Caring UK (March Issue)

March 2009

incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector

no.154 • £4.75 In association with

Gay-friendly kite-mark is suggested Exclusive by Mary Ferguson A GAY-FRIENDLY ‘kite-mark’ scheme should be introduced in care homes to show they are welcoming to everyone regardless of their sexuality, it has been claimed.

Des Kelly, chief executive of The Care Forum, told Caring UK that an official mark would enable operators open to gay and lesbian residents to show they are sensitive to the needs of homosexual clients.

He said: “It’s a real area of interest to us at The Care Forum. There have been suggestions in the past that homes that were sensitive to providing services to people from the gay community should be able to have some kind of kite-mark – that shows they are able to recognise the different requirements that being gay friendly may bring. For example, just as elderly women may choose not to be have personal care given by a male carer, gay residents may have different preferences. Doing that would bring some issues out into the open.”

When homes rely on funding from the council, Des believes they should expect to have to follow their equal opportunities and diversity procedures.

“If the requirements of the council is to demonstrate equal opportunities

then operators need to comply with that.

“But it’s quite hard on care providers to have to ask residents to disclose their sexuality and it may even be that some residents are gay but not ‘out’. That’s why we support the introduction of a kite-mark that enables homes to show they are gay-friendly.

“Care homes can’t have it both ways – if the requirements of the council is to demonstrate equal opportunities they need to comply with that.”

Meanwhile, a council that withdrew funding for a care home when operators refused to ask residents about their sexuality has overturned its decision.

Pilgrim Homes in Brighton had its funding cut by Brighton and Hove City Council when it refused to ask residents to fill in a questionnaire asking them to state if they were gay, bisexual or ‘unsure’. Funding has now been reinstated, after the home convinced councillors they are open to all residents, regardless of sexuality.

What do you think about the gay friendly kite mark idea? Send your views to Mary Ferguson, Caring UK, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, S70 2AS. See Page 32

Raymond Simmons

Raymond’s gift for his carers

Television presenter Lorraine Kelly has given her support to a new independent tip line where residents can report cases of abuse.

Full story, Page 15

STAFF at a Kent care home received a surprise cash gift left to them by a former resident.

Raymond Simmons left £171 each to those who cared for him at Abbeyfield Kent Society’s Greensted home in Maidstone.

Manager Sue Imms said: “He was a single man and was always very appreciative of the standard of care he received at Greensted, and this was his way of saying thank you. He wanted to make sure that every member of staff who had worked at Greensted during the time he was a resident benefited, even those who had left for other jobs.”

Raymond died of cancer at the home on December 19 2007 at the age of 92.

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Cut in night staff levels will save £250,000 NIGHT staffing levels in some care homes across Lancashire are to be cut in a move that will save £250,000.

Several care homes in Burnley, Clayton-le-Moors and Clitheroe will have staff reduced from three to two as part of council cost-cutting measures.

The decision has come under fire from opposition councillors who are also arguing against a £100,000 cut for staff development funding.

But Coun Tom Burns has defended the decisions, saying a number of apprenticeships to get the unemployed into work were being considered.

He added: “The four homes that have two night staff already have never reported any problems. Our research has shown that reducing the number at the others will not affect the quality of the service in any way.

“We were finding that the night staff were doing jobs that could have easily been done during the day, such as the laundry. If there is an emergency at any of the homes, or if a member of staff is off ill, we have a team of flexible staff who are at the end of a phone and can cover at short notice.”

Mike Calvert, shadow portfolio holder

for social care, added: “The council argues that night staff are not doing anything, all is fine and there are no emergencies, but to me this is a cynical and wrong approach.

“We should be increasing the number of staff working at night - what happens if one or both of those night workers is tied up with a resident who has an emergency?

“Residents tend to feel at their most vulnerable and alone when they wake up in the middle of the night, and this will be made worse if there are no staff available to comfort them.”

Comic opening

The Morecambe and Wise lookalikes cut the ribbon with Morris Care chief executive Margaret Maudsley and director Timothy Morris.

A MORECAMBE and Wise tribute act brought a smile to proceedings when they opened a new nursing home in Shropshire.

The lookalikes of the classic comedy pair entertained guests and residents at the 53-bed Morris Care-owned Isle Court, which is expected to create more than 80 new jobs for the area.

“The need for high quality nursing care in the Shropshire region is increasing and we have aimed to meet this with the launch of a new, luxury nursing home,” said Morris Care chief executive Margaret Maudsley. “Morecambe and Wise were the perfect pair to open our new nursing home. They are much loved by our residents and brought joy and fun to the event.”

The home will be managed by Liz Hallen.

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Editorial Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 Fax: 01226 734478 Healthcare Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 Reporters: Nicola Hyde Christina Eccles Mary Ferguson Louise Cordell Lyndsey Smith Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 Database enquiries to Tel: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ wharncliffepublishing.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.

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Councils should help bridge funding gap – Counsel and Care boss

By Dominic Musgrave MORE pressure should be placed on councils to bridge the funding gap for residents who need to urgently move into a care home but cannot afford to pay.

Counsel and Care chief executive Stephen Burke told Caring UK he fears that if this does not happen, it could lead to homes being forced to open a tab for residents who cannot afford to pay themselves.

And this means owners could ultimately face financial ruin down if they do not get any guarantees that they will get the money back in the future.

“A potential problem is care homes forcing residents out who cannot pay for their care,” he said. “I hope that owners wouldn’t do that no matter how bad it got, but this is obviously a major worry for older people and their families.

“If a resident cannot pay their fees it is is not going to be very good for the relationship between the care home and the resident.”

His comments follow the release of

Stephen Burke a report by the charity entitled ‘Finding and financing care in hard times’ which found that an increasing number of councils are trying to divert families to build up debt with care home providers rather than offering the option of a loan or deferred payment themselves.

Stephen has called on local authorities to take control and be more sympathetic to those elderly people who need to move into a care home

urgently but are finding it difficult to sell their own homes, by offering them financial assistance.

“It’s another of the reasons why I think councils should help by offering elderly people short or medium term loans or deferred payments because this could be jeopardising a care home business in future.

“People are struggling to sell their homes unless they put it on the market at an unreasonably low price to pay fees. In some cases families cannot sell the property at all.”

One of the ideas he is suggesting is the council providing a loan to the resident which would be repaid once his or her own property has been sold, or 56 days after the person dies.

Stephen says the charity is currently seeking guidance from the Department of Health on this matter, and has called on the government to act on the report’s findings immediately.

What do you think? Let Dominic Musgrave know your views by ringing 01226 734407 or emailing dm@whpl.net

‘Fire rules could force homes out of business’ TOUGH new fire regulations which state residents must be evacuated in just two and a half minutes could force some homes out of business, it has been claimed.

Wendy Marsh, of Brandon House in Exmouth, Devon, is having to fork out over £10,000 to pay for improvements like new fire doors after a change in law stipulated that residents have to be moved to an area of safety in just two and a half minutes.

She says she might even have to employ more night staff or reduce the number of residents it holds - but adds that some home operators might not have a flexible enough budget to do this.

She said. “I can see a lot of care home managers and owners not liking this new law and looking to challenge it because it will cost them money, which is tough in this climate.

“A lot of our residents have hearing problems and cannot hear the fire alarm. By the time we have woken them up and led them to safety it would probably take at least ten minutes.

“But I have now accepted what they are saying because I always put myself in the position of what if it was my relative in the home and there was a fire.”

The home has 32 residents.

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A care home in Sussex is aiming to slash food bills by £4,000-a-year by going organic and growing its own produce. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Head chef Steve goes organic and saves home thousands in food bills HEAD chef Steve Dale took over the kitchen at Heffle Court in Heathfield just over a year ago and claims the residents were being served convenience food like oven chips and pre-prepared meals.

But he is committed to organic food and says the only thing going in the freezer is the meat the butcher delivers at the beginning of the week.

Now, all the vegetables being served to the 32 residents at the home will be organically grown in newly created beds in the gardens and the move is expected to save the home £4,000 a year.

Steve said: “I am really determined to do this, and have put a policy in place whereby if I cannot make it they don’t eat it. The residents have helped me to plant the vegetables and when they have grown they will go and pick them and prepare them to be cooked.

“It’s going to mean keeping people on their toes and pushing them, but the management here are on board to make this a success.”

Steve also has regular meetings with the residents to find out which food they have enjoyed, and what

they would like to see on the menu.

“It encourages the residents to take an interest in what they are eating,” he added. “We want the mealtimes here to have a family feel about them rather than it just be a case of me cooking it and them eating it.”

Manager Sue Burke has been in charge of the Caring Homes property for ten months, and she says mealtimes are a vital part of the residents’ day.

She said: “We try to make mealtimes a pleasurable activity.

“I want to make it a family environment here and one of the first things I did when I took over here was get rid of the staff’s uniform and they now eat with the residents in the dining room each day.

“The residents love getting involved in mealtimes and took great pleasure at the end of last year when we made chutney from the tomatoes we had grown here.”

Above: Ivy Reynolds holding one of the home's chickens and, above left: Francis Smith with one of the pigs.

Animals prove a hit with care home residents A SMALL farm has been created at the Heffle Court care home – but the animals won’t be making it onto the menu.

It is run jointly by the staff and residents, and has chickens, pigs, pygmy goats, rabbits and guinea pigs.

Residents collect eggs, which are cooked by the chef, and staff do the more physical work like cleaning.

Manager Sue Burke said: “The town of Heathfield has a history of farming and many of the residents come from a farming background.

“We were talking about chickens at one of our meetings when one of the residents commented that it would

be lovely if we could have chickens here, which got me thinking.

“We built the pens ourselves and got some chickens, and then another resident said how much she adored pigs so we got some and it went from there.

“The residents get so much from the animals. Some of our residents never really left their bedrooms before we got them, but since they have arrived they have come out a lot more.”

Sue next plans to refurbish three beach huts in the grounds and furnish them with 1940s’ themes for the residents.

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Chickens in jumpers win prize RESIDENTS at a Suffolk care home were rewarded at a talent contest for their novel creations.

Uvedale Hall in Needham Market won the most original category in the inaugural ‘Healthcare Homes Has Talent’ competition after they knitted jumpers for battery chickens for the Battery Hen Welfare Trust.

Other award winning entries at the event included Barking Hall’s knitted charity teddy bears, Home Close in Cambridge’s ‘Project Muck’ entry, a story set to music and St Leonard’s Court in Mundford’s, production of the musical ‘Grease’.

