Caring uk weekly June 12th 2024

New cookbook to feature old family recipes

THE Chase care home in Huntingdon has launched a project to capture residents’ cherished family recipes in a new cookbook, before they are lost to time and changing culinary fashions.

Head chef Juliana Martins launched the initiative by cooking a treasured recipe taught to her by her grandmother in Brazil who developed dementia in her later years.

Residents enthusiastically tucked into a special Arroz Doce Cremoso (aka Brazilian rice pudding), made with vanilla bean and cloves, and the verdict was resounding.

Juliana’s grandmother’s recipes were never written down due to the condition so she is recreating the best of them from memory.

And that’s just the start. The enthusiasm of The Chase’s residents for Juliana’s project has convinced her to extend the idea. She is now planning to capture their favourite family recipes too, and then to collate them in a cookbook called ‘The Taste of Life Journey’ to be published in September.

Juliana, who cooked with her grandmother in Brazil as a child, hopes this book will help others preserve their family heritage through food:

“I learned so much of what I know about cooking from my grandma, and even now I can almost taste the food we used to make together,” she said. “Unfortunately, growing up in Brazil she never learned to read or write, so her recipes faded with her

memories. This book is my way of honouring her legacy, and helping others hold onto their cherished memories as well.”

Over the next few months

Julianna and her team will work with residents at The Chase and four other Connaught Group care homes to recreate their family favourites from memory. They will discuss the origins and significance of the dishes and the family members who first made them.

These memories will also be captured in the book, alongside several mouth-watering dishes that would otherwise be lost to posterity. Some of the recipes are expected to date from the 19th Century.

The project is being undertaken in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Society. The recipe book is scheduled for publication during World Alzheimer’s Week in September, and all proceeds will go to supporting the work of the charity

Nicola Orwin, general manager at The Chase, added: “We love the idea of using cooking as a way to strike a blow against dementia. Preparing food activates deep sensory memories and evokes experiences and sensations you thought had vanished.

“We find even the act of remembering old recipes can have a positive effect for our residents, and so getting them to recreate them for the book is a type of memory therapy for them.”

Stuart Black, a resident at Magnolia Court Care home in Golders Green, had always wanted to see the Lancaster Bomber plane he flew in World War II, so staff at the home made his wish a reality by organising a surprise trip to the RAF museum. Stuart, who recently turned 100, has lived at Magnolia Court for almost two years. Staff at the home were delighted to be a part of making his dream come true, as they knew how much it meant to him, especially being so close to D-Day. Tammy Comey, lifestyle coordinator at Magnolia Court, first found out about Stuart’s wish as he would often reminisce with his wife about his time in the RAF. Stuart was a physical coach in the RAF, as well as a pilot, and had reached the rank of Sergeant when he was demobbed in 1947.

Awards nominations now open

CARE businesses wanting to put themselves forward for recognition have been urged to enter the Caring UK Awards in partnership with Virgin Money.

Nominations for this year’s event are open at www.caringukawards.co.uk

The awards, organised by Script Events in partnership with Caring UK, recognise excellence and achievement in all corners of the care industry.

And with more than 20 categories up for grabs, there’s something to suit every type of care business.

Event director Dominic Musgrave said: “We are really excited to be introducing the seventh Caring UK Awards – nominations are coming in and our events team is already busy

ensuring that this year’s event is bigger and better than ever.

“Obviously, our main aim is to recognise and honour the best in our wonderful care sector and showcase the innovation and dedication that goes on every day so please share your successes and tell us about your hard work and initiatives by sending in your nominations … it’s a real privilege to read them.”

A shortlist in each category will then be drawn up, with winners chosen by an expert industry panel.

Trophies will be handed out at a glittering ceremony at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday, December 5.

The closing date for entries is September 2.

Outstanding approach wins award for Wiki

A TAUNTON care worker has been awarded her home’s first ‘Recognition Award’ for being an outstanding member of the team.

A recent graduate of the University of London where she gained a BSc in clinical psychology with Royal Holloway, Wiki Janas, 21, started working full-time at The Rectory last May having worked there part-time over the previous three years while studying for her degree.

