Caring UK September 2015

September 2015

incorporating

no.231 • £4.75

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Elderly ‘are happier’ in care setting

By Olivia Taylor RESIDENTS feel less isolated and happier after moving into a care home, compared to where they were living previously, a survey by Hallmark Care Homes has revealed.

The Essex-based provider asked relatives with a loved one in one of the 17 Hallmark Care Homes across England and Wales to rate their happiness and level of activity, prior to and after they had moved into the care home.

74 per cent of those who responded said their loved ones were happier or just as happy after making the move into residential care and it was identified that the level of social activity enjoyed by residents had a direct and positive impact on their overall levels of happiness.

Managing director for Hallmark Care Homes and chair of Care England Avnish Goyal said: “Our research shows that those living within our communities of care benefit from regular social interaction and take the opportunity to join planned activities, thereby enhancing their quality of life and increasing their levels of happiness.

“However, it is important to stress that the approach to social activity should be centred on the individual resident and their preferences which is why we make great efforts to find out as much about our residents as we can prior to moving in using our ‘About Me’ booklet which gives us insight into the social activities that they might enjoy.”

Some 89 per cent of residents now take part in social activities at least once a week, compared to just 63 per cent prior to joining a Hallmark community.

When asked what the residents living situation was prior to moving in, just 23 per cent of people surveyed reported that their loved one lived with a partner before they moved into a care home.

A staggering 59 per cent had been living alone for over five years prior to their move, according to the survey which was sent to about 300 relatives earlier this year.

Avnish added: “It is widely recognised that social isolation is a growing issue among older people.

“This is a problem which is likely to develop as time goes by given our ageing population and the constraints on the social care budget.”

Tenants enjoy getting creative

Hallmark care home, Anisha Grange in Essex, recently received a visit from celebrity gardener David Domoney as part of a company-wide gardening competition.

David is most recognisable for his work on the Alan Titchmarsh Show and visited Anisha Grange to view the home’s award-winning gardens and to meet residents.

David said: “Gardening not only has physical benefits it has therapeutic benefits as it is a key link to the past.

It’s good to see a care home has recognised this fact and implemented it as an activity at the home.”

Winners of ‘Hallmark in Bloom’ will be notified in coming weeks.

A SCOTTISH care provider is looking to get arty to help its tenants in East Lothian to become more creative.

Bield’s Southfield Court, a retirement housing development in Dunbar, is on the lookout for a local artist who would be keen to volunteer their special skills for a vibrant group of older people who want develop their painting skills.

The tenants have already had a successful still-life taster session and this has left them with an enthusiasm to progress their skills even further.

Kate Donohoe, manager at Southfield Court, said: “Our tenants thoroughly enjoyed their initial stilllife session and are now particularly interested in learning more about working with charcoals, pastels, water colour and oil painting.

“Recreational classes such as this are greatly beneficial as they can be very therapeutic for the tenants – allowing them to get involved with something creative while socialising with others.”

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How quick-thinking carer Elaine saved Keith’s life

By Olivia Taylor KEITH Binks a client of homecare provider Caremark (Redcar & Cleveland) is lucky to be alive, and this was down to the quick-thinking actions of his care worker Elaine McQuillan.

Elaine found Keith, a resident of the Jubilee Court extra care housing scheme in Eston, North Yorkshire, slumped unconscious in a chair in the residents’ communal area.

Unable to find a pulse she immediately began CPR and continued for 10 minutes, managing to re-start his heart by the time paramedics arrived on the scene. Recalling the dramatic moments, Elaine said: “I remember someone shouting that Keith was unconscious in his chair and I ran over and could feel no pulse.

“Along with colleagues we managed to get him on the floor and I started to do chest compressions. It seemed like I was doing it forever, but it was actually around 10 minutes and Keith started to groan so I kept going until the paramedics arrived.

“At the time I didn’t fully understand

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Care worker Elaine McQuillan with Keith Binks. the gravity of the situation, but my training and adrenaline kicked in and I am so glad that I was able to help Keith.”

Once in hospital it was discovered that

Keith had a heart murmur, which was the cause of his heart stopping. He was fitted with a pacemaker and is now safely back at Jubilee Court.

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Michelle named new manager AKARI Care has appointed experienced healthcare professional, Michelle Fairhurst, as the new manager of Church House care home in Nantwich, Cheshire.

Michelle, who is from Macclesfield, has gained extensive experience in a range of care settings, including care homes, hospitals and a prison in various positions, such as a senior staff nurse and a support manager.

She joins Akari Care from Barchester Healthcare, where she held the position of senior nurse.

The home, which provides nursing care for up to 44 elderly residents, has recently undergone a full refurbishment as part of Akari Care’s £15m investment programme in its homes.

Michelle said: “I am delighted to be joining Akari Care and will apply the wide-ranging experience that I have gained in my career so far to my new position at Church House.

“There is a great team of carers and nurses at Church House care home and our priority is to provide the best quality care for residents and I will ensure that this is sustained.

“It is such a rewarding role and the residents and staff have made me feel most welcome. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and for the challenges and the fulfillment that will come with the position.”

‘Poor vision’ study considers how falls can be prevented

By Olivia Taylor OLDER people with visual impairments are participating in a major study looking at how exercises can help to prevent falls.

Falls are the most prominent reason for admission to hospital for accidental injury, costing the NHS approximately £4.6 billion per year.

Older people with poor vision are at a much higher risk of falling. Some older people also report suffering from a fear of falling which impacts on their lives and their ability to participate in activities.

The study, which is funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), is being led by Northumbria University in collaboration with Newcastle, Manchester and Glasgow Caledonian Universities as well as several charitable organisations.

The researchers will work with visually impaired older people to develop an exercise programme using strength and balance techniques to help to prevent falls.

The study will use participants over 60 who attend a low vision clinic or

are a member of a society for the visually impaired.

Nicola Adams, a professor of rehabilitation at Northumbria University, explained: “Fear of falling is a real and frightening prospect for older people, particularly those with poor vision. However, many falls are preventable.

“Research has shown that following a fall, older people restrict their activities rather than suffer the consequences, both physical and psychological, that they associate with a fall. This can lead to a vicious spiral of decline in their strength, mobility and balance meaning they are actually at increased risk of falling in future.”

The participants will be assessed by a researcher who will check their strength, balance and flexibility before they are randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first cohort will undertake specially designed exercises for 12 weeks in a weekly hour-long group class, while the others will be encouraged to continue with their usual activities.

All participants will be encouraged to keep diaries of their falls and will

be contacted weekly from the start of the study to six months after its completion.

Niall McMurty, project manager for the Royal National Institute for Blind People, said: “People with sight loss are at a high risk of falls and injuries resulting from falls can set people back considerably.

“Anything we can do that can help to improve confidence, balance and physical fitness will be a real help.”

The universities are working in partnership with the Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national charity for people who are blind or have sight loss; the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle Society for Blind People, HealthWORKS Newcastle and Visibility in Glasgow.

Northumbria University is actively undertaking research into ways to improve life for older people.

Together with Newcastle University, Northumbria is jointly hosting the annual British Society of Gerontology conference in July.

The Society brings together those interested in older people to find ways to enhance and improve ageing and later life.

Rogers House Residential Home hosted its annual summer garden party, inviting residents, relatives, staff, volunteers and the local community into the home for an afternoon of fun in the sun.

Guests gathered together at the Gillingham residential home to eat, drink and be merry at the home’s annual summer garden party.

Residents and their guests sat back and relaxed with a couple of glasses of Pimm’s, while making the most of the warm sunshine and enjoying the live music.

Lorraine Laker, care co-ordinator at Rogers House said: “Our garden party last year, though great fun, was a bit of a washout due to the rain so we were very lucky with the sunny weather this time!”

Residents do like to be beside the seaside ...

ELDERLY Thornaby residents escaped from their care home for a day trip to the Redcar seafront.

at Mandale House, said: “We are lucky to be so close to the seaside in Stockton-on-Tees.

Fourteen residents from Mandale House Care Home visited the seaside town.

“Many of our residents grew up in the area and have fond memories of trips to the beach for ice cream, fish and chips.

The eight wheelchair users and six walkers enjoyed a stroll down the promenade before a feast of ice cream and fish and chips.

Staff and families along with relatives of past residents accompanied the group.

Christine Reason, home manager

“We regularly take our residents on day trips.

“They are hugely beneficial for their physical and mental health.

Our dementia residents, in particular, find these trips a treasured walk down memory lane.”

