Caring UK April 2013 by Script Media

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April 2013

incorporating

no.203 • £4.75

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Survey shows it isn’t all bad in care homes

By Dominic Musgrave

A NEW survey has found that, contrary to many current media reports and speculation, it is not all doom and despondency in the UK care home sector. Nearly half (45.6 per cent) of UK care home residents recently surveyed as part of a comprehensive ‘opt-in’ survey across independent care homes confirmed the quality of service they received in the last six months was improving and 95.3 per cent of residents are likely to recommend their care home to a friend. The research was exclusively conducted by specialists in healthcare research Howard Warwick as part of the nationwide ‘Care to Talk’ survey of care home residents. Over 1,000 residents from 43 independent care home groups, each with a minimum of 15 residents in each home and no more than five homes in any group, were polled during last November and December. David Leach, managing director of HWA, said: “All too often we are confronted with negative images of care homes, but our survey results clearly demonstrate that standards have improved and residents are enjoying a good quality of life

“95 per cent of the residents polled like their rooms and 97 per cent go further to say that the common areas are comfortable. 94 per cent also confirm the buildings they live in and the grounds that surround them please them.” The survey also found that 98 per cent of respondents said staff were helpful and friendly; dispelling the myth that residential homes are full of misery, despair and low standards. 93 per cent were also happy with the choice of activities available to them. David added: “Of the 43 UK care homes we surveyed, the majority of residents were truly comfortable in their environment and content with the positive approach to senior living and wellbeing. “The underlying message is that there are many great care homes operating up and down the country but unfortunately it is the odd few that create the negative headlines. “There is always going to be the odd exception, but in the main much is being done across the care home sector to improve services and therefore the general image the general public has of them.” What do you make of these findings? Let healthcare editor Dominic Musgrave know your thoughts by emailing dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

Speakers confirmed for first of events

Actress Penelope Keith unveiled a plaque to officially open a newly refurbished care home in Farnham. Best known for her roles in To the Manor Born and The Good life, she chatted and played indoor mini-golf with residents at The Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society owned and managed Hatch Mill residential and nursing home. The £1.5m refurbishment of the home, which is based around a converted mill, was part funded by a loan from Barclays.

THE line-up of speakers is almost complete for Script Events’ first two care conferences of the year. The Quality in Care themed days, which take place on April 24 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel and April 25 at Exeter Golf Club, are a must for all care home operators/ managers. Confirmed speakers include NCA and ECCA chief executives Sheila Scott and Martin Green, as well as Carol Harris from the National Association of Care Catering. A representative from the CQC will also update delegates with the latest news from the inspectorate. Healthcare editor Dominic Musgrave, who will chair the days, said: “Quality is a key word for all care managers and operators, and providing this on a budget when fees paid by main local authorities is constantly been cut, is getting increasingly tougher.” For more turn to pages 20 and 21.

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CARINGNEWS

Care system struggles on dementia, claims regulator’s report By Dominic Musgrave PEOPLE with dementia are not receiving care that meets their needs because health and adult social care services are struggling to cope, it has been claimed. The CQC’s latest Care Update also highlights continuing concerns about the quality of services for people with mental health issues and learning disabilities. It says that people with dementia living in a care home are more likely to go to hospital with avoidable conditions such as urinary infections, than similar people without dementia. Once in hospital, they are more likely to stay longer, be readmitted, and die there than similar people who do not have dementia. It concludes that those services involved in caring for people must do more to make sure people get safe, quality care that identifies and meets their needs. The Care Update also says that services for people with mental health issues or learning disabilities provided by independent hospitals and community ser-

David Behan vices still have some way to go to provide a good quality of care. The disparity between the quality of healthcare in independent acute and community services which continues to be high, and the quality of mental health and learning disability services, is still

wide and is not improving quickly enough, says the CQC. Chief Executive David Behan said: “The majority of services are delivering good quality care, however care providers must do more to make sure that care is based on people’s individual needs. This Care Update draws attention to two areas where this is not happening. “The people in charge of care homes and hospitals must work better, individually and together to ensure the right services are in place for people with dementia and their staff must be trained to identify dementia. “A patient-centred culture of care needs strong leadership, openness and transparency, and CQC will look closely at this in the coming year, particularly in those services caring for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. “We will also be using and sharing the evidence of what works well to drive change in those providers and services that need to improve.” CQC’s latest Care Update is based on more than 20,000 inspections carried out between 1 April and 31 December 2012.

www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant Sales Manager: Heather Welsh Tel: 01226 734480 Email: hw@scriptmedia.co.uk National Sales Executive: Mandy Edwards Tel: 01226 734692 Email: mandye@caring-uk.co.uk Fax: 01226 734477

Publishers Script Media. 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk

Editorial Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Healthcare Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Reporter: Christina Eccles Tel: 01226 734463 Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. You can now follow us on Twitter at caringuk

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CARINGNEWS

400th care home joins end-of-life care Gold club By Dominic Musgrave

Rose with care assistant Lorna Workman and Hendra House owner Vince Burmingham.

Rose shares apprentice life ROSE Morris from Hendra House Residential Home in Ludlow joined apprentices across the country to share a week in the life of an apprentice at storify.com/ Apprenticeships#stories Using the hashtag #247Apprentice, Rose, who is undertaking the second year of her apprenticeship, posted about her roles, responsibilities and activities for five days ahead of National Apprenticeship Week. The #247Apprentice social media activity was organised as a lead up to the sixth annual National Apprenticeship Week. Rose was one of 10 young apprentices from a range of industries, from banking, business and building to engineering, healthcare and the creative sector, who messaged, shared pictures and

starred on the National Apprenticeship Service’s Storify page throughout the week. #247Apprentice aimed to capture the daily experiences of young apprentices and encourage other young people to find out about the diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities available to them. Rose said: “As an apprentice at Hendra House I contribute to many different aspects in the delivery of a quality service to meet the individual needs of each our 28 residents. “I hoped by posting about my working week with #247Apprentice I could inspire other young people to consider applying for an apprenticeship in social care and make the most of such a fantastic learning opportunity.”

THE National Gold Standards Framework Centre has presented its 400th Quality Hallmark Award to a care home in recognition of the quality end-of-life care it provides. Sixty care homes were recognised at an awards ceremony at the Irish Centre in London, bringing the total number to have been accredited to 400, helping residents and families experience dignified care at the end of their life in the place of their choice as well as delivering significant cost savings for the NHS. More than 2,000 homes across England and Wales have completed the GSF in Care Homes Training Programme. The awards were presented by Dr Nick Bishop, senior medical adviser at the CQC, which recently acknowledged GSF accreditation as a key factor in its quality and risk profile of homes. Maggie Stobbart-Rowlands GSF National Centre lead nurse, said: “GSF has become recognised as the kite marked model of best practice for end of life care in care homes. “We are very proud to be presenting the Quality Hallmark Award to the

400th home, helping residents receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time, offering their residents the sort of care we would want for ourselves or our loved ones.” Those care homes that have received the Quality Hallmark Award have demonstrated real improvements in the quality of care they provide, and halved crisis hospital admissions of residents at the end of life. To be accredited, homes have to achieve 20 quality standards, ranging from leadership and support to dignity and respect. GSF helps homes provide the right care, at the right time in the right place – reducing inappropriate hospital admissions and increasing the chances of their residents dying in their preferred place of care – the care home. It involves all care home staff, including activities coordinators, domestics and catering staff as well as nurses and carers. All aspects of a residents’ life, including spiritual beliefs, personal interests, dignity and care preferences are taken into consideration. Care homes can register for the next round of GSF in Care Homes accreditation in May.

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CARING Advertiser’s announcement

A carer uses a Medicare system with a resident and the shop at Westfield Park.

