Care South Insights Magazine Issue 2

All the fun of the circus

Page 4

Hilda fulfils lifelong dream of getting a tattoo

Page 5

Eileen takes to the ice rink aged 102 ... and much more inside

Care South, a not-for-profit charity and leading provider of residential, dementia, nursing, assisted living and care at home across the south of England

Care South, a not-for-profit charity and leading provider of residential, dementia, nursing, assisted living and care at home across the south of England.

Care at the heart of the community

Contents

Introducing Care South

We operate as a not-for-profit charity running care homes, assisted-living communities and care at home services based across the south of England.

Our focus is for everyone in our care to lead a rich and fulfilling life that’s bespoke to their needs following our ethos of the three Fs – Food, Fun and Friendship.

Here at Care South, we believe that with ageing comes opportunity. Whether this is the chance to form new friendships or to engage with a lifelong passion, our care homes have been designed to help residents achieve so much. We have fantastic, supportive teams working in warm and welcoming social settings to enable residents in our care to focus on doing what they enjoy and to live truly fulfilled lives.

We are recognised as a Top 20 care provider by carehome.co.uk and guided by our HEART values: Honesty, Excellence, Approach, Respect and Teamwork. These values inspire us all to go the extra mile, whilst you or your loved one, are in our care.

We listen to every one of our residents and care at home users, to ensure that the care they receive is tailored to meet their individual needs. This is the place that they call home, so we want them to feel safe, comfortable, understood and respected.

At Care South we provide high-quality, professional care, whether that’s respite support, help around the home, or 24/7 support, as and when needed.

Welcome from Simon Bird the Chief Executive of Care South

Welcome to our second edition of Care South Insights. This guide has been created for the local communites around our homes to let you know who we are and provide you with useful information and tips if you are considering care for yourself or a loved one.

You will learn more about the day-to-day lives of our residents, as well as reading about how we enrich their lives by making each day special 365 days of the year. Some highlights in this edition include a resident playing football for the first time in 45 years, a visit to 10 Downing Street for Care South at Home, 89-year-old Hilda finally fulfilling her bucket list wish of getting a tattoo and much, much more!

We touch upon a few examples of how our charity is continuing to enhance facilities and services for current and future users. Plus, we celebrate our teams across the whole charity, without whom, none of this would be possible.

There are also lots of informative features such as a financial guide to paying for care and some of your frequently asked questions being answered by our friendly customer relations team.

We hope you enjoy reading and can get an ‘insight’ into the Care South community.

What is care?

Care is providing the right level of support to allow individuals to feel safe, happy, and fulfilled. It not only covers health requirements but also personal preferences and emotional needs because we understand that every individual is different.

Our care homes provide residential, nursing and dementia support. We understand that care should be flexible and be able to adapt discreetly to change, as and when needed. Our care is carried out by trained, compassionate professionals who follow our HEART values. Of course, it is delivered with lots of food, fun and friendship along the way!

Every day is unique

Learning about the residents in our care and the lives they have led is fundamental as it enables our activities teams to plan tailored events and trips that we know they will love. This could be something as simple as deciding to pop outside to enjoy the fresh air, joining a group keep-fit activity or even sitting down in one of our inviting lounges to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea and natter with friends.

One of the benefits of living in our care homes is that every day is different. Whilst most of our residents have made it their home on a permanent basis, respite is also available. Regardless of how long you are with us, everyone receives the same great level of care.

come true… all year round! Making wishes

All the fun of the circus

Fun for all ages, as a resident of Wickmeads joins in with acrobatic circus performance.

The saying goes that you’re only as old as you feel. Julie, a resident of our Wickmeads care home in Southbourne, certainly proves that theory!

Residents and staff experienced a unique performance of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Aerialand’ by the talented live theatre group, The Dot Collective.

The touring theatre troupe provides accessible theatre for those living in care, particularly people with dementia, to reduce isolation and create positive social experiences.

