Caring UK Weekly October 11

Sector is not prepared for legislation

THE care sector in Wales is in danger of falling foul of upcoming legislation, with many businesses still unaware of the impending changes, says a recycling boss.

New laws come into force on April 6, with Welsh Government mandating that all facilities are to separate out food waste if they produce more than 5kg per week.

Worryingly for Grant Keenan, managing director of Keenan Recycling, not much has altered in the awareness and actions of care organisations since research carried out by the company earlier in the year showed 41 per cent of respondents advised they didn’t know about the impending changes.

And with the remaining responders having little to no understanding of the legislation, Grant is concerned this could have financial and reputational impact on the care sector.

He said: “When these laws were introduced in Scotland in 2014 many firms were not able to immediately comply as they struggled to appoint a supplier due to the increase in demand.

“It’s vital Welsh care homes don’t fall into the same trap to avoid fines and unwanted negative attention.

“When we launched our research in the spring, it painted a bleak picture. It’s an ominous sign that during conversations with our clients and contacts, they are still none the wiser about what will happen on April 6.”

The legislation change is part of the Welsh Government’s goal of achieving net zero by 2050.

Grant added: “A business’ approach to caring for the environment is becoming a key part of the decision-making process for people engaging brands. As well as taking away the stress of adhering to the new laws ahead of April, care homes that start recycling food now will be ahead of the curve.

“Being able to communicate to residents and their families that the food waste generated has been turned into electricity is a huge key message.”

Food waste is collected from businesses along with public and private sector organisations and transformed into either compost, renewable electricity, gas, heat, or fuel.

Tickets to this year’s Caring UK Awards at the Athena, Leicester on Thursday, December 7th are now available. For more information and to book your tickets visit https://script-events.co.uk/cuk-awards-tickets/

A homecare provider has sponsored a thriving girls’ football team in Kendal. Westmorland Homecare has contributed towards the cost of new kit for the Wattsfield U14 girls’ football team. “One of the ladies who helps to run the team contacted us and asked about sponsorship and we thought it would be really good to get involved,” said Kelsey Walmsley, Westmorland Homecare’s registered care manager at Kendal. “There is a strong ethos at the company of looking after the community and that extends to us wanting to support local community groups and teams like Wattsfield U14 girls’ football team. We are delighted to have been able to contribute to the cost of their new kit and wish the team well for the season.” In their first match wearing the new kit the girls recorded a 6-0 victory.

‘Gold’ standard of care praised

FOUR extra care schemes at Housing 21 have been praised for delivering a ‘gold’ standard of care to residents as they near the end of their lives.

Dairy View Court in Royal Wootton Bassett, Knaves Court in Walsall, Applegarth Court in Bridlington and Limestone View in Settle have each been awarded the national Gold Standards Framework Quality Hallmark Award for their end-of-life care.

Gold Standards Framework’s Quality Hallmark Award for end-of-life care recognises exceptional care for both residents and their families, and is the highest accreditation awarded for end-oflife care.

To achieve the accreditation, each

scheme took part in a 12-month training programme and were required to present a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate they had embedded what they learned into their everyday practice.

Kris Peach, executive director of extra care, said: “I’m delighted that our teams at four extra care schemes have been recognised with this award. It is incredibly important that our residents can live well and die with dignity, in the place of their choosing. I know how hard everyone in the services has worked to embed practices to support residents at end of life, and the accreditation is a testament to their efforts.”

The teams were presented with their awards at a ceremony in Manchester.

The weekly online newsletter for the care sector

Career change proves right move for carer

AFTER 15 years at a cleaning company, an area manager decided it was time for a fresh start and applied for a job at a Norfolk care firm where, five years on, she feels she has found her calling.

Dawn Daniels joined family-run care provider Extra Hands in July 2018 with little idea whether the work would suit her.

“I just thought I’d like to try something different,” she said. “It’s not what I ever thought I would end up doing, but I thought I would give it a try. You don’t know if you like something unless you try it – and when I did, I really loved it.

“What I like most about it is that you meet some really nice people – the clients are just lovely.”

The 57-year-old from Catton is attached to the company’s Broadland office, at Horsham St Faith, where staff celebrated her five-year anniversary at Extra Hands with a card and bouquet.

