September 2014 no.219 • £4.75 By Dominic Musgrave TIME is running out for you to book your place at the final two Caring UK annual regional conferences. This year’s events, which have been sponsored by NatWest, have the title Elderly Care: Positive Choices, and the final two will be held at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley and Leeds United Football Club’s Elland Road stadium on September 9 and 10 respectively. Speakers confirmed for Dudley include Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green OBE, who will give an update on the Care Bill. ‘Building positive workplace cultures in adult social care’ is the title of Skills for Care area officer Dave Williams’ presentation, with Neil Garton, head of healthcare at NatWest, rounding off the session with a talk entitled ‘Understanding and helping to deliver your business strategy’. After a break to view the extensive exhibition, which will showcase all the latest products and technology for your care home, Guy Smallman, Coventry University Commercial Development Director, HDTI (Health Design & Technology Institute) will talk about ‘Supporting innovation in community healthcare’. He will be followed by an update from the inspectorate by Malcolm Bower- Brown, deputy chief inspector (adult social care): Central Region, CQC. The final two presentations will be provided by Ben Atkinson-Willes, product designer and founder, Active Minds, and Lee Sheppard, head of care homes, apetito Limited. At Leeds the following day, the only changes to the line-up of speakers will see Skills for Care area manager Sally Gretton replace Dave Williams and Debbie Westhead, deputy chief inspector (Adult Social Care): North Region, CQC, instead of Malcolm Bower-Brown. John Kennedy, director of care services at the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, will also deliver an additional talk entitled ‘Care in the 21st century – what must change?’ Group production editor Dominic Musgrave, who will chair the events, added: “I am sure these events will be as successful as those that have gone before, and would urge any care home operators in these areas to attend to listen to these distinguished speakers.” ■ To find out more and to book your place at these must-attend events turn to pages 15 and 16. Last chance to book for conferences Care and support provider Centra has enlisted television’s Dr Dawn Harper (pictured above) to raise awareness of care that allows people to remain in their own home. The television doctor best known as the host of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies will lead a new campaign to get older and vulnerable people the right care and support to live independently. Dawn will work with Centra to engage worried relatives, medical professionals and those in need of help about the range of support available, which includes home care and telecare.This Morning and Loose Women presenter Ruth Langsford is also backing the campaign. CARE England is supporting the “Flame of Forgiveness Fortnight”, a new initiative between care homes and schools to commemorate the centenary of WWI, which is taking place from October 6-19. Professor Martin Green OBE, Care England’s chief executive, said: “I am delighted to be supporting the ‘Flame of Forgiveness’ which came about as an idea from Teresa Pearce, MP for Erith and Thamesmead, to acknowledge the anniversary of the outbreak of World War I and to promote cross generation connections in communities between care homes and schools. It is good to see that the anniversary of the First World War is being commemorated in a way that focuses on forgiveness, and encourages people to join together to acknowledge the sacrifices of those who gave their lives during this terrible conflict, and to affirm that humanity and forgiveness have to be the basis of our future.” incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector Care body supports centenary initiative
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
September 2014
no.219 • £4.75
By Dominic Musgrave
TIME is running out for you to bookyour place at the final two Caring UKannual regional conferences.
This year’s events, which have beensponsored by NatWest, have the titleElderly Care: Positive Choices, andthe final two will be held at the BlackCountry Living Museum in Dudleyand Leeds United Football Club’sElland Road stadium on September 9and 10 respectively.
Speakers confirmed for Dudleyinclude Care England chief executiveProfessor Martin Green OBE, whowill give an update on the Care Bill.
‘Building positive workplacecultures in adult social care’ is thetitle of Skills for Care area officerDave Williams’ presentation, withNeil Garton, head of healthcare atNatWest, rounding off the sessionwith a talk entitled ‘Understandingand helping to deliver your businessstrategy’.
After a break to view the extensiveexhibition, which will showcase allthe latest products and technologyfor your care home, Guy Smallman,Coventry University CommercialDevelopment Director, HDTI (HealthDesign & Technology Institute) willtalk about ‘Supporting innovation in
community healthcare’. He will befollowed by an update from theinspectorate by Malcolm Bower-Brown, deputy chief inspector (adultsocial care): Central Region, CQC.
The final two presentations will beprovided by Ben Atkinson-Willes,product designer and founder, ActiveMinds, and Lee Sheppard, head ofcare homes, apetito Limited.
At Leeds the following day, the onlychanges to the line-up of speakerswill see Skills for Care area managerSally Gretton replace Dave Williamsand Debbie Westhead, deputy chiefinspector (Adult Social Care): NorthRegion, CQC, instead of MalcolmBower-Brown.
John Kennedy, director of careservices at the Joseph RowntreeHousing Trust, will also deliver anadditional talk entitled ‘Care in the21st century – what must change?’
Group production editor DominicMusgrave, who will chair the events,added: “I am sure these events willbe as successful as those that havegone before, and would urge anycare home operators in these areasto attend to listen to thesedistinguished speakers.”� To find out more and to book yourplace at these must-attend eventsturn to pages 15 and 16.
Last chanceto book forconferences
Care and support provider Centra has enlistedtelevision’s Dr Dawn Harper (pictured above) to raiseawareness of care that allows people to remain intheir own home. The television doctor best known asthe host of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies willlead a new campaign to get older and vulnerablepeople the right care and support to liveindependently. Dawn will work with Centra to engageworried relatives, medical professionals and those inneed of help about the range of support available,which includes home care and telecare.This Morningand Loose Women presenter Ruth Langsford is alsobacking the campaign.
CARE England issupporting the “Flame ofForgiveness Fortnight”, anew initiative betweencare homes and schools tocommemorate thecentenary of WWI, whichis taking place fromOctober 6-19.
Professor Martin GreenOBE, Care England’s chiefexecutive, said: “I amdelighted to be supportingthe ‘Flame of Forgiveness’which came about as anidea from Teresa Pearce,MP for Erith andThamesmead, toacknowledge theanniversary of theoutbreak of World War Iand to promote crossgeneration connections incommunities betweencare homes and schools. Itis good to see that theanniversary of the FirstWorld War is beingcommemorated in a waythat focuses onforgiveness, andencourages people to jointogether to acknowledgethe sacrifices of those whogave their lives during thisterrible conflict, and toaffirm that humanity andforgiveness have to be thebasis of our future.”
incorporating
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Care bodysupportscentenaryinitiative
01 15/8/14 08:57 Page 1
02 Avanta 14/8/14 10:34 Page 1
3CARINGNEWS
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.
www.caring-uk.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter @caringuk
The sky’s the limit forresident dare-devilBy Dominic Musgrave
AN Edinburgh thrill seeker has provedthe sky’s the limit after flying across LochLeven and the surrounding countrysidein a glider – at the tender age of 90.
Dare-devil Betty Lyons, who has lived atBield’s St Andrews Court in Uphall forover 10 years, decided to sign up for thesky-high challenge after beingapproached by the Scottish War BlindedSociety.
Betty, an ex-RAF secretary, joined thearmed force during the Second WorldWar in 1941, later earning her member-ship with the society that works withvisually impaired individuals.
Despite never flying a glider in her life,brave Betty took to the skies not wantingto pass up such a high-flying opportunity.
She said: “Flying through the skiesabove Loch Leven was one of the mostexhilarating experiences I have ever had.
“Last year I was ill so couldn’t attend, sowhen the Society put the list up this yearfor volunteers, I was one of the first toput my name down. I was the onlywoman who did but I think that you cannever be too scared, or old for that mat-ter, to try new things.
“I didn’t feel at all nervous before take-off though, I was actually just excited tobe given the chance to do such a thrilling
experience.“I have trouble with my vision nowa-
days but I still managed to see a lot ofsights and the wonderful Scottish coun-tryside was breath-taking.
“Staff from St Andrews Court wereextremely supportive in the lead-up tothe event and really pushed me to go forit. If the opportunity arose to do it again,I would in a heartbeat.”
Despite recently touching down, Bettyhas already signed up for her next thrill-seeking adventure of acoustic shootingwhere she fires a gun at a target everytime a whistle blows.
Sheila Hardie, scheme manager at StAndrews Court, said: “Betty really is ourvery own resident dare-devil at StAndrews Court.
“She has no problem with throwingcaution to the wind and trying new expe-riences which is what we love to see inour residents.
“At Bield we want our residents to livetheir lives as independently as possibleand embrace any passions or desires thatthey have.
“Betty is an outstanding example of thisand we all look forward to supporting herthrough her next set of adventures.”
St Andrews Court resident Betty Lyons gets ready for her flight across Loch Leven.
03 15/8/14 11:22 Page 1
CARINGNEWS4
A long-serving staff member has been thanked by her colleagues at Springhill CareGroup in Accrington following 14 years with the business. Accounts administratorMaureen Birtwistle was given a grand send-off by her colleagues including a meal anda number of gifts. Maureen plans to spend her retirement seeing more of her husband,children and her grandchildren. Managing director Donna Briggs said: “While we are allsad to see Maureen retire, we would all like to offer her our heartfelt thanks and wishher all the best in her new life.”
Innovative Marktransforms newresidents’ roomsA MEMBER of staff at a Northfleetcare home has come up with aninnovative way to make newresidents’ transition smooth andwelcoming.
Mark Addison has worked at DeneHolm for three months, but hasalready transformed six of thebedrooms with his decorativefinishing touches.
“I think it’s really important that therooms are homely for new residents,”he said. “To make the rooms morewelcoming I keep an eye out forpaintings, furniture, flowers,matching curtains and bed linen andanything that will brighten it up.
“I have put my spin on about sixrooms so far and I’m hoping to makemy way around the other 36eventually.”
Mark spends his spare time on thehunt for bargains, which he uses topersonalise the residential home’srooms and though he has receivedsome pieces as donations, he ishappy to spend his own cash ontransforming the rooms.
It isn’t just the bedrooms Mark likesto decorate; he also ensures theseating areas throughout the homeare bright and welcoming with comfy
chairs and artwork to enjoy. Home manager Scott Edwards said:
“Mark really goes above and beyondhis job role. Aside from decoratingthe rooms beautifully, he also helpsout with the gardening and hasorganised our summer fete.
“As we are a charitable organisationwith limited resources, suchpassionate and dedicated membersof staff are invaluable to us.”
Mark Addison
04 19/8/14 14:24 Page 1
05 Listmore 13/8/14 13:00 Page 1
CARINGNEWS6
Resident Douglas Pitillo with one of the visiting animals.
Residents enjoy pettherapy afternoon RESIDENTS at a Scottish care homespent the afternoon in the company ofanimals from Edinburgh’s GorgieFarm as they took part in a pettherapy session.
The farm visited Forthland Lodge,based in the city, and brought anumber of animals, including rabbitsand chicks, for the residents to hold,pet and feed.
Care home manager Wendy Forbessaid: “Many of our residents have hadtheir own pets in the past and missthem terribly, so to have a visit fromfriendly animals means the world tothem and always results in lots ofsmiling faces.
“Our staff report that residents areusually calmer and more relaxed afterseeing the animals and the visit givesthem something to look forward toand focus on.
“We’ve even had some of ourresidents, who live with dementia,recall childhood memories of living onfarms, or of their family pets. It’sheartwarming to see our residentsinteract with the animals and farmstaff.”
Research has shown that theexperience of being around pets orfarm animals can help to boostresidents’ general health andwellbeing.
Mock trial givesunique insightDELEGATES from across thecare sector will have theopportunity to experience areal life scenario played outin a famous court room aspart of the next NASHiCSLearning and Developmentforum.
Over the course of theafternoon of September 10,a team which includes apracticing defence barrister,a prosecution solicitor (fromWeightmans law firm), aprosecuting HSE officer andvarious witnesses will playout a real criminal case thathappened in a care home.
The incident involved thedeath of a resident afterfalling from a sling that wasbeing used to move them.
Delegates at the sessionwill see the case acted out asin a real life court and willbe asked to act as the juryusing an electronic votingpad system.
The whole thing will beplayed out at Oxford TownHall’s Court Room, as usedin the Inspector Morseseries.
“We thought this would bea really useful andinnovative experience forour delegates,” said ChrisJackson, national chair of
NASHiCS. “Ideally, delegatesat this session, and thosewho daily provide andmanage care services, willnever have to attend courtthemselves; however wethink that it always pays tobe prepared and tounderstand the processesthat could take placeincluding the crossexamination of allwitnesses.”
“Cases like the one to beacted out can come to trialup to two years after anincident happens, whichhighlights the need for staffin the care sector to berigorous in their recordingof incidents and tounderstand what canhappen when things do gowrong.”
The mock trial will be thefirst event on a packedagenda over the two-dayforum.
It will also includespeakers on subjects such asmanaging stress andwellbeing at work, updatesfrom the HSE and an insightfrom the CEO of the mentalhealth providers’ forum whohad the personal task ofinvestigating the death of amental health worker.
06 19/8/14 16:19 Page 1
07 Vax 15/8/14 11:19 Page 1
CARINGNEWS8
Residents celebrate foodand memories at showsRESIDENTS at three Sanctuary Carehomes in London enjoyedcelebratory culinary-themed summershows based on their own life storiesand memories, as part of the group’stwo-year creative arts programmeShine!
The performances, which took placeat The Manse Residential Care Homein South Norwood, RiverleeResidential and Nursing Home inGreenwich and St John’s HouseResidential Care Home in Streatham,were the culmination of a series ofworkshops delivered to the residentsas part of Phakama’sintergenerational Edible GardenProject.