“I can’t believe that I’m doing acrobatics at my age, and that these wonderful and talented professionals are doing it with me. I would like to thank them for the opportunity, and for making me feel like a young woman again.”

Julie, Resident

Residents and staff eagerly awaited the entrance of the performing troupe who came bearing costumes, props, programmes, and of course a pop-up stage.

The performance, which took place in Wickmeads’ garden area, opened with aerial artists appearing from above and went on to re-tell the enchanting tale of Lewis Caroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. The plot was laced with riddles, games and humour which encouraged our residents to join in with the characters on their journey, immersing themselves in the fun of the narrative.

Hilda ticks a tattoo off her bucket list

Hilda Parsons, aged 89, who lives at Maiden Castle House in Dorchester, had always dreamed about getting a tattoo. Once our team were made aware of her wish, they were delighted to help make it become a reality.

The first step was for Hilda’s GP to be consulted to ensure that Hilda was aware of any potential health risks and that the practice would be safe for her. Following this, Beccy, one of our carers, was able to reach out to tattoo artist Nathan, who was more than happy to help.

Nathan, who was told all about Hilda’s love of bird watching, created an elegant design of three pretty birds perching on a tree branch, looking into the distance. It also featured two birds flying in the distant sky, with a dainty garden fence in the background. Hilda loved the creation that incorporated nature and her favourite animals and sat waiting excitedly whilst Nathan began the artwork on her forearm.

Once complete, Hilda was over the moon with the finished result. She said: “There’s not many people my age having

102 year-old ice skater

Eileen Pickering, who lives at Alexandra House in Poole, told Nikki, the home’s Activities Lead, that she wanted to celebrate her special 102nd birthday by going ice skating at the Bournemouth International Centre. Nikki then jumped through a few health and safety hoops to make Eileen’s wish come true, enabling the centenarian to take to the ice in a wheelchair with support from the Alexandra House team.

The event rekindled fond memories from Eileen’s childhood in London when her parents took her to watch ice hockey matches, and she would glide freely on the ice afterwards. However, her ice skating adventures were put on hold when her parents moved to West Moors in the 1950s, where there was no ice rink.

Eileen expressed her gratitude after the event, saying, “It feels like a dream come true, and I’m incredibly thankful to Nikki and the team at Alexandra House for making this happen.”

their first tattoo. The lovely team at Maiden Castle House did everything to make my wish possible and nothing is ever too much trouble. I’m so pleased.”

Ash Smith, Manager of Maiden Castle House, commented: “We work hard to ensure that our activities are person-centred and that we can make dreams come true. We’re pleased to have helped Hilda to fulfil her wish.”

Her daughter, Carol, said: “We’re so pleased that mum is still able to tick things off her bucket list. She’s always got a new story to tell us. It’s great to know that in later life, mum is still having lots of new experiences and making happy memories, so thank you to Maiden Castle House for helping to achieve this.”

It was a day that Eileen’s daughter, Angela, who was able to watch from the side of the rink, and the Care South team will never forget.

Eileen loved taking to the ice thanks to our care team’s efforts

Hilda enjoys getting her first tattoo on her arm

Football Fever is in the air for our residents

As part of our partnership with AFC Bournemouth, residents and staff from some of our homes recently took part in a walking football tournament. With 11 games being played over the course of an afternoon, the Care South teams played against AFC Bournemouth’s under-18’s boys’ and girls’ teams and the Community Sports Trust over50s, on a rotating basis.

John, who lives at Talbot View, was delighted to get back on the football field for the first time in 45 years and was ecstatic when he scored a goal. Four ladies from Fairlawn also joined in by getting involved with the warm-up and cheering on from the side lines. Although they didn’t want to be involved in the tournament themselves, they enjoyed a friendly kickabout on the pitch in between games, commenting: “It was the best day. We had so much fun.”

Despite John’s fantastic goal, in the end the AFC Bournemouth team took the win following a close final against the Community Sports Trust over-50s team.

