Together Issue 1 - Family & Friends Newsletter from Corton House

CORTON HOUSE FAMILY & FRIENDS QUARTERLY

RESIDENTS SAID, WE DID Find out how we’ve responded to feedback from the Mealtime Survey.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK An update on our refurbishment as we enter phase two of the project.

ISSUE 1 | WINTER 23/24

+ MORE!

THIS Preparing food in the kitchen of Corton House, c 1950's

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Manager’s Letter An update from Jason Parker, our Registered Manager.

Spotlight On... The Call Bell System Introducing you to one of the most important systems at our disposal.

Food For Thought Sharing residents’ feedback on our food and dining.

Cooking for Dietary Requirements How we ensure everyone has tasty and nutritious meals.

FAQ’s: Mealtimes Wondering whether residents can have a snack between meals? Find out here.

Meet... The Nominated Individual Q&A with Terry Cotton.

New Year, New Look An update on our refurbishment.

FAQ’s: Activities & Wellbeing Your questions on activities, entertainment and wellbeing, answered.

Therapeutic Animal Visits Celebrating our furry friends’ visits throughout 2023.

Better Together How Corton House is making community connections for the benefit of all.

Directory: General Manager, Tom Greenhill: tgreenhill@cortonhouse.co.uk Registered Manager, Jason Parker: jparker@cortonhouse.co.uk Nominated Individual, Terry Cotton: tcotton@cortonhouse.co.uk Deputy Manager, Debbie Goulding: dgoulding@cortonhouse.co.uk Head of Care, Annette Aldridge: aaldridge@cortonhouse.co.uk Activities & Wellbeing, Maria Widdrington: mwiddrington@cortonhouse.co.uk Chaplain, Rev. Rhonwen Washford: rwashford@cortonhouse.co.uk Head of Catering, Sean Knox: sknox@cortonhouse.co.uk Accounts, Robert Sparkes: rsparkes@cortonhouse.co.uk Administrator, Sophie Edwards: sedwards@cortonhouse.co.uk Marketing & Fundraising, Imogen Bowers: ibowers@cortonhouse.co.uk

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www.linkedin.com/company/corton-house-limited

Leave us a review: We really appreciate all your feedback; if you’d like to review us, you can do so on www.carehome.co.uk/submitreview to help other people seeking care.

If your loved one would like to review us and hasn’t already done so, please ask us for a Review Card or pick one up from near the fish tank in the foyer.

Carehome.co.uk may contact you directly to authenticate your review before it can appear on the website.

MANAGER’S

letter Welcome to the first edition of our new quarterly Family & Friends Newsletter, which we have decided to create on review of our latest survey (thank you to those that took the time to complete).

I have now been in post for 9 months and it has been a very busy but enjoyable - time. I have settled in the role and this is thanks to the fantastic team we have here at Corton House, of which I am so privileged to be a part.

It was really humbling to see as part of our survey results that so many of you felt we give good and outstanding care.

As you have probably noted, our biggest challenge has been staffing, something that remains a challenge across Social Care.

However, we have worked extremely hard on our recruitment strategy, and you will have seen lots of new faces within our staff team as a result. Debbie, our Deputy Manager, has completed some induction days with our new team and they have all been working alongside our established staff to ensure they familiarise themselves with your loved ones to provide consistency.

We have been working hard to embed new ways of working, to ensure that we provide holistic care to all our residents, and this will continue to be more evident with having our own consistent team at Corton House as opposed to a high reliance on agency staff.

Our annual survey with residents, family and friends, and staff has been completed. We have had some extremely positive results, of which the team and I are really proud. As always, there are areas where we can improve and we are working on these now. Keep an eye out for “You Said, We Did” summaries in relation to these areas - some elements will be within this newsletter and we will continue to commit to sharing these with you. There will also be a folder available with all of the results and actions, please ask if you would like to take a look.

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I thoroughly enjoyed my first Christmas at Corton House and joining in all the festivities. I know Maria, our Activities & Wellbeing Coordinator, and her team worked extremely hard on ensuring we had lots of entertainment and activity over this period. With this in mind, if you wish to speak to Maria about the activities she and her team provide and want to make any suggestions/comments please feel free to contact her at mwiddrington@cortonhouse.co.uk.

Annette, our Head of Care, has been working hard on Care Plans and is rolling out our “Relatives Gateway” so you will be able to access Care Plans and see what your loved one has been doing.

As you are aware, we are waiting for the Care Quality Commission to come and inspect us at Corton House. Our hope is when this happens that they will produce a report that is reflective of the good work that the team does. If you would be happy to be contacted when our inspection occurs and speak to the inspection team, please let us know.

