Caring UK January 2015

January 2015

no.223 • £4.75

By Dominic Musgrave

CARING UK is delighted to unveilthe venues and dates for its 2015regional care conferences.

Organised by sister companyScript Events, the five conferenceshave the title ‘Shaping the Future ofCare’ and will feature a stellar line-up of speakers.

This year’s theme will look at everyaspect of care, and topics coveredwill include everything fromnutrition and funding to socialmedia, activities and fitness forresidents.

The first event will be held atWetherby Racecourse onWednesday May 13, with the nexttwo taking place at GloucestershireCounty Cricket Club’s CountyGround in Bristol on WednesdayJuly 1 before moving to the RivieraInternational Conference Centre inTorquay the following day.

In September the first of our twoevents will be held at HampshireCounty Cricket Club’s The AgeasBowl in Southampton on the 29th,with our final conference takingplace the following day at KentCounty Cricket Club’s The SpitfireGround in Canterbury.

Speakers already confirmedinclude Martin Green from CareEngland, Nadra Ahmed from theNational Care Association and

representatives from both Skills forCare and the CQC. Further nameswill be added in due course

Group production editor DominicMusgrave, who will once againchair the events, said: “We are veryexcited to be launching our seriesof conferences and taking them toaudiences at new towns and cities,as well as returning for a secondyear to the Riviera InternationalConference Centre in Torquay,where we held a successful event in2014.

“Last year’s conferences were amassive success and we areconfident that, with the calibre ofspeakers we already haveconfirmed, our 2015 events will beeven more so.

“Since we started taking ourevents across the country they havegone from strength to strength, ascan be shown by the calibre ofspeakers we have attracted forthese conferences.

“I would urge any care homeoperators in these areas to attend tolisten to these distinguishedspeakers.”

Running alongside all of theconferences will be an extensiveexhibition, which will showcase allthe latest products and technologyfor your care home.� To find out more aboutexhibiting and sponsorshipopportunities turn to page 32.

‘Shaping theFuture of Care’dates revealed

Anchor’s newest care home, Moore Place, broughtfestive cheer to Esher with the donation of a giganticChristmas tree. The care provider’s staff joined localresidents in the town centre to enjoy a bugle band,carol singers and Italian market, and see the tree beinglit up by well-loved DJ David ‘Kid’ Jensen. Also inattendance were MP Dominic Raab, Deputy MayorCouncillor Jan Fuller and Esher Business Guildchairperson Dr Smita Mehra.

Whistlingmotivatesresidentsat homeSTAFF at KepplegateHouse Care Home inPreesall, Lancashire havefound a new way toencourage residents to dosuch things as taking ashower by whistling,singing and humming.

Initially the idea wasused with the residentswho have dementia andwho sometimes do notunderstand the necessityto attend to their needs,but now all residents enjoytheir personal careroutines carried out to thesound of their favouritemusic coming from themobile phones the staffcarry in their pockets.

As the residents arebeing walked to the toilet,showered or dressed, thestaff play music, allowingthem to sing and dancetheir way through thosenecessary tasks.

Kepplegate’sowner/manager, KarenShaw, said: “I’m reallypleased with the staff for‘thinking outside the box’with this. It ensures ourresidents receive a goodquality of care in anenvironment of trust,friendship, happiness anddignity.”

incorporating

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AdvertisingSales and Marketing Director:Tony BarryTel: 01226 734605Email: [email protected] Product Manager:Bev GreenTel: 01226 734288Email: [email protected] Field Sales Executive:Tracy StaceyTel: 01226 734480 Email: [email protected] Sales Executive:Mandy EdwardsTel: 01226 734692 Email: [email protected]

PublishersScript Media.47 Church Street, Barnsley, SouthYorkshire S70 2AS.Email: [email protected]

EditorialGroup Editor:Judith HalkerstonTel: 01226 734639 [email protected]

Group Production Editor:Dominic MusgraveTel: 01226 [email protected]

Studio Manager:Stewart HoltTel: 01226 [email protected]

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.

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Resident and her carerhelp launch statementBy Dominic Musgrave

A SANCTUARY Care resident and her careassistant have been named the face ofthe organisation’s new mission state-ment.

Frances Quartermaine, 86, a resident atBeach Lawns Residential and NursingHome in Weston-super-Mare and ChrisCoombes, Frances’ care assistant at thefacility, have been announced as the faceof the group and its new strapline.

The provider launched its new missionstatement ‘keeping kindness at the heartof our care’ for its 61 care homes acrossthe country recently – and chose the twounsuspecting women as the face of thecampaign.

The two took part in a photo shoot forthe care home’s marketing material earli-er this year, and it was felt by the organi-sation that their close bond, which wascaptured in the photographs, encapsulat-ed the message of kindness.

Frances and Chris only found out thatthey had been chosen when MarkMcCarthy, Sanctuary Care’s managingdirector, visited them at Beach Lawns topresent them with a signed photo andbunch of flowers each to say thank you.

Frances, who has been a resident ofBeach Lawns since May 2013, said: “Ican’t believe it. My face is going to beeverywhere – it’s quite funny really.

Nothing like this has ever happened tome before. Chris and I were just having alovely time together – as we always do –when they took the photos. We weren’treally thinking about having our picturetaken and certainly didn’t think it wouldlead to this.”

Chris, who has worked at the care homefor ten years, said: “I am on cloud nine.After I was presented with the signedphoto by Mark I wanted to go to thesupermarket and say to everyone ‘don’t

you know who I am?’“Of course, I just phoned my family

instead who were very excited too. I amalso so very happy for Frances – her facein the picture says it all.”

The mission statement is officiallybeing launched across the countrythroughout November and marks thebeginning of a new company missionand care commitment, which will berolled out across every Sanctuary Carehome by February.

Beach Lawns Residential and Nursing Home care assistant Chris Coombes and resident FrancesQuartermaine.

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A DIRECTOR of a Shropshire careprovider has won one of the toptitles at an award ceremony tocelebrate and showcase innovationand excellence in the not for profitcare sector.

Bev Aldridge, who is operationsdirector and sits on the board incharge of Coverage Care’s 15 homesin the county, was named BoardMember/Trustee of the Year in the3rd Sector Care Awards.

It recognises someone who hasmade an “outstanding” contributionto their organisation, and wasjudged by an independent panel ofexperts with experience in the caresector, including representativesfrom the Royal Chelsea Hospital and

Care Support. TV presenter and Childline founder

Esther Rantzen presented Bev, whobeat off competition from hundredsof other nominees fromorganisations across the country toreach the final, with her award at aceremony in London.

Bev said: “I am overwhelmed tohave won, especially as I was upagainst very tough competition. Ibelieve this illustrates what a priorityCoverage Care as an organisationputs on compassion and quality inour delivery of care.”

Carer Pauline Francis, who worksat Barleyfield House in Shrewsbury,was shortlisted as a finalist in theCompassion award.

Director scoops top award Bev Aldridge with James Tweedle, sales director from sponsors Sky Business andEsther Rantzen.

A MARITIME care home in Surrey hastaken a huge leap into the world ofgreen living, cutting its carbonfootprint and working towardsbecoming self-sufficient.

The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Societyhas installed solar panels, a biomassboiler and a borehole at its facilitiesin Banstead.

A pellet-fired biomass boiler hasrecently been installed, which usespellets made from a high qualitytimber to produce heat andelectricity with less effect on theenvironment than fossil fuels. Theboiler will result in the home beingless reliant on gas, reducing usage tounder 20 per cent.

The green initiatives employed atthe home will reduce its impact onthe environment and reduce spend ata time when energy bills are risingnationally. Solar panels installed in2012 have saved the home 15 percent on electricity bills so far.

A new 135-metre borehole willprovide the home’s water supply, withestimated savings of up to £8,000 ayear.

