The Carer Digital - Issue #164

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Issue 164

Lib Dem Leader Pledges £5bn a Year for 'Free' Social Care

“Ed Davey speaking at Liberal Democrat conference” by Liberal Democrats, licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

On the eve of the Liberal Democrat party conference which took place earlier this week in Bournemouth, leader Ed Davey pledged a £5bn-a-year guarantee of free care packages for all in England, saying that reforming social care would be a major priority for his party.

Sir Ed said the radical plan would help free up hospital beds, as well as allow people to live independently and with dignity.

The party estimates the proposal would cost £5bn a year before savings are factored in, but with an estimated £3bn of savings in NHS and care home costs, it says the real net cost would be £2bn.

Davey added: “The Conservatives have failed on care and the NHS for far too long. People cannot get the care they need at home and are far too often either left in hospitals or sent to live in care homes.

“That’s why the Liberal Democrats are bringing forward a proper alternative.

We are calling for free personal care so that everyone can live independently and with dignity.

“Our plans mean no one would have to sell their home to pay for personal care, carers will be paid properly and valued for the essential and skilled work they do.”

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

As the challenges confronting the UK's adult social care system continue to mount, the recent announcement by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey pledging £5 billion a year to fund free adult social care for people in England has ignited a glimmer of hope, and has been well received by sector leaders.

This significant commitment comes at a crucial time when the need for reform in this vital sector is more pressing than ever.

It’s no secret that the UK's aging population presents an undeniable challenge for adult social care. With each Editor passing year, the demand for services that cater to the elderly and vulnerable only intensifies. Simultaneously, the current funding for adult social care falls short of meeting these demands. The consequences of this shortfall are palpable: unmet care needs, overworked caregivers, and a system struggling to cope.

Furthermore, one of the most pressing issues in the UK's adult social care landscape is the reliance on unpaid carers. These unsung heroes, often family members, provide essential care for their loved ones. However, this dedication comes at a high personal cost. Many unpaid carers are forced to forgo employment opportunities, jeopardizing their financial security and well-being. The vicious cycle of inadequate support for both the elderly and their caregivers is unsustainable.

Provision across the country has become fragile and fragmented, and workforce shortages limit the supply of care. With 165,000 vacancies in 2021/22, the vacancy rate in the sector has reached a record high, and the workforce has shrunk for the first time since records began. Navigating the social care system is highly complicated and confusing.

The number of older people approaching their local authority for publicly funded support is increasing and, as we often highlight, the social care system is struggling to keep up with demand. A growing number of older people in the population means that the number of people requiring support is increasing, even though today's older people live without care needs for longer than previous generations.

Access to and provision of publicly funded care has become worse in recent years, with thousands waiting for assessments and waiting for the care they need to begin.

Many observers see the current system as unsustainable, and I have always believed despite party pledges, there will have to be a radical re-think and overhaul of the current system which gets “sticking plaster” every few years as we approach elections.

A brief look at countries like South Korea, Japan, and Germany, where adult social care is funded differently reveal: 1. South Korea: South Korea has a robust long-term care insurance program that covers

Peter Adams

all citizens over the age of 65. The government allocates funds from various sources, including premiums, general tax revenues, and co-payments. This approach ensures that elderly citizens receive the care they need without imposing an excessive financial burden on families.

2. Japan: Japan has a similar system, with mandatory long-term care insurance covering citizens aged 40 and above. Funding primarily comes from insurance premiums and government subsidies, and the system emphasizes home and community-based care to keep seniors engaged and self-reliant for as long as possible.

3. Germany: Germany employs a multi-tiered approach to fund adult social care. It combines insurance contributions, government funding, and individual co-payments. This approach allows for flexibility and access to a wide range of services tailored to individual needs.

I do believe that Sir Ed Davey's pledge to allocate £5 billion annually to free adult social care in England represents a step in the right direction. It acknowledges the urgent need to address the challenges posed by an aging population and insufficient funding. However, it is crucial to ensure that this funding is allocated wisely, focusing on improving the quality of care, expanding services, and providing support to unpaid carers.

Moreover, looking to international models such as those in South Korea, Japan, and Germany can offer valuable insights into funding structures and care delivery mechanisms that have proven successful in addressing similar challenges. These countries prioritize preventive and community-based care, ultimately alleviating the burden on unpaid caregivers and promoting a higher quality of life for their elderly populations.

In conclusion, the current state of adult social care in the UK is at a critical juncture and has been for a long time. The announcement by Sir Ed Davey offers hope for much-needed reform, and I am delighted to see how well received it has been, but the road ahead is long. I do think that by learning from the experiences of other nations and ensuring that funding is directed to where it is most needed, the UK can move closer to a future where elderly citizens receive the care they deserve, unpaid carers are supported, and the social care system stands resilient in the face of demographic shifts. It's a journey worth embarking upon, not just for today's generation, but for generations to come.

I would also take this opportunity to advise that we are “updating, cleansing and refreshing” our database for 2024, occasionally there are unintentional “gremlins” so if for whatever reason you do not receive a printed copy delivered to your care home for the next issue which will be November/December please do e-mail us at editor@thecareruk.com and we will make sure we add you back on to our database Also we are exhibitors at the forthcoming CARER SHOW at Birmingham’s NEC October 11 and 12 we are on stand A78, so please do pay us a visit - I always welcome feedback!

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 3

Lib Dem Leader Pledges £5bn a Year for Free Social Care

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) TIME FOR CHANGE

“It’s clear the Conservatives cannot be trusted to provide everyone with the high-quality social care they need. It’s time for change.”

In March this year, Davey laid out his planned social care reforms saying: “Proper reform of social care is one of the biggest challenges facing our country. It cannot wait any longer.”

“That’s why Liberal Democrats are bringing forward a proper solution. Working with experts, industry leaders and care staff themselves, we have developed a plan to fix the crisis in social care, once and for all.”

• Ensure no one has to sell their home to pay for care by introducing free personal care, based on the model introduced by the Scottish Liberal Democrat-Labour government in 2002.

• Introduce a more generous means test and assistance for those unable to pay for their accommodation costs.

• Move towards a preventative approach to social care, so people can stay in their own homes for longer.

• Introduce a real living wage for care workers and invest in skills, professionalisation and accreditation of the workforce.

• Provide a package to support unpaid carers.

“Our plan for free personal care covers nursing care, help with personal hygiene, immobility problems and medication.”

“Those needing care would still have to pay for their accommodation, but we are also bringing in more generous means testing which means those unable to pay those costs would still be supported. For those living at home, they would continue to pay their mortgages, rent, bills, food costs and taxes as they did before receiving care.”

PLAN WELCOMED Campaigners welcomed the proposals and called on the Conservatives and Labour to match or better the pledge as all the parties begin their party conferences.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “We would need to see the details but on the face of it the Liberal Democrat proposal is very encouraging – not least because it is evidence of a major political party putting social care reform high on its agenda.

“We very much hope the other two main political parties will follow suit and come up with similar or better proposals.

“Reform for social care and equality for the people who deliver it can only come from one place and that is Westminster.

“Only those with their hands on the levers of power can bring about real change in social care – everything else is just noise”.

“Getting social care reform discussed during the conferences in an important step towards having it in the party manifestos when the country goes to the polls in a General Election, probably next year.

“At the moment it isn’t even being discussed, which is frightening for the 1.6m people who currently can’t get care and the many more who will be added to that list in the coming months and years.”

BOLD IDEAS Sam Monaghan, Chief Executive of MHA said: “ The Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey MP, has put social care front and centre as part of his offering to voters – recognising that it is one of the biggest challenges facing the country today.”

“The fact that a key political party has used its conference platform to debate the topic of social care is a good step forward, and as the UK’s largest charity care provider we are encouraged by their bold ideas around funding.”

“But, as a sector, we have heard promises and rhetoric before. We need assurance that everything has been properly planned and can be implemented fully. We need to have confidence that social care professionals will be properly valued and rewarded. People who rely on care simply cannot afford any more rolling back on pledges or investment.”

“With party conference season now underway, we hope to see social care featuring high on the agenda across the political spectrum and into the next General Election.”

WOEFULLY UNDERFUNDED Kirsty McHugh, Carers Trust's CEO, said: “Carers Trust welcomes the Liberal Democrats’ commitment to supporting unpaid carers, tackling the crisis in social care and bringing down cancer treatment waiting times. Sir Ed Davey’s own experience of being a carer for his mother is reflected in the struggles of millions of others across the country. A new Carers Trust survey has revealed nearly half of unpaid carers

aren’t getting enough support to get by while the time they spend caring has rocketed, with one-in-eight caring for an extra 50 hours a week or more over the past year. Many carers have had to give up paid work so they can look after loved ones, massively impacting their finances and making them more likely to live in poverty.

“The UK’s estimated seven million unpaid carers, who do so much to plug the gaps created by a social care system which has been woefully underfunded by successive governments, will be an important election issue and their voices will count at the ballot box. All political parties must recognise this.”

MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY Layla McCay, director of policy at the NHS Confederation said: “Our country is experiencing a national mental health emergency where NHS leaders tell us too many of their patients are ending up at the point of crisis in need of hospital care when they could have been supported at an earlier stage.

“This is harmful to mental health patients for whom this is rarely the right environment, as well as for other patients who may need these beds.

“The proposal to introduce mental health MOTs would help to alleviate this to an extent, although it will no doubt uncover more unmet need to add to an already extensive waiting list. So, success will be dependent on there being the staff and additional funding to deliver this extra work as primary care and other services in the community are also fraying at seams.

“A fundamental shift of resource to more services in the community is needed to help to prevent patients from reaching the point of crisis.

This will have benefits for patients themselves, and for the economy by keeping more people in the workforce.

“Alongside that, our members are clear there needs to be a cross government review of what is contributing to the country’s worsening mental health, for example covering social housing, education, and employment, so that we can protect the population and protect the NHS for future generations.”

The Liberal Democrat Party met in Bournemouth from 23rd to 26th September, the Conservatives will be in Manchester from 1st to 4th October and the Labour Party in Liverpool from 8th to 11th October.

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

5 Helpful Tips for Reminiscence Therapy

By Fran Vandelli, Dementia Lead, at Bupa Care Services (www.bupa.co.uk/care-services) Reminiscence therapy is a research-backed technique that can help those living with dementia to focus on positive and rewarding times in their past. It’s found to be especially useful for those who are struggling with depression with their dementia.

Over the last year, UK Google data shows a keen uplift in searches relating to reminiscence therapy. There’s been a 40% increase for ‘reminiscence dementia’ searches. If you’re thinking of using reminiscence therapy to help a loved one living with dementia, how do you introduce it effectively?

Ahead of World Alzheimer’s Day (21st September), Fran Vandelli, Dementia Lead, Bupa Care Services, shares five useful tips on how to implement reminiscence therapy with a loved one.

“Living with dementia may make it harder for your loved one to recall some memories, especially more recent experiences, but this shouldn’t mean that you avoid activities that involve accessing their long-term memories.” Fran explains.

