Issue 46 03.03.21
FOR ALL YOUR INTERIOR NEEDS For further details contact Sarah Thompson: sarah@sommer-rose.com 07495 471038 • www.sommer-rose.com
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Staff receive care group’s hampers HOSPITAL staff on the frontline of Covid have been receiving hampers and messages of support from residents and staff at a care home provider. Colten Care has made a series of donations to intensive treatment units in hospitals serving the same communities as its homes in the South. They include the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The idea of donating hampers to ITUs came from Helen Smith, home manager at the operator’s Wellington Grange home in Chichester. Helen has worked previously as an accident and emergency sister and her partner, Dr Matthew Williams, is an ITU consultant at Queen Alexandra. She said: “Many hospital staff have been experiencing added pressure, anxiety and fatigue during the pandemic. ITU is such a highly skilled area of a hospital and you can’t just replace colleagues who go off sick. “Some people have been at breaking point, on their knees about the situation, and there has been a feeling of a lack of
recognition. Most of the public don’t know what it’s like. “We had a think about what we could do to make ITU staff feel a bit more supported and we thought some hampers and messages from our residents and team members, showing their heartfelt appreciation, was something that would go down well. “We have seen the extent of PPE that hospital ITU teams have to wear at the moment and we know ourselves how difficult and uncomfortable it is to work in heavy PPE, especially on long shifts.” Colten residents and staff have gifted two different types of hamper to each hospital. One is a ‘pamper’ hamper, containing unopened toiletries such as moisturisers, hand cream, body lotion, luxury soap and shower gel. This is to help ITU staff when they are moisturising hands and faces or having a shower after a shift. The second is a ‘munchies’ hamper, with goodies to eat such as unopened energy boosting snacks, granola bars and bags of nuts. Each kind of hamper includes heart-shaped notes from residents and staff, dubbed ‘Hearts of Kindness’.
Cleaner is given top accolade
Staff had a licence to thrill when Royal Star & Garter put on a James Bond Day for residents at its Surbiton home. Hosted by staff in black tie, the residents sipped Martini cocktails (shaken, not stirred naturally), enjoyed the glamour of the casino, took part in a 007 quiz and danced as healthcare assistant Jodie Halls sung a string of Bond classics. The home has hosted a series of popular special events and activities since the pandemic outbreak, including an American Party and Caribbean Day. These fun events create a lively, stimulating atmosphere and support residents’ sense of purpose. WWII veteran Flo is pictured trying her luck at the casino table.
A CLEANER at Anchor Hanover’s Lowlands Court praised for going above and beyond in her role has been honoured with a colleague award. Karen Elcock, who has worked at the retirement housing scheme in Wolverhampton, West Midlands for two years, was given the colleague award for her contribution and commitment to maintaining the wellbeing of residents during the pandemic. She said: “What can I say except I was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw I had been nominated for a colleague award, let alone to have won. There were so many of my colleagues doing lots of amazing things. All I can say is thank you to everyone.” Karen was nominated as librarian by resident Barbara Jones, making sure there was a rotating stock of books for her to enjoy. She also took on extra cleaning duties to maintain high standards at the scheme. Thanks to her efforts in providing fresh reading materials, Karen has kept Barbara, an avid reader, occupied. She has also arranged for her daughter, who works at a chip shop, to deliver weekly orders of fish and chips for residents. Scheme manager Karen Booker added: “Karen truly has a heart of gold and will always put herself out if it means she can help anyone. She is one in a million and I am so lucky that she works here.”