The money saved from thesevarious initiatives will go back into

the home, funding further projects,refurbishments and extensions forthe residents to enjoy.

Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Societyestates manager, Richard Condie,said: “After researching a number ofdifferent options, we agreed the useof solar panels, a biomass boiler anda borehole were the perfectcombination for us to make the homegreener and more efficient. We’vemade some huge savings so far andhope to continue to do so to fundfurther plans for the home.”

Small changes can go a long way;the home now has a compost bin onsite, installed during a recent gardenrevamp by local volunteers fromLegal & General.

Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society chiefexecutive, Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, added: “We are well on our wayto becoming a self-sufficient home.Not only are we providing energy tothe home, powered on site, we’re alsodoing our bit to reduce our carbonemissions.

“There is so much we can do withthe money we’re saving, meaning wecan continue to provide the best carepossible for our residents.”

Care home employsgreen initiatives tocut carbon footprint

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Major Charles Jenkins of the Army Intelligence Corps plans to row 3,650km over thenext year (or 10km per day), to raise funds for The Royal Star & Garter Homes. Charlesbegan his latest by bringing in his Concept 2 rowing machine to the group’s Surbitonhome for the residents to watch his first session. Charles has supported the charity forthe last 25 years. He completed the 100k Thames Path Challenge 2014 to raise funds,and has been a frequent visitor to the Richmond and the Surbiton homes to offer hissupport to fellow Intelligence Corps veterans.Major Charles Jenkins is pictured rowing his first 10k at the Surbiton home.

Group launches newwhistleblowing policyA CARE home group has launched anew and updated whistleblowingpolicy as part of its “zero tolerance”approach to abuse and neglect.

James Wood, managing director ofPrimeLife, says the initiative unveiledfollowing a review of the company’sexisting policy is a “proactive step tofurther enhance our internalgovernance and to further tighten ourcurrent policies”.

It includes a new confidential, freephone number, which is operational24 hours a day. While there is alreadya national number, Primelife’sdedicated hotline means thecompany can react to any complaintsstraight away. As well as calling onstaff to flag up concerns, the PrimeLife Whistleblowing ‘RaisingConcerns’ Policy is also encouragingfriends, visitors and residents tocome forward with any complaints.

All of the group’s 2,200 members ofstaff have signed up to a code ofconduct, which includes aresponsibility to be accountable foractions and omissions and alsopromote and uphold the privacy,dignity, rights, health and wellbeingof residents at all times.

James said: “We do not have anyproblems with abuse or neglectacross our homes, far from it, wehave an excellent reputation forproviding high-quality care deliveredwith dignity to every single one of our

residents. The whistleblowing policyis about ensuring this reputation,which we have worked hard toachieve, is protected and enhanced.

“We care about our residents andthis further demonstrates ourcommitment to high-quality care andzero tolerance approach to abuse andneglect.”

Within all of the homes, there isnow a dedicated pack of materialsclearly displayed in communal areas,including posters and leafletspromoting the new whistleblowingnumber. All visitors to the homeswishing to report concerns areencouraged to speak to the managerfirst before calling the number.

James added: “Speaking out to raiseconcerns can be a hard decision aspeople may feel that they are beingdisloyal or causing additionalproblems.

“However, by raising concerns at anearly stage people must rememberthat they can often stop the issuefrom becoming more serious.”

The policy provides informationabout how people raising complaintsare protected by the law. It alsoincludes several bite-size learningsheets covering safeguarding, abuseand neglect. All complaints arelogged with an immediate responsesent out to those who are happy to becontacted. The issue is investigatedand any appropriate action taken.

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RESIDENTS from a Solihull carehome enjoyed a special meal as partof a national celebration of good-quality nutrition for older people.

The group from Lyndon Croft dinedat a ‘pop-up’ lunch club at theNational Motorcycle Museum,Bickenhill, courtesy of the home’sowners PrimeLife.

The tasty meal was staged duringNational Community Meals Week,which was organised by the NationalAssociation of Care Catering.

It coincided with a road relay, whichsaw a fleet of community meals deliv-ery vehicles travel the length andbreadth of Britain.

Vicki Shaw, quality matters managerat PrimeLife, who joined the resi-dents, said: “We have backed this ini-tiative because as a provider of high-quality care we are also passionate

about good-quality nutrition for olderpeople.

“Making sure older people havenutritious food and drinks is funda-mental to good-quality care. Ahealthy diet has untold benefits,including helping to prevent long-term conditions such as heart dis-ease, stroke and diabetes. That’s whyour menus are always full of healthyand nutritious food.”

Sam Wicks, resident chef at thegroup’s Peaker Park Care Village inMarket Harborough, was a finalist inthis year’s Care Cook of the Year com-petition, also organised by the NACC,and prepared the tasty lunch enjoyedon the day.

As well as the gastronomic offerings,the Lyndon Croft residents toured themuseum. NACC representative RogerKellow also attended.

Residents ‘tuck in’ duringcommunity meals week

NACC representative Roger Kellow (second from left) with residents from Lyndon Croftand staff from PrimeLife.

Gateshead care homegiven a double boostPHILIPS Court in Gateshead has tworeasons to celebrate as it has beenpraised for its standard of care by theCQC and is undergoing major refur-bishment work to benefit its resi-dents.

The home is currently undergoing acomplete refurbishment and redeco-ration as part of Akari Care’s £15mil-lion investment programme in itsfacilities throughout the UK.

Residents can now reminisce in a1960s-themed diner that has beencreated in one of the rooms that wasrarely used, and the bedrooms arebeing re-decorated to make themeven more comfortable and appeal-ing for residents.

New lighting has also been installedthroughout the home and has beencarefully selected to provide a calm-ing atmosphere for the residents.

Manager Karleen Taylor-Williamssaid: “Philips Court is going fromstrength-to-strength; we’re thrilledwith the outcome of the CQC inspec-tion, which is testament to the hardwork and dedication of our staff.

“The environment of a care home isextremely important and has a majorimpact on the lives’ of residents andneeds to be safe, fresh and comfort-able. The residents are especiallythrilled with the new 1960s diner inthe home and love looking at all thememorabilia that we have collected.

“This major investment will have a

positive impact on the home makingit even more appealing and, above all,will offer an even more comfortablestandard of living for our residents.”

Philips Court was praised by theCQC for the quality of the care that itoffers.

Following an unannounced visitfrom an inspector, the home wasfound to be meeting all standards ofcare set by the regulator.

Resident John Neesam in the new diner.

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A cheque for £930 was presented to the Woking and Sam Beare Hospices by West Hallcare home in West Byfleet. The money was raised following a number of fundraisingevents led by the West Hall care home team, including proceeds from its summer fairand sponsorships generated for participating in the Surrey Memory Walk. Members ofthe West Hall team were joined by Helen Bryant, manager of Woking and Sam BeareHospices, for the cheque presentation held at the prestigious Redwood Suite at WestHall. Home manager Kate Desmond said: “We are proud of money we have raised forsuch a fantastic local charity and we are pleased the funds raised are going to a verygood cause and that many older people will benefit from the work that the charitydoes.”Helen Bryant, manager of Woking and Sam Beare Hospices, is pictured with AnchorWest Hall staff Vanessa Travis, Jason Nelson, Jana Harvanova, Lesley Loizou and KateDesmond.

Village using scentsto evoke memories THE unique smells of the traditionalsweet shop, carbolic soap, rose scentand steam trains are among thosebeing brought to residents at ForestCare Village in Borehamwood as partof a ‘memory’ initiative for those withdementia and recovering from braininjuries.

In total, residents will be invited toshare the memories evoked by over adozen scent cubes, each filled with adifferent smell designed to rekindlememories of past times.

Alongside pleasant aromas like thespice and brandy-soaked Christmaspudding and salty sea air will besome smells from childhood, such asthe antiseptic used to treat grazes andscratches, aniseed balls, traditionalrose talc and even fish and chips.

