and a further assisted bathroom. Four of the new rooms will be on the ground floor and a new passenger lift will provide additional access to the three new upstairs living rooms. Managing director Joanna Lingwood said all of the rooms will be equipped to a state-of-the-art specification including flat screen televisions and data access points.

She added: “The new development has given us the opportunity to extend the services that Southfield House has traditionally been able to offer by providing a home suited to an even more independent lifestyle but still tailored to the wants and needs of each individual. Each of the new rooms will be a very personal, private space tailored to the 21st century lifestyle and that our residents can truly call their home. “As the new rooms are currently being created, there’s a unique opportunity to become involved and not only choose the room that suits them best but also to choose their own décor and curtains. In historic terms we’re re-unifying the land as the house which has been my own family home for over a decade, was built some 40 years ago in the original orchard of Southfield House.” Outside, in addition to a new frontage, the two extensive rear gardens will be combined to create grounds of almost an acre, including many mature trees, pathways, patios and with future plans for further extensive landscaping features. The new developments are scheduled for completion at the end of August.

Annabelle Mundy and Amber Morris with Martin Hillson and Sarah Rawcliffe.

Time capsule buried on site of new £8m care home YOUNGSTERS joined Sanctuary Group and Seddon Construction representatives to bury a time capsule on the site of a new £8m care home in Oxfordshire. Annabelle Mundy, 11, and Amber Morris, 10, from William Fletcher Primary School donned hard hats and hi-visibility vests when they went to the site of Yarnton Residential and Nursing Home.

They helped to bury the capsule that they and their classmates had filled with artwork and poems on what they thought life would be like in 70 years. It was buried with the help of the new home manager Sarah Rawcliffe and Martin Hillson from Seddon Construction near the entrance of the new building, which will have 60 en-suite bedrooms and is due to open in November.

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Lottery grant funds Some traditional values ‘lost’ year-long project at Hendon care home Readers’ letters

Brian Burley, manager, Tracey Vale Care Home, Newton Abbot

I WOULD firstly like to say that I agree with Sarah Bell's comments regarding that the traditional care home model in many ways is outdated (August issue, page 24), although I believe that a number of traditional values have been lost. This has amounted to, as Sarah rightly points out, homes looking to maximise profits and at the same time reducing the level of investment. It is not surprising that the reduction in Government spending with the increase of an ageing population,

higher dependency levels of need to support people in their own homes, has exacerbated the problem for care homes with the reduction of admissions. However, I would like to point out that for many elderly people with high needs, the option for domiciliary care services may not be so cost effective as one would imagine. While the debate continues with Government cuts in local authorities and, with some private homes looking only towards profitability, the quality of care both in residential and domiciliary services could be at risk at the expense of the current financial climate.

Coloured crockery benefits Joanne Featherstone, manager, Eboracum House, Barnsley AFTER reading the article in your August publication regarding crockery changes (Crockery change boosts eating habits in home), we too have a similar story. I recently have become a dementia champion for the Barnsley area. After attending training sessions I too learned the benefits that coloured crockery brings to these people.

We have introduced brightly coloured crockery to our residents and what a difference this has made. Not only have they started eating more and asking for seconds they have become a focal point. We currently have four differing colours and this sets off a varied conversation. Our residents adore the colours. After joining them at mealtimes it’s fun now. I would recommend this to anyone that cares for someone with dementia.

Send us your news and views ... Email dm@whpl.net or send them to Caring UK newsroom, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, S70 2AS

By Dominic Musgrave RESIDENTS at a Hendon care home have begun a year long gardening and reminiscence project thanks to a donation of £5,270 from the Lottery’s Awards for All programme. Each participating resident at Central & Cecil’s Church Walk House will create an indoor garden in a large plant pot or window basket, which they will look after with the support of a gardening assistant (a staff member, relative or friend). There will also be group sessions with a facilitator where participants can discuss their gardens, and share tips about herbs and natural remedies. The plants will engage the senses, which will be particularly important for those who are living with dementia. Vikki Moorhouse, the care group’s arts and education co-ordinator, said the facilitator will support reminiscence, encouraging residents to share their stories and develop relationships with each other. She added: “The project will start with a harvest festival and I’m looking forward to learning gardening skills from our more experienced residents. “We previously had a very successful gardening project at our care home in

Windsor and we’re very grateful to the Lottery for providing funding so that a new group of people can share skills and create their own gardens. Access will be provided to gardening DVDs and Gardener's Question Time for informal learning outside the group meetings. Residents, staff and gardening assistants will also go on trips to garden centres and open gardens, enjoying a cup of tea and cake as part of each trip. Vikki added: “Gardening will provide stimulation, relaxation and very gentle exercise, providing both physical and mental health benefits for residents. “Having ownership over something, such as a small indoor garden, is a powerful way to reduce depression and benefit mental health. “When Central & Cecil has used supported group reminiscence in other projects it has proved to be a very successful way of engaging with residents, particularly those with dementia.” The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. The Fund aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.

Adrian to head up healthcare team

Shirley Buckley

New manager for village SHIRLEY Buckley has been appointed village manager of The Priory Retirement Village in Devon. Having started in law, she moved to teaching before working with social services, managing a day care centre and then spending time in hotel management followed by healthcare. Along the way she picked up a host of skills which she is now utilising in her new position. The Priory is an established retirement village acquired in June by Retirement Villages Ltd, and Shirley will be heading up the team of staff which manages the five acre site, ensuring everything runs smoothly for the residents of the 43 cottages and apartments.