Abbie Foster, manager at The Rectory, said: “Wiki is an amazing team player, highly motivated, loved by everyone and most importantly, she’s just wonderful with our residents.

“Our new ‘Recognition’ award, which will be presented monthly, is designed to acknowledge outstanding effort, and Wiki is a worthy first winner.

“She gets on with everyone: the residents love her and she has a really positive relationship with all her coworkers.

“Wiki understands what it takes to be an excellent carer, and she can always be relied on to get any job done to the highest standard.

“She has all the qualities it takes to make a real success of a career in care, and we’re so glad to have her working with us.”

Wiki is looking to further her career in psychology by applying for a masters psychology apprenticeship which will lead to further education into a doctorate in psychology.

She said: “I originally heard about the job at The Rectory through a friend, and as soon as I met Abbie, other members of the team and some of the lovely residents I knew it was somewhere I’d enjoy making a positive contribution.

“Working full-time here, I’m learning so much, and the experience is totally reinforcing my desire to follow a career in the care sector.

“I love knowing that what I do during my working day helps our residents to feel looked after, keeps them safe and comfortable, and ensures they have a really good quality of life – which is exactly what they all deserve.”

University calls for resident

HIGHER education called for 81-year-old care home resident Brian Hodgson when he spent time with students at Durham University.

Brian, who lives at Mandale House in Thornaby, was invited to the University’s Queen’s Campus for a special event.

Accompanied by activities coordinator Tanya Spence, Brian enjoyed afternoon tea and board games with several students from the International Study Centre.

She said: “Brian absolutely loved going on the outing to Queen’s Campus in Teesdale. While he is mostly unable to speak, his smile said it all. He loved playing afternoon tea bingo, which he won. And he played a few hard fought games of dominoes with the international students.

“The afternoon tea was just lovely and we look forward to meeting up with the young people again.”

Care home’s CQC rating is upgraded to ‘Good’

PRATT House, a residential care home for older people in Amersham run by Abbeyfield, has had its rating from the Care Quality Commission raised to ‘Good’, following its latest inspection.

The previous inspection, carried out in May 2021, had rated the home as ‘Requires improvement’, with improvement required in the assessment areas of ‘Safe’ and ‘Wellled’.

However, the report of this year’s inspection recognised the ‘person centred, safe care’ that Pratt House provided for its residents, and that it is ‘led by an experienced registered manager with good governance and effective communication systems established.’

Care home manager Alice Dunning said: “Since our last inspection, we have been working to meet the improvements required by CQC.

“We are delighted that this has been recognised in our latest inspection, and that we have been shown to have taken measures that will ultimately enhance the quality of life of the people we care for.”

The CQC found that measures had been taken to improve the service in the areas identified in 2021 as requiring improvement, and the home was therefore graded ‘Good’ across all six areas of its assessment, and ‘Good’ overall.

Abbeyfield director of care operations Jacqui McCann added: “I am delighted that Pratt House has achieved a ‘Good’ rating in all key areas in the recent inspection.

“Abbeyfield has, over the last year, been working to improve quality across all our services and implemented a new quality framework to support our managers in driving up care standards.

“Within this inspection report, it is clear that the leadership in the home is exceptional and that the residents really value the excellent care they are provided with.”

Pratt House, which provides residential and dementia care, was also found by the CQC to have generated a positive atmosphere, with good relationships between residents, their relatives and the staff.

Partnership to deliver post-treatment care

The students, who are attending the university from as far afield as Japan, China, Thailand and Canada, volunteered to spend time with residents from care homes across Stockton-on-Tees.

As well as sharing a meal and playing games, the group listened to music together, shared stories and enjoyed discussing their families, hobbies, and studies.

The idea for the intergenerational event came from a Stockton-on-Tees care home activities coordinator forum, which was held at Queen’s Campus.

Participants suggested elderly residents would enjoy spending time with young people from different parts of the world, and Durham University staff members Peri Anderson and Rachael King agreed there would be benefits for both parties and put a plan into motion.

A PROVIDER of home care services based in London and Surrey has formed a strategic partnership with Annomo Health, a specialist service dedicated to sourcing medical treatment around the world.