It was really humbling to see as part of our survey results that so many of you felt we give good and outstanding care. This has been reflected by the results of our recent survey, in which 100% of residents felt that staff gave them good care and support. We have also had a mock inspection from an external consultant which was very positive, and we have just been visited by Norfolk County Council Quality team to undertake a quality monitoring visit, the rating from this was “good”.

Once we have got through the next stage of our refurbishment project, we will be arranging a family and friends meeting where we can all meet face to face and share our visions for the upcoming year. In the meantime please don’t be a stranger and remember my door is always open!

Jason Parker Registered Manager

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SPOTLIGHT ON...

the call bell system

We want to help you feel more familiar with those “behind the scenes” systems which are integral to keeping your loved one safe and happy at Corton House.

This issue, we are demystifying one of the most important tools at our disposal the call bell system.

As you may be aware, we took the opportunity during phase one of our refurbishment to replace our old call bells. Our new system has been in place for three months and the team are now confident in using it.

when their new pendants were issued.

How did you ensure everyone was familiar with the new system?

All residents have also been given updated information, to replace the existing instructions in their Resident Handbook; for those who joined us in December onwards, these new instructions come as standard.

All staff, including ancillary and administrative staff, received extensive on-site training before the system went live. Meanwhile, all residents received a 1:1 introduction

The new wall units have much clearer, larger buttons making them a more accessible and intuitive option for everyone living, visiting or working in Corton House.

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The alarms are silent – how does this work in practice?

Every bedroom, the lifts, communal rooms, bath and shower rooms and even the garden have a wall unit (pictured) that can be used alone for a regular or emergency call. These units do not have to stay fixed to the same spot on the wall in each room and can clip in and out of a bracket easily.

All residents have a pendant which can be worn on a lanyard or on the wrist like a watch depending on preference. The pendants are unique to each resident and the wall units are individually named for the room they are in too.

A pressed pendant will trigger the nearest wall unit, so we know who needs assistance and where they are in the home.

The new system has additional extras that we can use to support residents and keep them safe, such as pressure sensor mats which can be wireless to reduce any trip hazards.

We have found that residents are enjoying the calmer, more homely atmosphere that the silent alarms help foster. Please be assured that staff members are not reliant on seeing alarms calls on the screens alone; every member of the care team is equipped with a pager which notifies the wearer of calls immediately. Higher importance calls – such as emergencies – do still sound aloud.

Can a call ever be missed?

Responding to our residents’ needs is inherent to providing excellent care, so of course all our staff are trained never to ignore any call!

The new system supports this, since a call cannot be cleared from it without a member of staff physically connecting their fob to the wall unit which is alerting for assistance needed.

The system also self-regulates and alerts us to issues such as a low battery well in advance. There is a 24 hour support line for us to use in the event of any problems.

Does the system monitor how long my loved one has had to wait for assistance?

The new system generates lots of helpful data for us, such as: Which residents have asked for help and how often.

How long they have waited for assistance.

Which staff came to assist them and how long they were assisted for.

If at any time a resident wishes to make a complaint about how long they have waited, then we can refer to the system to see what happened, which staff were working, and whether there were any preventable circumstances which slowed down response time.

The system is really useful in monitoring staff performance, and can track where staff are within and around the building.

It also helps paint an even more indepth picture of our staffing needs, since we can see how long staff spend with residents. We can use this information - alongside our existing specialist staff ratio software and resident feedback - to ensure we are successfully meeting peoples’ needs.

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FOOD

for thought “I don’t know much about the food situation.” Our last survey* revealed that some family and friends felt they were not familiar with food and dining at Corton House.

Although overall your perceptions of the catering were good, they were not as positive as the scores given by residents themselves during the same survey.

Read on to discover what your loved one thinks we are doing well, what could be better, and how we have responded to residents’ feedback... *A/W 2023

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97% of residents rated the food offering at Corton House “good” or “very good”.

95% of residents felt they got a reasonable choice of food and drink each day.

93% of residents reported they enjoy the food and drink that is provided.

89% of residents felt they can discuss their food choices with the Catering Team.

2 1 3 6 4 5 RESIDENTS SAID: “When I have meals in my room sometimes there are items missing, e.g. fruit juice.”

RESIDENTS SAID: “Staff rush to clear our plates away, on occasion before we have finished.”

WE DID: In the mornings, every resident has a breakfast list that we follow to make sure everything is on their tray. At lunch and dinner, Kitchen Assistants have been told to double check the trays before they leave the kitchen.

WE DID: All Kitchen Staff and Care Staff have been told not to clear a table until everyone has finished. Or, if someone is still eating, to ask do they mind if we clear the rest of the table.