Yorkare chooses Medicare for new £4m Goole development YORKSHIRE-based care provider Yorkare Homes Ltd has recently opened Westfield Park, a £4m development in Goole, East Yorkshire. It is an ambitious and innovative project that combines quality with a unique approach to care provision. Take a walk around and you will soon come upon a traditionally designed Sweets and Treats Shop. Its old world ambience will charm everyone who lives or works in the home and it will certainly be popular with visiting grandchildren. If you don’t fancy toffees today, what about a pint and a packet of crisps down at the Westfield Arms? Situated in the heart of the home is a good old English pub serving bottled and draft beers as well as spirits, wines and soft drinks. The lack of a gaming machine and juke box are welcome omissions. It’s a place to catch up with friends, play cards or dominoes and generally relax. There are other great features here as well such as the cosy cinema and the tranquillity of the library. For couples who appreciate a little independence Yorkare has provided Premier Suites, which feature a private lounge, a kitchen, a double bedroom and, of course, a private bathroom. As well as the six Premier Suites there are a further 54 generously sized bedrooms, all with ensuite facilities.

The Westfield Arms is one of numerous facilities for residents. Jonathan Garton, of Yorkare Homes, explained that they designed Westfield to give residents a real community vibe. He said: “The pub, the shop, the cinema and library are all in there for a purpose. They are places to meet up, have a good time, relax and enjoy. To us this home is about providing quality of life.” That was one of the reasons

Yorkare chose Medicare Systems to be their nurse call partners. Jonathan added: “We were aware that many of the most respected care groups in the UK specify Medicare Systems as their nurse call provider and, after researching the market thoroughly, we came to the conclusion that their unique combination of useful, innovative features as well as the high quality of the product was perfect for our needs. “One very clever feature is the system's ability to be silent at night without compromising the response of care staff to calls from residents. In fact this feature has been so successful that, after his first night in the home, one resident remarked:

‘That was the quietest night I have had for years’.” “The modern wireless nature of the nurse call system allows our residents to have a call point next to them wherever they are – even in the garden or the pub. Also, from a management perspective, the automatic call-logging feature is simply excellent and will be used regularly to maintain our high care standards. “We are delighted with the system as well as the service we’ve received and would recommend them without hesitation.” For further information about Medicare’s products visit www.medicaresystems.co.uk or telephone 0800 849 5123.

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CARINGNURSE CALL

Does your CT TOUCH suits your business’ needs home need a new call system? SATURN Sales and Service Ltd has provided systems within the care industry for over 20 years, partnering with the manufacturers of the hugely popular Intercall range back in 1993. With the recent release of the new IP based power supply, you will now be able to connect to your computer and have full record of all calls made by your residence, staff attendance, night visit records and individual room printouts at your finger tips. Saturn has successfully installed over 2,000 systems, ranging from the small individual care home to large nursing care organisations. Specialising within the care industry and recognising the all important need for maintenance and after care. They will provide your home with a total package; system design to meet the needs of your home, complete installation and staff training and system certification.

COURTNEY-Thorne’s CT TOUCH wireless nurse call system is highly configurable to suit the business needs of care homes and the individual needs of residents. The flexibility of the CT TOUCH product means a customised nurse call system to meet individual resident/patient needs can be designed, and silent running means no disturbance while calls get to carers’ pagers and are replicated at the nurse station console. Call management and record keeping can be reported on for the reassurance of both residents and caregivers. A range of neck or wrist worn pendants ensure independence

and, for less able residents, assistive technology accessories include bed exit or floor pressure mats, fall saver sensors, chair or bed watch sensors and enuresis detection. Alternative call triggers such as air pressure switches, head operated switches and breathing monitors all contribute to the design of a system that truly meets the needs of residents. It really is the carer’s decision on what sort of nurse call system they want to implement as they need to get the balance right between monitoring a patient to deliver an appropriate level of care and being intrusive/contravening personal and human rights.

Safe, reliable and easy-to-use systems AID Call’s wireless nurse call system offers all the benefits of a hard wired system at a fraction of the cost. With over 30 years’ experience in wireless nurse call technology, Aid Call supports over 100,000 clients and 3,000 nurse call systems nationwide. We offer a wide range of products and bespoke solutions designed specifically to meet the needs of care homes, care groups, hospitals in both the private and public sectors. Our wireless nurse call systems are safe, reliable and simple to use.

Wireless systems like Aid Call’s provide all the functionality and reliability of a hard wired system, but with the added benefit of greater flexibility, with more powerful features and functionality. We offer a fast and easy installation and at a fraction of the cost of a wired system. Aid Call has a national team of professional and technical consultants experienced in wireless technology solutions, as well as a team of in-house engineers available throughout the UK and a 24 hour, 365 days a year helpline.

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CARINGNEWS

Hat-trick of awards for Birch Green A CARE home has scooped top awards at a celebration of the care being provided in Lancashire. Now in its second year, the Lancashire County Council-run Central Lancashire’s Got Talent event is a showcase of the region’s care services across a range of categories. Awards for innovation, partnership, wellbeing and prevention, people and workforce, community, technology and personalisation were all up for grabs. At the recent awards ceremony, Birch Green in Skelmersdale won highly commended in the community award, highly commended in the personalisation award, and won the partnership award. The partnership award is designed to showcase and celebrate partnerships built up with organisations such as local authorities, police and fire services. General manager Catherine Shawarby said: “It is always special to win an award, but when you are up against the cream of the county’s care services it makes it even more special.”

Home gets the go ahead for residents’ garden By Dominic Musgrave A GATESHEAD care home has been awarded funding to create a new garden for residents to enjoy. The £4,925 funding, which has been awarded by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council, will be put towards the development of an outside area at St Marks Court, which is a currently unused space with limited paving and shrubbery. St Marks applied for funding through Brian Coates, the area’s local councillor, who has been closely involved with the home in recent months. A local artist, who is working with manager Nikki Coulson, is designing an area that will meet the specific requirements of the residents. Work is due to begin shortly and, once completed, the site will include a fully accessible vegetable garden with raised beds, wheelchair accessible trugs, hanging baskets and different sensory areas. Nikki said: “Everyone at St Marks was thrilled when Brian Coates visited to say that we were going to be awarded the money for the garden. It is a fantastic community project that we are looking forward to working on and I would like to thank Brian for all his help. “The idea for the garden originally came from one of the residents ask-

Residents Bob Drummond and Harry Whipps with manager Nikki Coulson, councillor Brian Coates and some of the children from Carr Hill Primary School who are helping with the garden project. ing for a leek trench and we are very keen to meet the residents’ requests. “It will be extremely beneficial as we have lots of exciting activities planned for the residents, including using produce from the vegetable garden for jam making and pickling.” Part of the development will include holding inter-generational sessions

with residents to discuss and reminisce about harvesting, planting and traditional methods and skills involved in gardening. The care home is also working closely with a local primary school on the project and the children will be involved in the preparation of the site and the planting and harvesting.

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CARINGNEWS

Parliament launch for new retirement villages’ association

Anchor Community Band in Newcastle.

Charity song in top 40 bid RESIDENTS from Anchor care homes and retirement housing properties across England are recording a charity song in a bid to reach the top 40. The charity single has been written by older people from up and down the country, involving the group’s residents as singers, pianists and even ukulele players. Staff and older people living in the group’s facilities are now recording their contributions to the single. All the money raised from the sales of the Anchor Community Band record will be donated to charity, Contact the Elderly. Anchor Community Band manager

Carl Martin said: “Rehearsing for this song with lots of older people living in Anchor properties has been such an amazing experience. “It’s a really powerful song because the words are telling younger people that the older generation are exactly the same as them, with just a bit more life experience. “It’s now time to have the song recorded as older people across the country sing their hearts out for Contact the Elderly which organises monthly Sunday tea parties for older people who live alone. I hope that people will support us by downloading or buying the record when it is released later this year.”