Phakama’s work at the homes is partof Shine!, a national two-year artsprogramme funded by SanctuaryGroup, which uses creative arts toshine a light on the talents ofresidents across the organisation’s 61facilities.
Residents at each home experienceda ‘moving performance’, which sawpeople walk through different areaswithin the care home and its gardensin search of the spice of life.
All events were a spectacular ofcolour and costume and deliciousfood was served throughout theperformances, which were based onresidents’ food memories.
Since mid-June volunteers from
Phakama, an international youth artsorganisation, and local students fromNewVIc College (Riverlee), HarrisAcademy (The Manse) andWoodmansterne School (St John’sHouse) have been visiting residents atthe care homes to engage them inworkshops, including singing,percussion and song-writing,movement, dance and storytelling,planting, cooking and visual art.
Veronica McLeary, home managerat The Manse said: “I’m very proudthat our residents have taken part inthis wonderful project with Phakama.They have enjoyed every minute ofit.”
The workshops have broughttogether together older and younger
generations in shared activities toexchange stories, life experiences,dreams and aspirations whilegrowing a vegetable patch in thehomes’ gardens.
Rebecca Sowle, Riverlee homemanager, added: “It’s been awonderful reminiscence activity forour residents, with many of themsharing memories of food, journeysand experiences from days gone by.”
Phakama is a youth artsorganisation which believes thatindividuals’ stories have the power tomove, challenge and inform. Throughcommunity initiatives, such as TheEdible Garden Project, Phakamacreates shared spaces for people toexpress, grow and perform.
Phakama volunteer Gugu Thaka dances with resident Marie Hipwell.
Therapeuticmusic classis a winnerRESIDENTS at Stangrove Lodgeenjoyed a therapeutic music forhealth session at the Edenbridgeresidential home.
Surrounded by maracas andpom poms, residents enjoyedgetting stuck into the stimulatingmusical session.
Using music, the powerfulsession uses a variety of exercisesto mentally and physicallystimulates the residents and isalways enjoyed by all.
Researchers have found thatmusic therapy can have a hugenumber of benefits for elderlypeople. Those include betterconcentration and awareness,enhanced interest levels andsocial interaction and improvedmemory and mobility amongothers.
John Ogbe, home manager atStangrove Lodge, said: “Themusic for health session is verypopular with our residents asthey enjoy the social aspect aswell as the music.”
The music for health activity isrepresentative of the Edenprinciples embraced within TheAbbeyfield Kent Society’sresidential homes.
08 15/8/14 11:13 Page 1
09 electrolux 19/8/14 16:37 Page 1
10 Protomed 18/8/14 16:51 Page 1
11CARINGNEWS
Care trio raise £2,500 withmidnight mountain climbBy Dominic Musgrave
THREE team members at a carehome in Ledbury have raised nearly£2,500 for the Alzheimer’s Society byclimbing Ben Nevis in the middle ofthe night.
Joan Arrowsmith, Jayne Fountainand Jackie Cale, who are part of theteam at Shaw Healthcare’s LedburyIntermediate Care Unit, joined almost200 other fundraisers to climb theUK’s highest mountain.
The 4,409-foot trek took more thannine hours of continuous walking,setting off at 10pm and arriving backat base at 7.30am for a well-earnedbreakfast.
The trek was made even tougher byadverse weather conditions, with theteam finding snow when theyreached the summit at 2.30am.
This is not the first time the triohave taken on a fundraising challengefor the Alzheimer’s Society, raisingnearly £10,000 in October 2011 whenthey walked the Great Wall of China.
Joan Arrowsmith, unit manager atLedbury ICU, said: “All three of ushave professional and personal expe-rience of caring for someone withdementia, and know the devastatingeffect this disease can have on anindividual and their families.
“We are all long-standing support-ers of the Alzheimer’s Society and,
after the success of our Great Wall ofChina walk, we were on the lookoutfor our next challenge.
“We managed to get together for afew training walks in the MalvernHills, but the climb was even tougherthan we expected. The low cloud,mist and ice at the summit meant weweren’t able to stay at the top for verylong, but it was a fantastic experienceto be on top of a mountain at nighttime, and to see Glen Nevis comealive on the descent as the sun start-
ed to come up.“Every penny raised for the
Alzheimer’s Society goes towards sup-porting families affected by the dis-ease, and funds research into findinga cure.
“We’re very proud to have raisedsuch a fantastic amount so far andwould like to thank everyone who hassupported and encouraged us in ourlatest venture. I’m sure it won’t belong before we start to plan the nextone.”
Joan Arrowsmith, Jayne Fountain and Jackie Cale.
CARE home staff and residentsacross the UK have their pruningshears and gardening gloves atthe ready as they gear up forBarchester in Bloom, a nationalgardening competition organisedby the operator.
The competition aims to pro-mote the imaginative planting offlowers and shrubs in the gar-dens of its 200 homes. For manyBarchester homes, this is one ofthe biggest events of the yearbecause the gardens are so wellloved by both staff and residents.
The winning gardens and gar-deners will be announced inNovember at a glamorous awardsceremony where finalists will becongratulated by celebrity gar-dener, Charlie Dimmock.
She said: “I’m really excitedabout hosting Barchester inBloom again. Gardens bring somuch joy to people of all agesand it’s great to hear how manycare home residents not onlyenjoy sitting out in the gardenbut also get involved in caring forthem.”
Categories include best sensorygarden, best hangingbasket/container display andbest floral or vegetable display.
Gardeningcompetitionis launched
11 13/8/14 13:01 Page 1
CARINGNEWS12
APARTMENT tenants, householdresidents and Experience Daycustomers from Belong Wigan, inPlatt Bridge, celebrated a summer ofsport with their families andmembers of staff in an internationallythemed barbecue at the communitycare village.
Inspired by the CommonwealthGames and the fun had in the villagewatching the World Cup, everybodyat Belong dressed in costumesinspired by national dress from
countries around the world.Experience coordinator Marie
Calderbank said: "Everybody living inBelong Wigan likes a party, and sportis something that we can all cometogether to enjoy regardless of age.
“As one lady from the villagepointed out, some of our customersare old enough to remember the firstCommonwealth Games, though I'mnot sure anybody here expected tostill be watching England compete 84years later.”
Village celebrates summer ofsport with themed barbecue
Residents enjoy the internationally themed barbecue at Belong Wigan.
Group aims to helpsolve nation’s skillsshortage in sector SCOTLAND’S care home sector isfacing one of its most worrying skillsshortages as a result of a “perfectstorm” of circumstances which aredriving experienced workers out ofthe profession, it has been claimed.
A combination of new qualificationregulations, static wages andunrealistic expectations on the part ofemployers mean it is becomingdifficult to source people who areprepared to make caring a careerchoice, according to recruitmentspecialist Brightwork Group.
Senior consultant Sean Magee saidthe lack of suitable candidates isbeginning to seriously affect careenterprises across the country, withdisturbing implications for thousandsof people.
He added: “The care sector inScotland provides an invaluableservice to some of the mostvulnerable groups in our society,often in very difficult circumstances,but finding the right employees isbecoming increasingly problematic.
“It is easy to understand theimperative to raise qualificationstandards across the industry. Themotivation to enhanceprofessionalism is founded on goodintentions and a desire to provide
the best possible quality of service.“However, many care homes
currently employ experienced andcaring workers who may never havegained qualifications in school andwho are not suited or inclined to takeexams and pass tests. The insistenceon paper qualifications means thatthey are at risk of being pushed out ofthe sector, denying employers accessto their accumulated expertise andexperience.”
Remuneration which has not risenabove minimum wage levels – andtherefore is declining in real terms –is another factor driving people out ofthe care sector, added Sean
“A lot of major employers such asTesco and McDonald’s are nowpaying the ‘living wage’ and above.
“Many people in working homeswhere they are responsible for thewelfare – and, indeed, often the lives– of elderly, vulnerable or youngpeople are asking themselves whythey are taking the responsibilitywhen it is not reflected in therewards. Senior people are pressed tofree up their time, so a senior nurse,for instance, might pass duties on thesenior care worker who, in turn,delegates the responsibilities to careworkers.”
12 15/8/14 11:20 Page 1
13 Active Minds 15/8/14 11:16 Page 1
CARINGNEWS14
Gold award for businesscelebrating 21 yearsBy Dominic Musgrave
A CARE provider has become the firstin North Yorkshire to achieve a goldaward from Investors in People.
Continued Care, with bases onHornbeam Park in Harrogate andSettle’s High Street, has been namedamong the top seven per cent ofaccredited companies in the UK bythe organisation which recognisesbusinesses which value their staff.
The award comes in the same yearthe family-run business celebrates its21st birthday.
Director Samantha Harrison said:“The care sector often comes in forcriticism and it can be verydemoralising for those great carerswho quietly get on with their jobs andmake life so much easier for thepeople they are helping.
“It’s fantastic to be able to saypublicly what a wonderful job ourstaff do and to have it recognised bysuch a prestigious organisation. Wehave won several awards in the careindustry over the last few years, andthis recognition from Investors InPeople really is the icing on the cakefor us.”
Continued Care joins an elite groupof just nine organisations in NorthYorkshire to hold the IIP gold award,of which it is the only care provider.
Nationally, there are only around
1,000 organisations with the goldaward – just seven per cent of all IIP-accredited organisations.
Samantha said: “We have hadInvestors In People accreditation forsome time, but I felt we were workingabove the level that was required soat our last inspection we wereassessed for a higher level award.
“The inspector spent two full daysspeaking to lots of our staff in privateand finding out their views on howwe operate, and the opportunities weoffer. I had no idea what they weresaying, so I just had to wait for theoutcome of the inspection.
“We could have been told we hadfailed to reach a higher standard, or
be awarded silver or bronze standard– so when the inspector said we hadmore than met the standards neededfor gold, I was really emotional andproud of our team. I went straight outand bought a hundred huge boxes ofchocolates for everyone.”
With around 70 staff based at theHarrogate headquarters, plus 30working from a second office inSettle, Continued Care has grownsteadily since it was formed in 1993and now supports more than 250clients. Samantha runs the companyalongside her mother, ChristineMitchell, who is also a director, andher aunt Helen Walker, an associatedirector.
Continued Care staff celebrate their gold award from the Investors in People.
NORTH east care providerCaremark (East Riding) has beeninformed by its local authoritythat its bid to renew providingdomiciliary care to people overseven areas of the East Riding ofYorkshire has been successful.
The new contract will run untilSeptember 2016 with the optionto continue for a further twoyears. The home care providercovers a large area of the county,delivering bespoke care andsupport to around 500 clients intheir own homes provided by 216care workers.
The successful bid means thatCaremark (East Riding) willcontinue to work with the EastRiding of Yorkshire CountyCouncil as an approved providerof domiciliary care.
Owned and run by franchiseesGraham and Karen Precious,Caremark (East Riding) hascontinued to grow and developsince the couple launched it in2009, and is now the largest andmost successful franchise in thegroup’s nationwide network.
The business has scoopedseveral of Caremark’s ownnational awards, and was namedfranchisee of the year in 2013.
Domiciliaryprovider inbid success
14 13/8/14 13:02 Page 1
Elderly Care: Positive Choices
For more information contact:Exhibitor enquiries: Bev Green: 01226 734 288Delegate enquiries: Lucy Dickinson: 01226 734 695
Refreshments served throughout the event including light lunch. Closes with a grand prize draw. Goody bag and attendance certificate for all delegates attending.
Elderly Care: Positive Choices is the theme for Caring UK’s annual regional conferences.Our stellar line-up of speakers will offer expert advice on a wide variety of topics to enhance the quality of life your residents deserve in their later years, and also make your business stand out from your rivals to potential residents.Our top industry experts will pass on their knowledge on subjects including food and nutrition, activities and the care home environment itself, giving tips on what you can do to achieve and maintain the highest levels of care. Our first two conferences will be held at Rookery Manor in Weston-super-Mare and the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on July 2 and 3 respectively. In September our events move north to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley and Leeds United FC’s famous Elland Road stadium.Running alongside all of the conferences will be an extensive exhibition, which will showcase all the latest products and technology for your care home.These really are conferences not to bemissed, so to avoid disappointment please complete the booking form to guarantee your place.
10th Sept Leeds United Football Club. LEEDS
9th Sept Black Country Living Museum, DUDLEY.
Some of the conference exhibitors:
In association with:
HEADLINE SPONSOR
NOT TO BE MISSED BY DECISION MAKERS IN THE CARE INDUSTRY
Fantastic event. A great resource for new suppliers.Linda Cutty – Regional Manager/Aveland Court Care Home/Aveland Court Care Ltd
Well planned, well presented conference, thoroughly enjoyed the day.Kathy Vound –Matron Manager/The Firs Nursing Home/Care West Country Ltd
Very informative event to attend, from seminar content and exhibition. Worthwhile day.Karen Glover - Exmouth Care Ltd
15 15/7/14 15:37 Page 1
16 15/7/14 12:22 Page 1
17 sure 22/8/14 13:55 Page 1
CARINGNEWS18The Mayor of the Borough ofElmbridge, Councillor BarryFairbank, and The Mayoress, MsGillian Smith, joined Anchor chiefexecutive Jane Ashcroft andMoore Place staff to celebrate thefinal roof tile being placed on thenew care home being built inEsher. They enjoyed a tour of the60-bed home, which includes anindoor activity room with cinemaand a hairdressing and beautytherapy lounge. Visitors thenparticipated in a topping outceremony which involved placingthe final tile into the roof of thebuilding, marking the momentousmilestone in the construction ofthe facility. Moore Place isopening this winter and willprovide care for older people aswell as specialist dementia care.