COLLIERS International has appointed Adrian Ilott as a director in its healthcare team. He has worked in the healthcare sector for 12 years having started in a valuations role at Christie and Co. Adrian then moved to Matthews and Goodman LLP before joining Taylors as an associate director in 2007. He now joins Colliers

International as a director to focus on healthcare businesses and property agency, and brings valuable experience to an already established and highly successful specialised team. Adrian will work closely with existing and new clients in both acquisition and disposal arenas servicing the needs of corporate and sub corporate healthcare operators. The Centre for Workforce Intelligence has appointed National Care Forum director Des Kelly OBE as a national advisor for social care. He will offer strategic advice, provide subject matter expertise and be an ambassador for CfWI’s work in social care, joining a small team of professional advisors. Des, who has a background of working in the residential care sector with both older people and other adults, represents NCF with the main national sector bodies including the Department of Health, Commission on Funding of Care and Support Reference Group and the CQC provider advisory group.

Samantha Cooper has joined Orridge Business Sales as director of healthcare to drive its UK care home business. The healthcare surveyor with 18 years’ experience has spent the last five years working for GVA Ltd, where she specialised in the acquisition and disposal of care businesses throughout the UK. Previous employment includes Christie and Co and Bairstow Eves estate agents.

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CARINGWINTER WARMTH

Priory opts for shentongroup cover services

Presentation marks new Sunderland scheme’s opening A NEW extra care housing scheme for older people was officially opened with the presentation by Councillor Mel Speding, of a commemorative plaque, followed by a short clarinet recital from resident, John Young. Bramble Hollow in Hetton-LeHole, Sunderland, which received £1.2m in funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), provides 48 purpose-built apartments for the over 55s along with on-site care and support services. The £7.1m Housing 21 development also features a restaurant, shop, hairdressing

salon, activity room and treatment room. Receiving the plaque on behalf of the tenants was 93-year-old Isaac Storey, one of the first residents to move in with his wife, Ann. The two bedroom apartments for rent or shared ownership have been built to wheelchair mobility standards and benefit from underfloor gas central heating, walk-in showers and fully fitted kitchens. Mary Bryce, head of strategic area services for Housing 21, said: “Bramble Hollow is an excellent example of how extra care living can bring huge benefits, both to residents and to the local

community. “It’s a real alternative to residential care, allowing people to continue enjoying their independence but with help on hand if needed.” Bramble Hollow, which is named after the Anglo Saxon term for the area, was developed in partnership with Sunderland city council, Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East and the Homes and Communities Agency. It is the third extra care scheme in Sunderland to be provided through the partnership, following earlier developments in Silksworth and Washington.

THE Priory Group has ensured it will not face potential hazards caused by a power failures at its clinics and hospitals by using the services of the shentongroup generator cover. Since the initial contract was signed with The Priory Group for its hospital near Southampton, it has contracted Powercall UK with a further 13 hospitals, care homes and schools. Such has been the success of Powercall UK’s service, that when The Group’s establishments at Eaglestone and Thornfield Park needed higher levels of power protection, the shentongroup’s Scorpion Power Systems was the automatic choice. To guarantee consistent and reliable operation of the generators, The Priory Group contracted shentongroup’s Merlin Power Management to provide it with its Powercare Premier Generator service contract. “The Shentongroup are unique and the only company that serves our niche market”, said Nick Erdbeer, group estates surveyor, maintenance and engineering. “We have received excellent service from Powercall UK, Scorpion and Merlin Power Management. “We are currently talking to the shentongroup regarding other sites that will require their expertise.”

System creates comfortable ambience and saves money BENTON House Care Home in Doncaster used to have an old storage heater system. They were unable to control it, found it was expensive to run and they suffered a lot of breakdowns. Their electrical contractor introduced the low consumption Rointe Digital System to them. It appeared to suit their needs so they sent information to Rointe to produce a full heating study. This helped the care home to judge the installation and potential running

costs. Finding that the Rointe Digital system suited their requirements and that it could save on electricity costs, the care home applied for and received a Carbon Trust Loan and had the system installed with very little disruption. After benefitting from a comfortable ambience in every room and reduced electricity bills for more than 16 months, other homes within the care home group have also now installed the Rointe Digital System.

Heating system offers excellent controllability THE simplicity of the Heat Electric LST radiators allowed us to meet CQC requirements for safe and efficient heating for vulnerable residents. With the support of Heat Electric, we quickly replaced the old night storage system with no disruption to residents or our business.” Tony Stein, director, Canterbury Care Group Heat Electric’s Low Surface Temperature electric water filled radiators provide a safe, cool-touch solution for care homes and never exceed an external temperature of 43°C. Because elderly body temperatures can dramatically rise or fall in minutes, the heating systems are designed to offer excellent controllability and each unit can be programmed to achieve a specific room temperature for its location. The Low Surface Temperature radiators are also energy efficient, easy to install and a maintenance free heating solution. Specified in hundreds of care homes across the country, the radiators meet strict Government guidelines while reducing heating bills and carbon emissions. Enquiries: Call 01422 231 943 or visit www.smarterheating.com