THE retirement community model of housing and care has received a boost with the launch of a new trade association for the sector. The launch of the Associated Retirement Community Operators at the House of Lords saw retirement community operators, residents and staff meeting with MPs, Peers and industry leaders. At the meeting the group discussed how retirement communities can provide a credible solution to the pressing challenge of how we meet the lifestyle, health and care needs of older people. Speakers Baroness Greengross OBE, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ageing and Older People, Baroness Joan Hanham CBE, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Jack Dromey MP, Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government were strongly supportive of the ARCO model of housing with care, and noted the importance of helping older people retain their independence. ARCO chairman Jon Gooding said: “The Association has formed at a critical juncture in the housing and social care debate. “We are all grappling with the

challenge of how we provide high quality care and housing to an ageing population in a time of economic uncertainty and restraint, coupled with rising expectations and lifestyle aspirations. “We, as an Association, will do our part and strive to promote and develop the sector, while ensuring that people are aware of the ways in which the retirement community sector can meet their lifestyle, health and social care needs. “We believe that combining independent housing with 24/7 care in a community setting presents a credible solution for many older people. “The stage is set for the Government to act and empower older people to prepare for and make the right move at the right time; securing access to the support they need whilst maintaining their valued independence and the right to their own front door.” He added that ARCO has been established to promote confidence in the sector; increase the volume and quality of expertise within the sector; and to raise awareness of the retirement community model amongst policy makers, older people and stakeholders alike.

Art auction benefits charity MARCHGLEN Care Home in Alloa threw its doors open to the local community recently as it held a charity art auction in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The auction was the brainchild of resident Elaine Corsie, who decided to auction off her own artwork to raise funds for the valuable charity. Prior to moving to Marchglen due to the deterioration of her own MS, Elaine had been a successful artist and is passionate about support and research

available for those with MS. The works included some detailed paintings of famous landmarks and a portrait of Sir Sean Connery. Home manager Tanya TaylorSmith said: “Elaine is such an inspiration to us all. The massive amount of money raised was a credit to her dedication and creativity. She understands the important role that the MS Society plays in supporting not only those with the condition, but also family and friends.

Two of a care group’s homes were recognised for their success in promoting healthy eating among their residents. Abbeyfield Kent’s Woodgate in Tonbridge and St Martins in Larkfield were among those honoured by Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling councillor Dave Davis at an event recognising those who had achieved high standards of healthy eating in the food they served. The homes had to adhere to stringent guidelines relating to the types of food served, portion sizes, salt content, and even kitchen and storage facilities. Very few organisations satisfied the inspectors sent by the council, with only 22 awards being given. St Martins kitchen manager Heather Sargent and chef Lee Gardham are pictured receiving their award from Tonbridge Mayor councillor Dave Davis.

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CARINGNEWS

Shackletons’ operations manager Peter Martin, national sales manager Jason Bloom and finance manager Paul Braithwaite with Sunrise Senior Living in Southbourne residents Betty Barnes, Barbara Littlewood and Miriam Ridgers on the Top Gear set.

Residents star in Top Gear car for the elderly task RESIDENTS of Sunrise Senior Living of Southbourne starred in an episode of Top Gear when presenters Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond took on a special challenge to design a car specially tailored for seniors which included foam bumpers, coach wing mirrors and flare deployment for location tracking. Barbara Littlewood, Miriam Ridgers and Betty Barnes took a test drive in the car and, along with the head of Sunrise UK and team members, also got the opportunity to see the Top Gear crew again before the show aired, as guests of honour in the studio. Ray Woodill, director of community relations at Sunrise of Southbourne, added: “All the residents had a fantas-

tic time with the Top Gear crew. “The car they designed had some interesting features and I’m sure the viewers were impressed. “Barbara, Miriam and Betty couldn’t wait to get down to the studios and were counting down the days to watch the show in full.” The car also featured a pair of Shackletons’ high backed chairs for the use of the rear seated passengers. Jason Bloom, national sales manager, said: “I have to say a call from Top Gear was not what I was expecting. “However, keen to help and seeing the comedy value, we all totally embraced it. The ladies did look comfortable but ergonomically speaking I don’t think our chairs have a future in Fiat Multipla conversions.”

Academy launched to train Society’s future managers THE Abbeyfield Kent Society has launched its own care academy to give training, development and general support to its own staff and to external students who are attending courses at college on health and social care subjects. In an environment where there is a serious shortage nationwide of high quality senior care staff, The Abbeyfield Kent Society has decided to take this matter into its own hands and train the managers of tomorrow the care sector needs. As one of the biggest employers in Kent, the Society wants to ensure there is the most high quality and finest staff members working in the care homes, providing the best possi-

ble care. It’s not just a pragmatic measure,” said chief executive, Leon Steer. ”We have many staff who are talented and ambitious but maybe need some encouragement to reach their full potential. “As a manager, I have made it my business to encourage those who show potential, but the academy is a way of offering the chance to get ahead to a larger number of people within a structured framework.” Along with Abbeyfield Kent staff, the Society will be welcoming students from K College. The Society also plans to offer placements to 10 apprentices, to continue working with the local community.

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CARINGNEWS

Brian with Angela Davies, domestic assistant at Falcon Court, his daughter Liz James and Amy Ovens, services team manager for Housing 21.

Days gone by reflected in Brian’s new artwork A LOCAL artist has shown how Kingswood would have looked at the turn of the 20th century in a new piece of work. Brian Merrifield, 78,who has lived in Kingswood all his life, was asked by Housing 21 to paint something for the benefit of his fellow residents at Falcon Court. A special presentation took place

when Brian was joined by his family and residents for the unveiling of the picture. His latest work is of Regent Street in Kingswood circa 1900. Over the years he has painted approximately 200 pictures, mainly of rural subjects and of local historical interest. Several of Brian’s paintings hang in Kingswood Heritage Museum.

Regulator launches guide to enhance quality of life SCOTLAND’S care regulator has launched a new initiative to enhance the quality of life of older people receiving care services. The Care Inspectorate has worked with a team of experts to develop the ‘Make Every Moment Count’ resource, which contains easy to read and simple guidance for everyone supporting older people in a care home or at home. The guide highlights how making the most of every moment can make a real difference to a person’s quality of life in simple but very meaningful ways. Make Every Moment Count gives five key messages aimed at supporting everyone to value the life of a person in care: Get to know me. It’s not just what you do... it’s how you make me feel. Know what I can do and support me to do it. Help me feel comfortable, safe and secure in my surroundings. Remember little things all add up. Annette Bruton, chief executive of The Care Inspectorate said: “Make Every Moment Count' is a

tremendous resource which has real people at the heart. “There are some great examples of care across Scotland, but even the little things make a big difference. Every person using a care service should receive good quality care that reflects their needs and promotes their rights. “I commend this resource to anyone who supports someone in a care setting whether that is in a care home or in a person's own home and whether they are staff, relatives or friends.” Make Every Moment Count will be rolled out across all 1,718 care services for older people in Scotland, with the potential to provide advice for the 44,400 people working in care services as well as those supporting an older person in a personal capacity. The Care Inspectorate developed the resource in partnership with The Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, Alzheimer’s Scotland, the care sector, Scottish Care, the College of Occupational Therapists and The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Scotland.

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CARINGNEWS

Home’s dance duo take to the floor for charity By Dominic Musgrave A SANCTUARY Care home’s dance duo took to the floor for a Strictlyinspired dance challenge to raise hundreds of pounds for charity. Inspired by a desire to dance and support a good cause, ballroom novices Janet Shaw, who is the deputy manager at Hatfield Care Home and the home’s activities leader David Callan stepped up to the Hospice of St Francis Strictly Learn Dancing Challenge. The pair, who have pledged to raise £800 in sponsorship, were one of 20 couples competing in the annual event, which raises vital funds for Berkhamsted’s Hospice of St Francis. As part of the challenge participants received six weeks of professional training, culminating in the final at Berkhamsted’s Centenary Hall. Each performed the Quick Step and the Rumba before a panel of judges in a bid to win the coveted Strictly Learn Dancing 2013 crown. Janet said even though they didn’t win, they loved taking part and supporting such a good cause. “It was great fun – an incredible night with an amazing atmosphere and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. There was music from Strictly Come Dancing and the way the show was

Janet Shaw and David Callan in action. produced made it really exciting. “The audience was made up of family and friends and we had nine people from the home, including the loved ones of residents there to support us which was brilliant – until we started dancing and then I really did have two left feet.