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Organisation strikes gold with award ONE of the Midlands’ leading housing and care organisations has struck gold after being re-awarded an Investors in People Gold Award.

Birmingham-based Midland Heart has retained its gold status following a rigorous and objective assessment of its management framework and ongoing performance.

Assessed across 196 evidence areas, it has been praised for its clear strategy, effective and inspiring leadership, people development and its commitment to continuously improve.

Ruth Cooke, chief executive officer at Midland Heart, said: “Investors in People is a worldwide mark of excellence and to be re-awarded gold is testament to our investment not just in the business but in our people.

“A motivated workforce is the lifeblood of any organisation – good people make good business.

Through streamlining our systems and providing opportunities for colleagues to reach their full potential we have greater levels of trust, cooperation and engagement.”

Pupils share memories on care home visit

By Olivia Taylor CHILDHOOD memories for the young and not-so-young were rekindled when pupils from a Lymington primary school visited a dementia care home in the town.

To prepare for their move to secondary education, 34 pupils from the William Gilpin School at Boldre had been working on an arts project reflecting on their lives so far.

In workshops led by an art therapist, they decorated ‘memory boxes’ filled with drawings, photos, toys, ticket stubs and other items associated with school plays, trips and holidays.

Six children showed off their work on a specially organised trip to Colten Care’s Linden House dementia care home.

There were smiles all round as they talked face-to-face with residents and explained the significance of the personal collections they have gathered.

Ticket stub in hand,10-year-old Charlotte talked about her memories of a stage version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She also had a train ticket to London from a trip to the Natural History Museum. Asked about her discussions with residents, Charlotte said: “They asked about

William Gilpin School pupils chat with one of the Linden House residents. everything I had in the box and the fun and memories I’ve had at school.”

Mandy Stevens, activities organiser at Linden House, added: “This was the first time we have welcomed such young children in as a whole group.

After the visit, residents were coming up to me and saying how much they enjoyed it. We wanted the experience to complement our wider focus on gentle memory stimulation. Our home has many memory-themed rooms and garden spaces and talking about times gone by is something that our residents find very therapeutic.”

The visit was arranged through the Sway-based charity hArt, standing for Hampshire Art for Recreation and Therapy.

Art therapist Sam Lewis said: “This is the first inter-generational project we have done. For the children, the aim was to help their transition to secondary school by reflecting on their time in education so far and bring closure on their final years of primary.

“For the Linden House residents, it was a further chance to talk about memories of youth, something that can be therapeutic on the dementia journey.”

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Michael honoured with French medal

By Olivia Taylor VETERAN of World War Two and Radbrook care home resident Michael Burton, 96, has received the highest French distinction – the Légion d'Honneur.

Appointed by decree on May 15, Michael received a letter from the French Ambassador to the UK, Sylvie Bermann, thanking him for his efforts in the liberation of France during the Second World War and notifying him of his appointment.

Michael’s medal arrived with the letter and he entered the ranks of the Ordre national de la Légion d’Honneur as Chevalier.

The distinction was applied for via the Ministry of Defence by Michael’s daughter, Ann, who said he was thrilled to receive the award after so many years.

She said: “The award is something we can hand down through generations and my father’s history, and those of others, will always be remembered.”

Michael landed at Arromanches beach on D-Day as a member of the 23 Advanced Base Workshop.

Travelling from Benghazi, Libya, his team was deployed to provide support to Infantry Brigades of the 50th Northumbrian division, 30 corps. He helped clear the exit routes from Gold Beach, removing damaged tanks, lorries and other vehicular casualties.

Michael joined the British Army in 1939 during the transition from horse drawn guns to tanks, and before D-Day was also involved at Dunkirk where he was rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer from the beach.

In 1943 he travelled to Alexandria, Egypt, with the 8th Army to repair vehicles.

Dawn Quinn, nurse manager at Radbrook care home, said: “We are so pleased for Mr Burton to have received this award in recognition of his bravery, it is wonderful to be able to share this part of his history and we take every opportunity to speak with him about his achievement.”

Michael Burton with his daughter Ann.

Home wins at business excellence awards HALLMARK Care Homes facility in Warwickshire, Anya Court, has been named ‘large business of the year’ at the Rugby Business Excellence Awards.

The home which specialises in residential, nursing and dementia care, was praised for its welcoming atmosphere, team dedication and professionalism at the boroughs business awards.

The awards first established in 1998, acknowledge

the hard work of local businesses and the contribution shown throughout the year.

Karen Handley, Anya Court’s customer relationship manager, said: “Since we opened our doors last October, myself and the care team have worked really hard to establish Anya Court and build lasting links with the local community. This award is recognition of all our hard work.”

A panel of judges from Brethertons Solicitors

reviewed the information sent in by the home last month, along with two other local businesses, before coming to their decision.

Entrants were judged on their business plan, evidence of goals set and achieved, customer satisfaction, commitment to staff development and other aspects including environmental policies, innovation and community investment.

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Appy Steve sees dream come true

By Dominic Musgrave

Residents of Rogers House residential home in Wigmore, Gillingham, embraced the summer sunshine and headed to Leysdown for a nostalgic day at the beach.

The sun was shining and the skies were beautifully blue, so it was the perfect opportunity for staff to take residents on a trip to the glorious Kent coastline.

They relaxed and chatted to one another about their memories of days spent at the seaside, whilst taking in the sea views and tucking into a tasty treat of tea and cake, before heading home for a well-deserved rest.

Care group acquires St Albans’ home THE Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans, Hertfordshire has been acquired by Caring Homes Group.

Managing director Laird MacKay said: “I am so pleased that Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans has joined our family of high quality care homes across the UK. “The Orchard residents will

benefit from continuity of care with the same staff and manager. Our focus will remain on delivering person-centred care and clinical excellence. Caring Homes looks forward to enhancing the lives of staff and residents at The Orchard Nursing Home as we work with them in the future.”

A CARE expert in Shropshire is pioneering a new way of working – which sees a dream of his become a reality – as carers begin to use a mobile phone app to log care.

Steve Harris, managing director of Carewatch (Mid Shropshire), came up with the idea of an app to reduce paperwork for his 50 employees a few years ago.

Steve’s staff have been trained in how to use the new app, it will now be rolled out across his Stafford Parkbased company.

He said: “I put a lot of time and effort into developing an app – although I never pushed ahead with my version, I am delighted that we are now able to provide this service for our staff which will hopefully make their working day easier, productivity increase and the customer experience will improve.”

The app has been developed by technology firm Mobizo. It is available on iOS or Android phones

as well as computers.

Steve is one of the first care managers in the UK to adopt the latest technology and use it for all his customers across Shropshire and Staffordshire.

Steve added: “This really is a revolution in health care.

“I came up with the idea to combat the problems I witnessed in my own business. I had a great reaction when I piloted an app but my commitment is to our customers and I decided to focus on that.

“We are expecting to save £3,000 per nurse or care worker and a typical productivity savings for field staff of 10 to 20 per cent.”

The app aims to remove inefficient paper processes, provide real-time visibility and ensure staff in the field are compliant.

Care plans, logs, assessments and any other forms used by Carewatch (Mid Shropshire) will be digitalised and staff can also work offline, in case the connection in rural areas is weak.

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Family care home provider in ‘dementia friends’ call to staff

By Olivia Taylor A FAMILY-OWNED South coast care home provider is encouraging its entire 1,700-strong workforce to become recognised Dementia Friends.

Colten Care, which has 19 homes in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, is backing an Alzheimer’s Society campaign to raise awareness of dementia and tackle the stigma and lack of understanding around it.

The company is planning to run a dementia friends session for staff and the community at each of its homes on the first Wednesday of each month from 2-3pm.

Dementia friends are people who have undergone a one-hour faceto-face information session or watched an online video to understand how they can best help those who live with dementia.

As part of its support for the Alzheimer’s Society, Colten Care hosted a meeting of more than 20 community volunteers known as dementia friends champions.

All have been trained and supported by the Alzheimer’s Society to run dementia friends’ information sessions.

They gathered at The Aldbury dementia care home in Poole, Dorset, to share their experiences

and knowledge in building dementia friendly communities.

Among them were people who have run workplace and community sessions since the Prime Minister launched a national dementia challenge two years ago

with the aim of recruiting a million dementia friends.

Camilla Alfred, regional support officer for the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We are grateful to Colten Care for not only hosting the meeting but also for its active ongoing support in helping us build dementia friendly communities.”