18 22/8/14 13:32 Page 1
19 Alpine 13/8/14 13:02 Page 1
CARINGINTERIORS AND REFURBISHMENT20
Medical beds’ compliancemade easier with AlpineALPINE Healthcare Group’s careequipment division has taken a proactiveapproach in helping its customers specifythe right beds for use in the varying careenvironments it serves.
In 2010, the Government updated thecompliance regulations for medical beds,EN 60601-2-52:2010.
The regulation covers the use of medicalbeds in homecare, nursing homes andhospitals with the focus of ensuring patientsafety through the correct specification ofmedical bed.
It is essential that when buying a newbed, these safety regulations be adhered to.
The regulations include specifications for:gaps and clearances on side rails; side railnewton tests; the fit of the mattress to the
bed; side rail robustness; safe workingloads and patient weight.
Alpine Healthcare Group has tasked itselfto ensure medical bed compliance in thebest way possible by providing anyone whoneeds advice or information regarding theregulations with exactly what they need tomake the right decisions.
Alpine has compiled a medical bedcompliance advisory kit for you to bestunderstand the regulations and specify thecorrect equipment for your circumstances.
The kit comprises of: an overview of theregulations; a bed measurer; a brochure forthe OPERA ProSafe bed, which gives fullsafety assurances by accommodating up toan eight-inch mattress within thecompliance regulation.
SALFORD-based Beech HouseResidential Care Home isundergoing a majorrefurbishment as part of AkariCare’s £12million investmentprogramme in its homesthroughout the UK.
As part of the extensiverefurbishment work, the oldcaretaker’s flat will beconverted to create anadditional six bedrooms and abathroom to enable the hometo provide specialist care tomore people.
All communal areas,bedrooms and bathrooms willbe decorated, with anupgrade to lighting and newfurniture, carpets andcurtains will be installedthroughout to make the areasmore comfortable andappealing for residents andvisitors. To give the home’sexterior a fresh look, all theoutside windows will beupgraded.
Manager Lynn Anderson
said: “Quality is at the heart ofeverything we do and thatincludes the environment ofour home, which we like tokeep as fresh and comfortablefor our residents as possible.
“Everything is gearedtowards achieving positiveoutcomes for the people wholive in our homes and everyeffort has been made toensure that our residents copewell with the refurbishmentwork.
“In addition to theredecoration work takingplace, the expansion at ourhome will mean that we areable to provide high-qualityspecialist care to even morepeople.
“We’re extremely proud atbeing recognised in a nationaltop 20 awards scheme andwe’re looking forward toseeing the finished homesoon, which will contribute tothe excellent specialist carewe offer.”
Salford homeundergoingimprovements
20 18/8/14 16:57 Page 1
21CARINGINTERIORS AND REFURBISHMENT
COMMUNITY-spirited teenagers vis-ited a Sanctuary Care home in Essexto make improvements to the livingenvironment for residents.
Volunteers aged 15 to 17 from theNational Citizen Service – an EssexCounty Council-run initiative whichworks to engage young people andbring communities together throughsocial action projects – visited DonThomson House Residential CareHome in Harwich to put their DIYand creative skills to good use.
Among the work carried out at thefacility the teenagers built and paint-ed ‘beach hut’ style sheds for the
home’s gardens, and painted a muralin the seaside-themed lounge area.
The home’s manager, RebeccaDunn, said: “Our residents haveabsolutely loved having the volun-teers at the home, there has been areal buzz in the air.
“Some of our residents joined inwith the beach hut painting, whichthey were absolutely delighted about,and loved chatting to the young peo-ple. We are delighted to have had theNCS with us and are so grateful forthe improvements they’ve made tothe residents’ living environment,making it an even lovelier place.”
Volunteers make carehome improvements
The NCS group who visited Don Thomson House Residential Care Home in Harwich.
New dementia garden opensRESIDENTS at a Worcestershire carehome are enjoying the summer in anew specially-designed dementia gar-den after the completion of a four-month project.
The gardens at Brookdale NursingHome in Kidderminster have beenoverhauled as part of a £10,000scheme which has given residents asafe and colourful outdoor space towalk in and stimulate their senses.
The newly opened garden containsa variety of specially-selected flowersand plants including lavender andhoneysuckle, a water feature, solarlighting, a new walkway and outdoorfurniture – all designed to help resi-dents with dementia to cope with thecondition.
A proportion of the funding for thegarden at the Kidderminster carehome, which has recently beenawarded the prestigiousWorcestershire Dementia Standard,came from Worcestershire CountyCouncil in recognition of Brookdale’sachievement in the nationalDementia Leadership Award pro-gramme.
Liz Baker, manager of BrookdaleNursing Home, said: “Dementiapatients do not want to spend theirlives indoors any more than anyoneelse would so our new garden hasprovided them with such a wonderfulspace. Although the garden has onlyjust been finished our residents arealready enjoying using it.”
YORKSHIRE based company 21C EcoEnergy has teamed up with Hullsocial enterprise the GoodwinDevelopment Trust to help care homeoperators reduce heating bills by upto 30 per cent by installing anOxypod™.
Oxypod™ is a “fit and forget” devicethat removes dissolved air from thewater in central heating systems,making them more efficient, improv-ing performance and lowering bills,without any further intervention.
Stan Whetstone, of the GoodwinTrust, said: “Care home operatorswould also benefit from a quieter sys-tem, enhanced radiator performance,
extended lifecycle of capital itemssuch as boilers as well as significantreductions on CO2 emissions, andreduced annual maintenance costs.
21C Eco Energy managing directorMartin Davidson added: “With carehomes having to provide constantheat for residents, increasing fuel billsand heating repair costs are leavingmany owners feeling the strain.
“Oxypod™ is a quick and easy wayto substantially reduce bills no matterhow much the energy companiesincrease the prices, and with a pay-back period of less than a year,Oxypod™ represents tremendousvalue for money.”
Oxypod™ – leading thefight against rising bills
21 15/8/14 15:11 Page 1
21 15/8/14 15:11 Page 2
CARINGINTERIORS AND REFURBISHMENT22
IF you are looking to remove the hassle from yournew build or refurbishment project, while savingtime and money then we can help.
Good design ensures that your bedrooms areeasier to market, increases the value of your homewhilst improving the environment and comfort foryour residents or service users.
We work exclusively for the care sectorproviding interior design, project management andprocurement services including all aspects of yourinterior covering furniture, curtains/blinds, carpet,
artwork, tableware, towels and bedding. Ourrecommendations are tailored to your preciseneeds and client group.
There is no deposit to pay and no minimumorder and we work anywhere within the UK. If youthink we can help then please contact us forfurther information or to request a freeconsultation without obligation.
Enquiries: For further information visitwww.a21careinteriors.co.uk
or call 020 8399 3091.
Take the hassle out of your new build
RMBI care home James Terry Court inCroydon is celebrating a year since itsdramatic development programme.
The fully refurbished, state-of-the-art facility now consists of east andwest wings, including dedicatedrooms for residential, nursing andspecialist dementia care.
James Terry Court was built toexceed latest government guidelinesand legislation on size, accessibilityand facilities, and now includes asensory rooftop garden to be enjoyedby all residents and to aid dementiacare.
Diane Collins, home manager, said:“Our new facilities have had anenormous impact on both theresidents and staff within the home.The three-year refurbishment project
has resulted in a much moreinteractive space for our residents,where they have opportunities to leada more independent lifestyle.
“Over the course of the past year wehave seen the facilities of the homemake such a huge difference to thelives of both residents and staff, andwe are delighted with the responsewe have had from the public andindustry bodies so far.”
One part of the on-goingdevelopment programme is ‘TheFriendly Store’; an olde-worlde sweetshop and village store. The storeencourages residents to reminisceabout their past while interactingwith traditional products, gaining asense of independence within thesafety of the care environment.
Refurbished Croydon homecelebrates first anniversary
James Terry Court.
22 14/8/14 12:57 Page 1
23CARINGINTERIORS AND REFURBISHMENT
SHACKLETONS has partnered withBright Green Contracts to deliver anenvironmentally friendly solutionwhen swapping new furniture for oldat NHS key worker accommodationin Surrey.
The contract to refurbish 118 indi-vidual residential flats at St Peter’sHospital, on behalf of client ViridianHousing, saw them embracing theclient’s intent to be at the forefront offurniture recycling.
Traditional disposal methods, suchas landfill and incineration, wereavoided thanks to Bright GreenContracts, specialists in removal andredistribution of redundant furniture.In total 13,250 kg of furniture was
diverted from landfill and 52,000 CO2emissions prevented from beingreleased into the atmosphere.
Jason Bloom, national sales manag-er at Shackletons, said: “Working withBright Green Contracts ensured 900pieces of redundant furniture weretaken from the complex and given asustainable future with no harm tothe environment.
“We are pleased to say all itemswere donated to charities Woking andSam Beare Hospices. The furniturewill be used for re-sale through their17 retail outlets to raise funds for thecontinuation of palliative care andsupport for patients and their fami-lies living in central Surrey.”
Recycle and reuse basis fornew furniture partnership
Residents do timewarp with roomtransformation By Dominic Musgrave
A BRISTOL care home is calling onthe local community to help trans-form one of its communal areas intoa 1950s-themed living space.
The ‘time warp’ room at HumphryRepton House, a home run by thecharity Milestones Trust for peoplewith dementia, is the latest of manyprojects there to encourage residentsto reminisce about their past.
Research suggests reminiscencetherapy and life story work canimprove the mood and well-being ofthose with dementia. The communalroom has been designed to make res-idents feel calmer if they becomeconfused – a symptom of the disease.
Furnishings, ornaments, appliances,even the 1950s wallpaper design,should all help evoke memories forthe elderly residents. The aim is tocreate a new talking point in thehome’s communal area and encour-age social interaction.
Lucy Greenland, who is studying fora Masters in Architecture at OxfordBrookes University, has designed thetherapeutic space, which opens in theautumn.
She said: “The room will evokehappy memories, enabling people to
tap into their past, perhaps via theclicking of an old typewriter, the softfeel of furniture fabric they once saton or the familiar smell of Brylcreemwhen slicking back their hair.”
Local charities and businesses, suchas Wickes, B&Q and The British HeartFoundation, have already generouslydonated different period-pieces fromthe 1950s. These items include aturquoise Singer sewing machine,vintage floral tea set and old recipebooks.
But there is still plenty of space tofill and the care home is appealing tohouseholds and businesses in thearea to get involved by donating avintage item, or a reproduction, fromthis period.
The project particularly needs agramophone, an old Hoover, vintagelamps and lampshades, a Napoleon-style mantle clock and three flyingwall ducks.
“We need your help,” added homemanager Terry Ford. “If you have any-thing that you wish to donate, pleaseget in touch and become part of thelatest, innovative way to support thefight against dementia.”� If you have any vintage items to
donate contact Lucy on 0789 0659807.
23 13/8/14 13:03 Page 1
CARINGNEWS24
Dedicated Care Show survey revealsindustry’s crucial long-term concernsWITH the UK care home marketcurrently estimated to be worth inexcess of £10billion, the Care Showtaking place at the NEC Birminghamon November 4 and 5 will be a keyplatform for industry (andgovernment) to debate the key issuesfacing the sector.
Staffing, sourcing, reduced localauthority funding, workloads,delivering integrated care and theimpact of increasing regulation aresome of the key issues raised in arecent Care Show industry survey of22,000 care home owners andmanagers, home care agencies, NHSstaff and other key industryparticipants.
Event director James Samuel said:“Changing demographics are and willcontinue to have a significant impacton the long term care market in theUK.
“This year, the Care Show will be thebiggest and broadest event of its kindin the UK, welcoming establishedsuppliers to the market, newinnovators and importantly a keyplatform for debate on the immediateas well as long term issues affectingthe industry, including the impendingCare Act.”
To answer many of the concernsraised by the industry, the Care Show
– and its co-locating event, TheDementia Care Show – will provide arich content of information for allinvolved in care today in the UK.
Working closely with StirlingUniversity’s Dementia ServicesDevelopment Centre, UK Active, theCare Quality Commission and theNational Care Association, the eventwill feature an in-depth conferenceprogramme and speakers from boththe public and private sectors toanswer questions, share best practiceand provide inspiration for attendees.
The event will also feature a Well-Being and Activity Zone and areplication of the ‘Luxury Care Homeof the Future’.
The Care Show will also profile morethan 250 exhibitors offering bothpractical support and advice inaddressing many of the issueshighlighted by those involved in long-term care in the UK today.
Participants featuring innovativeproducts for care include: ThePopUpRoom Company – who createinstant reminiscence rooms to turnany care space into a therapeutic andcalming environment; Care ChartsUK – a pioneering product designedto assist in the care of those unable tocommunicate their own needs;Hotboard by Ward-Hendry – infection
free paper display solutions andSolardome, innovative geodesicdomes that create a very differentapproach to therapeutic andrehabilitation centres.
Other exhibitors include: AdvancedHealth & Care – IT management
systems for urgent and unplannedhome and residential care;emergency generator providersShenton Group; and Coolcare –supporting care home operators inanalysing and improving themanagement of their care facilities.
The Care Show will be a key platform for industry (and government) to debate the keyissues facing the sector.
24 18/8/14 13:39 Page 1
25 Care show 18/8/14 13:50 Page 1
CARINGNEWS26
Councillor visits care homefor its official bar openingRESIDENTS and members of staff atLangfield Nursing and ResidentialHome in Middleton officially openedthe home’s new bar lounge in stylewith a visit from the leader of thecouncil and cabinet member forregeneration, councillor RichardFarnell.