Credit: Hawkeye Photography “During the quick step we got into a fit of giggles so were laughing all the way round – I am not sure what our feet were doing.” Have staff at your care home taken part in a local community event for charity? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

Bank lends a hand to new service A NEW evening support service for older people living with dementia in East Dunbartonshire has launched, thanks to support from a bank. Bield’s Oakburn Park day care and housing centre in Milngavie has set up an evening support service, thanks to a generous five figure donation from the Bank of Scotland Foundation. The new evening service is expected to benefit people living with dementia by helping improve physical and mental health through increased social interaction and group activities. It is also hoped this will give them a greater chance of remaining in their own homes. Cathy Smith, service manager at Oakburn Park care and housing centre, said: “This service will be a fantastic benefit to the community. “Our ambition is to support over 50 carers a year as well as offering activities that support aspects of daily life for those with dementia.” The evening support service will operate from 5pm-9pm three times per week throughout the year.

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CARINGNEWS

As the Superior General of the St Augustine Order, Sister Thomas MBE is not your stereotypical developer. However, as recently recognised by Her Majesty the Queen, she has achieved enormous success in developing a state-of-the-art retirement village in East Sussex.

Success for an unlikely developer ST George’s Park in Ditchling is a multi-award winning site which offers a wealth of social and leisure facilities, where residents enjoy the unique experience of living in the same community as 25 Sisters of the Augustine Order, including Sister Thomas. The convent and the chapel have been refurbished and residents are invited to attend services if they choose, however everyone is welcome no matter what their beliefs. Originating from the need to replace the existing care home, due to new government regulations introduced in 1998, the retirement village was built to help fund three new care homes. Having provided essential care for the local community for over 150 years, the Sisters also wanted to help provide more facilities to help an increased number of older people in the local community. Sister Thomas joined the Order in 1963, completed her nursing training in 1968 and became Superior General in 1993. She comments: “It took six years before the planning application was approved and in those years there were setbacks. When our original plan was withdrawn, we visited other

retirement villages, consulted with architects and came up with our own unique idea. “Our application was approved in June 2004 after a planning meeting where we were privileged to have the former Prime Minister, Lord Callaghan as one of our supporters. “The concept of the village and state-of-the-art care homes has enabled the Sisters to continue to provide their unique care to vulnerable people and to extend our ethos to provide a pleasant and secure environment for people in their later life.” The facilities at the retirement village include a restaurant, concierge, convenience shop, multi-function gym, hairdressing salon, treatment suite, games and snooker room, library with IT and internet service, bowling green and croquet lawn. A residents’ association organises a packed timetable including table tennis, snooker, line dancing, short tennis, croquet and short mat bowls. The original concert hall also hosts special occasions, communal gatherings and other events including plays, guest speakers, film nights or concerts. Sister Thomas added: “People can benefit from an active and sociable

Sister Mary Thomas MBE with her brother and sisters outside Buckingham Palace. life, and enjoy their later years doing a host of activities. “There is something for everyone, from the minibus which goes into town daily to the onsite farm where people can see the animals. “Many people also take pleasure from looking after their own allot-

ment while others love to meet friends in the restaurant for lunch or dinner.” “We are now starting work on the final phase of development, which should be released for sale this summer, and will include the swimming pool and spa.”

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CARINGNEWS

A new Alzheimer’s Society report claims 80 per cent of people living in care homes – more than ever thought before – have either dementia or severe memory problems. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Record numbers of people with dementia in care homes, claim ‘LOW Expectations’ goes on to say that, while excellent care exists, less than half of the 322,000 people living in care homes with the condition are enjoying a good quality of life. The report also finds evidence of a deep-seated pessimism about life in care homes. Only 41 per cent of relatives surveyed by Alzheimer’s Society reported that their loved ones enjoyed good quality of life. Despite this, three quarters (74 per cent) of relatives would recommend their family member’s care home. The report also reveals the severe image crisis facing the care sector. According to a YouGov public poll commissioned by the charity, 70 per cent of UK adults say they would be fairly or very scared of going into a care home. In addition, two thirds (64 per cent) do not feel the sector is doing enough

to tackle abuse in care homes. The charity argues that public attitudes and scepticism about whether people with dementia enjoy a good quality of life in a care home is leading to a failure to drive up standards of care. Alzheimer’s Society is calling on Government and care homes to work together to lift expectations and to strengthen existing minimum standards to boost quality of life. Chief executive Jeremy Hughes said: “When you walk into an excellent care home it’s full of warmth, activities and interaction. “But between these best examples and the worst, which often dominate headlines, there is a forgotten scandal of people with dementia who are failed and left living a life that can only be described as ‘OK’. “Society has such low expectations

dren. Why do we expect less for our parents? “We need Government and care homes to work together to lift up expectations so people know they have the right to demand the best.”

Jeremy Hughes of care homes that people are settling for average. “Throughout our lives we demand the best for ourselves and our chil-

Other findings: Less than a third (30 per cent) of the public believe people with dementia are treated well in care homes. The main factor (48 per cent) the general public would look for in choosing a care home is training of staff. Less than half (44 per cent) of relatives said opportunities for activities in their relatives’ care home were good. Over 9.3 million UK adults (19 per cent) know someone with dementia in a care home.

Sector calls for a focus on good practice ... THE care sector has been giving its verdict to the Alzheimer’s Society report ‘Low Expectations’. ECCA chief executive Martin Green said it shows the focus must be on highlighting good practice so that people no longer have such poor expectations. He added that the media has a responsibility to better present the positive work undertaken in many care homes. “People can lead positive and fulfilling lives with dementia, and it is for care homes and all other services and health and social care staff to demonstrate that. “The reality is that the majority of care homes meet the essential standards and, as The Alzheimer’s Society’s report shows, 74 per cent of relatives would recommend their family member’s care home. The negativity towards care services will to some extent reflect people’s

perceptions of dementia itself and what can be done. “We will ensure the key lessons from this report are disseminated to our members and that all are encouraged to communicate what works well and assess what can be improved.” Colten Care’s latest dementia home, St Catherines View in Winchester, was featured on ITV’s Daybreak following the release of the report. Home manager Ann-Marie Medd was interviewed live by reporter Nick Dixon on the value of memory aids for residents and the kinds of questions people should ask when considering a care home for a loved one. June Gallagher, Colten Care’s operations manager, said: “The report shows the need for care homes with trained staff who understand the condition. It is only by building greater awareness and understanding that we can engage people on the issue of

quality of care. “For us, dementia care is about cherishing people’s independence and enabling them to maintain that independence and their skills for as long as they can. “In all our care homes, we have dedicated carers who promote personcentred care. Our dementia care education programme, developed with and accredited by Bournemouth University, is mandatory for all staff who work in our dementia homes. In addition, every feature of our dementia homes is designed with therapeutic care in mind including themed rooms, memory boxes, signage, pictures and the use of colour and shade. These elements optimise our environments to be as dementia friendly as possible.” Lawrence Tomlinson, chairman of Ideal Care Homes, said the report’s findings are a sad reflection on the

false incentives created by local authority fee structures. He added: “We need a system of funding which rewards quality. While some do this already, most local authorities do not have the budgetary foresight, or capabilities, to use their fees to commission and incentivise quality dementia care provision. “The norm is to reduce fees, meaning the amount paid for adult residential social care does not necessarily reflect how much it costs to provide the care. This is not a case of care home providers just wanting more money either – some don’t deserve it, certainly those where care is extremely poor and there are incidents of abuse. Instead, it is a call to Government to put the structure in place that rewards quality provision in a way that incentivises improvements in care and enables investment in the market.”

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CARINGNEWS

Psychotropic drug dispensing ‘rises on home entry’ An aerial view of New Fairholme.