The partnership seeks to create a seamless integration between medical treatment and post-care support for those either travelling to London or living in London post-treatment.

Louise Blezzard, founder and CEO of Vivant, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Annomo Health to offer clients a comprehensive continuum of care. Our collaboration will help to ensure a seamless integration of medical expertise and personalised home care, thereby providing our clients with the peace of mind that the highest standard of care will be maintained throughout their medical journey.”

“We are excited to partner with Vivant to offer a holistic approach

to healthcare that addresses both medical and post-care needs,” added Dr Chichi Menakaya, Annomo’s founder.

“By combining our respective strengths, we can provide clients with unparalleled support throughout their healthcare journey.”

Louise Blezzard, founder and CEO of Vivant, with Dr Chichi Menakaya, founder of Annomo Health.

Wiki Janas

Eat well, live well and laugh are the secrets to a long life, according to one of Stockport’s oldest females who reached the milestone of 100 years old recently. A resident at Cheadle Manor Care Centre in Cheadle, Elsie Shackcloth is a vibrant, quick witted and fun lady and was delighted to receive her message of congratulations from The King and The Queen Consort.

Very much part of the home’s wonderful family of staff and residents, Elsie continues to enjoy every day to the fullest and, as Cheadle Manor’s first resident to celebrate their 100th birthday, the team planned a day to remember filled with love, laughter, fun and a party with her family and friends.

Central to the day’s celebrations was a 100th birthday cake, complete with candles, a buffet with all of Elsie’s favourite cakes, including music, banners, balloons and a room filled with love.

A care home resident has celebrated a milestone birthday. Margaret Adkins celebrated her 100th birthday last at Ponsandane, Penzance. Born in Derbyshire to Mary and Ben, Margaret was one of four children, having two sisters and a brother. Having spent most her life in Derbyshire and Nottingham, Margaret then moved to Cornwall in 2011 following the death of her husband William. Margaret was very talented at smocking, and this skill led her to making samples for companies such as M&S. In later years she went to work as a school dinner lady and worked in the Co-op bakery before retiring. Margaret has two sons – Patrick and Alan. Patrick lives in Canada and has two children and four grandchildren. Margaret has lived at Ponsandane since 2019 and celebrated the special occasion with her Alan, his partner Jill, her friend Diane and other residents.

One of the south’s oldest people has celebrated her 104th birthday with family and friends and says she’s looking forward to another big cake next year. Dorothy Parker was naturally the centre of attention as well-wishers gathered for a party at her care home, Colten Care’s Brook View in West Moors, Dorset. They included daughter Julie, son William and respective families, and best friend Jill, another regular visitor. As well as afternoon tea with a strawberry and vanilla sponge cake baked by chef Jack Wood, the birthday fun featured entertainment from singer Bee Chumbley. Fellow Brook View residents at the celebration included Dorothy’s friend Peggy Jenkins who was marking her 91st birthday on the same day.

A resident at Waterbeach Lodge in Cambridge has celebrated his 90th birthday with the wife he’s been married to for an incredible 68 years. Staff at the residential care home ensured Dermott Rowan’s special day was one to remember. They decorated the lounge with balloons and made sure his wife, Muriel, could celebrate right by his side, just as she has for many of his birthdays before. Dermott moved into AgeCare UK’s Waterbeach Lodge in June 2022 and, suffering with dementia, his dancing days are sadly behind him. Not though is the love that is still clear between him and Muriel, who he shares two daughters, six grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren with. He loved all sports and particularly enjoyed playing golf, along with his wife, until recently.

We provide the most competitive pricing and highest quality Legionella control services specific to the residential care sector across the UK. Care home and healthcare settings carry the highest risk for Legionnaires’ disease due to the heightened vulnerability of your residents and patients.

The over 50s and the infirm account for over 80% of all cases of Legionnaires’ disease which is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. At Envirisk, we understand that this means the level of control needs to be exemplary. We help your clients ensure all compliance tasks, control methods and monitoring requirements are in place and effective.

Out highly experienced risk assessors and engineers work throughout the UK in compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, HSE ACoP L8, HSG 274 and HTM4-01. We provide a wide range of services to ensure your water systems are assessed, controlled and compliant.