The Bondcare St Andrews ownedfacility opened its doors and invitedmembers of the public to joinresidents in a celebratory toast and tomeet Richard. He poured the firstdrink to mark the unveiling of thebar, which was built by the home’smaintenance man, Karl Pedley.
With donations from local brewery,JW Lees, and family members ofresidents, the open day featured ‘pubgrub’ and entertainment by local carehome singer, ‘Melissa’.
The name of the bar was revealed asThe Pedley's Arms at the event afterbeing kept as a surprise by care homemanager Anita Temperley, to
recognise the hard work and hoursthat Karl had put into creating afacility to enhance the lives of theresidents.
Anita said: “The residents and theirfamilies really enjoyed the occasionand we cannot thank Karl enough forhis hard work and dedication gettingthe bar up and running.
“It was an honour to welcomecouncillor Richard Farnell to our carehome and the residents really likedseeing him pour the first drink andenjoying their new bar.
“The residents were really lookingforward to officially opening the newbar and the event gave people fromthe community the chance to visitthe care home and see first-hand thedifferent things we do here.
“I’m sure we’ll get a lot of pleasureout of the new addition to our homeand members of the public arealways welcome to pop in for adrink.”
Manager Anita Temperley, residents Margaret Davis and Shay O’Toole and councillorRichard Farnell toast the new bar.
Residents get intune with worldclass orchestraA GROUP of talented residents from aleading care organisation from NorthWales teamed up with a world classorchestra to perform at aninternational festival.
The melodious group collaboratedin two musical workshops with a triofrom the renowned Halle during theopening day of the LlangollenInternational Musical Eisteddfodwhich sees singers and dancers fromaround the world coming to Wales tocompete in the unique culturalfestival.
Mario Kreft, proprietor of PendinePark, said: “This is the first time wehave held the workshops during theLlangollen Eisteddfod and it wasgreat to see older people having theirlives enriched through music in thisway.
“This is the sixth year that we’vebeen in partnership with the Halleand it’s been of great value as amechanism for training staff and as away of enhancing social care.”
The previous night Wrexham-basedPendine Park had sponsored a specialperformance in the Eisteddfodpavilion of Sweeney Todd: the DemonBarber of Fleet Street starring operasuperstar Bryn Terfel.
Youngsters from schools across theregion who were visiting the festivalon its opening Children’s Day wereinvited into the workshops andjoined in enthusiastically with thejam sessions, which were held in theVIP Lounge area.
Top-class professional musiciansfrom the Halle have been workingwith Pendine Park for the past sixyears as part of its pioneeringenrichment programme, whichenhances the experience of residentsand also plays a key role in personaltraining and staff development.
As a warm-up, the Halle trio ofHugh McKenna on oboe andkeyboard, violinist Caroline Abbottand cellist David Petrie played aselection of classical pieces and moreupbeat numbers such as the maintheme from the musical Oklahoma!while 14 residents, ranging in agefrom their twenties to nineties,clapped and swayed along in time tothe music.
The grand finale saw instrumentsincluding maracas, tambourines andbongo drums handed to the Pendineresidents and visiting schoolchildrenfor a rousing rendition of the Scottishpiece Over the Sea to Skye.
26 19/8/14 14:34 Page 1
27 safelinks 18/8/14 13:41 Page 1
CARINGNEWS28
Manager shaves headto support residentsA BRAVE manager at Philips Court inGateshead shaved her head duringthe home’s summer fayre to raisefunds for an exciting sensory projectfor residents.
Karleen Taylor-Williams, who hasbeen manager at the Akari Care runfacility for one year, took the plunge,raising £700 for a giant cow statue aspart of a ‘cows and kayaks artexhibition’ the home is planning tohold later in the year.
Statues of cows and kayaks, of alldifferent sizes, will live in the home’sgarden and the residents will paintand decorate the figures to stimulatetheir senses.
Philips Court also has hens, guineapigs and rabbits in its garden to helpthe residents’ interaction andcommunication, and is hoping to re-home some pot-bellied pigs soon.
Karleen said: “I was nervous leadingup to the head shave, but knowingthat it was for the residents made mereally want to do it.
“The ‘cows and kayaks’ exhibition isa bit out of the ordinary, but I amalways trying to come up withexciting and different ideas that arebeneficial and enjoyable forresidents.
“I’d like to thank everyone whocame to the fayre, it was great towelcome the community to the homeand see the residents interacting withpeople of all ages, and I’d like to
thank everyone who sponsored me,the money will be put towards afantastic project.”
The fayre, which was attended bymembers of the local community,raised £560, which will also be puttowards the project.
Manager Karleen Taylor-Williams has herhead shaved by resident Betty Pallister.
28 13/8/14 13:03 Page 1
29 required systems 18/8/14 16:58 Page 1
CARINGNEWS30
New sanctions against employers whofail to pay National Minimum WageBy James Wilders
THE National Minimum Wage wasintroduced in 1999. Despitewidespread public knowledge of theobligation on all employers(regardless of size) to pay the NMW,abuse is still widespread.
Sanctions against defaultingemployers, especially in the caresector, are getting even tougher.
The NMW for adults is currently£6.31 an hour, with lower rates foryounger workers and apprentices.The adult NMW will increase to £6.50an hour on October 1.Care providersare reputed as being one of thosesectors where low pay is commonand HMRC compliance officers cancarry out inspections at any timewithout reason and can requireemployers to produce records.
A notice of underpayment will beissued in all cases where there arearrears of the NMW at the start of thecompliance officer’s investigation.The notice of underpayment sets outthe arrears of NMW to be paid by theemployer together with arequirement for the employer to paya financial penalty.
The financial penalty is 100 per centof the total underpayment of theNMW, subject to a minimum of £100and a maximum of £20,000. If the
employer complies with the notice ofunderpayment within 14 days thenthe penalty will be reduced by 50%.Under the new Small Business,Enterprise and Employment Bill, themaximum penalty of £20,000 willapply on a per worker basis ratherthan the maximum applying to eachemployer.
The HMRC enforcement officer cansue employers who fail to complywith the notice of underpayment inthe Court or the EmploymentTribunal. They can also prosecute theemployer in the criminal courts. It isa criminal offence among otherthings to refuse or wilfully neglect topay the NMW; to fail to keep therequired records or to keep falserecords; or to refuse or neglect toprovide information to anenforcement officer.
The current criminal penalty forfailure to pay the NMW is a fine of upto £5,000, although the Governmentintends that in the future (on a datenot yet determined) such fines will beunlimited. In addition, the officer ofa company who consents or connivesin or neglects to pay the NMW can beguilty of the offence and thereforeliable to the fine, together with thecompany.
As well as these criminal sanctions,employers issued with a notice of
underpayment may be named andshamed in a press release issued bythe Department for Business,Innovation and Skills. Employers canappeal and will not be named if, forexample it would not be in the publicinterest to do so.
The latest naming and shaming wason June 8 when the Governmentpublished details of 25 employerswho had failed to pay the NMW. Thelist is said to represent only a smallproportion of those breaching theNMW legislation. Details of thedefaulting employers were widelyreported in the news media, forexample on the BBC news website,
and in employers’ local newspapers. The potential penalties for care
sector employers who fail to pay theNMW will soon become even greater.In its draft statutory guidance to theCare Act 2014 published on June 6,the Government stated that, “Whencommissioning care contracts, localauthorities should assure themselvesand have evidence that serviceproviders deliver services throughstaff who are remunerated so as toretain an effective workforce.Remuneration should be at leastsufficient to comply with the NMWlegislation… including remunerationfor any time spent travelling betweenappointments.”
The draft guidance goes on to statethat local authorities should considerevery legal means of excluding aprovider which has previously beenin breach of the NMW legislationfrom the tendering process. It followsthat care sector employers who fail topay the NMW may risk being bannedfrom tendering for local authoritycontracts.
The sanctions facing employers inthe care sector who fail to pay theNMW are now not only numerous butalso potentially fatal to their business. � James is a partner in theemployment team at law firm BondDickinson.
James Wilders
30 19/8/14 14:27 Page 1
31 care roadshow 13/8/14 13:04 Page 1
DEMENTIA SPONSORED BY32www.active-minds.co.uk
Study reveals howgardens could help A NEW study has revealed that gar-dens in care homes could providepromising therapeutic benefits forpatients suffering from dementia.
The research is published in theJournal of the American MedicalDirectors Association and by criticallyreviewing the findings from 17 differ-ent pieces of research, has found thatoutdoor spaces can offer environ-ments that promote relaxation,encourage activity and reduce resi-dents’ agitation.
Conducted by a team at theUniversity of Exeter Medical Schooland supported by the NationalInstitute for Health ResearchCollaboration for Applied HealthResearch and Care South WestPeninsula, the systematic review alsofound that gardens could offer wel-come spaces for interactions with vis-itors, helping to stimulate memoriesfor dementia patients whilst provid-ing wellbeing opportunities for fami-lies and staff.
The study’s lead researcher, RebeccaWhear, said: “There is an increasinginterest in improving dementiasymptoms without the use of drugs.We think that gardens could be bene-fitting dementia sufferers by provid-ing them with sensory stimulationand an environment that triggersmemories.
“They not only present an opportu-nity to relax in a calming setting, butalso to remember skills and habitsthat have brought enjoyment in thepast.”
The research represents the firstattempt to bring together findingsfrom a range of studies and has alsohighlighted several factors that mustbe overcome if gardens are to be use-ful in the future care of dementiapatients. These include understand-ing possible hazards that a gardenmight represent to residents, andensuring staff have time to let resi-dents enjoy an outdoor space to itsfull potential.
Despite its positive findings, thestudy’s authors were keen to pointout that this area of research is cur-rently understudied and undervaluedby policy makers.
Dr Ruth Garside, an expert in evi-dence synthesis and one of thepaper’s authors, said: “There’s a lot wedon’t know about how a garden’sdesign and setting influences its abili-ty to affect wellbeing, yet it’s clearthat these spaces need to offer arange of ways of interacting – to suitdifferent people’s preferences andneeds. We want to pursue theseanswers to ensure care experiencescan be maximised for sufferers ofdementia, their carers and families.”
CARE home activities coordinatorLauren Hyder won the MargaretButterworth Award for excellence indementia care at an awards ceremo-ny at Hallam Conference Centre inLondon.
Lauren, who is described as a ‘life-line’ by the residents she works withat Magnolia Court, was nominatedfor the award by the care home’s gen-eral manager as well as some of theindividuals she cares for. Theypraised her excellent work organisingactivities that provide stimulation,motivation and relaxation for all ofthe residents at the home, includingpeople living with dementia.
Leigh Reid, general manager atMagnolia Court, said: “I’m so pleased
for Lauren. She absolutely deservesthis award because the work she doesis outstanding. There would be ahuge void at Magnolia Court withoutLauren.”
The Margaret Butterworth Awardrecognises the achievements of careworkers who give their all to helpimprove the lives of people livingwith dementia. Nominations werereceived from across the UK and werejudged by a panel of health and socialcare professionals and family carers.
Lauren said: “I feel really proud tohave won a Margaret Butterworthaward for my work at MagnoliaCourt. I was over-the-moon when Ifound out and everyone at the homeis so happy for me too.”
‘Life-line’ Lauren wins awardLauren Hyder with the Margaret Butterworth Award she received from Anne Clarke,regional director England (South) at Skills for Health.
32 19/8/14 14:28 Page 1
33 Good companions 13/8/14 13:05 Page 1
CARINGNEWS34
A GLOUCESTERSHIRE homecarecompany has tapped into a way tokeep its team hydrated – waterbottles.
Stroud-based DoCare, whichcelebrates 10 years in business thisyear, has invested in hundreds ofbranded water bottles for its supportteam, and also for its more vulnerableclients.
With the weather set fair, having thewater bottles means the busy staffcan remain hydrated while they’re onthe go; for clients who are lessmobile, they’ll have a water bottle tohand. At the same time, staff havebeen supplied with new, lightweightsummer uniforms to help them keepcool.
“Remaining hydrated is importantfor everybody, so for our staff the
water bottles will be particularlyuseful when they are out on visits,”said DoCare general manager SueMothershaw. “Elderly people areespecially vulnerable to dehydration,because with age the amount of bodywater decreases, and at the sametime older people have a diminishedthirst sensation, so we are giving thebottles to our more vulnerable clientswho might find fetching a drinkdifficult, and also to any others whowould like one.”
DoCare support staff are activelytaking steps during their visits to helpensure clients don’t fall victim todehydration.
These include offering drinks,making sure a drink is within easyreach and encouraging clients to takefluids with medication.
Homecare staff toastnew water bottles
DoCare specialist team leader Deb Atkins with the new water bottle.
Good Companions to buildnational franchise networkGOOD Companions HealthcareGroup deliver a range of careservices such as residential care,day care, domiciliary care and live-in care.
Their aim is to establish anational franchise networkcomprised of individual franchisebusinesses delivering localhealthcare and social care services.
GCHC are looking to work inpartnership with like-mindedentrepreneurial individuals whohave a personal stake in developingtheir own business and in ensuringthe successful delivery of high-quality local care services.
The company has a clear focus onproviding high-quality domiciliaryand live-in care to the private caremarket but is also focussed ondelivering a range of additionalservices to multiple markets,including the NHS.
This provides multiple incomestreams and marketingopportunities as well as providing a
more robust business modelcapable of achieving faster rates ofgrowth.