“With the right preparation and knowledge, reminiscence therapy can be a powerful way to access the past and help improve your loved one’s wellbeing.” Fran adds. “What’s more, it can be just as effective one on one as it can in a group setting.”

Think of their favourite things to touch, taste, hear and smell. Senses can be a powerful pathway to access memories. Offering these items to your loved one may help to stimulate conversation about their favourite things – and their least favourite things!

Music can provide a great outlet for chat. You could put together a playlist of their favourite artists and songs, or even bring physical copies of their most-played tracks to start a conversation. The same applies to their favourite films.

Film and video can also be a powerful way to stimulate memory. There are free film archives available online that may include one of your loved one’s favourites. Additionally, searching for second-hand newspapers or postcards on auction websites can be a simple but effective way to browse the past. Visual prompts of high streets, cars, houses and prices may spark a memory.

Getting creative may ignite a spark in your loved one, especially if they’ve been arty in the past. Trying something tactile, like painting, using building bricks or pottery may be a good basis for reminiscing. If beauty products are of interest to them, why not try having a makeover session together?

3. THINK ABOUT A MEMORY BOX Creating a memory box with your loved one can be a great way to bond and provide useful benefits going forward for them and those who care for them. Putting together a box that holds personal objects in it, belong to the person living with dementia, can help offer conversation prompts for the person’s friends and family.

These prompts may trigger positive responses and memories for the person living with dementia, along with offering an insight into their life story for those who may not know it.

4. ASK QUESTIONS 1. START WITH A CHAT See if you can introduce a topic associated with your loved one’s past – this could be by speaking to them, or even offering them an object as a prompt to see if it sparks a conversation. Conversations with those living with dementia are an important way to help them feel valued and loved.

2. USE A RANGE OF TOPICS AND PROPS There are lots of possible topics that may help prompt a reminiscence session. You know your loved one better than most, so think about the aspects of their past that they may want to revisit – perhaps favourite family holidays, games, sports, or even childhood pets.

School may offer a good topic of conversation, too. You could ask them about their best friend when they were a child, and what their favourite subjects were. Do you have access to any of their class photographs?

This could offer a good visual prompt to help recall classmate and teacher names.

Reminiscence therapy is most effective when everyone’s engaged in the process. This means that asking good quality questions and listening well to the response is especially helpful – it may even help you to learn new things about your loved one.

5. BE FLEXIBLE AND SEEK HELP IF NEEDED There’s no perfect science for making reminiscence therapy work. It may be a case of trial and error to see the prompts work best for your loved one. It’s possible some prompts may work better on some days more than others. It’s also possible that revisiting memories may trigger ones that are less pleasant for them, too.

If your loved one is upset by a memory, be prepared to console or comfort them. Don’t forget that the memories that they access may be felt as real and strongly as they did the day the memory was originally made.

New Network Launches To Support and Connect Christians In The Care Sector

A new Christian network, Christians in Care, aims to give hope and encouragement to the unsung heroes of the care sector – helping them face challenges such as loneliness, low pay and intense workloads.

More than five per cent of England’s workforce – some 1.52 million people – are employed in adult social care, according to government statistics. The sector is often undervalued and faces many longstanding challenges including high vacancy rates, high staff turnover, rising demand and low pay.

This new network is being launched by elderly care charity Pilgrims’ Friend Society to support Christians working across the whole care sector. Through regular online connection, Christians in Care want to connect the many Christians working across the care sector, in roles such as mental health support, learning disabilities support and care of the elderly, into a community that encourages investment in the individual’s Christian faith through prayer, resourcing and support.

Lead Coordinator of Christians in Care Lucy Honeysett, who is also a palliative care nurse, said, “What carers do each day is of great worth, but it can feel hard and sometimes quite isolating. We hope that Christians in Care creates a network of Christian carers who can encourage and inspire one another in their faith and to flourish in their roles. It can be a huge encouragement to connect with others in the sector who share your faith, especially in a role where a lot of the good work that’s happening is going unnoticed.”

Christians in Care will begin with online communities, such as a WhatsApp group and regular online prayer meetings, with the aim to expand to in-person regional meetups. Growing this network of Christians in the care sector will ensure that those in these challenging roles remain hope-filled and encouraged as they continue to serve others.

One carer who has already been connected with Christians in Care is Alma, a dedicated live-in carer whose demanding schedule requires her to spend four weeks working in the client’s home in one stint.

Alma says the rigours of live-in care often make it challenging for her to connect with a local church or other Christians.

"The pressure of live-in care can be intense,” she says.

“You are a guest in someone's home, and I give all my energy to the job at hand. Sometimes it can be difficult to give your best without your church and Christian fellowship available to you. But Jesus is with me, and He helps me and it is my joy to serve Him. To be connected with Christians in Care is so important for me, because I have people who can pray for me, listen to me and remind me who I am in Christ. I feel connected to a Christian community that cares for me."

Christians in Care aims to see Christians in all types of paid care roles have a community that encourages and inspires them as they care for others. To learn more about Christians in Care or to join the growing network, please visit: pilgrimsfriend.org.uk/christiansincare

Waitrose in Malvern Support Alzheimers Awareness Month with Elgar Court Care Home Elgar Court Care Home in Malvern, is highlighting Alzheimer’s Awareness Month throughout September in the local community.

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, the loss of cognitive functioning – thinking, remembering, reasoning – which can affect a person’s day to day life and activities. Functions that can be impacted are memory, language skills, visual perception, problem solving, self-management and the ability to focus and pay attention. The number of people living with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to over 1m.

As part of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Waitrose in Malvern wanted to find out how they can support their customers living with dementia. Elgar Court Care Home arranged for MJ Albutt, a dementia nurse specialist for Barchester Healthcare, to discuss how dementia can affect the way we think and perceive things, and to give them a better understanding of the condition and its effects.

Rosa Kauppinen, the Waitrose Community Activator for Malvern said, “We were keen to find out more about Alzheimer’s and how Waitrose and Partners can look at ways of supporting customers that is both

meaningful to them and, with dignity. It was really interesting to hear how we can make a difference with subtle changes to our voices and body language if customers experiencing cognitive decline, need our support in our store”.

MJ Albutt said, “It was a pleasure to spend time with the Waitrose Partners and to share with them, our philosophy of dementia care. As dementia currently affects so many individuals, it important to dispel some of the myths.

And it is possible for people living with this condition, to experience wellbeing and enjoy a high quality of life”.

Naomi Steward from Elgar Court said: “Alzheimer’s and dementia affect many of our residents, so all staff receive specialist dementia training to provide person-centred care at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to provide an environment that helps residents to find their way around independently as much as possible, and that residents are happy to call home. Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities”.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 5

More Than Three Quarters of UK Adults Say They View Social Care As Skilled Work More than three quarters (78%) of UK adults say they would feel proud to have a family member working in the social care sector, according to new YouGov research, commissioned by the UK’s largest charity care provider, MHA. In the survey of more than 2,000 people, 81% of respondents also said they view social care as a skilled job, and 71% believe staff in care homes should be paid the same as healthcare assistants in the NHS. This support is not translating into people joining the profession, however, with 152,000 vacancies reported across social care in 2022/23.

MHA believes that a lack of professionalisation or an ability for people to see a structured and fairly rewarded career path is preventing people from working in the sector. This is particularly true of the younger generation, who are the least likely to consider a career in social care according to the study.

To encourage people to appreciate the potential of a career in care, MHA is calling on the Government to fund and enable the creation of a Social Care Council – as part of the charity’s wider Fix Care for All campaign.

The Council would act as an independent body representing the 1.5 million people working in social care.

As well as examining pay scales, accreditation and training, sector-wide recruitment drives and public perception, the Council would also help more young people to understand the career pathways available to them.

MHA Chief Executive, Sam Monaghan, said: “With more people relying on social care in later life and less people entering the social care workforce – the sector’s skills crisis is hiding in plain sight. We know the general public have huge respect for the work that social care staff do, but unless the Government commits to doing more to incentivise and reward these roles, we simply won’t have a strong enough talent pipeline to replace older colleagues when they retire.

“One of the biggest issues we need to tackle is the recognition, value and professionalisation of social care, and we believe that an independent body that advocates for the people that care for and protect the most vulnerable in our society is long overdue.”

MHA is encouraging members of the public to get involved in the Fix Care For All campaign by signing its petition here, or engaging with their local MPs.

Top Dogs Melt Residents’ Hearts as Dorset Care Home Celebrates Best of Breeds Residents of a Dorset care home have declared their first-ever dog agility show a ‘pawsome’ success.

Labradors, terriers, huskies and chihuahus were among the breeds in a tenstrong field vying for glory at Colten Care’s Brook View in West Moors.

The fun featured an obstacle course in which handlers directed their canine competitors in a race based on time and accuracy.

The dogs were brought along by Brook View residents’ families, neigh-

bours and team members at the home.

After all the pooches had performed, the overall winner was declared to be pint-size chihuahua Blossom, owned by Senior Care Lead Marivic Schurer.

Marivic said: “My husband and I couldn’t believe Blossom had won. She initially took first place for Best in Style and then she came first in agility overall. It was a complete surprise that she had it in her.”

Runner-up was terrier cross Rosie, owned by Companionship Team member Jo Vardy.

In third place was Teddy, a Siberian husky cross German Shepherd owned by Kitchen Assistant Sue Newman.

Among those further down the rankings were black lab Dylan in fourth place, white lab Kimmy in fifth and terrier Pearl in sixth.

Brook View residents spoke of their joy at the event.

Rosa Leicester said: “I kept thinking what a wonderful day it was. All those lovely dogs and how lucky we were with the weather. It was a great day.”

Companionship Team member Rebecca Grimsey said: “All the competitors were rewarded with rosettes and doggy treats and we rounded off the occasion with refreshments including biscuits cut out in paw prints and bone shapes made by our chefs Jack and Isabella.

“We then held a grand raffle prize draw with all proceeds going to the charity we support, Waggy Tails Rescue. It was a lovely time had by all.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Guiding Patients On How To Deal With Their Digital Assets

By Karen Hibbert, Compassionate Communities Lead at Keech Hospice Care (www.keech.org.uk) How many photos do you have on your phone, and how many of them will never be printed? Lots, probably.

Now think about the rest of your life that’s online: banking, insurances, savings, shopping, social media, gaming… when you consider it all, it can seem rather overwhelming. For the elderly or people living with a health condition, that feeling can be all the more intense. Even those who have written a Will and expressed their funeral wishes, may not have considered their digital assets.

As more of our lives transfers to online, knowing our wishes are met with regard to what happens to our digital assets and who looks after them, becomes all the more complex. There are so many individual providers to deal with and each has a different process when it comes to transfering access and notifying of death. If the conversation is not had before death, and wishes are not put in place, these processes can be all the more stressful and prolonged.

Social media sites may seem fairly benign in comparison to something like online banking, but if nothing is done to transfer access, problems can occur. Grieving family members can find it upsetting to see social pages of loved ones still open and, sickeningly, there have been cases of people trolling deceased loved ones via their social pages.