RESIDENTS SAID: “We would like to choose the portion size of our meals.”

RESIDENTS SAID: “Sometimes the Dining Room is too noisy.”

WE DID: Desserts in the Dining Room are left in the tray for residents to decide how big a portion they would like.

For main courses, we make a note of who likes a smaller portion and who likes a larger portion.

WE DID: The music is only put on if requested by residents, and the volume can be adjusted where needed.

RESIDENTS SAID: “Sometimes the meals delivered to our rooms are lukewarm.”

WE DID: We have purchased a new hot trolley to serve all the hot meals that are delivered to residents’ rooms.

RESIDENTS SAID: “I did not know I could have a snack.“

WE DID: We have created new signage for the Snack Station in the Dining Room and a new poster for the Menu noticeboard.

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COOKING FOR

dietary requirements

A May 2023 study by Apetito has shown that across the UK, 28% of care home residents have specialist nutrition needs.

All residents have an individual nutrition plan as part of their Care Plan, and staff are trained in Diabetes Essentials, Fluids & Nutrition, Eating & Drinking Support, Food Safety & Hygiene, and Dysphagia & Choking.

Head of Catering, Sean Knox, says “We work with the care staff very closely to make sure we are meeting any dietary requirements and providing a good balanced diet.

Many desserts can have sweetener as a direct substitution. So for example, a diabetic-friendly crumble would have rolled oats, a spice like cinnamon and a small amount of sugar alternative such as Splenda.

We tend to make cakes with natural sugars in them - for example, banana loaf cake, honey and almond cake or a marmalade cake. There is also the option for teatime of having cheese and biscuits or a low sugar yogurt."

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Sean Knox, Head of Catering, at the Summer Fete 2023

Good nutrition and hydration play a critical role in the health and wellbeing of our residents - and ensuring that our mealtime offerings are both tasty and nutritionally balanced is no different for residents with dietary requirements.

"A dietary requirement shouldn’t make food unenjoyable... In the kitchen, we strive to make sure any diabetic residents get the same type of desserts as the other residents are eating.”

Resident Jean enjoys her birthday cake in the Dining Room

Can my loved one have a snack in between meals?

Can I eat with my relative or friend?

Of course! In our recent Mealtime Survey, the majority of residents responded that they either “never” or “rarely” felt hungry between meals. However, some residents were unaware that they could have a snack, or were not sure where to find one. As a result, we have included more information about snacking in our Resident Handbooks and updated our posters in the Dining Room and on the notice boards.

If a resident is having a tray in their room then visitors are welcome to join them should the resident so wish (and preferably, if the resident is expecting them).

Resident Audrey prepares fruit for other Residents

Residents can choose fruit, crisps and similar items from our Snack Station or request something from the kitchen at any time.

At our most recent Resident Forum, people expressed a preference for “protected” meal times, so we ask loved ones not to visit the Dining Room during these times.

With the refurbishment of the Leisure Room underway, we have plans to offer pre-booked private dining in this space very soon, which will enable you to catch up with your loved one over a meal!

When are meal times?

As a general rule, breakfast is served 8:30am to 10am, lunch at 12pm to 2pm and dinner at 5pm to 6:30pm. There is some flexibility, and residents have the option to have any meal on a tray in their room.

What if my relative doesn’t like a particular food?

Menus are delivered to residents’ rooms for the week ahead, so residents are able to request an alternative to anything they dislike from our Alternative Menu in advance. Residents have also been involved in planning the Autumn/Winter Menu with the Head of Catering.

FAQ’S:

mealtimes

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Terry manning one of the stalls at the Summer Fete 2023

MEET

the nominated individual

Our recent survey suggested that 18% of relatives were unfamiliar with who the Nominated Individual for Corton House was, and what the role entails...

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To rectify that, we would like to (re)introduce you to Terry Cotton, who is both Nominated Individual and a member of our Board of Trustees.

Hello Terry, can you please kick off by telling us a bit about yourself?

I live in a small hamlet just outside Sea Palling on the North Norfolk Coast, inside the Norfolk Broads National Park. I am lucky to experience both amazing sunrises and sunsets from my home as well as a vast array of wildlife in the fields surrounding it - red deer trying to graze into my back garden and whooping cranes flying in the surrounding fields, alongside marsh harriers, kites and buzzards.

I have lived in my home in Norfolk for 23 years having previously lived and worked in Central London. I am

a Graduate and a Qualified Social Worker. In all, I have worked in Social care for over 40 years having held senior positions in both the public and private sectors.

It is care and support underpinned by the belief that Corton House is first and foremost the person’s home.