New home to host sleepover MORE than 80 women with overnight bags will be the first through the doors of a new £6.9m care home opening in Shropshire next month. New Fairholme, in Oswestry, is hosting a giant sleepover and pamper party which will see supporters of Age UK in North Shropshire enjoy supper, bed and breakfast at the new Coverage Care home. The Age UK North Shropshire Supporters event is being held on April 5, a few days before the facility welcomes its new residents. Organiser of the event, Sue Dewhirst, said: “We think this is probably the biggest sleepover Shropshire has seen and promises to be a night of gastronomy, gossip and a little bit of pampering thrown in too – the new home even has its own

salon. Check-in for ladies night is from 6.30pm on April 5, and the £25 tickets are selling fast. Coverage Care has always been very supportive of our fundraising, and we're thrilled we will be the first people to try out the amazing facilities at New Fairholme. “We've put this evening together with the generous support of Coverage Care and all the funds raised go to supporting Age UK's core services in North Shropshire, which support day centres as well as providing advice and information for the older person.” New Fairholme will have 88 large en-suite bedrooms, with two 22 bed wings on each floor, each with its own lounge and dining area, sharing communal rooms and a private garden.

A STUDY by Queen’s University Belfast has found that the dispensing of psychotropic drugs to older people in Northern Ireland increases on entry to care homes. According to the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, antipsychotic drug dispensing in older people more than doubled from 8.2 per cent before entry to care homes to 18.6 per cent after entering care. The study was carried out by researchers from Queen’s Centre for Public Health in the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences. It analysed prescribing data for over 250,000 people aged 65 years and over living in Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2010, and looked at drug uptake within the older population during the transition from community to care. The study revealed that psychotropic drug use was higher in care homes than the community, with 20.3 per cent of those in care homes dispensed an antipsychotic in January 2009, compared with 1.1 per cent of those in the community. Lead researcher on the Queen’s study, Aideen Maguire, who is based

in the Centre of Excellence for Public Health Northern Ireland said: “Although drug dispensing is high in older people in the community, we have found that it increases dramatically on entry to care. This study showed that the high uptake of psychotropic drugs observed in care homes in Northern Ireland cannot be explained by a continuation of drug use initiated in the community prior to entering care. “With an ageing population globally it is important that we look at the reasons behind this type of increase following admission to care. Antipsychotic uptake in Northern Ireland is similar to that in the rest of the UK and Ireland, and this study highlights the need for routine medicines reviews especially during the transition into care.” The study found that use of psychotropic medication in a small proportion of residents of care homes was a continuation of a prescription that had been started before entry. But one in six individuals with no history of psychotropic drug use in the six months before entry had been exposed to at least one antipsychotic prescription within six months of entering care.

Beaucare

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CARINGNEWS

Project aims to root out poor care THE Care Quality Commission and the Patients Association have joined forces to make sure concerns raised by people about care being provided to the elderly can be shared quickly with the regulator and acted on where necessary. People can already contact CQC directly to report their experiences of care, but the regulator wants to reach more people and particularly gather more direct experiences about the care elderly people have received. Through their joint project, the Patients Association will pass on to CQC any concerns from people who contact them so the regulator can take appropriate action. CQC chief executive David Behan said information from members of the public about the care they receive is valuable intelligence. He added: “We rely on information from the public to help us target our inspections. “This important resource helps us to protect and promote the quality and safety of the care patients receive.”

Retirement village radio takes to the airwaves By Dominic Musgrave ONE of the pioneers of the retirement village concept has launched a new radio show. Presented by Nicola Tooke, village advisor at Richmond Village Nantwich in Cheshire and part time DJ, Richmond Radio will bring a blend of features including guests, topical discussion and popular music for all tastes. There will be instant quizzes and feature-led lifestyle content on a wide range of interests including gardening and ‘top tips’ from experts. “We want to offer broad and topical programmes to those who tune-in from our villages and elsewhere around the world,” said Nicola. “Material will be kept lively and interesting and with a lot of music, so very much along the lines of the Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2.” Richmond Radio is available online at www.thisisthecat.com which is hosting the programme, and on http://tunein.com/ and via the ‘tune in radio’ app on smartphones. The two-hour show is broadcast from 1pm every Wednesday. “We’re so pleased that Richmond Radio has become a reality,” said Paddy Brice, managing director of Richmond Villages. “Born out of one of those ‘wouldn’t

Richmond Radio presenter and village advisor at Richmond Village Nantwich, Nicola Tooke. it be a great idea’ suggestions by one of our residents, it is already proving extremely popular. “It offers just the right mix of music, news and entertainment, and made all the more relevant to our audience by our very own budding DJ, Nicola Tooke, who fully appreciates what her listeners want to hear.”

Interview guests include a wide range of interesting people, including Olwyn Payton, local community champion of the Year who has worked in China and speaks five languages, and Jennie Carr, of Silver Travel, a presenter with Age UK radio who has a weekly travel show on Friday evenings.

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Must-attend event for care home owners and managers for 2013...

Quality in Care How to achieve and maintain the highest levels of Care using trusted methods and incorporating latest technology. Quality in Care is the theme for this year’s care conferences hosted by Caring UK's sister company Script Events. Many aspects of quality will be covered by our stellar line-up of speakers, everything from nutrition to activities and the environment to funding. Six conferences at prestigious venues will be held in 2013, beginning in Cheltenham and Exeter in April, Southend-on-Sea and

Basingstoke in July and finishing in Wakefield and Blackpool in October. As always we promise a day full of talks from top industry experts who will be passing on their knowledge. Running alongside the conference will be an exhibition, which will be showcasing the latest products and technology for care homes. The events are also an excellent opportunity for exhibitors to meet the decision makers so to avoid dissapointment book now to guarantee your space! Prices: Single d eleg £25 ate Two de lega £40 tes

BO OK

NO W

CONFIRMED DATES FOR 2013

BO OK

20 & 21

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

24 April

25th April

Cheltenham Chase Hotel

Exeter Golf Club

Cheltenham Chase Hotel – Wednesday 24th April 0800: Doors open for registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing 0930: Welcome and opening remarks: Dominic Musgrave, Healthcare Editor, Caring UK – Conference Chair 0940: Sheila Scott - National Care Association 1020: Vision Call – Speaker TBC 1040: Rosemont Pharmaceuticals – Claire Martin 1120 – 1200: Refreshments and exhibition viewing 1200: Martin Green – English Community Care Association 1240: Carol Harris – National Association of Care Catering 1310-1410: Buffet lunch and exhibition viewing 1410: Steve Pippard – DECs Group 1440: Tania Mackenzie – Owen Mumford 1510: Care Quality Commission 1540: Peter Hawkins – Required Systems 1550: Q&A session chaired by Dominic Musgrave 1600: Close (all timings subject to change)

Exeter Golf Club – Thursday 25th April 0800: Doors open for registration, refresments and exhibition viewing 0930: Welcome and opening remarks: Dominic Musgrave, Healthcare Editor, Caring UK – Conference Chair 0940: Sheila Scott – National Care Association 1020: Claire Martin – Rosemont Pharmaceuticals 1100 – 1150: Refreshments and exhibition viewing 1150: Vision Call – Speaker TBC 1220: Carol Harris – National Association of Care Catering 1250-1350: Buffet Lunch and exhibition viewing 1350: Speaker TBC 1420: Steve Pippard – DECs Group 1450: Speaker TBC 1510: Lesley Hickman and Mandy Sharp – Care Quality Commission 1540: Peter Hawkins – Required Systems 1550: Q&A session chaired by Dominic Musgrave 1600: Close (all timings subject to change)

For more information contact us: Tony Barry - Sales & marketing director. Tel: 01226 734 605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Lauren Osbyrne - National events coordinator. Tel: 01226 734 475 Email: lo@scriptmedia.co.uk

20 & 21

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Must-attend event for care home owners and managers for 2013...

Quality in Care Key speaker – Martin Green Martin Green is the chief executive of the English Community Care Association; the largest representative body for independent social services in the UK. In 2012, in his role as Department of Health Independent Sector Dementia Champion, he led the development of the Dementia Care and Support Compact for The Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia. He was also awarded an OBE for Services to Social Care in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Speakers to include...