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CARINGDEMENTIA CARE

An Essex care home has nursed an 84-year-old back to such good health that she has been allowed to move back home. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Home nurses Joyce back to health JOYCE Gordon regularly used to visit Oakdale Care Home in Benfleet to see her husband, who had dementia. Following his death Joyce, who also suffers from the condition, had a stroke, which meant she struggled to eat and walk. She moved into the home after her daughter met with manager Melanie Rickett to discuss palliative care. She said: “Care homes get such a bad reputation about moving in to one being the end, but it’s not about filling beds here. “When Joyce came to us she was very frail but, with the help of a physiotherapist and a nutritionist, we have nursed her back to her old self – able to walk and do activities around the home. “During her time here she helped us with another client who could be aggressive at times by calming him down. “She may be back in a year or so but at the moment her daughter has moved in with her and her employer has been very understanding and allowed her to work from home.” The 1st Choice care Homes owned facility has adopted the My Home Life Programme to offer a family orientated environment, and event the staff toilets are being turned into

communal ones for residents’ use also. Melanie added: “It has made such a difference to the atmosphere at the home, which is now a lot more relaxed and homely. “We are using people’s life histories and the relationships they have with each other because there are changes of culture going on all the time. “We are trying to make it as much of a home from home as we possibly can, which is why we have decided the staff toilets are to go. “You don’t have different ones at home so why should we have them here? “What we are realising is that person centred care is about people being recognised for who they are, and we also got rid of the staff’s uniforms to break down another barrier. “When someone goes to fetch the tea trolley they may pass six people on the way and not realise they are there because they are walking to where they need to go. “We encourage them to stop and pay a compliment or ask if they are okay to let them be recognised.”

Joyce Gordon and her daughter Penny

Activities plan tailored to individuals OAKDALE has also changed its activities plan and tailored it more towards the individual’s needs rather than doing something as a group. Melanie added: “We had an activities co-ordinator but what we found was that it was the same seven or eight residents that would join her sat around a table. Instead we now try and give their day a purpose so one of the residents who enjoys vacuuming does the

hallway every day. “Another resident is a former teacher, so she goes down to the local school and the children read to her. “We even have a resident sitting in when we are interviewing. We have pictures of butterflies all around the home. Although some of them only live for 72 hours they live such fulfilling lives, and we want our residents to feel they do the same.”

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CARINGDEMENTIA

The reminiscence room at The Beeches in Chorley.

Room evokes memories A CHORLEY care home has created a reminiscence room for its residents, particularly those who have dementia. The new area at The Beeches includes an old fashioned record player, crockery, typewriter, sewing machine and ironing board. It was the brainchild of the home’s manager Krystyna Kolodziejewski, who wanted to create an area that had objects that were familiar to the residents. She added: “The room is a place where the residents can do a lot of the things they would have done when they lived at home, using equipment that they would have used. “All of the staff have been involved in collecting items for it, and some of the residents’ relatives and friends have also donated things. “We have scoured the area’s charity shops and car boot sales for items,

and an article we had in the local newspaper also resulted in several people calling us saying they had stuff.” Krystyna says the room has proved popular with the 34 residents, who enjoy visiting it as a change of scenery. She added: “A lot of residents who have dementia are still very active physically and we need to do something to ensure that we encourage them to continue being so. It also gives them a purpose to their day. “Not only does the room keep the residents stimulated, but it is also a part of the home where a member of staff can take a resident who is getting agitated to calm them down. “Picking up something as simple as a piece of crockery or a knitting pattern can be used as triggers for conversations that the staff have no idea which direction they will go.”

A Wiltshire care home is celebrating the culinary creations of its residents with the introduction of a new kitchen. Bemerton Lodge in Salisbury, part of the Orders of St John Care Trust, has undergone a £25,000 redevelopment to install the kitchen which is aimed particularly at residents with dementia. It can accommodate at least five residents and two members staff at a time. Bemerton Lodge’s dementia unit cares for 15 residents.

Range based on firm’s experience MEDORIS designs practical products for dementia based upon more than 10 years’ continuing experience within care. For inappropriate undressing, pad shredding and smearing there is the all-in-one sleepsuit pyjamas and allin-one daywear which combines a top with trousers, both with back fastening zip. The Medoris Activity Cushions, Activity Tray Cloths and Activity

Tabards are designed to occupy the user, thus reducing the possibility of them becoming anxious and walking about with its risk of falls. For memory jogging the table top Memory and Communication Mat can accommodate photos and pictures. The Medoris micro-bead pressure care handgrip, designed for stricture, works well for anxiety and in stressful situations, as well as end of life care.

Simple method to label clothes RESIDENTS with dementia often experience distress if they cannot find the clothing they are familiar with and, as with all residents, it is important that garments are correctly returned to them after washing. With over 1,200 garments going through the care home laundry this is not an easy task, especially if the garment is not named adequately. Attach-a-Tag is a simple, cost effective method of labelling clothing and soft objects and is an ideal way to quickly label short term and respite residents’ clothing as well as normal laundry. Replicating a button, it attaches in

seconds to the garment seam or laundry label, making it discreet and comfortable to the wearer. The patented design is easy to attach but difficult to remove, and cannot be taken off by accident or come off during the laundry process. Each tag has the owners’ name etched onto it, which is guaranteed not to wear off in the wash. This combined with the unique fixing method of Attach-a-Tag means the owner is identified every time. Suitable for industrial laundry and iron proof, Attach-a-tag is reusable, making it even more cost effective for your care home.

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CARINGDEMENTIA CARE

Colour-coded home opens on former pub site A NEW specialist dementia care home has opened on the site of a former pub on the outskirts of Nottingham. Belle Vue, which has been built by Eastgate Care, has retained the name of the pub it has replaced, and has 55 beds split into smaller units of nine or 10. The new home takes the group to more than 200 beds, and took less than a year to build. It has an Old and New theme throughout, with the modern facilities featuring decor reflecting past times. The group’s founder James Day said: “We’ve coloured each unit so the residents know where their rooms are. “They have the freedom to wander around where they like, but the colours will help them to recognise where they live and we have also used familiar signage rather then the classical dementia ones to also help with this. “We’ve also decorated the lounges with things the residents will be familiar with that we have picked up from antique shops and car boot sales for next to nothing in many cases. That way if things get broken it doesn’t matter.

