July 2011 no.181 • £4.75 In association with By Dominic Musgrave THE angry owners of a Sonning Common nursing home say its latest report by the inspectorate claiming it is failing to meet 12 out of 17 essential standards is inaccurate. The major concerns the inspector had when he visited Orchard Lodge in February was that residents were not involved in decisions about their care and treatment. The report also claimed the owners did not take into account the feedback from people and their families in order to address concerns or make improvements. The day-to- day management of the home was also criticised. Husband and wife owners Nageeb and Naz Aubdool, who have run the home for the last two years, are now producing an action plan to meet the guidelines for when the inspectors return. Nageeb said: “When they came they announced themselves as if they were Big Brother. I understand they have a job to do, but there are ways to go about it. “They hadn’t come to support me, just to criticise me. At the end of the day we are both working for the same cause, which is care of the elderly, but they seem to look for the wrong things. “The inspector wasn’t interested in the welfare of the residents, and would rather pull me up over the fact there was a slight draught coming from one of the windows on what was a windy day. “I am only human and admit there are shortcomings at the home, but these are things that I am prepared to work on and could do with their support with this, rather than being treated like a child.” Nageeb said he was planning to install more alcohol-based hand sanitisers and a wet room for the residents, and he had already put in security cameras and a stair lift. He now plans to write to his local MP to complain about the way he was treated during his inspection. Roxy Boyce, CQC’s south-east regional director, said: “The quality and safety of care provided at this home is not good enough. “Our inspectors will return to Orchard Lodge shortly, and if we find that the home is not making progress we won’t hesitate to take further action on behalf of the people who live there.” Angry owners hit back over report criticism Sir Chris Bonington opened a Cumbrian care home’s new dementia wing named in his honour at a ceremony. The mountaineer, best known for his expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest, opened the six-bed Bonington Way at Nether Place Care Centre in Keswick – the first facility of its type in the area. He also joined pupils from a local primary school to open a new sensory garden they helped designed for the residents at the Hometrust Care owned home. Troubled operator given time to find a solution SOUTHERN Cross has been given four months to find a solution to its financial difficulties. The process will be overseen by a restructuring committee consisting of representatives from the Darlington-based company and its 80 landlords. At the end of the process, Southern Cross is expected to end up operating under a different name with between 250 and 400 of its current 751 care homes. Other operators will run the remainder. A spokesman for the firm said: “The business, including the delivery of care, will continue to be the responsibility of the Southern Cross board, management team and staff who have the full support of both the landlords and lenders in the delivery of this important task.” ■ For more turn to Page 14 incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector
Transcript
July 2011
no.181 • £4.75
In association with
By Dominic Musgrave
THE angry owners of a SonningCommon nursing home say its latestreport by the inspectorate claiming itis failing to meet 12 out of 17essential standards is inaccurate.
The major concerns the inspectorhad when he visited Orchard Lodgein February was that residents werenot involved in decisions about theircare and treatment.
The report also claimed the ownersdid not take into account thefeedback from people and theirfamilies in order to address concernsor make improvements. The day-to-day management of the home wasalso criticised.
Husband and wife owners Nageeband Naz Aubdool, who have run thehome for the last two years, are nowproducing an action plan to meet theguidelines for when the inspectorsreturn.
Nageeb said: “When they came theyannounced themselves as if theywere Big Brother. I understand theyhave a job to do, but there are waysto go about it.
“They hadn’t come to support me,just to criticise me. At the end of theday we are both working for the samecause, which is care of the elderly,
but they seem to look for the wrongthings.
“The inspector wasn’t interested inthe welfare of the residents, andwould rather pull me up over the factthere was a slight draught comingfrom one of the windows on whatwas a windy day.
“I am only human and admit thereare shortcomings at the home, butthese are things that I am prepared towork on and could do with theirsupport with this, rather than beingtreated like a child.”
Nageeb said he was planning toinstall more alcohol-based handsanitisers and a wet room for theresidents, and he had already put insecurity cameras and a stair lift.
He now plans to write to his local MP to complain about the way he was treated during hisinspection.
Roxy Boyce, CQC’s south-eastregional director, said: “The qualityand safety of care provided at thishome is not good enough.
“Our inspectors will return toOrchard Lodge shortly, and if we findthat the home is not making progresswe won’t hesitate to take furtheraction on behalf of the people wholive there.”
Angry ownershit back overreport criticism
Sir Chris Bonington opened a Cumbrian care home’snew dementia wing named in his honour at aceremony. The mountaineer, best known for hisexpeditions to the Himalayas, including four toMount Everest, opened the six-bed Bonington Way atNether Place Care Centre in Keswick – the firstfacility of its type in the area. He also joined pupilsfrom a local primary school to open a new sensorygarden they helped designed for the residents at theHometrust Care owned home.
Troubledoperatorgiven timeto find asolutionSOUTHERN Cross hasbeen given four monthsto find a solution to its financial difficulties.
The process will beoverseen by arestructuring committeeconsisting ofrepresentatives from theDarlington-basedcompany and its 80landlords.
At the end of theprocess, Southern Crossis expected to end upoperating under adifferent name withbetween 250 and 400 ofits current 751 carehomes.
Other operators willrun the remainder.
A spokesman for thefirm said: “The business,including the delivery ofcare, will continue to bethe responsibility of theSouthern Cross board,management team andstaff who have the fullsupport of both thelandlords and lenders inthe delivery of thisimportant task.”
� For more turn to Page 14
incorporating
The Number One magazine for the care sector
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3CARINGNEWS
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Association laysdown challengeto CameronBy Dominic Musgrave
THE Prime Minister has been given achallenge by Britain’s nursing homes following his statement thatthe Government intends to givelegally binding effect to its militarycovenant with armed forces person-nel.
The Registered Nursing HomeAssociation (RNHA), which repre-sents more than 1,000 nursing homesacross the UK, said David Cameroncould start by taking action to protectretired members of the army, navyand air force from being exploitedand ignored by penny-pinching localauthorities.
Chief executive officer Frank Ursellsaid: “Local authorities are cuttingexpenditure on residential and domi-ciliary care used by thousands ofretired service men and women,including many in their 80s and 90swho fought in the last world war, theconflict in Korea and other theatresof war.
“If David Cameron is keen to trans-late the much talked about covenant
into a law that places binding statu-tory obligations on the governmentand other public bodies, he shouldmake sure local councils cannot usethe excuse of deficit reduction todeprive former military personnel ofmuch-needed services in their oldage.
“And if he really wants to convinceus that Britain is a country that looksafter its own, he could extend thecovenant to include vulnerable olderpeople who, having worked and con-tributed all their lives, now need a bitof help back from the society theyhelped to build when they had thephysical and mental capacity to doso.”
He added that the RNHA will bewriting to the Prime Minister to wel-come his initiative on converting themilitary covenant into law and tosuggest that he looks closely at theway in which public bodies interprettheir duties towards older retireesfrom the armed forces and, morewidely, at how the government andlocal authorities treat older peoplegenerally.
EMPLOYEES of a Bristol-based care charity havebeen recognised for their long service.
Domestic assistant Beverley Morrison andNeill Vile, who works in the direct labour opera-tive team as a plumber, celebrated their 30years’ service at the city’s Ramada Jarvis hotelwith other Brunelcare colleagues who too werebeing awarded. Georgina Noonan, who works asa senior care assistant at Saffron care home, cel-ebrated 25 years, while five people marked 20years, four 15 years and 41 ten-year anniver-saries.
CEO Helen Joy said: “Each member of the teambeing rewarded has made an immense contribu-tion to the organisation throughout their manyyears of service.”
Long service award winners Shelia Haigh (15 years),Beverley Morrison (30 years) and Lorraine Bailey (15years) with Brunelcare CEO Helen Joy.
Long service awards forcare charity employees
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Palliative carenetwork set upat Suffolk homeBy Dominic Musgrave
A GROUNDBREAKING palliativecare network is helping to fulfilthe dying wishes of care homeresidents in east Suffolk.
St Elizabeth Hospice in Suffolk isworking with nearly 30 carehomes in the region who havejoined the Hospice Care HomesNetwork.
The scheme was founded whena group of care home managerstold the hospice what theirtraining needs were around end oflife care for residents and theirfrustrations at getting it right.
The hospice has also developeda Palliative Care Resource Packbased on the findings of a series ofquestionnaires, visits andmeetings.
Pam Purnell, social caremanager of Crabbe StreetResidential Care Home in Ipswich,which caters for residents withdementia, said: “The guidanceand support we have gained hasbeen invaluable. I have been
involved in the scheme from thevery beginning and it has alreadygone from strength to strength.
“It has huge benefits for ourresidents, many of whom arenearing the end of their lives andto whom we obviously want togive the very best care.
“It has also benefitted the widercommunity through our wellbeingcentre which caters for 105 clients.
“The manager there has used thetraining and resources she hasreceived to help carers, which hasbeen extremely useful for them.”
The hospice is also runningstudy days for members of thenetwork which are attended bythe care home manager and a linkperson, who then feed backadvice on communication,symptom control, advance careplanning, spiritual care andbereavement.
The hospice’s community teamis also able to visit staff within thecare home to offer further trainingand support.
Film highlights importanceof palliative care toolsA SHORT and poignant filmillustrating the steps involved tosupport an individual in the laterstages of dementia has beenreleased by SCIE.
‘Dementia and end of life care’follows the end-of-life care ofMariead Smart during her finalweeks at Moreton Hill care home,and is designed to help care staffin particular understand how toengage with people withdementia through a person-centred care approach.
It highlights the importance ofthe best practice palliative caretools that include the GoldStandards Framework, Advanced
Care Plans and the Liverpool CarePathway.
Moreton Hill general managerDee Lane said: “Death is a difficultsubject to broach and we prideourselves on the support andgood quality end of life care weprovide.
“We use the Gold StandardFramework as it looks holisticallyat all the needs of a person,whether they are physical,spiritual or religious.
“It's also about supporting thefamily so that the experience andthe memories of that person's lastfew days are the best that they canpossibly be.”
SOME of the UK’s leading experts insocial care gathered at a SouthLondon care home for a seminar onthe future of care for older people.
The thought-provoking discussionat Nightingale covered issuesincluding person-centred care,dementia care and funding issues,with the panel including BaronessSally Greengross OBE, chair of the AllParty Parliamentary Group onDementia and vice chair of the APPGon Ageing and Older People; MartinGreen, ECCA chief executive; Paul
Edwards, head of practicedevelopment at the BradfordDementia Group, University ofBradford; Professor Clive Ballard,director of research for theAlzheimer’s Society and professor ofage related disorders at King’s CollegeLondon; and Peter Watt, chiefexecutive of Counsel and Care.
The event was attended by almost100 care professionals from localauthorities, independent careproviders, charities and campaigngroups.
Seminar considers future of careBaroness Greengross
Welsh campaign launchedA CAMPAIGN has been launched inWales to ensure that people receivingcare in homes or in the communityare treated with dignity.
Over the next few monthsguidelines will be published whichwill serve as a constant reminder tocare providers of the importance ofthe issue. The campaign is being runby Care Forum Wales, which repres-ents independent care providers andhas its own Dignity Charter. Thescheme also has the strong backingof the Welsh Government.
Among those present at a workshopheld for home owners, agencybosses and carers to discuss theirexperiences was Clive Nadin, ownerof Abbey Dale House in Colwyn Bay,
who is also a member of the Forum’sboard. He said: “There is always aneed to be reminded of howimportant it is to treat people withdignity, and although, as a rule, Ithink we do very well, there is alwaysroom for improvement.
“We have seen in the national presssome very bad examples of what canbe classified as a lack of dignity inNHS hospitals, and in the privatecare sector we are trying to bring topeople’s attention what needs to bedone and what dignity means.”
Clive added that he fully supportedthe thinking behind the campaignand appreciated the need to trainstaff to respect the dignity ofindividual residents.
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RESIDENTS at a Bromsgrove carehome are getting a regular taste ofthe outdoors thanks to theintroduction of a new gardeningclub.
Wayside Care Home has set upthe Green Finger Club for residentsto have a go at growing their ownfruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
The project was the brainchild ofactivities co-ordinator SueMacFarlane, who has helpedestablish raised flower beds in thegarden to allow residents easieraccess to their plants.
And if the weather is bad, or forresidents who can’t manage to getout into the garden to tend theraised beds, Sue takes the plantsindoors for a spot of table-topgardening.
She said: “Our residents havereally been enjoying themselves. Iwas never much of a gardener untila couple of years ago when Istarted tending to my ownallotment and I got hooked.
“I just knew the residents wouldlove the sense of achievement thatcomes along with growing yourown flowers and fruit and veg so Istarted the club.
“It really does them good to try
out different activities and to getout in the fresh air whenever theyare able to.
“And the indoor table topgardening has proved a hit forthose who are unable to join theplanning outside.”
Sue said residents were especiallylooking forward to tasting the fruits– and vegetables – of their laboursin the near future.
She added: “They are reallylooking forward to picking andeating our strawberries andhanding over some of our
vegetables for our cook to prepare. “We’re hoping that we will
eventually be able to grow enoughproduce to sell to friends andrelatives, or maybe even makejams and chutneys, with anymoney made going back into theresidents’ activities fund for thefuture.”
The home is also taking part in atallest sunflower competitionbeing run by Alpha Care Homes –which owns Wayside – throughoutits Worcestershire homes. It will bejudged in August.
Residents are reallydigging outdoor club
Wayside care home resident Olive Walker enjoys a spot of table-top gardening withactivities co ordinator Sue MacFarlane.
Eight care homes piloting specialreading aloud projectBUPA has joined forces with charityThe Reader Organisation toencourage its care home residents to‘get into reading’ with special readingaloud groups.
They will be piloted in eight of thegroup’s care homes for six months.Get into Reading aims to bring thebenefits of reading aloud and ofsocial interaction to people in healthand care environments, such asresidential homes or homes offeringnursing care.
Each group will enjoy shared
reading led by a project worker fromThe Reader Organisation for an houreach week. Members will discusswhat is being read as they go along,and relatives, staff and members ofthe local community will be welcometo join in as well.
Siobhan Drane, Bupa Care Servicescommunity manager said studieshave shown that literature can have ahealing or therapeutic effect onreaders.
She added: "We hope these readingaloud groups will reignite a passion
for literature in our residents, spark anew interest or offer an opportunityfor reminiscence.
“We believe our residents willbenefit from the positive effectliterature can have on wellbeing.”
The Reader Organisation'sexperience has shown that shortstories and poetry have also provedbeneficial for people with dementia.The project will also ensure thatBupa care home staff members willbe trained to deliver read-aloudgroups themselves.
Daredevilstaff taketo the skiesfor charityTHE sky’s the limit for a group ofdaredevil staff from a Bromsgrovecare home who are preparing for a mass sky dive for charity.
Seven members of staff fromRegents Court will be making a10,000ft leap from a plane atBrackley airfield near Bicester nextmonth.
They, together with Bromsgrovesecurity team leader David Edwards – the boyfriend of RegentsCourt care home administratorClaire Cardus – hope to raise at least £1,500 for the Alzheimer’sSociety.
The rest of the team are: MandyKennedy, manager, Becky Dallimore,deputy manager, Debbie Deakin,unit lead for Albert and Victoriaunits at the home, Teresa Haywardand Gemma Sykes, both seniorcarers, and Sophie Hopwood, careassistant.