Franchisees are not restricted toblindly copying the franchisemodel as they have the freedomand choice to develop theirbusiness in line with their ownparticular skills and knowledge, thelocal need and the pace of a fast-moving sector.
Their highly experiencedfranchise team has a track record ofwinning major local authoritytenders, gaining accreditation anddelivering community basedservices with a combined salesvalue approaching £7.5m. This isadvantageous to franchisees andwill facilitate future integration ofhealthcare and social care servicedelivery. GCHC provide their ownunique internal funding option.
This enables a franchisee topurchase a franchise for only £500per month + VAT . An initial depositof £2,500 +VAT is required.
Advertiser’s announcement
34 13/8/14 13:05 Page 1
35 Blue rock 13/8/14 13:06 Page 1
36 & 37 Skills for care 19/8/14 10:49 Page 1
36 & 37 Skills for care 19/8/14 10:49 Page 2
38 QUALITY 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
Awards celebrateunsung heroes ofthe care industryTHE winners of the Care and SupportWest Awards were announced at aglittering ceremony at BathRacecourse hosted by EastEndersactor Rudolph Walker OBE.
Representatives of the local careindustry, CQC and local councilsattended a gala dinner for the annualpresentation.
Now in their second year, the Careand Support West awards celebratethe unsung heroes of the care indus-try. They give care providers and theirstaff in the former Avon area anopportunity to honour and congratu-late people who have demonstratedvalues of dignity and personalisationin their particular care setting.
Chief executive David Smallacombesaid: “In an environment of negativepress, rising standards and an ageingpopulation, pressure on the careindustry has never been higher. It canbe all too easy to overlook the bril-liant, heartfelt work that goes on dayin, day out across the region.
“We established these awards toacknowledge the great work that isbeing done to maintain tremendouslyhigh standards with integrity and
compassion.“Candidates are nominated by rela-
tives, managers, colleagues, serviceusers and professionals such as socialworkers.
Winners are subsequently selectedby a judging panel made up of repre-sentatives from local authorities, thedomiciliary care sector, the residen-tial home sector, CQC and CSW’smain sponsor. Winners: Outstanding contributionto care – Marilyn Clarke (CareFutures), Sam Hawker (AbleCareHomes) and Carrieanne West (HomesCaring for Autism); Care home regis-tered manager – Katy Collacott(Windmill Care); Domiciliary careregistered manager – Barbara Lowe(Way Ahead Care); Residential frontline worker – Alison Dale (AbleCareHomes) and Vogue Tippett (WinashLtd); Domiciliary front line worker –Kelly Holmes (Bradley House), SueRogers (Way Ahead Care) and NicolaDavis (Brunel Care); Team award –The apprenticeship team (St Mungo’sBroadway); Housekeeping and sup-port worker – Andrea Richards(Winash Ltd).
Not-for-profit care provider Quantum Care held its annual care awards, which had atheme of ‘unmasking the superheroes among us’. The event, hosted by Sam Cheekoory,director of operations, and Debbie Gilard, marketing and communications manager, cel-ebrated the career of Laura Raynsford, who has dedicated more than 40 years of her lifeto those she cares for. Chief executive Maria Ball said: “These awards are an opportuni-ty for us to give each one of our finalists the recognition and congratulations theydeserve for the outstanding contributions they have made; their efforts make a real andpositive difference to the lives of the residents in our care, and we are all incrediblyproud of them.”
JOERG Epple has been appointedcare director at Retirement VillagesGroup Ltd.
Joerg, a former regional operationsdirector for Sunrise Senior Living inGermany, will be tasked with stream-lining RV’s care offering across its 14villages in the south of the UK.
While at Sunrise Germany, he wasresponsible for the delivery of service,
quality and commercial results forfour retirement communities, as wellas helping to open a further sevenand set up operational and trainingprocesses. Joerg went on to establishhis own consultancy business inGermany, providing interim manage-ment and consultancy to operators inthe nursing and residential marketbefore moving to the UK.
Joerg swaps Germany for UK role
HOME Instead Senior Care has onceagain been named as England’s tophomecare provider in LaingBuisson’sCare Compliance Monitor.
The most recently revealed leaguetable (taken from LaingBuisson’s JulyCare Compliance Monitor report)
shows Home Instead, who specialisein care of the elderly, in the samenumber one position they held lastyear. The quarterly report includesheadline data from CQC inspectionreports and presents a digested viewof providers’ performance.
Home Instead is number one again
38 13/8/14 13:06 Page 1
39 nutilis 18/8/14 13:42 Page 1
40 new mayfair 20/8/14 17:22 Page 1
41
Former pub transformed into care homeBy Dominic Musgrave
A FORMER West Yorkshire pub hasbeen transformed into a luxury carehome, creating 100 jobs.
Crown Care has recruited staff forthe 85-bed home, called HolyroodHouse, on the site of the GreenHouse Public House in Knottingley,Wakefield which is due to openshortly.
It will be the company’s eighthhome in Yorkshire having openedOsborne House in Selby lastDecember.
Most of Holyrood’s bedrooms willhave en-suite shower facilities, whilesome will have private patio areas.
The development will also have alibrary, café, IT suite, opulent fur-nishings and landscaped gardens asCrown Care look to create a homewhere local people will be proud to
live.Wendy Conn, Crown Care’s manag-
ing director of healthcare, said: “Thefacilities at Holyrood House will befantastic. It will have a feel of home-from home and has been designed togive the people who live here or staywith us, the comfort and care theydeserve.
“We are very proud to have createdsuch a superb home and we look for-ward to welcoming families from thearea so they can see for themselveshow we have raised the bar.
“Whether it is the food, the furni-ture or the facilities – everything inHolyrood House will be of the high-est quality while providing a safe,social, engaging, happy and homelyenvironment for our residents andguests.”
Crown Care is also on schedule toopen another home in Ponteland,
near Newcastle upon Tyne, next yearmeaning the company will havemore than 850 beds in the North Eastand Yorkshire.
The company is also looking tospread its geographical coverage andis in negotiations to buy three sites inthe Midlands.
CEO Baldev Ladhar, said: “We areproud of the service we provide at
our existing homes and that we havecontinued to expand , despite diffi-cult economic conditions, creatingquality developments and hundredsof jobs for local people.
“We want our Crown Care centresto be recognised as being part of thewider community and we are confi-dent the people of Knottingley will bevery impressed with the home.”
Holyrood House in Knottingley has created 100 jobs.
41 13/8/14 16:22 Page 1
42 CARINGCOMMERCE
DC Care has saved aNorthamptonshire home from clo-sure.
The specialist care agent receivedinstructions from administratorsMoorfields Corporate Recovery tofind a purchaser for The MeadowsNursing Home in Yardley Gobionnear Towcester.
If a suitable purchaser could not befound within a very short timeframe,closure was the most likely outcome,and residents would face theupheaval of moving to an alternativehome.
Andy Sandel of DC Care com-menced a high profile marketing
campaign, which resulted in anincredible level of interest in this 30-bed facility.
He said: “We are regularly involvedin this type of process, but I can hon-estly say that The Meadows drewmore offers than we would normallyexpect.
“The successful purchaser – anexperienced local operator – showeda huge amount of determination toacquire this care home, and ultimate-ly to save it from being closed.
“In an industry that seems to beconstantly under fire, it’s really satis-fying to be able to highlight somegood news for a change.”
Northamptonshire homeis saved from closure
The Meadows Nursing Home in Yardley Gobion.
Energy – how totackle rising costsAT the recent Caring UK conferencesNeil Garton, head of healthcare atNatWest and RBS, spoke about thecost of energy which, after staff andfood, is the next highest expense for acare home.
Heating and lighting are costs thatcontinue to rise. In order to helpmanage this area of expenditure thebank has introduced an energy auditservice alongside business consul-tants Mentor. The audits are aimed atbusinesses that spend £10,000 a yearor more on energy, and focuses onthree areas:� Energy efficiency. � Tariff management. � Renewable energy.
As part of the audits, independentauditors, trained in energy manage-ment by the Energy Institute, willprovide the business with a detailedreport of its findings. They will thenwork with the business offering fur-ther support on what the next stepscould be.
Each report and follow up supportis bespoke to each business with abaseline of their energy use andbenchmark this against industrystandards, enabling them to beproactive in cutting costs and becom-ing more profitable.
Neil said: “We launched the auditsnationally earlier this year following apilot in the north of England.
“Over 60 businesses with an annual
energy spend of between £10,000 and£200,000 a year took part in the pilot,achieving an average projectedpotential saving of £23,000.
“The audits will look at the behav-iours of care homes from helpingthem tackle the small things likeencouraging staff to switch off lightsand appliances, as well as imple-menting energy saving initiativessuch as better insulation and equip-ment to regulate energy flow intobuildings.”� If you are interested in finding outmore about NatWest Mentor energyaudit contact your NatWest relation-ship manager or [email protected]
Neil Garton
42 13/8/14 16:21 Page 1
43 CHIS 13/8/14 13:07 Page 1
44 clysdale 20/8/14 09:44 Page 1
45CARINGCOMMERCE
Home is just whatthe doctor orderedLNT Group has sold Ward GreenLodge, a newly built care home inBarnsley, to Britto Healthcare for£4.8m.
Following a successful career inhealthcare, this is a new venture forDr Darryl Britto, owner and manag-ing director of Britto Healthcare, andwill be the first care home in his port-folio.
The new facility boasts 64 bedroomswith en-suite wet rooms, hairdressingsalon, café and courtyard gardens.
Ward Green Lodge was built by LNTConstruction, a specialist developerof high quality, state-of-the-art carehomes which incorporate the latest
facilities in dementia care and ageappropriate design, as well as beinghighly energy efficient, meeting the2020 eco requirements.
Darryl said: “I’m delighted to bepurchasing Ward Green Lodge andvery much looking forward to wel-coming our residents into the homeand providing them with first classcare.
“The quality and finish of the carehome is astounding and LNT’s assis-tance in preparing the home foropening has been tremendous. I’mconfident Ward Green Lodge will offercompassionate care in a luxurioussetting.”
Dr Darryl Britto with Lawrence Tomlinson, chairman of the LNT Group.
45 18/8/14 13:34 Page 1
CARINGCOMMERCE46
AS A practice, Flowitt Architects has built up anincreasing portfolio of care home projects rangingfrom small bedroom extensions and alterations toprovide better facilities, to one off new buildingsincorporating the highest levels of equipment andhomes for people with special needs.
We have a thorough understanding of currentCQC standards and recognise the need forbusinesses to continue running while buildingworks are carried out.
We were commissioned by Abbeyfield in 2010for this fantastic project involving a totalremodelling of an existing care home in Farnham.The previously converted theatre rehearsal roomsno longer met our client’s needs.
Flowitt Architects designed a new layoutopening up the existing reception, rearranged
internal spaces to create 11 new bedrooms, twonew dining areas and lounges together with alovely new sun lounge.
The new works were opened in 2012 byPenelope Keith and the trustees.
Enquiries: Telephone 01483 578480, email [email protected]
or visit www.flowittarchitects.co.uk
Flowitt increases its portfoilo of homes
Advertiser’s announcement
SPECIALIST agents Lamont Johnsonare delighted to announce the recentcompleted sale of the prestigiousBeechwood Place Nursing Home,located in the market town of Malton,North Yorkshire.
The home, which has been inexisting ownership for eight years, ispresently registered for 35, stands init’s own delightful gardens andgrounds, offering 33 bedrooms, aneight-person passenger lift and hasthe potential to expand to 50+ beds.
The home has been owned and
successfully operated as a familybusiness by Sue Harris, ChristineAllan and Steve Turley of BleakhouseLimited, and was acquired by aBuckinghamshire based operator.
Sue said: “We are absolutelydelighted that we instructed GraysonTaylor of Lamont Johnson to sell thehome on our behalf. We are rightlyproud of the home and it’s reputationand Grayson found a buyer for usvery quickly, who actually completedthe transaction within just fourmonths of agreeing the sale.”
Lamont Johnson sellsNorth Yorkshire home
Group adds a fifthhome to portfolioFRIENDLY Care Group, operator offour facilities in the West Midlands,has added a fifth to its growingportfolio with the acquisition ofNetherwood care home in the markettown of Shifnal in Shropshire.
The care home was acquired by thegroup in a sale brokered by specialistcare property adviser Christie + Co.
Netherwood is registered with theCare Quality Commission (CQC) for 31 residents across 19 single andsix ‘companion’ bedrooms.
There is believed to be room toexpand the home by a further 10 to12 rooms, subject to the necessaryconsents.
Martin Gould of Christie + Co, whosold the home on behalf of previousowners Ann Alexander and DavidHarrison, said: “Netherwood wasacquired by Ann and David in 1995and they have developed andexpanded the home from a 20-registration set-up into the highquality and successful 31-residentregistration of today.
“Moreover, the home has strongoccupancy, good fee income and ahigher than average proportion ofprivately-funded residents — theholy grail for all care home operators— so Friendly Care Group is to becongratulated on this excellentacquisition to its expanding empire.”
46 22/8/14 13:34 Page 1
47CARINGCOMMERCE
THE construction and renovation of anew care home on West Road inNewcastle has reached the finalstages of development thanks to thecompletion of a funding deal fromThe Royal Bank of Scotland.
North East care home operatorSolehawk Limited has spent the lastyear working on the project whichhas seen them demolish their existingcare home, Ashton Court, to beginconstruction and redevelopmentwork on a larger capacity facilitywhich is expected to cost in theregion of £3m.
