March 2010 no.166 • £4.75 In association with By Dominic Musgrave CARE home owners should be allowed to ask their residents for any winter fuel allowance they receive, it has been claimed. Angela Baker, who runs Overton House in Manchester, says the gover- nment is wasting millions of pounds paying residents who live in care homes on average £125 per person. She told Caring UK that most of them spend the money on either toffees, cigarettes, clothing or going out. Angela added: “This is grossly unfair. After speaking to the depart- ment who issue winter fuel supple- ments, l was told that pensioners who live in a care home are entitled to a reduced rate of winter fuel allowance. “When l asked if home owners were within their rights to actually ask for this allowance as a contribution to the huge winter fuel costs, which have been even more than usual after the recent extreme temperatures, l was told certainly not as this money is for the person themselves. “Think how much the government is actually wasting on money across the country on pensioners who live in care homes, and this winter fuel supplement is not even being used to keep them warm. The country would be better off not even paying it at all.” Angela, who has owned and run the home for 22 years, said ever escalat- ing costs including an excessively high gas bill means the next few months will be a financial struggle for her. She added: “I have had several letters telling me that this year’s allowance has been deposited in a particular client’s bank account. “Most of our client's finances are handled by relatives or local authori- ties so my question is: ‘Where is this money going?’ because it is certainly not being used as it should be, to keep those pensioners extra warm and assist home owners in already extortionate running costs. Obviously keeping our elderly clients warm is a huge priority which must come bef- ore expenses such as staff training but, with little hope of the local authorities and government raising the fees, most homes will be in jeop- ardy of losing their financial control.” She is calling on the government to recognise care homes are necessary places and assist them by increasing fees appropriately to meet inflation. Winter fuel payments unfair claim Coronation Street actor Bill Tarmey released a flock of pigeons to officially open a new Leeds care home. The actor, best known for playing Jack Duckworth on the soap opera, also unveiled a plaque at Ideal Care Homes’ new facility Berkeley Court, which has 78 en-suite bedrooms, 36 for people with dementia. Facilities at the home include a hairdressing salon and landscaped sensory gardens. ‘For Better or for Worse?’ ‘FOR Better or for Worse?’ is the theme of the annual ECCA conference in November. The event, which takes place at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury on November 17, will pose the question whether health and social care can ever be happily married. Chief executive Martin Green said: “There is much talk about shared values and common objectives with commissioners and providers collaborating to provide integrated care, but are these the basis for a marriage made in heaven? Or is divorce already on the cards? “This event will review the relationship from all sides and hopefully point the way to a long and happy partnership.” As in previous years, interactive workshops and seminars during the afternoon session will cover a range of business and care-related topics to provide practical advice and allow delegates to debate the issues raised by the speakers. incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector
Transcript
March 2010
no.166 • £4.75
In association with
By Dominic Musgrave
CARE home owners should beallowed to ask their residents for anywinter fuel allowance they receive, ithas been claimed.
Angela Baker, who runs OvertonHouse in Manchester, says the gover-nment is wasting millions of poundspaying residents who live in carehomes on average £125 per person.
She told Caring UK that most ofthem spend the money on eithertoffees, cigarettes, clothing or goingout. Angela added: “This is grosslyunfair. After speaking to the depart-ment who issue winter fuel supple-ments, l was told that pensionerswho live in a care home are entitledto a reduced rate of winter fuelallowance.
“When l asked if home owners werewithin their rights to actually ask forthis allowance as a contribution tothe huge winter fuel costs, whichhave been even more than usual afterthe recent extreme temperatures, lwas told certainly not as this moneyis for the person themselves.
“Think how much the governmentis actually wasting on money acrossthe country on pensioners who live
in care homes, and this winter fuelsupplement is not even being used tokeep them warm. The country wouldbe better off not even paying it at all.”
Angela, who has owned and run thehome for 22 years, said ever escalat-ing costs including an excessivelyhigh gas bill means the next fewmonths will be a financial strugglefor her. She added: “I have hadseveral letters telling me that thisyear’s allowance has been depositedin a particular client’s bank account.
“Most of our client's finances arehandled by relatives or local authori-ties so my question is: ‘Where is thismoney going?’ because it is certainlynot being used as it should be, tokeep those pensioners extra warmand assist home owners in alreadyextortionate running costs. Obviouslykeeping our elderly clients warm is ahuge priority which must come bef-ore expenses such as staff trainingbut, with little hope of the localauthorities and government raisingthe fees, most homes will be in jeop-ardy of losing their financial control.”
She is calling on the government torecognise care homes are necessaryplaces and assist them by increasingfees appropriately to meet inflation.
Winter fuelpaymentsunfair claim
Coronation Street actor Bill Tarmey released a flockof pigeons to officially open a new Leeds carehome. The actor, best known for playing JackDuckworth on the soap opera, also unveiled aplaque at Ideal Care Homes’ new facility BerkeleyCourt, which has 78 en-suite bedrooms, 36 forpeople with dementia. Facilities at the home includea hairdressing salon and landscaped sensorygardens.
‘For Betteror forWorse?’‘FOR Better or forWorse?’ is the theme ofthe annual ECCAconference in November.
The event, which takesplace at the Holiday Inn,Bloomsbury onNovember 17, will posethe question whetherhealth and social carecan ever be happilymarried.
Chief executive MartinGreen said: “There ismuch talk about sharedvalues and commonobjectives withcommissioners andproviders collaboratingto provide integratedcare, but are these thebasis for a marriagemade in heaven? Or isdivorce already on thecards?
“This event will reviewthe relationship from allsides and hopefully pointthe way to a long andhappy partnership.”
As in previous years,interactive workshopsand seminars during theafternoon session willcover a range of businessand care-related topicsto provide practicaladvice and allowdelegates to debate theissues raised by thespeakers.
Group Deputy Editor:Judith HalkerstonTel: 01226 734458
Database enquiries to:01226 734695 E-mail: [email protected] every effort is made toensure the accuracy of all con-tent, the publishers do notaccept liability for error, printedor otherwise, that may occur.
www.caring-uk.co.uk
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THE owner of a care home which wasfeatured in a documentary on demen-tia has made an official complaint tothe television watchdog.
Jeremy Davies, director of ADL Care,which runs Woodland House inTorquay, has reported the BBC toOfcom because he says the brief theyreceived for the programme has beenbreached.
Television cameras filmed in thehome for 10 months as part of thetwo-part series entitled Can GerryRobinson Fix Dementia Care Homes?,but Jeremy told Caring UK that someof the editing of the final programmesthat went out on air was ‘abysmal’.
He added: “My father had dementiabefore he died, and we agreed to takepart in the programme because wewant people to understand what
dementia is all about. They tried tocompare our care homes to some ofthe others that appeared in the docu-mentaries, but when you look at allthe registrations you cannot.
“We are a specialist dementia home,whereas all the others used were resi-dential and looking for a completelydifferent client group. One says it hasthree dementia beds and another says16 out of 31 are early onset, whichrequires completely different skills.”
Jeremy said that halfway through thefilming he fell out with BBC represen-tatives because they wanted to bringin a consultant for the home.
He added: “The relatives of the resi-dents were fully supportive of the pro-gramme, but after the documentarieswere shown a number of them com-plained to the BBC because the posi-
tive interviews they did were notshown.
“They were told that was bec-ausewe wouldn’t allow the consultant tocome in, but we knew of the man theywanted to bring in and his beliefs.
“He would have wanted the home tolook more like a domestic house, but ifwe were to put a golf bag in the hall-way someone would probably pick itup and hit somebody with it.
“I think the BBC has done an amaz-ing disservice to the whole of demen-tia care in this country, and I amamazed that Gerry Robinson allowshis name to be used in this way.”
A spokesman for the OpenUniversity, who co-produced the doc-umentary with the BBC, told CaringUK they were not aware of any com-plaint having been made yet.
Picture courtesy of the BBC
Care home owner in Ofcomcomplaint over documentary
THE fortunes of a West Yorkshirecare home have been turnedaround thanks to the efforts ofthe new manager.
Troubleshooter Jeni Oetgen tookover the Aermid Health Care (UK)Ltd owned Woodfield Grangenear Halifax last July after thehome was given a poor rating bythe CQC, with new arrivalssuspended.
It currently caters for 17residents but is registered for 36and the latest inspection lastmonth, by the Care QualityCommission, found 20assessments to be good andanother six were adequate.
Jeni said those who remained inthe home had been well cared for,but it was right the home focusedon improvements beforeaccepting more.
She added: “The home had asuccession of managers, butunfortunately they didn’t have theskills or experience and the homeitself looked a little sad anddilapidated.
“It has been five months of hardslog and taken a lot of TLC to getto where we are today, and I amgrateful to head office for
providing me with the money tobe able to refurbish the home.”
Jeni said she found staff were indesperate need of training andpersonal centred care plans hadnot been put in place.
Her appointment was initiallygoing to be temporary, but shehas decided to stay and see thejob through and has officiallybecome the registered manager.She now has approval from socialservices to take more residents.
Jeni added: “We are on the wayup and to receive a ‘good’ in ourlast inspection is proof of that,but I will not be happy until weare ‘excellent’.
“In the past there had alwaysbeen a waiting list for the home,but that changed because a fewpeople took their eye off the ball.
“I want the home to be thecentre of the community as itshould be, and I am grateful tohave been given the opportunityto rebuild the home up againfrom a blank canvas.”
Phase three of the home’srefurbishment programme is setto start in the near future, whichwill see the dining room and theremaining bedrooms beingdecorated.
Home retains three-star ratingafter unannounced inspectionA WILTSHIRE care home hasretained its three-star ratingfollowing an unannouncedinspection.
The CQC’s report of ShaftesburyCourt in Trowbridge highlighted thehome’s commitment to treatingresidents as individuals and helpingthem to live independently aspossible.
It said: “People are able to makedecisions about their life, includingtheir finances, with support if theyneed it. This is because the staff
promote their rights and choices.”
“People are asked about, and areinvolved in, all aspects of life in thehome.
“This is because the manager andstaff offer them opportunities toparticipate in the day to day runningof the home and enable them toinfluence key decisions.”
The report also highlighted thewide range of activities provided bythe activities leader, and howresidents are supported to followtheir own personal interests.