“Research shows that the sense ofsmell is one of the strongest memorytriggers, with scientists in the last few

weeks identifying how scents promptactivity in several different areas ofthe brain, so, for those struggling withmemory, this should be a great way tohelp them remember past times,”said lifestyles co-ordinator RichardLever. “Alongside the scent cubes, wehave an album of old photographslinked to the scents so that we canprovide an extra visual prompt – areal ‘smell-o-vision’ experience.”

The scent cubes are just one of thewide range of events and activities forresidents of all ages at Forest CareVillage, designed to keep thosestaying in the centre, for respite careor long-term nursing care, stimulatedand entertained. Other activitiesinclude regular live musicperformances in the main lounge,arts and craft activities and theopportunity for pampering in thebeauty salon and barbers.

BRIAN Ballin has celebrated 30 yearsas director of Coxbench Hall and 30years of providing quality family-runcare at the home.

The facility originally accomm-odated nine residents, but over thelast 30 years the property has beendeveloped to accommodate up to 39residents and a separate buildingadded to provide four close careapartments.

Since its opening, the home hasobtained the Investors in Peopleaward, purchased its own minibus forweekly mystery trips, and the gardensare opened twice a year as part of theNational Gardens Scheme.

The evening was marked with aformal dinner attended by around 80guests which included the Mayor andMayoress of Amber Valley, theresidents and their friends and family.

Brian celebrates 30 years as a director

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Award winning cartoonist Tonycaptures the likeness of villageAWARD winning cartoonist TonyHusband unveiled his new mural atthe official opening ceremony for theBelong Warrington community carevillage.

The opening event featured anappearance by South Warrington MPDavid Mowat and live drawing byTony, who created the mural tocelebrate the diverse interests andlives of the people living in BelongWarrington.

Tony Husband has been a full-timecartoonist since 1984 and hiscartoons have appeared in PrivateEye, The Spectator and Daily Mail.The North West-based artist, who wasborn and lives in Hyde, Tameside, haswon more than 15 major awards forhis work, including the Pont Awardfrom The Cartoon Museum, for histalent at capturing the British way oflife.

Tony’s poignant book Take Care,Son: The Story of My Dad and hisDementia, which was publishedearlier this year, has been lauded forits touching illustrated portrayal ofhis father's life with dementia.

He said: "I've been touched bypeople's responses to my account ofmy father's journey with dementia.When Belong approached me tocreate a mural for the opening of itsnew care village, I knew that I wantedto capture some of the diversity and

vitality of the people living here.Hopefully I've done justice to thrivingcommunity life in BelongWarrington."

The new community care villagewas funded by RBS and was led byrelationship director Kenny Nelson,who added: “We are delighted wecould support Belong with the latest

opening of their fifth care village.Belong Warrington adds to theirimpressive portfolio as a credible careoperator providing dedicated care tothose living with dementia. I wishthem all the very best as theywelcome their new residents andextend their care across the NorthWest.”

Cartoonist Tony Husband and Belong Warrington general manager Janine Curwell unveilthe new village mural.

MAJOR Charles Jenkins hasstarted his task of rowing3,650km over the next year toraise funds for The Royal Star &Garter Homes.

The challenge began on hisbirthday, November 4, whenCharles brought his Concept 2rowing machine to the SurbitonHome for the residents to watchhis first session.

He said: “I am going to row3,650km on a rowing machine ina year for The Royal Star & GarterHomes because I want tochallenge myself at 55 years oldand help veterans. The residents,the dedicated staff and theselfless volunteers who all makeup The Royal Star & GarterHomes provide me with a regulareducation into why we need tocare for each other, why we needto provide dignity in old age andhow, even as a visitor, we canbenefit from engaging with sucha special environment.”

Charles has supported thecharity for the last 25 years. Hecompleted the 100k Thames PathChallenge to raise funds, and hasbeen a frequent visitor to theRichmond and then the SurbitonHome to offer his support.

Challengeto benefitcharity

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ONE in five people over the age of 75lives with sight loss in the UK.

Founder of Visualise Training andConsultancy, Daniel Williams hasrecognised the need to raise awarenesson the importance of keeping your eyeshealthy and raising staff’s awareness inassisting, communicating and caring forblind and partially sighted service users.

Visualise’s mission is to educate boththe business world and society on theneeds of people with visualimpairments.

Visualise offers a range of services,such as visual impairment awarenesstraining, access auditing, motivationalspeaking, work place assessments andmystery shopping to enhance servicedelivery.

There are currently 66 per cent ofworking age people with sight lossunemployed. Daniel intends ondecreasing this statistic by offeringemployment to visually impaired peopleand breaking down barriers withemployers.

Visualise bringsinclusion forblind people

ELDERLY residents at a Pontefract carehome have seen their dishes literallytake shape with the introduction ofmoulded food portions.

Residents at Vicarage Court whostruggled with solid food can lose weightas the pureed alternative offered tothem may not whet their appetite.

So staff have been forming the foodinto meat and vegetable shapes in aneffort to make them more palatable.

Care home manager Ann Wood said:“One of the main issues we found inencouraging residents to eat meals wasthe presentation.

“People eat with their eyes, soproviding food our residents canidentify and presenting it well,encourages them to eat better andreduces weight loss.”

Cooks worked with a visiting dietitianto plan menus which would meet thenutritional needs of the residents, aidedby fortified drinks and foodsupplements.

Ann added: “We now provide diets ofthe appropriate texture and consistency,which our residents enjoy.

“We can offer even meat, fruit,vegetables, fish, and puddings. Ourcooks discuss menus with the residentsand if they do not like anything on themenu, we will prepare special meals oftheir choice.”

Moulded foodis a real treat

Cook Julie Williams with a resident andClaire Hennessey.

Residents see stars in space mission A NEW Forest care home is seeingstars thanks to the maiden flight ofNASA's Orion 'Mars ship'.

The names of residents at ColtenCare's Woodpeckers home wereamong more than a million on amicrochip carried on the unmannedOrion space capsule.

Shirley Smith, activities organiserat the Brockenhurst home,submitted the names online afterreading about NASA's mission toland a human on Mars.

They were blasted into space alongwith other mementos andhistorically significant itemsincluding a tiny sample of lunar soiland a prehistoric fossil from aTyrannosaurus Rex.

Shirley said: “I'm a great spaceenthusiast so when I read about thisI thought it was too good anopportunity to miss.

“We've presented our residents

with official NASA boarding passesand everyone feels part of whatlooks set to be an historic mission.”

Orion was launched on a Deltarocket from Cape Canaveral, Floridafor a short journey above the Earthto test key technologies.

The capsule is being developedalongside a powerful new rocket thatwill have its own debut in 2017 or2018.

The first launch with a crew aboardcould be as early as 2020 if all goesto plan.

Shirley Smith, activities organiser (in spacesuit), and Karen Luke, healthcare assistant(third left) join residents with their NASA boarding passes.

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TWO new Level 2, one-day short courses to helpincrease the overall effectiveness, confidence andprofitability of those working in the care sector arenow available from national care training providerConnect 2 Care (C2C).

‘Understanding the Safe Use of Medicines’ and‘Moving & Handling’ extend the range of C2C’sprofessionally recognised care skills, training anddevelopment options.

Understanding the Safe Use of Medicines willenable learners to develop an understanding of dif-ferent types of medications that are regularly usedin the sector, and cover the procedures for obtain-ing, storing, administering and disposing of medi-cines, the legislation and audit process, responsibil-ity and accountability.

The Moving and Handling course aims to equipstaff with confidence and teach approved tech-niques. Successful completion of the course willresult in a Pearson Edexcel Level 2 Award in Movingand Handling (QCF).

Enquiries: For further information abouteither of the new courses, contact

Connect 2 Care on 0800 954 2803 or visit www.connect2care.net

Two new shortcourses from

Connect 2 Care

Pat’s care home successlands major award winBy Dominic Musgrave

A GLASGOW woman who has over-come a series of life threateninghealth complications thanks to herstay in a care home has landed a careaward.