“It was just before my birthday and my husband wondered who was sending me flowers,” she added.

“It was a lovely surprise. Extra Hands is a pretty good place to work.”

Dawn is appreciated by those she visits as well as her colleagues.

“You get to know people so that you can tell when they’re not well,” she said.

“There’s one lady that we’ve sent to hospital twice in the last couple of months. When you’re the main carer, you notice the symptoms.

“She’s back home now and keeps saying, ‘Don’t you leave me’ and I say I won’t.

Hands-on fun as four go down on the farm

RESIDENTS from a Dorset dementia care home went down on the farm for a day of hands-on fun and animal magic.

accompanied by companionship team members Ann Marie Knight and Miezy Reynolds.

“Another lady that I’d looked after since the beginning passed away, which was hard, but I went to the funeral and I still keep in touch with her son.

“When I was much younger, I used to work in a hospital in catering, and someone tried to get me to become a nurse, but I wouldn’t. Now I realise how rewarding care work is, and I would say to anyone to give it a go. If you don’t try, you’ll never know.”

Extra Hands provides bespoke, home-care packages across Norfolk to suit all budgets, and has an office in Heacham as well as Horsham St Faith in Broadland.

The party from Colten Care’s Fernhill home in Longham near Bournemouth enjoyed their minibus trip to nearby High Mead Farm so much they plan to return for more visits.

High Mead is a four-acre community therapy farm offering a supported work environment for people who live with mental health issues, physical disabilities, addiction or dementia.

Its staff and volunteers provide day services and a range of therapeutic activities including arts, crafts and the opportunity to work with animals, soil and nature. The farm also sells its own seasonal vegetables, honey and eggs.

Four Fernhill residents – Joan Vohra, Gwen Jellis, Elizabeth Wilson and Patrick Ryan – went on the visit

Ann Marie said: “We had a lot of fun in the pottery session making objects with the clay. The staff and volunteers were so kind and helpful.

“Some of our residents have farming experience and so a trip such as this is an ideal chance to rekindle memories.

“Others simply enjoy the gift of animal companionship, especially if they had pets when they were younger.

“It was a real delight to see the smiles on the faces of the residents as they were introduced to the animals and took part in the other activities. We look forward to visiting again soon.”

The group cuddled rabbits, held a tortoise, saw Shetland ponies, fed goats and pigs with apples, enjoyed a cream tea and picnic and took part in a pottery class.

Tea with Alice at nursing home

‘EAT-ME’ cookies, a well-stocked Mad Hatter’s tea-trolley, Alice in Wonderland fancy dress and themed decorations transformed Avalon Nursing Home in Bridgwater into a magical venue for afternoon tea.

The creation of fairytale décor for the home and fancy dress costumes for residents and staff ensured residents were engaged both in preparation and participation on the day.

Activities co-ordinator Lisa Priddice said: “The residents are our focus and the reason we have events like this, so their involvement in the run-up, as well as on the day, is very important.

“They have been creating flowers and colouring characters all week, as well as making signs and bunting during activity time – we’ve had great fun.

“Our maintenance man Wally Perlik made a fabulous tea-cart, complete with horn, out of old equipment and wood and painted it beautifully.

“Healthcare assistant Maureen Hewitt created wonderful floral centre-pieces and really went to town with her baking, producing homemade jam tarts, lemon drizzle cakes, bread pudding slices and amazing ‘eat-me’ cookies for the day - all in her own time.

“There were also delicious home-

made smoothies, dips and crudites created by the chefs at Avalon.”

Residents and guests sat together to enjoy a specially curated ‘Wonderland’ playlist, and Avalon resident Norman Butler, dressed as the Mad Hatter, helped with an Alicethemed afternoon quiz.

The team were also focusing on encouraging good hydration and nutrition, reflected in the attractive and interesting selection of foods,

including finger foods, on offer.

“Not a scrap was left,” said Lisa. “The whole event was a great success, and everyone had a lovely time.

“All our residents are affected to a greater or lesser extent by the eating issues associated with dementia, such as lack of co-ordination and difficulties in recognising foods, so we work hard to ensure mealtime is a calm and comfortable experience for them.

“Eating together is an important part of this.