04 Hawk 17/2/10 10:40 Page 1
5CARINGNEWS
A NORFOLK dementia care home isusing baking to boost the memoriesand aid social skills.
Bilney Hall, run by HealthcareHomes, has created a 1950s-stylekitchen where residents can bakecakes, biscuits and sausage rolls – orjust pop in for a cup of tea and achat.
And the kitchen has proved a big hit– not only with the residents, but alsowith visitors who have been sur-prised at how it brings memoriesfrom their childhood flooding back.
Manager Liz Carlton told Caring UKshe scoured antique shops andsearched the internet for old-fash-ioned bits and pieces to go into thekitchen
She added: “A lot of people whohave dementia remember cookingfor their families in the post-waryears, especially baking – and theystill enjoy doing or watching thewhole process from start to finish.
“However, due to environmentalhealth regulations, our patients arenot allowed to cook in the mainkitchen at Bilney Hall. So we decidedto create a separate kitchen wherethey could cook for themselves.
“We applied for a capital grant fromthe government, through NorfolkCounty Council, and received £2,600
to spend on the kitchen. We bought abrand new American-style fridge anda high-level electric cooker, both ofwhich resembled those which wereused in the 1950s.”
The kitchen has flying ducks on thewall, an old cupboard with drop-down doors, a wooden table andchairs, cutlery, cups and saucers fromthe era and even an old meat safewhich someone had found in theirgarage.
Liz added: “On Tuesdays andThursdays we have a cook whocomes in to help guide residentsthrough the process – but they canuse the kitchen at other times, aslong as they have been assessed by usto be capable and safe to do so.
“The patients love it – even some ofthe men who are residents here enjoygoing and cooking in the kitchen. It ispart of what they remember from thepast and it helps keep them busy.”
A new £1m extension has recentlyopened at the home, which has cre-ated a further 21 bedrooms and alsoincludes four assisted bath andshower rooms and four day roomsfor leisure activities and dining. � Do you have similar activities atyour care home? Let DominicMusgrave know by ringing 01226734407 or email [email protected]
Bilney Hall manager Liz Carlton in the 1950s-style kitchen at the home
Kitchen servesup memories forhome residents
05 Hawk 17/2/10 10:44 Page 1
CARINGNEWS6
Holiday hopefor SouthportresidentsA SOUTHPORT care home is lookingat the possibility of taking itsresidents on holiday.
The management of Avalon arelooking into taking a party of its 20residents on a trip to either Scotland,Wales or Disneyland Paris.
Manager Ann Wilson said they aretrying to overcome the problem ofhaving to have one carer perresident, which is a requirement forpeople with dementia.
She added: “We are looking tobooking some holidays, but theproblem we are finding, particularlyfor residents with dementia, is thatyou have to have one on one care.
“We are trying to work out astrategy to get around this to movethe idea forward. It is back to whatthe residents used to do before theymoved in here.
“We want to offer a home fromhome service to ensure they have thebest quality of life while they areliving here with us.”
Residents are encouraged to getinvolved with some of the day-to-daytasks around the home such as
cleaning and washing, while a variedactivities programme has also beendevised.
Ann added: “We encourage theresidents to get involved and not justsit in their chairs all day. We havechanged the menu so that theresidents are now eating twobreakfasts. They have a light onewhen they get up and half an hourafterwards will do a few armchairexercises.
“They can then have another hotbreakfast if they wish before they dosome more activities to take them upto lunch. We have relaxed the policyat night time as well so the residentscan go to bed when they wish andnot at a set time.”
Ann’s partner bought the home forher five years ago, and since thenthey have refurbished it throughout.
She added: “All our money has gonestraight back into the home, andwhen we first it I lived on thepremises as well. We hope to add aconservatory to the front in the nearfuture, but are struggling to getplanning permission.”
MOLLY the donkey paid a specialvisit to the residents of a Wilmslowcare home.
The visit to The Hawthorns wasarranged through the ElisabethSvendsen Trust, which providestherapy visits to older people as wellas therapy riding for children withspecial needs.
Home manager Claire Bibby said:“Our residents love animals, andwe’re a very animal-friendly home.
Animals and pets have a specialability to boost morale – they providecompanionship and bring happinessand laughter. Molly the donkey is themost unusual animal to visit TheHawthorns so far, and it was greatfun having her here, walking aroundour home.”
The CLS group home has two petbudgies, while a registered PAT dog, aLabrador called Rosie, visits residentstwice a month.
Molly the donkey boostsmorale on visit to home
May Fozard with Molly the donkey
Admissions suspendedADMISSIONS to a Wolverhamptoncare home have been suspended bythe local council amid concernsabout the residents’ welfare.
The 77-bed Bentley Court wasopened last September in theWednesfield area of the city by therenowned Priory group, but noplacements will be made due tosafeguarding issues.
It is however still acceptingprivately-funded residents.
Council spokesman Tim Clark said:“The council raised a number ofsafeguarding issues with managers ofBentley Court following a meeting inDecember.
“The city council has decided to
temporarily suspended any newplacements at Bentley Court.
“This temporary suspension willremain in place until these issueshave been investigated and, wherenecessary, resolved.”
A spokesperson for the home said:“We are awaiting the care reviewdetail from the council to helpexplain the temporary suspension ofadmissions to the home.
“A meeting is planned with thecouncil shortly to discuss this matter,as we were not informed at the timeof the issues arising.
“We hope for a swift resolution aswe know that we have people whowish to come into the home.”
06 16/2/10 17:12 Page 1
07 16/2/10 16:52 Page 1
CARINGHOMECALL8
MORTON Grange near Alfretonscooped the prestigious prize whichis voted for exclusively by users andindustry professionals.
The home owners, Malcolm andJune Rye, are no strangers to awards,having won two at the inauguralGreat East Midlands Care Awards.
The husband and wife teampurchased the site of a formercottage hospital in 1985, and havegradually extended it over the yearsto the 66 beds it is today, which issplit into three separate homes –Poplars, Willows and The Beeches.
There is also a homecare companywhich provides approximately 1,400hours of care per week and anEdexcel approved training centrebased on the site.
Malcolm told Caring UK he puts thesuccesses down to a number ofdifferent factors. He added: “Discip-line, training and good managementare vital to the running of everyhome, and those linked together arethe foundations for the success wehave had here over the years.
“We first bought the site as aninvestment, but at first said that Ididn’t want to get involved because Ididn’t think I liked older people. But Isoon realised that I love thembecause they are like children but alot more fun.
“The three homes we have createdhere are run totally separately. We
wanted to keep them small tomaintain the homely feel, but weneeded the number of beds to beviable and to provide things for theresidents that many small homesstruggle to afford such as a minibusand entertainment.”
More than 150 people work acrossthe businesses full and part-time,with the running of the care homesoverseen by a supernumerary nurseShanci Mathew.
Malcolm added: “We have threeindividual managers at the home,with Shanci in four days a week tooversee the running of them in asupervisory role. We know she is theonly one of her type in the county, ifnot the whole country, and her roleenables the nurses to properly focuson things in the home.
“We think she is money well spentbecause she helps the homes runmore effectively, and we can not seeus managing without her.”
The home runs a variety of groupsfor its residents with the help ofseveral volunteers, including agardening club which last year grew avariety of vegetables that were usedby the chef, a nature club and a birdclub. As well as regular trips to thezoo and other local places of interest,the home also runs monthly themednights, a weekly pub evening, and islicensed to serve drinks at its veryown bar.
A Derbyshire care home has been named the best in the country by an independent website.Dominic Musgrave found out more.
MALCOLM and June’s next project isto turn one of the derelict buildingson the site into a day centre for thelocal community.
Planning permission has beensecured for the new facility, withwork expected to start in April.Malcolm said the facility will includea cafe and garden room with patios.
He added: “With a day centre here itwould make us a one-stop shop andwe think we can do it a lot betterthan it is done currently in thecounty, where generally it is run on
the cheap.“We do offer day care in the care
homes at the moment, but itencroaches on the residents’ loungesand is difficult to integrate.
“It ticks another box for us becausedomiciliary care is expensive anddoesn’t really give the one thing thatmost people are looking for, which iscompany.
“From our point of view if therecomes a time when they need tomove into a home then they havealready been introduced to us.”
Discipline, training and good management
Residents and staff enjoy a day at Twycross Zoo
Go-ahead given forcouple’s next project
08 16/2/10 16:51 Page 1
9CARINGNEWS
Scrapbooks makea difference atDerbyshire homeSCRAPBOOKS are improving the livesof people with dementia at aDerbyshire care home.
The 38 residents at Ashcroft carehome in Chesterfield have their ownlife history folders, which managerLinda Hodgkinson says are helpingstaff to understand their social andemotional needs.
She told Caring UK the relativeswere keen to help staff put the scrap-books together.
Linda added: “The life historieshave become an important feature inthe day-to-day running of the home,and we all know the residents better.
“They are a reference to an individ-ual’s life using pictures from whenthey were young up to the presentday and, as well as giving the resi-dents a sense of well-being, theyhave also helped the staff to appreci-ate them.
“We have involved the families inputting the books together, and thishas helped them to know a bit moreabout their relatives. It has broughtback a lot of memories, some of thempainful, of people they have not seenor heard of for many years.”
Linda says she has noticed a big dif-ference in the residents after dramat-ically reducing the use of psy-chotropic drugs at the home lastyear, thanks to the hard work of herstaff and the co-operation of localGPS and psychiatrists.
She added: “It has made a massivedifference, and in some cases the res-idents have become alert again, andmany of the families have told usthey have got their relatives backagain. We have also found that resi-dents have become more mobile,which has caused us to revisit otherareas because of the risk of falls.Residents have suddenly got out oftheir chairs, which has surprised staffat first, but now we are aware of thatwe can deal with it. But the dementiaisn’t going to go away, and in somerespects it can get more challenging.But it is about educating the relativesas well as the staff because in maycases this is their first experience ofthe condition.”
She added that the home is nowusing doll therapy among otherthings as an alternative to medica-tion.
An unusual production ofRomeo and Juliet set in acare home is set to beperformed at Bristol'sOld Vic Theatre.The Shakespeare play,which runs from March10 to April 24, will seethe children of the 80-year-old lovers try tokeep them apart.It is being directed byTom Morris, the manbehind Jerry Springer –the Opera, and starsCoronation Street actorMichael Byrne and SianPhillips.