Pat Brezney, 63, suffers fromPeripheral Vascular Disease whichsaw her face years of turbulent healthcomplications – ultimately leading toher losing both legs.

On many numerous hospital stays,Pat’s family were called and told toexpect the worst, however, she con-tinually fought through and began aslow process of recovery.

After being told by doctors sheneeded full-time care, Pat became aresident at Bupa’s Highgate CareHome in Glasgow – a decision whichshe now acknowledges has helped todramatically change her quality oflife.

And now Pat has been awarded theCare Home Resident AchievementAward at the 2014 Scottish Care –National Care Home Awards, whichrecognised her determination to leada normal life.

As soon as she arrived at Bupa’sHighgate Care Home, Pat said she feltinstantly welcomed and encouragedto take a more positive approach toturn her life around.

She said: “I cannot thank the staff

enough for the attention they gaveme. Everyone seemed to go out oftheir way to more helpful than thenext person. They truly went out oftheir way to make sure I received thebest possible care.

“The staff recognised that my needswere completely different from otherresidents and treated me like I was anindividual – not just a number. Iknow my confidence has growntremendously in my 12 months atHighgate.

“While in hospital I couldn’t see thelight at the end of the tunnel. I am

now very positive and the future istruly brighter – I have been given thego ahead to start driving again once Ican find a car which has been adapt-ed. I am independent again. I havemy own electric wheelchair whichhas opened the world back up for me.I was denied this initially but thanksto the perseverance of the home I gotreassessed – and for the first time in along time I travelled to Edinburgh lastweek on the train with my friend.

“In fact the only thing that frightensme now is getting a speeding fine forusing the electric wheelchair.”

Pat and the team at Bupa’s Highgate Care Home in Glasgow.

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A Wincanton care home has raised money for charity with a fun-filled Disney themedday. Members of staff and residents at Elliscombe House Nursing Home, along with theirrelatives, dressed up as their favourite Disney characters for the day, with all proceedsgoing towards the Alzheimer’s Society. The day also included a Disney musical quiz,with people dressed in costumes ranging from Minnie Mouse to Buzz Lightyear withtwo Mary Poppins and a Burt. Sharon Daley, peripatetic manager, said: “It was great tosee people get in the spirit of the day and dress up as their favourite characters. We aredelighted to support such a fantastic charity as the Alzheimer’s Society, which does somuch for people diagnosed with the condition, and I would like to thank everyone whoshowed their support and donated.”

THE inspectorate has agreed in prin-ciple to publish information forproviders, as well as for people whouse services and their loved ones,about the use of covert or overt sur-veillance to monitor care.

Over the last year CQC has beenseeking views from people who useservices, carers, providers, staff andother partners about this importanttopic.

The regulator’s board membershave approved the information to beincluded in the final documents, buthave asked that the information forthe public be written in a more acces-sible way. With this approval, CQCwill publish the information shortly.

Chief Inspector of adult social care,Andrea Sutcliffe, said: “We know thatexploring the potential use of hiddenand public cameras in care homesand other care settings is a really sen-sitive issue – and one that provokes ahuge range of debate and opinion.

“We have spent the past year reallylistening to people who are usinghealth and social care services, theirfamilies, providers and partners ontheir experiences, anxieties and con-cerns that matter to them.

“The information we will publish

for providers makes clear the issueswe expect them to take into account –for example, consulting with peopleusing the services and staff – if theyare considering installing hidden orpublic cameras.

“I hope the information we willpublish for the public will help themmake the right decisions in difficultcircumstances and I look forward tomaking sure that this information iswritten in a way that is most usefulfor them.

“I am clear that any form of surveil-lance cannot be seen as the only wayto ensure people are receiving safe,high-quality and compassionate care.We need enough staff, properlytrained and supported, who reallycare to ensure people get the servicesthey have every right to expect.”

Care and Support Minister NormanLamb added: “Cameras have helpedto expose terrible cruelty and neglect-ful care and I welcome this new infor-mation. Decisions about using sur-veillance are extremely difficult –there is always a balance to be struckbetween protecting people andrespecting their right to privacy – butthis information will help families tomake the right choice for them.”

Regulator set topublish camerause information

Care home receives touching tribute A GLASGOW care home has receiveda touching tribute to commemoratethe life of a former resident.

Bupa’s Eastbank facility has takendelivery of a bench in memory of for-mer resident John McQueen, wholived at the home between July 2012and June 2013.

The bench, donated by JohnMcQueen’s wife, has taken pride ofplace in the home’s new patio area –and is already being enjoyed by resi-

dents, guests and family members.Manager Stephen Hagan said: “It

was an extremely kind gesture forBetty McQueen to donate a newbench to the home in honour of herlate husband. I personally think it’s agreat way to remember a loved one –I was touched when I found out.

“Residents and guests have beenenjoying the new bench in our newlybuilt patio area - which has now alsobecome a place to remember John.”

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Green-fingered John named director of gardens By Dominic Musgrave

A 70-YEAR-OLD green-fingered resi-dent at a New Barnet care home hastaken on the new honorary role ofdirector of gardens.

John Scott Martin has been taskedwith choosing planting schemes andproviding advice on the gardens atthe Cedar Gardens Care Centre(known as Cedars), in New Barnet.

“Last year, we had a gentleman staywith us for a few months who took areal active interest in the gardens,directing our staff with ideas forplanting, including our new kitchengarden,” said manager Fran Walsh.“Whilst he was too frail to do the dig-

ging, he knew exactly what plants togo where and we often joked that hewas our ‘director of gardens’, so wehave decided to formalise the role.

“John has always been an enthusias-tic and passionate gardener, but withmobility difficulties, keeping up agarden of his own would be impossi-ble, so here, we can give him the bestof both worlds: top class nursing carecombined with a team of enthusiasticgardening staff who are ready to learnfrom his experience.”

One of the areas that the new direc-tor of gardens will take charge of willbe a dedicated enclosed garden forthe home’s dementia sufferers.

Work will shortly get underway on

an accessible outdoor space, whichresidents can access without risk.

Fran added: “When you are caringfor people with dementia, if theychoose to walk with purpose – that is,wander around with a purpose or agoal in their mind – they are able todo so safely.

“Good practice in many care homesenables residents to wander aroundthe home, but there are usually secu-rity measures in place to stop themfrom roaming out of the building.

“This garden will enable them tofreely explore and use an outdoorspace safely, further improving theirquality of life despite the debilitatingnature of the illness.” John Scott Martin

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18CARINGNEWS

By Dominic Musgrave

CZAJKA Care Group has joined forceswith Alzheimer’s Society and WestYorkshire Police to become one of theUK’s first care providers to introducenew measures that help to keep vul-nerable residents safe and protectthem if they go missing.

The initiative, known as the HerbertProtocol, is designed to help thepolice and other relevant authoritiesto intervene and react as soon as aresident is reported missing. Theprocedures also include advice andguidelines to help prevent residentsgoing missing in the first place.

Managing director Konrad Czajkasaid: “We always try to achieve a bal-ance between offering an unrivalledlevel of care and maintaining our res-idents’ independence across all ourhomes and thankfully incidents ofresidents going missing are extremelyrare. However, it’s always good to beprepared for the worst case-scenarioso it made sense to join this scheme.There’s no doubt it will help to givevulnerable residents an additionallayer of protection.”

Police Sergeant Vanessa Rolfe, fromWest Yorkshire Police, added: “Thefirst few hours of any missing personsearch are critical, but even more so

when a person has Alzheimer’s,dementia or another condition thatcan leave them confused or vulnera-ble.

“Care providers signed up to theHerbert Protocol record details of anyresidents considered to be of particu-lar risk. Details kept on file includean up to date photograph of the resi-dent, medical information and anyinformation about when they mayhave gone missing in the past.