It is hoped that the new property,
which has been increased from a 30to a 45 en-suite bedroom care home,will be ready for residents to move into this October, creating approxi-mately 60 jobs.
RBS has supported the AshtonCourt re-development project with afee free loan under the Governmentbacked Funding for Lending Scheme,which has been specifically designedto offer more support to SMEs bymaking borrowing more affordable.
Under the scheme businesses cantake advantage of loans with lowerinterest rates and no arrangementfees.
Re-development of Newcastlecare home enters final stages
Mike O’Hara and Martin Greenwood from RBS check the progress of the re-developedAshton Court with Handa Solehawk and Richard Warren.
47 18/8/14 10:42 Page 1
CARINGCOMMERCE48
Deprivation of liberty: ‘Agilded cage is still a cage’By David Waters
EVERY care home business in the UKmust be aware of the Supreme Court’sjudgement relating to DoLS in twocases, P v Cheshire West and ChesterCouncil, which has become known asthe Cheshire West case, and P and Q vSurrey County Council.
Both these concerned residents withphysical or mental disabilities, whothe court ruled had been deprived oftheir liberty. The problem comeswhen defining ‘deprivation of liberty’.
In the Cheshire West case Lady Hale,who gave the leading judgment,made it clear that a person isdeprived of their liberty if:� They are subject to continuoussupervision.� They are not able to leave thepremises.
As many residents in a care homefall into these two categories, it leavescare homes in breach of the newDoLS process which requires them tohave the local Council’s authority todeprive someone of their liberty.
You would think this would be anideal time to clarify the issue onceand for all. However, the SupremeCourt offered practically no legalguidance when it came to defining
these. If a care home is deemed tohave deprived a resident of theirliberty without the correctauthorisation there are severefinancial penalties – £3,000 perresident per annum, legal costs, plusany civil claim which the individualor their next of kin may bring.
Care home insurance mainly coversbodily injuries, so it is unlikelyanything of this nature would becovered, although owners may findsupport and assistance in the handsof a good broker.
This will lead to a surge in DoLSreferrals to councils, as care homesfearing deprivation of liberty claimsmake applications for residents aboutwho, thanks to the lack of legal clarityand guidance from the Government,they are unsure.
Indeed, the Association of Directorsof Adult Social Services estimates thatDoLS referrals from care homes andhospitals will reach 93,000 in 2014-15,up almost nine-fold from 10,050 in2013-14. In this scenario localcouncils simply will not cope, both interms of the manpower needed toprocess the applications and theassociated cost, which will likely runto many millions of pounds.
Ironically, despite its vague
messages and lack of legal guidance,the Government says the key block tothe successful implementation ofDoLS is a “lack of awareness andunderstanding of the system.” It hasrejected calls to scrap this, as a Houseof Lords select committee reportpublished in March puts it, “poorlydrafted” and “overly complex”legislation, so unfortunately carehomes will have to deal with it as bestthey can.
What you should doCare homes should assess all theirresidents as a matter of priority toidentify all those who lack thecapacity to make their own decisions,before granting themselves DoLSauthorisation.
Managers should then telephonetheir local council and ask its DoLSunit for advice, getting confirmationof what they say in writing andreplying to detail their understandingof the position. If no protectiveoutcome is achieved, care homesshould follow this up no less thanseven days later by applying forstandard authorisation.
The good news is that once a DoLSapplication has been made,responsibility for deciding whether a
deprivation of liberty is in theresident’s best interests rests with thelocal authority not the care home.
Unfortunately councils do notusually have a DoLS dedicated unitand few will be able to manage DoLSapplications. They will send carehomes a proposal, which acts as thefirst line of defence against anyonebringing a claim for deprivingsomeone of their liberty. If thecouncil visits to authorise the DoL, besure to keep accurate records. Manylocal authorities simply do not havethe resources to do so.
To cover themselves againstretrospective claims relating toresidents who have died since April2009, when DoLS came into force,care homes should make sure all theirmedical records are clearlydocumented. Then if a claim doesoccur they can prove they did notunlawfully deprive somebody of theirliberty. It would also be advisable tophone or write to their local authorityto seek advice.
Deprivation of liberty and DoLS arenot going away and will become athorn in the side of care homes thatdo not act now.� David Waters is MD of Care HomeInsurance Services.
48 13/8/14 13:08 Page 1
49 Gomples 22/8/14 13:52 Page 1
50 badgemaster 18/8/14 13:44 Page 1
51CARINGNEWS
apetito dietitian Helen Willis examines the complexities of preparing texture-modified meals forresidents with dysphagia
A complicated challengeACCORDING to new statistics, thenumber of patients with dementiaregistered with GP practices inEngland has increased by a remark-able 62 per cent over the last sevenyears.
These are just the latest figures toshow the continued prevalence ofdementia in our society – a patternthat’s making a real impact on carehomes across the UK.
As more and more homes take onresidents with the condition, a partic-ular challenge is catering for thosewho also suffer with dysphagia – aterm that refers to chewing and swal-lowing difficulties. Sadly, dysphagiais relatively common among demen-tia sufferers, which therefore makescatering for residents with thisincredibly complex condition evenmore complicated.
As weight loss and dysphagia typi-cally go hand in hand, it’s especiallyimportant for sufferers to receive anoptimal intake of nutrients and ener-gy. However, if they do not haveaccess to food that looks appetising,has an enticing aroma and tastesdelicious, it is difficult to encouragethem to eat in the first place.
Particularly for those whose dyspha-gia has been brought on by dementia,being presented with food they can
recognise and that engages theirsenses of taste and smell can helpavoid any potential confusion thatcould detract from their enjoyment ofmealtimes.
Of even greater importance, as dys-phagia can lead to a risk of aspiration– where small particles of food enterinto the airway – a failure to give aresident a meal of the right consisten-cy could prove fatal. Therefore, thedysphagia diet food texture descrip-tors set out by the National PatientSafety Agency set out exactly how tex-ture-modified food should be pre-pared for those at each stage of thecondition, which take into considera-tion texture, viscosity and the type ofingredients offered.
At one end of the spectrum, mealsthat fit ‘category E’ are best describedas ‘fork-mashable’ and are suitablefor sufferers who are usually in theearly stages of dysphagia.
‘Category E’ food closely resembles‘normal’ food, but must be soft, ten-der and easily mashed with a fork.Essentially, this category is suitablefor residents who don’t have to relyon a fully mashed or puréed diet, butwho could have difficulty chewing orswallowing meals served to residentswho aren’t on a texture-modifiedmeal plan.
The ‘category D’ descriptor covers‘pre-mashed’ dishes that are suitablefor residents who are neither in theearly nor advanced stages of the con-dition, while ‘category C’ refers tothick purées for those often in themore advanced stages of dysphagia.
The National Patient Safety Agencyrequires all care settings to provide –as a very minimum – a selection ofmeals that fit its ‘category C’ and ‘cat-egory E’ descriptors for texture-modi-fied food. However, it can be difficultfor highly trained chefs – let alone in-house teams – to guarantee they aremeeting these strict guidelines when
preparing texture-modified foodthemselves.
apetito’s selection of award-winningtexture-modified food includes dishesthat are prepared in line with each ofthe Dysphagia Diet Food TextureDescriptors for a texture-modifieddiet, while catering to all appetites.
Every meal and snack is both nutri-ent and calorie-dense, to help dys-phagia sufferers maintain a healthyweight. For example, if a residentsimply opts for a texture-modifiedsandwich and a dessert, this would beof a similar nutritional value to a ‘nor-mal’ full main meal, ensuring they getthe protein, energy and vitamins theyneed from a variety of differentsources.
Not only does apetito’s range elimi-nate the risks associated for in-housecatering teams trying to attain theright texture category with limitedequipment and resource, it alsomeans dysphagia sufferers are offeredmeals that are just as appetising asthose served to other residents.
This allows them to dine with digni-ty – something which is highly emo-tive and can make an enormous dif-ference to the lives of those individu-als who may have become fearful ofmealtimes and the potential conse-quences therein.
Helen Willis
51 19/8/14 14:29 Page 1
CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY52
PHS keep your dishes hygienically cleanINFECTION control withina care home environmentis a primary concern, yetmany overlook crockeryand cutlery where germscan easily spread.
PHS Laundryserv canhelp you get dishes thatare not just sparkling but hygienic too with theMiele PG 8059 Hygiene.
This freshwater dishwasher thermally disinfectseven the grubbiest of dishes with a final rinse at85?C, and can do a massive 40 cycles a day.
Its two intakes of fresh water per cycle alsoensure a high quality and hygienic wash everytime.
With 13 programmes and a high capacity, this
dishwasher will suit care homes of all sizes.
The PG8059 Hygiene is also approved bythe WRAS meaning it has greater hygiene andperformance as well as efficiency.
Enquiries: To get your care home’s dishessparkling clean, visit Laundryserv.co.uk
or call us on 0800 7311 399 quoting ref S1224.
100 per cent tax relief available onGirbau’s water efficient washers
BUSINESSES purchasing new Girbau HS 6 Serieshigh speed washers can benefit from 100 percent tax relief under the Government’sEnhanced Capital Allowance.
Thanks to the machines’ outstanding waterefficiency, they have been granted approval bythe Water Technology List for the scheme.
The scheme was set up by the Government toencourage businesses to invest in newequipment that uses less water.
The ECA lets businesses write off 100 per centof the cost of purchasing a new Girbau WTL-approved washer against taxable profits in theyear of purchase.
Only machines on the approved WTL listqualify and the tax relief is only available for thepurchase of new machines.
To be included on the Water Technology List,strict criteria regarding a washing machine’swater usage per kg have to be achieved. Forwashers up to 15kg in capacity, the maximumwater usage per kg permitted is 9.4 litres.
Girbau’s HS-6008 washer uses a maximum ofjust 7.8 litres per kg while the larger HS-6057machines uses only 7.0 litres, making themsome of the most water-efficient washersavailable today.
Enquiries: For more information visitwww.girbau.co.uk
52 19/8/14 14:29 Page 1
53CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY
Snappy Tags – the one-step solutionfor labelling clothes for care homesIF you ask a relative of someone in acare home if they have any concerns,fairly soon they will tell you that theyfind it distressing to see their lovedone in the wrong clothes.
Lost, unnamed and incorrectlylabelled clothing is a time-consumingproblem for managers, and staffspend a huge amount of time ensur-ing they have correctly identifiedeach resident’s clothing: after all ourchoice of garments is a vital part ofour identities.
With this in mind, one company hasintroduced a quick, easy and costeffective way to name residents’
clothing. Snappy Tags are discreetand resemble small buttons, makingthem comfortable and unobtrusive tothe wearer.
Care homes that have implementedSnappy Tags agree.
Dale-Jaimé Matthews from the StCloud Care group, said: “Snappy Tagshas made it so much easier to keeptrack of all of our residents’ clothingsince introducing this productthroughout our care homes.
“We have for years been trying tofind a product just like this, every-thing else we have tried has failed.Now nothing gets lost and the staff,
relatives and residents have one lessthing to worry about.
“The little tags have given backhours of time to our laundry staff andhave provided peace of mind with theresidents and their families for theiritems of clothing.”
Names are permanently laseretched into the tag, ensuring they willnever fade, even in multiple harshindustrial laundry conditions.
Tags are simply snapped onto thegarment seam or laundry label usingthe Snappy Tag applicator, andalthough they will not fall off in thelaundry process, they can be easily
removed and reapplied to a new itemof clothing.
Vida Hall care home in Harrogatealso recommends Snappy Tags.
Operations director Jill Youngadded: “I am very happy to continueto support Snappy Tags in our home.
“We always recommend them to ourresidents because they are the bestproduct of the type on the markettoday.
“They stand up to our washingprocess, which many of the fabricstyle tags do not, and they are easilyapplied to clothing which is impor-tant as it saves time for the staff.”
53 15/8/14 15:16 Page 1
CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY54
Swapping the office for the laundryBy Christine Asbury
WHEN I arranged to do some hands-on laundry shifts, I assumed theywere going to be all about processand functionality, but my eyes wereopened first to issues about dignityand person centred care.
When I joined WCS Care as chiefexecutive in January 2012, I decidedto learn about the organisation bygetting down to grassroots.
This meant working front-line shiftsalongside the care, catering andhousekeeping teams in each of ourcare homes.
It paid massive dividends – Iunderstood very quickly the basis ofour care philosophy; I got to meetresidents, relatives and a range ofstaff – who also had the chance toquiz me on everything from myrelationship status to what I do in myCEO role – and I learnt about the joys,challenges and constraints ofdelivering care in our homes.
We knew from things like feedback,occupancy rates, inspections and lowstaff turnover that we get most ofwhat we do right.
However, our annual user reviewsover several years have highlightedinconsistencies in our laundryservice.
We also had positive feedback – onedaughter made a special point ofdescribing to me how meticulouslyher mother’s underwear had beenfolded and placed in her drawers, andhow much that relatively small
gesture reassured her about ourstandards in general.
Such feedback started to illuminatethe importance of laundry inmaintaining people's dignity and self-respect.
Prior to starting our laundry project,I simply had no idea how central anapparently simple, housekeepingprocess is to providing true person-centred care.
Just being present in the laundrygave me amazing insight into how thehome worked – in my uniform, Ibecame invisible; many staff weren’taware of who I was and didn’t modifytheir behaviour.
I got to see good practice and bad. Ialso discovered some institutionalpractices – clothes tagged innoticeable places like the neck of ajumper, and the communal basket Icame to dread: of unnamed, greying –sometimes holey – incontinence netpants.