Colten Care has around 30 dementia friends Champions among its workforce in a mix of roles including managers, trainers, healthcare assistants and marketing staff. They will provide the information sessions to help colleagues become dementia friends.

Denise Arthur-Briskham, home manager at The Aldbury and a dementia friends champion, said: “The dementia friends programme is designed to transform the way we think, act and talk when it comes to dementia.

“There are many ways to help someone with dementia, some of them small and easy to do. It’s all about raising awareness.”

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Care group staff in leadership training pilot

By Dominic Musgrave SENIOR management staff of a care group are set to become the first participants in a leadership development programme which will be used internally and then rolled out to others within the sector.

A pilot of the Springhill leadership in care development programme is being delivered to directors and general managers across the Care Group.

Once the pilot is complete in September, the programme will be offered to the rest of the care sector, managed and delivered by the Springhill Learning and Development centre.

A summer house at the Bridgwater nursing home has been converted into a tea room for the residents to enjoy.

The quaint wooden building features vintage tea room memorabilia to encourage the residents to reminiscence about their lives and share stories with their fellow residents and staff.

Decorated with a ‘come in we’re open’

sign and bunting, the tea room is situated within the flowering garden, with a ramp to allow easy access for all.

Speaking on their new feature, manager Julie Bohot said “We are thrilled with our tea room and I would personally like to thank everyone that has contributed items or time towards this project.”

service which meets the rigorous criteria of the Care Quality Commission. It will address the five key lines of inquiry inspection process: is a service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

Theresa Swan, learning and development manager at Springhill, said: “During our Investors in People assessment, we were acknowledged as actively promoting inspirational leadership.

“We then decided to expand our services to provide an innovative approach to leadership, initially internally and then across the sector.”

The group operates three care homes – Springhill Care Home in Accrington, Birch Green Care Home in Skelmersdale and Riversway Nursing Home in Bristol, along with Affinity Supporting People, a supported living service, also in Accrington.

Supported by Knoweldgelink, a leading North West consultancy company, the programme has been designed with Springhill staff to support teams with inspirational leadership, motivating and encouraging their staff, while developing a deeper understanding of themselves as leaders.

The programme places emphasis on person centred leadership and explores the challenges of delivering a

The programme has received external approval with the Institute of Leadership and Management.

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Inspired home residents raise cash for kids

By Dominic Musgrave TEESSIDE care home residents have teamed up with a veteran children’s charity campaigner to raise thousands of pounds in donations.

Around £2,000 has been raised for the NSPCC in total, partly by Mandale House Care Home in Thornaby and Queens Meadow Care Home in Hartlepool.

Residents took part in a series of sponsored walks after being inspired by the near marathon effort of Anne Waddicor, who marched 24-miles for the charity.

Anne, 75, is an associate of the Hill Care Group, which operates the care homes, and a long-time charity campaigner.

Liz Jones, customer relations officer for the Hill Care Group, said: “As a friend and associate of Hill Care, we were hugely inspired by Anne’s fundraising efforts and decided to promote her achievements to help raise money for the

NSPCC and inspire others to do the same.

“The residents at our care homes are not as mobile as they used to be, so unfortunately we couldn’t take to hills like Anne, but shorter walks and a sponsored wheelchair push allowed us to run our own fundraising events.”

Following their latest events the homes presented a £150 cheque to Anne, which will add to the total of over £2,000 raised so far.

Liz added: “We are really proud of the residents and Anne for having raised so much money for such a worthy cause. And we are extremely grateful to the families of our residents, who have helped us on the sponsored walks and donated money.

“It shows that you’re never too old to make a real difference to the lives of others – in this case the children supported by the NSPCC – and we hope others will be inspired to put on their own fundraising events.”

Anne Waddicor (right) presented with a cheque for the NSPCC from staff of Mandale House Care Home.

Recognising the benefits of PSCs CARE home owners and staff across the UK are recognising the benefits of personal service companies and investing vital savings back into client care, according to contracting specialist Nova, an established expert in setting up and administering PSCs. “Care providers are recognising the advantages of engaging nurses, domiciliary workers and support staff, through their own limited companies and some are widening the offer to include trade supplier arrangements,” said Nova business development manager Philip Thomas. “Completely compliant with current legislation, the fixed term contracts enjoy the same conditions and duty of care as other employment contracts and there is no cost

to the business, only a competitive weekly charge for the candidate, who can increase their take home pay through qualifying business expenses amongst other financial benefits of Nova’s PSC.” Nova works with the UK’s leading recruitment agencies and healthcare employment specialists, offering a wide range of compliant employment solutions.

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Scheme marks anniversary with exciting event schedule

By Olivia Taylor

Staff limber up for Three Peaks Challenge STAFF members from Belong Crewe have been training in the exercise studio with residents from the community care village as they prepare for the Three Peaks Challenge.

Funds raised by the sponsored event, which involves climbing the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland, will be used to expand the range of activities offered this year at Belong Crewe for older people and people living with dementia and their families

in the local area.

Belong Crewe general manager, Melanie Saywell, said: “Any money raised will go towards putting on new events in and around Belong Crewe in the coming year for people in the local community and the residents living here, so it’s all for a good cause.”

The Three Peaks team have a JustGiving page online where donations can be pledged: https://www.justgiving.com/LeeEdwardsthreepeaks.

RESIDENTS at East Thames’ Dreywood Court, a scheme for older residents, have been celebrating its second anniversary with a host of exciting activities.

Staff organised activities to suit everyone – including a sports day, a jewellery making workshop, an anniversary party lunch and even a visit from Amazing Animal Encounters Petting Zoo, who brought tortoises, lizards and a rabbit.

Unique to Havering, Dreywood Court offers 98 flats, both one and two bedroom homes, for people aged 55 and over. The scheme is designed to meet the needs of residents as they get older so they can live as independently as possible. Each resident has their own self-contained flat and access to onsite care and support services as they need them.

An onsite restaurant, hairdressers and large communal lounge mean

there are plenty of opportunities for residents to socialise and for friendships to blossom.

David Grant, East Thames’ housing manager at Dreywood Court, said: “It’s lovely to give people the chance to form friendships in their twilight years. We take every opportunity to bring residents together, which is why we’ve been celebrating our second anniversary. The wide range of events and activities we’ve put on means there really has been something for everyone.”

As well as the focus on social inclusion, Dreywood Court also aims to support residents to live as independently as possible. Each resident has their own flat that can be adapted to their needs, wide corridors accommodate wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and care and support services are available for residents on site as and when they need them.

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Volunteering pledge must be honoured THE Government mustn’t abandon its pre-election pledge to require that larger employers give people an extra three days’ leave a year to volunteer in a charity of their choice.

This was the message from the Abbeyfield Society when the Prime Minister visited one of the charity’s sheltered houses in Oxfordshire recently.

Chief executive of the Abbeyfield Society, Natasha Singarayer, said “The Conservative Party’s preelection work place volunteering pledge will make a huge difference to charities like ours. Because making a profit is not our prime motive, charities like ours represent a key part of the solution to the challenge of social care underfunding.

Volunteers are part of the mix that helps us support older people and the Government should be doing everything it can to establish the volunteering habit in British society.

“We are lucky to have a large band of volunteers supporting our work but one of our biggest challenges is attracting younger professional volunteers. This is why we were so excited when the volunteering pledge was included in the manifesto and why we are now concerned about mounting speculation that it may be abandoned.”

‘No bills’ celebration

By Olivia Taylor RESIDENTS at one of the first zero carbon retirement villages in the country are celebrating after paying no energy bills in the first year of living there – with some being handed back more than £125.

The award-winning Waterside development is set within the grounds of Middleton Hall Retirement Village, near Darlington, in County Durham, in 17 acres of secure, beautiful woodland with a wetland area and a large duck pond.

Each of the 35 bungalows are fitted with wood burning stoves, triple glazed windows and thick insulation and benefit from electricity generated from individual PV (photovoltaic) panels.

According to National Home Energy Rating Software, the highly insulated properties’ energy use for heating, hot water, lighting, cooking and appliances should be balanced by the electricity generated and income from the Feedin-Tariff.

Jeremy Walford, managing director of the retirement village, said: “Low carbon homes have a reputation for not achieving their projected energy savings.

The projections showed it was possible but we made a point of not telling buyers in case they did not perform so well in practice.

“To hear that some are getting back as much as £125 is fantastic.”

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CARINGUNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR

Caring for the carers with reliable uniforms WORKING in a care home demands a uniform that’s reliable, comfortable and capable of working as hard as your valued staff do, too.