Regional activities coordinator Nadine Forde was one of the organisers of the competition. “Our aim was to bring the homes closer together and forge even stronger links between them,” she added. “As Healthcare Homes grows, it is important that all of the different parts of the company feel that they are part of one family.”

Each of the winners received a trophy and certificate to display in their homes and a £100 gift from the company to be spent on activities for residents.

Pat on way to turning home around

By Mary Ferguson

Residents and staff at Uvedale Hall look on as their feathered friend models the latest in knitted jumpers.

A CARE operator who took over a zero-star home in Halifax said she is well on the road to boosting ratings and business.

When Pat Beaumont bought Holly Bank Nursing Home in July last year she faced a challenge to turn things around and is determined to achieve at least two stars in the next CSCI inspection.

Pat, who operates two other homes in the area, said one of the first things they did was to clean the kitchen from top to bottom, replace some flooring and buy new equipment.

“Most of the staff have stayed with us and we have taken on some more, as well as clarifying people’s job roles.

“I have only had the home for eight months but I’m hoping the improvements will boost our CSCI rating and help fill the beds.”

Pat said residents had been eating every meal from their lounge chairs so one of the first things she did was bring them

into the sitting room every mealtime. They now drink out of china cups instead of plastic mugs.

She has also decorated the whole home, steam cleaned all the carpets, installed a plasma television in the lounge and upgraded some of the bedrooms.

“We took the home over on July 1 when it was embargoed by the council, but by July 3 they had opened it up for places again. Relatives always comment now on how nice the atmosphere is and how much happier the residents are.”

Holly Bank currently houses 14 residents, with a capacity of 23, but Pat said she is confident that an improved CSCI rating will help them reach that.

She added: “The residents now speak to each other which they didn’t before, and previously bed-ridden clients now sit in the lounge with smiles on their faces. The home is in a good area of Halifax and when I saw it I knew we could turn it around.”

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Artistic care worker Regulator to ask brightens up extension councils quality A CARE worker’s artistic talents have helped to brighten the walls of a care home’s new extension.

Judith Parker Doolan, who has worked at Cary Brook residential home in Castle Cary for five years, has been commissioned by owners Somerset Care to paint canvases which will be hung in the hallways.

“I was asked if I would do some paintings for the wall of anything that I liked,” said the part-time domestic. “The only stipulation was that they had to be bright because a lot of residents here have dementia.

“I have painted all sorts of things including flowers and dragon flies, and so far everyone that has seen them has said how much they liked them.”

The new wing at the home has 30 en suite bedrooms, with those on the ground floor also having patio doors.

Manager Judith Pullen said that once the work is complete, refurbishment of the original part of the home will commence.

“Everyone at Cary Brook is delighted at how beautiful the new rooms look and we cannot wait to move in,” she added.

Sally Knocker, director of communications at the National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People, said brightly coloured paintings can be positive for residents.

questions

By Nicola Hyde

Judith Parker Doolan with one of her paintings “There are mixed reports about this type of thing, and some say that it can make a home look more like a nursery,” she added. “However, I think it is lovely that the home has got one of its members of staff to use her talent and brighten up the corridors, which can often be quite dull and depressing places.”

COUNCILS which send residents to poor quality care homes are to be put in the hot seat by the industry regulator and forced to explain their actions.

David Walden, director of strategy for CSCI, said research has shown that one in five people were moved into either a one (adequate) or two (good) star care home by councils and now inspectorate staff will be sent to demand answers.

He said: “Using some of the issues that we have found in our reports we plan to meet with councils, particularly those which have poor services, to discuss how they plan to improve quality.

“We have not had the infrastructure to do this before, but will point out to them that their services are not as good to other similar sized places and ask them what they plan to do about it.”

CSCI is now calling for all care homes to stop commissioning services from care homes unless they achieve a three star, excellent rating.

David said: “Councils still have major purchasing power and

influence on the care market locally.

They should be driving up the quality of care and stop placing people in these homes.

“I would urge all councils to stop commissioning these services and not accept ‘adequate’ as being good enough. They should be aspiring to put people in the best quality of care available.

“I’m pleased to say that changes are happening in some parts of the country, and I am hearing of councils who are saying they will not contract with homes or services that get a ‘poor’ rating from CSCI. Councils are being forced to think about care in a different way because there is going to be a shift of power to the individual.”

All councils will now be given a personalised analysis of its own data from the report with meetings being set up with senior staff to discuss the findings.

What do you think? Could this move force you out of business? Send your comments to Dominic Musgrave, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email dm@whpl.net

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CARINGNUTRITION Mealtimes have become the most important part of the day at one Scottish care home. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Small nutrition changes make a big difference RESIDENTS at Brookfield Care Home in Carnoustie were asked to redesign the dining room after deputy manager Heather Gill completed the Promotion Nutrition in Care Homes for Older People programme.

And as a result the new atmosphere has encouraged the 24 residents to stay longer and socialise more.

“One of the things which I took back to the home was the need to make the dining room a positive area where the residents would like to stay,” she added. “The room is much more homely and the residents are now eating more, which is reducing the risk of malnutrition.

“We haven’t done much to the food itself, but have spoken with the residents and have tailor made the meals to their individual needs. We found out what they liked and disliked, and have evaluated our menus to make sure we offer what they need, such as the five a day, and prefer.”

Heather says the home has always used local produce, but has saved time and money by ordering food over the phone and online.

“Ordering online has freed up more time for the owners to spend at the home talking to residents instead of shopping at the local cash and carry,” she added. We also changed staffing levels in the kitchen between 2pm and 6pm and have employed an assistant cook to produce the evening meals, which has freed up more time for the staff to spend on the floor.”

The new dining room The home has implemented the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) since Heather completed the course, which combines BMI and any weight loss to indicate if a resident is at risk of malnutrition.

“MUST is a really useful way for the staff to recognise if a resident is at risk,” said Heather. “If their scores indicate that there may be a problem then we know to seek advice from the GP.” She added: “The project has enabled me to focus my mind on one area, but has provided me with the skills to change practice in other areas of the home.

“Nutrition is an area which is vital to the residents’ lives, and one where the smallest of changes can make a big difference.”

Patrick Moore

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CARINGNUTRITION

Screening importance addressed THE importance of nutritional screening for the prevention of malnutrition will be addressed at the Care Show in Bournemouth next month.

The seminars will be part of an interactive programme on care catering presented in the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) nutrition kitchen at the event at the BIC on March 17 and 18.

They will consist of live cooking demonstrations and informal seminars organised by the NACC, the representative body of professional caterers to the care industry.

The kitchen has been a popular and important feature at previous Care Shows, offering practical advice to visitors as well as promoting professional standards of catering within the care sector.

Derek Johnson, deputy chair of the NACC, will compere the event and members Pawel Kulon and Patrick Moore will present a range of ideas for creating wholesome casseroles and tasty fruit pudding recipes with residents in mind.

‘Nutrition champions’ are spreading the word with fresh ideas LAMINATING menus, putting flowers on dining tables and arranging set mealtimes are just some of the fresh ideas Scottish care home managers are using to improve nutrition.

The plans are part of a educational programme to help staff improve care and the Care Commission is spreading the word with a group of ‘nutrition champions’.

More than 50 have now completed the Promoting Nutrition in Care Homes for Older People programme, which is led by nurse consultant for care homes for older people Susan Polding-Clyde “Making sure older people have nutritious food and drinks is fundamental to good care,” she said Malnourishment is a serious, lifethreatening issue for people who are already very frail.

“We have already seen how campaigns by the likes of Jamie Oliver can have a dramatic impact on the eating habits of schoolchildren and adults, so it’s very pleasing to see our own nutrition programme

working with older people.”

The champions take part in a three-day nutrition course during which they learn about the wider aspects of food and nutrition and the importance of recognising the needs of every individual resident.

They then complete a two-day ‘change management’ course, which gives them the knowledge and skills required to make a change in their care home.

“By bringing a fresh approach to nutrition, the lives of older people can be significantly improved,” added Susan. “Simple steps such as presenting food more attractively, offering more of a choice on the menu and being more adaptable must be encouraged and I am glad our nutrition champions are making some headway in these areas.”

The Care Commission now hopes the programme can be repeated and promote the importance of good nutrition to more of the country’s care homes.

Susan Polding-Clyde

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CARINGNEWS

‘Model’ care assistant enters national contest A CARE assistant is hoping to swap the care home for the catwalk after entering a nationwide competition.

Angie Taylor, 22, who works at Manor care home in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire entered the Miss UK Face of Fashion 2009 modelling competition after an advert popped up on her Facebook site.

She said she had never entered a modelling competition before, but decided to enter as it was a local company running it and it was free.

“I have always been interested in fashion and modelling, but all of the competitions you tend to see are usually based in London,” Angie added.

“Because this was a local company I thought I might as well give it a go.”

First prize for the competition is a contract with Premier Models at The Casting Suite in London.

The winner also gets the opportunity to do modelling work with Disney, Orange, Warner Brothers and Channel Four.

Angie Taylor

Training package is devised after bruising incidents THE head of a care group has launched a comprehensive training package for staff after two residents woke with unexplained bruising.

Guardian Care Homes operations manager Patrick Butler said no evidence of abuse had been found after the incident at Brooklands nursing home in Selby, North Yorkshire.

The company has now organised some training for all staff to refresh them about its policies and procedures.

He added: “I am also due to meet with relatives of our residents to explain what is happening and to assure them that we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those in our care.”

The county council has suspended

the home from its residential and nursing provider list after the complaint and CSCI are investigating.

Patrick added: “We are cooperating fully with both organisations, and are already working closely with them as we develop an action plan to address the concerns that have been raised.

“While we should not speculate on the outcome of the investigation, we should point out that there could be a number of explanations for the bruising, including a fall out of bed or an allergic reaction to some medication.”

He said as soon as the bruises were spotted they were reported to the home's manager, who in turn reported it to the council.

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CARINGNEWS

‘Every home should have abuse tip-off line’

By Dominic Musgrave EVERY care home in the UK should set up an independent tip line where residents can report abuse, according to the country’s largest care provider.

Southern Cross, which has 735 homes nationwide, has joined forces with Action on Elder Abuse to offer an independent abuse report line in a move believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The freephone line will cost £20,000 to run and will be staffed by the charity – it will allow residents, their relatives and staff the opportunity to report abuse and cases of neglect without having to go through the care home operator.