“We’re looking at four intakes a week over the next few months so hopefully we will be pretty much full by the end of the year. “Having the smaller units enables us to do this comfortably, and we have enough staff in place to accommodate 27 residents at this stage. “The response we had to a recruitment fair we held in the city was unbelievable and we have been able to pick the cream of the crop.” James said there are plans in place to expand the business further in the near future with the building of further care homes based on the Belle Vue model. He added: “We have a training centre for the staff at one of our other sites, and have had a really good management team in place for the past 18 month that I am confident can take the business forward. “We plan to move across the East Midlands but stay within that boundary because we want to maintain the quality of our management team. “Our focus is on building and operating quality units and operating them with experienced staff offering a good service.”

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Inspectorate is urged to listen to sector A LEADING care association has called on the inspectorate to listen to the voices of the sector regarding their proposals for an excellence scheme. ECCA chief executive Martin Green said the consultation on the development of this scheme will be ‘a real indicator as to whether or not the CQC has actually listened to advice’. He added: “The cost of regulation has been rising significantly and yet the performance of the regulator is of an unacceptably low standard. “Their proposal to have an excellence scheme which does not differentiate between levels of quality will not be fit for purpose and there is certainly no justification for levying an extra cost on an already overburdened sector. “CQC must wake up to the fact that charging a lot for regulation requires them to deliver something that’s useful for service users and carers, and helps to improve quality. “If the excellence scheme is going to achieve both of these objectives it will need to be radically different from the one that is currently proposed.”

An opportunity to cut medication wastage and improve care By Alpa Karia IN these times of economic crises and cost cutting, the wastage of medication is a heart breaking reality. A Department of Health study last year found that about £300m worth of medicines are wasted each year in England, half of which is unnecessary. Waste medications in the care home sector is a particularly well recognised problem. A major reason for this is an inadequate medication ordering and review process. A lot of homes will get their regular pharmacy to do this ordering for them; therefore the prescriptions go directly from the surgery to the pharmacy and are never seen by the home. This is clearly not advisable as the pharmacy will not have any idea of stock levels in the home and whether the resident is having any problems with that medication or if they still require it. For this reason it is clear that homes which take the responsibility to order their medications themselves have a much better efficiency. Frequently the ordering is carried out well away from both the medication storage areas (so that

Alpa Karia stock levels can be checked before more is ordered) and also away from the residents themselves. It is vital that where possible the resident is involved in the ordering of their medications. Laxatives, painkillers, sedatives, indigestion remedies and emollients are more likely to be wasted, and these are all medications where it is important to get the opinion of the resident as to their continued need. It should be remembered that if the carer or resident feels that medications are no longer required, the doctor should be contacted and asked to review, as medications can’t be stopped without their consent. Also, it is

important that the person who is doing the ordering is aware of the resident’s medicine taking behaviour and takes this into account when ordering. For example, if a resident is regularly refusing to take a large tablet, perhaps they may benefit from that prescription being changed to a liquid formulation. The re-ordering process is a good time for this to be considered, so that the pharmacist can be informed and the doctor can then be advised on prescribing a suitable alternative. The care home’s regular pharmacy is ideally placed to take the responsibility to ensure that the care home staff have been adequately trained in these processes. In conclusion, reducing the medication wastage that comes out of a care home is not simply a cost cutting exercise but will also indicate the quality of care the residents are receiving. Managers should develop a good relationship with their regular pharmacy and get them to share their knowledge and expertise on medication with staff so this is achievable. Alpa Karia is a pharmacist for Chemistree Clinical Services

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Barbara to speak at must-attend event BARBARA Pointon MBE has been confirmed as a speaker at a conference in Plymouth on October 18. The ambassador for both The Alzheimer’s Society and Dementia UK featured in a moving documentary charting her husband Malcolm’s 11 years with Alzheimer’s. Her talk at the conference, being held at the China Fleet Country Club on October 18 organised by Script Events in association with Visioncall, is entitled ‘Caring for Malcolm’ - A personal account of looking after a loved one. She will be sharing her advice and experience to other carers, and is a must attend event. Other speakers for both that and another regional conference being organised by Script Events at the Park Inn Hotel by Radisson at York, include Des Kelly, CEO of the National Care Forum and UKHCA chief executive Bridget Warr. Both days have the theme ‘Focusing on Outcomes’, and a key feature of the York event on November 2 will be a presentation by Tom Owen of City University, London on the emerging

Barbara Pointon findings of the My Home Life programme - a five-year project between two leading industry groups into the changes needed to ensure older people can have a better quality of life in care settings. John Kennedy, director of care services, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, York, will also speak on the topic. To attend either event costs just £50 per person or £75 for two places. Places can be reserved by ringing the hotline on 01226 734695 or via www.caring-uk.co.uk

System designed by owners for staff WHY would you want to change all your care home management systems from paper based to a computer? The truth is that if you haven’t already done so, the answer is probably that you don’t. The problem is that change is inevitable, it’s going to happen, like it or not, so the question for many owners is not if but when ... which is where CareDocs comes in.