Claire said: “We decided to supportthe Alzheimer’s Society because wecare for residents with dementia –and picked the sky dive because itwas more adventurous than asponsored walk or somethingsimilar.
“We’re all very excited about theprospect at the moment, althoughI’m sure on the day we’ll be bitingour fingernails as we wait to go up and fling ourselves out of aplane.”
Each of the team, callingthemselves the “Regents Daredevils”, will be jumping intandem with an experienced skydiver.
Colleagues at Alpha Care Homes’headquarters in Redditch areholding events to raise moneytowards the sky dive effort, andresidents’ families are also chippingin.
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7CARINGNEWS
By Dominic Musgrave
A GROUND-BREAKING musical col-laboration between one of the world’stop orchestras and a Wales careorganisation has inspired the devel-opment of a staff training course.
The aim is to trial the qualification,which is the result of a partnershipwith the Hallé, at Pendine Park inWrexham as an in-house course forstaff, with a view to developing it intosomething that could be rolled outacross Wales.
Artist-in-residence Sarah Edwardssaid the aim is to embed music intothe lives of all the patients and staff atthe home.
She added: “We wanted to continuethis partnership and we feel that thebest way forward for us would be tostart training our staff.
“We’re developing a staff trainingprogramme in arts awareness whichwill be developed in conjunction withour in-house training arm, SmartcareTraining.
“It will be will be made up of severalmodules, one of which will involvemusic and the arts, which is the onewe’re currently focusing on now.
“We will also be working on visualart and colour therapy, laughter ther-apy and creative writing as well.”
The partnership, which was facili-
tated by Arts and Business Cymru,has been shortlisted for an accoladeat the annual Arts and BusinessAwards, which are being held inCardiff next month.
Three years ago they won the sus-tainability award.
Sarah added: “Dementia patients inparticular still have resonance withcertain pieces of music, and we wantto tap into that, and that’s going to be
quite a significant phase in the pro-ject.
“We’re now hoping to train our ownstaff to deliver music as a tool toenrich the lives of our residents whenthe Hallé aren’t here.
“At the moment it’s going to be a unit diploma and we’re hoping that it’s eventually going tobecome part of a diploma qualifica-tion.”
Resident Elsie Parker with musician in residence Janet Simpson from the Halle
Musical collaborationinspires staff course
Home partiesto launchminibusappeal THE Minister of State forHousing and Local Governmentjoined residents at aHertfordshire care home at aparty to launch a minibusappeal.
Grant Shapps, MP for Welwynand Hatfield, and Minister ofState for Housing and LocalGovernment, unveiled a totaliserat a Big Lunch-style garden partyat the Sanctuary owned HatfieldCare Home.
Manager Sally Kalaiarasu saidthe home is aiming to raise£60,000, adding: “Our ownminibus will enable us to takeour residents on daytrips when-ever we want without having togo through the process of hiringspecial transport. It will give usmuch more freedom and will belovely for the residents.”
The party aimed to evoke mem-ories of celebrations residents atthe home may have taking partin when they were younger tomark national events such as VEDay in 1945, the Queen’s corona-tion in 1953 and Prince Charles’and Lady Diana’s marriage in1981.
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Nursing home isfined £70k afterwoman suffocatesBy Dominic Musgrave
A LLANGOLLEN nursing home has beenfined £70,000 following the suffocation of anelderly woman after she become trappedbetween her mattress and bed rails intendedto stop her falling.
Elizabeth Roberts, 89, was found suffocatedin her room at the Headlands Nursing Homeon August 30 2008. Her upper body had sliddown to the floor between the bed mattressesand bed rails where she had become trapped.
Mold Crown Court heard Elizabeth hadsuffered from a previous entrapment incidentthree weeks before but no alternative beddingarrangements had been made.
A Health and Safety Executive investigationrevealed care staff at the home installedbedside rails after she repeatedly fell from herbed, however employees had not beenprovided with up-to-date training on the safeuse of them, in particular the risk ofentrapment created.
HSE found the home also failed to completea suitable and sufficient risk assessment onthe use of bed rails for Elizabeth, whichshould have identified that they may havebeen unsuitable in her case.
There was also no company policy on thesafe use of bed rails and no system for routine
inspection, monitoring and maintenance.HSE inspector Sarah Baldwin-Jones said:
“This is a terrible incident and one that couldhave been easily avoided.
“It is essential that home owners and carestaff consider whether bed rails are the mostappropriate method of preventing a patientfalling from bed.
“There are many alternative options such asthe use of low profile beds, which should beconsidered. When using bed rails, homesshould take adequate steps to assess thepotential risks created. This should considerthe bed occupant as well as the set up of thebedding arrangements.
“To assist home owners, free guidance onthe safe use of bed rails has been madewidely available for a number of years. Thishome could have taken the simple stepsprovided in the guidance to train care staffand implement a safe system of routineinspection and maintenance at their home.”
Deevale Homecare and Services Ltd ofGrosvenor Road, Wrexham, who own andoperate the home, pleaded guilty tobreaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safetyat Work etc. Act 1974, and Regulation 3 (1)Management of Health & Safety at WorkRegulations 1999. As well as the fine theywere also ordered to pay £21,818.56 in costs.
THE head chef of aSuffolk residential homehas been presented with along service award aftercelebrating 20 years inthe role.
Adam Wright has beenworking at OaklandsHouse near Southwoldsince he was 18, cookingfor residents and staff at
the 29 bedroom home,which is run byHealthcare Homes.
He was presented with aselection of gifts and acertificate to mark theoccasion by operationsdirector David Bates andgroup quality directorHelen Hill.
Chef Adam notches up20 years in the kitchen
Adam Wright receives his gifts from operations director DavidBates.
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9CARINGNEWS
By Dominic Musgrave
THREE residents from a Shropshirecare home are heading to Blackpoolon holiday this summer.
The lucky trio from Oldfield inDitton Priors will be assisted by threemembers of staff on the four-day trip,with activities planned including vis-its to the circus, waxworks, Sea Lifecentre and zoo.
Deputy manager Kelly Morgan toldCaring UK that another small groupof residents at the 44-bed home aregoing to Somerset on holiday laterthis year.
She added: “The trip to Blackpoolproved so popular last year that wedecided to do it again.
“It takes a lot of preparation gettingthe risk assessments, transport andeverything together, and it is tiringfor the staff when we are therebecause we are with them 24/7, but itis all worth it to see them laughingand joking.
“The benefits of a holiday like thisfor the residents are endless, andthose that went last year still talkabout going now. It brought back alot of happy childhood memories forthem.”
The home is currently undergoing arefurbishment, with many of the cor-ridors being themed to help thoseresidents with dementia recognisewhere they are.
Kelly said that, once completed, it ishoped that the new areas will alsobecome a valuable reminiscencetool.
She added: “The home has a lot ofcorridors so we thought it would be agood idea to brighten them up forthe residents.
“Themes will include music, metalartwork and dressing up. The dress-ing up area will include a dressingtable, jewellery stand and featherboas.
“A lot of the things have beendonated by staff and residents’ fami-lies, and we have also bee a pur-chased a few things as well.
“Our maintenance man is also busybuilding a shed and dog kennel forthe gardening area so that those resi-dents who cannot go outside can stillget involved with planting.”
� Are you taking a group of residentson holiday this year? Let DominicMusgrave know by [email protected] or ring him on 01226734407.
Residents Kitty Thorpe and Rose Lammas with carer Carolanne Musker on the musiccorridor.
Care home trio dolove to be besidethe seaside ...
Shropshire care home apprenticeSarah has model plansA SHROPSHIRE apprentice carehome worker has set her sights on a modelling career after being selected for a national compe-tition.
Sarah Hunt, who works atBarchester’s Field House in ChurchStretton, had planned to study general nursing at ManchesterUniversity in September after completing an NVQ level two inhealth and social care as part of her
work placement.
But her summer has taken an unex-pected twist after being spotted atthe Clothes Show Live when she wasvisiting with her mother and a mem-ber of staff from the home.
She was selected from over 9,500candidates to take part in the MissTeen Queen competition, and hasalready been to London for a profes-sional photo shoot.
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TELEVISION health expert Dr.Hilary Jones officially opened a caregroup’s unique new therapeutic sunroom facility at one of its sites.
Residents at Belmore Lodgenursing home in Lymington andother surrounding Colten Carehomes are among the first in theUK to benefit from a daily dose ofsun therapy at Colten Cove.
This modern facility offersresidents the opportunity to relax,unwind and escape the Britishweather and enjoy a healthy dose ofsunlight generated by 100 per cent
safe ‘sunlight simulators’.Hilary talked residents and
interested health groups throughthe unique benefits of this newtherapy. He added: “Colten Care’smulti-sensory sun therapy roomadds a new dimension to elderlycare. This therapy brings relief andcomfort to patients’ aches andpains and can help provide a boostto their immune system at the sametime. At least one simulated sunsession a week will provide resid-ents with all the sun’s proven healthbenefits which aid sleep, relaxation
and promote increases in energy.”Powerful lights fully replicate
natural sunlight, and by justspending one hour in the therapyroom, residents can experience thebenefits of sun therapy.
Ian Hudson, managing director ofColten Care, added: “The officiallaunch of Colten Cove comes after atrial of the therapeutic sun room atour Kingfishers home in NewMilton. It was a real success withresidents of all ages, and we areanticipating a roll out of this facilityacross several of our other homes.”
One hour in the sunlight givesresidents the same amount of ultraviolet exposure as they would getfrom spending 15 to 20 minutesoutside on an average sunnysummer day.
The temperature in Colten Cove isset at 25 degrees, while a fansimulates a light breeze. It ispossible to adjust the lightprogrammer to re-create sunrise,full daylight and sunset. Residentscan also choose from three differentlight settings, transporting them toMiami, Mauritius or Bali.
Amy Clarke, a resident at Belmore Lodge, with Dr. Hilary Jones.
TV doctor sunning it in Lymington
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By Christina Eccles
JAMES Martin entertained the crowdwhen he gave two live cookerydemonstrations at a recently openedcare home in Nantwich.
The celebrity chef also met fans andpassed on some top culinary tips atMaria Mallaband’s Clarendon Courtas part of an open day to promotethe fact the home currently has roomfor new residents.
The Healthy Eating, Happy Livingevent was a chance for guests to tourthe facilities, meet the staff and tobook in and sample life at the home.
Dishes produced included Welshrarebit on smoked haddock, summerpudding, haddock omelette, home-made ice cream and butternutsquash and lemon soup.
Care home manager Ann Bearparksaid: “We currently have someavailable rooms at Clarendon Court,so we decided to organise the openday to let potential residents andtheir families come and have a lookat what we offer.
“Making the move to a care home isa big decision and the aim oforganising the event and inviting
James was to let families find outabout Clarendon Court in a really funand relaxed atmosphere.
“The event was a huge success – wehad lots of visitors, and took anumber of bookings. The feedbackfrom visitors was very positive as well– people were particularly impressedby the standard of the home, thedécor and the emphasis we place onnutrition and healthy eating.”
All visitors to the event were giventhe chance to take advantage of theoffer of a week-long free stay at thehome, which offers dementia care,nursing care, respite care, shortbreaks and day care, and signedJames Martin cookery book on alladmissions booked throughout June,July and August.
Clarendon Court is soon to bejoined by the nearby Westbournedevelopment in Holmes Chapel,which will provide luxuriousaccommodation for 50 elderly peopleupon its completion in the latter partof 2011.
The home will offer a combinationof nursing, residential and dementiacare, and adjacent to it will be 12close-care two bedroom apartments.
James Martin with Clarendon Court manager Ann Bearpark, Maria Mallaband chairmanPhil Burgan and guests at the open day.
Celebrity chefentertains crowdsat home open day
Forum returns to BlackpoolTHE National Association of CareCatering Training andDevelopment Forum returns toBlackpool in September.
The two-day event, previouslycalled conference and exhibition,aims to help delegates to improvethe catering provision they haveresponsibility for, learn from theirpeers through networking, discoverthe latest thinking in food, drink,technology and equipment, anddeepen their knowledge throughpresentations by high-profilespeakers.
The comprehensive programme
includes relevant and stimulatingpresentations and workshops fromMo Baines, principal advisor, APSE,Geoff Booth, vice principal,Westminster Kingsway College,Ruth Bell MSc, FIFST and AlanHatton-Yeo, CEO, Beth JohnsonFoundation.
The event at the Hilton, Blackpoolfrom September 14-16 will alsoplay host to the NACC Awards galadinner. Awards will be presented tothe best catering team orindividual, care establishment,community meals and innovationor achievement.
Home goes quackersover six new arrivalsAN animal-friendly care homehas welcomed its latest guestsafter one of its resident ducks hadsix ducklings.
Longbridge Deverill House nearWarminster in Wiltshire has beennamed one of the top 30 petfriendly care homes in thecountry by the Cinnamon Trustand, as well as the 27 elderlyresidents, is also home to cats,one of which belongs to aresident, two budgies, a love bird,two ducks, two chickens, a rabbitand a guinea pig.
The home’s administrator GracePinnell said: “There is a specialbond between a person and their
pet, and the house pets really dobring a smile to the residents’faces.
“A number of the residents have been able to go out andspend time watching theducklings play and interact with their mother.
“Photographs of the ducklingshave also been shown to theresidents who do not wish toleave their rooms and ventureoutside.”
Two donkeys have also recently visited the home, whichis now awaiting on the arrival of aringed necked parakeet calledRicky.
Down on the farm ...RESIDENTS from four of a Londoncare group’s homes spent a daydown on the farm along with theirfriends and family.
The residents from Mission Care’sWillett House, Home Field, Greenhilland Morton House homes visitedEast Hall Farm in Hertfordshiresupported by ‘Let Nature Feed YourSenses’, a national initiative toencourage older and disabled peopleto engage with nature, food andfarming.
The group enjoyed a trip on aspecially adapted and accessibletractor around the estate and farm, which took them to fields oflivestock and agriculture,including horses, cattle and sheep, and returned through thefarmyard.
The stately home was thechildhood home of the late QueenMother, prompting lots of discussionsurrounding the Royal Family.
12 24/6/11 13:03 Page 1
?? 20/6/11 11:34 Page 1
CARINGSPECIAL REPORT14
Southern Cross’ financial crisis has been a major talking pointfor many industry leaders, who are calling for the Governmentto take action. This is what they have had to say:“We hear that the highest job losses are going to be in areas such as catering and laundry.This is a real tragedy for residents’ quality of life, not to mention the impact on an alreadyoften-exploited workforce.“What also concerns us deeply is the seeming complacency of government and regulators.More than seven weeks ago we wrote to the CQC and the Association of Directors of AdultSocial Services asking for reassurances which neither we, nor residents or their relativeshave received. We cannot just sit back and allow frail, vulnerable people to suffer, we wantto see the Government taking emergency action to safeguard these residents who are allat risk – even if that means taking over the assets of these homes and running them as agoing concern.”
Judy Downey, chair of The Relatives and Residents Association
“It’s undeniable that the news relating to Southern Cross’ financial difficulties and thedisgraceful events at a Castlebeck home are deeply distressing. However, these are not atall typical of care providers whether public, private or charitable, who generally provideoutstanding quality of care. It’s very upsetting for the millions of people that work in careto have their sector publicised in this way. They devote their lives to their profession andprovide unstinting compassion for the people they care for.”