Action on Elder Abuse chief executive Gary Fitzgerald said he hoped other care home providers might follow the lead.

He added: “We hope this initiative provides an influence for the whole sector to seriously tackle issues of abuse.

“We recognise how difficult it can be for residents and their families to raise issues of abuse and neglect.

“This service will tackle many of those barriers, making it easier to report abuse in the knowledge that a response will be achieved."

Southern Cross says it is determined to be open and honest about the care offered in its homes, and chief operating officer Kamma Foulkes says it is money well spent.

She added: “We are determined to tackle abuse by supporting this independent and robust system intended to protect residents, relatives and staff who wish to raise concerns safe in the knowledge they will be treated seriously and without prejudice.

A BRADFORD care home has created an internet cafe as part of its refurbishment programme.

Residents at the 230-bed Knowles Court, which caters for residents with a variety of requirements, can now keep in touch with friends and family while enjoying a drink and chance to socialise.

“The computer was provided by the local council,” said manager Dorothy Walker. “All residents can go into the cafe and surf the internet or send emails. If they require any assistance then we will have staff on hand to help them.

“We also hope it is an area where residents can go and socialise over a hot drink.”

50 new jobs

“We believe we have taken a positive step in providing a platform for people to voice concerns about abuse and bad practice, as well as ensuring that these concerns will be acted upon.

"We have a duty of care to do whatever we can to eliminate abuse in our care homes.

“It's about giving them confidence and letting people know what they deserve in terms of care and respect."

Homes creates internet cafe

Kamma Foulkes, chief ooperating officer of Southern Cross with Gary Fitzgerald, chief executive of Action on Elder Abuse at the launch.

A NEW £6m care home that has been built on the site of a former brickworks in Telford is set to create 50 new jobs.

Coverage Care’s Lightmoor View, a 75-bed facility, will employ up to 100 staff in total and is set to open its doors in March.

Chief executive David Coull said: “The early completion of Lightmoor View will enhance our ability to offer specialist care for older people in the Telford and Wrekin area, in particular for those with dementia.”

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Care home cheer for residents ...

RESIDENTS can now enjoy their favourite tipple without leaving their care home after the manager turned a smoking room into a pub.

Willington Care Village site manager Tony Lyon has installed a replica bar complete with self-serve optics serving soft drinks, while the room has been decorated using traditional furniture donated by local pubs and the working men’s club where a number of residents used to be members.

Many residents in the Richmond Court building suffer mental health conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's, and Tony says the facility has proved popular.

“Once the smoking ban came in we had to change the room to a different use,” he added. “The walls were yellow and it wasn’t a particularly nice environment to be in so I thought long and hard about what we can do.

"The residents still enjoy going for a drink, and they can associate that and smoking with the pubs of the past. We even have a group of regulars who meet up there."

To avoid the need for a licence the residents’ families bring in a bottle of their favourite alcoholic drink, from which they are served a drink.

Other new facilities aimed at improving residents’ quality of life

around the building include a sensory garden and library.

For those residents who cannot get outside an indoor garden has also bee created in one of the home’s conservatories.

MP calls for full inquiry into closure A FULL inquiry should be held into the closure of a care home in Scotland after months of wrangling with health officials, according to an MP. Scottish parliament member Iain Gray has already written to health ministers asking for a public inquiry into how it handled the closure of Cockenzie House in East Lothian.

But after junior health minister Shona Robison rejected his request, Iain Gray is pressing on with the campaign regardless.

He said: “I am extremely disappointed to say the least and I am sure those whose relatives lost their care in Cockenzie House will feel even stronger than that.

“I made very clear that the relatives and others involved such as the local minister and local GPs have a great deal of evidence which has a material bearing on the case for an inquiry.

“That plea sadly fell on deaf ears, but I believe that there are still many

unanswered questions surrounding the closure which need to be addressed. I have demanded that the Minister meets a delegation from the campaign to explain the decision in person.”

The home was closed in March last year and an independent report on how the council handled the closure of the 70-bed home has already been published. The document – by Peter Daniels, a former council chief executive – covers the council’s dealings with the care home owner between 2001 and 2008.

It claims that the council had a difficult relationship with the owner of Cockenzie House, who had apparently threatened to close the home on several occasions.

Council officers made an offer to purchase the home in February but the bid was not favoured by the council’s cabinet and when negotiations broke down, residents had to be moved.

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CARINGACTIVITIES

Home banishes the winter blues with tropical party A SUSSEX care home held two special themed days for its residents in a bid to beat the winter blues.

Russettings Care Home in Balcombe held a tropical party complete with an imaginary sea and beach with giant blow-up palm trees and coconuts to get in the mood.

Residents and staff wore grass skirts and flower garlands for the event, and ate traditional food and sipped cocktails out of coconuts,

with calypso music playing.

“January is always cold and so we wanted to bring a bit of sunshine in to make it a bit happier,” said activities coordinator Mandy Mulvaney.

“The Caribbean theme ran throughout the day with the staff taking part in a limbo competition to entertain the residents.”

Norman Hand meets Deano

The home also celebrated the Chinese New Year with lanterns, food and traditional dress.

Deano laps up attention

Animal friends prove popular with residents A LEEDS care home has added some surprising new residents as part of a refurbishment.

“Many older people miss having someone or something to take care of,” she added.

Chickens and rabbits have been joined by a large number of tropical fish in tanks scattered throughout the 180-bed Copper Hill residential and nursing home home, and plans are afoot to create an aviary in the grounds this summer.

“By introducing fish, rabbits and chickens, some of our residents have taken on a whole new lease of life caring for them.”

Home manager Verity Taylor said the addition of the animals has proved popular with some of the residents.

She added that the most popular part of the refurbishment has been the upgrade of the entertainment and leisure facilities, including the introduction of a new bar area, pool table, flat-screen televisions and hairdressing salon.

AN ex-racing greyhound has slowed down his pace of life to make time for new friends at an Alvechurch care home.

Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog Deano has become a firm favourite with residents at Grosvenor House care home.

Six-year-old Deano – named after Fred Flintsone’s cartoon companion due to his size – was rescued by the Perry Bar Retired Greyhound Trust.

His owner, Pam Dewar, takes him to visit residents at the home every few weeks.

Grosvenor House activities coordinator Jo Costello said: “All the residents really look forward to seeing them. They love Deano – he’s so gentle and patient with them.

“He gets spoilt with lots of hugs and cuddles, especially after his time as a racing dog where he wouldn’t have got this much affection.

“The experience is very rewarding for our residents too, as many of them will have had their own pets and it’s nice for them to be able to stroke and touch the animals.”

Jo also plans to bring further animals of her own into the home in future.

“I am planning to bring my German Shepherd and Persian cat in to meet the residents in the near future, which will be something else I think they will enjoy,” she added.

Last year Jo arranged for a local mini zoo to visit the home, complete with rabbits, corn snakes and a chinchilla. Other activities at the home include regular film screenings and sing-a-long afternoons.

“The residents love a good sing,” added Jo. “They particularly like the old songs that they used to sing when they were younger.”

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CARINGACTIVITIES

Activities for staff as well as residents are key to a happy home according to one manager who is keen to boost morale. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Christine lets the fun times roll WHEN Christine Evans was brought in to the White Rose care centre in Holmfirth to cover for maternity leave, she had staff taking part in a variety of activities.

On Shrove Tuesday she held a pancake race, at Easter an egg and spoon race, and even a fancy sock competition in the summer which was judged by the residents.

Now she has taken over as manager and has even more events planned.

“I want to do a sports day for both the staff and residents in the summer,” she added.

“Obviously the residents’ events will be a little less strenuous, but I think it will be fun.

“I think having activities for the staff is really important because it creates a sense of team spirit.

Morale is really good here anyway, but I want to make it even better.

The residents enjoy seeing the staff joining in with things and having fun.”

Christine decided to join the 62bed Meridian home from another in the group, Stamford Court in Tameside.

She said: “I was looking for a new

White Rose house and above right: Christine Evans challenge and working with both nursing and residential residents provides me with that. At Stamford Court were were awarded the highest rating possible from CSCI, a three-star centre of excellence, and that is what I want to achieve here.

“I think that is definitely possible and I plan to work closely with the team and residents to ensure we specialise in dignity in care and pay attention to detail to this.”

Prior to joining Meridian, Christine worked for the privately owned Abbey Grove care home in Salford, where she was named UK manager of the year in 2004.

And she says the secret of being a successful manager is an open door policy to both staff and residents.

“I have always considered myself very approachable to everybody,” she added. “I’m very hands on and that is how I intend to be during my time here.

“The previous manager here did a great job before gaining her promotion, and I am determined to carry on her good work.”

White Rose care centre in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire is a 62bed home with two-thirds of the beds residential and the other third nursing.

A new cinema room has recently opened at the home, while other facilities include a hairdressing and nail salon.

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Hi-tech heat system for £10m home

By Dominic Musgrave A £10m care home development in Somerset is to use a hi-tech system for creating heat amid fears of an international energy crisis.

The development in Yeovil, by Aurora Care, is thought to be the first in the UK to use a geothermal heating system, drawing heat from the ground using ground source pumps.

Managing director Michael Lawson said the project has taken two years of research.

He added: “I don’t know of any other care home nationwide that is doing this. The main reason we have chosen this form of heating is because we are currently seeing that western Europe’s supply of gas from Russia is being hit.

“Looking ahead over the next few years, as you have to do with a new build, power stations are going to be closing before those that are to replace them are built.

“We want to make sure we can continuing operating whatever happens as we will have a constant supply for our residents and, after two years of research of many different care facili-

ties across the south of England, we feel this is the best possible way.”

Michael predicts that the form of heating, which costs £75,000, will save the home approximately £10,000. It works by filling 16 30metre deep holes with water, which draw heat from the ground using pumps.

But a larger saving will be made from a water recovery system to be installed at the home, which will see rainwater filtered and used for the laundry and bathrooms.

Michael Lawson with the local mayor Wes Read, Andrew Howard and Sue Aldworth.

“One of the biggest uses of water at any home is for the laundry,” Michael added.

“We plan to take the rainwater that falls on the roof and use it around the home, which will save on our water use and creation of carbon dioxide.”

The first phase of the development, Hendford Care Home, is expected to be finished in spring 2010 and will have 40 beds.