09 16/2/10 16:53 Page 1
CARINGNEWS10
New initiativeshowcased toIcelandic partyA SHROPSHIRE care home hasopened its doors and has showcaseda new initiative it is using to a partyof carers from Iceland.
A dozen members of staff fromvarious care homes in theScandinavian country visited AccordHousing Association’s Bennett Housein Telford to learn more about theEden Alternative.
The scheme is an approach to careand the treatment of older peoplebeing used in a number of homesmanaged by the company that aimsto eliminate feelings of loneliness,helplessness and boredom.
The approach centres aroundbringing spontaneity and variety intothe 45 residents’ lives usinginteraction with children, pets andthe local community.
Bennett House manager LisaJohnston said: “We introduced theEden Alternative to the home threeyears ago, and it has been workingreally well since. Residents regularlytake part in activities ranging fromcraft sessions to seated exerciseclasses, which have a really positiveeffect on their health and well-being.Welcoming carers from Iceland was a
great opportunity for us to share ourknowledge and experience.”
As well as learning more aboutEden, the Icelandic visitors, whoranged from cooks and cleaners tocarers and a director of nursing, werealso given a tour of the home andjoin in a craft activity where residentswere making decorations to celebratethe Chinese New Year.
Lisa added: “We talk to theresidents’ families and friends whenthey first move here to gatherinformation to build up how we canbetter care for them. We are far fromthe stereotype many people have ofcare homes, where old people sitaround the edge of the roomwatching television all day.
“We welcome local schoolchildrentwice a week, and the residents andtheir relatives run craft sessions forthem during the summer holidays.”
She added that the home’s 59 staffunderwent a series of trainingsessions to gain a better understand-ing of the project, and hopes to takea party to Iceland later in the year tolearn how care and support ismanaged in another country.
STAFF at a Cookley care homeditched their uniforms for a day asthey held a special event to raisefunds for the Haiti earthquakeappeal.
Workers at Westley Court spent aday dressed in their pyjamas andserved the residents a full Englishbreakfast for lunch as part of theevent, as well as participating inactivities and games.
Diane Day, the home’s activitiescoordinator, said: “We were
originally going to hold the event toraise money for the home’sresidents’ fund but we have decidedto send the proceeds to Haiti afterbeing moved by the recent eventsthere. The staff and residentsenjoyed the event, which was a funoccasion for all, and we were able tomake a small contribution tosomething we all feel is such aworthy cause.”
We have been a pet friendly home formany years and are registered withthe Cinnamon Trust.
We have a dog who answers to anyname, which is handy as we have a
high percentage of people withdementia, a budgie and are hatchingchickens.
Visitors and staff are encouraged to bring their pets in. We have found that the residents love the petsas it is a talking and reminiscencepoint.
The dog with residents at Meadow Lodge in Goole
Care home dog answers to any name
THE Caring UK newsdesk has beeninundated with calls from care homesnationwide who allow pets.
In the February edition of themagazine we ran a story ‘Call for morehomes to accept pets’ where NigelWaterson MP had launched a Bill aimedat increasing the number of care homesand sheltered housing which allow petsto live with their owners.
Susan Miller, who has been managerof Heaton Grange in Bradford for 19years, said she has always allowedresidents to bring their animals withthem. She added: “To some elderlypeople pets are their life, so to deprivethem of their beloved pet is not onlycruel but can have a detrimental effect
on them settling down in the home.“Bringing a pet into the home gives
not only the owner but the existingresidents a boost more than any tonic adoctor can give.”
Louise Griffin, manager of DunleyHall in Worcestershire, has called onhomes to change their views andpolicies on pets.
She added: “Working with the newdementia care practices in personcentred care we very much understandthe importance of how pets becomevery much a part of someone’s life, andwe expect that pets would be broughtinto the home on admission of a newresident. It is proven that animalsimprove their well being and give them
a sense of still being in control, as wellas the obvious feeling of lonelinesswhich is dramatically reduced whentheir beloved pets are with them.”
And Jenny Ross, who runs ThistletonLodge in Preston, said they also acceptpets if they are beneficial and have apositive influence on clients’ lives.
She added: “Prior to introducing petsthe following points might beconsidered: The type of petconsidered/wanted by service users;Will it offend or affect other clients?’Will the pet be kept in the individual'sbedroom or in a communal area?; Whowill care for the pet?; Who is responsibleif the animal bites someone? And whois responsible for veterinary bills andvaccinations?”
Loraine Olsen has run Owls Barn carehome in Gainsborough for 22 years,and says she has always had animals.As well as the six residents residingthere she also has 10 dogs, six cats, atortoise, budgerigar and fish.
She said: “I cannot believe that thereare homes out there that won’t acceptpets. We were one of the first in thecountry to do so, and the residents herecouldn’t live without them. They arebetter than any medication.”
Care home managers are seeing the benefits of having animals at their homes for the residents.Dominic Musgrave reports.
Why some owners think petsare better than any medication
I AM the manager of a dementianursing home and we love pets. Overthe years we have had a variety ofanimals, and at present we have aLeonberger dog who the residents
love. She is spoiled to death, andraises the spirits of the staff andvisitors as well as the residents.
We also have Xanthi, a big Germanmountain dog weighing 66kgs. Theadvantages of having such a big dogare residents do not trip over her anddo not have to bend down to strokeher.
Home dog weighs in at 66kgs
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13CARINGNEWS
By Dr Lisa Wilson
FOR many people moving into res-idential care the choice of what toeat is a key aspect of maintainingindependence and individualitywhen adapting to a new environ-ment.
The National MinimumStandards for older people in carehomes outline the need for homesto take into account food prefer-ences and provide wholesome,appealing and nutritious meals.
But what does that mean for theresidents themselves? For many,meals are ‘a highlight of the day’and constitute a vital componentof social interaction, choice, inde-pendence and individuality, but lit-tle research has taken place intohow people’s preferences differ andhow homes can meet the differingneeds and requirements of theirresidents.
With support from BUPA Giving,the International Longevity Centre- UK undertook research aimed atgaining a better understanding ofthe preferences for food and mealsof older people in care homes.
The research explored ways inwhich preferences are reflected inmenu planning, the mechanismsin place to offer choice and thecurrent best practice in homes
across the UK. The findings demonstrated the
complexity of food choice andfound that many care homes havebecome adept at blending choiceand experience with health needsand the practicalities of running ahome.
Of the 489 residents interviewed,96 per cent reported being satisfiedwith the food they received and 93per cent thought their food prefer-ences were well met by the home.
However, only 50 per cent of resi-dents reported being asked theirfood preferences on moving intothe home, although friends andfamily were often involved in theprocess.
Homes reported offering a choiceof cultural foods and menuoptions, valued by residents, butalso the challenge of meeting everyindividual’s needs, particularly inlarger homes.
Residents’ meetings and ques-tionnaires were seen as invaluableto home managers in establishingfood preferences. The methods bywhich homes and residentsaddressed food issues dependedon the home and demonstratedthat, for the issue of food and foodchoice, there is no one size fits allsolution.
Good, open communication
between staff and residents is key,as is an open mind to developingnew ideas. While food choice isvital, ensuring residents eat is justas key as ensuring good nutritionmust remain an essential part offood provision.
There is a wealth of good practiceavailable, but homes need furthersupport and flexibility, asinevitably there are circumstanceswhere providing choice is chal-lenging, particularly in the case of
residents with dementia, who maynot recall preferences, forget to eator find choosing difficult.
Homes need support to under-stand their individual residentsand residents be given the confi-dence to make choices, ask foralternatives or suggest changes.
� Lisa Wilson is the healthresearch manager for the ILC-UKand a registered public healthnutritionist.
Food preferences in care homes
Lisa Wilson
13 18/2/10 12:48 Page 1
CARINGCARE SHOW14
Dementia careprogramme toaddress issuesA TWO-DAY dementia careprogramme will run in conjunctionwith the Care Show Bournemouth toaddress important issues andchallenges surrounding the quality of life for sufferers in carehomes.
The seminars will include afocussed look at environment,architecture and interior design forthese residents.
Speakers will include experts from avariety of design fields: Eda Brooks,managing director of Access 21Interiors; Judi Watkinson, interiordesign and inclusive designconsultant of Judi Watkinson Designand Access and Martin Habell,director of architecture and projectmanagement.
Each will discuss their professionalrole in helping dementia sufferersand the best ways to bring a genuinequality and workability to theirresidences.
Event director Jonny Sullens saidthe programme has been asignificant development since its
inception two years ago.
He added: “The Dementia CareTheatre provides the ideal venuewhere specialist carers, healthprofessionals and care homeoperators can listen to experts anddevelop ideas.
“Sympathetic designs to easepractical living combined with anenhanced environment can add somuch value to an elderly resident’slife, particularly dementia sufferers,and we are delighted to be includingthis important element in theprogramme.”
Further aspects of dementia carewill be addressed by ECCA chiefexecutive Martin Green in his‘Personalisation in Dementia Care’presentation, while Colin Paton joinsAnnie Stevenson of the Social CareInstitute for Excellence (SCIE) todiscuss ways to achieve high qualitycare in: ‘Supporting the DementiaCare Workforce’.
The Care Show takes place onMarch 30 and 31.
EventdirectorJonnySullens
Specialist bathrooms provide flexibility forindependent use
PRESSALIT Care has been designing highquality, long term bathroom solutions forhealth care providers for more than 30 years,meeting best practice and providing value formoney.
At the Care Show we will be introducingour range of carefully designed bathroomproducts for hygiene rooms, accessible toiletsand shower facilities for both new build andrefurbishment care home projects.
Incorporating our unique track system, thePressalit Care solution allows products to beadjusted horizontally or vertically, to suit theindividual requirements of users and theircarers in a safe and comfortable environment.
Specialist bathroom facilities such as those fitted at Ovingdean near Brighton allow residents to enjoythe highest degree of flexibility and independent use.
Pressalit Care’s range of adjustable products future-proof a bathroom, reducing the need for furtheradaptations or reconfigurations. We offer a free design and quotation service.
Enquiries: Visit stand W20 for further information or call 0844 880 6950.