Chairman’s 2020 Fund

Simon Bird, Chief Executive of Care South, said: “We’re very proud of our long-standing partnership with AFC Bournemouth which enables residents in our care to reengage with activity and enjoy unique events like this. The partnership is widely enjoyed by residents whether it’s walking football, football in the homes, visits from the team, or other special events that the residents get to benefit from.”

Other interesting events that the partnership has delivered include weekly coaching sessions, family and friends football days at the homes, VIP stadium visits and coffee mornings for the residents at the Vitality Stadium.

The Chairman’s 2020 Fund was set up as a way for us to show support and appreciation for not-forprofit groups and individuals who benefit our care homes, residents, Care at Home clients, and staff.

Since our last issue, we have donated £15,500 to the following good causes:

• Dementia UK

• The Grove Pre-School

• The Friends of Dolphin

• Margaret Green Animal Rescue

• Ringwood and Bransgore Dementia Action Group

• BIGLITTLE Theatre School

• Linking Hearts Therapy Horses

• Amethyst Singers

• Friends of MV Freedom

• Muddy Boots Nursery, Hamworthy

• Dementia Friendly Gillingham

• Weymouth School of Ballet and Theatre Arts

• Dorset Mind

Watch the video of our match

Linking Hearts Therapy Horses receive a £1,000 donation

For more information, go to www.care-south.co.uk/chairmans-fund

A trip to 10 Downing Street

Martin Ross, Director of Care at Home, visited 10 Downing Street along with several other representatives from the social care industry. The event was an opportunity for the Minister for Care, Helen Whately MP, and Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy CBE, to give thanks to everyone for the outstanding work they do for their communities.

Martin was selected to represent the home care industry due to the consistent high quality of home care provided to clients, that promotes their best interests. Following the event, he said: “It was an incredible experience to meet the Minister for Care and members of the Homecare Association and to listen to the experience of others across the industry. We were all able to provide support, advice, and exchange ideas with one another.”

Care in your own home can provide reassurance to your loved ones, while enabling you to continue living independently in your own property.

Care South at Home offers personalised and flexible care to meet a range of care needs in the home and in the local community. Whether it’s companionship, respite support, help around the house or complex care, our Care South at Home team are on hand to help.

Our flexible care options include:

• Stay at home assistive technology

• Companionship

• Home help

• Housekeeping, shopping and collecting prescriptions

• Active recovery, reablement and rehabilitation

• Personal care

• Mobility, adaptations and aids

• Medical administration

• Complex care including dementia and end-of-life care

Choosing the right care home

Although making the decision to find care can seem like a daunting decision for some, we work with every family to make the process as smooth as possible. Therefore, we’ve created a short guide to direct you through the process, in five easy steps:

Do your research

Once you know what type of placement you require, you can carry out initial research to find out which homes have the facilities you need. Care South has residential, dementia and nursing registered homes offering a range of care to suit each person’s individual needs.

Gather the details

The next step is to contact the homes and request any further information you may need at this point. An important question is how much will the care cost? Although the exact fee is not usually confirmed until an assessment has taken place, our homes will be able to give you their price ranges for the different levels of care. Fee ranges for the Care South homes are available upon request and are also displayed in our brochures.

Pop in for a visit

It is always a good idea to go and visit the home, not only to discuss your current and possible future needs, but to have a walk around and get a feel for whether it is the right place for yourself or your loved one. Have a look inside the bedrooms as well as the indoor and outdoor communal spaces.

Arrange an assessment

Once you have decided on the home of your choice, you can ask for an assessment to be arranged at a convenient time. Care homes will always undertake an assessment before a placement is confirmed to ensure that they are able to meet the individual’s needs in the best way possible. The assessment usually takes place face-to-face but can also take place over the phone if required.