Mike Parish, chief executive of Care UK
“It is essential that older people and their relatives know that carefully consideredcontingency plans are in place, to ensure high quality residential care is maintained at alltimes. The CQC should be encouraged to inspect the practice of any affected care servicesduring the transition period to ensure that standards of care do not fail.“To prevent similar incidents in the future, Age UK believes regulation should bestrengthened to ensure that inspected care homes can prove they are financially viable.”
Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age UK
“This is the start of a disaster for the residents as well as a kick in the teeth for the staff.“This is the trigger for the government to step in with immediate financial support toensure that Southern Cross continues to operate and continues to provide a home for31,000 elderly and vulnerable residents looked after by 42,500 staff. The residents, theirfamilies and the staff demand immediate action from Government.”
Paul Kenny, general secretary of GMB Union
“Ministers have made clear that the welfare of residents living in Southern Cross homes isparamount. We know that recent events and media speculation will have caused concernto residents in Southern Cross care homes and their relatives and families."The quality of care and continuity for residents must not be affected by staffing changeswithin homes. We expect the CQC to closely monitor standards of care and take action asappropriate. Department of Health officials have been in frequent contact with SouthernCross's senior management over the last three months and that will continue. We aremonitoring the situation closely.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health
THE UK's care industry is on the“brink of collapse”, a study by apublic sector union has claimed.
Following on from SouthernCross’ financial problems,Unison’s ‘The rise of the publicservices industry’ report saysother major companies in thesector are also in difficulty, andwarned that if they went under,taxpayers would have to pick upthe bill.
The report said that someproviders were “clinging on bytheir fingernails”.
It added that more than 1,000nursing and residential carehomes could be at risk ofclosure altogether, affectingnearly 50,000 vulnerable peopleand their families and hittingmore than 60,000 staff.
General secretary Dave Prentissays the behaviour of ‘wheeler-dealer private equity firms’ areto blame for the homes’collapse.
He added: “The home and daycare market is worth about £4bna year, making it attractive toprivate companies eager tomake profits. But the looming
catastrophe in the sector showsthat gambling with people’s careis irresponsible and too risky.
“Typically these private equityfirms buy companies cheaply,merge with rivals and then sellthem on as quickly as possible.Short-term asset holding meansthat people and services arepassed from pillar to post, withno continuity of care. Our list ofdisasters documents a history ofprivatisation dogged byproblems – companies puttingprofits before people, funds
being lost and inexperiencedproviders delivering poor qualitycare.”
The report says causes at theheart of the care crisis includesome companies borrowing tooheavily, despite their financialperformance being too weak torepay debts on agreed terms.
It also says that more elderlypeople want to stay in their ownhomes rather moving intoresidential care, and that the fallin the value of elderly people'sown homes means that manydon’t have enough funds to payfor residential care have addedto the problems.
Dave added: “Taxpayers havealready had to bail out banksthat loaned too much to privateequity speculators to privatisepublic sector assets that wereover-valued. Now taxpayers willhave to pay the price again, asthey will be forced to pick up thebill for collapsing companies.“We need to halt theprivatisation of any more publicservices, before more people aremade to suffer in the name ofprofits.”
As the country’s largest care provider Southern Cross announced that it is tosurrender more than 130 care homes and make 3,000 members of staffredundant, Dominic Musgrave looks at the future for elderly care.
UK care industry ‘on brinkof collapse’ – union study
Dave Prentis
THE impending collapse of Southern Cross shouldbe a concern of every citizen of the UK, the owner ofa rival care group has claimed.
Arti Poddar, chief executive of Sterling Care Homesand Lotus Senior Living in Scotland, warns thattakeovers by rival operators who are landlords tosome of the group’s homes. or local councils. couldlead to insecurity. She called on the sector to standup for the elderly and act as their voice.
“We are all aware of the high ratio of homes thatare under-performing from a care standard point ofview,” added Arti. “Regardless of the size of theseoperators will they be able to take on the challengeof taking over the care delivery to some 31,000vulnerable adults? Don't be fooled – council runhomes too are among some of the poor performinghomes in the country. We can under no circums-tances allow all of these homes to close – we aretalking about re-homing 31,000 vulnerable adults, ofwhich a high percentage would not survive a move.And one life lost due to the financial mismanage-ment of a company is one life too much.”
The owner of three homes in and around Glasgowalso questioned what role the government has hadin Southern Cross’ crisis
She added: “The speculation of the collapse ofSouthern Cross has been going on for months wehave to ask what support/ solutions have thegovernment provided?
“What are Southern Cross doing about betteringtheir financial and care management and what extrasupport are the government providing? In my viewthe only viable option is to work in partnership witha diverse group of people because clearly we cannotdepend on a select few people who are more likelyinterested in the financial viability of any solution.”
Impending collapse‘of concern to everycitizen of the UK’
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15CARINGNEWS
Claims that toolittle being spenton long-term careBy Christina Eccles
BRITAIN is spending too small a pro-portion of its national income on long-term care to be able to meet the leveland complexity of older people’s needs,it has been claimed.
The Registered Nursing HomeAssociation has sent the message to thecoalition government in the weeks run-ning up to publication of the long-awaited Dilnot commission report onbetter ways of funding care for thefuture, adding that the over 80s aremissing out the most.
CEO Frank Ursell told Caring UK thatboth national government and localauthorities are spreading too little jam too thinly and, as a result, arestarving older people’s services of pub-lic money.
Quoting from a recent Organisationfor Economic Co-operation andDevelopment report ‘Help Wanted?Providing and Paying for Long-TermCare’, he added: “According to OECDfigures, we spend below the average forOECD countries on long-term care (1.2per cent of UK GDP compared with 1.5per cent).
“On the other hand, 2.9 per cent ofour population are using services, com-pared with 2.3 per cent across theOECD. To me, it smacks of a countrytrying to provide essential care to themost vulnerable section of the popula-tion on the cheap.”
He added that at the same time all butthe most impoverished older people areexpected to spend their own savings toensure that they are adequately lookedafter as they become increasingly frail.
“What worries us, however, is that thegovernment may simply shelve the rec-ommendations of Andrew Dilnot’sreport and use the need to reduce thedeficit as a convenient excuse for doingnothing,” said Frank.
“Previous governments have had anasty habit of shelving the problem offunding social care by asking a commis-sion of experts to review it, only to kickthe findings into the long grass ongrounds of affordability.
“If we want to live in a civilised societythat looks after its oldest and frailestcitizens, we need to see a change inmindset, which means putting care ofthe elderly at the top of the agenda forthe very first time.”
David Cameron with Henry Cornish Care Centre resident Dot Blunsdon, daughterPauline Hall and son David Benfield.
THE Prime Minister has officiallyopened a new £7m care campus inChipping Norton.
David Cameron, MP for Witney,toured the facility, which compris-es the Chipping Norton WarMemorial Community Hospitaland the Henry Cornish CareCentre, before unveiling a com-memorative plaque.
They have been developed byThe Orders of St John Care Trust inpartnership with bpha,Oxfordshire county council and
NHS Oxfordshire, with significantinput and support from WestOxfordshire district council andthe Hospital Users’ Group.
The new campus, built on thesite formerly known as RockhillFarm, comprises a 50 bed regis-tered care home, which includes a14-bed intermediate care unit, anda state-of-the-art NHS primarycare facility. Henry Cornish CareCentre replaces the charity’s CastleView residential care home built inthe 1960s.
A DAMNING report into the funding ofcare in England is a final wake-up call tothe Government to act before it is too late,a regional body has warned.
The Independent Care Group (York andNorth Yorkshire) says this generation risksbeing judged as the one that turned itsback on its older people.
The claim comes following the launch ofa new report from Age UK which warnsthat a lack of funding for social care haspushed the sector to breaking point.
Independent Care Group chair MikePadgham has backed the charity’s calls foran extra £2bn to £3bn to be spent oncaring for older and vulnerable people.
“We have argued for years that socialcare has never been properly funded,even in more prosperous times,” headded. “Now that spending is beingslashed the situation has reachedbreaking point.
“It is shameful that we are dramaticallyreducing the amount we spend on caring
for older and vulnerable people – peoplewho deserve to be looked after and caredfor to retain their dignity andindependence. As a country we have toseize the opportunity to halt this declineand commit to spending the extra moneyneeded on social care. Otherwise we willbe judged as the generation that turned itsback on its older people.”
Age UK’s report 'Care in Crisis: Causesand Solutions’ argues that the currentspending cuts are making the situationworse, despite the fact that more andmore people are needing care.
Mike added: “Caring for our older peopleshould be protected from cuts – likehealth and education. If cuts have to bemade then they should be madeelsewhere, rather than with the health andwellbeing of our older citizens.
“Maybe now that Age UK has released itsdamning report, the Government will seethat it is time to act.”
� Do you agree with Mike? Let DominicMusgrave know by emailing [email protected] telephone 01226 734407.
If you’ve got a story for Caring UK call our healthcare editor Dominic Musgrave on 01226 734407 or email him [email protected]
A Jewish Care worker gave up the opportunity to audition for Britain’s GotTalent to perform at the group’s Celebration of Success ceremony.Paul Jarvis, care co-ordinator at the Jewish Day Centre in Stepney, opted toperform with the recently formed staff choir instead, in front of an audienceof more than 200 at the Metropolitan Police Peel Centre in Hendon.The event pays tribute to all its staff for their immense hard work anddedication, and also celebrated the achievements of those who had gainedprofessional qualifications in the course of the year including NVQs and longservice awards.Guest speaker was Jeff Wolfin, founder and CEO of Humanicity.
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17CARINGNEWS
Residents at Majesticare’s Ashfields Care Home in Heanor taking part in a weekly ‘movement to music’ class.
An increasing number of care homes nationwide are seeing animprovement in the health of residents who partake in regulardance and exercise classes. Dominic Musgrave found out more.
Residents reaping thebenefits of exercise asmore homes start classes
Puppy therapy ‘a revelation’ at Scottish care homeTHE chairman of the group whichowns a Scottish care home says hehas noticed a massive change in the residents after recruiting abulldog puppy as a therapy assistant.
Humphrey began work atInchmarlo Care Home andRetirement Community inAberdeenshire 12 months ago to
offer companionship for those livingthere, and it hasn’t taken long forhim to become a firm favourite dur-ing his rounds.
Charles Skene said he has been a‘revelation’, adding: “He has been abig hit with many of our residentswho cannot wait to see him againand again.
“Humphrey offers comfort, com-
panionship and friendship to thosewho sometimes cannot expressthemselves due to communicationdifficulties or illness.
“He has a fantastic ability to makepeople smile and it can be a veryeffective treatment.
“Those residents in particular with limited cognitive skills can’thelp smiling as Humphrey eagerly
greets them.”
When he started at Inchmarlo,Humphrey launched his own onlineblog where residents and fans fromaround the world can read about hisprogress.
In the last year he has heard fromadmirers as far afield as the UnitedStates, Hong Kong and Thailand as aresult of his online posts.
THE Caring UK newsdesk hasbeen inundated with calls andemails from care home ownersnationwide following our Maystory on exercise in care homes.
It would appear that many facilities are hosting regular fitness classes to help keep resi-dents as active and healthy as pos-sible.
Cath Rowlands, activities co-ordinator at Millbrow Care Homein Widnes, said she has been run-ning chair-based exercises sincegaining a level two YMCA qualifi-cation last October.
She added: “The classes areeffective and fun and are mainlyheld weekly. Occasionally if I missa week, due to other activities, theresidents are always quick toremind me.
“The exercises are designed topromote independence by build-ing on the basics of strength,mobility and flexibility.
“We start with a warm up –marching, arm swinging and tapand clapping – before moving onto mobility and strengtheningexercises. The 45-minute classesthen finish with a cool down and agame of new age curling, whicheverybody loves.”
Julie Elliott, marketing managerat Eastgate Care Homes, whichoperates four sites in Nottingham-shire, said exercise is at the heartof the remit of the group’s activi-ties co-ordinators.
She added: “We all know aboutthe benefits of movement and itseems to increase in importanceas we age. With this thought at theforefront we have a varied andchallenging programme of activi-ties to offer stimulus to our resi-dents.
“The type of activity is varied, tosuit the different needs of the resi-dents. Chair based routines arepracticed regularly, and the co-
ordinators have undergone thenecessary training to ensure thatthey are able to deliver a pro-gramme to suit those that are chairbound.
“The Wii Fit has also beeninstalled at one of the homes –Alexandra House – with residentsalso being able to have a go at longforgotten or never tried sports. Tenpin bowling is a favourite and, inaddition to the physical activity,the mental stimulation is also ben-eficial.”
Karen Webb, manager of IvybankHouse in Bath, said they are alsoseeing the benefits of exercise inthe 40 residents.
She added: “We have an exten-sive activity programme runninghere, and we incorporate exerciseclasses on a twice weekly basisfacilitated by an activity staffmember. It is very popular andmuch enjoyed by a lot of our resi-dents.”
Editor’scommentTHERE is never a dull moment in thecare sector, but this month it hasgone to whole new levels.
From allegations of abuse to thefinancial crisis at Southern Cross, theindustry is always staring down thebarrel of the gun when it comes tocontroversial issues.
But, instead of dwelling over nega-tive headlines, many care home own-ers now take a refreshingly easy-going attitude to the criticism.
Those who do their jobs well areconfident the ‘headlines’ aren’t aboutthem and are becoming increasinglymore open in sharing good practice.
Those who don’t do their jobs welltend not to respond – and, as theysay, silence is deafening.
Here at Caring UK we work hard toensure our content is wide and varied– from problems around inspectionsto care homes who have been com-plimented for their care plans.
We don’t want to stick the knife intothe industry – instead, we want toprovoke informed debate about theseissues.
If you have a story for us, no matterwhat it is, we would love to hear fromyou.
You can email [email protected] or tele-phone 01226 734407. And you canalways keep up to date with the latesthappenings by following us onTwitter @caringuk
Dominic Musgrave Healthcare Editor
Film grantA DERBYSHIRE charity has beenawarded £10,000 to produce afilm to aid older people withdementia.
First Taste was given the moneyin the latest round of the EastMidlands Lottery’s Awards for Allscheme.
The grant will pay for a DVD,“Where’ere You Walk” which willbe used in care homes and nurs-ing homes to stimulate andsoothe older people with demen-tia. It will also be used to helpwith care staff training.
The film will be shot over thefour seasons of the coming year.Former Blue Peter presenterSimon Groom will undertake thefilm’s commentary.
It is set to be launched by thecharity’s patron, Baroness EstelleMorris of Yardley, next April.
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CARINGNEWS18
Call for urgentreview oninspectionsBy Dominic Musgrave
A LEADING care association hascalled for an urgent review of carehome inspections in the wake ofrecent findings on standards ofdignity and nutrition in hospitals.
The Relatives and ResidentsAssociation, a national charity for thewelfare of older people in care, iscalling on the CQC to implement thesame inspection programme innursing and residential care homesfor older people.
This follows the release of the first12 reports of its inspectionprogramme which examined 100NHS hospitals throughout England.The findings revealed that three arenot meeting minimum standardsrelating to these key areas, with afurther three identifying less seriousconcerns.