Carers can find themselves in a vulnerable position if a patient tries to involve them in passing on security information, such as logins. While personal involvement in someone’s digital asset management is best avoided for most professional carers, it can be helpful to have some guidance and resources you can offer patients and their families to support them in the whole process and ensure wishes are met.

TOP TIPS FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES SEEKING ADVICE: 1. List of all the social media and other online accounts you have. This can include those that aren’t immediately obvious, such as betting sites and bitcoin investments 2.Decide who you trust with this information. Choose more than one person if possible 3.Lay down clearly what you want to happen to each of your accounts. Some social media sites, for example, can be closed or memorialised, meaning they remain visible but people can’t post on there 4.Make a digital Will. There are various sites that allow you to do this for free, including www.mywishes.co.uk 5.Make sure your trusted person/people know you have taken this action and know where to find the details.

It’s never too early to have these conversations but, for some, it can feel awkward. It could be that a patient doesn’t want to broach the subject in fear of upsetting loved ones, or the other way round. But digital assets are certainly a lot easier to deal with and wishes more likely to be met if the above steps are taken before it’s too late. If your patient or their family is looking for help with bringing up the topic, here are some suggestions: - Use a TV storyline as a conversation-starter. If a character is ill or dying, for example, that could be a way of saying how it made you think about all the implications - Mention another person’s experience. Perhaps someone you know had a difficult time dealing with digital assets after a loved one’s death, and you don’t want that to happen to your family - Sometimes being side-by-side rather than face-to-face can make it easier to tackle a difficult subject. A walk or a car ride could present good opportunities - Hearing a piece of music or something in the news can be a catalyst for a conversation. That way, it doesn’t sound like it’s coming out of the blue

USEFUL LINKS • The Digital Legacy Association: a helpful portal where members of the public can go to find out more on how to manage their digital legacy • Facebook legacy contact: a quick and easy two-minute step anyone can take to make sure their Facebook access details are given to the person of their choice • Tell Us Once: a service which allows you to inform a number of governmental offices all at the same time that a person has died. It includes DVLA, HMRC and local councils

FURTHER ADVICE Karen runs several webinars a year on the subject of digital memories. Sessions are free and suitable for professional carers and the public. Registration can be made here.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 7

Local Authorities Receive £4m Funding For CQC Assessments Last week the Department of Health and Social Care announced it will be allocating a £26,730 one-off payment to each Local Authority in England to help support the burden of engaging with the forthcoming Care Quality Commission review and assessment. This follows the changes made under the Health and Care Act 2022 which placed a duty on the Care Quality Commission to review and assess local authorities’ delivery of their functions in relation to adult social care under part 1 of the Care Act 2014 commenced in April 2023. This grant is worth £4.1 million.

In response, Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: “It is positive to see the Department of Health and Social Care recognising, and providing support for, the additional pressures that will be borne by the Care Quality Commission’s assessment of

Local Authorities. It is disappointing though that no such recognition or support has been

afforded to the adult social care sector. We are now just over a month away from the new assessment framework going live for the adult social care sector and yet we remain largely unsighted on what will be expected from care providers and how care providers can ensure they are amply prepared. The Care Quality Commission is still consulting on crucial parts of the new assessment framework, despite announcing the Single Assessment Framework over a year ago. With the go-live date so soon, care providers are quite rightfully concerned. This brings about questions as to whether the regulator needs to assess its own performance.”

Health Foundation Publishes Social Care Funding Projections The Health Foundation has published new analysis which projects the cost of growing demand for adult social care in England and the government funding required to tackle some of the major challenges facing the social care system.

The social care system, the analysis says has suffered decades of political neglect and underfunding. Many people go without the care they need, staff pay and conditions are poor and reliance on unpaid carers is high. State-funded care is only available to people with the highest needs and lowest means.

Our new analysis projects the costs of providing social care services in England in the future under several different scenarios. We find that just to meet growing demand for social care in England, an additional £8.3bn by 2032/33 could be needed. Social care spending would need to rise by 3.4% a year in real terms just to stand still, much higher than the 2.6% a year increase in spending between 2014/15 and 2021/22.

More comprehensive policy change to meet demand, improve access to care, and cover the full cost of care could require an additional £18.4bn. This inevitably raises the question of the way social care is funded and how it should be reformed.

Anita Charlesworth, Director of Research and REAL Centre at the Health Foundation, said: ‘Our estimates show significant additional funding from

government is needed just to maintain the current and frankly inadequate levels of care.

‘Our political system is struggling to cope with the scale of the challenge facing social care and the range of issues that need to be fixed simultaneously. What is clear is that there is a big price tag just to stop quality and access to care deteriorating.

Further improvements to this crucial pillar of the welfare state will require significant additional investment. Central to this is improving conditions for staff, ensuring providers are fully funded and relieving pressure on unpaid carers by expanding access. The fundamental problems facing England’s social care system are the legacy of decades of political failure; with repeated short-term injections of cash to limit the immediate crisis but no longterm planning for the future.’

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said: ”This crucial analysis gives a comprehensive view of the funding needed to address the pressures facing social care, the negative consequences this has for people, the workforce and providers.

“Significant uplifts are needed in funding for social care in order to meet future demand, let alone address the ever growing rise in current unmet and under met need. This needs to begin at the Autumn Statement. We support the analysis and urge the Government to closely examine Scenario 4

as part of implementing a fully costed, long-term,

WE NOW SUPPLY A WIDE RANGE OF FURNITURE

sustainable plan to fund social care.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 9

Health And Social Care Professionals Needed To Help Shape The Future Of End Of Life Care Research Marie Curie is calling on health and social care professionals to take part in a critical survey to help researchers understand what topics of palliative and end of life care research are most important to people living with a serious life-limiting illness.

Following a similar project in 2015 – the charity is working with the James Lind Alliance (JLA) to refresh the top 10 priorities for palliative care and establish key areas for the academic research Marie Curie will fund in the future.

The survey runs until December 31st 2023 and the results will ensure the charity puts the people who are most affected by these issues at the heart of its research.

The partnership needs to hear from people living with a serious life-limiting illness, their family and friends, people who have been bereaved and the health and social care professionals involved in their care.

Speaking about the project, Dr Sabine Best, Marie Curie Associate Director of Research Management & Impact said: “At Marie Curie, we know that everyone is affected by death, dying and bereavement but sadly palliative and end of life care research is an extremely underfunded area. As the UK’s largest charitable funder of this research area, we want to focus on the topics which are most important to people who are directly impacted, which is why it’s crucial for us to hear from them.”

“This new survey will help us understand the specific needs of people living with a serious life-limiting illness, their carers and the health and social care professionals who support them.”

Sabine added: “Finding out how best to support people outside of typical office hours was the top priority

in our previous priority setting partnership. We are pleased to say that since 2015, ‘out-of-hours’ care has received more than £1.5 million of new funding, of which more than two thirds was from Marie Curie and co-funding partners. However, more research is still needed to fully address the question.”

Palliative and end of life care research receives only 0.21% of the £2.56 billion spent on non-commercial health-related research projects and programmes in the UK1. Marie Curie believes there is an immediate need for more research to ensure the health and social care sector is ready to meet future demand.

By 2048, there will be more than 730,000 people with palliative care needs in the UK, with the nation’s ageing population being one factor driving this increase2.

Caroline Whiting, Senior Research Manager from the JLA explained how the new project – the Palliative and end of life care Priority Setting Partnership Refresh (PeolcPSPR) – can help: “The James Lind Alliance brings patients, carers and clinicians together in Priority Setting Partnerships.

Our partnerships identify and prioritise unanswered questions or uncertainties that these people agree are the most important, so that health research funders are aware of the issues that matter most to the people who need to use the research in their everyday lives. As we join Marie Curie for this critical project, we put the people most in need at the forefront of our work.”

To get involved in the survey, or for more information please visit palliativecarepsp.wordpress.com or contact PeolcPSP@mariecurie.org.uk

Back to School for 79-year-old Violet Elgar Court Care Home in Malvern, is highlighting Alzheimer’s Awareness Month throughout September in the local community.

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia, the loss of cognitive functioning – thinking, remembering, reasoning – which can affect a person’s day to day life and activities. Functions that can be impacted are memory, language skills, visual perception, problem solving, self-management and the ability to focus and pay attention. The number of people living with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to over 1m.

As part of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Waitrose in Malvern wanted to find out how they can support their customers living with dementia.

Elgar Court Care Home arranged for MJ Albutt, a dementia nurse specialist for Barchester Healthcare, to discuss how dementia can affect the way we think and perceive things, and to give them a better understanding of the condition and its effects.

Rosa Kauppinen, the Waitrose Community Activator for Malvern said, “We were keen to find out more about Alzheimer’s and how Waitrose and Partners can look at ways of supporting customers that is both

meaningful to them and, with dignity. It was really interesting to hear how we can make a difference with subtle changes to our voices and body language if customers experiencing cognitive decline, need our support in our store”.

MJ Albutt said, “It was a pleasure to spend time with the Waitrose Partners and to share with them, our philosophy of dementia care. As dementia currently affects so many individuals, it important to dispel some of the myths. And it is possible for people living with this condition, to experience wellbeing and enjoy a high quality of life”.

Naomi Steward from Elgar Court said: “Alzheimer’s and dementia affect many of our residents, so all staff receive specialist dementia training to provide person-centred care at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to provide an environment that helps residents to find their way around independently as much as possible, and that residents are happy to call home. Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active, and provides a daily choice of engaging physical, mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents’ interests and abilities”.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 11

Voters Send Message “Increase Funding for the NHS” As this year’s party conference season gathers pace, new polling from Ipsos and the Health Foundation shows the public wants additional investment in the NHS. With neither of the two main parties having yet committed to the future funding increases the NHS will need, the findings underline that the parties risk being out of step with public opinion.

Four out of 5 people (80%) support additional funding for the NHS according to the survey. This includes a clear majority across the political spectrum, including among people planning to vote Labour (93%), Liberal Democrat (90%), Conservative (60%) and ‘Other’ voters (66%).

Overall support has remained unchanged from November 2022, despite continuing concerns about the cost of living.

When asked what they thought were the top priorities for the NHS, 40% of people said addressing the pressure or workload on staff, 39% said increasing the number of staff in the NHS and 34% said improving waiting times for routine services such as diagnostic tests or operations.

The public’s views about the future of the NHS, social care and public health are pessimistic, although slightly less so than 6 months ago.

Around half of people expect the general standard of NHS (54%) and social care (52%) services to get worse over the next year, while 50% think the public’s overall health and wellbeing will get worse.

On social care, the public’s top priorities are improving pay and conditions for social care staff (42%), making it easier for health and social care services to work together (37%) and increasing the number of staff

in social care (32%). The Health Foundation is concerned that while both parties acknowledge the importance of social care, neither has a detailed plan as yet for addressing the decades-long neglect of the care sector.

On public health, people across the political spectrum agree that the government has a great deal or fair amount of responsibility for reducing harms from alcohol (67%), gambling (70%) and smoking (80%). While nearly 6 in 10 (58%) think the government has been effective at reducing smoking related harm, just 25% think the government has been effective at reducing harm from alcohol and 21% on gambling, indicating that there is appetite for more action in these areas.

Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation, said: ‘This survey shows a clear majority of people across party lines want more funding for the NHS, better support for staff and access to the health service, and for the government to take more action to address the issues that lead to preventable poor health. In short, voters want to see government doing more on health and social care.

‘Yet neither of the two main parties have yet committed to the future funding increases the NHS will need. Neither has a detailed plan for ending decades of neglect of the social care sector. And neither party has a comprehensive policy agenda for preventing people falling into poor health.

‘With the clock ticking to the next election, both the main parties risk being out of step with public opinion on health and social care.

NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said:”It’s reassuring for those working across the health and care system to know that the public understand the challenges services are facing and that increased investment will be critical to retain and recruit more staff, tackle the elective backlog and reducing waiting times for care.

“With public finances tight it’s understandable that the main parties have been reluctant to pledge additional funding for the NHS ahead of the election. But it’s critical that they see investment as just that – a down payment on the future health and prosperity of the nation.

Analysis we published in October 2022 showed for every £1 invested in the NHS, £4 comes back to the economy in gross value added (GVA.) “In a context with record numbers of people out of work due to long-term ill health, increasing life expectancy and rising numbers of people living with complex long-term conditions, it’s critical that the next government proportionally shift resource into health and care services closer to home to ensure we can keep people as well as possible in their local community.

“Political parties must be brave and set out their intention to make decisions thinking about the medium and long-term health needs of the population rather than thinking in terms of the electoral cycle. This polling highlights the public’s appetite for this.

“NHS leaders want to see the next government implement health policy that truly does think about the drivers of health and wellbeing, and not just think of health policy as a synonym of NHS policy.”

Thistle Court’s Tremendous BBQ Banquet Thistle Court Care Home in Cwmbran made the most of the September sun and host-

the sunshine won’t be around for much longer.”

ed a BBQ garden party for all to enjoy. The residents, fondly referred to as family mem-

Spending time outside in the fresh air can have a transformative effect on reducing

bers, enjoyed each other’s company while they patiently waited for their food cooked

anxiety and encouraging exercise and interaction. It is important for family members to

on the BBQ by the resident chefs. Laughter could be heard, and the smell of sizzling

build meaningful relationships as a source of comfort and support but also to provide a

sausages and burgers wafted through the air.

sense of normality and true continuation of life.

Sarah Butfield, Home Manager of Thistle Court said “We had such an amazing time together in the garden the weather was perfect and we knew to make the most of it as

Thistle Court Care Home is based in Cwmbran, South Wales. The home’s approach to life recognises the values, beliefs and identity of each person.

PAGE 12 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

The Power of Singing in Care Homes Article supplied by Red Homes Healthcare (www.redhomes.com) The commonly used adage of “music is medicine” has its roots based in all aspects of life – Red Home Healthcare is a gleaming example of this.

At all of our Homes, we are thoroughly blessed to have the opportunity to have live music performed in our Homes as well as regular singa-long and music sessions with each other.

favourite songs and share the fond memories which follow. Using instruments like maracas and tambourines ensure all of our residents get to take part! The songs we make in the Homes are beautiful and allow our creative juices to flow.

Here are a few reasons why it is important we fill our Homes with music as often as possible:

RED HOMES THE POWER OF SINGING IN CARE HOMES

TAPPING INTO OUR ‘MUSICAL MEMORY’

At all of our Homes, we value all the chances we get to get up and dance. At Farndon Walk, we have special activity days which promote our residents to dance and sing with each other. Not only is this good for getting about and staying active, it helps to build crucial relationships between the residents. Staying positive and maintaining our wellbeing is at the centre of being able to provide the high level of care we deliver at each Home. Not only does music enable this, it also allows carers to learn more about the residents and tailor future activities in the Homes.

Two much anticipated and loved visitors at Red Court are Sue and Jim. This duet come in and put on an amazing show to entertain and serenade the residents. Singing some classics that our residents love to join in with – they know which songs they always want. When they arrive, it is clear the positive effect they have on everyone in the home.

The bring the party with them and leave the Home full of joy and energy.

Due to some of our residents struggling with the effects of Dementia, it is important that we help to maintain their brain activity as much as we can. It is widely known that ‘musical memory’ is one of the strongest parts of the brain and so tapping into this usually has many positive effects.

A FORM OF COMMUNICATION

“It is always a great pleasure for Jim and myself to be invited to entertain your lovely residents at Red Court Care Home. You all make us so very welcome and we look forward to seeing you all again very soon.” – Susan Tinkler Not only do we have visitors like the Women’s Institute and drama companies, we also try to implement dancing and music into our weekly routines. Our residents absolutely love being able to sing their

Communication is key when giving of residents the best care possible, for some of our residents this may not be as easy as speaking to our carers. By accessing music, it allows our residents to emphasise their feelings – or show us how they are feeling in that moment.

MUSIC AS A ‘MENTAL STIMULANT’ Listening to music opens the mind to old, loved memories. Being able to tap into these emotions is a great way to help build and maintain our residents’ memory. Imagine the emotions and memories provoked when listening to the song of your first dance or the song you had on repeat as a child.

Daviot Care Home Opens 'Men’s Shed' Daviot Care Home, run by leading care provider Meallmore Ltd, has opened its first Men’s Shed.

Thought to be the first of these spaces in a care home in Scotland, a Men’s Shed is a place to practice skills and enjoy making and mending, whilst also facilitating social connections, friendship building, and sharing skills and knowledge.

At Daviot, the shed offers a safe space for residents to come together to socialise and carry out a range of activities chosen by the shedders for themselves. It will bring lots of benefits to male residents’ health and wellbeing at the care home.

The shed provides tools for training and skills development and residents have already begun building garden benches and candle holders.

The shed was officially opened by actor Ron Emslie, who starred in the production of “Man Shed”, which was performed during the Edinburgh

International Fringe Festival.

For the official opening, the care home hosted a party, where colleagues and residents were joined by friends, family and loved ones to celebrate with some delicious homemade canapes and fizz.

Heather Cowan, manager of the care home comments: “Being part of the Men’s Shed movement in Scotland and the welfare of men’s health is something we’re very passionate about at Meallmore. We’ve created this new space to facilitate connection, conversation and creativity for our male residents. It encourages people to come together to build, fix and restore, not only physical projects, but themselves included!

“It is of huge benefit our male residents and colleagues, and we’re already seeing the benefits of it. We’re really excited to see what objects they all make and continuing to see its impact on our little community in Inverness.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 13

‘Save Our Social Care’: Equal Pay Petition, Backed By Over 76,000 People, Handed Into No.10 Downing Street Earlier this month, not-for-profit support provider Dimensions led a crossparty march to No.10 Downing Street to hand in its petition calling for government to align minimum care worker pay to NHS Band 3 – a plea supported by over 76,000 members of the public.

Damian Green MP, Paul Blomfield MP and Zack Polanski, Deputy Leader of the Green Party, joined Dimensions’ Chief Executive Rachael Dodgson, support workers, people supported and members of the Dimensions Council to deliver the petition and urge government to give social care the recognition it so urgently needs.

Across the UK, care and support workers are earning below the Real Living Wage. Meanwhile, In the past three years, a typical sales assistant has gone from earning 13 pence per hour less than a care and support worker to 21p more. This shift is having a huge impact on people’s career choices. Low pay is driving people out of essential careers in social care, leading to around 152,000 social care vacancies today1, with many people who require social care not receiving it.

After years of delayed reform, urgent action is needed to prioritise recruitment and retention and encourage a pool of dedicated workers into social care careers for the long-term. In Scotland, the First Minister has recently announced that social care staff will receive at least £12 an hour from April 20242, but the rest of the UK is yet to follow suit.

Dimensions’ petition launched in May this year, alongside research showing that 80% of the public think social care is as important or deserves the same respect as the NHS. NHS Band 3 includes clinical support workers, therapy assistants, pharmacy assistants, administrative workers, and clerical staff, who are currently paid £11.67 per hour. The vast support for the petition reflects the belief that social care workers’ skills and professionalism should be recognised at an equal level with these important roles.

Rachael Dodgson, Chief Executive of Dimensions, says: “It is incredibly encouraging to see the country unite behind our cause and recognise the vast importance of our social care workforce and the difference they make to the people they support.

“Every day, thousands of social care and support workers undertake complex delegated nursing tasks and support people to make choices and gain control over their life. They maintain family relationships, help with friendships, support with employment and personal care.They are skilled, professional workers.”

“While other sectors have seen pay rise after pay rise, social care has been left behind. If this continues for much longer, not only will the people who rely on our support be impacted, but the NHS will also slow to a halt.

“Increasing social care pay isn’t just a case of rewarding hard work, but will support recruitment and retention efforts at a time when the sector is under immense pressure. We urge the government to consider our call and move social care funding up the agenda.”

Rt Hon Damian Green, Conservative MP for Ashford and co-chair of the Adult Social Care APPG, says: “The social care crisis has been escalating for decades and becomes ever more urgent to address by the day. Dimensions’ petition calls for an essential change that I believe will go a long way towards preventing skilled social care workers from leaving the workforce for better paid roles elsewhere. We cannot fix the NHS without addressing the problem in social care first, and increasing pay to attract more staff is one key element of this.”

Paul Blomfield, Labour MP for Sheffield Central and member of the Health and Social Care Committee, says: “The government mustn’t shirk responsibility for social care staff any longer. They set the funding for the sector and by cutting local councils have held down wages, undervaluing care workers and creating a staffing crisis. We need to align care wages with the NHS recognising its dependence on social care” To build on the petition’s momentum and continue pushing for change, Dimensions will host a Parliamentary reception in the House of Commons on 4th December. It will bring together parliamentarians, industry experts, social care providers and support workers to discuss the necessary steps to help employers to recruit and retain social care workers.

The petition is still open. To sign, please visit: http://www.change.org/social-care-pay

Century Celebrations For Helga Celebrations have been in full swing at Elm Bank Care Home in Kettering, as one of its residents reaches her centenary in style.

Helga Neal started her birthday celebrations with a wonderful visit from family, before being joined on the day by staff, friends and other residents as she received her card and telegram from the King in recognition of her landmark birthday.

A party followed and everyone enjoyed a slice of the special birthday cake made and decorated by the home’s Second Chef Sophie.

German born Helga who moved to England with her mother after the First World

Park when they attended the gala dinners.

The park is also where she met the love of her life, the then General Manager of Wicksteed Park. After marrying, Helga and he lived in the parks’ main house for several years before building their own home and settling in Cransley.

Helga was overwhelmed to receive a message from the King and adored all her gifts and flowers saying ‘I cannot quite believe this is all for me?’

Marvellous Bindura, General Manager of Barchester Elm Bank added: “We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable woman as she reaches this amazing

War is very used high society parties, having worked for the Evening Telegraph as a

milestone. Helga is such a popular resident who always has an interesting tale to tell,

photographer, she used to take photographs of all the visiting celebrities to Wicksteed

and we look forward to hearing many more as she breaks into her next century.”