Further care related buildings are set to be built following its completion. Once finished, the facility will create approximately 100 jobs.

An artist’s impression of the new home

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CARINGPROPERTY AND FINANCE

Commissioning and intergration manager Linda Zaidi with home manager Heather Sault and group estates manager Phil Bytheway.

The Priory Group set to open first care home CELEBRITY haunt The Priory group is set to open its first care home for the elderly in Stoke-onTrent.

Amberley House,a 76-bed purpose-built home, will open in April and create 60 jobs.

The home will provide nursing and dementia services in single, en-suite accommodation, and there will also be a choice of lounges and dining areas and a secure enclosed landscaped garden.

Bhvana Jones, managing director of Priory Group’s care homes division, said: “We are investing in older people’s services over the next few years. Amberley House has been well received by our

colleagues in the public sector, particularly the provision of dementia services. I feel for us at the Priory Group our experience in mental health, complex and long term care will transfer really well into older people’s services.

“Older people are coming into care and nursing homes later and are more frail. The residents are likely to have more complex needs and associated health issues that we are confident we have the experience to care for.”

All residents will have access to activities and a wide range of professionals including a hairdresser, chiropodist, optician and GP. The home will be managed

by Heather Sault.

Belong Wigan

Award-winning design practice completes second care home AN AWARD winning design practice has completed its second care home for CLS Care Services’ Belong brand in Wigan.

Pozzoni’s first, Belong Macclesfield, won the Pinders national healthcare award for best care home design in 2008.

The first phase of this scheme provides a 66 bed, three-storey care home including a suite of village facilities with a bistro, hair and beauty salon, cinema, internet cafe and shop.

Pozzoni partner Damian Utton said: “Our interiors team ensured that each household is a light, airy and homely place to live, with facilities including a domestic-style kitchen, dining and lounge area, and

large patio doors opening onto a secure external space.

“All residents have their own rooms or ‘suites’ leading off from the communal part of the household, each room with a domestic style front door and recessed porch area.”

Work will begin in the near future on phase two of the development, which will provide 54 extra-care apartments with access to the central facilities.

Pozzoni will soon commence construction work on two further sites in Atherton and Crewe, which are expected to be completed in 2010. A planning application is expected to be submitted shortly for a new development in Warrington.

Leamington Spa care home changes hands after 36 years A LEAMINGTON Spa care home which had been operated by the same person for 36 years has been sold by DC Care.

Victoria Nursing Home, on Kenilworth Road, has been purchased by Albemarle Rest Home Limited after the previous owner decided to retire. The group owns another care home on the same road, and managing director Mr Hume said he was impressed with the standard of Victoria.

“We were impressed with the high standing and quality of care within the home,” he added. “Our existing care home enjoys the same local reputation for care of the elderly and people with dementia.”

The detached building built circa

Victoria Nursing Home 1860 has been extended over the years and now provides accommodation over two floors.

It is currently registered for 23 and has excellent development potential.

The sale also included a fourbedroomed detached house at the rear of the home.

Sale completed on Southampton home DFE Commercial has completed the sale of Haven Rose rest home in Shirley, Southampton.

The late Victorian semi-detached home is registered for 16 elderly

residents and clients with dementia and mental disorders. The business had been in the same ownership since 1990 and the owners have now decided to take early retirement.

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CARINGPROPERTY & FINANCE

Go-ahead for £1.5m redevelopment plan PLANS to redevelop an Altrincham care home at a cost of £1.5m have been given the green light after being originally turned down.

An application to extend Oldfield Bank care home to 63 rooms was refused last August due to concerns over conservation issues and whether the proposed scheme might harm the character of the Devisdale conservation area.

But the plans, which have been developed over a year by architects Pozzoni in close consultation with Trafford planners, have now been

given the go ahead.

“As a result of the property boom experienced in the last 15 years, many properties in the area have been converted into luxury apartments, leaving a shortage of care facilities within the area,” added Damian Utton, partner at Pozzoni.

“This development will provide the much needed care facilities for elderly people in the local community whilst retaining the architectural character and presence of the existing care home and the opulent and spacious quality of the area.”

DFE Commercial has completed the sale of Haven Rose rest home in Shirley, Southampton after the previous owners decided to take early retirement.

The semi-detached late Victorian property has service user bedrooms over ground and first floor, with owner accommodation in the roof void.

The home, which had been in the same ownership since 1990, is registered for 16, covering old age and clients with dementia and mental disorders.

A North Lincolnshire care home has been sold for an undisclosed sum by Linda Murray Care Sales. Redholme care home in Wrawby is registered for 25 elderly residents and has planning consent for a 21-bed extension. The home has been bought by Andrew Savage of Trust Care Ltd from Coleby Property Investments Ltd.

CARINGPROPERTY AND FINANCE

A professional couple have quit their jobs and bought their first care home, introducing new measures to make residents feel homely. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

First-time care home owners insist on the personal touch NEW owners Ed and Julie Munslow were keen to offer a personal approach at The Beeches in Stokeon-Trent – and one of the first things they introduced was a ‘buddy’ scheme for residents.

Each resident was allocated their own member of staff who is available to assist them with any extra needs such as trips to the hairdressers or shopping.

Ed said: “The member of staff reviews care plans and risk assessments when needed. New personal files have also been put in place with a greater individualised assessment procedure. Spending time with the resident has enabled the member of staff to build a ‘pen picture’ to go in their personal files.

“The key worker also has direct input with residents’ reviews, which we feel is very important as it is these people who deliver the direct care and often bring something to the table that other professionals have not thought or knew about.”

Ed, a former management consultant running a group of eight homes, said he and Julie, a learning disability worker, acquired the care home through Christie and Co for an undisclosed sum off a guide price of £1.5m.

Ed added: “After deciding to take the plunge we agreed that it was important to us both to purchase a relatively small home, where a personal service could be offered, while still being financially viable.

“We looked at a couple of other services before viewing The Beeches, and we just knew that it was the right

Ed and Julie Munslow

one for us immediately. It had a homely atmosphere that could be felt as soon as we walked through the door.”

The home is registered for 26 residents, four with dementia, and the couple have added three bank carers to the original staff team. They have also recruited a kitchen assistant, which has given carers more time with the residents.

Ed added: “We have changed the shift patterns, which we think has led to a much happier set of staff.

Previously they were doing nine-hour shifts, which we thought was a long day in a job which can be both physically and mentally demanding.

“We now operate six-and-a-half hour shifts, and the day is broken up a bit more for the residents with a fresh team coming on in the afternoon to get the activities going.”

The couple have refurbished both lounges and four of the bedrooms, with the residents heavily involved with choosing the carpets, wallpapers and curtains.

“The Beeches is predominantly a Victorian double fronted building,” added Ed. “However it had become tired over the years and was in need of some tender loving care. The feedback has been really positive and the residents have loved watching the work in progress. We are encouraging the residents to remain as independent as possible. Sometimes it is the smallest of things, such as giving someone the opportunity to butter their own toast in a morning, which can go a long way in retaining a person’s dignity and independence.”

The Beeches care home

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CARINGNEWS

Call for representatives for more honest feedback EVERY care home should appoint a residents’ representative so they can get more honest feedback from clients, according to one manager.

Kay Bidgood, manager of Somerset Care’s Greenhill House site in Tweentown, appointed 90-year-old resident Bill Hendra to meet and greet new residents last April.

But, she said, the project was so successful his role has now grown into more of a representative, speaking on behalf of others.

She said she is surprised other homes have not considered appointing a representative and added: “I think it really works well because in Bill we have someone who lives within the home and knows the environment. He can give us a different perspective and we can learn things from him that we may not have thought of.

“On his way back to his room he

often chats with the residents and they have started telling him things that they would like to see or do that they wouldn’t normally be happy to discuss with a member of staff. He then feeds them back to me as their spokesperson.”

Bill gives new residents a tour of the home and visits them in their first few weeks to ensure they have settled in.

Kay said: “I started here last April and Bill was one of the first people to welcome me. He is a very sociable gentleman and we spoke about him meeting and greeting people when they came into the building at his six monthly review.

“Moving into residential care or from another home is a significant change, and Bill plays a vital role in making the process as stress-free as possible.”

Manager Kay Bidgood presents Bill Hendra with his own ‘staff’ name badge.

Margaret’s ready to raise cash and home’s profile AN activities co-ordinator has been appointed at a South Yorkshire care home and given the task of not only raising its profile but also funds for the residents’ outings.

Margaret Truelove has replaced Kathryn Caswell, who has been promoted within the Park Lane Healthcare group, which operates six homes in the north of England.

She will be responsible for running the day-to-day activities at the 50bed Riverside Care Home, which include games of bingo, floor skittles,

Entertainer opens new care home LEGENDARY entertainer Ken Dodd has officially opened a new care home extension in Stoke on Trent.

Ken cut the ribbon on the 22 bed dementia facility at Majesticare's Lawton Rise care centre which cost £1.6m to build.

The group’s chairman Roger Pratap said: “The centre has been built and equipped to a very high standard, offering innovative features based on the latest thinking in first class dementia care from across the world.”

The new development is an extension to the specialist facility which has increased the number of available beds at the home to 62.

arts and crafts and board games.

Manager Darren Saunders, who took over last autumn, said: “The role of activities co-ordinator is a demanding one because we care for both elderly people and those with dementia. Not only will Margaret be involved with daily activities but she will also have to try to raise money for the home. To help her do that I am hoping she will be able to raise our profile within the local area. We are situated in the middle of a housing estate, but I am looking to

reach out a bit further because I doubt that anybody knows a great deal about us outside the local area. I want us to get out into the community so that we are not always relying on the same people to come to our events and help us when we are fundraising.”

The home also goes on numerous outings throughout the year, visiting local garden centres and the theatre as well as trips further afield to the coast.

“We often sit down with the

Eastbourne home celebrates award AN Eastbourne care home is celebrating after being recognised for the high quality of its care of people nearing the end of their lives.

Canford Healthcare’s Pentlow nursing home was one of 60 homes nationwide to be awarded the quality mark for beacon status at a Gold Standard Framework ceremony in London.

Matron Lesley Wicks, who collected the award along with her deputy Judith Charman, said: “The Gold Standard Framework enables us to offer and plan a holistic and individual advanced care plan for each resident.”

The awards were presented by GSF for care homes national clinical lead professor Keri Thomas.