With more than 100 years’ experience working in the healthcare industry, Grahame Gardner Ltd understands this need and is proud to offer one of the largest collections of high-quality uniforms in the UK. By drawing on its wealth of expertise, the team has developed a large selection of garments perfect for care home employees, from vibrant scrubs, fleeces and outerwear through to traditional tunics and trousers – all combining com-

fort and practicality with style.

Organisations can also choose from Grahame Gardner Ltd’s extensive colour palette to create uniforms which represent the identity of their care home or business, and make employees feel proud to be a part of their organisation whenever they put their uniform on.

Marketing director at Grahame Gardner Ltd, Katy Brocklehurst, said: “We’ve worked closely with the care home industry for many years now and have built up a great reputation for truly understanding what organisations within the sector want when choosing uniforms for their staff.”

Helping you create a new look for your healthcare team AS ONE of the pioneers of the uniform industry, Simon Jersey is ideally placed to provide help and advice on creating a new look for your healthcare team this autumn.

The company has more than 40 years’ experience of creating brand enhancing uniforms that are both practical for healthcare teams yet stylish and easy to wear during a busy shift.

The Simon Jersey range includes more than 900 garments including a wide selection of tunics, dresses and

scrubs created especially for the health sector.

All are available in a variety of colours and can be embroidered with a logo or name to help create a uniform that matches the company’s brand.

Also included in the range are stylish suiting, shirts and blouses for managers and front desk teams, housekeeping uniforms, casuals, and chefwear to ensure that everyone is catered for, from front to back of house.

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£20m expansion plan will double size of business

By Olivia Taylor

Bletchley Park visit rolls back the years for June A MARLOW care home resident took a trip down memory lane to the code breaking site Bletchley Park – the inspiration behind the Hollywood blockbuster, The Imitation Game.

Sir Aubrey Ward resident, June Coleridge, 92, pictured above, went with a group of other residents to Bletchley Park, and her name flashed on a screen listing those who assisted in the breaking of the Enigma Code.

June, originally from Egham in Surrey, said: “It was great to go back to Bletchley Park, I had no idea that I was listed on the special roll of honour for my time there.

“We all just did our part – I never dreamed what we did would be talked about all these years later.”

June was made to feel like a VIP as staff at Bletchley Park rallied round to make sure she had the best day

possible, and even invited her to attend their special Veterans’ Day later this year.

There was also a promise that the Bletchley Park archivist would be in touch again to get June’s recollections of the experience.

Junior Walker, leisure and lifestyle manager at Sir Aubrey Ward, added: “It was wonderful to see June so pleased, especially as she was pointing out different areas and telling us lots of stories – we’re all very proud of her.

“Visits like our day out at Bletchley Park are incredibly important for residents, as they really do bring back to life the happy memories they’ve had during their lives.

“I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen residents bond over stories and trips like this.”

CHESTERFIELD-BASED healthcare provider Heathcotes Group has agreed a £20million expansion plan which will double the size of their business.

The deal, which combines finance from a leading high street bank together with debt funding and working capital, has been agreed on behalf of the group by Mitchells Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers.

With more than 30 care homes and around 800 full-time staff, Heathcotes already has a strong presence in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire, but is now targeting cities such as Manchester and Birmingham for further growth.

The group plans to add a further eight care homes to its expanding portfolio in 2015 alone, with more scheduled in 2016 and 2017.

David Harrison, CEO of Heathcotes Group, said: “Since founding the

business 12 years ago we have successfully built a strong reputation across Central England for delivering high-quality, purpose-built facilities for our residents.

“We have an excellent relationship with Mitchells and their understanding of our ethos, expansion plans and our approach to the care sector makes them a valued business partner.”

Tony Hornsby, partner at Mitchells who led the team that was heavily involved in the refinance process between the Heathcotes Group and Yorkshire Bank, said: “Heathcotes has been a client of Mitchells since its incorporation and we have worked together since the acquisition of the first home in 2003.

“We have a fantastic relationship with the group and their rapid growth since incorporation is testament to their commitment to excellence in care and professionalism.

“We have enjoyed assisting them with their growth and look forward to working with them through their expansion process.”

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CARINGNEWS

Jim delighted by reunion with medal Sandra Wilmshurst, general manager of Rusthall Lodge Care Home and Kent Deputy Lieutenant, Mr. Peter W Blackwell JP DL with veteran Jim Raven (seated).

By Olivia Taylor

of his medal, so I was determined to find a replacement.

A RESIDENT at Rusthall Lodge care home in Kent was re-united with a Defence Medal after his original was lost in a house clearance two years ago.

Jim Raven, 92, was presented with the replacement medal by Kent Deputy Lieutenant Peter Blackwell in a small ceremony at Rusthall Lodge attended by family and staff members.

Three weeks ago, Jim mentioned the loss of his medal to local historian and keen medal collector Martin Beavis at Rusthall Lodge’s Veterans’ Day event.

Touched by Jim’s story, Martin promised he’d try to find a replacement – and so he did.

He said: “It was obvious that Mr Raven was deeply upset over the loss

“The one I found required a small amount of restoration and is now as good as new. It was wonderful to be able to give something back to a worthy veteran.”

Jim added: “This is a wonderful surprise. I am really delighted.”

Jim was too young to sign up for the regular army at the outbreak of WWII but served with the Home Guard in Ashford.

Sandra Wilmshurst, general manager of Rusthall Lodge, said: “This has been a fitting postscript to our Veterans’ celebrations.

“It’s been a wonderful team effort recognising the dedication, loyalty and bravery of our residents and we are delighted to see Jim and his medal reunited again.”

We’d love to hear what’s going on in your care home. Send us your news, views and pictures to dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

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CARINGINTERIORS, DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS

AN ART DECO INFLUENCE AT THE GRAND The lobby at recently-completed The Grand.

NEW Care Projects has appointed Katie McGoff as its in-house interior designer and she has recently completed The Grand, a new eightbed care facility in West Bridgford.

Offering residential, nursing and dementia care services, Katie’s brief was to design a home-from-home environment that was aspirational for its discerning residents, yet practical, addressing all requirements of the current legislation.

She said: “My inspiration was to do something with an art deco influence. I looked around lots of care homes and found that many had a contemporary style, which in my opinion didn’t seem to suit the residents, or had 1950s and 1960s interiors, which isn’t particularly aspirational for the residents.

“The art deco influence is glamorous and full of historical references, which I felt would work well with the residents, especially those with dementia. It is also a style you would find in a hotel and I wanted The Grand to be hotel-like; luxurious and an improvement on the homes of the residents.

“I wanted the residents to choose to live at The Grand and to want to invite family and friends to dine here, just as they would choose a hotel and restaurant for a weekend away.”

Throughout The Grand, Katie has specifically selected furniture and soft furnishings that fuse the art deco influence with practicality and comfort.

“In the dining rooms, screen back chairs are used with ivory upholstery teamed black ash wooden tables forming an elegant restaurant environment that draws on the ‘black and white’ style synonymous with the art deco era,” she added. “Marble surfaces feature in the serving area, adding a touch of luxury and

sophistication, and I picked a selection of brass ceiling pendants as they are a much warmer metal, compared to chrome, and look stunning too.”

The colour scheme in the lounges is consistent with the art deco influence, with black, white and grey featuring along with accents of yellow or dusty pink. Rounded back arm chairs, sofas, foot stools and chaise lounges are paired with coffee tables, console tables and lamps, creating a comfortable space for residents.

Katie added: “In addition to the large communal lounges, there are a couple of small, cosy libraries at The Grand and for their décor I decided to move away from art deco and my muse was ‘a gentleman’s club’.

“The armchairs and sofas feature aged leather materials while the room boasts a number of design statements, such as the bowler hat lights.

“It also has a bookcase with classic games on show, such as chess and dominos, so a tactile room which is also dementia friendly. What is important about the libraries are the historical references; one benefits from a custom-made wall map of West Bridgford which local residents can relate to, while the other is identical in style and in terms of furniture, but it has a different identity with feature wallpaper called ‘memories’ full of old photographs and partnered with this, framed pictures of Nottingham placed around the room.”

The bedrooms at The Grand have been carefully designed with clinical expertise. Each bedroom features a bed, matching walnut wardrobe, bedside table and dressing table, all with rounded corners for safety, plus an armchair and visitor chair.