Holiday Inn, Barnsley 10th July 2024

Dunston Hall, Norwich 30th October 2024

Visit more than 25 exhibition stands showcasing the latest products. Speakers topics will include:

• An update on the care sector and the way forward.

• The new CQC framework.

• Nourishing lives - promoting good nutrition in care settings.

• Improving dementia care through experience.

• Recruitment and staff retention.

All delegates receive:

• Lunch and refreshments

• Goody bag and attendance certificate

• Enter our prize draw with some amazing prizes

Foster mum to more than 300 gears up for 80th celebration

JACKIE Starkey, who has fostered more than 300 children in her lifetime, is gearing up for her 80th birthday with a surprise party.

Jackie reaches her milestone birthday on June 29 and the care home she now lives at, Lofthouse Grange and Lodge in Wakefield (part of the Orchard Care Homes group), will be giving her a celebration worthy of such an amazing lady.

She was born one of twins, with Jack her sibling. Jackie has a further three brothers: Julian, Tony and Stephen.

Staying local, she attended Earl Cowper School followed by Primrose High School, and married Ronnie in 1966 – they remained married until he died in 2020.

The pair have three adopted sons: Jon, Mathew, and Daniel, and Jackie now has 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Jon said: “We are extremely proud of mum; she has been a rock to us all in everything we have ever done,

always there no matter how big or small. She’s an angel on earth. Mum has always been a quiet woman with a heart of gold, never had a bad opinion or word to speak about anyone, she had no preconceptions about anyone and is always ready to help.”

Jackie embarked on a career working for engineering company Brays of Leeds and was keen to help others despite the demands of a job and bringing up a family – so she and Ronnie started fostering.

Over a span of 40 years, the couple fostered over 300 children, many of whom regularly return to visit. Jackie has become the godmother to many of the children born to her former foster children.

She moved to Lofthouse Grange and Lodge in summer 2022 following her dementia diagnosis.

Jackie has always been an active person and now loves to spend her time walking, listening to music and making friends at the home.

It’s all about the hats

IT WAS all about the hats for residents at Chestnut Lodge in Yeovil on a visit from members of the town’s Women’s Institute and Mothers’ Union.

The groups brought along a selection of hats to their monthly meeting at the care home, providing a popular talking point over a cup of tea and a natter.

Sue Oatley, who is a member of both groups: “The hats proved a real conversation starter, and we had great fun trying them on and seeing what they looked like.

“The residents seemed to enjoy them, and it got them talking and reminiscing.”

In addition to the hats, the group also brought along a selection of handmade blankets and twiddle muffs made by members.

Twiddle muffs are a knitted or crocheted muff – with objects such as buttons, ribbons, and other small items attached inside – to help promote relaxation and sensory engagement.

“They loved their blankets and promised when they weren’t on their knees that they’d have them on their beds,” added Sue.

Patricia publishes her first book

A NURSE at HC-One’s Richmond House has published her first novel, and fellow colleagues and residents are ‘extremely proud’ of her achievement.

Registered nurse Patricia ‘Trish’ Farrington has worked at the nursing care home since 2020 and she has written her first novel, which has been published on Amazon.

Trish loves to write novels in her spare time. Her daughter persuaded her to publish the latest book ‘The Exquisiteness of Death’ on Amazon, which has already received some fantastic feedback.

Trish said: “As a nurse I’ve seen many deaths and have always held an unwavering belief that there is life after death. Yet when my mother passed away, that reassuring belief suddenly abandoned me completely, and I was consumed with grief that I would never see her again.

“In an attempt to start believing again, I read everything I could about near-death experiences in a bid to start believing that I would, one day, see my lovely mother again. As I read their stories and listened to their podcasts, I began to formulate the idea for my novel.

“It took me three months to write. I usually write at a much slower pace, but when I think back on it now, it was part of my healing process.”

The book is about 23-year-old Emily England, born with a full recollection of her previous life as Dorothy

Hatt. More importantly, a full set of memories of her life in heaven.

When Dorothy reincarnates as Emily, her plan is to tell the world of the joys of the afterlife and the truth about the meaning of life. Yet, for Emily, a young girl with her head congested with celestial knowledge, the difficulty she faces is that no one will listen to her.