“A package of information is alsoput together for each care home con-taining information about local busroutes, nearby CCTV cameras andhighlighting any hazards such as

waterways and busy road networks.”By having the relevant information

already compiled, it saves precioustime and subsequently enablesenquiries to be progressed immedi-ately, tailored to the known details ofthat resident, with resources accu-rately targeted to particular areas. Weare delighted that Czajka Care Groupare on board as we introduce this ini-tiative in West Yorkshire.”

Saltaire based Czajka Care Group isa family run business that operatesfive nursing and care homes in WestYorkshire, as well as offering homeand domiciliary care to hundreds ofpeople across the region.

Group joins scheme to protect its residents

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21CARINGDEMENTIA

Dementiasigns.co.uk sources highvisibility dementia signage for allrooms from a number of leading sup-pliers and lets care homes choosefrom the widest range on the web atcompetitive prices.

Our purpose designed signs helpcare and nursing home residents withdementia to orientate themselvesmore easily and find their way, espe-cially to the most important locationssuch as the toilet, bathroom, loungeor dining room without feelings ofstress.

The signs feature simple letteringon a bright contrasting background,reinforced by an easily identifiableimage to ensure visibility and recog-

nition in every location. Tactile signsare also available.

Made from durable, wipe clean, firerated plastics, the signs have a strongacrylic adhesive on the back for easyfixing.

To help residents identify their bed-rooms more easily we also offer bed-room signs in which names and pho-tographs are easily interchangeable.

Featureless corridors which all lookthe same can be confusing for a per-son with dementia.

Door decals, window decals, memo-ry boxes and replica street signs arealso available to brighten the homeand make it easier for residents toidentify their own room.

Widest choice of room signsavailable on the internet

“This is a very useful new tool for us.Used by staff, volunteers, residentsalike. I feel it is very well presentedand has ideas and information toappeal to the majority of people”Sarah Small, activities organiser,Barchester Healthcare

OUR Lives is a new to the marketactivity tool designed to help, engageand support the elderly and peopleliving with dementia.

It helps ignite powerful memoriesand can be used either through 1:1conversation or within a group as aregular activity discussion based on awide and relevant range of topics.

Our Lives can be used by many sec-

tors , the carer, the volunteer, the rel-ative and independent use too , ithelps with reminiscence, stimulationand comes with an enjoyable activityworksheet.

Our Lives covers individually thedecades 1940 to 1990, with eachdecade having at least 10 differentdetailed subjects to discuss and remi-nisce. Our Lives can help your organi-sation to promote memories, happi-ness, well being and to help withquality of life, as well as the awfulfeeling of loneliness that can comewith living with dementia.

Visit www.ourlives.org.uk to orderyour copies now and to learn moreabout this innovative new activity.

Our Lives … when it’sgood to remember

RESIDENTS in the specialist demen-tia unit at Forest Care Village inBorehamwood have been invited todraw on the walls, thanks to a new artsuite created by staff.

In the room which is now dedicatedto drawing and writing, one wholewall has been painted with black-board paint, meaning residents canmake good use of the chalks providedto create temporary fresco master-pieces, which can then be wipedaway and started again.

“Those living with dementia willoften choose to do activities linked toan earlier part of their lives, especially

childhood, so the art suite caters forthis 24 hours a day,” said RichardLever, who leads many of the activi-ties within the home, and whodesigned the new room.

“Within minutes of us having fin-ished the work on the room, residentswere already using it – one using thechalks on the wall, and another sat atthe bureau writing.”

The art suite is one of a number ofspecially dedicated themed featuresfor residents living with dementia inthe home, including a reminiscencearea which is designed to look like aliving room from the 1960s or 70s.

Art suite becomes blackboard

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22 CARINGNEWS

Ellen Brown, care homes divisional manager at apetito, looks at the importance of working withsuppliers who understand the challenges faced by those who care for people living with dementia

An understanding approach to dementia careRECENTLY described by DavidCameron as “one of the greatest ene-mies of humanity”, 80 per cent ofpeople living in care homes have aform of dementia or severe memoryproblems according to theAlzheimer’s Society.

With predictions that 850,000 peo-ple will have dementia in the UK bynext year, homes will undoubtedly beinvesting more time and money thanever in making sure carers are fullyaware of how best to care for thosewho are living with this increasinglyprevalent condition.

But what about the suppliers youwork with? Working with companieswho truly understand the challengesfaced by carers of those living withdementia can have a big impact onthe quality of care offered, not only byproviding services tailored to suittheir needs, but by offering a much-needed source of additional supportand advice.

Understanding the challengesHelping more than 300 care homesacross the country to provide nutri-tious, appetising meals to their resi-dents, catering to those living withdementia is a major focus of what wedo at apetito.

This is why we recently enlisted thehelp of Dementia Care Mattersfounder, Dr David Sheard, to trainpeople across our company to under-

stand even more about the challengesposed by this complex condition.

Our training session really broughtalive the challenges of understandingdementia and of living with the dis-ease.

The team was also trained in how tobecome a ‘Dementia Friend’, anationwide network supported by theGovernment to support those livingwith dementia in the community in awider sense.

A compassionate approachWe encouraged our team to putthemselves into the shoes of someonewho has dementia and what the ses-sion certainly brought home to mewas that while our memory is veryprecious to us all, it can be very fickle.

For example, we were asked to drawthe back and front of a 2p coin frommemory and without looking at itfirst.

Not many of us could, but it illus-trated just how we can take simplerecall for granted until we no longerhave it.

The importance of routine wasemphasised and, of course, meal-times are an important part of this.

As well as practical innovations suchas apetito’s texture-modified mealsfor residents with chewing and swal-lowing difficulties (which sadly oftengoes hand in hand with dementia),we now have an even greater set of

skills and understanding to work withhomes in developing techniques thatare often needed to encourage resi-dents with dementia to eat in the firstplace.

For example, picture menus are auseful tool in helping residents makechoices, as some may not be able toidentify a dish through a writtendescription alone.

When choosing suppliers to workwith for all aspects of your care provi-

sion, I would urge you to look forthose who have been taught the skillsneeded to support those who care forthose living with this prevalent dis-ease.

Not only will this make a differenceto the running of your home, with somany affected in the community, themore all of us understand about thiscondition the better we’ll be able tocope with the demands this diseasewill place on society.

apetito’s care homes divisional manager Ellen Brown.

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23 P&G 12/12/14 10:47 Page 1

24 Forbes 18/12/14 16:21 Page 1

25CARINGLAUNDRY, HYGIENE AND CLEANING

Forbes Professional – aservice you can trustA FAMILY company, established in1926, at Forbes we pride ourselves onthe level of service that we provide.

We have a solid understanding ofthe care sector, and are acutely awareof industry requirements in terms ofhygiene control and WRAS compli-ance.

A proud partner to MieleProfessional, we only provide appli-ances that fully adhere to the strin-gent health and water regulations,and our machines offer sluice andthermal disinfection to kill bacteriaand viruses.

Fundamentally, the laundry func-tion is central to a care facility, and

any maintenance issues that ariseneed to be addressed immediately inorder to facilitate the smooth runningof the operation.

Our nationwide infrastructure andteam of Miele trained engineers facil-itate a same day service in the eventof technical failure, to ensure that ourclients’ daily routines are not inter-rupted.

Should you be having any problemswith your current equipment, or find-ing that your current service provideris letting you down when it mattersmost, please contact Forbes to findout more about our Complete Carepackage.

Care home operatorgives Kate new roleKAY Johnson has joined care homeoperator New Care Projects as itsgroup hospitality and client experi-ence manager.

In her new role she is responsiblefor a team of 75, including kitchen,laundry, housekeeping, hospitalityand maintenance across New CareProject’s two homes in Trafford.