Continued on Page 31

CARINGINTERIORS, DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS Continued from Page 30 She added: “The bedrooms are dressed in soft colours. The walls are painted and wallpapered in warm dusty pink and lilac tones while the soft furnishings have been selected in accents of duck egg blue and yellow. I picked fabrics with vintage floral patterns for the curtains, for a domestic feel and homely ambiance.”

The attention to detail at The Grand is evident in the bedrooms with the resident’s chair. Championed by the University of Stirling, the award-winning chair provides the comfort and support of a traditional wing chair but it allows the resident unrestricted views of their surroundings, so doesn’t actually have wings. It supports the shoulders and neck, giving all the extra security you would expect from a wing chair, but is modern and designed for residents living with dementia and suitable for all residents in care homes. New Care even adapted the design of chair, further enhancing its qualities and benefits.

All bedrooms have en-suite wet rooms which are spacious and benefit from marble-effect tiles, allowing for clean lines and simplicity.

The lobby and coffee shop at The Grand are true public spaces and their interior design is not typical of a care home, and would be better associated with a boutique hotel.

“The lobby is instantly inviting and welcoming. I opted for shades of dusty pink and silver, including a subtle metallic art deco inspired patterned wallpaper, and used richer fabrics, such as velvet, for a luxurious look.

“The black and white herringbone carpet is another design statement, but one that really completes this space.”

Above: the library and, right: one of the bedrooms.

‘The art deco influence is glamorous and full of historical references, which I felt would work well with the residents, especially those with dementia’

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CARINGINTERIORS, DESIGN AND FURNISHINGS

Range’s success with care homes AROUND eight years ago Your Mobility started to import a range of specialist seating from Europe that would offer great functionality and value, whilst providing the service user with greatly enhanced comfort and safety.

Having over the years adapted the range to best meet UK Care Home requirements, Your Mobility has supplied a large number of these chairs to care homes both corporate and locally managed.

The chair offers ease of use, cleaning functionality, portability, comfort, pressure relief and safety all at an affordable price with delivery in two-three days!

The range has also proven a great success, with service users families appreciating the very competitive price and quick delivery.

Your Mobility offers free assessments from any of our nationwide service centres and interest free finance packages are available to care homes.

Charity learns some trade secrets from the experts SHACKLETONS opened its doors to share trade secrets with Dewsbury charity the Howlands to help raise funds to support its day services for people with physical and learning disabilities.

Deborah Hall, centre manager said: “We were eager to learn about upholstering but had no access to the right skills until Shackletons offered to help us.

“Upholstering is an activity many of our service users enjoy, we also make money taking in upholstery projects from members of the public who pay us for our services.”

Shackletons invited Deborah to attend an upholstery workshop at the Dewsbury factory where Tony Render, assistant operations manager – the most experienced member of the upholstery team, shared hands on skills and techniques needed to complete a professional and

accomplished finish to all the upholstery projects they embark on.

Tony Render, assistant operations manager from Shackletons says: “We had heard about their lack of funding and knew we could make a positive contribution.

“By sharing our knowledge and skills we hope they will now be able to put this to good use and start to earn enough money to keep their services going.”

Deborah continues: “There is so much more to it than we thought and we are extremely grateful to Tony and Shackletons for sharing their trade secrets to help us make a success of our services.”

Shackletons have been in the business of creating comfort for over 50 years and are the UK’s leading design and manufacturer of specialist contract furniture for the healthcare sector.

Deborah learning the fine art of upholstering from assistant operations manager Tony.

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CARINGLAUNDRY

Helping laundry room Committed to run seven days a week positive innovation ST Joseph’s Hospice has been on the same site in Hackney since 1905, growing over the years into a substantial modern hospice including palliative care, education and research.

It provides services for people with life limiting and terminal illness living in the City of London and the Boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Newham, and in neighbouring areas.

With 42 in-patient beds the hospice generates a considerable amount of laundry, and for many years now the hospice has had a relationship with Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems to supply and maintain washers and dryers.

The large laundry room includes two recently purchased Primus Amazon steam heated 18kg washer extractors, a larger Primus high-spin

speed 40kg washer, two small washers that are used for patients’ personal laundry and three Huebsch tumble dryers which are still going strong at 12 years old.

Paul Freeman, facilities supervisor at the hospice, said: “If we do have a problem with a machine the engineers come out within 24 hours to get it up and running again, and there’s always good advice when we need to expand or replace a machine.”

The machines are operated by dedicated laundry staff and are all in operation seven days a week.

For further information contact Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems, Ampere Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2AE Tel: 01635 263410 E: sales@armstrong-laundry.co.uk Website: www.armstrong-laundry.co.uk

MILLERS (UK) Ltd has been established for over 23 years and is a national organisation providing a dedicated service to the commercial and domestic catering and laundry industry.

A single point of contact for the customer, managing all aspects of electrical or gas catering, laundry equipment, detergent sales, service & repairs throughout the UK. “We are committed to continuous improvement and positive innovation within your industry and are confident in providing all new and existing customers with a reliable, courteous and value for money service.”

Millers offer a wide range of products and appliances and are now very proud to be able to also offer MIELE appliances having been awarded the MIELE Professional Dealership.

A friendly sales team can advise on anything from a single piece of equipment right through to a complete kitchen, laundry room or bar re-fit, and offer a fast

response service 365 days a year.

They offer a high first fix repair ratio achieved by carrying a vast range of spares on all vehicles, as well as cost saving workshop facilities for efficient and fast repair turn around.

They are local authority approved, housing association approved and Miele Professional approved.

Millers (UK) Ltd pride themselves on being able to repair any make or model of catering, laundry, kitchen and refrigeration equipment.

They offer full installation service for each of our machines and highly trained engineers are on hand for all domestic and commercial units.

They also offer a design service for all laundry rooms and kitchens and a ‘start to finish’ service on re-fit or new builds covering, wall cladding, electrics, stainless steel work, drawing designs and we can even provide a mobile kitchen on site while the work is being done.

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CARINGCLEANING AND HYGIENE

‘Supporting users every step of way’ CLOS-O-MAT, the UK’s biggest supplier of automatic shower (wash and dry) toilets, delivers a unique support system, now crystalised in its ‘keeping it simple’ five point customer commitment plan.

Clos-o-Mat service manager, Ian Tomlinson said: “The plan is a written, tangible means for existing and potential users of our products to understand that, to us, their toilet is essential to their independence in everyday life. We MUST support them every step of the way, not just sell them something and walk away.”

All free of charge, from initial enquiry to the end of the toilet’s ‘life’, Clos-o-Mat will put the user first.

A home visit before purchase enables the user to see the equipment, and understand how it works.

Once installed, one of the company’s team of in-house engineers commissions the toilet, verifying everything works properly.

Annual service & maintenance contracts give the peace of mind that, should anything go wrong, Clos-oMat will respond once notified by the end of the next working day, and attend within 72 working hours, and

offers unlimited call-outs.

Ian added: “We go to the loo on average eight times a day, so if the toilet stops working, it really is an issue, especially so if you are disabled. That is why we have made such a big commitment to our clients.

“We have Clos-o-Mats still in daily use 30 years after first being fitted, because they have been annually serviced. Our philosophy is to minimize the impact that could have on the user. As a company, we have attained the prestigious Investors in People Award: in our mind, that extends beyond our staff, to our clients.”

Clos-o-Mat T: 0161 969 1199 W: www.clos-o-mat.com E: info@clos-o-mat.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BY

39 www.requiredsystems.com

Home plan will create 100 jobs

Successful Voyage for staff DEDICATED care workers have been recognised for their hard work and professionalism at a national awards ceremony hosted by Voyage Care.

Held at Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry, the social care provider’s annual staff awards celebrated outstanding achievement and excellence in five categories including manager of the year, team of the year (residential and non-residential) and staff member of the year.

Winners included Nik Jones, who was crowned manager of the year in recognition of his positivity and enthusiasm at the Grove Resource Centre in Hindhead, Surrey which he

manages.

Pauline Murphy, a care worker at The Grange Children’s Home, also in Hindhead, scooped staff member of the year. The award honours the 27 years she has spent making a difference to the lives of hundreds of children who have lived at The Grange.

Team of the year (residential) went to Westwood House in Swindon whilst the Birmingham Outreach team who support people in their own homes were awarded the nonresidential team of the year award.

Finally, the Sade Abayomi award for sustained best practice went to Ruth Bailey who was applauded for her

Care provider ‘delighted’ to support local charity AN East London care provider has made a £10,000 donation to a local charity as part of its ongoing commitment to helping good causes.