Meet the Fireco team at the Care ShowCOME and meet the team from Fireco - the official fire safety
consultants to the UK’s leading care sector associations. Fireco assist care home owners and managers to meet their
responsibilities for Fire Risk Assessment through the company'straining and consultancy services.
The company will also be demonstrating their wide range ofsimple, effective fire safety solutions, including acoustic Dorgardand Deafgard plus Hardwired System X, the latest version ofFireco’s highly successful wireless fire safety system, and Freedor- the wireless swing-free hold open device that closes when thefire alarm sounds.
Fireco will be on stand W37 in the Windsor Hall at the show,which takes place on March 30 and 31.
BVS launches long-awaited DVD resourceBVS Training has released its long awaited new DVD
training resource: Mental Capacity Act – In Practice inresponse to many requests and enquiries from careproviders.
This title covers a variety of subjects including:What is the Mental Capacity Act?What are the principles?Presuming CapacityHow does it affect day to day workThe DVD, which costs £125, is supplied with a CD-Rom
which contains trainer supporting materials, includinglesson plans, trainer’s guide, exercises and handouts.
Sales and operations manager Faye McGuinness: “Thistitle will prove to be a vital tool for all care providers andit aims to serve as a summarised information source aswell as a training resource.
“It will assist care workers in understanding the variouselements that make up the act and giving them theconfidence and ability to put the act into practice in theirdaily work.”
Enquiries: Visit www.bvs.co.uk
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CARINGCARESHOW15
Girbau UK displays energy efficient laundryequipment
GIRBAU UK is showing its latest range of energy efficientwashers, dryers and ironers on stand W53 at theBournemouth Care Show on March 30 and 31.
The company’s most energy efficient washers ever, thelatest six series is available in seven models, with capacitiesranging from 9kg upwards.
The 9kg model (HS-6008) has already been named themost energy-efficient in its class, according to US bodyEnergy Star. Tests carried out by Energy Star showed the HS-6008 washer uses far less water and electricity than themachines of other manufacturers.
Strong and durable, all washers in the six series range offerspin speeds of up to 1,000rpm and have been designed toprovide excellent washing performance with reduced cycletimes.
Girbau’s patented GDRIVE system uses microprocessorcontrol to optimise the high speed spin cycle to suit differenttypes of fabric as well as saving energy and water, reducingnoise and vibration and prolonging machine life.
Enquiries: Visit www.girbau.co.uk or ring 01462427780.
Franklite to exhibit at Bournemouth Care Show
FRANKLITE has been a distributor and manufacturer ofquality lighting for almost 40 years.
During that time we have worked with many care homesto ensure that the lighting is both attractive and meets therequirements of both staff and residents.
Franklite has a comprehensive range of approved energysaving lighting in their catalogue, and can convert many oftheir other designs to low energy at their premises in MiltonKeynes.
Over the next few months many new products are to belaunched which have been specifically designed for the carehome sector, including illuminated hand rails. These arebased on customer feedback gained from previous projects.
Franklite has a dedicated contract sales team who canoffer advise and assistance, and can arrange site visits ifrequired.
Franklite will be on stand W95 at the Bournemouth CareShow.
Enquires: Telephone 01908 691818.
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17CARINGSAFE HANDLING
BOOTS Care Services has recentlycelebrated 20 years of providing dedicated pharmacy services andmonitored dosage systems to carehomes.
Our market leading system, supported by comprehensive training for care workers, is used by over half of all UK carehomes.
It provides the systems; equipmentand day-to-day support to improve medicines management and help ensure that the comprehensive records needed to ensure patient safety are maintained.
We have invested over £9millionover the past three years in improving our medicines service to care homes, including
automation to enhance dispensing accuracy.
Our national network of stores sup-ported by a local care services teamof more than 50 ensures that train-ing, help and advice are always closeat hand.
Initiatives such as our 70+ midnightpharmacies and pharmacist on-lineservice mean that professional adviceis easy to access.
Training is critical to the effective-ness of any system and our nationaltraining managers will work withcustomers to develop solutions totheir specific needs.
Our independent customer satisfaction survey, Partners in Care,enables us to keep improving ourservice.
ADMINISTRATION of medicines isone of the topics being discussed atthe annual NASHiCS conference thissummer.
Speakers confirmed for the event,which takes place at the NottinghamBelfry on July 1, include ECCA chiefexecutive Martin Green, Jill
Manthorpe from Kings CollegeLondon and Ann Williams from theDepartment of Health.
The dementia strategy, personali-sation, activities and fire safety are some of the other subjects that will be covered on the day.
Advertiserʼs announcement
£9m investmentin improvingmedicine serviceto care homes
ECCA chief executive Martin Green
Administration under discussion
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CARINGUNIFORM AND WORKWEAR18
Workwearfor everyemployeeBOYD Cooper, part of thesuccessful DimensionClothing Group and trustedsupplier to the NHS, bringsyou a stock supported andmade to order specialist rangeof healthcare and ambulanceclothing.
Partnering the Boyd Cooperbrand is also the successfulBowstone catering clothingrange; worn throughout theworld in retail and cateringenvironments which offersfood preparation and servicestaff a comprehensive range tochoose from.
Both brands have beendeveloped with the philosophythat great workwear needs to recognise the workingenvironment, encouragepeople to be team players and reflect the aspirations of the business brand.
In our new catalogues youwill find workwear for everyemployee within a care home– there’s no role we cannotclothe.
Show is an essentialfixture in care diaryWITH demand for personal carersand care homes set to boom in theUK as the population ages, theWorkwear and Corporate ClothingShow has become an essential fixturein the diaries of the care sector.
The show provides an opportunityto see the latest styles, newperformance fabrics and to meetsuppliers in a time-saving format.
Show co-founder Yvette Ashby said:“When it comes to workwear for thecare sector, it is vital to control costsand achieve true value for money,without sacrificing comfort or safety.
“Workwear is increasingly driven byperformance and comfortcharacteristics as well as enhancedfunctionality. One of the emergingtrends is in anti-microbial fabrics,which discourage the growth ofbacteria, and prevent stale orunpleasant odours developing,which is important for workersundertaking strenuous lifting.
“We’re also seeing a rising trend indisposable garments for the caresector, which is a trend that has beenadopted from the medical sector, asprivate organisations increasinglytake over the caring role that wastraditionally undertaken by the NHSor families themselves.”
With around eighty exhibitors keen
to do business, the Workwear andCorporate Clothing Show 2010 offersaccess to the whole job-relatedclothing sector under one roof.
Confirmed exhibitors will beattending from as far away asScandinavia, Germany, Malta,Botswana, India, Egypt, China andGermany. CEPEX, Tunisia’s textileexport organisation, will be bringingseveral of the country’s leadinggarment manufacturers todemonstrate their capabilities.
Yvette added. “A lot of exhibitorslaunch new products at the show andour catwalk fashion shows havebecome a hugely popular focal pointof the two days. It gives visitors thechance to see the entire industry inone go and to make a lot of highquality contacts.”
The Workwear and CorporateClothing Show takes place at theRicoh Arena, Coventry on April 13and 14.
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19CARINGNEWS
Volunteersurged to workalongside staffBy Dominic Musgrave
CARE homes across the country havebeen taking part in a new project toencourage volunteers to work along-side staff to provide activities.
The National Association forProviders of Activities for OlderPeople (NAPA) has developed ascheme called ‘Come to Tea’ as partof Age Concern’s national Fit as aFiddle programme.
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, Fitas a Fiddle champions well-being,physical activity and healthy eatingfor older people and, as part of thewider initiative, NAPA has developedthe ‘Come to Tea’ project to encour-age volunteers to support smallgroup activities and spend one toone time with older people living incare homes.
Project officer Amy Hinks said: “Theproject aims to enable volunteers tospend time with individuals who areparticularly isolated, frail or thosewho rarely leave their room.
“NAPA provides two free workshopsfor volunteers and staff to take partin together, and these sessionsshould enable the participants toinvite residents to take part in social
interactions, enabling them to movemore, socialise with other people andeat and drink well.
“Whether it be a tea party in theirown room or a lounge, a trip to thepark or a visit to the local pub, theproject encourages low-cost interac-tions that will make a real differenceto the well-being of residents.”
The workshops include informationon how the care home works, being agood volunteer, understanding howto motivate residents, communica-tion, non-contact mobilising, what‘activity’ is in a care home and basicfacts about nutrition and hydration.
Amy added: “The benefits of theproject are already visible. One par-ticular care home in the South Easthas started to encourage residents tomake their own cups of tea and cof-fee with the help of volunteers.
“Such an example can seem quitesmall but can make a huge differenceto building the confidence of an indi-vidual, and brings back an element ofindependent living that can so veryoften be taken away.
“Volunteers are an asset to carehomes and this project is a way tostart to build up a culture within acare setting.”
CARE home residents took on royaltyin a virtual computer game when theDuchess of Cornwall visited aSwindon care home.
Camilla toured the newly refur-bished Church View in St Margaret,met and spoke with residents beforechallenging one, David Rose to agame of bowling on the home’s newNintendo Wii console system com-missioned and paid for by the resi-dents’ fund.
She also spent time with anotherresident, Peggy Aucott, with whomshe has been corresponding for morethan 15 years, following a meeting atthe village of Highgrove, where theyboth used to live.
Camilla also spoke to DenisGleeson, who helped to fundraise forthe new computer system by under-taking a daring flight in a microlite atthe end of last year.
Manager Jo Butler said: “She’s obvi-ously very personally involved, veryrealistic and very aware of people’sneeds and their lives and it was justthe way she spent so much time witheverybody.”
Church View’s refurbishmentincludes a home-cinema projectorand an innovative new computer sys-tem which has been speciallydesigned for ease of use by elderlyand disabled people, and uniquelylinks three console devices that hasnot been done before in a care home.
It combines the use of a NintendoWii console, a desktop computerconsole and a DVD player linked to aprojector system, with specially cus-tomised features including a key-board with large, easy to use keys, atrack ball mouse system and touchscreen applications.
Duchess and the Royal Wii
A PEN pal scheme for older people isproving to be a major success after itwas expanded nationwide.
Gloucestershire County Council’sPlume pen pal project was piloted byactivities coordinator Anita Miles,with the aim of bringing togetherpeople in the community and in carehomes. The project has now expand-ed to link care homes across thecountry, with residents from homesin Bristol, Cornwall, Norfolk,Ayrshire, Essex, Hampshire, Lanca-shire, Manchester and Oswestryinvolved.