Trustee Trish Davies said: “It’sunforgivable that patients shouldhave to be prescribed water by theirdoctors in order to prevent themfrom dehydrating, but these poorfindings don’t come as a surprise;callers to our helpline tell us that thesame careless treatment goes on insome care homes.
“We’ve had real concerns since, last
year, regular care home inspectionswere dramatically cut. We would liketo see this current programmeimplemented right across the board,to include care homes for the elderlyas well as hospitals, so that all olderpeople with care needs have thesame protection.
“We also want to see properlytrained, multi-disciplinary, teamswith the relevant experience – likethose in the hospital programme –undertake care home inspectionsand we believe that unannouncedcalls are vital if checks are to berobust and meaningful.
“Frankly, our current attitudestoward older people are, all too often,unacceptable. If these hospitalreports had been in relation tochildren in care there would havebeen a national, and sustained,outcry.”
She called for a nationalprogramme of change to improvecare of the elderly right across theboard.
� Do you think there should be areview into the way care homes areinspected? Let Dominic Musgraveknow by emailing [email protected] ortelephone 01226 734407.
Keynote speaker announcedfor ECCA conferenceANDREW Dilnot, chair of theCommission on the Funding of Careand Support, will deliver the keynotespeech at this year’s ECCAconference entitled ‘Quality. What’sit worth?’.
When the event takes place at theBloomsbury Holiday Inn, London onNovember 16 he will have deliveredhis report on the best way to fund afair and sustainable system forsocial care.
William Laing, founder anddirector of leading consultancy,Laing and Buisson, will also give anauthoritative overview of the socialcare sector.
The conference will also feature anexhibition and seminars fromselected suppliers andorganisations, who will offer advice on how best providers candeliver quality care to their serviceusers.
Residents at a Birmingham care home raised a toast at a party to celebrate its25th anniversary. Carpenter Place, managed by not-for-profit Moseley and DistrictHousing Association, opened in 1986 and was named after a clergyman from thelocal parish called Freddie Carpenter. Residents Tony Deraghty and David Kray arepictured celebrating the 25th anniversary of Carpenter Place.
Island team visits sheltered schemesA DELEGATION of Guernsey’s seniorofficials that included three stateministers visited two of a Bristolcharity’s sheltered housing schemesto see their imaginative approach toboth comfort and safety.
The trip to Brunelcare’s WaverleyGardens and Colliers Gardens sitesfollowed criticism by a scrutinycommittee of the island’s housingdepartment for not providing enoughhelp for the older population.
Brunelcare chief executive HelenJoy said the designs of both are built
around different forms of age-relatedimpairment, from limited mobility topoor sight and failing memory.
She added: “A number of ourtenants will suffer from some form ofdementia at some stage, and bothbuildings have been designed tocompensate for that.
“It was agreed by all that the design,flexibility, quality of the facilities andlevel of care are all developed to caterfor individual needs and present apositive option for older people.”
New framework launched for care settingsat Naidex
THE recent Naidex exhibition sawthe launch of the 360 StandardFramework, developed by consultantoccupational therapist RosemaryHurtley and former health authoritynursing advisor Pat Duff OBE.
The 360 Standard Framework putsthe experience of the resident at theheart of how an organisation measuresits success.
It exemplifies the human rights ofthe cared for person and therequirements of empatheticcommunication in the care givingrelationships as measurable outcomes.
Through a flexible combination oftraining, assessment and adviceinvolving the residents, staff and the relatives, 360 Forward’s team of qualified health professionals workalongside a care settings, helping to create an ongoing culture of care where residents enjoy staying, staffenjoy working and relatives enjoy visiting.
Enquiries: Contact director Charles Hurtley at 01483 275555, email [email protected] or visit www.360fwd.com
18 24/6/11 13:05 Page 1
19CARINGPEOPLE
IRENE Booth celebrates 20 yearsworking for North West basedMeridian Healthcare this year, andwill start her new role at the £3.9mMillbrook Care Centre when itopens this autumn.
Retaining the façade of the for-mer St James Primary School,which had previously stood derelictfor 10 years, the purpose-builthome’s facilities will include 46 en-suite bedrooms with walk-in show-ers, courtyard gardens, a cinemaroom, nail bar and hairdressingsalon.
Joining Meridian as a care assis-tant in 1991, Irene has been pro-moted through the company sincethen, and has managed the nearbyHolme Lea Care Centre for the lasttwo-and-a-half years. The new rolewill be the next step in what shesays is a stimulating and rewardingcareer.
“I was a dress machinist back inthe 80s, which enabled me to workfrom home and look after my chil-dren when they were young,”added Irene. “When my youngeststarted at secondary school, Idecided to go back into the work-
place, saw the care assistant jobadvertised in the job centre anddecided to take the plunge.
“Becoming a care assistant wasan eye-opener. I thought it wouldbe all about taking cups of tea topeople but of course I soonrealised we played a far bigger partin their lives than that.
“One of my most treasured mem-ories of my early years was becom-ing key worker to a lovely gentle-man who didn’t have any immedi-ate family, so I went with him onday trips and even to the wrestling,a particular love of his.”
As manager, Irene will oversee upto 30 staff, ensure residents arebeing looked after to the higheststandards and manage the home’sbudget and marketing.
She added: “I have stayed in thecare sector for 20 years because Igenuinely like older people and get
a real sense of achievement inbeing able to improve their lives.
“Two days are never the same andit can be very demanding at times,but at the end of the day we arehelping to give older people com-fort, security and hopefully funtimes, when they most need it.”
Listening, observing and wanting to make people’s lives better is the key to a successful career inthe care sector, claims the new manager of a Stalybridge care home. Dominic Musgrave reports.
Next step in Irene’s caring career
Irene Booth
An artist’s impression of how the newhome will look once completed
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CARINGSPECIAL REPORT20
THE inspectorate has apologised tothose people it let down when itfailed to act to address the abuse andpoor standards of care atWinterbourne View.
The CQC says that it has takenaction following an internal review inresponse to the issues uncovered byPanorama.
These include:
� Carrying out three unannouncedinspection visits of the hospital andtaking steps to ensure the hospitalwill not admit any new patients.
� Working with the primary caretrusts and councils who pay for thecare of people at the hospital tosecure the best outcomes for thosepeople.
� Starting an immediate review of allservices run by Castlebeck.
� Launching a detailed internalreview of its actions in relation toWinterbourne View.
� Speaking to the former member ofthe hospital staff, apologising for notcontacting him earlier and offering todiscuss his concerns.
� Writing to Care Services MinisterPaul Burstow MP proposing thelaunch of a programme of risk-based and randomunannounced inspections of asample of the 150 hospitals providingcare for people with learningdisabilities.
Paul said: “People deserve to receivesafe and effective care. That's whatwe expect from every care provider.
“I have confirmed with CQC thatthey should undertake a series ofunannounced inspections of services for people with learningdisabilities.
"These unannounced inspectionsinto care for people with learningdisabilities will help inform futurepolicy and focus attention on the7/24 care obligation all providershave.”
Paul Burstow
‘People deserve to receivesafe and effective care’
Company head ‘sorry’for staff behaviourTHE CEO of the company which owns thehospital at the centre of the Panorama abuseclaims has apologised for the ‘completelyunacceptable and appalling behaviour’ of a smallnumber of employees.
Castlebeck’s Lee Reed said the company’sexecutive team acted as soon as they werecontacted by the programme makers regardingsome of the contents a few weeks before it aired.
He said the police, CQC, the local safeguardingteam, commissioners of the service, otherrelevant authorities and the families of thepatients named in the allegations wereimmediately informed, while the staff alleged tohave behaved inappropriately were suspendedand reported to the police,
“I was shocked, disgusted and ashamed by whatI saw on Panorama,” he added. “Having spent myentire career in health and social care, I intend toleave no stone unturned to ensure that this typeof horrific event is never allowed to happen again.
“I have been chief executive since January, andmy priority is the patients under our care. My jobnow is to ensure that this company movesforward from this appalling episode to havingamong the best, if not the very best, standards inthe provision of care for some of the mostvulnerable people in society.”
A committee of Castlebeck’s non-executivedirectors has commissioned the internationalconsultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers toundertake a thorough independent review of thecompany, including its culture, medical protocolsand communications systems.
This independent review will be completedwithin 30 days and its findings andrecommendations conveyed directly to thecommittee of non-executive directors.
THE heads of the leading care associations havebeen having their say on the future of care in thewake of the Panorama programme filmed atWinterbourne View Hospital in Bristol.
Four people were arrested after secret filming atthe Castlebeck owned facility showed vulnerableadults being slapped, dragged across the floor andtaunted by the people who were supposed to becaring for them.
Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National CareAssociation said she was amazed that, despiteTerry Bryan, a former senior nurse employed inthe unit, raising concerns about abuse with boththe management of the hospital and the CQC, noaction was taken immediately.
She added: “The purpose of the regulator is toregulate services using an assessment processwhich will protect vulnerable members of society.
“As responsible providers we want to haveconfidence that complaints about services are notsimilarly dismissed.
“The question for us is whether the regulator isable to meet its obligations to service users andproviders or should they be replaced by anorganisation that will respond speedily andefficiently to serious concerns raised.”
She added that regulation of care homes shouldnever be a paper chase within a tick box culture,but should be an opportunity to talk to the peoplereceiving the service and most particularly tolisten to them.
ECCA chief executive Martin Green echoed the
sentiments, and said that the programme has ‘alesson for everyone’.
He added: “Panorama had messages for everypart of the care system. Care providers, staff andregulators must all work together to ensure thatservices are of a high quality and free from abuse.
“The programme will have undermined theconfidence of the public in care services, and willbe of great concern to the majority of care staffwho provide high quality services.
“I hope it will start a debate about how we canimprove the provision, commissioning andregulation of care services.”
Gary FitzGerald, chief executive of Action onElder Abuse, described the programme as‘harrowing to watch,’ comparing some scenes towatching a horror movie.
He added: “Once again these scenes took placein 21st century Britain in a regulatory system thatis 'designed to enable us to spot warning signsthat might indicate an emerging problem'.
“We must ask how and why does this keephappening? Why is it that we have systems inwhich such abuse can go unnoticed andunchecked, with very vulnerable people sufferingdreadfully?”
“The public must have faith in the regulationsystem, which means CQC must explain why theyfailed to respond to Mr Bryan. This not a matterwhich can be relegated to 'hindsight vision',because the regulator is required to make thesejudgements every day of the week.
A BBC investigation into the care vulnerable adults received at a Bristol hospital has discovered some shocking acts. Dominic Musgrave reports on the effects theprogramme could have on the sector.
BBC investigation ‘alesson for everyone’
20 21/6/11 16:16 Page 1
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CARINGNEWS22
Leaders urgedto put asidedifferencesBy Nicola Hyde
ELDERLY people will be left to sufferunless David Cameron, Nick Cleggand Ed Miliband can put aside theirpolitical differences to agree urgentreforms to the care system, it hasbeen claimed.
In an open letter to the three partyleaders an alliance of charities, thinktanks and councils say time has runout for political wrangling over howto look after the millions of elderlyand disabled people who needsupport.
With the system at ‘breaking point’,MPs of all parties must now reach a‘consensus’ or condemn generationsof pensioners to a life of poverty,misery and pain, the signatoriesincluding the leaders of Bupa CareServices, the Local GovernmentAssociation, Age UK, the JosephRowntree Foundation, as well associal workers' and carers'representatives, warn.
They also say that economist andbroadcaster Andrew Dilnot’s plansfor the future funding of the socialcare system in England, which aredue to be released next month,
should not falter due to politicaldivisions like others in the past have.
“For over a decade, governments ofall colours have struggled to agree ananswer,” the letter says.
“But delay is no longer an option.As a number of recent reports havehighlighted, the increased pressureon public finances is pushing analready over-burdened system tobreaking point.
“And without further integrationbetween health and social careservices this picture could worsen. Itis frail, older people who will sufferunless the issue is resolved.
“We, the co-signed, are urging allpolitical parties to respond to theindependent Commission’s report ina measured process of debate andwork to build a consensus on thesolution.
“We therefore look forward toworking with you and your team asthis urgent reform is taken forwardthis Parliament.”� What do you hope to see in AndrewDilnot’s plans for the future of care inEngland? Let Dominic Musgraveknow by emailing [email protected] ortelephone 01226 734407.
BARCHESTER Healthcare’s fifthcare awards to recognise empl-oyees who have made a specialdifference to residents’ lives havebeen held in Birmingham.
More than 600 entries from thegroups homes nationwide werereceived, with two new categoriesintroduced this year – chef of theyear and maintenance champion.
Winners were: Carer/supportworker – Barbara Jackson(Hethersett Hall); registered nurse– Tetri Baksh (WimbledonBeaumont); activities coordinator– Mark Smith (Lucerne House);
maintenance champion – GrahamEarp (Marple Dale); hospitalitychampion – Ori Jolley (WerringtonLodge); Memory Lane champion –Fiona Gavigan (Stamford BridgeBeaumont); diverse serviceschampion – Anwen Mulligan(Awel-Y-Mor); home trainer –Sevda Cowalossur (ChalfontLodge); apprentice/learner –Rebekah Leigh Heyes (SherwoodLodge); chef – Laurentia Vaughan(Knightbridge); BarchesterFoundation champion Award –Malcolm McDonald (WhiteLodge).
Caring UK Commercesection brings you all the latest property,business and trainingnews every month.
In this issue:
� Now is the timeto assess yourbusiness
Page 25
� Former rugbystar move intofield of care
Page 26
� Homes advisedto look at staffrequirements
Page 27
New quality to act askitemark for residentsA NEW quality measure for care homeswhich aims to make poor treatment ofresidents a thing of the past has beenlaunched.
Jointly developed by former nursingdirector Patricia Duff OBE and RosemaryHurtley, author of ‘Find the Right CareHome’ for Age UK, the new 360 Standardwill only be awarded to care homeswhich can prove they provide an excel-lent culture of care for residents.
Endorsed by ECCA, The Relatives andResidents Association and the College ofOccupational Therapists,it aims to fillthe gap left by the CQC’s decision to stopawarding quality ‘star’ ratings.
Rosemary, a consultant occupationaltherapist, said the Standard will act as a‘kitemark’ for residents, their families
and frontline staff of the quality of careat the home.
She added: “The views of the cared-forperson, their relatives and the staff is thebest barometer of whether a care homeis the sort of place you would want yourmother or father to be living their finalstage of life.
“Moving into a care home is often seenas a last resort, a final relinquishing of aperson’s independence. But it doesn’thave to be like this. A home which meetsthe Standard will be able to prove topotential clients and their relatives thatthe feedback and experience of residentsis at the absolute centre of what they do.
“It will only be awarded to homeswhich can demonstrate commitment toresidents, staff and relatives working
together to continuously improve theresident experience.”
The 360 Standard, which was launchedby former primary care ‘tsar’ DavidColin-Thomé OBE, has been developedover 10 years and piloted in residentialcare homes, extra care and domiciliarycare since 2007.
It can be used at all levels of an organi-sation, and comprises three sets of inter-dependent outcome standards, whichtogether constitute a level of person-centred practice, as defined by the caredfor person, staff, and relatives.� Do you think it is necessary for thecare sector to have a quality rating? LetDominic Musgrave know your views byemailing [email protected] or ring him on01226 734407.