PAGE 14 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Friends Of The Elderly’s Dementia Champions Share Why And How They Make A Difference

In support of this year’s World Alzheimer’s Month and World Alzheimer’s Day, Friends of the Elderly’s Dementia Champions are sharing their experiences of supporting those living with dementia and talk about the Charity’s Dementia Training Programme.

After the age of 65, the likelihood of developing dementia roughly doubles every five years. Friends of the Elderly recognised this and took action and worked in partnership with the University of Worcester’s highly regarded Association for Dementia Studies and Professor Dawn Brooker MBE and created its Dementia Education Programme.

Through its Dementia Education Programme, Friends of the Elderly now has 66 trained Dementia Champions who work in its care homes and day care services. Their focus is to support residents and day care clients and to be there to help their families and friends. All the Charity’s Dementia Champions are exceptionally passionate about their work and strive to demystify and explain dementia, its symptoms and indicators.

The Charity’s Dementia Champions focus on encouraging independence, giving reassurance, supporting and helping, inspiring communication, creativity, interactions and providing high quality care with dignity that meets individual needs.

Talking about the Dementia Education Programme, Friends of the Elderly’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Wilson said: “We want everyone we support within our care homes and day care services to have the best experience we can possibly provide, which is why we have devel-

oped our Dementia Education Programme.

“Every member of the Friends of the Elderly team is involved.

“Our Dementia Champions know how important it is to remember that each person they support is an individual with individual life experiences.

“Our Dementia Champions spend time with every resident or day care client they support, they find out about their backgrounds, interests and hobbies which forms a solid foundation. A bond is made and trust is built. A resident or client living with dementia may not remember their Dementia Champion’s name, but they know they are there to help and support them.”

At Friends of the Elderly’s Redcot residential care home in Haslemere, Anne Essam the care home’s Dementia Champion said: “The word ‘dementia’ is a frightening word. To be in the situation where you are faced with the loss of your memory, thinking ability, your language and problem-solving skills is an awful thing to go though as your daily life - and the lives of your loved ones - will never be the same.

“I’ve worked for Friends of the Elderly for 20 years and have been a Dementia Champion for seven years - and what motivates me is knowing that even the smallest things I can do, make a real difference in providing person-centred care.

“I am also one of Redcot’s Activities Co-ordinators so I make sure that we always have a wide range of stimulating activities that engage – and of course, entertain - our residents. To make sure our residents like and join in with the activities, I find out their likes and dislikes as it’s the little things that count. This way, I can ensure they have activities tailored to what they want to do, when they want to do it.”

Paula Arrow, Dementia Champion at Bradbury Court, the dementia care home at Friends of the Elderly Malvern in Worcestershire added: “Being a Dementia Champion means that I have a better understanding of the enriched model of dementia. I put it into practice all that I have learned which helps me to fill our residents’ days with meaningful, person-centred activities, whilst at all times, respecting their wishes and values. The most rewarding part of being a Dementia Champion for me is seeing the person for who they really are. Most of all seeing their smiles when they achieve the task is wonderful and knowing that I have made a difference to their day is the best thing of all.”

Emma Cranstone, the Dementia Champion at The Lawn residential care home in Alton, Hampshire continued: “Being a Dementia Champion gives me more awareness and comprehension of dementia

and helps me to promote the wellbeing of our residents living with dementia and provide support to their loved ones.”

“Friends of the Elderly’s Dementia Champion training has given me the understanding to be able to see things more clearly through the eyes of our residents living with dementia,” added Monika Ahmed, the Dementia Champion at Bernard Sunley residential, nursing and dementia care home in Woking, Surrey. “To see the look of happiness on someone’s face, bringing a person out of their shell and by being a friend that can understand and help them live a fuller, happier life is so rewarding.

“Being a Dementia Champion – first and foremost - is knowledge, understanding and skills which I share with my colleagues and residents’ families to promote positive changes to people living with dementia in our care home. In addition, being a Dementia Champion to me means that I have the duty to lead my colleagues by good example - being a role model by demonstrating quality and a person–centred approach to dementia care. I am an advocate our residents, so they are heard and their needs and wishes are addressed and to promote their social, physical, emotional wellbeing.”

At Friends of the Elderly’s Kidderminster Day Care Service, Dementia Champion, Julie Rowlands continued: “It means the world to me knowing that I have the skills set to ensure the people living with dementia, and who attend the day care service, are given the best day whilst maintaining their wellbeing as well as their dignity, privacy and respect.” Julie’s colleague and Dementia Champion, Jenny Morrey added: “Being a Dementia Champion enhances my ability to do my job the best I can by promoting wellbeing. I am able to understand how dementia is different in everyone and how each individuals’ needs and abilities are different.

“The most rewarding part of being a Dementia Champion is knowing I have the knowledge to support our day care service clients who are living with dementia, their carers and families. It enables me to ensure that they all go home happy, even if they cannot remember what we have done.”

In closing, Mark said: “We are proud of the approach we have taken to support our residents and day care clients who are living with dementia. Through our Dementia Education Programme, our teams and Dementia Champions, we are able to deliver tailored care that supports each person, focusing on their individual abilities that encourages and helps each person to continue living as independently as possible with fulfilled and happy lives.”

York Care Home Couple Show Love Has No Age Limit As They Mark Wedding Anniversary Two residents at RMBI Care Co. Home Connaught Court, in Fulford, York, recently celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. Ninety-three-year-old Brian, and 100 year old Marie Thackray received a bouquet of flowers and well wishes from fellow residents, staff members and loved ones. They enjoyed a celebration at the Home with a bottle of sherry.

When asked about their love story, they both clearly remember how it all began.

Marie was originally from Cornwall, while Brian was from Malton, North Yorkshire. They met back in May 1995, at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire when they were both on holiday. They were both widowed and hit it off from the beginning, and Brian gave Marie his phone number, in case she wanted to send him a Christmas card.

The following week Brian, still very taken with Marie, went down to St Austell, Cornwall to visit her and on the seventh day they had known each other, he asked Marie to marry him.

Remembering the proposal, Brian asked Marie: “Will you marry me? I don’t know where, and I don’t

know when.”

Marie replied with: “Why not?!”

They got married just five months later, first in St Austell Registry Office on September 5th 1995, followed by a blessing in Old Malton. Marie was 72 years old, and Brian was 64 years old.

Brian says: “We have had a wonderful life together. Age doesn’t stop you falling in love! We get on so well and avoid controversial subjects!”

Marie says: “We never have a cross word, we are easy going, good company to each other and have plenty in common! It’s lovely to look after each other, and be together.”

Fran Tagg, one of the Activities Coordinators at Connaught Court, said: “Brian and Marie are a lovely committed couple, it is obvious how much they love each other! They are a great example of a happy marriage, and it just shows it’s never too late to meet your soulmate! We are thrilled to share their anniversary with them both!”

Unique Care Sector Recruitment Service Launches Quality Care Group (QCG), the leading providers of insurance and business solutions to the UK care sector, has announced the launch of a brand-new recruitment service for care businesses who require key senior hires, to grow their organisations.

This new recruitment service is the company’s response to many years of listening to the market's needs and requirements for a recruitment partner, understanding the unique challenges of the care sector and why finding the right senior talent is the cornerstone to a successful business.

This service will be led by Mike Tait, who joins the team as Head of Care Recruitment. With nearly two decades of experience in healthcare staffing and recruitment, he aims to help care organisations find and hire their key senior personnel who can drive the growth and performance of their business.

Mike had this to say on this exciting, unique new service: “Having spent considerable time within the healthcare recruitment sector, observing the growing frustration among providers grappling to secure suitable leaders for their organisations, it's clear that a significant demand exists, and a solution is required for elevated service quality and standards. By doing so, we not only enhance value for service providers but also deliver improved outcomes. The prevalent approach of enlisting a

multitude of agencies, each shouldering numerous roles, has regrettably eroded confidence in the standard of fulfilment of crucial positions”.

Mike then went onto say: “I am delighted to join QCG as we share a passion and ethos of what we believe in. This is a unique opportunity to develop this shared mindset we have for driving higher quality and better value outcomes and solutions for our clients. I believe we have a fantastic opportunity to deliver something quite unique in the care sector and further strengthen our relationships by working in partnership, offering a market leading recruitment solution to one of the biggest problems currently facing the sector.”

Partnering closely and exclusively on specific roles with business owners, hiring managers and care organisations, their focus lies in identifying and fulfilling crucial senior positions in the care sector.

Demand has never been greater for skilled and experienced professionals in senior roles within the care industry and with this new service, ‘Quality Care Recruit’ aims to bring a fresh perspective by matching the varied and individual requirements of care businesses across the country with the right senior candidates.

For more information, visit www.qcaregroup.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 15

National Care Forum Publish Blueprint On Accommodation Based Intermediate Care and Reablement The National Care Forum (NCF has published a blueprint for effective accommodation based Intermediate Care and Reablement in partnership with the Care Provider Alliance, based on evidence of what works from the care sector. The publication of the blueprint supports the recent release of the NHS intermediate care framework and the framework’s aims of enabling people to get back to a place they call home on leaving hospital, in addition to the acknowledgement that some people will need to stay in a residential setting temporarily to receive rehabilitation before going home.

The blueprint clearly describes what effective, high quality, timely rehabilitative care in a variety of community settings looks like to ensure that people being discharged from hospital to a place they call home can achieve the level of independence they desire. The document highlights the importance of intermediate care delivered in accommodationbased services in care settings, which support people out of hospital who are medically well, but need on-going therapy, reablement and 24-hour care before they can safely go home.

Liz Jones, Policy Director at NCF commented on the blueprint’s publication: “We know many people can go straight home successfully, sometimes with some extra care and support. But for some, their journey home needs a short stay where there is 24/7 staffing by an experienced care team, to have dedicated rehabilitation and recovery; a place where people can immediately feel better, build confidence and improved well-being; where they can reconnect socially, plan for their return to independence and what is needed to go home safely for the long term. We now have a blueprint for what an ideal accommodation-based intermediate care plan looks like. This is going to make an enormous difference to outcomes for people who are coming out of hospital with a real need for comfort and stability.

“It’s been fantastic to work in partnership with The

Care Provider Alliance to produce this vital blueprint and huge thanks need to go to all of the providers who shared case studies showing the valuable role that residential care settings can play in intermediate care.”

Chair of the Care Provider Alliance, Jane Townson commented: “Intermediate care sits at the centre of a truly integrated health and care system. It is where our services must come together to support people leaving hospital. We need all potential intermediate and reablement services in place – including accommodation-based services and home care.

The Care Provider Alliance is delighted that this new blueprint is available and we encourage all Integrated Care Systems to use it to review and plan their local arrangements.”

THE BLUEPRINT SETS OUT THE FIVE KEY INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL ACCOMMODATION-BASED SERVICES IN CARE SETTINGS: • An effective 24/7 rehab and recovery environment • An intermediate care workforce with a rehabilitation mind set where 24 /7 staffing provides a real opportunity to make every interaction with the person a ‘rehabilitative’ interaction.