Anita said the aim of the scheme isto prevent loneliness or isolation,and dispel some of people’s fears
about going into care. She added: “I think the success of
the project is down to the fact that it’sinexpensive and everyone can takepart. Some people may need supportto write and others need their repliesread out to them, but seeing howhappy people are to receive a letterthat is not junk mail or a bill makes itso worthwhile.”
Anita said some homes have adopt-ed the project as a group activity,while people with dementia havealso found it helpful.
She added: “One lady keeps the let-ters in her handbag and often getsthem out to look at. They give her agreat deal of pleasure.”
Pen pal project gets stamp of approval
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CARINGNEWS20
Joint venture considered on unencumbered landwithin M1, M62 and A1 area (Leeds) 0.7 acres.
Ideal position for brain injury or care assisted units.
• Detailed planning permission granted.• Historic planning gains.• Change of use available.
• Will accommodate up to 30 individual units.
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
Tel:07949 060 346 - 07944 125 505
By Dominic Musgrave
A NORTHUMBERLAND home’s careplans have been praised by theregulator following an unannouncedinspection.
The Old Vicarage in Wooler hasbeen upgraded from two stars tothree by the CQC, with the inspectorpaying particular praise to thehome’s care plans for its 16 residents.
Manager Janet Cresswell toldCaring UK it is something she hasfocussed on since returning to thehome as manager five years ago.
She added: “We have all workedvery hard to get the ‘excellent’ rating,and I have concentrated on makingthe plans more holistic over the pastfew years.
“I have looked at the social needs ofthe residents as well as the healthones, and we have recently introduc-ed separate night ones which covereverything from whether residentsrequire assistance to how manychecks they should have. The plansare also audited monthly to ensureall is in place and up to date.”
The Old Vicarage has been underthe ownership of Peter and LindyReddihough since 1997, with Janetworking there in a variety of roles foralmost 20 years barring an 18-monthperiod as an NVQ assessor at a local
college.She said the staff are now
discussing ways to maintain therating between now and the nextinspections. Janet added: “We areonly a small home with 16 residents,but we are converting another spaceto increase our registration to 18 inthe next few weeks.
“We want to achieve the rating inother areas than health, so we arethinking about upgrading theexterior of the house and addingfeatures to the gardens so that the
residents can get involved outsidemore.
“We don’t have a dedicatedactivities plan as such because webelieve people shouldn’t have to playbingo if they don’t want to. We haveregular residents’ meetings where wediscuss what they want to do instead,and one of the things we did last yearwas hold an open day to try andattract the community here.”� If you have a story for Caring UKring Dominic Musgrave on 01226734407 or email [email protected]
Rating rise as regulatorpraises home care plans
Staff strutcatwalkfor HaitiSTAFF at a London residential hometook to the catwalk and performed ina talent show to raise funds for Haitiearthquake victims.
Staff at Murrayfield in Edmontonorganised a fashion show wherenurses, carers and volunteers worecostumes from their native countries,which included the Philippines,Jamaica, various parts of NorthwestAfrica and the UK.
Staff also cooked and serve Chinesefood as well as other ethnic dishes,which visitors could buy with adonation.
Jenny Golding, activities leader atthe home, said staff were so keen toraise funds for charity they hadpreviously dressed up in schooluniform and tarts and vicarscostumes.
She added: “We try to help differentcountries through fundraising whenwe can.”
A talent show was also held at the home, featuring musicalmembers of staff, relatives and othervolunteers.
Funds were also raised through araffle, with prizes donated by a localflorist and supermarket.
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21
Caring UK Commercesection brings you all the latest property,business and trainingnews every month.
In this issue:
� How Helen’syoung carers areblooming ...
Page 22
� New home leadscouple to focus ondementia care
Page 24� East Anglian caregroup in doubledevelopment
Page 26
75 jobs created at new£10m care home in YeovilA NEW £10m state-of-the-art care homein Yeovil will create 75 new jobs in itsfirst year of opening.
Due to open shortly, Aurora Care’sHendford House has been designed andproject managed by chartered buildingsurveyor Alan Young and constructed byChard-based building contractors R GSpiller Limited.
Funded by The Royal Bank of Scotlandit is the first new 21st century facility tobe built in the town. Two new seniorpositions have already been filled withthe recent recruitment of deputy matronLynn Whiston and head of the dementiaunit Suzanne Butts. Trained at YeovilHospital with further education at theprestigious King Alfred’s College in
Winchester, Lynn has extensive experi-ence gained in the healthcare sector.
Clinical director Sue Aldworth said:“Previously an assistant matron at a localnursing home in Yeovil, we feel very for-tunate to secure Lynn’s services.
“Lynn is a mature nurse and will bringa wealth of knowledge and skills to thenew role in all clinical aspects.
“She has extensive experience in sever-al care settings including care of theelderly and dependent people.
“Her warm, empathic personality fitswell with the ethos of Aurora Care andwill help to carry the company forward.”
Suzanne has a registered manager’saward and 21 years’ experience in thecare sector with a particular interest in
older people and dementia.She will receive ongoing formal train-
ing and development on dementia with-in her role at Hendford Care Home.
At Hendford the ground floor bed-rooms and two of the dayrooms will bedevoted to clients with dementia.
In total it will offer 40 beds for nursing,palliative and dementia care to theelderly population of Yeovil and SouthSomerset with 24-hour registered nurs-ing staffing.
Aurora’s managing director MichaelLawson said: “Our aim at Hendford is tocreate a state-of-the-art care facility pro-viding hotel standards coupled with per-sonal care and specialist expertise inYeovil.”
Bradford Bulls rugby league players Andy Lynch and Jamie Langley officially opened anew care home in the city. Cooper House is the Priory group’s first facility in Yorkshire,and is registered for 80 residents requiring nursing or dementia nursing care. The homeboasts a choice of lounges and dining areas and an enclosed landscaped garden, whilethe dementia floor utilises the very latest research in dementia care, focussing on aperson’s abilities.Andy and Jamie are pictured with Priory managing director Sharon Butler and homemanager Patricia Donaldson.
The management team at Hendford House, from the left: Lynn Whiston, Sue Aldworthand Suzanne Butts.
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HAVING youngsters on the teamhas energised the atmosphere atOakdene and left residents smiling,claims manager Helen Reilly.
Currently 10 per cent of the staffat the Lincolnshire care home areunder 24, and Helen told CaringUK she has witnessed her youngcarers bloom in confidence duringtheir time there.
She added: “I think they havebeen surprised by just how muchthey enjoy the job. The residentsenjoy having young people around– and now and again, some of thegirls rally up a sing song, whichlightens up the day.
“In a way, having the youngpeople on the team has helpeddispel some of the myths you seeon TV about them. And for theyoungsters, they’ve realised thebreadth of history and knowledgeolder people can offer.”
However, she added it isimportant to have the right mix ofstaff at the home.
“Young people have a lot to offer,
energy, new ways of working,laughter,” she added. “But we needthe older staff as well, as they comewith years of experience.
“Lots of the young people werecruit are through word-of-mouth, some of their mumsalready work on the team. We alsorecruit through apprenticeshipschemes and through theJobcentre Plus.
“We had a few teething problemswith some the candidates we gotthrough the Jobcentre, but once wevoiced our concerns, they sortedthings out promptly. Also, theyoungsters come through on a trialperiod – so both parties have achance to see if they’re happy withthe match.”
Under the new scheme ‘Care FirstCareers’ will see employers acrossBritain get £1,000 for taking on ayoung person who is struggling tofind work.
It is part of the government’syoung persons guarantee thateveryone between the ages of 18
and 24 who has been looking forwork for six months will get a joboffer, work experience or training.It makes £75million available tofund up to 50,000 jobs.
Care services minister Phil Hopesaid: “Care services offerchallenging and rewarding careers,from managing care homes to
supporting older and disabledpeople to live independently intheir own homes.”
� Do you employ youngsters atyour care home? If so why not letDominic Musgrave know byemailing [email protected] or bycalling 01226 734407.
As the government launches a new initiative to offer more young people a career in care,Dominic Musgrave speaks to a manager who has seen the benefits of adding youth to herworkforce.
Oakdene
How Helen’s young carers areblooming in confidence ...
Christie’s has sold the freehold interest of Peniel House Care Home in Carmarthenshirefor an undisclosed sum. The substantial detached Victorian property trades as a dualregistered home for 31 residents. It has a purpose-built extension and also planningconsent for an additional four bedrooms. The home was sold on behalf of Kaippans Careto local care home operator Mr Sehmi.
Avril Lee (centre) receives her award from Hyde Nursing Home manager Helen Hubbertand Age Concern Skills for Life tutor Alan Asher.
A NORTH west care assistant hasbeen recognised by Age ConcernTraining as their learner of themonth.
Avril Lee, from Hyde Nursing Homehas worked for Meridian sinceOctober 2008 when she started as acare assistant at The Sycamores inNewton.
She moved to Hyde in April 2009.
In addition to her in-house training,Avril has studied further care relatedkey skills and also achieved level twoin literacy and numeracy.
As a result she has become the firstadult apprentice for Age ConcernTraining in Greater Manchester toreceive this award.
Avril is learner of the month
Derbyshire care home changes handsDC Care has completed theconfidential sale of a Derbyshirecare home.
Akshay Barot has bought the facility, which is registered for 21, after the vendors requested
that the marketing and salestransaction remained totallyconfidential.
The home is Akshay’s second,and he bought it for an undisclosedsum.
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CARINGCOMMERCE24
A FORMER IT business analyst andproject manager, Gaj and Kathyentered the industry because theyhad always had an interest in care.
And after acquiring Avalon carehome in Eastbourne in 2007, theyhave bought the house next doorand have turned it into a 13-bed forpeople suffering with dementia.
Gaj said: “When the house nextdoor came on to the market wejumped at the opportunity to buyit.
“Our research told us that there isa big demand for people withdementia who also require nursing,because very few are providingboth.
“We decided to take this on andhave refurbished the home, buthave kept it very original. Within afew weeks of opening we were full.”
The pair purchased the homebacked by a £1m funding packagefrom The Royal Bank of Scotland(RBS), and Gaj said they arelooking to purchase furthersuitable homes in the near future.