It has been designed by owners specifically to help staff reluctant to use computers. CareDocs is visual, intuitive and easy to use; the system automatically saves all information entered and stops any information entered from being inadvertently lost. It will also write complete, detailed care plans automatically, which is a good reason to choose it on its own.

Guardians can handle financial affairs AS A carer your time is better spent providing the care your residents deserve, not in the office handling their day-to-day finances. When care home providers are acting as corporate appointees, full responsibility for this role can be transferred to Essex Guardians. In doing so, it can remove potential conflict of interest, corporate liability

and free up workloads. Essex Guardians is one of the leading corporate deputy services in the country. It provides a dedicated team of professionals to expertly handle financial affairs for people when they no longer have the mental capacity to do so on their own.

Firm constantly developing its staff BARCHESTER Healthcare, the UK’s largest quality care provider, is constantly developing its staff to provide the highest level of quality care throughout its homes across the country. Sue Cartwright, general manager at Stamford Bridge Beaumont, in Yorkshire, has been with the firm since 2009. She has worked in the care sector since leaving school at 16, and still remains motivated by the

difference she can make to people's lives. “Barchester has a great support network and I’m very proud to work for a company that really values its employees,” added Sue. “It's through excellent training and development opportunities that our staff recognise the high standards expected of them. Then, in turn, they really want to understand the needs of those they care for.”

The National Skills Academy for Social Care is a membership organisation created by social care employers to meet their needs and the needs of their staff and service users. We do this by developing programmes that transform the quality of leadership, management and commissioning skills to help the sector deliver excellent care. And we endorse training provision so that employers and their staff can choose the best quality-assured training.

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CARINGINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FEATURE

Software helps residents to stay in touch ACTOR Graham Cole dropped in for morning coffee to launch a free computer training programme for the elderly at a Dartford care home. Best known for his role as PC Tony Stamp in The Bill, he visited Emily Court in Wilmington, to unveil the new initiative run by S&G Training which is designed to get older people online.

Mobile technology bridges the budget gap THE economic challenge facing the UK has led to a major squeeze on care budgets and yet organisations are still expected to deliver quality services. With fewer resources available, organisations are turning to robust mobile and internet technology to deliver tangible improvements in service delivery. New and affordable mobile applications and internet services can convert mobile phones and smartphones, such as Blackberry®, into powerful location aware and data access tools. Carers are provided with dynamic and secure access to service user information, and integrated business management solutions exist for care staff deployment, service user attendance requests, carer absence alerts, service delivery reminders and lone worker protection. Providers can also generate audit reports to demonstrate evidence of service delivery in support of their ability to meet the duty of care. Enquiries: Telephone 01369 700722 or visit www.argyll-loneworker.co.uk

FOR many of us, it is difficult to imagine life without technology. It entertains us, facilitates communication and has revolutionised even the most menial of tasks. So, it may come as a surprise that in the UK alone, nine million people are offline and unable to access the critical services that the internet has to offer. Of this group, nearly half a million are in residential care, which is where SimplyUnite, a UK-based company, have established themselves as market leaders. Their ‘Gem’ touchscreen service combines email, Skype (video calling), internet and screen based entertainment which is delivered through a simple-to-use platform. Often, care homes are inherently nervous of technology and struggle to see how they will successfully integrate IT into the lives of their service users. SimplyUnite recognise and alleviate this fear by providing a dedicated support package alongside their touchscreen computers. The proactive team work closely

with homes - guiding, assisting and training wherever necessary. Additionally, all technical updates are taken care of, allowing for a hasslefree computer experience. Robin Hood House in Hertfordshire introduced SimplyUnite six months ago and it has “triumphed” at the home. Activities co-ordinator Katie Beaver said: “All of our residents are set up with their own accounts and we have been really proud of how they have excelled. Eric was our first resident to use Skype and he now regularly chats to his sons abroad. “The first time Beryl used Skype to talk to her daughter in France, she was so overjoyed to see her, she kissed the screen.” As well as Skype, residents at the home regularly email, receive photos, engage in reminiscence activities and listen to music on YouTube. “SimplyUnite really has been a blessing for our residents and their families,” added Katie. SimplyUnite will be demonstrating at the London Care Show on October 11 and 12.

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Grant lets residents get connected ... By Dominic Musgrave RESIDENTS at a Lancashire care home are keeping in touch with families and friends around the world after two computers were installed for their use. Pilling Care Home is the first in the Over Wyre region of the county to receive a Get Connected grant from the Social Care Institute for Excellence. The £5,000 grant has enabled the home to purchase two touch screen computers which have large keyboards and mice for the residents to use the Simply Unite System. The home’s office manager Justine Gaunt-Nelson told Caring UK she has noticed a positive change in the residents since they were installed. She added: “It has been fantastic and has opened up another world to our residents.

“We wrote to their families asking them to provide us with emails and Skype addresses if they have them and then registered the residents on to the system. “One lady who lives here only has one member of family and she lives down in south Wales so it is difficult to visit, but she recently sent an email here and she burst into tears. “Other residents enjoy exploring the internet and reminiscing by watching films of Dame Vera Lynn and other hobbies they used to be interested in before they moved here on YouTube.” The home is hosting an open day in August to show the relatives and friends how the new system is beneficial for the residents. Photos of other events held at the home will also be emailed out to keep them informed of what is going on at the home. Justine added: “We want to make

Resident Jack Finlay with care assistant Courtney Moore everybody feel involved with what goes on at the home and, for the residents something as simple as an email can give them that additional extension to family. “We think it’s the way forward and the way care homes need to be looking because as times goes on

more and more people moving into facilities like ours will be computer literate. “For those residents that cannot or don’t want to leave their rooms we also purchased a trolley so we can take one of the computers into their rooms, making them accessible for all.”