• Multidisciplinary commitment and collaboration between care workers and registered specialists and therapists as well as families, social workers and other key people, focused on the individual person • The essential role of technology in supporting the rehabilitative journey • Sustainable commissioning and funding that is built for the long-term Find out more about the blueprint and other emerging issues at the forthcoming ICS Learning Summit – Delivering care closer to home: co-designing intermediate care in ICSs, 25 October 2023, 1.30 – 3.00pm. Find out more and book now at https://careprovideralliance.org.uk/integratedcare-learning-network

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE ADULT SOCIAL CARE SECTOR VISIT WWW.THECARERUK.COM

PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Elevating Care Home Operations with Planning and Scheduling Technology

By Stephane Bensoussan, Head of Operations at dizmo (www.dizmo.com) and the product owner of Planisy (www.planisy.com) Optimising care home operations has the potential to make a profound impact. Within the care sector, management plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the delicate balance between efficient operations and the delivery of optimal care. Resource allocation within care environments carries its own set of intricacies, and the art of navigating shortages, whether in personnel or essential supplies, presents an ongoing challenge. The role of technology cannot be overstated to overcome multifaceted challenges and create a more harmonious environment for patients and carers.

THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE Nursing homes, also known as skilled nursing facilities or longterm care facilities, are vital establishments that serve the elderly population across the globe. While recent government data revealed that around 1.52 million people worked in the adult care sector in England in 2022/23, the complexities of managing nursing homes efficiently remains an ongoing struggle.

From staffing and resident care planning to medication management and maintaining a safe environment, nursing homes face a myriad of challenges. To address these challenges effectively, a comprehensive approach is required, one that leverages technology and innovation.

THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY IN CARE HOME MANAGEMENT One of the most pressing challenges in care home management is staffing and workforce management.

Ensuring an adequate number of caregivers with the right skill sets is crucial to ensure patients are receiving the appropriate care. The care industry frequently relies on temporary staff from agencies to bridge resource gaps, resulting in more personnel to manage. Additionally, staff turnover is typically high due to the demanding nature of the work, meaning care home managers are often required to reallocate staff to fill gaps at short notice.

Technological progress has now allowed new solutions to enter the market signifying a well-needed evolution in how planning and scheduling is managed. Through one dynamic interface, care home managers would be able to manage staff availability, aligning their workforce to resident needs and adapting resource

allocation in real-time. This results in better staff allocation and manageable workloads for care staff.

MEDICATION MANAGEMENT AND CARE PLANNING MADE EASY Medication management is yet another intricate aspect of care home operations. Care homes handle a significant volume of medications that must be administered accurately and on time. Coordinating medication orders, tracking refills, and administering complex medication regimens while ensuring resident safety can be demanding.

Planning and scheduling technology subtly revolutionises medication management by offering features for coordinating medication orders, tracking refills, and ensuring timely administration. By reducing the risk of medication errors, care homes enhance resident safety and well-being without making

A BETTER WAY TO MANAGE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Care homes are not just about medical care; they also prioritise improving residents' quality of life through social engagement and activities. These activities range from exercise classes to arts and crafts and music therapy, all designed to enhance residents' mental and physical well-being.

Oftentimes, these activities are ran by external organisations which require Care Home Manager’s to coordinate multiple third parties. By owning a unified platform for scheduling and coordinating activities ,this process can be simplified. Staff will have full visibility of scheduled events and new activities can be introduced without it causing resourcing issues.

COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION As the care industry evolves, collaboration between healthcare entities will be vital to improve residents' experiences. Care homes often employ various healthcare professionals, such as nurses, therapists, and care staff. Many existing tools used in the care sector still work in silos, limiting their collaborative capabilities.

Planning and scheduling technology seamlessly fosters collaboration by providing a unified platform for consistent communication and resource visibility.

Technology, as the cornerstone of operational efficiency, holds the key to unlocking a future where seamless collaboration, resource optimisation, and elevated resident experiences become the new standard. With multi-resource planning technology at their disposal, carers have the solutions at hand to overcome challenges and focus on delivering excellent patient care. This streamlined approach sets the tone for a more positive, collaborative future in care operations.

Care Home Group Celebrates Arts in Care Week with Inspiring Arts Activities Maria Mallaband Care Group, has taken part in the NAPA Arts in Care Week, a celebration of the power of the arts to enrich the lives of those living in care homes.

The care home group, which has more than 80 homes across the country, took part in the special week from 18-24 September, leading up to the National Day of Arts in Care Homes on September 24.

Organised by the National Activities Providers Association (NAPA) this annual celebration, champions the health and wellbeing benefits of arts and creative engagement in care provision.

Sally Harrison-Exton, Head of Lifestyle and Marketing at MMCG, said: “Studies have shown, and we know from our own experience, that engagement with the arts can have a transformative impact on the lives of those living in care homes.

“It’s wonderful for building relationships, improving engagement and promoting both mental and emotional well-being. As well as being great fun, arts activities stimulate cognitive function, improve mood and provide an opportunity for self-expression.

“They are a huge part of life at MMCG homes, so we were thrilled to take part in this week of celebration and the National Day of Arts in Care Homes, with homes across the group laying on a multitude of art activities.”

The theme of this year’s event was ‘Reflections’. NAPA took the opportunity to reflect with its members on the success of their art programmes so far and what is needed going forward to embed the arts into care provision. NAPA also invited homes to organise their own events and take part in the creative chal-

lenge #DrawingOnMemories throughout the week.

Throughout Arts in Care Week, MMCG homes hosted a diverse range of arts activities tailored to the interests and abilities of those living with them.

These included painting and drawing workshops, such as still life painting and self-portraits, and craft activities including making sun catchers and stained-glass windows, tie dye t-shirt making, pottery painting, creating collages, mask making, creating flower displays and cake decorating.

Homes also arranged gallery visits, hosted art exhibitions, invited local schools in to take part in art workshops, held ballet and opera days, poem writing events and drama clubs too.

Bowerfield Court in Stockport laid on a new art activity every day and staff also arranged daily trips throughout the week, taking different individuals living at the home to Manchester Art Gallery to see the installations and displayed works.

Home Manager Helen Wearing, at said:“We love to get creative to foster a vibrant and fulfilling environment for those living with us, and the Arts in Care Week aligns perfectly with that commitment.

“It was wonderful to see the power of art to boost confidence and wellbeing for everyone – from those who have enjoyed being creative all their lives, to those who haven’t attempted to draw or make something since childhood. It was a brilliant week, and so inspiring to see people find such joy in seeing and creating art.”

Care Home Finances Are Complicated: Here’s How To Save Time And Get Them Under Control The finances of a care home group can get very complicated. Some of the headaches include: • The group uses different accounting software and the systems don’t speak to each other.

• A resident can be funded from several sources, such as the NHS, an insurer and multiple relatives.

• Bills might need to be split across multiple homes, legal entities and residents.

• Funds received need to be restricted to a certain use.

• Different care homes have their own systems for purchasing, invoicing and payment runs.

All this leaves your staff bogged down in repetitive, often manual and frustrating work The right accounting software can simplify all this, automate the tasks that take up time and give you a clear and accurate picture of the busi-

ness’s finances.

A single source of truth iplicit's accounting software offers a “single source of truth” – one central system which gives you a complete picture and with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. iplicit frees up staff time and provides better information by: • Handling intercompany transactions, so transactions are correctly allocated to the correct entity.

• Smoothly consolidating the accounts, without lots of manual intervention.

• Easy visibility, enabling you to switch from a group overview to a detailed look at any site, legal entity or transaction.

• Ensuring users in any entity or site can access only the parts of the system relevant to them.

• Each resident has a unique identifier, so it’s easy to track where funding has come from and where it has been spent.

• Easy tracking and reporting when funding is restricted for specified purposes.

• Integrated document storage, with invoices and purchase orders stored alongside the relevant line item.

• Simple approval workflows so spending decisions can be made promptly and are properly recorded.

• Improved cost control and forecasting.

• Easy integration with other software in use in the company.

Efficiencies such as these eliminate many hours of chasing paperwork, rekeying data and manipulating figures in spreadsheets. iplicit’s software puts accurate, real-time data into the hands of managers. You can always see what’s going on across the business without having to wait for hard-pressed staff to finish a laborious month-end close.

Find out more about iplicit, visit www.iplicit.com/who-we-help/care-homes or email info@iplicit.com

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 17

PAGE 18 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Laura's Story at Audley Care Ask any healthcare professional and they would confirm that working in adult social care is a varied and inspiring job that gives you the opportunity to work with an incredibly diverse group of people. They can often have complex conditions or simply be looking for the companionship and peace of mind that comes from living in a safe and supportive community of like-minded people.

Laura Selby at Audley shares her typical day!

days are ever the same, I could be completing care tasks, supporting team members, marketing and onboarding, and other times arranging wellbeing events such as sing-a-long, oral care talks, falls prevention.

WHAT’S THE MOST REWARDING PART OF THE JOB?

My name is Laura Selby, I'm 31 years old and I am a Care Branch Manager from Birmingham.

I get to work in a unique setting where our owners move in and continue to live independently. As a care manager the aim of my job is to help them live well for longer. I love being able to rehabilitate our customers by working with a range of services. We see owners who have recurring falls be supported from 4 calls a day to none. Just from the work we do. We improve the quality of life for many of our customers, including one example of a bed bound customer who with help became mobile. These achievements from my team and multi-disciplinary teams working together is life-changing for our customers and rewarding for me as a manager to share.

WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE JOB?

NAME, AGE, LOCATION, AND JOB TITLE

My typical day is walking through reception, checking on the village team, taking handover of any concerns and checking cleaning quality of the village overnight. After collecting some milk from the bar, I head down to my office and complete 9@9 meeting with my coordinator to talk about tasks and anything we need to action. I sign into my computer, ready to check finances, staff schedules, book meetings, respond to emails and deal with all queries that come in. We have a village 10@10 meeting to go over income, allocate tasks and events for the day. No two

The biggest challenge of my role as a Care Manager is introducing new team members into an integrated retirement community, as it can be quite different to other settings that they have previously worked within.

But what I love about that is as an integrated retirement community, we have so much more to offer than simply domiciliary care and I can see the benefits of an all over focus on health and wellbeing on the people I work with.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? The people I work with, whether that's my care department, the village team, sales, owners, customers, it is such a diverse group I have learnt a lot from my peers and those who I have the privilege of looking after.

Accordion Surprise For Harry and Friends Warrington is alive with the sound of the music, much to the delight of older people residing at Belong, and particularly for one accordion enthusiast, whose retirement from playing the instrument inspired a surprise visit from an entertainer to assist in keeping the care village singing and dancing.

Avid performer Harry Holroy regularly showcases his talents by hosting concerts for fellow residents at their Latchford home. But owing to his instrument's weight (around 15lbs or just under 7 kilos) becoming too heavy to perch on his lap, the 95-year-old has had to give up one of his favourite pastimes.

Belong Warrington experience coordinator, Louise Kelly, provides more detail: "We all really missed the sounds of Harry and his accordion. We know how much it means to him and we wanted to do something special, so we arranged for a fellow accordionist to come in for a surprise show."