Sahara Care’s donation was presented on behalf of the care company’s charity, Sahara Care Charitable Trust, will go to Community Links – an innovative east London charity that runs a wide range of community projects for more than 16,000 people every year.

The contribution will be used to help fund Community Links inclusion work with young disabled people and children with life limiting conditions.

Kevin Jenkins OBE, co-founder and life president of Community Links, said: “This is a tremendous donation that will allow us to continue our work with children who have disabil-

ities and life limiting conditions for the coming year.”

“We are proud to have Sahara Care Charitable Trust as our core supporter and we are thankful for their ongoing donations to our charity.”

The two organisations have a long history together and Sahara, who provides care for service users with disabilities and complex needs, has made a number of donations to the group in the past.

Terence Brown, chairman of Sahara Care Charitable Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be supporting Community Links again.

“They do magnificent work and have helped hundreds of young people and children with a range of conditions and are more than deserving of this donation.”

The new CQC Essential Standards – call now to arrange your free trial ALL our Policy/ Procedures have been brought into line with the new 2014 Legislation and to make it even easier to demonstrate compliance we have developed a module that shows you how to meet each of the five new categories.

Enquiries: To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com

commitment to her role, strong integrity and demonstrating a willingness to go above and beyond what is expected of her.

Commenting on the ceremony and this year’s winners, Voyage Care’s interim chief executive Andrew Winning said: “Every year I am amazed at the wonderful work our teams around the country do. They don’t do it for trophies or awards but because they want to give the people we support the best possible quality of life. It’s wonderful for us to be able to recognise this hard work and shine a light on those employees who deserve our congratulations.”

LAND has been acquired to build a luxury 84-bed care home in Girton providing residential, nursing and dementia care and will create 100 jobs locally.

Construction to the home is expected to take place later this year across a one acre site in Cambridge by Hallmark Care Homes.

Scheduled to open in early 2017, facilities at the home will include a cinema, hairdressers, barbers and therapy room. Each bedroom will have an en-suite bathroom and those on the ground floor will have access to their own patio.

Other communal areas will include two roof terraces, as well as landscaped gardens for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Avnish Goyal, managing director of Hallmark Care Homes, said: “This home will provide residents with a place where they feel safe and supported to live an active and fulfilled life.

“We have years of knowledge and experience in building award-winning, innovative care homes and we are excited to be able to create an engaging new care community in Cambridge.”

The new facility will be the Essexbased group’s 18th care home.

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CARINGNEWS

Sunrise is reaching for the Sky SUNRISE Senior Living has signed an agreement to bring Sky television to all of its Sunrise and Gracewell communities across England and Wales.

The care provider has become the first in the UK to have the pay-TV service across its entire estate.

Sunrise decided to partner with Sky following conversations with residents, many of whom were Sky viewers prior to joining their respective communities.

Every community will have all channels available so residents can enjoy films, live sport and entertainment programmes. It is hoped that sporting events, like this summer’s Ashes cricket series, will provide further opportunities to bring residents together. As part of the agreement, residents will also benefit from activity and exercise class training from Oomph! Wellness.

Chris Dean, Sunrise Senior Living’s regional director of dining and procurement, said: “When residents move into Sunrise communities we want them to continue to enjoy all of the comforts of home, and for some that means being able to watch live sport and a wide range of films.

“This agreement reflects our commitment to ensuring residents live happy, independent and fulfilled lives. This extends from Sky television right the way through to being able to decorate their own rooms.”

Residents thrilled by boat trip RESIDENTS from The Elms, the CLS-run care home in Crewe, took to the waterways recently when they embarked on a canal boat trip.

Staff from the home arranged the day out with the Mary Sunley Canal Boat Trust; a charity providing canal boat leisure trips for people with disabilities.

Beginning in Poynton, staff and residents took a leisurely cruise along the picturesque Macclesfield

Canal, reaching as far as Marple, before heading back to disembark at the Trust’s mooring at Lord Vernon’s Wharf.

Julie Parkinson, activity co-ordinator at The Elms, said: “Everyone had such a nice time sailing up the canal, staff and volunteers included! It’s hard not to enjoy yourself in such peaceful surroundings.

“We thought we’d try something a bit different, and it definitely paid off.”

Home manager Nick Brennan added: “Our staff and volunteers are brilliant when it comes to giving the residents something fun and exciting to do, and this is just another example of a great idea paying off.

“All the residents who went came back thrilled, and that always creates a lovely atmosphere in the home. We’ll definitely be looking to do a similar trip again in the near future.”

Creativity put to the test

A Birmingham care home has attended its local village carnival so it could interact with the local public.

Orton Manor Nursing Home raised £300 by selling a range of cakes, jams, sweets and samosas to the community at The Water Orton Carnival.

Care home hosts fete for community A NEWTON Aycliffe care home has hosted a fun-filled summer fete for the local community for the benefit of its residents and two charities.

Aycliffe Care Home, which is part of Akari Care, raised a total of £910 for Veterans at Ease and the Joanne McCourt Fund, with a proportion going to the residents’ comfort fund.

Members of staff, residents and the community all came together for the event, which included entertainment from Janie St John and a performance from a flyball dog agility team.

There was also a Veterans at Ease stall, a raffle, a bouncy castle for children, as well as food and refreshments for those in attendance.

Aycliffe Care Home is a purpose-built 54-bed home that provides 24 hour general residential, dementia and nursing care.

Jane Mack, manager at Aycliffe Care Home, said: “Our summer fetes are always well received and this year’s was no exception. The day was enjoyed by all, with plenty of entertainment on offer and the total amount raised is an incredible achievement.

“Two fantastic charities have benefited from our local community’s support and I would like to thank everyone who attended and donated, with special thanks to those who volunteered as, without their support, the day wouldn’t have been possible.”

A STAKEFORD care home put its community’s creativity to the test when it opened its doors to the local public for a fun-filled open day.

Bridge View Care Home, which is operated by Akari Care, invited residents, guests and family members to take part in an artistic competition, comprising three categories – children, Aadults aged between 20-40 and over 40s, as part of the open day.

All guests had to submit their most prized piece of artwork which were judged by councillor Ray Butler, of Choppington Parish Council.

Prior to the competition, the staff at the home held art masterclasses for the residents, which paid dividends for Bridge View resident, Doris Beaney, 88, who was awarded the Over 40s prize for her tapestry design of a lady in red holding a candelabrum.

Irene Wallis, manager at Bridge View, said: “We are always looking at ways to provide our residents with further enjoyable activities and the art classes were well received. It was great to get the entire community on board for the initiative, which produced some very impressive works of art.”

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Jazz Court hits the high notes

By Olivia Taylor A NEW extra care development in Scarborough struck the right chord with MP Robert Goodwill and County Councillor Clare Wood when they paid a visit to open the scheme.

Housing and care provider Sanctuary Group and its contractor Keepmoat have completed the construction of a 60-unit extra care scheme, named Jazz Court, in Eastfield.

The £8million development, which has been part-funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, comprises a mix of one and two bed apartments for rent which are available for residents over the age of 55.

The project is part of the first phase of a wider development of the Middle Deepdale area, which will see a total

of 1,350 homes built over the next 15 years, along with a primary school and new footpaths, landscaping and open plan spaces.

North Yorkshire County Council has transferred land to the Middle Deepdale development as part of its commitment to work with partners to maintain sustainable communities.

The special guests were given a tour of the extra care scheme to see the facilities available to residents, including a gym, library, sensory garden, and hair and beauty salon.

This was followed by a fitting performance from a jazz trio over lunch and a chance to look around one of the residents’ apartments.

Rob Harbourne, development manager for Sanctuary, said: “It was a pleasure to show Mr Goodwill and

Scarborough County Councillor Clare Wood chats to a resident.

Councillor Wood around Jazz Court people and this extra care scheme so they could see the fantastic will provide a welcome boost facilities available to our residents. to the Middle Deepdale area which We are committed to developing is undergoing a wider transformamuch-needed new homes for local tion.”

CARINGCOMMERCE

New Halesowen home given the go-ahead LNT Carehome Developments, working in partnership with leading local social business Black Country Housing Group, has received planning permission to build a 66-bed care home on a site in Halesowen.

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council’s development control committee unanimously approved the planning application for the project.

Demolition began on site, with construction predicted to complete in September 2016. Once open, the care home will provide residential care for residents with dementia as well as six semi-detached independent living bungalows for those over 55.