Prepare for the move in

Have a chat with staff prior to your agreed move-in date to get advice about what can be done to make the transition as smooth as possible. They will be able to offer tips and advice such as bringing favourite possessions into the home to help create familiar and comfortable surroundings.

Your questions answered by Abbie!

Abbie, one of our dedicated Customer Relations Advisors, has answered three of our most frequently asked questions

I’m worried about my relative being alone in their bedroom. Will there be any activities going on in the home?

Yes, absolutely! We have a dedicated activities team in each of our homes who ensure there are regular activities and events going on in the home, as well as organising regular day trips out. We also encourage residents to come and spend time in the communal lounges to meet with their fellow residents and enjoy socialising with them.

Do you take respite placements and how long are they for?

All of our homes provide respite placements, for a minimum of two weeks. This gives time for you or your loved one to settle in, get to know the staff and feel relaxed. Respite stays can of course be extended beyond the two week period if required. Quite often our respite stays go on to become longterm placements as you or your loved one feels settled in their new environment and have started to form friendships.

Are we able to bring any of our own furniture from home to put in the bedroom?

All of our bedrooms are fully furnished but where space within the room allows, residents can bring small items of furniture and other belongings to personalise their bedrooms.

Paying for a care home

There are over 400,000 people living in residential and nursing homes in the UK. Around half of these placements pay for care for themselves and the rest are paid either wholly or partly by the local authority or the NHS.

Our friendly customer advisors are always happy to talk you through the process.

How are care homes paid for?

Below is a breakdown of the three different ways that care can be funded, depending on personal circumstances:

Local authority

The local authority may fund some or all the care. A relative or friend can also contribute an additional payment known as a ‘top-up fee’ where this is needed.

Self-fund

The person being cared for can self-fund their placement. This is when the resident (or a family member or friend) pays all the fees for their care.

NHS

A placement may also be funded by the NHS, who will agree to cover a proportion of the costs in some instances.

How do you know if you are eligible for local authority funding?

To determine if you are eligible for financial support, the local authority will carry out a needs assessment to work out what level of care you require. If the outcome of this is that you have ‘eligible needs’ the authority will follow this up with a financial assessment. The assessment determines how much you should pay towards the cost of your care and how much will be funded by the council. It takes into consideration any savings and assets that you may have.

The thresholds for savings and assets are known as ‘capital limits for care’. If the value of your savings and assets are higher than the capital limit, then you will not be eligible for council funding and need to pay for your own care. A person will not be entitled to help with the cost of care if they have savings worth more than £23,250 or if they own their own home. This will be rising to £100,000 in October 2025.

When would you use a top-up fee?

If it has been determined that you are eligible for financial support from the local authority, you will be offered a choice of options to suit your needs. If you decide that there’s a particular care home that you would like to use that’s more expensive than the ones the council has selected, a relative or friend can offer to pay the difference. This is known as a ‘top-up fee’.

NHS funding

There are some circumstances in which the NHS will cover the cost of care for people with complex health needs. This could be through NHS Continuing Healthcare funds which are used for people who need ongoing health care outside of hospital because they have complex medical care needs due to disability, an accident or major illness.

NHS-funded nursing care is also available to help pay nursing home fees, if you’re assessed by the NHS as needing nursing care. Neither of these forms of funding are means-tested, but there is strictly eligibility criteria to meet.

one dish at a time Tasting the world,

At Care South

we understand the importance of nutritious, fresh produce in our menus and we take pride in sourcing, where possible, seasonal ingredients from producers local to our homes. Good nutrition and hydration are vital parts of the care we provide each and every day, which is why we produce homely and delicious food that supports the health and wellbeing of residents.

Over the past year, residents in our care have taken it a step further baking, roasting, sautéing and mixing to create and sample flavours from all around the world. Here are some of the places they have travelled to via the kitchen:

India

Michael, a resident at Wickmeads, decided to share his much-loved recipe for the perfect curry, with the home’s chef, Mike. Everyone loved the zingy-tasting dish and can’t wait for Michael to share his next recipe!