The musical talents of Robert Burton filled the dementia specialist's entertainment venue, which saw residents singing along and clapping, whilst others enjoyed the merriment by taking to the dancefloor. Later, personal meet and greets followed, with the guest of honour relishing the chance to share his happy memories of his passion.

Speaking of the experience, Harry said: "The music took me right back - I used to be able to play like Robert, you know! It's been a wonderful afternoon, and I can't believe this has all been for me."

Having learnt the piano as a child, an accordion gifted to Harry by a friend led to him falling in love with the German instrument. He developed his competence by performing for his family before taking to the club circuit in and around Warrington.

Louise Kelly continues: "It was lovely session for everyone, and Harry was in his element. We're grateful to Robert for joining us and for gifting a CD so we can continue sharing in the experience.

"A big part of our role is to support our customers to continue to enjoy life through activities that reflect their interests, so we're pleased it's been well received by all."

Past guests at Belong Warrington include singers and choirs, saxophonists and theatre groups, and the not-for-profit organisation has recently partnered with the UK's largest music therapy charity, Nordoff and Robbins. A visiting therapist is welcomed weekly to help its customers unlock memories, reduce isolation and regain their sense of identity, no matter their stage of dementia.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 19

Hospice Funding Falls Short By £47m more than it brings in. Hospice UK tracks hospice

England’s adults’ hospices have faced a realterms cut in their Government funding of £47m in the past two years, according to new data from Hospice UK. Hospice UK has gathered data from Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England which shows that there is not a single part of the country where Government funding of local hospice services has not fallen in real terms in the last two years.

Hospice UK calculated that for adults’ hospices, this means there is now a £47m gulf between the actual funding received and what the figure would have been had it kept pace with inflation.

The state funding hospices receive is primarily distributed through regional ICBs who have a statutory requirement to provide funding for palliative and end of life care appropriate to the level of need in their area. ICBs should provide ‘uplifts’ in contracts with organisations like hospices who provide those services, to reflect growing costs – though ICBs themselves ultimately rely on central government for the funds they have available.

Whilst some ICBs provided uplifts above the standard 1.7%, this still falls well below the increase needed to keep pace with inflation and help hospices keep pace with rising costs.

cost significantly more to provide, due to increases

OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS:

in things like salaries and energy bills.

• No ICBs provided uplifts to hospice contracts to match inflation.

• 5% gave no uplift at all.

• 28% of ICBs offered uplifts below the basic NHS uplift.

Disappointingly, 9 ICBs were yet to agree 20234 uplifts for hospice contracts by July 2023.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK “This state of affairs is unfair and short-sighted. Hospices care for some of the most vulnerable people in society, those at the end of their lives or grieving. But they are increasingly worried about the future of their services, with nearly every hospice in the UK spending

finances closely, and we estimate that hospices are currently on track to spend almost £200m more on delivering their care than they will receive in income.

This is highly alarming and clearly not sustainable.

“While hospices are mostly funded by charitable donations, NHS contracts represent around a third of the income of a typical adults’ hospice. But with the cost of caring for dying patients and their families spiralling, for Government support to fall short by £47 million means hospice care services are under threat.

“Hospices are a vital part of our wider healthcare system. It is unfair and unrealistic for the Government to allow their funding to hospices to fall short and expect local communities that support hospices so generously to make up the shortfall.

“ICBs have a duty to ensure palliative and end of life care in their area is well funded. But our data shows that nowhere is that funding anywhere near keeping pace with inflation. Our data shows that some hospices are still being paid the same in 2023 as they were 2 years ago to deliver services that now

“We’ve been warning for over a year about the impact that insufficient Government funding will have on essential hospice services. It’s getting critical.”

“Surely we all want to see end of life care and bereavement services properly funded, and available to anyone that needs it. We need ICBs to properly plan to meet the demand for palliative care in their area and provide fair funding to do so. And we need those ICBs to be properly funded by central Government. End of life care should not be determined by a postcode lottery.”

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE ADULT SOCIAL CARE SECTOR VISIT WWW.THECARERUK.COM

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PAGE 20 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Navigating The Complexities Of Diabetes In Social Care Settings

By Leni Wood, Head of Nutrition and Wellness at Nellsar Care Homes (www.nellsar.com) Across Great Britain, a growing diabetes crisis looms large, impacting more than five million individuals living with this condition, according to the latest figures released by Diabetes UK. What’s more, an additional 850,000 individuals remain undiagnosed, painting a stark picture of the pressing need for comprehensive diabetes care that tackles the diverse challenges faced by these individuals head-on.

UNRAVELLING THE UNIQUE IMPACT OF DIABETES ON OLDER ADULTS The British Dietetics Association champions steering clear of processed foods and refined sugars while emphasising hydration and embracing a whole-food diet brimming with protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and a healthy dose of vegetables. However, adhering to these overarching dietary guidelines for diabetes proves to be a complex puzzle, particularly for older adults. Many seniors living with diabetes may suffer from undernutrition or being underweight, rendering the blanket reduction of calories, fats, salt, and sugar inappropriate for their individual needs.

THE NEED FOR NUTRITIONAL EXPERTISE An array of factors can dampen the appetite of older individuals, including the side effects of medications, oral health complications, dehydration, social isolation, as well as a range of illnesses. To ensure that older individuals with diabetes receive the most robust support possible, it is important that they undergo a comprehensive nutritional assessment conducted by a registered dietitian.

As is the case within the 13 care communities within Nellsar Care Homes, an in-house nutritionist emerges as an indispensable resource in supporting residents living with diabetes. These professionals collaborate closely with care home kitchens to meticulously craft personalised menu plans, dispense culinary recommendations, and conduct educational sessions for both staff and residents. The guiding principle here is the

promotion of a "food-first" approach, fine-tuned to individual preferences — ensuring that residents have access to delectable and nutritionally enriching meal choices.

Further strides can be made to elevate the dining experience for residents living with diabetes. Simple yet impactful strategies, such as coaching nutrition and catering teams to prominently feature balanced and healthful options on menus and tea trolleys, have proven effective. In a conscious effort to foster inclusivity, at Nellsar, we opt for the term "healthy choices" instead of constricting them as "diabetic options”.

Another important consideration is the residents' food preferences and their previous approaches to selfmanaging diabetes in their own homes. While some individuals may have adhered to diabetes-specific diets, it’s important to recognise that sugar-free alternatives do not universally appease everyone's palate or dietary requirements. For those dependent on insulin, meticulous blood sugar level management is essential, yet the task assumes added complexity for individuals living with conditions such as dementia, who often have a penchant for sweeter foods.

EMBRACING THE PRINCIPLE OF MODERATION Moderation rises as the guiding beacon for diabetes management in care homes. Striking a delicate balance is challenging and although it is important to acknowledge reduced sugar alternatives, we now have access to a variety of recipes which offer nutritional balance and taste combined.

Diabetes care should not be restricted to merely controlling the condition; rather, it should look beyond this and consider enhancing the quality of life for those living with this condition. As a sector we must abandon the outdated notion that "sugar is forbidden" for individuals living with diabetes, urging instead to embrace a person-centred approach that recognises the profound impact of dietary choices on overall well-being.

Leni Wood is Head of Nutrition and Wellness at Nellsar, a family-run group of 13 care homes throughout Kent, Surrey, and Essex. Built on strong foundations, Nellsar has worked hard to build the trusted reputation of its homes and prides itself on being approachable, accountable, and empathic in its relationships with the families it supports.

Rennie Grove Peace Announces Conference Line Up Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care has announced the speakers for its annual Palliative Care Conference, taking place on Wednesday 18 October. The conference, which will this year explore the theme of ‘excellence in palliative care’, is an opportunity for healthcare professionals working within palliative and end of life care to come together and learn more about best practice, latest research and new developments in the field.

The conference will take place virtually, which means it is open to healthcare professionals around the country and has allowed the team to secure an esteemed list of speakers from across the UK. The event will be opened and chaired by Dr Sarah Klinger, the Medical Director at Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care (RGPHC) and a consultant in palliative medicine. She will be joined by: Mark Hazelwood, Chief Executive at the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC) whose talk is titled ‘Reason to be Cheerful, part one’ Melanie Nugent, Head of Clinical Education and Practice Development at Marie Curie who will talk about a systems approach to a co-designed career development and progression framework in palliative and end of life care James Norrish, Founder of the Digital Legacy Association, Digital Legacy Conference and MyWishes talking about how technology can change the way society thinks about and plans for death Professor Mark Taubert, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Honorary Professor at Cardiff University will talk about his experience of making virtual care a reality in a cancer centre

Jonathan Koffman, Professor of Palliative Care and Associate Director of the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre will address inequalities in palliative care and how to improve access for minoritised communities Jo Hockley, Senior Research Fellow in the Primary Palliative Care Research Group at the University of Edinburgh will take delegates through her experience of supporting practice-based learning in relation to death and dying for care home staff The annual conference is now in its 26th year, and 2023 is the first event since the merging of Rennie Grove Hospice Care and Peace Hospice Care to form Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.

Sophie Ebeling, Head of Learning & Development at Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, says: “We’re delighted to announce the line up for our first conference as a merged organisation. The aim of our merger is to reach more people, with a greater range of services and strengthen our voice in the national conversation around palliative and end of life care. This conference is a fantastic platform for enabling that conversation by bringing together some of the most influential speakers in the sector, and professionals from across the country, to share learnings, reflections and best practice, to support the delivery of palliative and end of life care across the UK.” To find out more or book your ticket, visit https://renniegrovepeace.org/for-healthcare-professionals/our-conference/

Blueleaf Launches New Product Guide to Show Latest Innovation in Care Beds and Pressure Care Mattress Design Blueleaf Care, the nationwide business that helps care homes deliver better outcomes, has released a new product guide for its range of care beds and pressure care mattresses, to help care providers choose the most suitable beds and mattresses for their residents.

Its collection of care beds consists of eight products, each with key features to accommodate the specific needs of care home residents. All beds, for example, have adjustable heights - the ‘Ultra Low Floorbed’ goes as low as 67mm off floor level – to improve accessibility for residents with limited mobility and to minimise the risk of injury in the event of a fall.

Blueleaf works with the bed manufacturers to ensure that the beds also support the carers to give the best care. An adjustment in the bed design, for example, means that when purchased with a Blueleaf mattress, beds do not require a third rail and still meet industry regulations for rail to mattress height. This also saves time in an environment where time is a rare commodity, and supports improved health and safety as they are not having to remove and install the rail each time.

Other features include a lockable handset and a range of upholstery options. Various wood finishes are also available for a design tailored to every individual room. With ease and efficiency in mind, all beds have a toolless assembly, removing the need for specialist equipment; and they use standard components, meaning that

they’re easy to fix should they require repairs; and many components are simply plug and play connections.