Home manager Lorraine Scholey added: “Trish’s colleagues at Richmond House and myself are extremely proud of her achievement and hope she writes a lot more novels for everyone to enjoy reading.

“Our residents have congratulated Trish and many plan on reading the book too.”

“I’m delighted to say the twiddle muffs also went down a treat which was lovely to see.

“We’ve taken around 20 to the home altogether now. We try to help in our local area as much as we can.”

Residents at a Formby care home are enjoying a new community book swap installation. Halcyon House has installed a community book swap, which has kept the supply of reading material for the residents flowing, enabling them to explore new titles they have previously been unable to access. With a medley of genres, from gritty crime novels to futuristic science fiction and laugh-out-loud comedy, residents and people from the local area are welcome to take out a book, replacing it with another from their collection. The book swap, just outside Halcyon House, is the secondary location of the home’s on-site library, the Squirrel’s Nook, and provides the opportunity for visitors to discover a wider range of books to read at their leisure.

Fund saves residents

RESIDENTS at Housing 21 have saved more than £500,000 since May 2022 as part of the organisation’s Helping Hands initiative.

Two years ago the extra care and retirement living provider launched its Helping Hands Fund to offer financial support to residents. The fund has helped more than 2,000 residents by offering a one-off grant of up to £300 for day-to-day costs, emergencies or unexpected bills.

The fund can be used for food vouchers, white goods and furniture, funeral expenses, utility debts and much more.

Corrinne Askaroff, strategic operations officer at Housing 21, said: “We’ve supported a huge number of

£500,000

residents over the past two years to maximise their income by claiming benefits that they were unaware of, and apply for grants and with one-off payments through the Helping Hands Fund. Colleagues have had training to support with having difficult conversations to make talking about money a positive conversation, showing people there is help out there.”

The fund aims to not only provide financial support to residents, but also guidance and advice from trained employees around benefits and grants that can be claimed. Since January 2022 this approach has helped residents access more than £5million in additional benefits.

Patricia ‘Trish’ Farrington with her first novel.

Residents assist with guide dog training

WHAT could be better than spending time with an adorable puppy?

That is exactly what residents at Abbeyfield Winnersh care home for older people have been doing, thanks to a new partnership with the charity Guide Dogs.

Gibson, a five-month-old German Shepherd-Golden Retriever cross, has been visiting the home every other week to supplement his training to become a full-time guide dog.

He is accompanied by Sophie, a puppy development supervisor for the South East, and his owner Rakesh, who will have Gibson for just over a year before he moves on to more training with Guide Dogs.

Activity lead Charlotte Richardson, who has been organising Gibson’s visits to the home, said: “Our residents are benefitting enormously from the experience as most of them love animals, especially dogs.

“More importantly, it will hopefully give them a great sense of purpose and pride in helping to train a guide dog. They do such a life-changing job.”

Gibson is in the early stages of controlling his excitable puppy ways, learning to greet people on command, settle again and not jump up, and he is also working on his recall.

The residents and staff at Abbeyfield Winnersh all agree that he is already a lot more disciplined than most puppies.

Rakesh believes that a care home is a great environment for Gibson to

start his training, so he can get used to being around new and unfamiliar people, as well as different noises.

Care home manager Sue Smart added: “Gibson has brought much joy to our residents, all of whom are living with advanced dementia.

“His visits support with their social interaction, anxiety, and sensory needs, and they are also so beneficial for those residents who are nonverbal.

“We like to do our bit for the local community and see this as a great way forward. We are planning to have a summer party and, as dogs are so instrumental here – with families bringing their own dogs in and our regular visits from a Pets as Therapy dog – our party will have a dog theme and an agility course as part of the day.”

Cranford Care Home in Aberdeen has reintroduced it’s much-loved gardening club, bringing together residents, staff and family volunteers to cultivate beauty and joy in the courtyards. The residents of the Larchwood Care facility seized a sunny day to begin tidying up their courtyards, preparing the grounds for a blossoming array of plants and flowers. The initiative not only aims to beautify the surroundings, but also to enrich the lives of residents through engaging, nature-based activities. Home manager Colleen Reid said: “We are thrilled to see our residents so excited about the gardening club. It’s wonderful to watch them take ownership of the project, deciding on the plants and flowers that will soon brighten our courtyards.”