“We pride ourselves on inclusion so that everyone feels they belong and are welcome, and staff and residents at Avalon often eat and drink together.

“This was a great excuse to turn teatime into a celebratory event – and we always grab any excuse we can for a celebratory meal, so everyone was very happy to join in.”

Dawn Daniels

Dementia specialist treats residents to retail therapy

CHURCH Farm Care, has opened its own shop at its Skylarks home in West Bridgford to encourage independence in its residents.

The shop, named Open All Hours, is run by staff and residents and offers a range of items, including clothing, jewellery and knick knacks, which other residents can peruse and pretend to buy.

Care home achieves outstanding report

FINAVON Court, a care home in Glenrothes, Fife has received an exceptional report from the Care Inspectorate.

In an unannounced inspection, the first since Holmes Care Group took over the management of the home, Finavon Court scored ‘very good’ in four categories.

Manager Dawn Hunter said: “We are incredibly proud of the outstanding results we have attained in the Care Inspectorate report. This achievement reflects the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who consistently go above and beyond to provide the highest standard of care for our residents.

“We are dedicated to helping them live happy and healthy lives and will always strive for improvement.”

The inspection report highlighted the exceptional quality of the staff at the home, with the team’s “kindness and compassion” singled out as key factors contributing to the positive experiences of residents.

The home was commended for its person-centred approach, with detailed support plans tailored for the

unique needs and preferences of each resident.

The inspectors noted the “kind and relaxed” interactions between staff and residents which foster an environment of “dignity and respect”.

Inspectors were impressed by the diverse range of engaging activities offered by the home, noting “staff were motivated and committed to providing people with good experiences”.

These activities were observed to enhance the residents’ overall quality of life and promote a sense of belonging, as “regular bus trips to the local community were enjoyed”.

Finally, the report highlighted strong leadership and management practices, with Finavon Court’s management team leading by example and ensuring effective communication across all levels of the organisation.

The report found “this approach supports positive outcomes for people’s overall health and wellbeing”.

Staff had continuous access to specialist training and felt “valued and supported by the manager”.

Retirement on hold for Sue

A CARER with more than 30 years’ experience in the industry has put retirement on hold to continue in the job she loves.

Sue Barnard, who works at family run Norfolk care provider Extra Hands, was previously employed by Age Concern, and has also worked at a variety of residential care homes over the past three decades.

Although she officially retired last year, Sue elected to continue at Extra Hands as she enjoys the work so much.

“I’ve been retired for nearly a year,” she said.

“I retired but stayed on as I wanted to keep in touch with everyone and to keep doing the work.

“I didn’t want to lose the rapport you have with people, so I now do one set day a week plus other hours when they need me.”

Sue, who is attached to the Broadland office of Extra Hands in Horsham St Faith, added: “The thing I enjoy most about it is having quality time with people.

“It’s far different from in a care home, where bells are ringing all the time and you can’t spend that much time with people.

“When you spend any length of time with someone, you build up a rapport. Sometimes just sitting and chatting can make all the difference to someone.”

She celebrated five years at the company in May and has no plans to step down from the role.

“I could easily have hung up my boots, but I like knowing I’ve done a good day’s work,” she added.

“It’s just a rewarding job, and you go home with job satisfaction at the end of the day, knowing that you’ve helped someone.”

The new shop encourages residents to keep active and helps to create a daily routine – known to be beneficial to those with dementia.

The shop is filled with donations from staff, residents and the local community.

Lucy Atkinson, director at Church Farm Care said: “Our staff at Skylarks had the lovely idea to open the shop and have made such a big effort to get it up and running.

“Whether our residents are manning the tills or filling up their shopping baskets, they love to come and visit Open All Hours which is great to see.

“Encouraging our residents to complete everyday activities, such as cleaning and preparing food for the kitchen, helps them to know that they have made a contribution and it reinforces the feeling of home and community.

“It can also bring forth past memories of trips with loved ones. On top of this, Open All Hours allows them to participate in shopping activities which encourages

independence and makes them feel valued.”

The inspiration for the shop comes from the innovative Danish dementia village known as The Hogeweyk, where residents are also encouraged to be independent by visiting the site’s own shops, salons and clubs.