Speaker TBC

Sheila Scott OBE

Chief executive of the National Care Association

Claire Martin

Rosemont Pharmaceuticals

Steve Pippard Managing Director Decs Group

Lesley Hickman & Mandy Sharp Care Quality Commission Representative

Carol Harris

National Association of Care Catering

BOOKING FORM Single delegate rate £25 per person I Two delegates £40 Which events do you wish to attend? Cheltenham Chase Hotel - Wednesday 24th April - GL3 4PB Exeter Golf Club - Thursday 25th April - EX2 7AE

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All places booked must be paid before the conference unless otherwise agreed with Script Events. A telephone or fax booking must confirm when and how payment will be made. A refund will be given less £20 admin, fee for cancellations received more than 15 days prior to the conference. No refunds will be given with less than 15 days to the conference. However, delegate substitutes will be accepted to the day of the event at no extra cost. Where invoices are requested and agreed, payment must be received within 15 days from the invoice date. We understand and will exercise our statutory rights to claim interest and compensation for the debt recovery cost under the late payment legislation if we are not paid according to agreed credit terms. An interest rate of 8% above base rate will apply for late payments.

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State-of-the-art home to create 50 new jobs once completed By Dominic Musgrave WORK has started on site on a new facility for Grange Care Centre in Cheltenham that will create 50 jobs and offer the elderly from the area a state-of-the-art home. Delivered by NorthStar, when finished the home will boast 60 beds, purpose built to ensure that residents get a choice of views from their private en-suite bedroom. Many people suffering with dementia need either visual stimulation or visual calm, and the home has been designed to allow the operator to place residents in the optimum position for their health. From a street scene, to a landscape

garden view, all needs will be catered for, along with privacy and security. Locally sourced stone cills, brickwork and pitched and tiled roofs will not only help the home be sympathetic to the local area but will ensure that a health concern is considered. The use of materials for the build has also been taken into consideration for the future residents’ health. Danny Sharpe, director of NorthStar, said traditional materials will be used, as many memory patients find comfort in a building they ‘recognise’. He added: “Currently Cheltenham only has one similar home which is right on the outskirts. The other

homes are all in converted buildings and, while they meet requirements, they don’t really offer the luxury and comfort this home will. “The other buildings have been adapted to try to cater for the needs of the frail and elderly. Our home has been specifically built with every purpose in mind, and no compromises. “Families can have peace of mind because of non-intrusive monitoring systems, and each resident will have their own private space complete with an en-suite bathroom, affording them dignity and comfort.” The building replaces an unused residential care facility for young adults with learning difficulties.

Barclays has provided funding for Lake View Rest Home Limited to build a new purpose built 78-bed care home on the seafront in St Annes on Sea, creating around 50 new jobs for the local economy. The deal, which also included a refinancing package was arranged by Stuart Barrie, corporate banking relationship director at Barclays in Lancashire. Nick (right) is pictured with Barclays’ relationship director Stuart Barrie.

Global Business Finance

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Nightingale unveil fiveyear development plan NIGHTINGALE Hammerson has unveiled plans for its North London care home Hammerson House to undergo a five year, state-of-the-art redevelopment. The project will increase the capacity of the home by approximately 20 per cent, giving more Jewish families living in North London the opportunity to have their relatives who are in care close by. It will also improve the home’s facilities and broaden its range of care to meet the evolving needs of the community. Leon Smith, chief executive of Nightingale Hammerson, said: “The needs of the older community are evolving and we are committed to delivering person-centred care to cater for individuals, from people

with dementia across the spectrum, to those who wish to live more independently.” Larger bedrooms will be equipped with modern facilities and the latest technology, while each floor in the home will have its own dining room, lounge and activity area. In addition to the more functional aspects of the redevelopment, a large space for concerts and communal meals will be built, along with an on-site hairdressing salon, therapies room and coffee shop. The charity will launch a major fundraising appeal later this year to support the redevelopment, with refurbishment work beginning in May 2013 and more extensive rebuilding starting in 2016.

Barchester collaborated with Skills for Care to create four short clips of apprentices celebrating their roles in adult social care. The video clips feature four apprentices at The Wingfield care home in Trowbridge. They are all in their early twenties and the short films show a snapshot of their roles at the home as well as an insight into their hobbies outside of the work place. General manager Sharon Adams said: “Adult social care is a rewarding sector to work in and older people enjoy the energy and motivation younger people bring to their role, which is infectious to other staff and residents, too.”

New owner plans extension BURFORD Care Homes has completed the sale of Eardley House in Stoke-on-Trent following a full marketing campaign after receiving instructions from the Jeffries Group. The property consists of an exlocal authority care home and

surrounding grounds of approximately 0.6acres, which has been purchased by an operator who currently operates four homes and plans to refurbish and extend the existing building to create a 53-bed state-of-the-art care facility.

Knightsbridge Furniture for demanding environments A COLLECTION of specialist furniture designed for use in demanding environments within the mental health sector has been introduced by Knightsbridge Furniture. The company’s Challenging Behaviour Furniture Collection has been created to meet demand for Knightsbridge expertise in fitting out hospitals, residential homes, prisons and other facilities accommodating those demonstrating challenging behaviour. Comprising a portfolio of seating, tables and cabinet units which are designed to be safe, robust and yet still stylish, the collection has evolved from the company’s pioneering work with healthcare and care professionals, patients and residents. Examples from the collection will be shown at the Design in Mental Health Conference & Exhibition (DIMH) in May and feature online at www.furniturewithpurpose.co.uk A diversity of options and applications is covered, from comfortable upholstered seating and modular seating/table combos for lounge and reception areas to contemporary foam seating and

smart upright chairs for dining, activity and family rooms. Coffee, occasional and dining tables complement the seating, while the range of bedroom furniture includes beds, wardrobes, desks, drawer chests and bedside units. The collection also embraces furniture for residents with special needs – such as seating for bariatric users and bedroom cabinets to aid dementia patients – and ‘Extreme’ specification seating, where style and comfort disguise plywood skinning, additional weighting and non-retractable fixings. The Knightsbridge Challenging Behaviour Collection is manufactured at the company’s plant in West Yorkshire: Knightsbridge Furniture is an Approved Supplier to the NHS and carries NHS Mental Health Contract Number 2012/S 38061381. Enquiries: Copies can be ordered at www.furniturewithpurpose.co.uk or www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk or by emailing enquiries@knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Carers asleep on duty were fairly dismissed, says appeal tribunal By Ben Stepney IN the case of Ajayi and another v Aitch Care Homes (London) Limited the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that two care home night support employees, dismissed for being asleep on duty, were not unfairly dismissed. The claimants claimed that their dismissal was unfair as the employer had not complied with its obligations under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) in relation to rest breaks. The claimants were waking night support workers for a residential care home which provides personal care for up to nine service users. The care home expected waking night support workers to be alert at all times. On the night in question the home manager carried out a spot check and found both claimants, who were on duty, sleeping in the lounge. She was attracted to this by hearing one of them snoring and waited 15 minutes before waking them up. On being caught the claimants pleaded with the home manager not to report them to their employer and did not assert that they were within their rights to have been asleep. The manager was not impressed,

especially given that she had spoken to all employees, including the claimants, just four days before to emphasise the importance of not being asleep because of the particular demands of the residents. The employer instigated a disciplinary process. During the disciplinary process the claimants alleged for the first time that they had a legal right to a rest break and that they were taking that rest break when they were found asleep. Both claimants were dismissed. Neither of them had a year’s service (their employment began before April 2012, so only needed a year’s service to claim unfair dismissal, rather than the two years now needed) so could not claim ‘ordinary’ unfair dismissal. Instead they claimed that their dismissals were automatically unfair on the basis that they were dismissed because they refused to comply with a requirement of their employer that was in breach of the WTR, for which there is no length of service requirement. The WTR prescribes daily and weekly rest breaks that workers are entitled to. Most workers are entitled to the following: A daily rest period of 11 hours'

Ben Stepney uninterrupted rest per day; A weekly rest period of 24 hours' uninterrupted rest per week (or, at the employer's choice, 48 hours' per fortnight); and A rest break of 20 minutes when a day's working time is more than six hours. It was the 20 minute rest break that the employees were relying on in this case. The employees argued that they did not have to tell the employer that they wished to exercise their right to have a rest break in order to bring a

claim that they had been dismissed because they were exercising their rights under the WTR. The EAT rejected this argument. It held that a refusal to comply with an instruction in breach of the WTR must be explicit. It cannot be implied from the employees being asleep, without saying anything to their employer, that they were exercising their rights under the WTR. It is surprising that the case went this far given that the claimants appeared to be retrospectively trying to find a justification for being caught asleep on duty. This case will be a relief for employers of night staff, for whom employees sleeping on duty are a serious concern. The tribunal was fiercely critical of the employer, who appeared to have been ignorant to employees’ rights to rest breaks under the WTR. This case serves as a useful reminder for care sector employers, where long shifts are prevalent, to make sure they have clear policies dealing with rest periods, procedures for monitoring compliance and that managers are fully aware of these rights. Ben Stepney is a solicitor in the employment team at Thomson Snell and Passmore.