It will serve as a local hub, integrating with the nearby facilities including shops, churches and schools.

The home is designed to best enable the delivery of quality care and provide a positive lifestyle choice for local people who may be frail, elderly or living with dementia.

It will provide accommodation with en-suite bedrooms, spacious communal areas, and state-of-the-art

amenities and gardens.

Andrew Long, development director at LNT, said: “We are delighted to be building such a fantastic care home for BCHG. It is also great news for Halesowen, creating jobs in the local area and providing a high quality resource for elderly people in the local community. The home will incorporate intelligent dementia design and be eco-friendly by benefitting from ground source heat pumps, solar thermal panels and LED lighting, keeping utility costs low.”

Janette Beckett, director of care and social business at BCHG added: “Having played an active role in the Halesowen area for a number of years, it is important that we are able to continue our investment in the local community.

“By building this new, state-of-theart home we are bringing care back to the community and will be able to make a real difference to people lives – providing quality care that helps our customers to live full and rewarding lives as well as a number of jobs for local people.”

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Work underway on apartments and home in village A FAMILY-RUN care home company has laid the foundation stone for a new home and retirement apartments at the heart of Charlton Hayes village.

Grove Care is developing Olive Tree House with help from NatWest.

Building is now underway and the facility is due to open in June next year. It is expected to create between 80 and 100 new jobs.

It will be the fourth care home for the company, which runs dementia care home The Grove, and Blossom Fields, a nursing home for the elderly, both in Winterbourne, and dementia care home Oriel Lodge, near Larkhall on the outskirts of Bath. The company also runs Grove Mews, a development of luxury retirement apartments next to The Grove and Blossom Fields.

The new home will provide accommodation for 65 people and will be next door to 25 retirement apartments.

Sarah McCarthy Taylor is a director of Grove Care along with her parents Martin and Angela McCarthy, husband Christopher Taylor, and sister Fiona Jarman.

She said: “We were quite innovative in 2005 when we adapted the model of residential care and built seven properties called Grove Mews next to

The Grove care home.”

“The idea is that further support is on site as people’s needs may change. We found that the model worked really well, and a lot of others in the market are doing the same now. The emphasis nowadays is for people to try to remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible, and so this model is particularly relevant. This is why we are replicating it at Olive Tree House.”

The facility will boast roof gardens as well as a walled sensory garden, which can be of benefit to residents with dementia. Like The Grove and Blossom Fields, the new development will also have its own Memory Lane.

The family worked with NatWest relationship director Adam Hughes to secure borrowing of more than £6m for the building of the new home and apartments.

Adam said: “Grove Care is a fantastic, dynamic family business offering first class care for elderly people in the South Gloucestershire and Bristol areas. These are exciting times for Grove Care. NatWest is delighted to be involved and we look forward to witnessing its development in this growing area in the city.”

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Site earmarked for £8m care facility in Sale PLANNING permission for an £8m purpose-built 57-bed care facility has been granted for a site in Sale, Greater Manchester.

New Care Projects has acquired the land, which is located on Ashlands in Ashton on Mersey, and will represent the third multi-million pound development that New Care has invested in to date in the borough.

Construction will commence on site in September and will be undertaken by McGoff & Byrne, the multi award winning building Group Main Contractor.

The ‘new generation’ care facility will be the company’s fourth care home, with further developments planned in the pipeline, highlighting the company’s commitment to providing high quality care in purpose built settings in areas that are predominately serviced by converted stock property that struggle to meet growing clinical and aspirational demands of a rapidly changing market place.

New Care will design, construct and operate the care facility, which is anticipated to create approximately 65 full time job equivalents for local

people.

Chris McGoff, CEO at New Care Projects, said: “New Care’s acquisition of a site in Sale is great news and we are pleased to be providing the region with another exceptional purpose-built care facility.

Due to open in winter 2016, the centre in Sale will offer residential, nursing and specialist dementia care in an expertly designed environment.

Each of the 57 bedrooms will have their own private wet room en suite facilities, and the home itself will feature a number of communal spaces, including lounges, dining rooms and libraries, as well as a cinema, hairdresser and coffee shop, to cater for the needs of its discerning residents and their guests.

Chris added: “New build settings are essential if we are serious about raising standards across the industry and we want the New Care brand to lead, meeting the requirements of a marketplace that is demanding better clinical provision in a higher quality environment.

“The plans for Sale are fantastic and we’re looking forward to getting started on site.”

Vendor praises smooth sale of business ADELAIDE House located in Royal Leamington Spa has been acquired by experienced care operators Barry & Eibhlin Thorpe-Smith.

The sale of the business was conducted by Andy Sandel of DC Care on behalf of the vendors David and Breda Sutton who had owned the home for over 30 years.

Commenting on the sale Mr Sutton said: “For several years prior to the sale Andy at DC Care had kindly given us very sound appraisals of market conditions which enabled us to optimise the time of sale.

“Having taken instructions and after a discreet visit DC Care were able to provide a realistic valuation,

but then more significantly, and very much to our advantage were able to find a purchaser without formally putting the Home on the open market. It was a great relief not to have a stream of potential purchasers looking round the home which I’m sure would have led to suspicions from the staff.

“As it was, when it came to exchange of contracts, no one other than our manager who had been briefed from the outset, was aware of the sale.

“In the meantime Andy and his team had guided us smoothly through the dealings with the solicitors and the CQC.”

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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

Will your residents get the nutrition they need this Winter? apetito nutritionist Kelly Fortune shares her top tips on good nutrition for care home residents in the colder months ...

AS THE days grow shorter and autumn draws in, thoughts naturally turn to how homes can best prepare for colder months ahead.

Changes to your menu are likely to include swapping lighter dishes for the comforting, warming options that are popular in winter, but beyond these obvious adjustments, how can you ensure your residents get the nutritional intake they need to support their health throughout the new season?

The sunshine vitamin Vitamin D is often referred to as

the ‘sunshine vitamin’ because our bodies need sunlight to create it.

However, a lack of sunlight during the winter months – coupled with the fact that our bodies are less able to produce it as we get older – means that many care home residents are at risk of becoming deficient in this important vitamin at this time of year, which supports the maintenance of healthy bones and muscle strength.

Food such as eggs, oily fish, fortified fat spreads, fortified breakfast cereals and liver are all useful dietary sources, but with such a limited list, some residents may benefit from a vitamin D supplement.

Useful ways to five a day We all know the importance of getting our ‘five a day’, but during the winter months when bugs are rife, ensuring residents have plenty

of opportunities to eat immuneboosting fruit and vegetables is especially important.

Using seasonal ingredients such as apples, carrots, swede and Brussel sprouts is a great way to refresh your menu for winter, but you can serve your residents’ favourite fruit and vegetables all year round by buying frozen or canned.

Casseroles are not only a great way to help residents get their five a day, but can also be a useful source of protein. For an extra immuneboosting hit, a casserole made with red meat will also be rich in zinc.

Good hydration Even when it’s not hot outside, it’s still vital for residents to have about six to eight cups of fluid each day.

If they don’t fancy fruit juice or water, a warming mug of tea, coffee, milk or hot chocolate may be more appealing – they all count! Gravy,

custard, ice cream and milky puddings are additional ways of boosting hydration levels.

Keeping active Regardless of age, many of us are less inclined to get outdoors when it’s cold, but even small amounts of walking at a normal pace has benefits such as improving balance and muscle coordination – as well as stimulating appetite.

For residents that can safely cope with weight bearing exercises such as climbing stairs, this has the added benefits of supporting bone and cardiovascular health, as well as giving a good mental boost.”

For advice on helping residents get the nutrition they need this winter or to book a FREE tasting session with the apetito care homes team, visit www.challengeapetito.co.uk or call 0800 542 2631.

Vivark’s quality and flexibility proves vital for healthcare provider

Care company unveils its ‘staff benefits’ winners HOWDEN Care is pleased to announce North West Community Services, which provides domiciliary care and training services within the North West, as the winner of its ‘staff benefits’ prize draw.

It wins a year of high street shopping discounts for up to 50 of its employees redeemable at leading retailers such as ASDA and Boots.

“Attracting and retaining staff is an industry-wide issue, but some care companies are using staff benefit packages to tackle it,” said Sue Lee, Howden Care managing director.

“Benefits include training, internal award schemes and social events. A well structured employee benefits scheme can help motivate and reward both new and existing employees. It can also help create a positive company culture that encourages staff retention.”