The Tropics

Elizabeth House spent a summer’s day travelling to the Tropics with traditional punch and a wonderful barbeque of authentically cooked chicken, for which Michael, Maintenance Operative, was happy to share the recipe.

Malta

George, who lives at our Buxton House home, was virtually transported back to Malta where he served most of his naval career, when the home spent the day baking cakes in honour of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Italy

Residents at Dorset House got creative by making their own pizzas to celebrate International Pizza Day. Everyone worked together rolling their bases, before selecting their toppings. The pizzas came out of the oven in various shapes and sizes and the residents enjoyed tucking into them.

The Iberian Peninsula

Residents at Beauchamp House decided they would like to learn more about the cuisine of the Iberian Peninsula. They came together to enjoy some delicious food samples, whilst watching a short film on Iberia.

Making new memories

Every day is different and there’s always something encouraging fun, food and friendship in our homes, out in the community and with our Care at Home teams.

Alexandra House attends Candles on the Lake

Fern Brook Lodge residents enjoy a trip to Otter Garden Centre

Dorset House residents travelled on Swanage Railway

The Memory Box Foundation at Castle Dene

Community High Tea & Croquet in the beautiful grounds of Sussexdown

Beauchamp House residents feed alpacas

St Ives House hosts an event for Lewis-Manning Hospice

Elizabeth House residents enjoy a tropical party

Our Care South at Home team deliver gifts to residents at Kenwith Castle Gardens

Friends of Dolphin receive a donation from our Chairman’s 2020 Fund

Launch of the stunning new Kenwith Pavilion Pantry and Lounge

Buxton House residents go to the Tank Museum

Fremington Manor residents listen to a saxophone player

When Theresa’s husband Glyn developed Alzheimer’s, she began to struggle to look after him at home. It was a difficult decision, but Theresa knew that she needed to get some extra help as she was unable to cope on her own.

She spoke to her social worker who asked her where Glyn would most like to go. Glyn had previously visited Talbot View as some of his friends had stayed in the home and he always joked that if he were to go into a home, Talbot View would be the place for him.

Glyn has settled into life at the home. Theresa feels reassured by the way that all the staff look after and care for Glyn as though he is one of their own relatives. In turn, Glyn sees them as extended family. A highlight for Theresa was joining Glyn and his fellow residents for a day trip out on the river, with fish and chips for everyone.

Although the initial decision to put Glyn into home wasn’t an easy one, Theresa feels great relief that Glyn is supported to live a fulfilling life at Talbot View. It means that the precious time they have together is not spent caring for Glyn but rather catching up on his news and enjoying activities together. Watch

Celebrating Christmas in style

Residents from 10 of our homes enjoyed a host of festive entertainment during a special Christmas coffee morning at AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium.

The coffee morning is one of many highlights of the year for residents, who enjoyed hot drinks and mince pies while listening to live music.

The oldest resident in attendance was 103-year-old Horace, who had travelled with the team and fellow residents from Fern Brook Lodge.

“It was wonderful to see so many residents getting together to laugh, sing and dance. It was lovely to see the smiles on their faces as they sang and swayed along to the music. Looking out across the room at the event, it was easy to see why this is such a good partnership for us, as the AFC Bournemouth team bring so much happiness and joy to all of our residents.”

Simon Bird, Chief Executive of Care South

Watch our residents sing and dance at the event

Care SouthProudly notfor-profit!

Our not-for-profit charity status means that once we have paid all our staff and running costs, we are able to re-invest every additional penny back into the organisation. Not only does this benefit the residents and clients in our care today, but also ensures the wellbeing of our future generations that will need care.

Whether it’s new furniture, a new interactive screen for our residents to use for activities, new kitchenettes, or developing new care communities, here are just a few of our most exciting examples...