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CARINGDEMENTIA

Celebrating the opening are some of the Vida Hall team, including from left to right at the front: director Mark Rycroft, operations manager Jill Young, healthcare director Bernadette Mossman and managing director James Rycroft.

Father and son open home A PIONEERING new care home for people living with dementia has opened its doors in Harrogate after being officially certified by the CQC. Vida Hall is the brainchild of father and son team, Chris and James Rycroft from Knaresborough, who believe their entrepreneurial background has helped created a unique environment that will set new standards for care homes. Over 70 jobs have been created by the new £5m purpose-built facility which offers full day and residential care. James said: “Vida Hall has been three years in the planning and every single aspect has been thoroughly researched and developed to bring together the best in current thinking

in the field of dementia care by collaborating with specialist spacial, environmental and medical experts. “We firmly believe that, with the right environment and care, people living with dementia can have a happy, independent and stimulating life. We are committed to improving long term wellbeing and freedom of choice and, in particular, we are very proud to be working with leading experts to demonstrate that there are better alternatives to the use of antipsychotic medication, which research shows is still being oversubscribed for dementia care.” The 70-bed residential accommodation is divided into four specialist homes depending on level of care needed.

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Laundering for Glide 200 complements Training raises your uniforms wide range of baths expectations MIELE’S PW 6065 6.5kg washerextractor featuring Profitronic L Vario control ensures optimum operational efficiency for care homes throughout the day with a choice of programmes developed specifically for washing uniforms, and other items. In addition, Miele has developed a spin profile that uniformly distributes the items around the drum, eliminating problems resulting from out of balance loads leading to minimum stress levels on component parts. The revolutionary HoneycombTM washing drum, forged from highgrade stainless steel with a unique convex pattern, enhances cleaning performance and reduces fabric wear. Miele’s washer-extractors also keeps water usage to a minimum, which is another consideration when weighing up your running costs. These machines deliver considerable savings on both utilities and detergent.

GAINSBOROUGH Specialist Bathing has launched the new Glide 200 Ceiling Track System that complements it’s wide range of baths for the care environment. The new ceiling track system is designed to enhance the patient transfer experience and engineered to deliver the same high levels of reliability, quality and safety associated with the Gainsborough range of hi-lo powered baths. The Glide 200 Ceiling Track System provides highly adaptable track configurations so that almost any layout can be achieved. A comprehensive suite of track components that includes curved and straight sections, H-systems, room-to-room gates and multi-exit turntables allow for seamless transfers between rooms. Gordon Farmiloe, Care in Bathing managing director, said: “Now that Gainsborough can provide both assistive baths and overhead patient

lifting systems simultaneously, a significant benefit is available to key decision makers and procurement personnel in the care sector through enhanced value and operational efficiencies.” The Glide 200 has a safe working load of 200kg (31 stone) to manage the majority of lifting situations, comes with manual or powered traverse options and a unique selfcharging system, which allows the lift motor to be charged ‘on-track’ while delivering up to 150 lifts per charge.

NEW evidence suggests in excess of 80 per cent of care home residents have dementia or significant memory problems and that 70 per cent of UK adults would feel scared about moving into a care home. Alzheimer’s Society’s new report ‘Low expectations’ explores attitudes towards choice, care and community for people with dementia in care homes. A key recommendation is that continued efforts should be made to improve quality of life and care and that all staff working in care homes should have ongoing training on dementia, and providers should demonstrate how they are embedding learning into practice. We have developed a portfolio of dementia training courses designed to equip staff working in care homes with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide excellence in dementia care.

The perfect Sensorcare prepare for Falls Week Keep tabs on solution their clothes STAFF spend a huge amount of time ensuring they have correctly identified each residents clothing. Lost and incorrectly returned garments can cause great distress to residents and their relatives and, with this in mind, SnappyTag has introduced a quick, easy and cost effective way to name residents’ clothing. Snappy Tags are discreet and resemble small buttons, making them comfortable and unobtrusive to the wearer. Names are permanently laser etched into the tag, ensuring they will never fade, even in multiple harsh industrial laundry conditions. Snappy Tags are simply snapped onto the garment seam or laundry label using the Snappy Tag applicator and, although they will not fall off in the laundry process, they can be easily removed using the applicator and reapplied to a new item of clothing.

Accreditation for Badgemaster BADGEMASTER has become the first company in the industry to gain the ISO1 14001 Environmental Accreditation. Since Badgemaster started trading in 1992, directors John and Vicky Bancroft have aimed to make Badgemaster as environmentally aware as possible. This includes ensuring that all waste materials are recycled and disposed of responsibly; everything used to make the products and run the business is energy efficient, from energy saving light bulbs to state-ofthe-art laser engraving; staff are trained on environment awareness – going hand in hand with health and safety, and manufacturing processes and machinery are efficient in order to use less electricity.

AGE UK’s Falls Awareness Week is fast approaching on June 17. SensorCare are busy starting preparations to help care providers continue to reduce the rate of falls in the elderly. Following a surge of requests to use SensorCare over the past few months, it is expected this year’s Falls Awareness Week is one to look out for. Continued research into the

use of SensorCare has shown that use of the system can reduce the rate of falls by 50 per cent (Great Western Hospital, 2013). Falls groups are now establishing a precedence for the use of SensorCare in all areas where there may be a risk. SensorCare are taking requests for free 14-day trials. Please quote ‘Caring UK’.

Required launch Cloud version of its systems REQUIRED Systems has launched a Cloud version of its systems for care for the elderly and domiciliary care. Forms will auto populate service users’ details, be flexible, searchable and updates will not overwrite existing material already stored. The new Cloud version can be used on PCs and tablets. When using a tablet you will be able to deliver care face to face, look up care plans, add any actions, search for any information relating to the service user, photograph any incidents. The new Cloud version will also enable you to generate reports on

incident/accident, staff training, appointments and many more. Whilst the system is Cloud based there are occasions when connection may be poor or drop. You will still be able to use the system in real time as your actions will be stored on your tablet until you are back on line and will then back up your input. As with our existing systems the new Cloud version is very easy to use. The management will be able to restrict every member of staff to only have access to the parts of the system that are necessary for them to deliver their role.

Taking care of all your needs ARE you looking for a product that will take care of all your maceration needs? The Haigh range of machines: Dispose of all makes of pads.* Are the quietest on the market.** With over 50 years’ experience, we provide expert solutions for private care homes across the UK. Taking care of all your maceration requirements, we have a range of equipment to suit all your requirements. The Incomaster, now with hands-

free autostart function disposes of pads and nappies in under two minutes. The SOLO, reliable and compact, disposes of single items in less than 60 seconds. The benefits are clear: Reduced cross infection. Reduced energy and utility bills. Reduced odour. Increased patient comfort. Increased cost efficiency. */**Based on results of tests carried out at Haigh Engineering.