£6.5m Barrow care home gets go-ahead PLANS to build a £6.5m care home in a Cumbrian town have been given the goahead by council officials.

The proposal was part of the county council’s plans draft budget which was approved by the cabinet. The budget, subject to approval, includes a proposal to invest £6.5m over the next two years building a new 60-bed residential care home in Barrow.

“This is a draft budget which delivers more independence and choice for the county’s ageing population,” said Coun Barbara Cannon, cabinet member responsible for adults and culture.

“Although the proposal for a new residential home in Barrow is still at a very early stage, there is a clear case that this needs to happen over the next two years.”

residents and ask them what they would like to do,” added Darren. It is their home at the end of the day, and we want to make sure they are happy.”

The home has recently undergone a major refurbishment, which included the building of a bar area for the residents to enjoy their favourite tipple. Other developments planned for the home include improving the gardens and creating an area where the residents can sit outside in the summer.

Panto cast visits home RESIDENTS at an Ipswich care home were visited by the cast of a local pantomime.

Actors and actresses from the Cinderella Rock and Roll panto spent two hours entertaining the 43 residents at The Lodge residential home in Copdock.

Activities manager Ken Poole said: “We have had a full programme of activities here recently, and the visit from the Cinderella cast was the icing on the cake.

“Everyone, including the staff, had a smile on their faces.”

The home was also recently visited by a couple of bagpipers.

Care group appoints new non-executive director THE Somerset Care Group has appointed a new non-executive director to its board.

Richard Barnfield had been a nonexecutive director of the group’s subsidiary company Acacia Training

and Development Ltd since 2003.

“We are delighted that Richard has agreed to join the group board,” said chief executive Andrew Larpent OBE. “His vast experience and business skills have been of enormous benefit to

Acacia Training and Development for over five years, and I am sure that he will bring valuable judgement and business acumen to the group board.”

He will succeed the retiring Norman Campbell OBE from April 1.

Shortage prompts New Zealand recruitment drive

By Dominic Musgrave A SHORTAGE of home carers in the UK has prompted one care agency to launch a recruitment drive on the other side of the world.

Corinium Care managing director Camilla Miles, who founded the company in 1995, has flown out to New Zealand to find carers for the company’s elderly and disabled clients.

She says she has struggled to find enough suitable people in the UK, despite the economic downturn and rising unemployment figures.

She added: “Since the credit crunch and the economic downturn in this country, we have had more applications from the UK, mostly from people who have been made redundant.

“But the demands for our services outstrip the supply of people who come forward.

“It’s a real chance to promote the benefits of live-in care to a new audience, and to offer opportunities to people who might not necessarily know about the possibilities of a career in care work.”

The Gloucestershire-based company has ten staff and more than 700 registered carers from Britain and abroad.

Camilla says the business has quadrupled in the last decade and she expects the growth to continue as the elderly population in the country grows.

She added: “At the same time, more

Camilla Miles people are becoming aware of the choices of care available, and more are choosing to remain in their own homes with live-in care.

“Another factor affecting our business is that families are choosing to keep their elderly relatives at home

because it’s not a good time to sell property.”

The agency, one of the biggest in the UK, provides 24-hour care for elderly and disabled people in their own homes.

Almost 40 per cent of their clients have a degree of dementia, and their

families opt for one-to-one care at home, rather than a nursing home.

Many of Corinium’s carers are from Zimbabwe and South Africa.

They spend three to six months in the UK, then three to six months in their own country before they return to Britain.

Homecarenews

29

Bid for more accessible care at home

By Dominic Musgrave A GROUP of financial advisers that specialise in finance for the over 65s and a live-in care provider have joined forces in a bid to make care at home more accessible.

Symponia and Helping Hands Homecare want to raise awareness of care at home as an alternative to living in a care home.

Symponia joint founder and managing director Janet Davies told Caring UK that she wants to explode the myth that care at home is only for the wealthy.

“Care homes are not the places they once were,” she added. “I can bet you that if you asked 20 people on the street whether they would like to move into a care home when they are older that all or at least most of them would pull a face and say ‘no’.

“They still have the perception of them not smelling nice and of people sat in a day room watching television.

“The modern care home is nothing like that, and for some people they

are the best option. But we want people to be more aware that they are not the only one and that there are choices available to families no matter how poorly the person is.”

Janet says the initiative echoes the current mood of the government, which also wants to emphasise the benefits of elderly people staying in their homes where possible.

“The major benefit for a person living in their own home is that you don’t have to dismantle your life,” she added.

“You can take memories and possessions with you if you move into a care home, but you cannot take that home feeling with you.

“I often ask our advisers ‘How they would feel if they had to put all of their possessions into one room?’

Living in your own home means you are in control of everything.

“You still have your own front door to the wider community and can decide everything from what you watch on the television to what time you eat.”

Symponia joint founder and managing director Janet Davies

Agencies could be crippled by the credit crunch

By Nicola Hyde INDEPENDENT home care agencies could find their businesses crippled by the credit crunch, according to an industry expert.

David Walden, director of strategy for CSCI, says smaller agencies could be swallowed up by their larger competitors because they may not have a wide enough customer base.

More than three quarters of domiciliary care agencies are privately owned and many have less than 100

clients on their books, according to the latest figures from the inspectorate.

David added: “The homecare sector began with a lot of very small domiciliary care agencies out there.

“These have either very few service users on their books or offer only a few hours of care.

“If these businesses do not attract a major contract from their local authority then they are at risk at this current time because they are lacking

a huge base of customers.”

A recent CSCI report says that the number of registered home care agencies has risen annually since 2004 and there were just short of 5,000 last March, while there have been year-on-year falls in the number of care home places.

David added: “Before the sector can move forward a cycle similar to that which care homes went through needs to take place.

“That industry started with a lot of smaller local providers, but over time

the bigger chains got bigger and snapped them up.

“People having more control of their personal budgets may also force this change because they will have the power to pick and choose the services they require, which will mean the agencies are going to have to raise their game to attract customers.”

What do you think? Send your letters to Dominic Musgrave, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email dm@whpl.net.

Homecarenews

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The head of a Henley-on-Thames domiciliary care agency which has jumped from a one star rating to three says it is largely down to a personal approach. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Paul Walsh

Thamesfield

Rocketing up the ratings ...

THAMESFIELD at Home, which works with the 36 residents at the nearby retirement village of the same name, has rocketed up the ratings.

The company was set up in November 2005 to provide domiciliary care to residents of the apartments – separating the provision of care to the apartments and nursing home for the first time.

It was given a one star rating in 2008 after inspectors found failings around the administration of medication and shortfalls with the way the company dealt with various types

of paperwork like checking staffs’ car insurance and MOT documents.

But its most recent inspection saw its grading rise to excellent after it introduced a new training scheme for its 16 staff.

Paul Walsh, care director, said: “It has taken a lot of hard work from the whole team, but as well as the statutory training that all our staff do, we want to offer a wide range of services for people with dementia and those coming to the end of their life.

“Even though we may not have a customer who has dementia at the

moment we want to make sure our staff are confident with dealing with a person should it become necessary, and that they are aware of what to look out for in the early signs.”

He added that the agency has also concentrated on a personal approach to its customers rather than a system where one size fits all. We have focused on making sure that our customers are getting the care and services they want,” he added. “It is not about them having to adapt to the care we provide, but more of us listening to them rather than this is

what you get, take it or leave it.

“Most wanted to get up at a particular time rather than perhaps two hours later when it suited us, so we have put staffing measures in place to meet this type of requirement.”

But he says they are not resting on their laurels and are looking to keep hold of the top rating at the next inspection: “We will continue with our training plans and developments for all staff. It is vital that we keep up with our customers’ needs and don’t lose sight of the fact that they are the reason we are all here.”

Four new ‘villages’ under development RETIREMENT Villages pioneered the concept of the American ‘village’ lifestyle all on one site when it opened its first development 25 years ago.

It now has four new facilities under development, but chief executive Jon Gooding says the problem facing the company is finding the right sort of site to build on.

He told Caring UK: “We have four new villages currently under development so have a big ongoing programme at the moment. But we are

finding it increasingly difficult to locate sites that can accommodate all of our various facilities on one single site.

“It may be that in future we build projects that have the various units in close geographic distance on different sites to meet the needs of customers. We are also actively looking to buy two or three currently operating homes.”

Jon said one of the main benefits of a village opposed to a care home is the flexibility they offer.

“We have had people here who have moved into the care home because they have been too frail to stay at home,” he added. “They have then got their confidence back and have then been moved into one of our independent living units.

“That is the beauty of a retirement village and is something that a person cannot do once they have moved into a care home.”

A typical site such as the one at Thamesfield offers a variety of accommodation – ranging from one or two bed apartments costing anything up to £500,000 – to a nursing home facility. The range of care offered at the villages can vary from domiciliary support and basic cleaning services to full nursing provision.

Jon Gooding

Care scheme staff celebrate highest possible rating STAFF at an extra care domiciliary care scheme in London are celebrating after being awarded the highest possible rating by CSCI. Sanctuary Care’s Trellis House was upgraded from two stars to three following a spot check inspection at the home, which has 42 adults aged over 60.

Extra care services manager Lynne McKee said: “When I found out we had been upgraded I burst into tears. I just feel so incredibly proud of the staff.

“The inspectors observed the interaction between the tenants and the staff and said how person centred this was.”

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CARINGNEWS

Experts slam dementia carer plans

By Dominic Musgrave

Mayor of Lambeth Angela Meader joins Aashna House care home manager Mathini Navukkarasu and resident Zubeda Shah at the celebration.

Streatham care home hosts annual celebration GUESTS were treated to a taste of India at a care home for Asian elders in Streatham.

Aashna House, run by ASRA Greater London Housing Association, opened its doors for its annual celebration, which included traditional Indian food, music and performances of Bollywood-style and classical Indian Kathak dancing.

ASRA staff, residents and their families were joined by mayor of Lambeth, councillor Angela Meader and Labour’s parliamentary

candidate for Streatham, Chuka Umunna.

“This year’s party was a great success – we all had a wonderful evening,” said manager Mathini Navukkarasu. “Because of the diversity of ASRA’s residents at Aashna House, we like to combine our festivities in one big annual celebration that everyone can enjoy together.”

The scheme has almost 40 residents, representing almost all sections of the Asian community.

PLANS which would see every care home recruit a specialist carer for dementia residents have been slammed by experts.