The Pavilion at Kenwith Castle

We were delighted to host the grand opening of The Pavilion at Kenwith, a vibrant hub nestled in the picturesque grounds of Kenwith Castle, Bideford, North Devon. This multifaceted space, aptly named The Pavilion, seamlessly integrates a convenient shop, cosy lounge, and charming coffee house to create an environment of Food, Fun and Friendship.

The Pavilion shop is stocked with an array of everyday essentials, from fresh fruit and vegetables to toiletries, ready meals, greetings cards and a selection of curated gifts. Adding to the allure is the coffee shop, offering an inviting space to savour homemade cakes and a variety of hot and cold beverages.

Open to all who are connected to Kenwith Castle, including residents of the bungalows at Kenwith Castle Gardens and Kenwith Meadows, cottage residents, staff, residents and their relatives, The Pavilion ensures inclusivity. For those who may find the distance challenging, a 6-seater golf buggy is available for transport.

Currently focusing on coffee and cake services, The Pavilion has exciting plans for expansion. Future offerings will include light lunches, a weekly breakfast brunch, afternoon teas, monthly Sunday roasts, and special themed evenings such as tapas and Italian nights. The Pavilion will host a variety of events, including quiz nights, games afternoons, film clubs, live music and boules challenges on the new pitch. A weekly fitness class is already underway, and the spacious venue is perfect for larger gatherings such as birthday and Christmas parties.

Marjorie House

We are currently building a brand-new specialist residential and dementia care home on Evening Hill, which enjoys views across Poole Harbour towards Sandbanks and Brownsea Island. It is set to open at the end of the summer. Visit our website to register your interest today.

We also have plans in place to create a new care village, consisting of a dedicated care home and assisted living apartments in Wimborne.

Your Carereassured –don’t just take our word for it

We are proud to be named by Carehome.co.uk as one of the Top 20 care providers in the UK thanks to the passion and dedication of our fantastic team. We are also receiving fantastic feedback for our Care at Home team. Here is just a snapshot of some of the reviews – we encourage you to visit our website to see more reviews of our care homes and Homecare.co.uk for reviews for our Care at Home services.

“From the very first meeting, the team’s kindness, compassion and professionalism have been outstanding.”

“I have made friends with other residents and staff. I feel this is a lovely home and I would not want to go anywhere else.”

“I could not praise the staff highly enough. Amazing personal approach. I love that my mum is cared for and cared about.”

AWARD2023 20 TOP

People care for people. Fact.

In an age where AI (Artificial Intelligence) is dominating the news, the fact is that the best care comes from people who care. It is through a combination of comprehensive training and a dedicated and professional work environment that we attract the most caring of people.

Every team member is aligned to our collective HEART values – a constant reminder to ourselves and others of why Care South is different. We have an incredible number of longserving team members across our entire group, from North Devon to West Sussex! We hear inspirational stories daily from simple, thoughtful gestures that really make someone’s day, to something quite spectacular, like making a dream come true.

Honesty

Always being open, truthful, consistent, and taking ownership of our own actions.

Excellence

Being determined to be the best we can be, and delivering quality care.

Approach

Treating everyone as an individual and focusing on their individual strengths and needs.

Respect

Recognising that everyone comes from a diverse background, with a variety of values and beliefs.

Teamwork

Working together to get things done, sharing information and supporting each other, understanding that everyone has a contribution to make.

The Care South Stars Awards

The Care South Stars Awards - an important event when we take time to celebrate care staff and thank them for their frontline duties and commitment to residents.

The annual awards, now in its 15th year, recognises and rewards individuals and teams from across the Company for their outstanding achievements and excellent care provision. Nominees are put forward by colleagues, residents and relatives. Arguably it’s a tough time for the judges as the highquality of care and feedback consistently received from residents and relatives across the whole Care South group is second to none, but it’s so popular, so we have find a way to choose our worthy winners!

Thinking of moving into a care home – or need a little extra help at home?

We have residential, dementia and nursing homes, as well as Care South at Home offices based across the south of England.