CHRISTIE and Co has sold threeturnkey care home developmentsand a fourth site to Patron Capital’s Gracewell Healthcare –adding up to 282 beds to the caresector.
The specialist agents acted onbehalf of developer HighwoodGroup, who have commenced work
on the first development – a newstate-of-the-art 80-bed care home inFareham, Hampshire to be followedlater in the year by a 70-bed unit inFrome and a 60-bed one inWeymouth.
Planning permission has also beengranted for a 62-bed care home inSalisbury.
A graphic of the Frome development
THE boards of Nightingale Houseand Hammerson House are in pre-liminary discussions about a poten-tial merger between the two carecompanies.
Early talks are exploring the possibility of combining the twoJewish communities’ expertise andexperience to create a single organi-sation.
Companies consider merger
Four sales add 282beds to care sector
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Report looksat choice incare marketBy Christina Eccles
CHOICE in the UK care homesmarket and the implications forconsumer policy and welfare are twoof the subjects explored by a newdiscussion paper.
The report, published by GHKConsulting, describes the extent towhich older people and theirfamilies/friends are able to exercisechoice when it comes to a care home.
It also looks at the challenges thisraises for government in determininghow best to support older people inchoosing their care arrangementstowards the end of their life.
Co-author and GHK principal JoeSunderland said: “At a time when theUK care homes sector is underincreasing scrutiny for the quality ofcare it delivers to residents, it isimportant to consider the realities ofhow older people and theirrepresentatives make choices andwhy continued vigilance is needed toensure that this market works well forcare home residents.
“Choice in the care homes marketcan be self-restricted by a number offactors. Residents and relativeshighlighted ‘location’ as the most
important factor determining choiceof care home in order to allow familyvisits, or ensure relationships withfriends are maintained.
“In many cases the decision tomove to a care home was taken in astressful and time-limited fashionthus restricting the ability of theresident, relative or theirrepresentative to spend time fullyconsidering the options.
“Care home choice is often a one-time decision: switching is rare andthis diminishes a discipline on themarket – consumers being able orwilling to change provider in theevent that the service is not up to theexpected standard.”
The paper also found thatconsumers are not always aware theyhave a choice, particularly where thecare home place is commissioned bya local authority.
And the manner in whichinformation is framed can make like-for-like comparisons and choicesbetween care homes difficult.
It recommends that further work toincrease awareness of relevantinformation such as inspectionreports is required.
Provider plans to double workforceINDEPENDENT care provider HICAhas set out plans to almost double itsstaff with 2,000 new jobs over thenext five years.
The Hull-based firm is looking toexpand beyond its currentgeographic markets of Yorkshire, theNorth West and Lincolnshire anddouble its £31m turnover.
Chief executive Andrew Stow said:“The group will be significantlyexpanding its care homes andhomecare operations to meet thedemands created by an increasinglyageing population, a reduction in
support from the state and thegrowing need for more dementia carefacilities.
“There will be a greater emphasison supporting people, whether it is intheir own homes, in a care home orin a specialist facility.
“This expansion will come throughour own ventures and also throughworking with other organisations instrategic partnerships.”
As it gears up for its expansion,HICA has appointed MatthewRockett to be its new financedirector.
Garry Richards has been appointed company secretary at Coverage Care ServicesLtd in Shrewsbury. A solicitor by profession, until recently retiring, he was apartner at Lanyon Bowdler in Telford, where he earned highly regardedrecommendations from Legal 500 for his work in providing a comprehensive rangeof corporate and commercial law services. Garry Richards (centre) is welcomed toSomerset Care by chairman Kenneth Bean and chief executive David Coull.
Plaque unveiled at openingA LONE piper, close up magician,singer and children from a local firstschool entertained the guests at theopening of a new care home inNorthumberland.
Prudhoe mayor, councillor JenniferMcGee, unveiled a plaque to officiallyopen Executive Care Group’s EastgateManor in Mickley, which is spreadover three floors, each with its owndining area and lounge.
Other facilities include ahairdressing salon and a bar area
complete with a large screen TV,jukebox and self serve bar.
The home also boasts its ownmemory care specific ‘Tyne ValleySuite’, which incorporates the latesttechnology to assist and encouragethose with dementia.
It features old photographs ofnearby Corbridge, Hexham andPrudhoe by a local photographer toencourage memories of the local areato make people feel at home from thebeginning.
Tax reclaims forcommercial property
ownersCAPITAL allowances are among the most valuable andleast exploited methods of reducing property owners’income tax or corporation tax liabilities.
Capital allowances arise from capital expenditure onpurchasing or constructing a new property along withextensions and refurbishments.
We carry out retrospective, current year, and new buildcapital allowance claims, both for individuals andcompanies in relation to commercial properties rightacross the commercial sector.
Most retrospective capital allowance claims that wehandle lead to a significant tax refund for the client. Wewill quickly identify the validity of a claim withoutobligation. If a claim does not proceed, there will be nofee.
We comprehensively survey the property which allowsus to identify any qualifying items that, for numerousreasons, have previously not been claimed.
Enquiries: Telephone 01246 293011 or visit www.salmon-business.com
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25CARINGCOMMERCE
By Alex Young
AS activity in the sale and pur-chase of care homes picks up,now is a good time for you toassess your business if you arelooking to sell in the next fewyears.
Even if you are not, you shouldconsider looking at your businessas part of your succession plan-ning or if you are lucky enough toreceive a “speculative” offer.
The key for sellers to maximisethe sale price and ensure asmooth and successful transac-tion is relatively simple: timelypreparation, seeking advice at anearly stage and keeping compre-hensive records.
Even after a sale, this prepara-tion is likely to protect you frompotential claims in relation to thewarranties which a buyer willseek.
A buyer will initiate a “due dili-gence” process to assess yourcare home business, and thereare some areas which you shouldbe prepared to deal with:
The parties will usually have adifferent point of view of how thetransaction should be structuredand it is essential you seek advicefrom your lawyer and accountantwith regard to the structuring ofthe sale at an early stage.
You should put into place a con-fidentiality agreement before youprovide any confidential informa-tion relating to your business(such as key employees, cus-tomers or contracts). This willprevent information being usedfor any other purpose, particular-ly if the sale does not go through.
The property from which thecare home operates is key to thesale. You must ensure you haveyour title deeds, any lease andasbestos surveys in place.
Full details of employees needto be provided including con-tracts, staff salaries and disputes.
On a business (rather than acompany) sale, the buyer willinherit all the employees on theircurrent terms, so you will need toassess this area carefully.
Signed copies of all contractswill be required and you shouldcheck all contracts have notexpired – such as those withagencies and local authorities.
Statutory books (for a companysale), financial records andreporting must be up to date.This will be central to the calcula-tion of the purchase price andmaximise your return frompotential buyers. Poorly present-ed records are likely to give thebuyer greater room for manoeu-vre on the price.
You will need to provide detailsof your registration and registeredmanager (if required) with theCQC and any issues which havebeen raised by the inspectorate.
Many of these steps should betaken as part of your generalhousekeeping, but if you putyourself in the buyer’s shoes inassessing your business, this willincrease the chances of a success-ful sale.� Alex Young is a solicitor atMundays LLP.
Alex Young
Now is thetime toassess yourbusiness
South Yorkshire homes soldHEALTHCARE Property ConsultantsLtd has sold three of a care groupthat went into administration’s SouthYorkshire homes.
Acting on behalf of both WH Estatesand FRP Advisory, the firm hasoffloaded the purpose-builtSandygate and Beeches in Wath-on-Dearne to the Methodist HomesGroup, while the Ladhar Group haspurchased Highgrove in nearby
Mexborough. The two Wath homes have 54 and
44 residents respectively, whileHighgrove, which comprises of twohomes that have been interconnect-ed, has 78 beds. The purchase meansthe Ladhar Group now operates 550beds throughout Yorkshire and theNorth East, with a further five sitescomprising almost 400 beds beingdeveloped out.
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SIMON Hodgkinson and his wifehave purchased the 19-bed WestcliffeCare Home in Radcliffe on Trent afterhe sold his shares in a leadingsportswear business.
Simon was capped 14 times byEngland between 1989 and 1991,scoring 203 points. His greatestachievement was helping his countryto the Grand Slam in 1991, and hestill jointly holds the record for themost penalties converted in a FiveNations/Six Nations match withseven against Wales.
Simon told Caring UK he spenttime deciding which sector he wasgoing to invest in before settling oncare.
He added: “I needed bothfinancially and motivationally to dosomething so took some time out towork out what I wanted to do thatinterested me.
“I’m 48 and don’t have a specialismin anything, but what I did know wasthat I wanted to work with my wife asit is something we have never donebefore. I wanted something that wasclose to home so that I didn’t have to
go travelling up and down thecountry.
“The care sector seemed a good fitto my requirements as it means wehave one base and can work with thelocal community. I spent a yearinvestigating but found thisparticular care home attracted mefairly early.
“It is a well established, excitingbusiness that seems to be runningokay. We don’t have the experience tobuild something from scratch so thiscountry house that has a greatreputation locally is a perfect fit.”
Simon was advised on the deal bythe healthcare team at Midlands lawfirm Shakespeares, and hasn’t ruledout further purchases in future.
He added: “It’s not out of thequestion, but we haven’t cracked thisone yet. I have found it veryenjoyable so far, and have to admitthat the bit I have liked most is theinteraction with the residents, whichI have to admit I thought I wouldn’tlike.
“The home is tired and we begun alarge refurbishment programme on
day one, but it’s the residents’ homeat the end of the day so they arebeing consulted on everything. Ifthey don’t like what we suggest thenwe simply won’t do it.
“We both came into this knowing
there would be a lot of red tape,reporting, plans and procedures but,rather than talking about the goodold days, we are meeting thechallenges head on, and aredetermined to enjoy it.”
Simon Hodgkinson (right) with Roger Harcourt, head of healthcare at Shakespeares.
A Nottingham businessman has swapped the rugby field for the care home with his first purchase.Dominic Musgrave reports.
Former rugby playermoves into field of care
Contractor securescontract for £2m schemeCONTRACTOR ISG Jackson hassecured its first project for QuantumCare with the award of a £2m schemeto extend a Hertfordshire facility.
The project includes the build oftwo new extensions at the 60-bedBelmont View in Hoddesdon,creating additional accommodationfor up to 25 new residents.
The fast-track development hasbeen carefully planned to minimisedisruption to existing residents andmakes use of off-site manufacturedtimber frame components to enablethe fast erection of the extensions.
A two-storey structure willcomplete the fourth side of the carehome building, providing en-suite
accommodation for residents withdementia.
This extension will feature a brickfaçade and a pitched tiled roof toblend seamlessly with the existingbuilding.
ISG Jackson will also createadditional enablement care facilitiesat the home, building a single-storeysympathetically designed sideextension, which will house the newfive bedroom unit.
Existing bathroom facilities andcorridor areas within the mainbuilding will also be refurbished aspart of the project, which isscheduled for completion towardsthe end of the year.
Care group opens newhome in NorthamptonA CARE group has opened a newhome in Northampton to meet theever increasing demand forresidential and nursing care in thetown.
And to meet the increase, AveryHealthcare has plans to build morehomes in the county to add to itslatest £8m Cliftonville Care Centrefacility, which is located next to theGeneral Hospital and has 106 beds.
MD John Strowbridge said: “Wehave a ‘blueprint’ to build an
additional 15 homes by 2014,creating local jobs for local peopleacross the UK.
“We draw from communities so it’sonly right we invest in communities.Our build programme will allow us todo this.”
The home also boasts a high-endrehabilitation gym, cinema,landscaped gardens, hotel stylecatering and a varied leisure andrecreation programme.
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27CARINGCOMMERCE
By Glyn Lloyd
CARE homes are advised to considertheir staff requirements followingchanges to the immigration ruleswhich came into effect recently.
In line with the coalition’s agenda toreduce net migration across the UK,employers now face even tougherrestrictions than before in respect ofthe number of non-EEA workers theycan appoint.
As of 6 April 2011, UK employerswill be refrained from appointingmore than 20,700 overseas workersfrom outside the UK during the next12 months.
However, there is no limit in placefor those non-EEA workers and stu-dents who are already in the UK.Overseas employees wishing toextend their employment while inthe UK either with their currentemployer or with a different UKemployer, will not therefore be sub-ject to the permanent cap.
Overseas students also workingpart-time at care homes wishing toswitch into a work-type visa whilealready in the UK will also be exemptfrom the annual limit.
Workers entering the UK for thefirst time in addition to overseas stu-dents already in the country andwishing to switch from a study to anemployment based visa category willonly be able to apply for positionsthat feature on a new occupation listissued by the government.
Crucially, this new list includes onlyresidential and day care managersand nurses, with the role of skilledcarer – upon which many care homesdepended – having now been with-drawn.
However, any overseas workersalready in the UK who either wish toextend their employment or whowish to change their UK employerwill be able to rely on the occupationlist which existed before the new list took effect. Importantly,
this old list continues to carry therole of a skilled carer.
New workers entering the UK forthe first time now have to satisfy ahigher English language requirementbefore they make an application atthe British Embassy.
New and existing overseas employ-ees must be paid their salary directinto a bank account. This is to avoidcash payments that are very difficultto prove.
Workers wishing to apply for per-manent residence are now requiredto prove that they are earning anappropriate salary. The Life in the UKTest becomes mandatory for allapplicants, meaning the ESOL exami-nation, which is in place for thosewith poorer English language abili-ties, can no longer be relied upon. Inaddition, a new criminality thresholdwill apply.
Workers entering the UK for thefirst time from the Czech Republic,Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia shouldnow be treated like any otherEuropean citizens, and they will nolonger have to be registered.However, Bulgarians and Romanianswill still require a work permit. � Glyn Lloyd is an employment andbusiness immigration solicitor atVeale Wasbrough Vizards.
Homes advisedto look at staffrequirements
Glyn Lloyd
THE Marquis of Granby officiallyopened a Whitby care home’s newwing and also presented the ownerswith Investors in People Gold andChampions awards.
The £650,000 development atPeregrine House, which has beensupported by HSBC’s commercialbanking team in Scarborough,enabled the home to provide eightnew beds, as well as a new laundry,training facilities for staff, food store and additional store room, aswell as a new entrance and receptionarea.
The construction also provides a
secure internal courtyard, and addi-tional work will enable residents toenjoy a secure garden.
Dr Kevin O’Sullivan, managingdirector of Peregrine House, said:“The new facilities will add a realpositive atmosphere to the home,benefitting both residents and staff.
“As well as improving the look andfeel of the home, the extension pro-vides us with additional bedrooms,which are greatly needed as this willgive us the facilities to further devel-op the high level service our profes-sional and dedicated members ofstaff provide to residents.”
Marquis opens newwing at care home
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The new manager of a Cambridgeshirecare home has set himself a toughfundraising challenge.Matt Cox, who recently took over atCarebase’s Bramley Court facility inHiston, hopes to raise £1,500 for theAlzheimer’s Society when he takes part inthe Four Peaks Challenge in the LakeDistrict later this year.The three-day test will see him climbSkiddaw Mountain followed by ScafellPike and the neighbouring Scafell andHelvellyn for the charity.Before joining Carebase, Matt wasdeveloping a care planning system andworking on the dementia strategy foranother care company. He has alsopreviously managed two other homes for people with dementia andnursing needs.