He added: “At the end of last yearwe had our first CQC inspection
and we were delighted to receive a‘good’ rating.
“We will start looking for morehomes shortly, and the success ofthe new home has convinced us tofocus on dementia, particularly inthe Greater London, Surrey area.”
The original 21-bed Avalon is oneof the oldest nursing homes in theUK, having been opened in 1968 byNora Miles, who retired when shewas 80.
The home came staffed, and Norarecommended a new manager tothe couple, who has been withthem since.
Raj added: “We have several staffwho have worked at the home formany years, and Nora suggested tous that we should make Lynn Tobinthe manager when we arrived.
“She said that if she could workunder her for so many years thenshe will be a good manager, andshe has been.
“We are on the preferred supplierlist in Sussex, which has thankfullymeant that we are always full. Weare probably turning down aroundtwo people a day at the moment.”
Husband and wife team Gaj and Kathy Ragunathan have added a specialist dementia unit totheir portfolio. Dominic Musgrave found out more.
New home success leads coupleto focus on dementia care
Gaj and Kathy Ragunathan are pictured with matron Lynn Tobin, RBS healthcaremanager David Osborne, deputy manager Mary Simner and head of care DianeHamper.
Care operatoropens tenhomes in yearA NORTHAMPTON-based careoperator has proved its claim to bethe fastest growing provider in thecountry by opening 10 new homes inaround a year.
Avery has defied the economic woesand created 648 beds and more than700 jobs at facilities in Heckmond-wike, Grantham, Sunderland,Peterborough, Chippenham,Kirkstall, Moston, Newcastle UnderLyme, Bulwell and Dudley.
And the company has new homescurrently under construction inRugeley, Northampton, Kettering,Nuneaton and Wolverhampton.
Managing director JohnStrowbridge said: “Despite the hostilebanking climate Avery continues toobtain shareholder and bank supportfor its developments. It is investing ina sector that is crying out for qualityand we are offering just that asstandard. The sector is proving tohave a sound investment return withgood capital growth potential. Theygo hand in hand.
“The market is subdued at themoment due to a challenging seniordebt environment. This willinevitably change, but recognisingthat point will be the challenge.”
The company’s expansion has beenassisted by a very close workingrelationship with Graphite Capitaland The Royal Bank of Scotland’shealthcare team.
Three members of staff at a Somerset care home have become careambassadors.Popham Court’s Ruby Smith, Katie Cornell and Sophie Ramsay havejoined the Skills for Care initiative, which aims to raise the status ofcare work and encourage people into the profession.As care ambassadors they will attend training courses which willdevelop their presentational skills and prepare them for their visits toschools, colleges and job centres, where they will offer advice oncareer routes and opportunities within the sector.
Strong interestremains in goodquality facilitiesBy Dominic MusgraveTHE state of the care homes market is not as bad asmany people may think, it has been claimed.
Michael Aldridge, director of property agentsChantview, said there remains a strong interest ingood quality facilities.
He added: “There is an ever increasing influx of newbuyers entering the market. This coupled withexperienced operators looking to add good qualitybusinesses to their portfolio has helped maintainsteady market conditions.
“Evidence suggests that recent prices achieved havenot fallen back as expected, with just a correction towhat was conceived as previously inflated prices.”
And he added that, contrary to popular belief, thebanks are willing to lend, but are requiring moredetailed financial information before agreeing.
“This would now include three years’ auditedaccounts, management figures and both current andhistoric occupancy trends,” he added.
“Providing this is forthcoming, a bank should lookfavourably at the deal.
“The key word is now quality, and if a business hasthe necessary criteria it should sell. This wouldinclude mainly single en suite rooms, generallyspecious accommodation, a good range of qualityamenities and a stable staff base, ideally qualified atNVQ level.
“Occupancy levels remain an important issue, withbuyers and lenders expecting all but just limitedvacancies throughout the financial year.”
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CARINGCOMMERCE26
Healthcare Homes and Horizon construction representatives at the topping outceremony at Fornham House
East Anglian caregroup in doubledevelopmentTHE largest care group in East Angliahas held topping-out ceremonies ondevelopments at two of its homes.
The final roof beam was put inplace on a £1m extension atHealthcare Homes' Fornham Housenear Bury St Edmunds, which willincrease the number of spaces to 74.
Work will continue at the home,which is more than 270 years old andwas once home to the Duke ofNorfolk, to create eight bedrooms, anew entrance hall and office facilitiesfor staff.
Deputy manager Carrie Mason said:“This new extension is the latest partof our refurbishment of FornhamHouse and we're delighted to see theproject reach this landmark stage.
“We’ve had a huge amount of
interest in the new rooms and lookforward to being able to offer ourservices to even more people.”
A similar event was held at BilneyHall in Dereham to mark thecompletion of an extension whichwill create 21 new bedrooms fordementia sufferers.
The two-storey development willinclude four assisted bath andshower rooms and four day roomsfor leisure activities and dining.
The group has also added to itsportfolio with the purchase of OliveHouse, a 35-bed care home inNewton Flotman.
A planning application has beensubmitted to extend the home by afurther six bedrooms.
New extension underwayat Bolton care homeWORK has begun on a new extensionat a Bolton care home which wouldalmost double its capacity.
The £300,000 development atBlackrod House will increase thenumber of beds from 17 to 27 afterowner Irene Burton secured fundingfrom NatWest’s specialist healthcareteam.
The project, which is scheduled forcompletion in April, involves anextension to the rear of the propertyand the conversion of a number ofdouble rooms to singles.
Owner Irene Burton said: “Theenlarged home will provide us withthe space to offer care facilities tomore people from Blackrod and thesurrounding areas.
“The existing home had 17bedrooms, but this included threedouble rooms so it was difficult to getmore than 14 at a time which made itnot really viable financially.
At the back of the house is a singlestorey extension, and I used to standupstairs and look out over it thinkingI could build on there to achieve my
dream.”Irene acquired Blackrod House in
2007 following a 30-year career in thenursing care sector.
Although she now lives in theMidlands, Irene decided to return to her roots in the North Westafter her search for a suitablebusiness closer to home provedfruitless.
She added: “Owning a home wasalways an ambition, and weoriginally looked around theMidlands, but the ones that met ourcriteria of a minimum of 14 bedswere too expensive.
“Because the North West is one ofmy old stomping grounds I wascomfortable looking for a businessthere, and we looked at four or fivebefore getting it down to the final twoand choosing this one.
“Sorting the finances out for theextension was relatively easy. It was alittle more difficult than getting it topurchase the home three years agobecause it took a lot of dotting the ‘i’sand crossing the ‘t’s.”
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Home links upwith school formemories projectBy Dominic Musgrave
A CUMBRIAN care home has joinedforces with its local primary schooland library for a memories project.
A dozen seven and eight-year-oldsfrom Valley Primary School regularlyvisited Powbeck House inWhitehaven for their ‘when I wasnearly nine’ scheme.
Manager of the home JaniceSibbald said: “The link with theschool first came about when thechildren came to see the residents tofind out about their school life, homelife and married life.
“We then arranged for the residentsinvolved to visit the school, and thena final session was held at the librarywhich included an old fashionedtea.”
Janice said the school visits haveproved so popular with the residentsthat a party now come into the homeevery couple of months.
She added: “The youngsters arecurrently involved in anotherreminiscence project with six of ourresidents who have dementia.
“They are doing themed boxeswhich can be used as talking pointson a variety of themes, such as
holidays. We put an old fashionedbathing costume and some shellstogether and the residents can relateto them and talk about them.
“They may not understand what isgoing on today but they canremember what they did years ago. Ithas been a real success and we aredelighted to have been given theopportunity to get involved with it.”
And Janice says she has noticed abig change in some of the residentsat the 38-bed home.
She added: “It’s really good seeingthe two generations come together,and the visits have had a reallypositive affect on the residents.
“One lady in particular got so muchout of it because prior to the projectshe had been with us for three-and-a-half years and had never gone out.
“Her daughter persuaded her totake part, and after she got back fromvisiting the school all she talkedabout for three hours was the schooland the difference from today towhen she was a child.”
� Do you have links with your localschool? Let Dominic Musgrave knowby ringing 01226 734407 or [email protected]
Shropshire nursing home plans garden makeoverA SHROPSHIRE nursing home is setto have a garden makeover.
The grounds of Four Rivers NursingHome in Ludlow are set to betransformed, with features set toinclude an extended patio area,pathways for wheelchair access, asun shelter and raised flower beds.
Since May 2008, staff and membersof the Four Rivers Friends Committeehave been raising money to pay forthe project and, thanks to additionaldonations and grants, they haveraised more than £20,000 for thework.
The home’s manager ChristineThomas said work is due to becompleted by the end of March.
She added: “We have a blank canvasat the moment because the gardensare currently just a green space, havevery little plants or flowers in them.
“We want to create an area wherethe residents can walk round or bepushed in their wheelchairs, andenjoy the summer weather.”
The 40-bed home is divided intofour suites of 10 bedrooms which arenamed after the four local rivers -Teme, Corve, Onny and Clun.
Staff and residents from more than 50 Bupa care homes marked Shrove Tuesday with aspecial pancake race. The ages of everyone taking part in the ‘golden oldies’ pancakeraces was added together to see which home could claim the ‘Bupa’s oldest pancakerace’ title. Elmwood nursing home in Leeds residents Doreen Stephenson and TedMarks are joined by cooks Marjorie Bell and Paul Lowe for the celebrations.
Extra cameras installed at complexEXTRA CCTV cameras have beeninstalled at a Slough residentialcomplex after elderly residents wereleft “terrified” when youths managedto get inside.
The offenders ate residents' food inthe kitchen, wrote expletives in thecarpet and pushed knives throughdoors at Lilac Court. And, following ameeting with residents, extra CCTVhas been installed, while securitycodes have also been changed.
Helen Orford, head of service
delivery for owners AnchorRetirement Housing, said a securityguard has been hired in the interimto boost protection.
She added: “We are appalled by theindividuals whose behaviour hasmade older people feel insecure intheir homes.
“To reassure tenants that theirsafety and well-being is our priority,we have met with them to discuss theincreased security measures whichhave been put in place.”