This number is set to increase in thenear future as Kay commences acomprehensive recruitment plan forNew Care’s third home, which is cur-rently under construction.

Kay’s educational experience hasalready created and introduced adedicated development programmeat New Care Projects, actively encour-aging each member of staff to under-take NVQ qualifications at TraffordCollege and identifying promotionswithin their relevant department.

With training high on her agenda,she also oversees the progress of theapprentice chefs and the hospitalityapprentices between the homes, forwhich New Care Projects recentlyreceived a Trafford College BusinessTraining Award.

Kay said: “After a long and success-ful career at Trafford College it wastime for a fresh challenge. New CareProjects appealed to me as I hadnever worked in the care sector and Iwas attracted to the company’s inno-vative vision to continually improve

and raise the standards of care.“The role is perfect for me. I am

starting from scratch which offers methe opportunity to build up my ownteams and develop training pro-grammes for the staff, helping themprogress in their careers through edu-cation. I am passionate about what Ido and ultimately, I want the hospi-tality services that New Care Projectsoffers to make a lasting impression tothe residents and their families with-in the homes. Together with myteam, I know we can make a big dif-ference.”

Chris McGoff, CEO of New CareProjects, added: “Kay’s educationexperience and knowledge of the hos-pitality industry, along with herhands on approach, was just what wewere looking for.”

Kay Johnson (left) with some of her team.

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27CARINGLAUNDRY, HYGIENE AND CLEANING

The big impactof small stainson businessesCLEAN linen can make or break abusiness’ reputation in the hospitalityindustry.

In fact, even the smallest of stainscan have a big impact on customers’perceptions and how they think theyare run, according to results from arecent P&G Professional survey.

45 per cent of independent opera-tors believe clean linen has a signifi-cant effect on guest satisfaction, andtherefore overall customer ratingsand reviews. Yet, despite this, 24 percent confess they do not even knowhow to treat tough stains.

Jayne Clarke, sales director, UK andIreland at P&G Professional, said:“P&G Professional has long-standingexperience working closely with thehospitality industry. We understandthe importance of tackling stains tokeep reputations intact and businessthriving.

“Ariel Professional, available in pow-der and liquid form, is a unique solu-tion offering zero tolerance, even forthe industry’s toughest stains. In fact,it is quality products like ArielProfessional that can help hospitalitybusinesses reduce costs as they deliv-

er exceptional results at any tempera-ture the first time around.”

This recent survey commissionedby P&G Professional, the out of homedivision of Procter and Gamble, alsofound that the stains that are consid-ered toughest to remove are wine andgrease. 43 per cent feel better producttraining will help them tackle stainremoval, with as many as 49 per centbelieving that it is quality productsthat will improve the look of theirlinen.

However, respondents also voicedconcerns over the perceived cost ofthese products. 23 per cent notedthat cleaning already made up asmuch as 69 per cent of their totalbudget, especially when unable toclean linens in the first wash or at lowtemperatures.

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28

Planning permission secured for schemeNOT-for-profit housing associationHarrogate Neighbours has securedplanning permission on a 1.5 acrebrownfield site in the town for a new£7million housing scheme that willprovide 21st century supported carefacilities for older people.

Working in partnership with NorthYorkshire County Council and con-struction company Keepmoat,Harrogate Neighbours plans to devel-op a new 5,125 sq metre extra carehousing scheme on the redundanthighways depot on Station View,Starbeck.

Under ‘The Cuttings’ scheme,designed by Bradford architectsLangtry-Langton, 55 one and two-bedroom apartments and studio flatswill be constructed, together withcommunal facilities includinglounge, café, treatment rooms, laun-dry, hair salon, activity room and

landscaped gardens.The development will also include

new administrative space andkitchen facilities that will enable thehousing association to cater for theresidents as well as continuing to runFood Angels which provides a hotmeals service five days a week toelderly customers across Harrogate.

Once complete, the living space willbe available to rent and will provideolder people with the chance to con-tinue living independently but withaccess to communal living and emer-gency and unplanned care providedby trained staff who will be on-hand24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Priority will then be given to relo-cating the 49 residents currently liv-ing at Harrogate Neighbours’ currentextra care housing at GreenfieldCourt, and any residents at theCouncil’s Woodfield House Elderly

Persons’ Home.Sue Cawthray, chief executive of

Harrogate Neighbours, said: “We’redelighted to be granted planning per-mission as it will provide much-improved modern living facilities for

our residents that match the 21stcentury level of care we provide.”

Construction is scheduled to beginin the spring, with work expected tocomplete approximately 18 monthslater.

An artist’s impression of the new housing scheme being bult in Harrogate.

28 + 29 16/12/14 13:59 Page 1

29CARINGCOMMERCE

Operator acquireshome after nearly20 months of talksDC Care has sold Terrington Lodgenear Wisbech, to Kings Lynn basedcare group Armscare Ltd followingalmost 20 months of talks andnegotiations.

Armscare is a local, family-runoperation, headed by Veena Sehgal,which owns and runs DockingHouse in Docking, SummervilleHouse in Heacham, Norfolk Lodgein Hunstanton and LaburnumLodge in Littleport.

The homes are all managedunder the supervision of opera-tions manager Bernie Asbury, whohas a wealth of knowledge thatrelates to dementia care.Terrington Lodge will be managedby Debbie Ruskin, who has been atthe home for over 17 years, underthe guidance of registered managerClare Paget, as well as Bernie.

Armscare will, over the course ofthe next few months, be looking tomake improvements in the num-bers of staffing, dementia care sys-tems, practices and proceduresand to the fabric of the environ-ment as a whole.

Andy Sandel, who managed thesale through to completion onbehalf of DC Care, said “We were

instructed in March 2013 to find apurchaser for the home followingthe tragic death of the former own-ers Mr and Mrs Beeharry.

“It has been a difficult processand all credit must go to the loyaland caring staff at the home. Weare all thankful of their efforts overthe last couple of years.

“I believe that in Armscare wehave found a good quality localoperator that will invest in thehome and its staff which in turnwill improve the environment forthe residents.”

DC Care’s Andy Sandel and ArmscareLtd’s Raj Sehgal.

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CARINGCOMMERCE30

Burford Care Homes sellsturnkey home in SussexBURFORD Care Homes has soldHastings Court East Sussex to TargetHealthcare REIT.

Hastings Court is a new facilityconstructed to a very high standard,with 80 bedrooms, all with en suitewetrooms.

Our clients asked us to approach asmall number of operators in ourusual highly confidential andbespoke fashion, and a deal wasquickly agreed to the satisfaction ofboth parties.

Paul Burford said: “The sale ofHastings Court is yet another largepurpose-built home that we havesold during the course of 2014, andwe have a number of similar dealsgoing through the legal process at themoment which will be announced in

the New Year. “Our confidential, no fuss approach

is proving highly successful as weenter our fifth year of trading.”

Paul Burford

WORK has begun on the final phaseof a £10m healthcare village in theNorfolk village of Swanton Morley.

Called Woodgate Park, thedevelopment is owned and managedby Castlemeadow Care, whocontracted NorthStar to deliver aunique vision of what elderly care willlook like; now and in the future.

The development of the 25independent living retirementbungalows aims to create a newquality of life for people of retirement

age, and are intended for residentswho need the minimum of assistancebut get comfort from knowing thattheir home is immediately next doorto a GP surgery and a care homewhich provides care staff to cater fortheir needs as much or as little asthey require. Woodgate Park is adevelopment of 25 spacious, two-bedroom retirement bungalowswhich will be built to a highspecification offering safe and secureindependent living.

Final phase work begins

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CARINGCOMMERCE32

Burford Care Homes sellsturnkey home in SussexBURFORD Care Homes has soldHastings Court East Sussex to TargetHealthcare REIT.

Hastings Court is a new facilityconstructed to a very high standard,with 80 bedrooms, all with en suitewetrooms.