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Training solutions Food thickener Share best practice reduces risk at London Care Show GIVING everyday food a cohesive consistency, Thick & Easy™ makes food and drink safe for patients who find it difficult to swallow. It is the UK’s leading food thickener for a reason: quick and simple to use, gives food a visually appealing texture and reduces the risk of dehydration. The nutritional support you provide with Thick & Easy™ helps your residents with swallowing difficulties and helps prevent aspiration pneumonia, choking, malnutrition, dehydration and even death.

AidCall can cater for all WITH more than 30 years’ experience, Aid Call are the leading supplier of wireless nurse call systems for care homes. We understand that no two care homes are the same and have created a range of different products to suit every business. Whether you own a single small care home or a chain of larger homes, Aid Call can cater for your requirements. Wireless technology is flexible and quick to install with the minimum of fuss or disruption. It is also cheaper than you might have thought.

MORE than 1,500 professionals from across the care sector are set to join forces this October to collaborate and share best practice at Care Show. Taking place at Olympia on October 11 and 12, Care Show London is a leading event for the industry, combining an important mix of expertise, CPD opportunities, and showcases of the latest products and services from over 100 suppliers. A key topic set to be discussed is the significant rise in internet use by older people and the benefits this can bring to their lives. In a move towards highlighting new and innovative areas in the operational management of care homes in the UK, the event welcomes first time exhibitor Simply Unite – a company which specialises in easy and accessible communications for older people, regardless of capability and living circumstances. Toby Hart, CEO of Simply Unite, will present a session in the Best Practice

& Dementia Care Theatre entitled: ‘Essential or Excellent? How can technology help you go beyond the essential standards’. This theatre also includes a session on coping with sight loss in people with dementia and one on nutrition in dementia. The ever popular MyBusiness Seminar Theatre will play host to a panel of experts and key industry stakeholders debating one of the key challenges facing the sector at the moment, The Future of Funding for Care Post Dilnot Commission. Confirmed participants include ECCA chief executive Martin Green, CQC chairman Dame Jo Williams, who was part of the Dilnot Commission and James Lloyd, director of public sector think tank the Strategic Society Centre. Visitors are invited to put questions to the panel either during the session or in advance via the Care Show Series Discussion Group on LinkedIn.

Top award for furniture company SHACKLETONS has been recognised for its commitment to quality. The Yorkshire furniture firm, with its proud heritage spanning 50 years, has received the prestigious ISO 9001 accreditation in recognition of its design and

manufacturing excellence. The ISO 9001 is the most demanding of the globally recognised ISO quality assurance standards. The company is the UK’s leading provider of specialist furniture designed for the specific needs of the care home sector.

BVS is the leading training provider of video/DVD based training solutions for the health and social care sector. We are constantly monitoring any fundamental changes in the sector, which subsequently gives scope for updates and the production of new titles such as ‘Equality, Diversity and Inclusion’, ‘Dignity and Respect’ and ‘Mental Capacity Act-In Practice’. Our Focus On range features a variety of scenarios to which trainees can analyse and identify areas of care to be improved. These can act as useful refresher guides for care staff where by working closely together they can explore the best practice in different situations.

Specialist advice WITH more than £1bn lent since being established, Global Business Finance has vast experience in all areas of refinance, development, purchase and debt consolidation, and they don’t even charge you a fee. As one of the country’s foremost healthcare brokers, Global is well positioned to provide specialist advice to home owners, whether it is exiting the grip of an unsupportive bank or overcoming a desire to build a new home or extension in difficult economic times. Global is owned and run by a care home owner, and therefore there is very little that Mark Widdows and his team have not heard over the years and assisted in resolving. Advice can also be tailored to first time buyers.

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Agency celebrates landmark visit A HOMECARE agency has celebrated its millionth care visit with a service user in the borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester and its five-year anniversary of providing care in the area. Homecare Support is contracted by Trafford Council to provide care services in the home, as well as providing private care. The company provides 700 care staff across the UK, from The Midlands to Scotland, and supports over 200 Trafford residents to remain in their own home. The millionth care visit was provided to long-term service user Mavis Alston, who is 72 from Greater Manchester. She was treated to a special lunch, flowers and a gift of shopping vouchers. Managing director of Homecare

Support, Dan O’Donoghue, said: “To complete our millionth care visit is a real achievement for all involved. “We work closely with hospitals, GPs and councils so it really is a team effort. We’re proud to have a very supportive and professional care staff working throughout the UK. They all help to maintain our reputation as a quality care provider. “There are many vulnerable people in the community that need care and attention, and we hope to continue the same high levels of service for years to come.” Mavis, who developed polio as a teenager and uses a wheelchair, has been looked after by Homecare Support’s Simone Foy and Janet Naylor for the last five years. They were also treated to lunch and presented with flowers.

Shams Ahmed has been named care worker of the year by his employer. Shams, who works for independent homecare provider London Care’s Limehouse branch, was presented with the Jackie Deeley award in recognition of the outstanding standards of care and support he provides to all his service users. Now in its 10th year, the award is given out annually in memory of the former member of London Care’s management team based at its Holloway branch, who died in a road accident. Nominated by his branch, Shams was chosen by London Care’s award committee from a shortlist of 14 candidates from a total staff of more than 2,000.