Martin Green, chief executive of English Community Care Association, said the proposal outlined in the National Dementia Strategy is good in theory – but says it won’t work unless it’s properly funded.

He said: “The main issue is who is going to pay for this person? Local authorities seem to ignore every single Government strategy in their commissioning process and I cannot see them finding the extra money that will be required to fund this person.

“Take end of life care or example. I have not found one local authority that has commissioned a spare bed in any of their care homes so that a relative or friend can stay with a loved one who is at the end of his or her life as was required.

“Care home managers will go to

their local authority and say they need an extra two per cent or so of funding to cover the cost for this new person. If the authority won’t pay then what is going to happen?”

The £150m strategy to improve dementia care also says GPs should be trained to spot the early signs of dementia. Memory clinics will be set up in every town and city to provide rapid diagnosis by specialist staff.

But Martin believes there is also an issue over who should pay for the member of staff - and whether it is a social care or health care matter.

“Dementia is a health issue so in theory should the funding for these staff come from the PCT and not the local authority?” he added. “This whole strategy covers difficult grey areas of health and social care and requires a fresh approach to funding across the systems.”

What do you think? Send your comments to Dominic Musgrave, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email him at dm@whpl.net

Care provider earns fifth Investors in People award HEART of England Care were presented with the Investors In People award for the fifth consecutive year at a staff awards celebration at Edgbaston.

During the event, special presentations were also made to staff members for their long service to the charity of five, 10 and 15 years, together with awards for special merit.

General manager Philip Bell said:

“Gaining the Investors in People award once again is a great achievement and a recognition of the high quality of our staff and managers.

“Throughout Heart of England Care we work hard to provide a home from home for the frail elderly residents in our care homes, and I know that our well-motivated, skilled and dedicated staff are the key in achieving this.”

‘Sexuality row’ council does a u-turn on funding withdrawal A COUNCIL that withdrew funding for a care home when operators refused to ask residents about their sexuality has overturned its decision.

Pilgrim Homes in Brighton had its funding cut by Brighton and Hove City Council when it refused to ask residents to fill in a questionnaire asking them to state if they were gay, bisexual or ‘unsure’.

Funding has now been reinstated, after the home convinced councillors they are open to all residents regardless of sexuality.

Pilgrim Home’s chief executive Andrew Jessop said: “I am delighted

that we have been able to reach an amicable solution and that our lost funding is to be restored.

“We are willing to ask potential residents about their sexual orientation when they apply for a place at our home, on the understanding that they have the right to refuse and that we will not be required to act in a way which goes against our doctrinal beliefs.”

Pilgrim Homes were taking legal action against the council, claiming they had accused the charity of being ‘institutionally homophobic’, but this has now been withdrawn.

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CARINGNEWS

Manager plans home exchange programme

By Dominic Musgrave A CARE home manager in Essex is arranging an internet penpal and resident exchange programme with other homes in the UK and overseas.

Clive Anell-Jones, of The Old Deanery, has already installed a web camera in one of the home’s communal rooms and gives residents’ families the chance to stream their parties live to the home.

He is now looking at the possibility of forging links with other care homes, both at home and abroad, to create a pen pal scheme for the residents.

He said: “We used to have close links with a nursing home in Spain and it would be nice to do something using the computers.

“It would also be good to forge some links with other care homes over here, perhaps residents could go to other homes for a bit of a holiday.

“It could also be useful for the staff to exchange ideas with workers at other homes.”

Residents at The Old Deanery have their own email addresses and, for those who do not use computers, printouts of pictures and newsletters are provided to them in special envelopes by the home’s staff.

Clive is hoping to increase the use of technology at the village even further by introducing an internet cafe and buying a Nintendo Wii for the residents to use as part of their fitness programme.

He added: “Computers are wonderful for improving the lives of residents in care homes. Some of the people living here were a bit hesitant at first because it is something they are unfamiliar with, but others have really taken to it.

“We have three residents here in particular who enjoy using the computer and have gone to Braintree College to do an IT course. One of them has taken it upon himself to teach some of the others the basics so they can use them too.”

If you would like to get involved email clive@olddeanery.com

Picture: www.thinkstorm.co.uk

‘It’s time for the care sector to embrace the computer age’

By Mario Kreft THE world is your oyster with a computer and a broadband connection, and that applies just as much at 80 as at 18.

That’s why it’s time for the care sector to embrace the computer age – and I don’t just mean for our administration and business needs.

The worldwide web is for everyone and silver surfers are here already so now is the time for us to take the lead in making this technology part and parcel of the facilities we offer.

We have to be on the net for management purposes so why not for the benefit of our residents too – there’s no age bar on Facebook, in fact what better way to keep in touch with friends and relatives than by using the communication tools of the 21st century.

All you need is a small room as a dedicated IT facility with a couple of computers and a web cam.

Individuals could email family members or even access Skype (a free facility) to speak to and see relatives and friends from all over the world.

They could hitch a ride on the information highway to research or write their own life history or set up their own network on Facebook or Friends Reunited – the possibilities for bringing the outside world into residential care are unlimited.

This could also have another positive impact. Care practitioners could work with clients, improving their own IT skills while opening up this whole brave new web world to them.

Mario Kreft Increasingly our residents are going to be more and more computer literate and may even be able to teach our carers a thing or two.

Carers who are skilled and confident in the use of computers will also be better able to cope with a service and a society which increasingly uses electronic systems for care planning and recording.

An added bonus would be that the computer suite would also be available for training or personal development purposes and many online training packs are fun and often free.

Let’s face it, why wait 20 years when our older people will all be using laptops – or whatever has replaced them – anyway when we can bring the benefits of the internet to our residents and staff here and now.

Surfing’s up so let’s switch on, log on and drop in on the world wide web.

Mario Kreft is the chief executive of Care Forum Wales.

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CARINGNEWS

Council claims unfair score by inspectors A DISPUTE has erupted between industry regulators and a council’s social care division amid claims it was unfairly scored by inspectors.

CSCI dropped Gloucestershire County Council’s rating from a good two star rating to an adequate one star following inspections carried out on its services last autumn.

But Margaret Sheather, group director for community and adult care at the council, has now called for an external view of the rating - saying the judgements made within the reports are unfair.

She added: “Often, the report only uses one or two examples to draw conclusions about our services.

“Many of the criticisms are not backed up by sufficient evidence, and many of the recommendations made are already being acted upon - something that CSCI fails to acknowledge.

“The county council takes the protection of vulnerable people very seriously. We have a strong track record in this area, and will continue to work with our partners in health and the police to make further

improvements to our safeguarding measures.”

CSCI’s regional director for the South West Imelda Richardson said the council should focus energy on improving service rather than appealing the decision.

She added: “The report confirms that the council's rating around its operation of safeguarding procedures and its high use of poor, unsafe care homes has dropped from good to adequate. This judgment is based on a rigorous and detailed evidential process.

“The council had previously questioned the judgements made in this assessment but after scrutiny by an independent panel these judgments were fully upheld.

“The commission believes its judgments are sound, and represent a true and accurate picture of adult social care. The commission does not make these judgements lightly. It has carefully considered a wide range of evidence including interviews and surveys with people using services, staff and local agencies.”

Sheraton Court activities co-ordinator Christine Terry with resident Marie Smith and carer Lucy London.

Wii leads to an increase in socialising within home RESIDENTS at five care homes in the North East have been given new computer games consoles to keep them active.

Helen McArdle Care has given each of its homes a new console and at Sheraton Court, Hartlepool, the activities co-ordinator has already requested more controllers and nunchucks because it has been so successful.

Manager Carole Thomson said: “Since we hooked up the Wii it has definitely led to an increase in socialising within the home, both with resi-

dents from the general floor and the dementia floor. We’ve had very positive feedback so far from the families of residents.”

Managing director Mark McArdle added: “They were introduced to bring extra mental and physical stimulation to the residents. It is really encouraging that the residents are finding them to be a benefit both health-wise and socially. Some people were sceptical as to whether the residents would cope with such new technology, but they’ve taken to it like ducks to water.”

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CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

Care home charity the Abbeyfield Society is celebrating after another of its homes received a three-star rating. Dominic Musgrave spoke to care director Helena Little about its successes.

‘Personalisation is buzz word of the moment’

Bradbury House and Helena Little

Staff training given credit for top grade WHEN Bradbury House in Gosforth was given an excellent grade by CSCI it became the 24th home in the Abbeyfield Society’s portfolio to receive the accolade.

Three more of the charity’s homes in Scotland have also received the top grade. The group’s director of care Helena Little puts the success down to the emphasis placed on staff training.

She said: “We have a detailed training plan in place for both our managers and staff. Two of the main focuses that we are concentrating on at the moment are dementia and end of life care – the importance of ensuring our

staff can deal with these two types of clientele is vital both now and even more so in the future.”

Between 65 and 70 per cent of all employees across the homes have the NVQ level two qualification, well above the CSCI minimum requirement of 50 per cent. Some homes have 100 per cent.

As a charity, Helena says the company has to be careful what it spends its money on, but has a number of ways of getting around paying for training.

“We are always on the lookout for courses and workshops both nationally and locally,” she added.

“We also have staff who sit on

consultation boards. I work closely with ECCA to get up to date information and we have worked closely with the government on its Gold Standard Framework for end of life care. We also have people who are part of a Department of Health consolidation group.

“Being part of such groups is useful for a charity because it means we can gather the information and then disseminate it to our managers.

Our managers are always encouraged to share best practice and to communicate with one another about issues that could arise within the home.”

ACCORDING to Helena, focusing on the resident as an individual is key to a successful care home.

She said: “Personalisation is the buzz word at the moment within the sector and we are constantly focusing on the individual and monitoring the way we go abut things even more than before.

“We review our procedures and consider what we are doing all of the time. With the strong management systems that we have in place it keeps us responsive and pro-active.”

A way that Abbeyfield continually monitors the care it offers is by regular meetings with both residents and their relatives.

“We invite the residents’ relatives into the homes throughout the year and discuss any issues that they may have,” Helena added.

“It is a good way of making sure we are offering the resident the care that he or she require. We are always setting our managers what we believe are achievable standards, and speaking with people helps us to do this.”

One of the main focuses across Abbeyfield’s homes at the moment is the subject of nutrition and mealtimes.

“Our managers are doing a lot of work on this at the moment,” she added.