SAFETY and convenience often don’t sit well together. We all know we need to keep fire doors closed to hinder the spread of fire, yet often ease and convenience mean doors are propped open. Leading fire safety innovators, Fireco, has the perfect solution – a wire-free device, Freedor, which swings open freely and then can be left in any position, but will close automatically when it hears a fire alarm, preventing the spread of fire and smoke around the building. Perfect for organisations or individuals who need access through their doors – for deliveries, wheelchair or pushchair access or just want a thoroughfare from room to room. It can be installed for right and left hand swing doors and has a nighttime release facility.

Classes tailored to individuals MOTIVATION & Co. provide specialist cognitive motivation to residents within the care sector supporting the role of the activity coordinator. We work together as part of the team. Fully researched and evidence based, the Motivation & Co. classes are delivered to over 30,000 residents each month throughout the UK. Tailored to individual residents’ needs, the class materials have been designed and developed including patented games. At the end of the session an evidence-based evaluation sheet is produced for the home, meeting outcome 21 CQC requirements. As part of the Motivation & Co. service we provide free resources to be used in-house for activity coordinators. The class is delivered for one hour, with each session broken down into four sections. The current rate is between £45 and £54.

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Care in the Cloud addresses inspectorate’s issues A UK based software development company has launched a new software product to help care agencies provide consistency of care to clients. Webformed has developed CareForIT, an affordable and easy to use domiciliary care management software package designed to save money and improve services. This development comes at a time when the recently published CQC report into home care services, has revealed that 26 per cent of care agencies are failing to provide consistency of care to patients. The key issues highlighted in the CQC report include concerns that people often receive no prior notice that they would be visited by a care worker they didn’t know and visits are often delayed or cancelled without clients being notified. What’s more, in some instances care plans had not been updated for several years, whilst some agencies had no clear systems to monitor the quality and information in the care plans. The CareForIT software is based on real time data which gives care agencies a comprehensive overview of their services, including appointments, care plans and patient information, which can be

accessed remotely through Cloud technology. The main advantage, as well as costing savings, is that the software replaces the manual systems currently used by many agencies, which can be the cause of many of the issues identified in the report. Dan Farrell-Wright, director at Webformed, said: “Our software has been developed with the issues facing care agencies specifically in mind. For example, staff allocation is easy to manage and carers are only matched to clients where they have the appropriate skills and training. Records are simple to maintain and all invoices are generated automatically. In short, the system is so efficient that managers will have more time to focus on improving service levels rather than chasing paperwork.” Enquiries: Call Dan Farrell-Wright on 02921 660 911.

Care home TV made easy FOR sleek, simple, easy to use care home TV, look no further than the LG LT series hospitality TV. LG’s hospitality TV range offers dedicated features for care homes such as menu locking and cloning for multi room installations. Such features allow easy on-site maintenance and remove any stress residents may encounter either during the initial installation or later by inadvertently pressing a ‘wrong button’. The LT series from LG also enables you to personalise your home’s in-room TVs by including a welcome page shown each time residents turn their TVs on. Airwave can help design this image for you to include company logo, image of your home and a message. If you are looking to provide residents with something extra, Airwave can provide you with a professional resident information channel. This is easily set up to be the start up channel

whenever the TV is turned on, ensuring residents are always aware of the very latest site or local information including news, weather and more. The channel comes fully branded to meet your requirements. Enquiries: Telephone 0845 555 1212, email info@airwave.tv or visit www.airwave.tv

Get a tax repayment for the things you already own OWNERS of care homes have high property expenses and, due to recent changes in the 2012 Finance Act, the opportunities for tax savings are soon to be reduced. However you can claim now and make huge tax savings. You can claim for the purchase price of the care home and any amount spent on extensions, refurbishments, or repairs. A care home bought for £650,000 could save you more than £100,000 in tax. Under new rules you will have to agree the capital allowances contained in the building before you sell. If you don’t you could end up paying for someone else to get a tax refund. What can be claimed? Boilers, water pipes, sinks, toilets, electrical wiring and almost anything

attached to the building, even door handles and grab rails. Enquiries: To find out if you qualify, and how much you could get, call Tax–Ideas on 01233 640985 or email Howard@tax-ideas.co.uk

Welcome your residents with Say It Personally SAY It Personally specialises in unique, quality gifts with a difference, delivered to your door to make any occasion extra special. Our range includes a luxury care home welcome gift to help new residents feel at home. This contains a photograph frame to hold precious memories, fragrance drawer sachet, pen and handy notebook. Other useful items include a cord for spectacles, towel and face cloth. Also for the ladies we have created an elegantly wrapped ‘Thinking of you’ bouquet (as shown in photograph) replicating a beautiful floral arrangement. This hand tied bouquet is crammed with practical goodies to aid relaxation including toiletries, snuggle socks, eye mask, towel and face cloth along with lots of other useful items. Not forgetting the gentlemen, we have created

a similar gift which comes beautifully presented in a gift box. Enquiries: Telephone 01482 638355, email hello@sayitpersonally.co.uk or visit www.sayitpersonally.co.uk

Up to the challenge – furniture for mental health settings FURNITURE within modern care homes and residential units has to achieve a careful balance of functionality, durability, safety and visual appeal. But within environments catering for those affected by mental health issues, a feeling of familiarity is also vital, helping to foster emotional stability and stimulate positive – and even healing – attitudes. Aware of this complex matrix of criteria, manufacturers like Knightsbridge Furniture are working with care professionals, patients and residents alike to develop furniture which is safe, robust and yet still stylish in order to create and complement therapeutic settings. In practice, this furniture has to embrace a diversity of options and applications, from comfortable upholstered seating and modular combos for lounge and reception areas to contemporary foam seating and smart tables/chairs for dining, activity and family rooms. Coordinating beds, wardrobes, desks, drawer chests and bedside units complete the picture in

the bedrooms, while specialist furniture has been designed to support residents with exceptional needs, including seating for bariatric users and bedroom cabinets incorporating visual and tactile clues to aid dementia patients. Enquiries: Call 01274 731442 or visit www.furniturewithpurpose.co.uk

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

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Beaucare launch Aquabathe range Beaucare® Medical Ltd’s Aquabathe range of bathing equipment is designed for the rigorous demands of care home environments. Built to the highest standards, the Aquabathe range offers solutions to suit customers’ special requirements. The Hi-Lo and Aquabathe II come in five different sizes depending on your requirements, with various options such as manual or power traverse

seat, left and right hand setup, TMV3 shower assembly, and whirlpool or air spa capabilities. We can install and service nationally, using our certified engineers. So, if your bathrooms need revamping, why not let us quote? Enquiries: Call 01423 878899, email service@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

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Recruitment

Thirteen staff at Madigan care home in Newtownabbey are celebrating after achieving their NVQ in health and social care. The Amore Care home provides a training programme designed to equip its employees with the skills to make a difference to the lives of residents. The successful care assistants – Clare Conlon, Sandra Conlon, Sarah Dickson, Jacek Jankowski, Karen Lowrie, Pauline McNeice, Suzanne Rea, James Reid, Charlene Reid, Ruby Robinson, Sharon Smyth, Ania Tabor and Geraldine Waring – were presented with their awards by residents at the purpose-built home. Resident Alfred Spurling is pictured presenting Ania Tabor, Jack Jankowski and Pauline McNeice with their awards.

Youngsters help at complex

Recruitment

TWO West Lothian teenagers are taking time out of their busy academic schedules to volunteer with older people at a sheltered housing complex and day centre in Linlithgow. West Port Resource Centre, run by Bield, has benefitted from the youthful energy of the Linlithgow Academy pupils who are working as part-time volunteers during their spare time. Head boy

Mobility Healthcare

Denture care

Architects

Occupancy Specialist

Care Charts

Signs

Kyle McLachlan, 17 and Ross Hunter, 17, work as ‘befrienders’ at the centre, which sees them assisting in social activities for its residents. Manager Carol Robertson said: “They are hugely popular with our care users and the boys have developed a great rapport with everyone at West Port Resource Centre which we hope can continue.”

Legal Solutions

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