New home tocreate 50 jobsMORE than 50 jobs will be created ata new purpose-built care home inColwyn Bay set to open thisSeptember.
An open day was held at the localJob Centre for those interested in thevacancies at Merton Place, which willoffer specialist nursing services. Itwill be run by Clwyd Alyn HousingAssociation, part of the PennafHousing Group.
Senior HR officer Chris Dinwoodiesaid they are recruiting in threephases, with the first 30 people tostart in August ready for the home’sopening in September.
Company relauncheswith new brandingHALLMARK Healthcare hasrelaunched as Hallmark Care Homeswith new branding.
There is also a new website that hasdetailed information about the firm’scare, picture galleries for each home,social networking links, the ability todownload brochures, financial Q&Asand videos.
Jules Bottazzi, marketing and PRmanager, said: “Our new logo ismodern, clean and fresh. The threepetals represent excellence (purple),care (gold) and activities (green). Ournew logo looks warm, approachableand friendly, and hints at theexcellent care our homes deliver.
“As for the name change – HallmarkCare Homes does what it says on thetin.”
£1m extensionopens in EssexA £1M expansion has opened at anEssex care home which will create 22new jobs.
The 22-bed unit at Delamer Housein Walton on Naze increases thehome’s capacity to 57, all of which aresingle rooms with en-suite facilities.
The development was supported byThe Royal Bank of Scotland’sspecialist healthcare team throughthe European Investment Bank.
Delamer House was established 111years ago to accommodate the retiredemployees of the Singer sewingmachine company.
It was purchased five years ago byNovocare Ltd.
Operator secures site for facilityA HULL care home operator hasacquired a new site to construct apurpose-built facility with fundingsupport from Barclays Corporate.
Molescroft Group, which alreadyoperates the 75-bed Beverley Grangein the city, will convert an iconic siteat the Holy Name Church into a 65-bed home.
The conversion will include thechurch as the central part of thedesign and, once complete nextMarch, will increase the number ofstaff employed by the company to150.
Ian Smallwood has been appointed manager of the newlyreopened Balhousie Auchterarder Care Home.Formerly known as Balhousie Ruthven Towers, the homehas been extensively refurbished and extended, whileretaining some of the original wood panelling and stainglass windows to maintain its traditional feel.It provides residential, respite and nursing care for up to51 residents, in en suite rooms and new penthouse styleapartments.Ian joins the group after two years as regional manager forAbbey Healthcare in London. Prior to this he was regionalmanager for Hallmark Healthcare in Essex for five years.
Robin Sidebottom has joined Scotland’s largest provider ofcare at home, Independent Living Services Scotland, asoperations director. His career has been in the care sector,and he has worked with some of the biggest providersincluding Nestor and Quantica. Robin’s most recentposition was as operations director for Allied HealthcareGroup, where he had responsibility for 40 branches acrossScotland and the north of England with a turnover of£65m. He is also vice chairman of Scottish Care, the voiceof the independent care sector in Scotland.
Major refurbprogrammecontinues By Dominic Musgrave
EAST Anglian care provider Healthcare Homes iscontinuing a major refurbishment programme withwork starting at two of its Cambridgeshire sites.
The Hillings in Huntingdon will have two additionalnew en suite bedrooms to accommodate residents withdementia and four additional bedrooms for generalcare. More communal areas and better accessiblecorridors will be created, with changes made to thegarden and a complete redecoration of all 64 rooms.
Work at Home Meadow in Toft will also seeimprovements made to the garden and bedrooms, withfour new en suite bedrooms being created. A new diningroom, which can also be used as an activity centre, anda conservatory are also part of the modernisationscheme.
Chief executive Richard Clough said the work is part ofa large-scale regional project, with four other homesalso undergoing improvements.
He added: “The latest work is part of our long-termvision for the future of our care homes. We want tomake sure our residents are as comfortable as possibleand have the very best facilities available to them.
“Not only will this work mean we can help moreresidents, it also means we are able to offer a betterservice to our existing client.”
It is expected the work at the two homes will takearound four months to complete.
Lois appointed care managerLOIS Godwin has beenappointed care manager at the Sutton branch of Home Instead Senior Care.
She has a wealth ofexperience in the care sector,
with previous jobs includingworking her way up frominitially being a supportworker to become theregional manager of aresidential care company.
New business creates over 100 jobsMORE than 100 jobs are being created across Oldham followingthe launch of a new homecare business.
Caremark (Oldham) are underway with preparations to openup its new company offering care and support services tocustomers and providing employment opportunities for peoplein the community. Helan Graham and Stephanie Doherty areamong the latest group of franchise owners to complete the twoweek initial training course with Caremark Ltd.
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CARINGNEWS30
FORMER politician AnnWiddecombe and professionalballroom dancer Anton duBeke are stepping out to helpthousands of older people incare homes waltz, tango or jivetheir way to better health.
The pair joined Bupa carehome residents, their familiesand care workers at London’sNational Theatre to launch‘Shall We Dance’, aninternational initiative toencourage dancing amongolder people as a way ofachieving a healthier old age.
The campaign is appealingfor local dancers, dancetroupes and dance teachers –of any style – to contact theirlocal home to share theirpassion for dance byperforming for residents orteaching dance classes topeople who have a range ofmobility issues.
The initiative coincides with anew report by the group whichhighlights the ways dance cancontribute to the emotionaland physical wellbeing of over65s, and urges policy makers topay special attention to dance
when looking at ways topromote fitness in olderpeople.
Customer services directorTracey Fletcher said: “Shall WeDance’ is all about gettingpeople moving or mentallyactive and we think it’sfantastic that so many peopleare taking part. As well asinvolving our residents, staffand relatives, it’s a greatopportunity to encourageeveryone in our localcommunities to keep well.
“We already know ourresidents like dancing andmany of them have fondmemories of going to dances.
“Now we have the evidencethat dance is so good for olderpeople’s wellbeing – we will beincreasing the amount ofdance activities in our carehomes.”
Bupa’s report says 80 per centof men and 83 per cent ofwomen aged 65-74 do not getthe recommended levels ofphysical exercise. For over 75sthis rises to 91 per cent for menand 94 per cent for women.
Ann aiming to keepresidents on their toes
Ann Widdecombe and Anton du Beke with care homeresidents Clifford Morgan and Eliza Evans.
They’re ‘shakingtheir stuff’ in LancashireRESIDENTS at a Lancashire carehome are joining in the fitness crazesweeping the nation during theirarmchair dance-combo classes.
Nelson Manor has brought in danceand fitness instructor Debbie Leah tohelp them ‘shake their stuff’, com-bining everything from salsa to streetand rumba to hip hop in a ZumbaUK style.
She said: “I have adapted aerobicand Latin-style dance moves to suitthe residents, and used the sort ofmusic they enjoy listening to, with afew more up-to-date hip-hop andstreet numbers thrown in. They areall so enthusiastic and have amazedme with what they are prepared totry. There are some armchair dancesuperstars among them.”
The 70-bed care centre has separatepurpose-built floors for residential,nursing and dementia care.
Activities co-ordinator Bobbie Poolesaid it believes in supportingresidents with their own hobbies andinterests, and keeping them activewith outings, events andopportunities to learn new skills.
She added: “The residentsabsolutely love it. They are keeping fitand active at a pace that suits them,but having fun and trying new thingsat the same time. The staff love it tooand we have organised our owndance sessions with Debbie. We can’thave our residents getting fitter thanus!”
RESIDENTS of a Twickenham carehome have taken up dancing lessonswith help from an unlikely group ofteachers.
Rather than the stars of theballroom, the residents at Care UK’sWhitefarm Lodge were joined byHarlequins Rugby League first teamplayers Luke Ambler, JamieO'Callaghan, Lamont Bryan andAndy Ellis and the club’s foundationdance officer Amy Howard for theweekly dance class.
The foundation received fundingfrom the Greater London Authoritythrough a project called PlaySport todeliver a number of over 50s dancesessions within the Richmondborough.
Amy said: “The residents have beentaught a number of seated chair-dance exercises over 10 weeks andthey have thoroughly enjoyed thesessions. So much so, in fact, thatthey have asked to carry on.
“The residents and I have enjoyed avariety of dance styles and musicover the weeks, including ballet, salsaand tango. They particularly enjoyedthe African war dance that I taught.
“They enjoyed it so much someeven practiced out of classes. Thisshowed when the first team playersjoined in our session. The residentsshowed the players our danceexercises and then the players joinedin and learned one of our danceroutines.”
Why rugby players aregiving dancing a try ...
Seven participate in winning programmeSEVEN pioneering South Wales carehomes are taking part in an award-winning programme from AgeCymru to improve life for peopleliving in, visiting or working in carehomes across the country.
Two of the homes taking part inthe My Home Life Cymruprogramme – Ysguborwen CareHome, the Laurels Care Home arein Aberdare. Frederick HouseResidential Home is in MerthyrTydfil, while the four others – MillHeath Nursing Home, EmmausResidential Home, Capel Grange
Nursing Home and SummerhillNursing Home, are in Newport.
My Home Life Cymru’sprogramme manager John Mooresaid: “We will be working withresidents, their relatives and staff atthese homes to identify those ideasand innovations that make lifebetter for them. These can be verysimple and straightforward ideas orcomplex innovations, but the aimwill be the same – improvingpeople’s day-to-day lives. We willbe share the ideas of these homeswith others across the country.”
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KITCHEN staff at an Essex retirementvillage have received the highestcommendation from the localcouncil.
The Moat House in Great Dunmowwas awarded the five-star foodhygiene rating following anunannounced visit by anenvironmental health officer from Uttlesford district council.
Village manager DeborahStevenson said the inspector looked
at all the kitchen processes includingfood hygiene practices, cleanliness,ventilation, monitoring, recording,staff training and food safety.
She added: “This is further evidencethat everything we do is aimed atproviding our residents with the veryhighest standards.”
The final stages of work areunderway on the new 60 bed carehome at The Moat House, withresidents set to move to their newhome in the near future.
Kitchen staff Christine Sapsford and Joanna Wrzesien proudly show off their foodhygiene certificate.
Five stars for kitchen staff
TELEVISION gardener ChristineWalkden was the guest of honour atthe reopening of the newly-restored£500,000 Victorian Conservatory at aHertfordshire care village.
The One Show’s resident gardeningexpert and Radio 4’s Gardeners’Question Time panelist Christinerevealed she had not seen anythinglike the Cedars Village’s two storeyconservatory – which has links withCrystal Palace – outside of famousbotanical gardens such as Kew andEdinburgh.
Performing the official reopening infront of more than 150 residents andinvited guests, Christine talked aboutthe ‘opulence’ of the conservatory
and likened it to a ‘Cathedral of Glass– a place that brings people together,for contemplation, for enjoymentand for activity’.
She said: “The substantial amountof money spent on restoring it istribute to both its past as a VictorianGlass House and to its future as aplace for residents of Cedars Villageto enjoy.”
The conservatory was built in the1860s around the same time as theFrench Renaissance-style MansionHouse, which is the centre-piece ofthe retirement village. It wasoriginally heated and used to housethe owner’s collection of tropicalplants and reptiles.
Christine Walkden with Cedars Village’s Residents Association chairman John Cornerand Retirement Villages’ chief executive Jon Gooding at the conservatory.
Victorian conservatory reopensat Hertfordshire care village
An artist’s impression of the new Belong Warrington
Warrington villagegets the go-aheadMANCHESTER-based architectsPozzoni LLP and care providerBelong have gained planningapproval for their latest projecttogether – a village for olderpeople in Warrington.
The firms have previouslyworked closely together to developsimilar facilities in Macclesfield,Wigan, Crewe and Atherton, andthe latest will have six self-contained ‘households’ for 12
residents each and providespecialist residential, dementiaand nursing care.
Eighteen one and two-bedroomapartments will also enableindependent living for olderpeople, while the range of facilitieswill include a bistro, hair-and-beauty salon, well-being suite anda community room which will beavailable to both residents and thewider community.
Grant’s menu wins the dayA WALES care village’s servicemanager defeated its chef to win a‘Ready Steady Cook’ stylecompetition.
Grant Bowes’ menu consisted ofpak choi soup for starters, and achoice of either pan fried chickenfillet with a red wine and creamsauce, celeriac and mustard mashand sautéed pak choi or pannedchicken fillet with freshly made
tagliatelle tossed in olive oil, basiland lemon juice and zest for main.
He won more votes for his 30-minute creation than Jibu Jose in thehigh energy cook off that saw himcome up with a main dish of porkloin stuffed with spring onion andmustard and mango sauces servedwith sweet potato mash and abroccoli garnish. For his dessert hemade tiramisu.
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CARINGDEMENTIA CARE34
RESIDENTS with dementia oftenexperience distress if they cannotfind the clothing they are familiarwith and as with all residents, it isimportant that an individual’sgarments are correctly returned tothem after washing.
With over 1,200 garments goingthrough the care home laundry this isnot an easy task, especially if thegarment is not named adequately.
Attach-a-Tag is a simple, costeffective method of labelling clothingand soft objects and is an ideal wayto quickly label short term andrespite residents’ clothing as well asnormal laundry.
Replicating a button, it attaches in
seconds to the garment seam orlaundry label, making it discreet andcomfortable to the wearer.
The patented design is easy toattach but difficult to remove, andcannot be taken off by accident orcome off during the laundry process.
Each tag has the owners’ nameetched onto it, which is guaranteednot to wear off in the wash.
This combined with the uniquefixing method of Attach-a-Tag means the owner is identified everytime.
Suitable for industrial laundry andiron proof, Attach-a-tag is reusable,making it even more cost effective foryour care home.
Solving problem of missing laundry
A KENT care home has teamed upwith its local infant school in a bid toenhance understanding amongchildren about the ageing processand how dementia can affect theindividual.
The initiative, led by The TunbridgeWells Care Centre’s activitycoordinators Bill Blackford and NellMellerick, was a bolt-on to St JamesInfant School’s own project, whichhad been inspired by the relationshipthat develops between a small boyand an elderly gentleman inanimated film ‘UP’.
Staff at the 70-bed nursing home,which has its own dedicateddementia unit, explained to the 80children using interactive craft andreminiscence sessions how theystimulate and encourage theimaginative side of the brain whenthe memory aspect is diminished.
The workshops also examined theuse of ‘triggers’ designed to prompt aresponse when using visual ortangible items like old hats, domesticitems, photographs, books and toys.
Bill said: “The children happilymixed socially with all the residentsat the home with both parties beingresponsive, cooperative andreceptive.
“The children also showed a greatdeal of respect for the residents andtheir surroundings.
“We were very keen for one of ourresidents, who is coping withdementia, to join the reminiscencesession, and it proved a great successfor both her and the children. Mutualrespect and fun were the order of theday and we sustained a very positiveoutcome.”
During the craft sessions childrenmade friendship bracelets with someof the residents – something for thechildren to wear and store in thememory boxes they are making atschool.
The reminiscence activity outlinedin an easy to understand mannerhow dementia can affect the brainand memory.
Bill used the ‘filing cabinet’ analogyadopted and promoted by theAlzheimer’s Society to explain to theschool children how people’smemories work – with the mostrecent memories in the top drawer,the oldest in the bottom drawer.