My last paid post was as Head of Safeguarding for a large national provider of nursing, residential and home care for older and disabled people. I now undertake Compliance Audits of care homes across England on a very part time basis.

being the main point of contact between Corton House and the CQC to be its “ambassador” to the CQC to oversee the supervision of the management of those staff carrying out duties which are regulated by the CQC My role is also to provide support and oversight to Jason, as the Registered Manager.

I am a Stroke survivor, and was made redundant following my stroke in 2018. My mobility remains limited but I now undertake a lot of voluntary work with the Stroke Association which I really enjoy.

I tend to spend a day a week at Corton House, undertaking audits to ensure there is compliance with the CQC regulations, providing support to Jason and Tom, and talking to staff and residents and relatives.

With this in mind, I was pleased to see that in our recent survey, 100% of residents felt they were supported to maintain their independence as best they can.

I have been a Board Member of Corton House since January 2020. I am the “Nominated Individual” for Corton House and I chair the “Care and People” Sub Committee of the Board which meets monthly to review and monitor the overall quality of care provided at Corton House and to ensure compliance with regulations.

I also undertake any investigations as requested by the CQC - particularly in light of any complaints or concerns it might receive regarding the quality of care provided at Corton House.

I really enjoy being a Member of the Board and Nominated Individual, and I want to make sure that my own contribution to the work of Corton House promotes and ensures good quality of care being provided for people living here.

What does “good care” mean to you?

I know that the refurbishment will have a major positive impact and will result in the provision of a great environment for residents to live in and for staff to work in.

What does the role of Nominated Individual involve?

Every organisation which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission ( CQC) has to have, by law, a Nominated Individual.

My role, as the Nominated Individual, has several responsibilities. These include:

Good care means to me the quality of care that I would expect to be given to my Mum and Dad, or any other member of my family, if they needed residential care.

This means that each person is treated as an individual and that their care plan is tailored to their needs.

It also means that people are treated with kindness, dignity and respect and not just “done to” by any member of staff.

Most importantly, it is that wherever possible, a person’s independence is promoted and encouraged - even if it relates to the smallest of everyday living tasks.

Lastly, what is the best thing about working with Corton House?

I am here almost every week and able to see for myself the quality of care that people living here receive.

If you have any concerns that you have raised but do not feel have been resolved or even listened to, then please do let me know. You can say hello and talk with me in person if you see me, or email me at tcotton@cortonhouse.co.uk

“What I love about Corton House is, in my view, it’s uniqueness.

It is one small charitable home in the heart of Norwich. It has lovely quiet grounds and great facilities.”

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NEW YEAR,

new look

As you will all see, the first phases of our refurbishment are completed - and wow!

What a transformation! We are now working through our “finishing touches” and the next phase of refurbishment is scheduled to start in early February.

This will be focused on our Dining Room, Garden Room and Leisure Room.

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Our new foyer includes an area that can be opened up as pictured, or closed off for private conversation

Downstairs: Cathedral Walk (30’s corridor) Church Way (40's corridor) Canary Close (Rooms 96-98) Nelson’s Restaurant Colman Café Cavell Leisure Room

The foyer and former Sun Lounge during renovations

We undertook a separate survey with the residents on the naming of areas and had lots of good ideas. We have agreed the following:

Upstairs: Riverside Walk (corridor at the top of stairs) Carrow Way (54, 55, 56) Castle Way (70’s) Market Way (80’s) We are working closely with Holly, our Interior Designer, to theme these areas with relevant pictures, and to complete some signage - watch this space!

If you’ve visited recently, you will see we have also updated all our notice boards in the corridor leading up to the Dining Room - do take a look as they are packed with lots of valuable information!

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ACTIVITIES

& wellbeing

Does my loved one have to participate in activities?

Participation in any activities is completely up to residents. We understand that not everyone likes the same things, and not everyone is feeling sociable all the time! We try to offer something for everyone and be inclusive, adapting some activities to take place in residents’ own rooms where necessary. We also offer 1 to 1 sessions and our team has recently been expanded to accommodate this.

Are friends and family allowed to join in?

At our recent Resident Forum, residents expressed that although they are very happy for friends and family to join in with entertainment, they would prefer activities sessions to be for residents only.

Activities Schedules are delivered to residents’ rooms at the start of the week, so if you are planning a visit, please do take a look so you can avoid any clashes.

How are Activities & Entertainers chosen?

Our Activities programme is led by residents’ wishes. We have a team of five “Activities Representatives” who ensure the Activities and Entertainment reflects their interests and those of others at Corton House.

In our recent survey, 95% of residents felt they were able to discuss activities and events with the Activities & Wellbeing team.