Richard charts course to former yacht club

A 100-year-old former sailor has been reunited with the historic yacht club he was a member of for 40 years.

Richard Robinson said he had a ‘wonderful time’ after his Lymington care home, Colten Care’s Court Lodge, arranged for him to enjoy a coffee morning and lunch at the nearby Royal Lymington Yacht Club.

Richard, who turned 100 last year, joined the club in 1981, using it for much of the next four decades as a base for sailing his 26-foot Griffon boat Celtic.

He told carers and companions at Court Lodge of his wish to revisit the club and rekindle some long-standing contacts.

Staff at the home contacted club officials and arranged for Richard to spend half a day on a trip hosted by historian Graham Clarke.

The pair, joined by several other members, spent hours talking about their shared love of fun on the water and Richard’s memories of club life including the Royal Lymington Cup and the town’s regatta.

One anecdote Richard shared involved a personal encounter with royalty. After explaining that his sailing years around the world were far more about pleasure than

competition, he said: “I used to sail Danish boats and one day I got a phone call. It was Prince Philip. And so I ended up teaching him how to sail.”

Richard also prompted much interest when he said his grandfather used to run a Dinky Toy factory in France, where he was born, and he was one of the first children to receive the scale model vehicle toys to play with.

Later in life, Richard went on to work for the factory making a range of Dinky Toy products including cars, trains and railway trackside accessories. As well as speaking French and English, he also learned Danish and Arabic.

Court Lodge companionship team leader Julia Puia added: “Richard took a very active part in the morning gathering. The members found him very interesting to talk to and they had lots of history and reflections on sailing in common.

“Although he was born in France, Richard has loved living in Lymington over the years and the visit brought back many happy memories for him.” Richard’s visit ended with a followup invitation for him to visit the club once again in September.

apetito launches new webinar in ‘Lunch With’ series

apetito has launched a new instalment of its “Lunch With…” webinar series where it speaks with a range of experts in care and nutrition and issues impacting the care home sector.

This latest episode focuses on the importance of protecting our environment and the growing demand for businesses to operate in a responsible way.

Host Clare Hunt, from the apetito care homes team, is joined by Nadra Ahmed CBE, executive chair of the National Care Association, and Lee Sheppard, director of corporate affairs, policy and sustainability at apetito, to delve into the growing importance of sustainability within the care home sector.

Richard Woodward, general manager for care homes at apetito, said: “It was great to hear from Nadra, a leading voice in the care sector, on her current perceptions of sustainability within

the care landscape and discuss how suppliers have an important role in supporting care homes to implement more sustainable business practices.

“Given the growing emphasis on this area for all businesses, I think this discussion is a vital one to be having sooner rather than later to ensure that we are all playing our part in reducing

carbon emissions and supporting long-term planet health.”

Viewers will hear more about the current perceptions of weaving sustainability into business practices and how this area can be prioritised by care providers at a time of growing financial pressure, as well as addressing how the sector may need

to begin favouring more transparency due to changing regulation and reporting requirements.

This episode also explores actions care homes can take to proactively start lowering their environmental impact, including methods of reducing food waste through portion control and the importance of plate presentation to maximise mealtime enjoyment.

Not only are these actions about doing the right thing for the planet but can also provide economic benefit to homes through, for example, ensuring that less food is thrown in the bin. During the episode Lee also dives into some of the key initiatives carried out by the meals producer to drive down its own carbon footprint –and support partnering homes to do the same.

Register for free to watch the webinar at https://apetito.link/CHNCA-Sustainability-Webinar

Host Clare Hunt with Nadra Ahmed CBE and Lee Sheppard.

Richard Robinson (right) with Graham Clarke, Royal Lymington Yacht Club historian.

Visit our Caring UK website, the UK’s number one magazine for the care sector

Packed with news, features and information, the Caring UK website provides a central hub for anyone who works within the UK sector to keep up-to-date with all the latest developments in care. The site delivers more content, news features and information, and is the one-stop site for everything