“We ran the ‘staff benefits’ prize draw to promote the benefits available and highlight the hard work and dedication of care staff. We also saw it as a way of giving something back to the care sector.”

By retaining staff care companies can reduce staff turnover, which has the knock on positive effect of reducing costs of recruitment and inductions. Stemming staff attrition also drives up care standards and

staff morale across the board.

Chris Murray, North West Community Services MD, added: “We feel very lucky and delighted to win Howden’s staff benefits competition.

It is nice to be able to give this out to our team who continue to work extremely hard to support and care for the people who use our service, they fully deserve the prize and we hope they make full use of it.”

FACILITIES management and refurbishment company Vivark has conducted a programme of redecoration, repairs and maintenance at a highly subscribed Liverpool cancer support centre.

Vivark delivered a range of services for Lyndale Knowsley Cancer Support Centre, comprising painting, decorating, plumbing and joinery works.

The combination of Vivark’s fully flexible service, expert execution and reliability was vital to the North West healthcare provider.

The company completed the project in just two weeks and timetabled its work around Lyndale’s busy schedule. This meant that the centre’s support sessions, classes and complementary therapies could continue unhindered by the activity of Vivark’s expert team.

Vivark’s executive director, Tony Cahill, said: “In order to secure this work and meet the client’s brief, it was imperative that we provided a flexible approach paired with a high quality finish.

“The sensitive nature of Lyndale’s work also meant a rigorous attitude to health and safety was required. We took the time to understand the challenges the project at the centre presented and ensured that our work could easily overcome these obstacles.

“Our professional team exceeded expectations, providing a tailored programme of redecoration, repairs and maintenance in a timely manner, all with minimal disruption to the centre.”

To contact the Vivark team about your refurbishment and repairs projects, email enquiries@vivark.co.uk

BVS announces the launch of Care Certificate induction training packages ALL Health and Social Care staff must now complete training to the new Care Certificate Standards.

To help managers provide the appropriate training BVS Training has produced two new video based Care Certificate Induction training packages – for Care Homes (23 DVDs) and Domiciliary Care (21 DVDs). Each resource comes with extensive supporting materials including lesson plans, Care Certificate workbooks, assessments and certificates.

The Care Home Induction package costs £1,995 and £2,250 for the Domiciliary Care pack, with savings

up to £685 on individual DVD prices.

BVS Training is the leading provider of video based training resources in the UK and has provided training to over 300,000 care workers in the UK, producing award winning training for over 15 years and have over 80 titles available on DVD or online, including all the subjects in the Care Certificate standards and many more.

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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

Care provider appoints New role for Angela new commercial director CAROLINE Jones from Crickhowell has been appointed as commercial director at a leading Welsh care provider.

The 43-year-old will identify and secure new business for Abacare as well as working with the team to ensure the success of its large existing business base.

Caroline said: “I am thrilled to have joined the team at Abacare and am really enjoying my new role. Abacare brings a fresh approach to the sector and has a unique combination of entrepreneurial spirit and a disciplined approach to the delivery of high quality, reliable care.”

Caroline has worked in the health sector for more than 20 years and previously held the role of commercial director for a leading national private healthcare company.

Peter Angelides, managing director at Abacare, said: “We would like to congratulate Caroline on her new position. She is already fitting in well and has become an integral part of the team. We are looking forward to working closely with her on lots of future projects.”

Caroline Jones

Questionnaires gently guide the carer through the tasks they have performed AS A registered care provider you are all too aware of the high quantity of record keeping that you must perform.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was an easy to use solution that substantially reduced the time spent on recording your daily care notes?

We think that we have developed the perfect solution by designing questionnaires that gently guide the carer through the tasks that they have performed.

This makes recording your information as quick and easy as ticking a paper based checklist but with the added advantage that all of your data care be quickly and easily monitored and used to assess your residents' care.

The Ablyss Care Management System is a

friendly software system which has been specifically developed for the care sector offering a suite of products to manage day-to-day running of a residential care home. Contact us today for a free trial or a demonstration.

Enquiries: Visit www.ablyss.co.uk

ONE of Scotland’s most innovative housing and care providers has announced the appointment of its new housing and care director to its Edinburgh headquarters as it continues its plans to revitalise the social housing sector.

Angela Currie, who has more than 20 years of experience in social housing across Scotland, will manage Blackwood’s 1500+ property portfolio as well as driving forward its plans to introduce greater innovation in housing and care.

In particular, she will take a lead in helping Blackwood to develop its housing and care business and ensure that both the housing and care services are efficient while continuing to deliver exceptionally high standards.

Angela said she is eager to play a vital role in helping Blackwood to achieve its revised business objectives - and its continued push to be industry innovators.

Angela Currie She said: “I’m thrilled to step up and take on the role of housing and care director. After accumulating over 20 years of social housing experience, I feel I have a sound knowledge of how to develop Blackwood’s exciting aims for the future.’

Angela has worked in various roles across the social housing sector and she joins Blackwood after spending 12 years leading the Scottish Housing Best Value Network.

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

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

How is this possible? Well in 2002 a care provider called Kingscrest challenged the view held

by HMRC and won. There is no cost to you unless we are successful.

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

And the best part is that you get the money in your bank account before you pay us. Don’t forget

the tax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.

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

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

The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition.

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

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

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

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

Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

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

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

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

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

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

54

Energy bill savings need to be considered

By Adam Hutchison THE care sector is competitive, and in an environment where many providers have maximised their income through adding value to customers.

Over the recent years a shift in focus has been made to reducing costs, as reduced costs is more money left in the tin for investment – or profit (don’t forget – “profit” is not a dirty word) With innovation top of the priority list when it comes to CQC why are new innovative approaches to energy costs not being looked at in more detail by care providers. The most common answer is that many simply don’t know enough about them and how they can truly help both now and in the future.

Take, for example, innovative approaches to reducing energy bills.

Week in week out, most providers are bombarded with calls offering products and services at reduced rates. Just talking to these “telesales” people uses up so much management time that in the end many just block all calls. How many times have callers promised

Signs

lower energy bills, without ever knowing what your current bill is?

Looking at alternative solutions to a simple straight energy provider swap can prove far more useful.

Take, for example, Solar PV. Solar PV has had some startling acceptance around the world, with figures showing rising percentages of global energy production coming from the sun.

While the technology of Solar PV is long established (over 50 years), and a common sight (have you seen them popping up on roofs and in fields?), there is still a lack of uptake in the UK care sector. Often new technologies are seen as a risk, through the aforementioned lack of knowledge, and solar PV is relatively new to the long established care sector.

As with any technology, understanding the key points and getting exceptional, tailored, advice is incredibly important.

CareSourced gives advice exclusively to healthcare providers, across a range of efficiency solutions. Each possible solution is reviewed by the senior management team, each of which has many years’ experience at

senior level within the health care sector prior to joining the CareSourced team.

This deep understanding of the healthcare market allows focus on improvement without detriment to the underlying business. Solar PV is just one element of a suite of options that can be proposed.

There are five reasons why healthcare providers use their redundant roof space for Solar PV systems. a) Savings on energy bills. b) Selling excess energy. c) Getting Government backed incentives. d) Reducing carbon Ffootprints. e) Showing customers a green side.

Procuring PV requires specialist understanding of the market place and the technology. It’s important to consider the overall objectives, costs, and technical proposals for the PV system.

The solar PV market provides many solutions – and as with any “sales” driven industry, picking through mixed messages, marketing speak and half-truths can prove difficult, and occasionally dangerous (CareSourced has several examples of where customers came

to us too late for us to resolve legal problems and installation issues, after the PV had been fitted and their installer had gone bankrupt).

And above all there is the need to drive best value. CareSourced has exceptional buying power for technological solutions for the healthcare sector.

By combining our clients together under common procurement methods, we drive volume discounts bringing benefits across a range of client’s simultaneously.

I Adam Hutchison is managing director of CareSourced.

Construction work starts on new Chesterfield care home WORK is underway to create a new specialist elderly and dementia care home in Chesterfield thanks to a seven-figure loan from The Royal Bank of Scotland.

The Green Nursing Homes Limited has started construction works to develop the new 39 en-suite bedroom facility on land adjacent to their ‘The Green Care Home’ in Dronfield.

RBS has supported the company

with a loan which will fund the cost of the build.

It is anticipated that the new care home will be open by the beginning of September.

Established in the early 1990s, The Green Nursing Homes limited is a family run business that owns and operates two care homes in Derbyshire – The Green Care Home in Dronfield and The Green Care Home in Hasland.