Church Farm Care has taken inspiration from its Dutch counterpart in the past through its creation of small household living to create communities within its homes, its approach to building and interior design specifically supports those living with dementia.

Garden given a splash of colour by volunteers

RESIDENTS at Downing House in Withington welcomed a group of volunteers from pharmaceutical research and development company AbbVie to create a sensory garden.

Downing House, managed by The Abbeyfield Society, has large landscaped grounds that often provide the perfect location for outdoor activities and summer parties, but the 25 residents are not able to make use of the whole space.

The seven-strong AbbVie team visited as part of the company’s employee volunteering programme, with the home’s activities coordinator Rubina Hewitt organising the tasks and supporting them on the day.

She said: “A part of our grounds was sadly neglected and served no real purpose, so the AbbVie volunteering day provided the perfect opportunity to give it a new lease of life.

“We chose to create a colourful, vibrant sensory garden in order to give our residents, many of whom are living with dementia, an

outside space on their doorstep that stimulates their senses.

“Being outdoors and engaging with nature is proven to improve cognitive function and lessen the effects of degenerative diseases such as dementia.

“We hope that the good weather lasts so that our residents can fully immerse themselves in and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds of their new garden.”

In addition to the sensory garden, the volunteers also painted some artwork on the walls of the grounds. They also repainted benches, built raised beds and planted new flowers – generously reimbursing Abbeyfield for the cost of the materials needed to complete the work.

The volunteers’ work was greatly appreciated, and they also took the time to talk to some of the residents who took an interest in the transformation happening around them, and to join them in an arts and crafts activity.