� Have you developed closerelationships with your local school?Let Dominic Musgrave know byemailing [email protected] or ring 01226734407.
Resident Anne Purkis with staff from the home and children and staff from St JamesInfant School.
School initiativebids to promoteunderstanding
Dementia care trainingbooklets launchedby Welsh charityA WELSH charity has launchedtwo training booklets for carehome staff about sharingmemories and working withpeople who have dementia.
‘Open your heart to see me – aguide to working in dementia care’and ‘Getting to know you – a guidefor reminiscence and life storywork with older people living incare homes’ have been producedby Age Cymru’s My Home LifeCymru programme.
Manager John Moore said thelaunch is a result of the charity’swork with care and nursing homeresidents, relatives and staff for thelast two-and-a-half years.
He added: “We’ve been trying todiscover the ideas and innovationsthat improve the lives of peopleinvolved with care and nursinghomes.
“And we’ve identified that asignificant contribution we canmake in achieving this goal is toprovide training materials for staffon working with people withdementia and on the benefits ofsharing memories. These newtraining guides have already beenused to provide valuable trainingto care home staff involved in the
programme. The training was well-received and we hope the guidesmake a real difference in achievingour goal of improving quality oflife for people involved with carehomes across Wales.”
‘Open your heart to see me – aguide to working in dementia care’covers issues includingmaintaining identity, sharingdecision-making, creatingcommunity and managingtransitions.
It contains information aboutimproving health and healthcare,supporting good end of life,promoting a positive culture andkeeping workforce fit for purpose.An insight is provided by theresidents and staff of Severn ViewResource Centre in Chepstow.
‘Getting to know you – a guidefor reminiscence and life storywork with older people living incare homes’ looks atunderstanding reminiscence,methods of engagement andenquiry with residents andunderstanding body language.
The guide also has sections onreminiscing with people who havecognitive impairments and tellinglife stories in pictures.
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35CARINGDEMENTIA CARE
Derelict homebecomes newdementia facilityA DERELICT former council carehome has been transformed into anew specialist dementia facility inChorley.
The 43-bed Coniston House boastsa host of ideas including a shed forresidents to enjoy the garden and lis-ten to the radio, and a planetariumwith stars and planets projected onthe walls and various science andindustry based activities.
Manager Nicolla Bishop is thebrainchild behind the innovations atthe Rochecare owned site, which alsoincluded staff not wearing a traditional uniform, having studied abest practice in dementia diploma at the renowned Bradford University.
She said: “Men, in particular, like tobe doing things and working withtheir hands, and studies have shownthat they are often overlooked by theactivities offered in care homes.
“The planetarium is a place wherethey can go with a carer and do any-thing from building a foam aeroplaneto building a combustion engine.
“We are also putting together anallotment in the garden, and the planis for the chef to use what we grow inthe kitchen. We hope it will help the
residents with their appetite becauserather than them just being servedthe food they will be able to see theprocess from beginning to end.”
Residents are encouraged to getinvolved with simple tasks aroundthe home, and a separate kitchenettehas been created for them to helpthemselves to breakfast, a drink orsnack.
Nicolla, who previously headed adepartment at a nearby retirementvillage, added:: “What appealed tome about this managerial role wasthat because I was involved with itfrom day one I was given the free-dom to shape it how I wanted.
“What also interested me was thatthis is more of a normal care homethan where I worked before, and Iwanted to know whether I couldinstall things here that I had done ina retirement village.
“It has had its challenges because Ihave had to do everything from therecruitment and training to negotiat-ing with suppliers without an adminor HR department behind me like Ihad before.
“It has been a fantastic opportunity,and I really feel that I can now tackleanything having done this.”
Care home opens its doors to community by hosting monthly dementia cafeA LEEDS care home is to open its doors to the wider community by hosting a monthly dementia cafe.
Ideal Care Homes’ Berkeley Court,which has 78 residents, including 36for people with dementia, is believed to be the first care home inthe city to offer a support group for
both relatives and friends of its residents and people living in thelocal community.
The café will follow guidelines inthe ‘Living well with dementia – aNational Dementia Strategy’where it aims to promote a betterawareness and understanding ofdementia.
WORK has begun on a newdementia care and supported liv-ing housing development inWokingham.
Representatives of the projectpartners – Housing 21, the localborough council, the Homes andCommunities Agency (HCA),Willmott Dixon Housing andQuattro Design architects – gath-ered at the site of Beeches Manorto mark the beginning of the£3.8m development.
The event was also an opportu-nity to celebrate the completionof enabling works to improve thesite access, which is shared withthe town’s bowls club.
Housing 21 will provide 18 pur-pose-built apartments for peoplewith dementia and eight for those
with learning disabilities. Therewill also be staff accommodationon site and two guest rooms forvisitors.
The dementia component of theproject is modelled on theAmerican ‘Greenhouse’ model ofdementia housing and consists oftwo clusters of nine self-con-tained ground floor one bedroomflats.
Each cluster is arranged aroundan open plan communal kitchen,dining and lounge area with ahearth at its centre.
It also has its own private court-yard with access to shared land-scaped and woodland gardenareas.
The new development is due tocomplete in March.
Work begins onhousing development
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36
Care manager Lee Watson and senior support workers Paula Jackson, LorraineWhite and Adele Reennard show off their awards.
A UNIQUE South Yorkshire companyis celebrating after being named careteam of the year at a nationalceremony.
Barnsley-based Sun Healthcarescooped the honour at the GreatBritish Homecare Awards held at theRoyal Courts of Justice and hosted bytelevision presenter Kate Garroway.
The company offers a variety ofservices, but it was the team of 33that cares for eight of thecommunity’s most marginalisedpeople that won the accolade.
Care manager Lee Watson said:“We originally entered the Yorkshireand Humberside regional awardsand hoped we had a good chance ofwinning it because as far as we areaware there isn’t a service like oursin the country. But at the same timewe were realistic and didn’t reallythink we would win it because thecountry is full of people who do agreat job. To win that was great, andwe went down to London feeling alittle bit more confident aboutourselves, but to be named the best
in the country is pretty amazing. Thestaff here do a great job and workwith a really difficult group of peoplewho probably didn’t have much of afuture before we got involved withthem.”
Many of the people the team dealswith have been in prison, and theteam takes the individual undertheir wing, helping them lead astable life.
Lee added: “ A lot of the time thesepeople need picking up when theyhave made mistakes, and we thenstick with them throughout andultimately help them make lifechanging decisions. Many of thepeople we have dealt with have beenhelped to find somethingmeaningful to do with their lives, beit going back into education or work.We have also taken people onholiday, which for some has beenthe first time they have ever beenanywhere.”
Sun Healthcare also owns severalnursing and residential homes inBarnsley, Chesterfield and Grimsby.
Care team honour‘pretty amazing’
Homecare firm thrivingafter first year in businessBy Dominic Musgrave
A HOMECARE firm launched last yearwhich enables the elderly and those withdementia live in their own homes longer isgoing from strength to strength.
The Good Care Group aims to supportpeople in their own homes through arange of individually tailored services.
The needs of the firm’s clients vary fromrequiring assistance with daily tasks suchas personal care, medication, cooking, andlight household duties, or lifestyle supportto maintain interests in and away from thehome.
It also offers ‘wrap around’ caredeveloped to meet the challengespresented by different forms of dementiaand other illnesses.
Head of care Zoe Elkins said staying athome can significantly improve the qualityof an individual’s life, not just physicalwellbeing.
She added: “Individuals who are cared forat home are able to maintain theirestablished patterns of everyday life,surrounded by cherished items, easilyvisited by family and friends, andcontinuing to enjoy past times.
“This can significantly improve the
quality of an individual’s life throughhaving one-to-one dedicated support andcompletely personalised and tailored care,and emotional wellbeing.
“Often it’s the small things such as havingnutritious food, keeping a much-loved petand managing to continue to see friends intheir community that can improve healthand make life more pleasurable.”
To care for an individual with dementiain his or her own home, The Good CareGroup adopts the SPECAL Method inwhich intact memories from long ago, that promote feelings of purpose, identityand wellbeing, are identified and tappedinto.
Zoe added: “Despite not being able toreliably store information in their short-term memory, the person cared for isencouraged to focus on older memories,linking these with the present.
“Older memories can be recycled,helping a person to feel safe and at easewith him or herself – even though hugegaps occur in their current memory.
“Memories which foster a sense ofwellbeing are identified and promoted,helping to hold a person in a state of calmcontentment.”
Administrator Lorraine Blackburn, area manager Dot Wheeler and care co-ordinator Emma Domb.
NEW jobs are set to be createdin Saffron Walden following theopening of a new ManorcourtHomecare office, which will alsoincrease the provision of care inthe area.
The team has moved from itsformer premises in the village ofNewport to larger premiseswhich include training facilitiesfor staff. Operations directorJanice King said: “Our new
office will help us increase ourprovision for clients – we hopeto be able to take on more withthe extra space and facilities. Inturn, this will lead to new jobsfor carers and administrativestaff in the area.”
As well as Saffron Walden,Manorcourt Homecare providescare services for people inNorfolk, Suffolk, Hornchurchand Thurrock.
Office move to bring new jobs
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37CARINGNEWS
THE chairman of a North West caregroup has been named as the topcare boss in Britain after winning theNational Care Employer of the Yearaward.
Judges for The Great British CareAwards, which took place at the RoyalCourts of Justice in London, praisedKen Nolan and Springhill for its ‘pas-sion for personalised service’.
The group was founded inAccrington in 1983, and has nowgrown to include 300 staff at threehomes: Springhill in Accrington,
Birch Green in Skelmersdale andRiversway in Bristol.
Ken, who was nominated by hisstaff, said: “It’s great to see that a rela-tively small care group with 300 staffcan compete nationally with the larg-er organisations and that Springhill’ssystems and procedures are worthyof being highlighted.”
Springhill reached the national finalin the 250 employees and above cate-gory after winning a regional heatlast year.
Ken Nolan with guest presenter Christopher Biggins at The Great British Care Awards
Ken celebrates after winningBritain’s top care boss award
Pupils Harrison Mayne and Chloe Arnold present resident Peggy Sadler and activities co-ordinator Gillian Squance with the works of art.
CREATIVE youngsters from aBromsgrove primary school havebrightened the lives of residents ata care home by creating 20 paint-ings for them.
Talented pupils at Tardebigge Cof E First School have painted theartwork on canvases which will bedisplayed in Tutnall Hall’s court-yard garden and around the carehome. The pictures include gardenscenes, flowers and animals.
The idea for the colourful can-vases came from the home’s activi-ties co-ordinator Gillian Squance.
She said: “We have been linkingup with the school for a number ofyears now. We approached thembecause we wanted to get somecolourful artwork for the home.
“We are currently revamping thehome's courtyard and turning itinto a memorial garden, and thepictures will fit in beautifully.”
Artistic pupils add a splashof colour to care home
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39
Personalised linen for care homesTOWELSDIRECT has been supplying the care sector forthe last 20 years, and are providing premium Turkishquality towels that last up to 150 washes.
Most towels that you see in a retailer will only last60 washes. We also provide minimum iron bedlinenthat is constructed of easy care polycotton, againdesigned to last longer than your average bedsheetand save your staff time.
Bespoke embroidery designs are available, alongwith matching bedlinen and curtains. Please call freefor a no obligation discussion.
Since Towelsdirect’s inception, we have alwaystried to focus on our uniqueness. Customers arereminded that we offer free
delivery on orders over £150, operate a nominimum order policy and next day delivery fromstock. We
recognise that our customers’ needs are everchanging, and it is with this in mind that we areupdating our website daily.
Enquiries: Telephone 0800 018 6935 or visitwww.towelsdirect.co.uk for our online
catalogue.
SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based,Richards Residential Supplieshave concentrated uponsupplying simple solutions tocommon nursing home problems.
The new WACMAT® adheresstrongly to this tradition.
With its ultra absorbent cottonpile and 100 per cent waterproofbacking, the remarkableWACMAT® is an ideal accessorywhere spills may occur.
Used as a commode mat, inbedrooms or bathrooms, theWACMAT® ensures full carpetprotection. Then, after use, simplymachine wash and tumble dry!It’s that simple...
The WACMAT® will then beclean and odour-free, ready toperform 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
Simple solutions
Dorgard protects care home residentsDORGARD wireless fire doorretainers have been chosen byleading care home operatorHeritage Care to allow thebedroom doors of care homeresidents to be legally held openwhile automatically releasingthem should the fire alarm sound.
Dorgard enables fire doors tobe legally and safely kept open asit allows the door to close whenthe fire alarm sounds, preventingthe spread of fire and smoke.
Installed onto the bottom ofthe fire door in under fiveminutes, Dorgard listens for acontinuous fire alarm of 65dBAor higher.
Features include: Wireless unit with fail-to-safe technology, Improves access throughout buildings inline with the Equality Act 2010, complies with BS EN 1155 and accepted by the Fire and Rescue Service,available in a variety of colours and finishes, automatic night-time release facility, complies with BS 7273-4 category C, adjustable sensitivity, CE marked.
New Jasmine collection reflectsKnightsbridge’s pedigree
KNIGHTSBRIDGE Furniture has introduced anew range of upholstered chairs and setteesdesigned for day-rooms, lounges andbedrooms in care and residential homes.
The Jasmine collection has been createdin response to demand for a versatile budgetcollection of seating which conforms to thecustomary Knightsbridge superior qualityand assurance of comfort.
Developed by the in-house R&D team atthe Knightsbridge Furniture headquarters inWest Yorkshire, the Jasmine family includeshigh-back, mid-back and wing chairs plus atwin-seat settee, all characterised by clean,simple lines and classic button detailing.
Features include supportive arms to aid rising and heightened lumbar support which ensures correctposture and a comfortable sit, even over prolonged periods.
As with all upholstered seating by Knightsbridge, the Jasmine range is available in a comprehensive arrayof flame-retardant fabrics and colours, with exposed wood in beached beech, natural beech, oak, wenge,walnut or cherry finishes.
Enquiries: Telephone 01274 731442, email [email protected] or visitwww.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk
New Mark 3 Horizon range from Armstrong
A NEW range of washers, dryers and stack units has been announce byArmstrong Commercial laundry systems.
The 8kg Horizon washer is energy efficient and can save as much as40 per cent of the water consumption of some commercial washers.Sophisticated but easy to use controls allow selection from a range ofprogrammes, all of which can be tailored to exactly the requirements ofeach installation.
The machine spins at 1000rpm to maximise overall laundry efficiencyand reduce drying times.
The complementary dryer has a large door which can be hinged oneither side. The quiet, efficient blower system has an airflow of 220 cu ftper minute, producing quick drying results and keeping operating costslow.
The new dryer is easy to maintain with all key components accessiblethrough the lower panel without disconnecting the door switch and thelint filter is highly visible and easy to clean.
Enquiries: Telephone 01635 263410, [email protected] or visit www.armstrong-
laundry.co.uk
No time for staff rotas?ELIMINATE the stress and save time and costs with our value for money full care management softwarepackage Fusion; providing you real time control of your employee and service user records.
Just like you, Fusion never switches off and will be there for you 24/7, taking away the pressures ofstaffing, administration and caring.