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Personal Care Bill ‘mustbe start of radical reform’By Dominic Musgrave
THE Bill introducing free personalcare at home for older people mustbe the start of radical reform of thecare system and be backed by properfunding, it has been claimed.
Stephen Burke, chief executive ofCounsel and Care, told the charity'sannual conference the growing num-ber of older people left to struggle ontheir own or with family carersshould prompt all politicians to com-mit to long-term solutions for bettercare.
He said that older people and theircarers live in what could be described
as ‘good, bad and uncertain times’.Stephen added: “The good times
stem from the transformation of careacross the country, giving peoplemore choice and control over thesupport they need, and helping olderpeople to stay in their own homelonger.
“The bad are the budget cuts whichare already tightening eligibility crite-ria further and increasing charges forcare; but worse is to come and olderpeople seem to be in the firing line.
“The uncertainty comes from thePersonal Care at Home Bill, the forth-coming White Paper and the generalelection, leaving many unclear about
the future for care.”He went on to say that he worries
that an the agenda for reforming carecould be replaced by a financialrequirement to keep older people outof hospital and residential care at allcosts.
Stephen added: “Clearly better careat home is what most older peoplewant and if it’s 'free', then even bet-ter.
“But we need to ensure that propersupport is available in local commu-nities so that staying at home doesn’tmean loneliness, isolation andneglect.
“It has to mean more than four 15
minute visits a day, rushing olderpeople in and out of bed with nosupport to eat proper meals, chatand enjoy life. And it must recognisethat a care home will still be theoption of choice for many older peo-ple and their families.
“Free care would be a popularpledge at the election.
“People want to know what carethey will get and how much they willbe asked to pay.
“And it needs to be set in the muchwider context of family policy with anambitious vision for a reformed careand support system that is fairlyfunded.”
An East Anglian domiciliary care provider has promoted two members of its team.Janice King has become Manorcourt Homecare’s operations director, while AndyBantock has taken on the role of commercial and finance director.Janice has been with Manorcourt Homecare, which is part of Healthcare Homes, since itbegan 10 years ago, while Andy, who has been the company’s commercial manager andfinancial controller for the past 18 months, has more than 10 years’ experience in thedomiciliary care sector.Janice and Andy are pictured receiving an Investors in People certificate which wasrecently award to the company from chief executive Richard Clough.
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CARINGHOMECARE32
A SENSOR that switches on the lightswhen you get out of bed, atemperature detector to stop yourhouse getting too hot or too cold anda flood detector were some of theassistive technologies on displaywhen care services minister PhilHope visited Harrogate.
Telecare could prevent 160,000people from entering residential careper year, with potential cost savingsof £2.0 billion per year, according to Department of Health estimates.
However, 98 per cent of UK adultsare unaware that assistivetechnologies are an important part ofsocial care, new researchcommissioned by the departmenthas revealed.
Phil said: “High quality care andsupport should enable people toremain independent for longer,developing their skills and interestsso they can get more out of life.Telecare has an important role toplay and North Yorkshire is a greatexample of innovative support that isbreaking the mould and challengingperceptions of care.”
North Yorkshire County Council hasbeen selected by the department asan exemplar provider of innovativeprevention services, having savedmore than £1million that wouldotherwise have been spent ondomiciliary or residential care.
This cut the average person’s carecosts by 38%, which is an averagesaving of £3,600.
Gwen Shepley, aged 85, with minister Phil Hope and telecare coordinator Kerry Warnerlooking at a Minuet alarm watch
Assistive technologies showcasedCare South gave each member of staff a specially commissioned enamel badge to markthe company’s 10th anniversary of providing home care services in South Somerset at acelebration at the group’s Crewkerne headquarters. Pictured are, from left to right:Lesley Morgan, peripatetic domiciliary care manager, Dawn Palmer, domiciliary caremanager, Lyn Couldwell, domiciliary care operations manager and Sarah Broom, clientservices manager.
Search for new chief executiveTHE UKHCA has begun its search fora new chief executive following thedecision by Lesley Rimmer OBE toretire after 17 years in the post.
Chair Mike Padgham said theassociation, which last yearcelebrated its 20th anniversary, islooking for an exceptional individualwith vision, drive and passion to takethe organisation forward.
He added: “Lesley made a fantasticcontribution to the first 20 years ofUKHCA, and she will be an extremelyhard act to follow. Her role in the
formation, growth and success of theassociation has been enormous.
“The new chief executive will be expected to grow the organisation,deal with the complex social care sector across the four UKnations and have influence at thehighest level.
“We are looking for a proven leaderwith vision, the right background andskills needed to lead UKHCA fromthe front.”
Initial interviews and short-listing isexpected to take place in late March.
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CARINGNEWS34
SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs)based, Richards ResidentialSupplies have concentratedupon supplying simple solutionsto common nursing homeproblems.
The new WACMAT® adheresstrongly to this tradition.
With its ultra absorbentcotton pile and 100 per centwaterproof backing, theremarkable WACMAT® is anideal accessory where spills mayoccur.
Used as a commode mat, inbedrooms or bathrooms, theWACMAT® ensures full carpetprotection. Then, after use,simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple...
The WACMAT® will then be clean and odour-free, ready to perform time and time again. Alternativelythe flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costsalone.
Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.
Simple solutions
IN A climate where care home operators are stillsuffering rising costs, reduced placements and greatuncertainty about their future, the opportunity torecover up to nine years of VAT is greatly needed.
Cost reduction specialists Salmon Business Group canhelp operators reclaim retrospective VAT for nursing andresidential homes.
Despite the ruling taking place back in 2002, manyoperators have failed to avail themselves of theopportunity thinking that they could not make a claim.
You may not have all the records but this does notmatter, as we can work with minimal information tosecure a successful outcome.
We can assess your claim free of charge and advise asto what the next step should be, and take this through tocompletion and funds in your bank account. If we are notsuccessful there is no charge to you the customer - youhave nothing to lose.
Enquiries: Telephone 01246 293011 or visitwww.salmon-business.com
Make a claim with Salmon Business Group
Continued success for ATMO pressure careTHE ATMO pressure relief range supplied by
Beaucare Medical Ltd is a powerful series ofoverlay and replacement air mattress systemsdesigned with care homes in mind.
The pump units are easy to operate, and themattress systems are designed to require onlysimple maintenance.
Equipped with intelligent functions,including a static option to allow for easiernursing care, the low air loss system providesgood ventilation to keep patients dry. Thevapour-permeable cover is water resistant andcan be wiped clean.
ATMO pressure systems offer maximumcomfort to the user, with high specifications atlow cost.
The air mattress systems allow care homes to effectively prevent, treat and manage pressure sores.Cushions for use with the same pump unit can be supplied for 24-hour pressure care for patients at highrisk.
STAFF vacancies at a soon to openretirement village have been filledthanks to a recruitment fair
Richmond Villages, who are set toopen a new £60m complex inLetcombe Regis, Oxfordshire, heldthe event to fill a variety of positions.
Manager Elisabeth Parker said theevent attracted more than 100people, with the majority comingfrom the surrounding towns andvillages.
She added: “The day was a greatsuccess and we have filled all theroles that we had available apart froma couple.
“We had to cancel the original eventbecause of the bad snow that hit thearea, but 30 people still managed tofight their way through to get here.
“We are particularly delighted withthe response we had to thehospitality jobs, and we are now wellon the way to having a fullcomplement of staff ready andtrained for when our first residentsmove in.”
The village is set to welcome its firstresidents at the end of March, and itsofficial opening will be carried out byTerry Waite, who was held hostage inLebanon for four years.
Elisabeth added: “The idea of arecruitment fair is something I knowRichmond has used at its other
villages, and it certainly worked here.“We are, however, still on the
lookout for a part-time socialactivities co-ordinator as well asexperienced carers and registerednurses, who are like hen’s teeth.
“We were particularly happy thatmany of the people we haveemployed lived within walkingdistance of the village because thatmeans we have less people travelling,which makes us even greener. It alsomeans we won’t have too muchdifficulty staying open should wehave any more bad weather.”
Vacancies filled withrecruitment fair
Elisabeth Parker
A NEW day centre has opened at a North East care home.Among the facilities at the Life Begins Centre, which is part of the Helen McArdle ownedHartford Court, is a cinema, multi-purpose activity room, internet cafe, and dedicatedminibus. Manager Tracie White added: “The centre not only provides activities and daycare while our members are here, but it will also help them at home and in theireveryday lives.”
Hot water on tap for bedside hand washingTHE new Patientwash portable hot water hand
wash unit from Teal allows people to take control oftheir own cleanliness when confined to bed – ratherthan relying on busy nursing or care staff to helpthem.
Lightweight and easy to carry, the insulated unitcan be located on a convenient flat surface, allowingpatients to wash their hands before eating, after goingto the toilet or when they want to freshen up.
When filled, the Patientwash contains enough preheated water for up to 10 thorough hot hand washes.It is completely self contained with a unique Waste-Safe® to retain all dirty water for disposal at the endof the day.
A specially designed frame on wheels is alsoavailable to make moving the unit between bedseasier.Enquiries: Visit www.tealwash.com or telephone
0121 770 0593 for more information.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE Furniture has extended itshealthcare portfolio with a selection of specialistseating in response to demand from care homes forfurniture to accommodate the needs of ‘bariatric’users.
Three different models have been designedspecifically for those residents and in-patients whofall into the bariatric category – that is, who weightypically 35-50 stones and who frequently presentassociated health and mobility problems.
The Ashton, Dalton and Hamilton modelscombine both style and functionality, despite theirenhanced size and strength.
The Ashton is a sturdy, upholstered motorisedrise recliner for users weighing up to 35 stones. Aneasy remote control allows the back to be poised atany angle to allow the user to find a comfortable seating position, with additional support provided by thepadded arms and wings.
In addition, Knightsbridge has extended two of its established armchair ranges - the contemporaryDalton and the classic Hamilton - to incorporate bariatric models.
Octenilin now available on drug tariffSCHULKE UK has announced that Octenilin® Wound Irrigation Solution
and Octenilin® Wound Gel are now available on the drug tariff, meaningthey can be prescribed and are reimbursable.
Octenilin Wound Gel is listed in Part IXA – Wound ManagementDressings and Octenilin Wound Irrigation Solution can be found in Part IXA– Appliances, under “irrigation solutions”.