Our clients asked us to approach asmall number of operators in ourusual highly confidential andbespoke fashion, and a deal wasquickly agreed to the satisfaction ofboth parties.

Paul Burford said: “The sale ofHastings Court is yet another largepurpose-built home that we havesold during the course of 2014, andwe have a number of similar dealsgoing through the legal process at themoment which will be announced in

the New Year. “Our confidential, no fuss approach

is proving highly successful as weenter our fifth year of trading.”

Paul Burford

WORK has begun on the final phaseof a £10m healthcare village in theNorfolk village of Swanton Morley.

Called Woodgate Park, thedevelopment is owned and managedby Castlemeadow Care, whocontracted NorthStar to deliver aunique vision of what elderly care willlook like; now and in the future.

The development of the 25independent living retirementbungalows aims to create a newquality of life for people of retirement

age, and are intended for residentswho need the minimum of assistancebut get comfort from knowing thattheir home is immediately next doorto a GP surgery and a care homewhich provides care staff to cater fortheir needs as much or as little asthey require. Woodgate Park is adevelopment of 25 spacious, two-bedroom retirement bungalowswhich will be built to a highspecification offering safe and secureindependent living.

Final phase work begins

32 16/12/14 14:01 Page 1

33CARINGCOMMERCE

A purpose-built care home in Norwich has moved a step closer to completion. The teambehind the development celebrated the traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony at Ivy Court –the latest state-of-the-art care centre to be built by Caring Homes. The facility will offerresidential, nursing and dementia care for up to 71 residents, who will benefit from anon-site bistro, hair salon and cinema room. Sue Glanz, regional operations director, said:“Caring Homes is synonymous with high quality care delivery, which extends to thecare and attention we put into building new care homes.” The home is already generat-ing interest and is due to open in early Summer 2015.Kevin Coleman, Caring Homes’ construction manager, is pictured with Tony Wilkinson,site manager for Baxter and King Construction, and Sue Glanz, Caring Homes’ regionaloperations director.

ASHTONLEIGH Homes Limited, awest London-based care homesgroup with facilities in East and WestSussex, is to expand its portfolio withthe purchase of a 91-bed care homein Haywards Heath, following £6.5min funding from Santander Corporate& Commercial.

Established in 2005, AHL is run byhusband and wife team Gaj andKathy Ragunathan. The group cur-

rently has three care homes in thesouth east of England: 38-bed AvalonNursing Home in Eastbourne, and43-bed Ashtonleigh Residential CareHome and 31-bed Ashton Grange inHorsham.

The acquisition of this latest 91-bedfacility, Ashton House in HaywardsHeath, fulfils a long held ambition byGaj and Kathy to acquire a care homeof this size.

New owners for Ashton House

WOODLANDS Care Group is hopingto raise £3m for a new specialistdementia care home by selling minicorporate bonds.

The group specialises in providingcare to elderly people living withdementia and its directors anticipatethat the scheme will appeal toinvestors whose lives have beentouched by the condition as well asthose seeking a secure source ofincome. The Wigan-based provider iscurrently constructing a 55-bedroomproperty in Westhoughton, Bolton,due for completion next summer.

Founder Sam Lancaster said thescheme provides people with “theopportunity to invest in securedbonds that yield an attractive rate ofinterest” for between three and fiveyears.

He added: “This investment oppor-tunity is a positive and pro-active wayfor people to make a real differenceby enabling us to be able to reach outand assist even more people livingwith dementia. Our initial researchhas shown that the bond issue is like-ly to appeal to investors whose familyor friends have been affected bydementia experiences.

“This presents a truly ethical invest-ment alternative to those seeking aninflation beating return on savings.

“We are in a position to raise the£3m required to complete this new

building from conventional sources,but we decided to offer bonds to thegeneral public, giving everyone anopportunity to participate and alsoenable our fees to be extremely com-petitive.”

Sam anticipates that residents in thenew care home in Westhoughton willinclude many private individualspaying for their own care, as well asthose referred by local authorities inthe North West.

Woodlands Care Group has engagedproperty investment bond specialistsBest International, based inKnutsford, to issue bonds on itsbehalf and manage investor interestpayments.

Chief executive of BestInternational, Brad Lincoln, said:“Amongst the reasons that webecame involved with WoodlandsCare Group is that we are supportiveof the ethos and style of the manage-ment team that are developing thisnew high quality dementia carehome.

“Basically, mini corporate bonds area type of loan that investors make tocompanies and our role is to ensurethat the interests of all investors areprotected throughout the term.”

Construction work on the 26,000 sqft home began last spring and thefirst residents are expected to be wel-comed in the summer.

Group aims to raise£3m for new home

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34 CHIS 16/12/14 10:44 Page 1

35QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BYwww.requiredsystems.com

Helping you to comply with the regulatorIT IS not just CQC that require services in the caresector to be able to evidence compliance.

Your bank and local authorities placing serviceusers are becoming more demanding.

The two major failures in CQC inspections arepoor record keeping and drug administration.Required Systems Ltd has all the quality systemsyou need to be compliant, incorporating all theforthcoming changes from CQC.

To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com

Staff recognised forcare achievementsMORE than 20 care workers fromacross Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire,Wiltshire and Oxfordshire have beenrecognised for their outstandingachievements and quality of care at aspecial awards ceremony held by TheOrders of St John Care Trust inLincoln Cathedral’s Chapter House.

Nominated for their dedication,commitment and continually goingabove and beyond the call of duty,Trust chairman Don Wood presented21 OSJCT employees with awards atthe Trust’s 2014 Chairman’sCommendation Awards ceremony.

Alongside awards for the region’semployees, the Earl of GainsboroughAward for Quality was presented toCenturion House in Bicester forachieving all three OSJCT Care andQuality Accreditations (Care,Medicines Management, andInfection Prevention and Control) inaddition to gaining an ‘Excellent’ rat-ing in an internal audit, all within a

12-month period.The John Monckton Memorial Prize

was awarded to Windsor Street CareCentre in Cheltenham for its creativerange of activities designed to inte-grate the home into the wider com-munity and enhance the lives of theresidents.

Chief executive AndrewCheesbrough said: “All of our employ-ees work extremely hard all yearround.

“However, the individuals andteams we are recognising today havedemonstrated exceptional commit-ment over and above their day-to-dayduties and it is a real pleasure to con-gratulate them at this special event.

“The selfless individuals who workin our care homes across the countryare the backbone of the Trust, andwithout them, we wouldn’t be able toprovide the high-quality, person-cen-tred care we pride ourselves on deliv-ering to our residents.”

35 16/12/14 09:19 Page 1

CARINGNEWS36

FRANKIE Linham, apprentice careassistant at Brunelcare’s GlastonburyCare Home was awarded theNewcomer to Care accolade at therecent Care Focus Awards inSomerset.

Frankie, who has completed hisapprenticeship and is currentlyworking as a full time care assistant,said: “I love working for Brunelcare,as a company they are extremelysupportive and always happy to helpno matter what the issue is.”

Not content with his caring role inSomerset, the 19-year-old will betravelling to Nepal in January for

three months to work with charityRestless Development, whichaddresses a wide range of issuessuch as extreme poverty, HIV, AIDS,poor sanitation, food and watersupplies.

Frankie added: “I hope to returnwith a different outlook on life andhave more knowledge andunderstanding of health care, whichI believe will enhance my career asa carer in many different ways.”

He hopes to raise £800 to supportthis charitable work and donationscan be made through his page onthe Just Giving website.

Frankie wins newcomer awardFrankie Linham is pictured receiving his Newcomer to Care award.

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS 37

Claim VAT back on your home evenif you are not VAT registered

IT is true, care providers can reclaimVAT worth about £3,000 per bed forany residents who stayed in yourhome between 1993 and 2002 paidfor by the local authority.