As I later asked managers at thefeedback meetings: how many of youare wearing your next doorneighbour’s pants today?
I had assumed that these laundryshifts were going to be all aboutprocess.
But my eyes were opened first toissues about dignity and personcentred care:
Individualised bed linen and towelsDespite policy, it just wasn't alwayshappening. It's true that if you get toa hotel you expect to get communal
sheets rather than your ownindividualised ones, but a care homeis someone’s home not a hotel.
Quality controlResidents had alerted me to aproblem in one home with roughtowels, and I wanted to understandthis. Many towels were rough and iteventually became apparent that theywere probably being dried onexcessively high temperatures for toolong thus burning off the fabricsoftener. But we needed to look atquality too – were we buyingsufficiently high quality towels andbedding?
Manager responsibilityUltimately, I realised that a goodlaundry service was down to theintervention of the home manager.As one – honest and insightful–manager told me: “Christine, I knowthat if I put the same focus intolaundry quality as I do on care then itwould be so, so much better.”Managers are the custodians ofquality and practice in our homes:care and housekeeping teams taketheir lead from managers so if a worntowel or a dirty floor is ok for themanager, the staff are likely to thinkthat's the standard they can work to.
Laundry staffThe homes which have their owndedicated laundry workers hadsignificantly more satisfactionexpressed about this service. There
was better management of washing;finishing of clothes was to a higherstandard, laundry workers knew theresidents and if items were unlabelledwould usually recognise them.Returning clean laundry to people'srooms was another opportunity forthem to interact with a differentperson and gave residents the chanceto tell the laundry worker how andwhere to put clean laundry. Wedecided we want to provide dedicatedlaundry staff in all our homes sevendays a week.
Ultimately, it's about dignity and respectNational dignity day took placeduring the period I was working inthe laundries, and I couldn’t help butreflect that ensuring people havetheir own, properly laundered andfinished clothes and personal itemsreturned to them and put awayaccording to their own preference is afundamental, basic, dignity. Nevermind dignity trees – are we gettingbasic aspects of daily life right? Andthe only person who can championthat on a day to day basis is the homemanager. It's a demanding role andrequires eyes everywhere. WCS Careis fortunate to have an incrediblycommitted team of managers, butwe've all had our eyes opened and Iam looking forward to some muchimproved scores on the laundrysection of the coming year's customerreview! � Christine Asbury is chief executiveof WCS Care.
54 13/8/14 13:08 Page 1
56 Forbes 19/8/14 14:15 Page 1
CARINGNEWS56
Regulator consulting onhow providers can meet‘fundamental standards’ THE inspectorate has draftedguidance on how the 46,000 healthand adult social care providers andservices that it regulates acrossEngland can meet the government’snew regulations on care and whatactions it will take when they fail.
The CQC’s new regulations (called‘fundamental standards’) are morefocused and clear about the care thatpeople should always expect toreceive. They were laid beforeParliament earlier this month andwill come into effect by next April.
They include both the new “duty ofcandour” and the “fit and properpersons” requirements. These willoblige providers to be open andhonest when things go wrong and tohold directors to account when carefails people. These two requirementswill apply to NHS trusts fromOctober.
CQC has issued its draft guidanceon how providers can meet theeleven fundamental standards as partof a public consultation.
Alongside this, the regulator isasking for views on how it will use itsstrengthened enforcement powers, asset out in the Care Act 2014.
These will allow CQC to decide onthe most appropriate enforcementaction to take when care falls belowthe required standard rather thanstarting at the bottom of the scale.This includes being able to prosecuteproviders without having to issue a
warning notice first.Once finalised, the guidance will
help providers to understand howthey can meet the new regulationsand when they do not, what actionsCQC will take.
Chief executive David Behan said:“We are consulting on our proposedguidance on how providers can meetthe requirements of the newregulations and on how we intend touse our enforcement powers.
“It is essential that CQC uses thesenew responsibilities well toencourage a culture of openness andto hold providers and directors toaccount when care fails people.
“We have already started to inspectservices against the five key questionsthat matter most to the people whouse them – are they safe, effective,caring, responsive to people’s needs,and well-led. This helps ourinspection teams to identify goodcare. Where our inspection teamsidentify poor care, this guidance willhelp us to determine whether there isa breach of regulations and if so, whataction to take. In some cases, this willmean we will use our powers toprosecute.
“For providers, this will help themto make applications to register orvary their registration with CQC, andto make sure their services do not fallbelow acceptable levels.”
CQC will run its consultation for 12weeks, ending on October 17.
RESIDENTS at Donwell Houseenjoyed a garden party with membersof the local community to celebratean investment made to the home.
The event marked the opening ofthe facility’s new large patio area inthe garden, complete with seatingarea, which was officially launchedwith a ribbon cutting by resident JuneDinsley – the longest-standingresident.
Members of the public whoattended the celebration were able totake tours of the home and speak tomembers of staff about the specialistcare on offer.
Manager Tracey Garland said: “The
new patio area really enhances ouroutside space and is a great area forresidents and their visitors to enjoythe garden and socialise in thesunshine.”
Donwell House, which is part ofBondcare Shaftesbury, provides carefor 63 residents, including personal,social and general nursing care forelderly residents and care forindividuals with Alzheimer’s,dementia and physical illnesses.
There is also a day centre on sitethat provides care for up to 45 clients,including the elderly, physicallyinfirm and individuals requiringdementia care.
June Dinsley officially opens the new patio with home manager Tracey Garland.
Party marks patio’s opening
Jim McNiven, general manager of Akorn Badges with John Bancroft, managing directorat Badgemaster.
Advertiser’s announcement
Badge manufacturerreveals acquisitionof principal rivalNAME badge manufacturerBadgemaster, has announced theacquisition of principal competitor,Akorn Badge Company Ltd.
Badgemaster is already the UK’slargest name badge manufacturer,and adds this as the most significantevent yet to its ever growing list ofachievements.
Key milestones in the company’shistory since its humble beginningsin the back of a porta-cabin inHucknall, Nottinghamshire in 1992include in 2006 being granted theRoyal Warrant by Her Majesty theQueen for supply of name badges tothe staff of the royal households;gaining the British StandardsInstitute ISO 9001 accreditation forquality management in 2010; the ISO14001, the highest level ofenvironmental accreditation possiblein 2013; and most recently,Badgemaster’s Founder andManaging Director, John Bancroft,being granted an MBE for services tobusiness in Nottinghamshire.
The ever growing success ofBadgemaster has been achievedthrough continual growth andreinvestment of profits into cuttingedge technologies, staff training, bestpractice processes andenvironmental sustainability.
John Bancroft MBE explains: “It hasalways been our vision to be not justa name badge company, but thename badge company and I amproud that we have achieved that.
“We have many millions of peoplenow going to work every day wearingtheir Badgemaster custom-madename badges and we are nowprocessing over 1,000 orders everyday.”
Through Badgemaster’s acquisitionof Akorn Badge Company Ltd, whichin itself has achieved great successduring its 30 years, being one of themost established name badgemanufacturers in the world,customers will benefit from even
more competitive prices achievedthrough greatly increased buyingpower, wider choices and thecombined technologies and expertiseof two specialist name badgecompanies who share the ambitionto deliver unbeatable customerservice. Badgemaster will now haveover 27,000 accounts fromorganisations with just oneemployee, to those with hundreds ofthousands of wearers.
John outlines the reasons behindthis major acquisition by explainingthat most leading companies withcustomer facing staff do alreadyrecognise the value of staff namebadges.
“Badgemaster’s recent growth hasbeen largely achieved by takingmarket share from our competitors.We have been able to do this byproviding better quality, fasterefficient service levels and morecompetitive prices.
“In combining Akorn withBadgemaster we have a marriagemade in heaven that will bringsignificant and long term benefits to both Akorn and Badgemaster’sextensive combined customer base.”
Jim Kent, Akorn Badge CompanyLtd’s well-known, highly-respectedformer Managing Director, has joinedJohn and Vicky Bancroft on the boardof directors. Jim McNiven, theformer General Manager of AkornBadge Company Ltd will also bejoining Badgemaster’s seniormanagement team.
Jim is “delighted to be part of thisexciting new organisation and islooking forward to bringingunparalleled levels of service andquality to all of the organisation’scustomers”.
For more information contact theBadgemaster Customer ServicesTeam on 01623 723 112 or [email protected]
56 22/8/14 13:33 Page 1
STAFF at a Lancashire care home areinviting older people living in thelocal community to join them ontheir regular day trips.
Lesley Malone, events co-ordinatorat the Hillcroft residential care anddementia home in Aughton, came upwith the idea following a recent suc-cessful trip to Lake Windermere forresidents and their family andfriends. And although there would bea small charge to cover any costs, sheis confident the idea would be benefi-cial to members of the public and thehome’s residents.
Lesley said: “Hillcroft care home inAughton is more like a hotel due tothe lovely healthy lifestyle the resi-dents have, and we try to get theminvolved in the community as muchas possible.
“We also like to involve any olderperson outside the home, either liv-ing on their own or feeling depressed,to get involved with activities andevents at Hillcroft, so they can lookforward everyday for somewhere togo and not feel left on their own .
“A lot of people think living in a care
home is the later stages of their lives,but it's not – it's another new chap-ter.”
In recent weeks residents from thehome have also been on day trips toLlandudno, the local pub, EvertonFootball Club and on a barge.
Lesley added: “When a resident issuffering dementia and you see theminvolved in the community, mixing
with people, doing normal day to dayactivities, it makes their life worth liv-ing . There is no cure for dementia,but when a resident goes back to atime when they have a memory ofplace like Windermere, or just con-versation with people, you see themas they were once and you treasurethat time of the event with a feeling ofdoing even more.”
57CARINGNEWS
‘Special measures’ for failing carehomes’ announcement welcomed By Dominic Musgrave
THE care sector has been giving itsreaction to the announcement byhealth secretary Jeremy Hunt thathospital-style ‘special measures’ willbe introduced for failing care homes.
The CQC will work together with theadult social care sector to put togeth-er the new regime that will be intro-duced from next April.
The process was introduced by theinspectorate a year ago to 11 failinghospital trusts. The ratings, based ona system first used in schools, givehealth and care services a rating ofoutstanding, good, requires improve-ment or inadequate.
Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector ofadult social care, said: “In people’shomes and care homes across thecountry we know that dedicated staffare delivering fantastic care for peo-ple. Sadly, this is not always the caseand we know that some services arecontinuing to fail the people theyserve.
“I am clear that abuse, neglect andpoor care will not be tolerated. Weneed to shine a spotlight on this poorpractice and make sure servicesimprove. If they do not, they will haveto face the consequences.
“I welcome the opportunity to workwith service providers, commission-ers and most importantly peopleusing services, their carers and fami-lies to develop a special measuresregime which will call time on poorcare.
“Our new ratings regime will start inOctober and will highlight inadequateservices. This will be an unambigu-ous signal that improvements areneeded and we will set out clearexpectations, including the timescaleto sort out problems and where to gofor help.
“People’s confidence in adult socialcare services has been knocked by
shocking examples of poor care. Iwant to restore confidence by cele-brating the good work we do seewhile also tackling persistent poorperformance.
“Together, we can make sure theseservices are the best they can be forthe benefit of everyone who needsthem.”
George McNamara, head of policyand public Affairs at Alzheimer’sSociety, said: “We want to seeimprovements across all health andcare settings. Four out of five peopleliving in care homes have dementiaand they deserve the best quality careand support.
“Poor providers should not be let offthe hook and concerns must be ade-quately acted on. A special measuressystem should be part of a package ofinterventions aimed to bring all careproviders to levels of the best.”
National Care Association chiefexecutive Sheila Scott OBE also wel-comed the move.
She added: “We hope this will be anarrangement that is rarely used, butas an organisation that representsresponsible care providers, we believethat in certain circumstances, specialmeasures will focus attention onrapid improvement.
“We have never endorsed poor carein any form; always promotedresponsible provision. For us and ourmembers this proposal is importantin order to protect the people inreceipt of care and to ensure that thepublic can have confidence in theservices that are being provided.
“National Care Association repre-sents small and medium sized busi-nesses so it will be important for us tolook closely at the detail of the pro-posals to make sure they recognisethe challenges that can often facesmall business.
“We are determined as always tolook at how we can help to identify
practical ways forward for any regis-tered adult social care providersplaced in special measures that gen-uinely wish to find a solution.”
The announcement has also beengiven a cautious welcome by CareEngland’s chief executive.
Professor Martin Green OBE said: “Itis important that this special mea-sures regime is developed in partner-ship with the care sector, and thetime and public resources that areallocated to it mirror those that wereallocated to the health regime thatinspired its creation.
“It is our hope that this regime willgive new clarity and consistency inhow failing services will be chal-lenged to improve, and clearly definethe process and timescales on whenthey will be removed from the mar-ket.”
But the Registered Nursing HomeAssociation says it wants reassur-ances from Jeremy Hunt that the ‘spe-cial measures’ regime will be bothworkable and fair.
Chief executive officer Frank Ursellsaid: “We welcome any constructivesteps aimed at helping care homes to
deliver high quality services to theirresidents. But Mr Hunt’s proposalslack vital detail and it is thereforeuncertain whether they could sensi-bly be applied to care homes.
“We have been calling for the rein-troduction of a care home ratings sys-tem for some time and are pleasedthat it is now happening at last. Agood ratings system helps careproviders to evaluate how well theyare performing against the generalstandards of their sector. It also helpspotential residents and their familiesto decide which care home to choose.