“We have handed over some of the control at mealtimes to our residents as for many of them it is the highlight of their day. We want to make it a quality experience for them across all of our homes, and again we are listening to our residents and getting their guidance on this.”

System to make it easier for staff to get to know clients A CARE home group has joined forces with a university to create a new system which makes it easier for new staff to get to know their clients better.

The technology being developed by the Balhousie Care Group and Dundee University would enable staff to click on a resident’s page and

find out about their life, including important facts such as where they worked, their hobbies and any other interesting experiences they may have had.

Tony Banks, managing director of the care group, told Caring UK that the new software will be most useful for improving communication with

people with dementia.

The project is being led by Dr Norman Alm, senior lecturer at the university’s school of computing. He said: “People with dementia who are living in a residential home can be very difficult for new staff, or even experienced staff, to get to know because their

communication is limited, sometimes almost non existent.

“We hope to develop a multimedia touchscreen system which would provide new staff with a profile of the person they are caring for, and give them a few starting points for conversations and ultimately raise the quality of care they provide.”

37

CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

Staff to get advice after spot checks CARE homes in Oxfordshire are to be randomly inspected with advice offered to staff on how to make them safer.

Oxfordshire Council and the Health and Safety Executive will spot check 40 care homes as part of a campaign to help prevent accidents.

The project comes after statistics revealed more than 11,000 workrelated accidents in care homes over the past two years. The majority involved employees, but 34 resulted in the deaths of residents. The most common accidents involved falls, scaldings and drownings.

Andrew Burbridge, food and safety manager at South Oxfordshire Council, said: “The whole purpose of the visits is for us to gain a better picture of what is going on in our care homes and to advise and educate in the best way we can. Turning up unannounced will help us do that, and if people are behaving as they should then they have nothing to worry about.

“We have only just started the inspections, and so far they have

A care home owner has developed a new dementia care service aimed at care homes across the UK. Dan Lingard, who owns Birch Abbey care home in Southport, has packaged up a support service which he has pioneered.

The former software developer, who worked with IBM and the BBC, believes the system can also be used as the basis for a new dementia care service or for refresh existing services to create centres of excellence.

He said: “The iPersonally approach is aimed at transforming the services available to people and families living with dementia.

“Information, skills and knowledge are fundamental to transforming the life experience of people with dementia.

“The iPersonally Academy will develop the skills and training courses that are needed for family and professional carers alike.”

been well received. Care homes report accidents to us as individual councils, but we never get together as a county and assess where patterns may lead to follow up work.”

Officials will offer help to managers, including information and advice on topics such as accidental scalding, slips and falls from a height and how to handle heavy or awkward loads.

The council will also raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and Legionnaires’ disease and officials will carrying out safety assessments at the homes.

Andrew added: “We may find once we have visited the homes that they are all and fine and dandy and we can focus our resources elsewhere.

But it is something that the HSE has advised us we should be looking at as a priority, and we cannot ignore something which could be a danger to either the general public or the home’s residents.”

The partnership will host a seminar later in the year to provide feedback to care home providers on the findings of the campaign.

39

CARINGNEWS

New consultation Ruling win SKILLS for Care are launching a national consultation to create four new knowledge sets to support people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum condition.

The four sets are designed to set out the basic knowledge needed to support people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum, and Skills for Care will be running two workshops for each set to develop the final documents.

Skills for Care want to recruit new volunteers to join fully inclusive workshops of 20 people made up of five people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum disorder, five family carers, five professional experts and five employers.

THE Royal College of Nursing (RCN) won a House of Lords ruling last month in favour of four of its members who were put on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) list.

The judgment found the POVA scheme to be unfair and incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

This now means that no nurse or care worker should be put on the provisional list, and so banned from working in their caring role, until there is a hearing of their case. Any new system created to replace POVA will need to take this judgment into account.

Sky Chemicals launch quick acting odour neutraliser SKY chemicals have launched Magic, a highly concentrated, effective and quick acting odour neutraliser.

It is specifically formulated to destroy urine and other bad odours at the source, and not mask them using only a small application.

Magic’s modern formulation leaves a long lasting fresh fragrance to the working and living environment.

It is suitable for use on carpets, fabrics, upholstery, soft furnishings, mattresses, floors and hard surfaces, and to pre-soak linen before the wash to remove unwanted smells.

Magic has been tested to BSEN 1276 against MRSA and E-Coli. It is biodegradable, non-toxic, easy to use and environmentally friendly.

Magic is packed in 2x5 litre boxes and costs £4.99 per litre. This price includes free full COSHH data sheets, pelican pump dispenser to save on waste, labeled, spray gun in accordance with HSE, free delivery and 30 days credit.

Enquiries: Telephone 0114 2346730 or email sales@skychemicals.co.uk

Armstrong standards suit Buckreddan IN 2004 the Buckreddan care centre in Kilwinning underwent a large expansion to satisfy demand for the high standards.

Proprietor Andrew Fitzsimmons carried out a thorough market appraisal before settling on Armstrong commercial laundry systems, the supplier of the original equipment in 1986.

“We have always appreciated the high quality service support we received for our existing laundry,” said Andrew.

“We are delighted when the equipment they recommended proved the most competitive in capital and running costs.

“Recently when an ironing table from the original laundry needed to be replaced, it was no surprise that Armstrong have again won the order.

The new machine is the Rotondi PVT 38 ironing table complete with thermostatically controlled buck, vacuum unit, steam electric iron, silicone iron rest, whip spring and associated fittings, internal 8 litre / 4kw steam generator, with automatic water level control and feed pump.

Enquiries: Telephone 01635 263410.

James Spencer Elton – a chair for all the right reasons JAMES Spencer’s new Elton Chair combines traditional looks with modern benefits.

Comfortable, impeccably styled and manufactured in-house by the company after extensive feedback from healthcare professionals, the Elton, which sells at just £159, looks set to become the preferred choice because of the tremendous value for money it offers.

Other class-leading attributes include: For cleaning/cross-infection reduction, the lower back has an easily accessible “wipe through” gap - there is space round the seat cushion to do likewise.

The end user’s carbon footprint – and ongoing costs - are reduced, as both the back and seat cushion can be replaced on site.

Attractive and elegant with a laddered back, the Elton is equally at home against a wall or as a standalone chair in the centre of a lounge.

Substantial hardwood frame lacquered in its natural colour with extended handgrips to assist in sitting and rising.

Available in a wide choice of fabrics - many with additives to increase levels of anti-microbial activity.

Enquiries: Telephone 01535 272957.

Tarkett provides holistic treatment for hospital THE new £25m community hospital for Newton Abbott features over 7000m2 of Tarkett floorcoverings.

These include Veneto xf linoleum throughout all circulation areas, wards and rooms, together with other specialist products in wet areas, operating theatres and the gym. The new hospital includes a maternity unit, paediatric therapy unit and outpatient facilities amongst its many services, and will open early in 2009.

Rydon Construction’s Tony Miller, who carried out the new build, explains the choice of flooring: “We wanted to use a linoleum product for its green credentials and better feel. Having worked with Tarkett for a number of years, we chose their Veneto xf range as it greatly enhances the look of the building, giving warmth underfoot and a more homely, welcoming appearance.”

Veneto xf has excellent environmental credentials being made of natural, renewable materials such as linseed oil, jute, resin, wood and cork flour.

Enquiries: Telephone 01622 854040 or email uksales@tarkett.com

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.

40

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Achieve the Cairn look at care homes Care safety impossible event’s theme CAIRN Technology, a Sheffield-based health, safety and environmental consultancy which specialises in safety and infection prevention and control in healthcare, has turned its attention to the care home sector.

There are a great deal of managers and staff who are fighting an ongoing battle against infection and are dealing with limited time and

resources, training and tools.

It is Cairn’s aim to address these issues by working in partnership with their new clients to develop solutions to infection problems.

Once these issues have been explored, a system will be put in place to deal with these issues and training and educational materials will be supplied to staff.

Businesses invited to take free demo HOMECARE software specialist Tagtronics has challenged businesses within the sector to a personal demonstration of their latest software tagtronicsCare.

The free demonstration involves Tagtronics initially arranging a visit to

the home care agency’s offices to establish how rotas, client information, carers’ training, invoicing and payroll are currently dealt with.

Relevant aspects of tagtronicsCare will then be demonstrated.

SAFETY in care – a new direction will be the subject of the National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services’ annual conference this summer.

Working with the changing care agenda will be a major issue for care homes, and the conference will ensure attendees are ready to meet the challenge and be part of the new direction.

Speakers will promote up to date, sensible and realistic safety solutions, which will ensure quality care.

The event takes place on July 2 at the Hilton Blackpool.

BADGEMASTER is inviting buyers to achieve the seemingly impossible: cut costs while improving quality and service.

By taking the company’s price challenge any name badge buyer can challenge Badgemaster to beat the current price. It takes less than a minute to do and obtain a fixed price per badge quotation. It is completely free, confidential and without obligation.

“Lower cost for a better product is what our price challenge is all about,” said John Bancroft. “We’re so confident that we offer unbeatable prices, product quality and delivery time, that customers transferring their supply to us will have nothing to pay if they don’t agree.”

CARE SHOW BOURNEMOUTH - MARCH 17 and 18

New Express range launched YTM Furniture are launching their brand new Express range at the Care Show.

The range will feature both furniture and soft furnishings, and will be available in 10 working days from order to delivery, ensuring that when rooms become vacant, they can be refurnished and put back on line, ensuring revenue loss is kept to a minimum.

Director Damien Duffy said listening to customer requirements has lead to YTM’s plans for the year.

“We kept getting requests for our furniture on a very short lead time, so decided it was the right time to offer a range that was welldesigned, but available quickly to meet the demand from our customer,” he said.

Cabinet furniture enhances Knightsbridge portfolio KNIGHTSBRIDGE furniture has enhanced its portfolio of seating and tables for nursing homes, residential care environments and community housing projects with an extensive new range of bedroom furniture.

Drawing on the company’s 70 plus years of experience in designing and manufacturing healthcare furnishings, Knightsbridge has developed a versatile collection of bedside cabinets, chests in various drawer configurations, dressing tables, wardrobes and headboards.

Design styles for the new collection include the clean contemporary lines of Rosa, the classic curves of Amba, the simple purity of Luna and the daintily detailed Azura. All make use of a wide selection of natural wood finishes.

In addition, the range also includes Hardy, a coordinating bedroom suite in a robust beech-tone polyurethane finish which has been designed specifically for mental health environments.