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Sharon Galbraith from the Redditch and Bromsgrove branch was named national care worker of the year by Caremark. She was picked for the award out of nominations from more than 60 of the group’s offices across the UK, and the criteria was based around the person’s achievements and commitment. Sharon was presented with her award by June Darby, the daughter of a customer.

Care fees planning scheme to be launched EQUITY release adviser Key Retirement Solutions is to launch a care fees planning service with live-in care specialists Helping Hands. The scheme, which is set to launch in September, aims to ensure those needing care and their families receive the right advice and guidance before they start paying for domiciliary care. Key’s Care Fees Planning Specialists will examine firstly whether clients are receiving all State and Local Authority entitlements. Then, following a review of existing income and capital, will then explore with clients further options including maximising investments, equity release, and immediate needs annuities. Key’s Estate Planning team will also provide will writing services and can arrange Lasting Power of Attorneys

for clients and their families, which are an essential part of planning for care. Group director Dean Mirfin said: “The Dilnot Report has turned the spotlight on long-term care and made a welcome start but we, and those receiving care, cannot wait for legislation. Families and people receiving care need help now which is why this service is crucial. “The service is about providing information and choice at an important time, and is relevant for those about to be, or who are already, receiving care.” Key Retirement Solutions began working with Helping Hands in April 2010 to look at what advice and guidance those receiving care and their families needed.

Agency staff win over 200 certificates STAFF at a Lancashire domiciliary care agency have won more than 200 nationally-recognised certificates between them since the beginning of the year. Oswaldtwistle-based Willowbrook Home Care’s employees and carers have studied topics as wide-ranging as customer service, diabetes care and City and Guilds diplomas in health and social care. And, while a number of courses are mandatory due to the nature of the carers’ work, many have been provided by Willowbrook for the empowerment of staff and the

benefit of its clients. Theresa Swan, from Willowbrook’s Training and Development Centre, said: “Our aim is to have the highest standard of staff training. “We give our team the best possible opportunities and, as a result of our investment, they understand how much we value them. That makes a positive difference in their day-today work.” The firm’s managing director Elaine Brady was also recently crowned businesswoman of the year in the Be Inspired Business Awards.

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Manepa adds to range MANEPA has added Haigh Engineering’s well established range of Sluicemaster macerators to its portfolio for distribution to the Irish hospital and care home markets. Colm Casey, sales director at Manepa, said: “The Haigh Sluicemaster name is already recognised in this region but there is a fantastic opportunity for both businesses to deliver more for our customers.” Expansion of the core Haigh product set into Ireland is one of the key drivers for the firm’s current growth and future plans. With units already regularly shipping around the world, finding the right long term partner in

the country was fundamentally important. Haigh’s Nick Dale added: “We are impressed at how enthusiastic, professional and effective the team at Manepa have been. “They have shown real commitment to working with our teams to understand the genuine added value that the Sluicemaster Classic, Panaway and SOLO can deliver to end users.” Combined with an environmentally sustainable source of pulp, the disposables system has proven to be not only cost effective but also the most environmentally sustainable, energy efficient solution available.

Team launched to provide support APETITO has introduced a specialist mobilisation team to provide ongoing support to its care home customers to help make sure the optimum catering solution is in place. The apetito range of over 200 main meals and desserts, including a world leading range of soft and pureed

Fitness equipment

New director making his mark THE new manufacturing and logistics director at Redditch-based Gainsborough Baths is making positive changes that are being felt across the business. Barry Curtis is responsible for the company’s research and development programme, engineering and manufacturing teams, procurement and logistics. His first task was to review the manufacturing operation and he has been

instrumental in the company’s decision to improve efficiencies across the group by moving the warehouse facility from Redditch to sit adjacent to the factory in Aldridge. Helping him is John Bradley from Wolverhampton, who joins as supply chain manager. Barry has also promoted Mark Harper, who has worked for Gainsborough Baths for two years, to Engineering Manager to focus on R&D.

Signs

Mini Coaches

Occupancy specialist

Consultants

Computer Software

Transport

Alarm Systems

meals, give support to the catering team, helping them widen menu choice and the confidence that each meal will be consistently high quality and nutritious. Frequently, operators have been able to reduce catering staff levels and re-deploy to other areas of the care home.

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Create a homely environment for residents with Sky

Finding a commercial dishwasher is easier than you think

SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odour-free, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone.

WHEN you have a business that uses commercial dishwashers, it is vital to be sure you have the right type for your needs. To help make that decision as easy as possible, Miele has designed a new website which shortlists the most suitable product for your requirements. Here’s why its worth checking out Miele’s website to find your next commercial dishwasher: Money - If you don't have the right type of dishwasher, you can end up costing your business money. The wrong type may use a lot of energy and this is going to cost you a lot of money over time. You always want to be sure that you know how much energy each machine uses. Infection control - In hospital and healthcare applications it's not good enough to simply have a machine that washes well but in addition it should be capable of thermal disinfection. Load size - You need to know the volume of dishes youre going to wash in a given hour and what exactly you will be washing. Enquiries: Visit www.mydishwasher.co.uk

Enquiries: Call 08442 411 644 (quote HME TRA1)

Communication aids range launched for those with dementia AT Visioncall we recognise the importance of retaining independence and confidence for as long as possible for those who live with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Always keen to assist our care home clients and their residents, we have introduced a range of communication aids, specially designed for those living with such conditions. Self-adhesive, durable, non-reflective, and “wipe clean”, our specially designed signage, with its bold lettering and easily recognisable images on a brightly coloured background, makes it easier for residents to manage their way around their care home with confidence. Our innovative tool, ”Choices”, using pictorial representation, helps ascertain a person’s likes and dislikes, and also stimulates conversation. Menu boards with individual menu cards help improve communication and add to the atmosphere of the dining room. Residents will also enjoy our jigsaws, which can be created and personalised to include images of loved ones and favourite places. Enquiries: Visit www.visioncall.co.uk