If you or your loved one has an idea for an activity, or a skill you would like to share with residents, please let Maria know by emailing mwiddrington@cortonhouse.co.uk

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Resident David enjoys a Royal-themed Age UK event

If your loved one doesn’t appear in photos of events and activities, this does not necessarily mean they were not there many residents choose not to appear in photographs and we always respect this wish. If you are unsure of anything, please just get in touch with us for an update.

“I enjoy chatting to (the Activities team), they are very nice to me.”* - Resident Survey comment, 2023enjoy attending Resident Thelma and Activities & WellbeingNovember Coordinator Maria an Age UK Norwich event.

“I’d rather have a puppy!” laughs a resident as she is presented with a small tub containing Trinny, a Chilean Rose Tarantula.

Easter!) and miniature donkeys.

The visit from Mini Monsters was the first of many animal encounters enjoyed by residents in 2023, including alpacas, a rabbit (in time for

“So many of our residents are animal lovers. Sometimes they are taking a scientific interest in an animal they’ve never encountered

Meanwhile, 2024 has kicked off with a visit from our regular therapy dog Billy on New Year’s Day, followed by Cuddly Cavies bringing along their lovely guinea pigs to chase away the January blues!

The therapeutic and mood-boosting benefits of contact with animals are well documented, and our Activities & Wellbeing Coordinator Maria has a number of furry friends on speed dial!

before in person. Or a session will prompt them to reminisce about a childhood experience or pet while enjoying a cuddle.”

“People really do just light up in the company of animals,” says Maria.

“Many of the partners we work with are more than happy to take their animals to visit residents in their bedrooms too, so no misses out!”

Above, L-R: Elsie enjoys feeding a guinea pig from Cuddly Cavies; A miniature donkey is brought into the Myers Lounge to meet Doreen; Jean strokes Winston the Bearded Dragon.

This year, the Activities & Wellbeing team are focusing on trips out, following on from last year’s successful visits to an Royal Afternoon Tea Party with Age UK Norwich, a Christmas concert at Town Close School, and individual trips to the local church for residents who expressed an interest in attending. 2024 will also see the formal launch of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice...” our new initiative to grant some wishes, big or small for residents.

We are also hoping to take part once again in the St Peter Mancroft Christmas Tree Festival in November 2024 - we would love residents or their families to share with us any photographs of Christmases gone by, which we would like to digitise and turn into decorations for the tree. Can you help? Email any photos to Imogen at ibowers@cortonhouse.co.uk

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BETTER

together

“We see this as a twoway street: the average age of our residents is 90, so they have a wealth of life experience and knowledge to share with others, while they benefit from forging new connections with the community and learning from the u3a’s variety of talks.”

We believe we are better able to deliver excellent care when we work together with other organisations and look outside our own four walls! Some of the connections we’ve made in 2023 include...

Who? What?

The Later Life Provider Network (LLPN) Corton House is part of the LLPN, a group of organisations which aims to make Norfolk & Waveney a great place to age. The LLPN’s work is guided by older people and based on lived experience, ideally placing it to advocate for better services for older people locally. The LLPN’s most recent focus has been transport, and Corton House surveyed residents and tenants in our Independent Living Scheme as well as acting as a collection point for surveys from the local area.

Who? What?

National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR) Four residents and some of our staff took part in a recent study, SONNET, about social connection among care home residents. The study is helping researchers and other professionals to show what works to improve social connection, which is important since good social connections are linked to improved quality of life and better physical and mental health.

Who? What?

University of the Third Age (u3a Norwich) Corton House approached the local u3a to purchase membership for every resident, giving all residents the opportunity to attend their monthly talks, hobby groups and meetings with a Care Asssitant for support. Access to lifelong learning and being able to try something new is one of the cornerstones of our activities program, so we are excited to be able to offer free access to these u3a events.

Resident Thelma completes a LLPN Transport Survey

- Registered Manager Jason on the benefits of our partnership with u3a Norwich

Who? Friend in Deed What? Friend in Deed is a charity which helps foster intergenerational friendships and connections between children and older people, through events, pen pal schemes and “Little Visitors” parent and baby sessions within care homes. Corton House has worked with Friend in Deed for many years, and this year saw many Little Visitors pass through our doors, pen pals putting smiles on residents’ faces, and a trip to a special Christmas event at Town Close School.

Who? Age UK Norwich What? After offering advice and information at our Community Café (a monthly warm space with a free hot meal for vulnerable older people in the local area), Age UK Norwich have continued to work with us and offer social activities to our residents, such as the recent Royal Afternoon Tea Party attended by six residents.

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