The option of a sloping wardrobe top is also offered to avoid the creation of potential concealment areas.

Enquiries: Telephone 01274 731900, e-mail enquiries@knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

Haigh launches new SOLO bedpan disposer to care market HAIGH will be launching the new Panaway SOLO single bedpan disposer to the care home market at the Care Show in Bournemouth.

Designed to fit in small utility rooms and en suite wash rooms, the SOLO is ideal for care and nursing homes looking to modernise their bedpan disposal system and concerned about infection control issues and available space in their premises.

Designed to take a single bedpan or other pulp product, the SOLO only requires cold water, electricity and a drain connection to be up and running.

With no expensive water heating requirement the SOLO is always ready to operate.

This new machine will further extend the Panaway bedpan disposal range to three models with the award winning Panaway and recently launched Classic+ continuing to be available for four bedpan loading and greater throughput.

The SOLO is the result of two years design and investment.

Enquiries: Telephone 01989 763131.

Consultancy firm to launch THE Bournemouth Care Show sees the launch of a new catering consultancy for care homes.

Care Home Food will provide a menu of fixed price solutions to common catering problems at a price care homes can afford.

Providing elderly residents with appetising and nutritious meals

requires up-to-date information on good practice, as well as good cooking skills.

These address common care home issues such as improving quality, saving money, meeting inspection requirements, providing nutritious, appetising menus and managing the catering team.

Display of furniture on show A COMPANY plans to display the largest display of nursing home furniture at this year’s Care Show.

Nationwide will chauffeur drive people from the Bournemouth International Centre venue to the nearby Marriott Hotel, where they will have between 30 and 40 bedrooms on show in the Dorchester Suite. And as a special offer for the

event they are doing a special deal order 50 rooms and pay for 45 or order 100 and pay for 90.

Chris Whelan, from the company, said: “We are limited to what we can get into the show so we thought we would bring the range down and show it at the nearby hotel. On display will be our full 2009-2010 range of bedroom furniture.”

Bathroom company freezes prices WHILE a lot of companies may be putting up their prices, Gainsborough are here to help.

Unlike most manufacturers and suppliers in the UK, the company are making a stand with all current 2008/09 prices set to be held throughout 2009/10.

Taking inflation into account, the

price freeze amounts to a price reduction of around 3.5 per cent in real terms – a saving of between £120 and £140 per bath.

This action is seen by Gainsborough as an opportunity of rewarding the loyalty of all its customers and is key in maintaining and developing future business.

Girbau to display at the Care Show GIRBAU UK will show its latest range of energy efficient washers, dryers and innovative LaundrOzone ozone washing system on stand W68 at the Care Show.

The company’s most energy efficient washers ever, the latest six series is available in seven models with capacities ranging from 9kg to 122kg.

Girbau six series washers providing excellent washing while using less water, less energy and less detergent.

The 9kg model (HS-6008) has already been named the most energy-efficient in its class by US body Energy Star. Tests carried out by Energy Star showed the HS-6008 washer uses far less water and electricity than the machines of other manufacturers.

The latest Girbau UK tumble dryers are designed to deliver energy efficiency, high productivity, quick drying and low maintenance with load capacities from 13.5kg up to 70kg.

Enquiries: Telephone 0844 391 0395 or Emil sales@girbau.co.uk

41

CARINGCLASSIFIED AND PRODUCT NEWS

Family business caters for all HIGHGATE Beds is a family run bed manufacturer who pride themselves on designing beds for all shapes sizes and needs.

With distribution throughout the UK the company, which has been established for over 30 years, are able

to service the care industry with ease.

Incorporating the latest technology, Highgate Beds is continually improving the manufacturing process and craftsmanship using the latest materials. Contract beds are a specialty, and all meet CRIB 5 standards.

Transport

Fireco - official fire safety consultants to the care sector COME and meet the team from Fireco - the official fire safety consultants to the UK’s leading care sector associations - on stand W37 at the Care Show in Bournemouth.

There will be live, interactive demonstrations of the company’s innovative e-learning fire safety awareness course - the cost-effective solution to meeting the legal requirement to deliver fire safety training to care staff.

Care professionals will be able to talk to Fireco’s team of fully qualified fire safety consultants about any fire safety issues they may have.

The company assist care home owners and managers to meet their responsibilities for fire risk assessment through the company's training and consultancy services.

Fireco will also be demonstrating their wide range of simple, effective fire safety solutions including DORGARD, DEAFGARD and SYSTEM X fire safety systems.

Visitors will also be able to get an update of the company’s Wedge Pledge fire safety campaign that aims to rid us of the dangerous and illegal fire door wedge while raising thousands of pounds for burns charities.

Enquiries: Telephone 0845 241 7474 or email sales@firecoltd.com

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42

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Swing free door System attracts Improving efficiency over 450 users could save homes money system launched AN innovative software company focused on care providers is celebrating success in the UK after attracting over 450 users onto its web-based system during its first 18 months of trading.

And now word is spreading overseas as they receive expressions of interest from around the world.

PeoplePlanner, which was launched in June 2007, has quickly become one of the UK’s leading suppliers of domiciliary care software with clients in the independent and public sectors, including sole supplier status to three national care franchises.

Expanding range WESTERN Equipment Supplies Ltd supply and deliver new and refurbished hospital equipment.

And they will shortly be expanding their product range to include most hospital and nursing home care equipment.

They deliver anywhere within the UK and Europe and pride themselves in the quality of service offered.

Western Equipment supply, install, service and clean new, refurbished and existing hospital equipment.

Approved specialists with major bed manufacturers and ISO 9001 accredited, they only use teams of fully trained and qualified personnel, badged and uniformed for easy recognition on site.

Garment tracker EXPOLINK’S new garment identification solution, Retriever, takes the pain out of identifying and tracking residents’ garments.

Using a hand-held reader, Retriever can quickly identify the owner and room number of each item of clothing by scanning a small and discrete smart button attached to each garment.

This powerful yet simple solution gives residents complete peace of mind that their clothes are protected and safely returned after laundry.

Simple software provides an inventory list of items owned by the resident.

By Mike Hogg ONE of the most frequently overlooked opportunities for care home owners to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs is at the procurement stage.

But too many homes approach energy buying on a cost-only basis, without considering how supplier expertise can help them.

A credible supplier will be able to offer a company a gas product suited to their individual energy requirements. That means, with the right expertise, flexible gas supply contracts can be developed that; track market prices, offer fixed prices, a combination of the two or allow customers to purchase gas in advance.

Choosing a product that will deliver cost and energy savings might require care homes to become more energysavvy, but that’s no bad thing considering the current tough economic conditions and growing

pressure on businesses to adopt green practices.

Larger care home groups, using greater volumes of gas (in excess of 10,000 therms per day), may opt to fix tranches of gas based on current Mike Hogg market prices and balance this with a purchasing plan that tracks the market on a daily basis. This enables them to spread risk and realise significant savings, but it must be supported with daily market monitoring if the company and gas supplier are to make informed decisions.

Mike Hogg is the general manager of Shell Direct.

Partnership expands provision GB Finance Group and Cosmopolitan Housing Association are to expand their provision of non grant-funded supported housing.

The partnership aims to provide around £43m of privately funded accommodation over the next two years to assist local authorities and NHS Trusts in plugging the gaps in their publicly funded development programmes. The portfolio is is predominantly north west based but is set to grow nationally.

The investment is expected to generate around 100 additional units of accommodation for people with supported housing needs that would otherwise stay on a local authority waiting list.

The GB Finance team, who have over 60 years of experience in property finance and investment, worked with the management team at Cosmopolitan to package the right deal to fit their business model.

Training staff is essential STAFF training is essential if your care home is to stand out above the rest, and with 25 years’ experience, JHP Care will ensure that you receive the best.

Offering a comprehensive package of apprenticeship and NVQ qualifications, JHP Care is able to cater for all staff within your setting.

Care assistants may be the staff that are immediately thought of when planning training, but the experience

of both residents and visitors can be enhanced by interacting with welltrained staff at all stages.

All qualifications are delivered within the care setting by people who have extensive experience working and managing in the industry.

There is no need for staff to be released for college, and the company are also able to adapt the schedule to incorporate part-time and irregular working hours.

HOLDFIRE, the specialist manufacturer, distributor and installer of door systems for residential care has just launched Carefree Plus.

The Swing Free door system has been designed specifically for bedroom and communal doors.

Standard commercial Swing Free systems leave doors completely free to swing with no closing forces. In a care environment, this can introduce new risks.

Director Mark Batt-Rawden said: “Talking to care home proprietors we have found that with conventional systems that leave the door completely free to swing. The door can easily be slammed shut either maliciously, accidentally, or simply because an external door has been opened, creating a suction or draught.”

Little Giants help MIELE’S Little Giants are the ideal entry level machines for small inhouse laundries.

Tested and approved by the Water Regulation Advisory Scheme, these machines can be connected to mains water in any application, including category 5 high risk establishments such as nursing homes.

Little Giant machines have a maximum load capacity of 5.5 kg (PW 6055) or 6.5 kg (PW 6065) dry weight and are ideal for the efficient processing of large quantities of laundry.

Meeting needs AID CALL offers a wide range of products including Nurse Call, Staff Attack and DECT communication systems, designed specifically to meet the needs of care homes.

The company provides individually tailored solutions to meet customers’ specific requirements.

Products are installed with minimum disturbance and disruption to premises, patients and residents.

They provide essential management information, including response times and attendance time to assist the overall delivery of patient care.

PHS launches new range of waste bins PHS Waste Management has launched a unique range of compact under-counter clinical waste bins.

Designed and manufactured by the company for healthcare professionals, the new bins offer a hygienic and discreet system for correctly segregating and managing clinical waste.

Announcing the launch, PHS Management’s managing director Clare Noble said: “Our new bins make the correct segregation of waste a convenient and workable option for healthcare staff, even on sites producing relatively small quantities, or where space is at a premium.

“Ours is the first tailor-made compact clinical waste disposal system that fits neatly and discreetly under counters or work surfaces; thus keeping walkways and working areas clear, and keeping waste out of sight and out of the reach of patients.

The bins have a clever, front opening mechanism and are colour-coded in white, orange or yellow to support the segregation process and to ensure that the right bin is always used for the right waste, in the right area.

Enquiries: Telephone 029 2080 9090