Sue Barnard

2023 SHORTLIST

Activities Team of the Year

Bramshott Grange, Liphook

Cheaney Court, Desborough

Crossways Nursing Home, Sutton Field Lodge, St Ives

Glenthorne Court, Stockton

Mountbatten Lodge, Hemel Hempstead

Speyside Care Home, Aberlour

Best Outdoor Environment

Avonbridge Care Home, Hamilton

Chilton Care Centre, County Durham

Glastonbury Court, Bury St Edmunds

Hamilton Nursing Home, Surbiton

Tuxford Manor, Newark

West Heanton Residential Home, Beworthy

Catering Team of the Year

Dorset House Nursing Home, Droitwich

Finavon Court, Forfar

Howard Lodge Care Centre, Brentwood

Kingsley Care Home, Glasgow

Metchley Manor, Edgbaston

Mill Lodge Care Centre, Bradford

The Chase Care Home, Huntingdon

Quality in Housekeeping

Gable Court Nursing Home, Romford

Howard Lodge Care Centre, Brentwood

Melbourne House, Nottingham

New Milton House, Alsager

Norfolk House, Weybridge

St George’s Park Nursing Home, Telford

Trentham House, Stoke-on-Trent

Community Involvement Award

Mantles Court, Biggleswade

Margaret House Residential and Dementia Care Home, Royston

Mundy House Care Home, Basildon

Riverside House Care Home, Morpeth

The Chase Care Home, Huntingdon

Thornhill House, Barnsley

Thorp House Nursing Home, Thetford

Management Team of the Year

Bowfell House, Urmston

Home Instead, Lytham, Fylde and Wyre, Blackpool

Jasmine Court Care Home, Chorley

Keate House Residential Home, Lymm

Oaklands Rest Home, Southampton

Pure Homecare, Leicester

St Cecilia’s, Scarborough

Dementia Care Team of the Year

Appleby Care Home, North Shields

Field Lodge, St Ives

Friends of the Elderly, London

Heathlands House, Cambridge

Highstone Mews, Barnsley

Langley Park Care Home, Durham

St George’s Park Nursing Home, Telford

End of Life Team of the Year

Bramshott Grange, Liphook

Ebury Court, Romford

Ford Place Nursing Home, Thetford

Heywood Court Care Home, Heywood

New Milton House, Alsager

Pine Martin Grange, Wareham

Walfinch Suffolk Coastal, Saxmundham

Excellence and Innovation In Dementia Care

Chapel House Care, Puddington

Ebury Court, Romford

Maple Memory Centre – Brandon Park Nursing Home and Aspen Memory Centre –

Horkesley Manor Care Home

Mumby’s Live-in Care, Abingdon

Mundy House, Basildon

RMBI Care Co, London

The Future Care Group, Surbiton

Unique Homecare Services, Garstang

Commitment to Training and Development

Bay Court Nursing Home, Devon

Chapel House Care, Puddington

Fourways Residential Home, Sidmouth

Housing 21, Birmingham

Radis Community Care, Tamworth

Rotherwood Healthcare, Mountsorrel

Stow Healthcare Group, Bury St Edmunds

Regional Care Home of the Year Midlands and Wales

Aria Care Home, Newport

Ashgate House, Chesterfield

Foxhunters Care Community, Abergavenny

Lynhales Hall Nursing Home, Kington

Perry Manor, Worcester Redhill Court , Birmingham

St John’s House, Norwich

Regional Care Home of the Year South

Aveley Lodge, Colchester

Driftwood Lodge, Clacton-on-Sea

Monkscroft Care Centre, Cheltenham

Pine Martin Grange, Wareham

Shaftesbury House Residential Care Home, Ipswich

Sycamore Lodge, Bristol

The Burroughs, West Drayton

Regional Care Home of the Year North

Halecroft Grange, Altrincham

Hollins Park, Macclesfield

Park View Residential Care Home, Sheffield

Thonhill House, Barnsley

Tudor Bank Nursing Home, Southport

Ward Green Lodge, Barnsley

Regional Care Home of the Year Scotland

Allanbank Care Home, Dumfries

Bandrum Nursing Home, Fife

Caledonian Court, Falkirk

Lauder Lodge, Edinburgh

Outstanding Achievement Award

Broadlands Residential Home, Lowestoft

Chilton Care Centre, County Durham

Gable Court Nursing Home, Romford

Halliwell Care Home, Tunbridge Wells

Parklands Care Homes, Grantown-on-Spey

Pure Homecare, Leicester

Care Employee of the Year

Charlotte Lee, Autumn Cottage, Southend-on-Sea

Daniel Smeu-Mare, The Julie Richardson Nursing Home, Banbury

Dawn Lyon, Roseway House Care Home, Jarrow

Diane Lewis Croft, Westhaven Care Home, Hoylake

Joy Miles, Redannick House, Truro

Marlon Munar, Roselands Residential Home, Rye

Tracy Walters, Moorend Place Care Centre, Sheffield

Care Employer of the Year

Aria Care Home, Newport Care UK, Colchester

Connaught Care Group, Havant

Nexus Care Services, Sutton Coldfield

Unique Homecare Services, Garstang

Best Initiative In Care Award

Bandrum Nursing Home, Fife

Cambridge Nursing Home, London

Ford Place Nursing Home, Thetford

Hollins Park, Macclesfield

Llesiant Delta Wellbeing Community Response Service, Llanelli

Maple Memory Centre – Brandon Park Nursing Home and Aspen Memory

Centre – Horkesley Manor Care Home

St John’s House, Norwich

Care Group of the Year

Black Swan Care Group, Norwich Care UK, Colchester

Cornerstone Healthcare Group, Waterlooville

Elizabeth Finn Homes, London

Lidder Care Group, Mansfield

Minster Care Group, Harrow

Rotherwood Healthcare, Mountsorrel

Stow Healthcare Group, Bury St Edmunds

Care Team of the Year

Broadlands Residential Home, Lowestoft

Haslingden Hall Care Home, Rossendale

Littleport Grange, Ely

Lydiate Lodge, Batley

Melford Court Care Home, Sudbury

Washington Lodge Nursing Home, Washington

Whittington Care Home, Chesterfield

National Care Home of the Year

The winners of the regional categories will automatically be entered for the National Care Home of the Year Award

Accordion surprise for Harry and his friends

WARRINGTON is alive with the sound of the music, much to the delight of older people residing at Belong, and particularly for one accordion enthusiast, whose retirement from playing the instrument inspired a surprise visit from an entertainer to assist in keeping the care village singing and dancing.

Avid performer Harry Holroy regularly showcases his talents by hosting concerts for fellow residents at their home.

But owing to his instrument’s weight (around 15lbs or just under seven kilos) becoming too heavy to perch on his lap, the 95-year-old has had to give up one of his favourite pastimes.