“But the ‘special measures’ elementthat Mr Hunt is now talking aboutappears to have originated from stepstaken originally to deal with failingNHS hospitals, such as StaffordHospital and several others that havebeen under that regime. So howexactly does Mr Hunt plan to applythis to care homes whose size, func-tions and funding arrangements arevery different from those of big acutehospitals?”� What do you think? Let DominicMusgrave know by [email protected]
Sheila Scott and Martin Green have supported Jeremy Hunt’s plan.
Home invites community to join them on trips
Hillcroft residents and staff enjoy a day at Lake Windermere.
A MEMBER of the care team atRadcliffe Gardens nursing homein Leeds recently celebrated 25years’ service.
Senior carer and activity coordi-nator Joanne Baxendale markedher anniversary in style with aparty for residents and staff.
She said: “I’m so lucky to be in ajob I truly enjoy. The residentsand the team here at Radcliffe arelike my extended family. The last25 years have been extremelymemorable.”
Joanne was an auxiliary workerat Leeds General Infirmary beforestarting at the home.
Manger Jean Thorpe added:“Joanne is a real asset to theteam, constantly coming up withnew activity ideas for the resi-dents.
“We’re grateful to her for herlong-standing service – here’s tomany more.”
25 years’service
57 15/8/14 15:18 Page 1
58 Claims uk 13/8/14 13:09 Page 1
59CARINGNEWS
VOLUNTEERS from Lloyds Bankbraved torrential rain to create a sen-sory garden for residents at St Luke’sCare Home in Runcorn.
Despite the poor weather, 26 volun-teers from the Commercial BankingDepartment in Manchester took partin the two-day project as part ofnational volunteering initiative, Giveand Gain Day.
The scheme aims to bring togetherskilled professionals with communitygroups for fun and inspiring volun-teer projects throughout the country.
With the support of landscapearchitect Elaine Cresswell, whodesigned the space and oversaw thevolunteers on the day, a full revampof the gardens saw the green-fingeredteam excavating old paving and rock-
eries to make room for a landscape ofplants and flowers specially selectedfor their sensory benefits.
Sue Ashcroft, manager of theCommunity Integrated Care runhome for 60 residents with dementia,said: “There is lots of research whichsuggests that sensory outdoor spacescan have significant therapeutic ben-efits for people living with dementiaand so in creating this beautiful gar-den, the team from Lloyds havehelped us to improve the well-beingof our residents for years to come.
“The volunteers gave their time andeffort so generously and didn’t let therain dampen their spirits. We’re sograteful for all of their hard work andwe just want to say a huge thankyou.”
Garden transformedby Bank volunteers
The team from Lloyds Bank hard at work redeveloping the gardens at St Luke’s.
New head of HR ushers insupport-focused approachSHROPSHIRE’S largest independentcare provider has appointed a newHR manager to look after the needsof its almost 1,000-strong workforce.
Stan Meiklem has joined not-for-profit Coverage Care Services, whichhas its central office at Oxon BusinessPark, Shrewsbury, and care and nurs-ing homes at 16 sites around thecounty.
In the course of more than 25 yearsas a human resources professionalStan has worked in both the retailand manufacturing sectors, includingfor Debenhams, CarphoneWarehouse, Link 51 and Stadco.
He said: “It was with some trepida-tion but huge excitement that I tookthe opportunity to radically changesectors and move into care and into anot-for-profit organisation.
“The focus for everyone at CoverageCare is about making life easier forresidents. In turn it's the role ofmyself and the team I now lead toensure that our staff are well support-ed employees, be that through train-ing, effective policies and procedures,good communications and all theother ways we can back them up andequip them to provide the highestlevels of care and service.”
Having assessed the needs of thestaff, the way they work and theneeds of the wider organisation, Stanis embarking on rebranding the HRfunction at Coverage Care as thePeople Support Team.
He added: “This is not an ‘HRtouchy feely’ concept or a throw-backto the days of welfare teams but arecognition that well supportedemployees are more likely to deliverthe consistent, compliant and highquality care that is required by thecompany, the statutory authorities,the care commissioners and mostimportantly the service users.”
Coverage Care Services’ newly-appointedHR manager Stan Meiklem.
59 15/8/14 11:18 Page 1
CARINGPRODUCT NEWS60
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 solutionsHydration, hydration, hydration
IT’S a well know fact that the elderly rarely drinkenough. However, a lesser known fact is that thereis a new drink product which has recently beenintroduced into the UK healthcare market which,could well have your residents asking for more.
With thousands of healthcare establishmentsnow using it in over 50 countries worldwide, Bolerois rapidly becoming a household name.
What’s so different about Bolero? Bolero is avery inexpensive ‘sugar free’ powdered vitamindrink, which, when diluted, looks, smells, and tastesevery bit as good as real fruit juices.
Bolero can also boast an unrivalled range of over30 delicious flavour options.
The vast variety of Bolero’s colours alone canalso dramatically increase interest in drinking,particularly from those with dementia.
Bolero has been adopted by several of the UK’slargest healthcare groups, and was also the drink ofchoice in a recent NHS initiative to promote betterhydration and nutrition in healthcare.
In conjunction with Caring UK (and subject tostatus) we are offering care/nursing homes a freetrial of Bolero. Simply apply via [email protected]
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 withautomated 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
ST Christopher’s Hospice is pleased to announce itssecond bi-annual Celebrating Care Homesconference on May 7 and 8 at Nightingale HouseNursing Home in Clapham, London.
This two-day event highlights excellent practicein care homes, demonstrating what can beachieved by staff who embrace the challenges ofcaring for very frail older people at the end of life.
Day one focuses on ways care home staff canenable people with dementia to live well andexperience quality of life until the end of their lives.
Day two emphasises the importance ofevidencing practice. Examples of excellence areshared, with tools to measure practice provided inafternoon workshops. Alternatively, in theafternoon delegates may choose to visit carehomes local to St Christopher’s to see examples ofgood end-of-life care in practice.
Enquiries: For full details [email protected] or visit
www.stchristophers.org.uk/celebratingcarehomes2015
Celebrating Care Homes conference
Arm supports launched for toiletGOING to the toilet without help is becoming eveneasier with Clos-o-Mat’s introduction of new armsupports for its Palma Vita automatic shower (washand dry) toilet.
The integrated slimline support arms provideclose proximity support.
Their elliptical shape gives an easy-to-holdprofile means getting on and off the toilet is eveneasier.
Their proximity to the toilet (only 465mm fromside to side)- closer than that of any other fold-down arm supports- further helps toilet transfer.
An optional, clip-on raising pommel provides alittle extra height support when manoeuvring ifrequired, and an optional toilet roll holder ensurestoilet tissue- if required- is in easy reach.
The integrated arms are longer than standard,and can be individually, independently raised andlowered to optimise access to, and transfer to andfrom, the toilet.
As the arms are an integral part of the toilet,they are ideal for installations where the wallconstruction behind is not capable of load bearing.
The new arms are available as an alternative toClos-o-Mat’s standard integrated fold-downsupport arms, and can be fitted on initial
installation, or retro-fitted as the user’s needschange.
Enquiries: Call 0161 969 1199, visit www.clos-o-mat.com
or email [email protected]
Care England adds newmember benefits
CARE England, the largestrepresentative body forindependent care providers, hasannounced an improved rangeof benefits to attract newmembers.
Chief executive, ProfessorMartin Green, said: “Individualhome owners already accountfor over 50 per cent of ourmembers. There are now evenstronger reasons for more to join us.”
Current benefits include a daily press cuttingsservice and a monthly newsletter to keep membersabreast of important developments in policy,regulation and legislation.
These are backed up by supplier discounts andfree helplines for legal, regulatory, HR and crisismanagement issues.
For individual home owners to air their specificconcerns, new benefits include a wide rangingintroductory session with the Care England
management team and the opportunity to join anewly formed policy group for smaller providers.
New members will also receive two free delegateplaces at the Care England November conference.
For extra ways to save money, the online shophas also been re-launched and a specialist buyingservice introduced. Membership starts at just £300per annum.
Enquiries: For more information visitwww.careengland.org.uk
or call membership services on 020 7492 4840.
60 15/8/14 15:23 Page 1
61CARING
IT seems the only way is up at themoment when it comes to costs foryellow bag collections.
With the rising prices of landfill andfuel, it’s not surprising that the pricefor collection is on the increase too.
But there is an alternative...Did you know that an incontinence
macerator from Haigh can cost as lit-tle as £69 per month*? Or that on topof great savings, you and those inyour care also benefit from improved
hygiene, and infection prevention?The Incomaster is used day in day
out in care homes throughout theUK.
And now with our flexible paymentoptions there's never been a better
time to make the switch from collec-tions.
Why not find out how the HaighIncomaster can make a big differenceto your business and your cash flow?
(*terms and conditions apply)
Looking to stop the rising costs of yellow bag collections?
HAVE you seen Gompels HealthCareLtd’s new range of incontinenceproducts?
Gompels has introduced a new fullrange which includes shaped pads, allin ones, pull ups, net pants and bedpads.
The pads have all been speciallydeveloped to be discrete and aremade with soft rustle free fabric toallow the user to go about their normal day to day activities without fear of leakages or beingnoticed.
The pads include a dual layerabsorption core and contain industryleading powdered polymers to leaveskin dry and odour free for healthier,cleaner skin.
What’s more they will save you afortune.
The range has been designed tooffer you a product which is compa-rable in quality to the branded equiv-alents but are all between 15 and 20per cent cheaper.
Samples are available so give them acall to try them for free.
Save up to 20% withnew incontinence range
Recruitment
FIRECO, a leading supplier of firesafety products, will be exhibiting atthe forthcoming Care Show 2014. Thecompany will occupy Stand I10 whenthe show takes place on November 4-5 at the NEC, Birmingham.
With 3,000 visitors and over 250exhibitors expected at the confer-ence, Fireco hopes to acquire numer-ous leads. Fireco has selected thisprestigious exhibition as the idealopportunity to showcase its specialistBritish-manufactured fire safetyproducts to care industry decisionmakers. Fireco’s presence at the showwill enable visitors to try, test andbuy the latest fire safety products andservices.
The company’s award-winning
Freedor product is likely to proveparticularly popular. Guidance frombuilding regulations directs carehomes towards free-swing closersdue to the benefits for residents withmobility issues. Residents can keepfire doors upon for day-to-day activi-ties and socialising but in the eventof a fire, Freedor will hear the firealarm and close the door, preventingthe life threatening spread of smokeand fire.
Managing director at Fireco NeilPurssey said: “The Care Show is thetop care exhibition we have been to.
“We look forward to showcasing ourinnovative products and discussingthe importance of fire safety withcare professionals.”
Leading supplier heading for Care Show
61 19/8/14 15:43 Page 1
62
Transport
Accountancy
Transport
ID Cards
A FAMILY company, established in1926, Forbes offers a consultativeapproach to business and acomprehensive backup service.
With our Complete Care package,clients have access to premium Miele laundry and dishwashingmachines with no initial capitaloutlay.
With ‘Complete Care’ our Mieleapproved engineers carry out fullinstallation followed by user trainingon the appliances.
Our nationwide infrastructure thenenables us to offer a seven dayservice back up across the country,ensuring that no routine need beunnecessarily disrupted in the eventof a technical failure.
Furthermore, we help our clients
remain fully compliant by providingperiodic preventative maintenancechecks, during which we can validate the equipment’s disinfectionstages.
Director Kevin Herring said: “Thereare clear benefits of choosing Mieleand Forbes, with the newer machinesnow achieving hugely improvedenergy and water efficiency andboasting savings of between 40 percent and 70 per cent when comparedto older models.
“This coupled with our simplemonthly payment structure whichcovers all ongoing servicingrequirements shows that we offer atruly economical proposition.
“There is no better time to upgradeyour equipment.”
Access to premium laundry and dishwashing machineswith no initial capital outlay
A 23-BED care home with spaciousthree-bed flat has been sold byGlobal Care Home Sales.
The home, set in attractive gardensand providing specialist dementiacare for the local community, hadbeen the subject of a CQC visitnoting non-compliance and then
several follow up visits by both the regulator and socialservices.
Working with the owner and anexperienced care sector purchaser,Global Care Home Sales liaised withsolicitors to assist the purchaser toswiftly buy the home.
Global secures sale of care home
LEADING manufacturer ElectroluxProfessional is holding a laundry andfood service Professional ExcellenceWorkshop for care industryprofessionals on October 22 2014 –geared towards aiding improvedstandards in the care sector.
Held in conjunction with CareEngland, the event will see ProfessorMartin Green, chief executive of CareEngland, deliver a keynote on thechallenges faced in the care industryat the event held at ElectroluxProfessional’s Innovation Center,Luton.
Through a series of hands-onworkshops and best practicedemonstrations, the event aims tohelp care industry professionals tomaintain high standards acrosscatering and laundry.
The laundry solutions featured atthe event will bring both barrier andtraditional laundry concepts to life todemonstrate how completecleanliness and infection control canalways be guaranteed through an on
premises laundry (OPL). The event will add further weight to
the recently launched ElectroluxGood Laundry Practice Pack, whichencourages stringent approaches tolinen cycle management to preventcross contamination in the careenvironment.
In addition to the approaches tolinen cycle management, attendeeswill be able to explore the hygieneefficiencies and infection control thatcan be achieved with Electroluxequipment.
Electrolux’s educationevent for care sector
62 classis 20/8/14 10:14 Page 1
63 Avanta 14/8/14 10:32 Page 1
64 Shackletons 20/8/14 17:21 Page 1
Related Documents