If you would like to advertise in Caring UK please contact: 01226 734479 or email rh@whpl.net Follow us on twitter @CaringUK

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Urbane for a fresh contemporary care home In a break from tradition an increasing number of care homes are choosing a more contemporary image for staff with Grahame Gardner Scrubwear. The Urbane Scrubs collection is proving particularly popular as it offers great fresh styles and a bold colour palette, perfect for brightening up the care home environment. Urbane Scrubs has been developed specifically with women in mind, offering flattering tailoring to complement the female form and design detail such as contrast trims. Grahame Gardner has recently reviewed and enhanced its operational procedures, reducing lead times and significantly increasing stocks on key colour combinations perfect for care homes. In addition to the stocked colour choices, alternative combinations are available as Special Imports. Non-stocked colour requests will be shipped in to order from Grahame Gardner’s US partners. The firm also offers alternative ranges of scrubwear; Gg scrubs and Easiephit. Enquiries: Visit www.grahamegardner.co.uk or telephone 0116 255 6326.

What every carer should know when registering a death WITH the care home industry coming under the media and Government’s spotlight in recent months, care home staff need reassurance and assistance now more than ever. The will and probate sector is one area where assistance is always at hand for care home staff whose role is to ensure that the formalities are properly dealt with when someone sadly dies.. For a busy care home owner or manager, this can mean utilising an outside specialist to help deal with these matters. Probate genealogists, for example, specialise in identifying and tracing heirs, and locating missing or unknown beneficiaries. They can also help the care home manager or owner to trace other missing persons in order to settle the estate of the deceased, such as trustees, settlors and protectors. Probate service providers, such as Finders, can help busy care homes ensure best practice through their free legal advice and support.

Beaucare launch Mattress Disinfection Wipes BEAUCARE® Medical Ltd has developed a mattress disinfection wipe to compliment its hygiene and janitorial range. These wipes are specifically formulated to control infection and disinfect in one solution, with healthcare professionals in mind. The wipe contains a complex mix of biocides formulated to target a broad spectrum of microorganisms found in health care environments, such as bactericidal, mycobactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and sporistatic disinfection. The mattress disinfection wipes are ready to use and disposable, eliminating the risk of cross contamination. They are a cost saving alternative to multiple product solutions, supplied in a tub with resealable fastening for easier and quick dispensing. The wipes are also ideal for cleaning the firm’s waterproof covered pressure relief mattresses or can double up as a multi-purpose surface wipe. Beaucare has an extensive hygiene and janitorial range, providing a solution for all purposes, ensuring high levels of cleanliness and infection control. Enquiries: Call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

Simple solutions SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odour-free, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749

Enquiries: Visit www.findersuk.com or freephone 0800 085 8796

Integrated, low consumption heating systems from Rointe UK

ROINTE’S low-consumption heating - characterised by safety, efficiency and ease-of-use - is the culmination of over 25 years of pioneering research and manufacturing excellence. Rointe K series radiators use the patented Optimizer Energy Plus® digital thermostat and natural air convection to provide stable room temperatures with no air-drying effect - providing a comfortable environment for the elderly. Meanwhile, the K Series' low surface temperature, lockable controls and optional radiator guards provide peace of mind for care home staff and residents’ families. From a management aspect, the Rointe system is unrivalled: the entire range of Rointe products radiators, water heaters and towel rails - are programmable, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from a single remote control. Program once, and in a matter of minutes, the new settings can be applied throughout the care home. Enquiries: Telephone 0845 604 5987, email sales@rointe.co.uk or visit www.rointe.co.uk

Chemistree’s Single Use Medication System – SUMS SUMS is a single use medication system which has several significant benefits compared to others currently available. These include: * Cold sealed single dose blister packs preventing potential heat related changes to drug content and therefore efficacy which might be seen in heat sealed systems. * Single use packs, eliminating risk of cross infection, removing need for disinfection, preventing spread of infection and improving hygiene. * Colour coded and numbered holders, further help patients receive the correct medicine and dose at the correct time of day. * Patient information attached to packs themselves, supporting patients’ dignity and independence and reducing dispensing errors. * Drug information including name, dosage, batch number and expiry date attached to packs themselves, supporting patients’ understanding and reducing dispensing errors. * Much lighter to carry than existing products saving care staff from strain and effort on trolley rounds. Enquiries: Call 0800 1585 694 email carehomeinfo@chemistree.co.uk or visit www.chemistree.co.uk

Contract linen direct from the mill for care homes... Towels Direct has been supplying the care sector for the last 20 years and are providing premium Turkish quality towels that last up to 150 washes. Most towels you see in a retailer will only last 60 washes. We also provide minimum iron bedlinen that isconstructed of easy care polycotton, again designed to last longer than your average bedsheet and save your staff time. Bespoke embroidery designs are available along with matching bedlinen and curtains. Please call free for a no obligation discussion. Since Towelsdirect’s inception, we have always tried to focus on our uniqueness. Customers are reminded that we offer free deliveries on orders over £150, We operate a no minimum order policy and next day delivery from stock. We recognise that our customers needs are ever changing, and it is with this in mind that we are updating our website daily. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 018 6935 or visit www.towelsdirect.co.uk

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