Both products contain octenidine – a unique, innovative antimicrobialingredient which has a broad antimicrobial effect, including multiresistantstrains and shows very good skin and mucous membrane tolerability.
They can be used to treat burns, pressure sores, leg ulcers and any typeof skin wound. Octenidine is already currently used in the UK in Octenisan®antimicrobial Wash Lotion.
Results from a recent care home evaluation has showed that over 70 percent of nurses felt that Octenilin reduced the need for antibiotics due to“providing the ideal moist healing environment and good antibacterialactivity”.
Enquiries: Telephone 0114 254 3500.
Tarkett installed in new Gosforth hospiceTARKETT flooring has been installed in a
new three-storey outpatient suite at StOswald’s Hospice in Gosforth.
To make the new facility feel homely andwelcoming, Tarkett’s Acczent Woodprovided the ideal solution. Available in avariety of finishes from pale, coolly subtlewoods to warmer, richer-grained distressedfinishes, Acczent’s highly resistant Woodselection gives the real look and feel ofwood in high-definition print.
Part of the Acczent Compact range, it isdesigned specifically for environmentswhere people are constantly coming andgoing.
The solid heterogeneous sheet provides optimum resistance to tearing and features a glass fibre non-woven reinforcement to give excellent dimensional stability.
On top of this is a 0.8mm transparent PVC wear layer that is highly resistant to abrasion and indentation,topped off with Tarkett’s TopClean XP PUR reinforcement.
TopClean XP prevents scratching and abrasion, reduces soiling, removes the need for stripping andpolishing and reinforces the floor’s resistance to staining.
Enquiries: Telephone 01622 854040 or visit www.tarkett-commercial.com
Improve safety and enhance quality of lifeMANY handling injuries to both residents and staff in care
homes could potentially be avoided for as little as £3 a day,claims Total Hygiene.
The company has developed an innovative rental scheme,to complement the existing purchase options for itsequipment.
The Aerolet replicates the natural motion of sitting downand standing up, automatically and smoothly lowering theuser over and onto the toilet and then raising them tostanding while ensuring their centre of gravity and thusbalance remains stable.
It is all controlled by the push of a button via integral armsupports, which simultaneously provide additional bracing asthe resident transfers from wheelchair or frame to the toilet.
Versions can be fixed over a particular WC, or be movedfrom one WC to another as required, with options to lift andlower vertically, or tilt for users with joint flexibility limitation.
Enquiries: Visit www.clos-o-mat.com
Lotus Professional makes waves with launchof motion sensitive soap and sanitiser
THE complete end-to-end touchless hand hygienesolution has been unveiled by Lotus Professional with theaddition of two products to complete the hygienicallyadvanced enMotion range.
The electronic enMotion antibacterial foam soap andenMotion foam hand sanitiser are motion sensitive,requiring no hand-to-product touch and thereforeconsiderably reducing the spread of germs.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies threesteps to healthy hand-hygiene: wash with soap, dry withsingle-use paper towel and disinfect with alcohol hand-rub.Lotus Professional supersedes this requirement with thecompletion of the enMotion range, providing a touchlesssolution for each stage of the process.
The enMotion antibacterial foam soap has beendeveloped to deliver a dose of dense rich foam, reaffirmingthe high standards of quality and levels of safety users havecome to expect of Lotus Professional products.
Enquiries: Telephone 0114 2856665, or visitwww.lotusprofessional.co.uk
Don’t live with lingering odours andunsightly stains
CLEANING up with incontinence has always been a bit ofa hit and miss affair.
Inevitably there will be accidents on carpets, softfurnishings or mattresses. Speed is naturally of the essencewith these types of stains, as urine in particular cansometimes have a bleaching effect when it dries.
Rug Doctor has the solution for the removal of suchstains, and the effective elimination of the underlyingodour of urine, faeces and even sick.
Rug Doctor’s Urine Eliminator uses an advanced enzymeaction which breaks down both the cause of the stain andany remaining particles of solids into a permanently water-soluble consistency which can then be removed.
After removing any excess liquid or solids, Rug Doctorrecommend generously spraying Urine Eliminator -thoroughly wetting the area with it - in order to reach rightdown to the backing of the carpet where odours couldlinger.
ATTACH-A-TAG is a simple, cost effective method oflabelling clothing and soft objects.
Replicating a button, it attaches in seconds to thegarment seam or laundry label, making it discreet andcomfortable to the wearer.
Attach-a-Tag’s patented design is easy to attach butdifficult to remove, and cannot be taken off by accident orcome off during the laundry process.
Each tag has the owner’s name etched onto it, which isguaranteed not to wear off in the wash. This combinedwith the unique fixing method of Attach-a-Tag means theowner is identified every time.
Suitable for industrial laundry and iron proof, it isreusable, making it even more cost effective for your carehome.
Visit our website for photos of current stock www.hwpickrell.co.uk
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• We specialise in the sale and purchase of quality usedwheelchair accessible and ambulance vehicles.
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37
The first residents have moved into a new £5.8m specialist dementia care home in Southampton, which isexpected to create around 70 jobs.The 71-bed Oak Lodge Nursing and Residential Home will be run by Bupa in a joint initiative with the citycouncil. Forty beds will be made available for residents funded by the local authority.The new facility also includes a purpose-built day centre with places for up to 15 people.
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CARINGPRODUCT AND BUSINESS NEWS38
THE Incomaster from Haigh has been deliveringcost reductions, energy savings and helping tofight against infection for more than 30 years.
It disintegrates pads and nappies into asuitably fine pulp and flushes the material to astandard drainage system, meaning no storage,no smells and no mess.
Designed for simplicity, it is easy to install, lowmaintenance and fast – processing four small ortwo large pads in less than two minutes.
Saving you money, there are no costlycollection services and low running costs as onlymains cold water is required with a minimalamount of electricity.
With full service and warranty packagesavailable, the wear items have been designed forquick and simple replacement, and a spare set issupplied with each machine and the necessarytools to change them.
Incomaster isdesigned forsimplicity ...
The choice ofthousandsFOR award winning, top qualityroom and residents’ door signs besure to look at the Badgemasterrange. It is already the choice ofthousands of residential and nursinghomes.
There are gold or silver door plateswith smart, replaceable engravedinserts – extremely easy to read andalso available with Braille, and Brailleand tactile, if required.
Badgemaster provides a very fast,efficient service for replacement, low-cost engraved inserts with nominimum order, as and whenchanges occur.
Choose from two sizes (1” x 8” –25mm x 200mm or 2” x 8” – 50mm x200mm), now with handy end-stopsthat make for secure, tamper-proofidentification of room use oroccupier.
Just let Badgemaster know yourrequirements, and if room use ordetails change, the service forreplacement inserts is just as quickand efficient.
New wirelesstransmittersAID Call’s new Touchsafe range ofwireless Nurse Call transmitterscould revolutionise the way youmanage your clients’ calls forassistance.
The new ATX4000 and ATX5000nurse call transmitters are the onlybedhead devices to use a dedicatedalarm frequency and a two-way radiotechnology to ensure that all calls aresuccessfully transmitted and receivedby the display panels. An onscreenacknowledgment is also given at thebedside.
The ATX5000 features a LCD screen,which displays a ‘Next Call Waiting’message, enabling staff to accesstheir next call from the currentclient’s room, without needing torevisit the main display panel.
Aid Call has also introduced a newNurse Identification feature, whichprovides a permanent record of thenurse in attendance.
Visit stand W80 at the Care ShowBournemouth for a demonstration.
Diverse range ofcaring productsMEDPAGE Limited T/A Easylink UK supply adiverse range of caring products.
Established in 1984, with BSI accreditation toISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003 for themanufacture of medical devices, are a mediumsize company specialising in wireless caring aidsand patient monitors.
Our wireless nurse call systems offer excellentperformance and are fully compliant withrelevant standards and regulations, includingR&TTE radio certification.
The systems are reliable and are offered directto care homes at trade prices.
The company also manufactures monitors forthe detection of nocturnal epileptic seizures.
For care establishments offering specialist carefor people with epilepsy our monitors have a 16-year track record of reliable seizure detectionwith alarm signals transmitted to staff carepagers.
Provider carries out more than100,000 eye tests every yearHEALTHCALL Optical Servicesis the leading provider of eye tests at home in the UK,carrying out more than100,000 people annually.
Poor eyesight is recognised asbeing one of the major causesof falls in the elderly; many ofthese falls result inhospitalisation.
A regular eye test might haveprevented this for some.
In many cases, all that is
needed is an updated pair of glasses, and if you arein receipt of guarantee pension credit or incomesupport, you may even have glasses provided free ofcharge.
Some of the benefits of usingHealthcall include:
� We are local.
� Healthcall provide your staffwith optical awarenesstraining which is referenced to
Skills for Care and NVQ/SNVQ.
� The chairman owns carehomes, and so fullyunderstands the things thatare important to ourcustomers.
� We ensure all ouroptometrists are provided withongoing training.
� We engrave our spectacles –making it easy for staff and residents to identify them.
IntroducingstunningresidentialcollectionsELMGROVE is a UK-basedfamily-run manufacturer thatdesigns, supplies and installsbedroom, lounge, dining andoffice furniture to the contractmarkets.
Established by a managementteam and skilled workforcewith over 35 years’ knowledgeand experience, we are asuccessful team that make anddeliver a superior product withexceptional service.
The challenge for us is tooffer something new andexclusive and, after thoroughresearch and development, weare proud to present threestunning residential
collections designed with style and most importantlystrength.
All furniture is manufacturedat our modern plant inDartford, Kent, and with ahighly skilled workforce we cantailor bespoke products to suityour very own needs at verycompetitive prices.
Our furniture is designedwith life-span and appearancein mind, and the ranges reflectthe style and value expectedfrom our customers.
All ranges come with a tenyear guarantee, giving youpeace of mind and qualityassurance.
A care home’s new extension which comprises a range of facilities thathave incorporated research from the University of Stirling has opened.‘The Surrey’ dementia unit at Dormy House in Berkshire was opened byMayor of Windsor Jesse Grey, with features including an automatic lightingsystem in each bedroom which come on at night to guide the resident tothe bathroom, to prevent trips and falls. Outside each room there is a glassfronted memory box with lights behind to display treasured items.