You don’t have to be VATregistered to make a claim. We canusually find the information requiredwith minimal disruption to yourbusiness.

How is this possible? Well in 2002a care provider called Kingscrestchallenged the view held by HMRCand won. There is no cost to youunless we are successful.

Typical claims: 50 beds –£240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287beds – £1.25m.

And the best part is that you getthe money in your bank accountbefore you pay us. Don’t forget thetax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.

Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.

SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, RichardsResidential Supplies have concentrated uponsupplying simple solutions to common nursinghome problems.

The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to thistradition.

With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 percent waterproof backing, the remarkableWACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills mayoccur.

Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms orbathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpetprotection. Then, after use, simply machine washand tumble dry! It’s that simple...

The WACMAT® will then be clean and odour-free, ready to perform time and time again.Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be usedas an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of poundsin rental costs alone.

Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

Simple solutions

Beaucare’s Beauwash™ Range BEAUWASH™ is an efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly laundry cleaning products range,specifically formulated with healthcareestablishments in mind.

It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaningperformance at lower temperatures, shorter washcycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing amore sustainable laundry cleaning process in termsof overall running costs and for the environment.

Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs,5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers.

When combining the laundry liquid with

automated dosing systems, it creates one of themost efficient laundry solutions available on themarket today.

Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficientway to run all healthcare laundry needs andprovides expert fitting and maintenance ofautomatic dosing systems by its own serviceengineers.

Enquiries call 01423 878899, email [email protected] or visit

www.beaucare.com

A GUIDE to medicines management and olderpeople is available from RosemontPharmaceuticals.

Called ‘Medicines management and older people– a guide for healthcare professionals’, the bookletaims to help healthcare professionals learn moreabout how medication works, how the ageingprocess affects medicines, common adverse drugreactions, the definitions of compliance andconcordance as well as to give an overview of someof the legal aspects of medicines management.

The content of the guide is based on currentbest practice and the most up to date evidenceabout medication management.

The focus is on the care of older people, whohave a higher prevalence of illness and take around50% of all prescribed medicines (Kelly 2011). Four infive people over 75 take at least one prescribedmedicine, with 36% taking four or more medicines(NSF 2001).

Enquiries: To receive a free copy of‘Medicines management and older people – a

guide for healthcare professionals’, email [email protected]

or call 0113 244 1999.

Medicines management guidefrom Rosemont

SBID International Design Awardwin for YTM Furniture

CARE home furniture manufacturer YTM has beenannounced a winner at the prestigious SBIDInternational Design Awards 2014.

YTM, in conjunction with interior designer TheDrawing Room Interiors, held off toughcompetition to win the New Build & Developmentcategory.

The awards feature 15 categories of designexcellence and are judged by international industryleaders; an indication of both the competitivenessof UK organisations and the increasing importanceof care home interior design.

The winning entry from YTM showcased thecreative design implemented throughout Care UKWinchcombe Place; an 80-bedroom facilityproviding residential, dementia and nursing care tothe local community in Newbury, Berkshire.

Winchcombe Place has been designed with adifferentiated and eclectic style; its distinctioncomes from its aesthetic appearance including

innovative features such as a vintage sports display,an old fashioned scullery and aged photographymemorabilia accompanied by black and whitephotographs, relating to the local area and thehistory of the residents that have lived there.

Enquiries: Visit www.ytmfurniture.com

New ranges could save carehomes thousands of poundsGOMPELS Healthcare Ltd hasintroduced a range of new productsthat have been making waves in thecare home sector.

With an emphasis on costreduction, each new line can cutcosts by 10 per cent or more.

Specified to the same exactingstandards of branded products, theirown brand pull ups and otherincontinence pads are an excellentalternative, providing cost savings ofbetween 20 per cent and 30 per centfor a product of the same quality asothers in the market.

In addition, their carpet and fabriccare products have been specially

formulated for care homes, and arealready delivering outstanding resultsfor more than 1,000 homesnationwide.

Perhaps the pick of the bunch,Gompels’ no fuss ConcentratedCleaning System, delivers a 750mltrigger spray for only 20p.

This is a real breakthrough in thesector, offering massive cost savingsof up to 90 per cent against somebranded trigger spray cleaners on themarket.

Why not get onboard with Gompels,and try some of these products foryourself, and see how much youcould save.

Care environment hascomfort in every detailYORKARE Homes has hiredShackletons to provide comfortwithin its 64-bed £4.5million luxurycare home, Magdalen Park, inHedon, East Yorkshire.

Yorkare selected Shackletons toprovide furniture with longevityand comfort in mind that wouldmeet the care and comfort needsrequired for the three types of careprovided: dementia, nursing andresidential.

Resembling an up-market hotel,Shackletons complemented thepurpose-built environment withquality and craftsman made andupholstered seating, beds, anddementia specific occasional

furniture to create a homely,relaxed ambience.

Yorkare director Laurence Gartonsaid: “Our philosophy is based onproviding individual care thatprovides dignity, independence andsupport in the best environmentpossible. We’ve worked withShackletons for almost 10 years andknew they would be able totranslate this into an environmentthat would do just that.”

Magdalen Park offers a sensorystreet which includes a generalstore, hair and beauty salon, andpublic house with two sensorygardens and a rooftop garden witha bowling green.

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Transport

Accountancy

Transport

ID Cards

Signs

A BARNSLEY care home’s receptionhas been transformed into atraditional Christmas scene soresidents can reminisce about thefestive period.

Ideal Care Homes’ Oakwood Grangehas papered the wall to make it looklike brickwork, created a log fire andput up decorations to make it looklike a sitting room where people cansit and talk, drink mulled wine and

eat mince pies.Susan Dooler, the home manager,

said: “The response has beenamazing, residents have enjoyed it somuch, it’s been wonderful to see theirfaces and how happy it has madethem.

“I would like to thank Brian ourmaintenance man for designing andbuilding the fire place, and all thestaff.”

Home’s reception transformedResidents enjoy the traditional Christmas scene at Oakwood Grange.

DermaSavers are breathablewearable protectors for elderly anddisabled people with fragile and thinskin.

DermaSaver Skin Protectors protectfragile skin from damage and skinbreakdowns, such lacerations, splits,tears and superficial bruising causedby friction, rubbing, abrasion, shearand external pressure.

DermaSaver Skin Protectors aremade from soft 3D medical textilethat replaces foam, gel and fleece.

Superior moisture wicking andbreathability of DermaSavers keep

the skin dry, cool and healthy andprotected from painful damage.

DermaSaver Skin Protectors arecomfortable garment-like Class 1Medical Devices for 24-hour wear –when sleeping, sitting or walking.

Fully machine washable,DermaSavers are hygienic andcompatible with ointments andmedicated creams.

Easy to apply and non-constrictingwith constant ventilation reachingthe skin, DermaSavers are free fromdrawbacks and ongoing expense ofbandages and dressings.

New protectors for peoplewith fragile and thin skin

Four times award-winningdoor signs – direct to youFOR award winning, top quality roomand Resident’s door signs be sure tolook at the Badgemaster range.

It’s already the choice of thousandsof residential and nursing homes.

There are gold or silver plates withsmart, replaceable engraved inserts –clear, durable and easily changed.

Choose from two sizes (25mm x200mm or 50mm x 200mm), nowwith handy end-stops that make forsecure, tamper-proof identification ofroom use or occupier.

Just let Badgemaster know yourrequirements, e.g. name of room orname of room user.

Your handsome doorplates shouldbe with you in five days or less.

If room use or details change, theservice for replacement inserts is justas quick and efficient.

A full range of recognisedInternational symbols, directionalarrows and Braille is available. Alsoslide-across room status facility e.g.Vacant/Engaged, Do Not Disturb etc.Corporate logos can be added for asmall extra cost.

These are the name signs that havefour times won the coveted HospitalManagement Today Award for topperformer – signage category.

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