Whether your focus is time and attendance, budgets or increasing sales, Fusion is a comprehensive andflexible care home management tool that helps your business grow.
Keep standards high and outshine the competition with Fusion - the software that gives you the timeto care.
It’s time to get funkyTELLING the time has never been so funky thanks to anew accessory available from Grahame Gardner Ltd.
The essential fob watch has undergone a makeover,giving it a bright and fashionable look perfect fornursing staff with a flair for fashion.
The FOB05 is produced in a silicon rubber housing,pins directly onto any garment and comes in threestyles; round, heart and flower. These stylish timepiecesare available in over 10 bold colours.
The watch itself utilises a high accuracy analoguequartz movement, ensuring that it will perform duringroutine observations. The smooth silicon rubberexterior is perfect for infection prevention and control.
Sales manager Simon Ward said: “These newwatches inject a bit of fun into the traditional nursinguniform. These watches look great and also performvery well, making them the perfect accompaniment toour existing range.”
The watches are available for only £5.50 excludingVAT and come complete with a spare battery.
Ventrolla carries out caring restoration atresidential home
SASH window renovation specialistVentrolla has completed a project at aresidential care home in Chard, Somerset.
Ventrolla Wessex minimised thedisruption for residents at Chard Manorcare home as a result of exceptionalplanning and organisation.
Marc Vickery, of contractors VoyageCare, instructed Ventrolla to renovate 13sash windows after receiving a number ofrecommendations, including one fromEnglish Heritage.
The unique Ventrolla Perimeter SealingSystem was applied to the gaps in the sashwindows to allow for smoother movement,eradicate draughts and reduce rattles. Thishelps to reduce noise, making the manor warm and comfortable for the residents.
In addition to the windows that were restored to their former glory, seven window frames wererenewed and six new sills made.
Ventrolla had to work closely with the local conservation officer to ensure that the restoration workon the Grade II listed building was in keeping with regulations.
Enquiries: Telephone 0800 0277 454 or visit www.ventrolla.co.uk
39 C-S page 21/6/11 16:31 Page 1
CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS40
CARE Professional Consultancyprovides a dedicated, specialistumbrella service for CRB checks.
With experience of tens ofthousands of applications over thepast eight years the service, which isan ISO9001-registered organisation,is one of the largest umbrellaservices. Most of the clients are careproviders, and the service includes
support and advice on the relationbetween vetting of staff and the careregulations.
There is an informative websitewith a mine of information about thefield of CRB checks, the ongoingchanges to the Vetting and Barringscheme, and events in the field ofcare, as well as a library of links touseful websites.
Specialist CRB check service
CRAIG Kershaw has joined Zest CareSystems as a project manager tofocus on aftercare and customersatisfaction.
His day-to-day role will see himmanaging the roll-out andinstallation of Fusion software acrosscustomer sites, ensuring thetransition runs smoothly by
configuring and integrating thesystem with customers’ payroll andinvoicing packages.
The job also involves post salesaftercare, planning roll-out andinstallation to customer sites,configuring systems, training and integration of Zest’s Fusionsoftware.
New product manager at Zest
A FITNESS and play company has producedranges of equipment that not only allowresidents to stay active, but also present asocial opportunity by allowing users to workand interact together.
Lappset Playworld (LPUK) also offers piecesof equipment that allow residents to enjoytime with their grandchildren during visitsfrom family, giving people a renewed zest forthe fun that play brings.
65 Plus inspires users to be playful andchallenge their bodies and senses, whilstLifeTrail, suitable for users aged 50 plus,helps to improve functional fitness includingcarrying out daily tasks. Both ranges allow agroup of people to exercise at the same time,by working their way around the differentactivity stations or individual pieces of equipment.
Managing director Chris Jonessaid: “Staying active is an important part of life, but equally important is having fun. With LPUK equipment, we successfully combine the two.”
Fun way to staying active New socks aimed at thosewith lower limb problemsTHE sock is one of the last items ofclothing to undergo a revolutionarychange in design.
NZ Sock Co., in consultation withexpert clinical advisors, has designeda range of technologically advancedsocks specifically aimed at those withthe potential lower limb problemsseen in diabetes, arthritis andrheumatism.
Incorporating a uniquecombination of natural merino wool,renowned for its exceptionally highquality fibre, superior softness,strength and durability and Seacell,an innovative, cellulose andseaweed-based fibre with extensive
applications for medical textiles andsituations where hygiene andcleanliness are important.
Lifesocks deliver outstandingpreventative and protective featuresand are designed to reduce frictionand pressure, effectively managetemperature and moisture, inhibitbacterial growth, offer a warm andnon-constrictive comfort and adaptto the individual shape of the foot.
Our trademarked Elastic SupportSystem (ESS) locks the sock onto thefoot and the lower leg with minimalcompression, providing supportparticularly under the plantar archregion.
CAREDOCS is recognised as themarket-leading care planning andhome management software.
Why? Because it’s been designedand is constantly updated by carehome owners specifically to maketheir own facility easier to manageand more efficient.
It also meets all the needs ofanyone owning or managing a carehome, as well as all CQCrequirements.
Everything in CareDocs is aimed atadding to the quality of care homes
give their residents. It’s a fact thatusing CareDocs releases staff fromtheir desks and back to theirresidents, and that those using thesystem find that their nursing staffkeep better and more accuraterecords and are happier with theiradmin.
Why? Because CareDocs helps tokeep everything simple, even down to automatically writingcomplete care plans, simply byanswering a series of multiple-choicequestions.
Helping keep everything simple
Beaucare’s Servicing TeamBEAUCARE Medical Ltd – the UK’spremier supplier of hygiene,medical supplies and equipmentto individual care homes, carehome groups, hospitals and NHSTrusts.
Alongside our productofferings, we supply servicing forcare home equipment such aselectric profiling nursing beds,patient lifting hoists and slings;all of which are carried out toindustry standards including PATtesting and LOLER certificationfor hoists. We can offer this on anad hoc or service contract basis.
Our dedicated servicedepartment have a team of fully qualified and CRB checked engineers, offering a six month or annualequipment inspections. Our fleet covers the UK and can undertake the works on or off site usingmanufacturer’s parts if required.
This service offering provides care homes, carers and patients confidence in the equipment used on adaily basis, to ensure it’s safe and fit for purpose.
Legionnaires’ Temperature Monitoring KitIF you are an employer or person in controlof premises, you must organise a Legionellarisk assessment, therefore a reliablethermometer kit is essential.
ETI’s Legionnaires’ TemperatureMonitoring Kit has been specificallydesigned to monitor the temperature ofboth standing water and the surfacetemperature of pipes and tanks that formpart of the water system. Each kit containsa Therma one thermometer, three probes –penetration, precision ribbon surface andPTFE exposed junction wire, a tub of Probe-Wipes and a waterproof countdown timer,all housed in a carrying case.
Legionella, like many bacteria, thrive atcertain water temperatures and therefore, awide range of workplaces are at risk whereartificial water systems exist e.g. localauthorities, large businesses, universities,hospitals, nursing and care homes. In fact,anywhere where water is stored and circulated around a building.
For further information visit www.etiltd.com or telephone our sales office on 01903 202151.
Tram attractions has something for all agesTAKE a tram ride through time at CrichTramway Village, home of The NationalTramway Museum - an ideal destination for allages.
Visitors can ride our world renowned vintagetrams through our unique period street and outinto the open countryside for spectacularviews, explore fascinating exhibitions andwatch as trams are restored from our workshopviewing gallery.
This captivating journey into history is madecomplete with a stroll on our fascinatingwoodland walk and sculpture trail and a trip toour unique Red Lion pub, tearooms and shops.
We have a tram which is specially adapted tocarry wheelchairs and guide books available inlarge print and Braille. The site has alsoincorporated a smooth pathway to avoidcobbles, and there are lifts and ramps to allbuildings. We welcome one free carer perperson.
Additives helpcombat spreadof infectionsCARE home residents have close con-tact with each other and staff due tothem sharing living accommodation,facilities and care equipment.
The risk of acquiring and spreadinginfection in these environments istherefore high. Older people are atgreater risk of developing infectionsas their immune systems are lessrobust.
All elements of Aid Call’sTouchsafe® nursecall system whichare touched or handled are embed-ded with powerful anti-microbialadditives to help combat the spreadof infection. This provides lifelongprotection that will not wear offagainst the spread of infection.
The ATX5000 has an LCD screenwhich enables the nurse to retrievethe next message without touchingthe screen and without having toreturn to the central alarm systemstation or touching screens and theproduct is anti-microbially protected.
Nutritional drinksretailer offersnext day serviceNUTRIDRINKS.CO.UK is a nutrition-al drinks retailer that provides morethan 250 different products, includ-ing popular ranges such as Ensureand Fortisip.
With a full catalogue of AbbottNutrition and Nutricia products,NutriDrinks.co.uk also offers a nextworking day service to its customers,who have the option to place ordersfor as little or as much as theyrequire.
The website has become a popularchoice for residential and carehomes, home patients and familymembers as an outlet which offerscompetitive prices and a reliabledelivery service.
NutriDrinks.co.uk is a dedicatedservice designed to help patients pur-chase their nutritional drink or foodsupplements easily and effectively.
By Lee Sheppard
MALNUTRITION affects approxi-mately 600,000 residents and,according to a recent BAPENreport, 37 per cent of residentsadmitted to care homes were mal-nourished.
Why does this matter? Other thanthe fact that this is socially unac-ceptable, malnourished residentsneed more care and attention,requiring more staff time, which isan expensive resource.
Consider the impact on cateringcosts.
Additional fortification and spe-cific dietary requirements canincrease food costs substantially.Furthermore, the incidence of mal-nutrition has the potential to dam-age the image, and suitability, ofthe care home.
All this has prompted many carehome operators to review theirapproach to catering, asking ques-tions such as; do we cater for theelderly properly? Do we have nutri-ent rich meals designed to stave offmalnutrition? Do we have a rangeof dietary specific options such asgluten free, diabetic? One condi-
tion which is particularly challeng-ing to deal with is when residentshave difficulty swallowing (dyspha-gia).
Feeding residents a healthy diet isoften the best and most cost effec-tive way of tackling malnutritionand maintaining the morale andspirit of residents. Serving patientswith swallowing difficulties has tra-ditionally not been an easy task,nor have there been many optionsto choose from.
Preparing soft and pureed mealsis time consuming; achieving theappropriate textures is incrediblychallenging and many caterers onlyhave the option of putting food in ablender.
If the correct texture is notachieved, water is then normallyadded to derive the right consisten-cy. The result is often an undistin-guishable blob on a plate, whichhaving been diluted can have littlenutritional value, as well as beingvisually unappealing.
Following the development of thenew, world leading range of texturemodified meals from apetito thereare now options available whichaddress these challenges.
Each meal will deliver at least 500calories and can be a core part of anutritionally balanced diet.
Tackling malnutrition can beexpensive in terms of the additionalcost of looking after malnourishedresidents and the potential impacton the image of the care home.
apetito works with more than 100care homes,so understands theissues very well. It is the reasonwhy it works so closely with its cus-tomers in a food partnership whichlooks to deliver quality, choice, andexpertise for operators and theirresidents. � Lee is care homes divisionalmanager at apetito
Serving up nutritionallyrich meals for care homes
A helping handAS A carer your time is better spent providing the careyour residents deserve, not in the office handling theirday-to-day finances.
When care home providers are acting as corporateappointees, full responsibility for this role can be trans-ferred to Essex Guardians. In doing so, it can removepotential conflict of interest, corporate liability and freeup workloads.
Essex Guardians is one of the leading corporate deputyservices in the country. It provides a dedicated team ofprofessionals to expertly handle financial affairs for peo-ple when they no longer have the mental capacity to doso on their own.
The service includes collecting, maximising and admin-istering state benefits, paying bills and ensuring the indi-vidual has access to money for activities such as shop-ping and socialising. It can also safeguard savings andinvestments and oversee property and personal items.
WHEN placed in a prominent position in a care home, theActivities Board provides instant visibility and compre-hension of the activities on offer to residents, relatives andstaff.
Created by The Activities Board Company, the fire resis-tant mahogany board comes complete with 180 activitydisplay cards and 10 blank ones for events specific to yourhome. They have a strong visual impact and give a clearportrayal of the programme with pictoral representationand a clear and brief narrative for a seven-day rolling pro-gramme.
There is also a reference book containing information onhow to organise each activity, along with benefits andhelpful tips.
The Activities Board provides a positive enforcementmessage, giving stronger control over your activities pro-gramme, including: resident expectation, staff under-standing, formalised pattern and other stakeholder recog-nition.
Activities at a glance
LYNNE Dean and Richard Gleavegave the keynote speeches at the firsttwo conferences in a series organisedby MJM Events in association withCaring UK magazine.
The events at Western Super Mareand Torquay entitled ‘Focusing onOutcomes’ are aimed at owners andmanagers of care homes and otherservices.
Both events opened with a keynotepresentation on the opportunitiesand challenges facing the sector atthe moment. Both Lynne, deputyregional director, Social Care, LocalGovernment and Care Partnershipsand Richard, a member of the SouthWest Region Strategy, made a wideranging sweep across the ever-changing landscape of care.
Their view was that, despite thevery obvious challenges presented by
the financial pressures facing localgovernment and the NHS, there werenevertheless going to be opportuni-ties and the onus was on providerorganisations to understand com-missioning intentions in their area.
They suggested that it was vital tounderstand demand, and the JointStrategic Needs Assessment – a pub-lic document – is the best way offinding out.
Other speakers focused their pre-sentations on current issues within amanager’s control. Judith Manners, apharmacist with a long record ofadvising and training care staff in thesafe management of medication,gave a practical outline of some ofthe problems that can occur, and thesteps you can take to minimise oreliminate them altogether.
She highlighted recent reported
problems with liquid medicineswhere GPs are four times more likelyto make prescribing errors, andinhalers where staff are 30 timesmore likely to make mistakes thanwhen administering tablets.
Tom Owen, director of My HomeLife, gave an inspiring talk on ‘Prom-oting voice, choice and control’,drawing on examples of the creativeways in which homes respond to res-idents and develop highly individu-alised plans to ensure people havethe best possible quality of life andopportunities to take risks. He tooktime to address some of the commonmyths about being a care home resi-dent, and sent the audience homehappy that there is plenty of goodnews about living in a care home –with solid evidence that we should allbe using to back up our case.
Further conferences will be held onJuly 6 and 7 at Southampton andAshford respectively. For furtherinformation telephone the bookinghotline on 01226 734459.
Conferences consider care opportunities and challenges
SHAW Healthcare held its third annual staffachievement accolades ceremony at Stratfordupon Avon.
Families, residents and staff membersthroughout the company’s facilities were able tomake nominations for the awards, with the cat-egory winners chosen from five previouslystaged regional events.
All winners received a cheque for £500, a tro-phy, certificate and medallion.
Category winners: Cook – Susan Sweeting;head office member – Jo Dodds; carer -Nacimento Miranda; community servicesachievement – Polly Lessiter; NVQ champion -Alison Bryant; carer supporter – Rita Lewis;deputy manager – Jane Eversham; home man-ager – Rebecca Condie; regional recognition –Jane Harris.
Firm recognisesstaff achievements
Winners at Shaw Healthcare’s third annual staff achievement accolades