Belong Warrington experience coordinator Louise Kelly said: “We all really missed the sounds of Harry and his accordion.

“We know how much it means to him and we wanted to do something special, so we arranged for a fellow accordionist to come in for a surprise show.”

The musical talents of Robert Burton filled the dementia specialist’s entertainment venue, which saw residents singing along and clapping, whilst others enjoyed the merriment

Heatherfield in Armadale was recently treated to a visit by therapy dogs Diesel and Radar, who won the hearts of residents and staff alike. The residents were delighted to welcome the dogs into the care home, spending a fun-filled morning playing games and providing them with plenty of attention. Activities coordinator Roz Smith said: “It was lovely to see the dogs bring such a smile to all the residents’ faces, and of course to the staff too. We can’t wait to welcome them back soon.”

by taking to the dancefloor.

Later, personal meet and greets followed, with the guest of honour relishing the chance to share his happy memories of his passion.

Having learnt the piano as a child, an accordion gifted to Harry by a friend led to him falling in love with the German instrument.

He developed his competence by performing for his family before taking to the club circuit in and around Warrington.

Resident’s wedding wish is granted

A BIRMINGHAM care home fulfilled the wish of one of its residents by hosting a wedding to her long-term partner.

Christine Jerram, who has been a resident at Church Rose, a diverse care home in Handsworth, for more than two years, expressed her desire to marry her partner Paul when she was asked what would make her happy during her stay — one of the questions asked to residents when they join the home to help them provide person-centred care.

Christine and Paul have been together for more than a decade, however, the prospect of getting married seemed distant and when asked why she thought it might not be possible, she said: “Because now I am in a care home, I don’t think it will ever happen.”

Activities coordinator Beverly Brown took on the role of a wedding planner, working closely with the couple to

identify what themes, decorations and food they would like on their big day.

And care home manager Mae Ann Lacson threw Christine a hen party and collaborated with social services, the GP, family members and other professionals to ensure that her dream was fulfilled in a manner that was safe and meaningful for her.

Officiated by superintendent registrar, Jacqueline Mills, the couple exchanged vows in front of friends and loved ones.

The day wasn’t complete without a three-tier wedding cake, balloons and Prosecco.

Mae said: “It’s been a pleasure to fulfil Christine’s dream and see how happy she was in the lead up to the day, and every day since.

“We wish her and Paul all the happiness in the world and thank everyone that was able to make their day so special.”

“Outstanding” Cowdray Club praised in report

THE inclusive and nurturing environment of an Aberdeen care home has been praised in a five-star report from inspectors.

All aspects of Renaissance Care’s Cowdray Club care home in Aberdeen were rated five – “very good” – which is the secondhighest rating available under the body’s grading system following an unannounced inspection in late July. Inspectors described staff’s ethos of working with families and residents as “outstanding”, while the home’s approach to inclusivity was also singled out as “excellent”.

Residents described the staff at Cowdray as helpful, fun and supportive with an emphasis placed on ensuring people could continue to enjoy aspects of their life along with their loved ones and maintain connection with what had previously been part of their individual routines.

The report on Cowdray said: “There were many strengths in the service. It was person-centred for the residents and also for their relatives, as the importance of one to the other was acknowledged.

“Wishes and aspirations were enabled, such as continuing to go out, enjoying a pint in the garden with friends, using a hair/beauty

salon.

“There were outings on the bus, which relatives were welcome to join, and lots of small interactions

throughout the day. Celebration of events, like Eurovision, the Coronation and Wimbledon helped people to maintain awareness of life outside the home and stopped their interests becoming too narrow.

“The service went to great lengths to ensure people got the type of support that would enable them to be happy.

“The leadership team placed great emphasis on leading the staff, which had resulted in a calm and confident workforce.”

Home manager Philip Stuart added: “The staff at Cowdray go above and beyond to make life a colourful and enjoyable experience so it’s incredibly rewarding to see their efforts recognised in this glowing report.

“Everything we do is for the residents. From transitioning into the home, to daily activities and routines, everything is carefully planned and delivered to make sure our residents have the best possible experience.

“They’re our extended family and it’s great to see they and their relatives feel the same way.”

Harry Holroy and Robert Burton.