Additionally, Blueleaf’s collection of pressure care mattresses provide a vital solution to another widely prevalent challenge in care homes: the prevention, cure and treatment of pressure ulcers. The collection comprises the ‘SXM’ range of static mattresses and the ‘Easy Care’ range of dynamic mattresses, with the latter also featuring a cushion system and multifunctional pumps. The collection also includes the ‘Integra-mat’ which is exclusive to Blueleaf and can be used as a static or fully dynamic mattress, and the ‘Pressureguard’ which is a mattress system with adjustable height air cells to achieve zero pressure.

Each product contains various features that make them suitable for a wide range of residents with grade 1-4 pressure ulcers. The collection also delivers a range of benefits for carers. For instance, the highly advanced pump system automatically weighs the resident and adjusts mattress pressure accordingly, removing the need for manual weight input and individual pressure adjustment.

To download more information on Blueleaf’s range of beds and mattresses, or to book a meeting, please visit: www.blueleafcare.com/our-services/products/care-home-equipment/care-beds-and-pressure-caremattresses

Improving the Safety and Reliability of Mouth Care for Vulnerable People As the UK’s population continues to grow there has been a shift in the age structure towards later ages meaning we have an ageing population. While growing older does not necessarily equate with increased morbidity and dependency, ageing is often associated with increased needs for care and support. This include mouth care!

Studies show that as we age many people are retaining more of their own natural teeth.

Whilst this is, ‘a good thing’ the mouth care needs of people receiving care and support is now more complex and changeable with increasing dependency levels. Good oral health and general health are closely linked, and, poor oral health can have severe consequences on the general health of vulnerable people. For example, the relationship between advanced gum disease and cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and obesity are an undisputed fact. Mental health disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease also affect the oral health of older people.

Removing barriers to good mouth care: With age, the level of dependency of older people tends to increase. Highly dependent older people, whether they are at home or living in a care setting, may not be mobile enough to visit a dentist. We need a care system that provides support for improving the safety and delivery of ‘good mouth care’ on a ‘daily basis’ as well as access to dental services. Maintaining good mouth care is a fundamental factor for improving quality of life when in a care setting since many oral conditions are chronic in nature, cumulative over time, and socially patterned.

Reducing harm and delivering safe, effective and reliable mouth care: As people are retaining their natural teeth, care providers face an increased need and demand for the delivery of good mouth care on a daily basis. They need to ensure that staff have access to the ‘right tools’ in order to do the ‘right job’ to deliver safe , reliable and effective mouth care every time first time. They need to provide training and education to the whole workforce, at all levels, to meet the increasing needs of the elderly, whilst understanding that age-associated changes in systemic health and medication use can impact oral health and function.

At Oral Care Innovations we concentrate on what we know best. We work closely with health and care professionals nationally to develop new innovative mouth care products that meet the needs of our residents and patients. But that’s not where it ends. We share best practice and support care providers to develop a ‘Mouth Care Policy’ with bespoke training and resources that provides staff with the ‘right skills’ to carry out safe, reliable and effective mouth care every time.

Effective mouthcare helps to maintain health, wellbeing and dignity, and contributes to quality of life. It is particularly important that vulnerable older people receive additional help to look after their mouth and keep it clean.

It is essential that all care staff are suitably trained and skilled to provide good mouthcare. Training and skill development should take place at induction and throughout their working career. Ensuring staff have the right product, to do the right job to reduce risk factors by delivering good mouth care every time is key in delivering good care.

OCI are pleased to launch its new product Mc3S. This builds on the success of its sister product the Mc3, but with added

SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND RELIABLE MOUTH CARE PRODUCTS Discover the wide range of MC mouth care products to deliver safe, reliable and effective mouth care with confidence. Our products were developed following a medical safety alert from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency which involved the use of foam mouth swabs. Over 800 patient safety incidents have been reported by The National Patient Safety Agency, where the foam headed products either become detached or pieces of the foam head were torn off and retained or lodged in the mouth. Foam mouth swabs have been banned across Wales and many Healthcare Trusts across the UK. Discover our safe, reliable and effective mouth care resources.

The Mc3 can help prevent the risk factors associated with Community Associated Pneumonia and other systemic diseases.

Mc3 is a safe replacement for all sponge mouth swabs. The cone shaped head and soft round filaments soothe the tongue and soft tissues when cleansing the inside of the mouth.

The Mc3S suction can help prevent the risk factors associated with Community Associated Pneumonia for people who have an impaired swallow and require suctioning. The cone shaped head and soft round filaments cleansing the inside of the mouth whilst removing sticky secretions and saliva via suctioning. The finger hold manages and controls the degree of suction by increasing and reducing flow. The unique addition of a soft ‘blade’ enables stubborn caked secretions to be removed safely and effectively.

The Mc4 can reduce bacterial build up, food debris, fungi and dead cells from the surface of the tongue that are related to many common oral and general health problems. Designed with a soft and tactile ridged head that gently scrapes the surface of the tongue to remove dead cells and bacteria build up safely

suction ability to use with our portable suction machines.

Check out our range of Mouth Care ‘End of Life Resources’.

Safe mouth care products in one place

For more information contact our team on: Sales@oralcareinnovations.co.uk Telephone: +44 (0) 1492 701277

The Mc6 can be used to moisten the lips, tongue and soft tissues inside the mouth.

With a slow flow of water from two drip holes, a gentle compression against the lips or inside the mouth is enough to provide a slow controlled flow of liquid to the mouth safely. This reduces the risk of choking.

www.oralcareinnovations.co.uk

PAGE 22 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

Forget the Gym: Why Gardening Could Be Key To A Healthier Life

In the UK, over one in five people could be doing more exercise for good health. Whilst many of us know that we should be more active, we often think that this means having to head to the gym, overlooking other ways to get moving.

Luxury residential and dementia care home provider Ideal Carehomes, who run their annual Gardens in Bloom competition throughout the summer, reveal the health benefits of gardening and how it can encourage people to lead healthier lives.

PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS There are many physical benefits for the body associated with gardening; it's a hobby that combines aerobic activity with strength.

Gardeners are constantly using and stretching their muscles, as well as

keeping their joints moving. This helps to relieve muscle tension and promotes healthier joints.

Being outside and safely enjoying the sun also helps the body to absorb more vitamin D which is important to keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

Lisa Dews, Home Manager at Woodland View says “We love to see our residents out in the garden watching them plant and prune.

Gardening is a great option as we can adapt the tasks to get everyone involved and enjoy some active time, regardless of their physical ability.”

Gardening has also been shown to improve balance and dexterity, with studies showing that those who do more gardening are associated with less risk of future falls[2]. Having good balance is important, especially as we age, so it’s a good idea to keep up with activities that can help improve this. With 30 minutes of gardening burning more calories than 30 minutes of yoga[3], it’s a great hobby to choose to stay active whilst building balance too.

garden to help give our bodies and minds a boost.”

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS Gardening often goes hand-in-hand with growing fruit and veg, something which in turn promotes a healthier diet. Studies suggest that people who garden more frequently were associated with higher levels of fruit and vegetable consumption[5].

Residents at Cadley Hill View recently designed a new vegetable patch ahead of this year’s Gardens in Bloom competition.

Rachael Woollett, a resident at the home says, “It’s brilliant that we have been able to grow our own lettuces, they are most definitely tastier being homegrown – Cadley grown! It's more natural and organic which is always preferred, planted, and picked by our own fair hands.”

MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS Physical activity has been found to decrease the risk of some mental health conditions by up to 30%[4], so it’s no surprise that gardening can also be beneficial. Helping to provide the brain with stimulation through movement, sights, sounds and smells, gardening is a great mood enhancer.

Pat Isherwood, Resident at Launton Grange, previous joint winner of the Ideal Carehomes Garden in Bloom competition, explains “We have so much fun in the garden enjoying the fresh air and putting in the work to prepare it for Gardens in Bloom, it gives us something to focus on! Even when it’s not competition time, we all love getting out in the

Talented Volunteer Strikes a Chord at Oldbury Care Home A talented young volunteer has received an award in recognition of her exceptional contributions at an Oldbury care home.

Hannah Chambers began volunteering at Portway House Care Home on Newbury Lane in 2021, just as COVID-19 restrictions began to ease. Since then, she has visited the home regularly, orchestrating moments of joy for residents with customised performances of their favourite songs.

In recognition of her commitment to brightening the lives of Portway House residents, Hannah recently received an Oldbury Community Volunteers Award.

These awards celebrate individuals making a difference in Wednesbury through voluntary work. Hannah was among 14 young volunteers in Sandwell who received this prestigious certificate and had the honour of enjoying tea and cake with the Mayor at the Council House.

One of Hannah’s most remarkable contributions is singing on the dementia floor. She has a deep affinity for those with dementia, carefully selecting songs from their life stories and family anecdotes. Families and residents alike have showered her with compliments for her ability to connect with residents through her music, truly hitting the right note in their hearts.

Kim Young, registered manager at Portway House, praised Hannah’s commitment, saying, “What sets Hannah apart is her personalised approach. She

takes the time to engage with residents, learning their favourite songs and listening to their stories. Drawing from these interactions, Hannah tailors her shows to each resident’s preferences. She even creates special themed performances for occasions like Christmas and Halloween, which are always a hit.

“What makes Hannah truly special is her dedication. Beyond group performances, she always finds time to visit residents too unwell to leave their beds, bringing her music directly to them. She has brought invaluable comfort and happiness to our residents, especially those with dementia. Her commitment is a shining example of the positive impact one individual can make.”

Although not a professional singer, Hannah’s talent was nurtured during her time in the National Youth Theatre. While she pursued academia, her love for performing remained. As a member of Amdrams (The Amateur Theatre Network), she decided to use her passion to bring music to the ears of residents at Portway House.

Hannah shared her experience, saying, “I never imagined that my love for singing could make such a profound difference in people’s lives. The smiles and joy I see on the residents’ faces make every moment worth it. It’s safe to say that I enjoy my time with all the residents and singing for them even more than they do!”

Anchor Receives RSPCA Platinum Pawprints Award Housing and care provider Anchor, has received a platinum award in the RSPCA’s PawPrints awards for continuing to support pet-owning residents, becoming the first national housing provider to do so.

Anchor received the recognition having secured a Gold award every year for five years in a row. The RSPCA’s PawPrints awards celebrate the work of various organisations in safeguarding animal welfare.

Anchor encourages residents who want a pet or already own pets to bring them to their properties and created their compassionate Pet Policy in partnership with Anchor residents, to ensure their accommodation is suitable and the needs of domestic pets living at Anchor properties are being met.

Animals are a celebrated part of life at Anchor. Over half of Anchor properties have pets living there and Anchor organises many pet-based activities including a yearly “Pawsome Pet” award to celebrate all creatures great and small living at Anchor properties.

This pet friendly approach is why the RSPCA has consistently awarded Anchor Gold which has led to platinum status.

Sarah Jones, Anchor’s Chief Executive, said: “I’m delighted that

Anchor has won a platinum PawPrints award from the RSPCA. This is a great honour and recognises our ongoing commitment and dedication to supporting pet ownership at our locations.

Domestic pets can provide fantastic companionship, comfort and love and we pride ourselves on creating homes where people can continue to love living in later life and supporting pet ownership is a big part of that.”

Lee Gingell, the RSPCA’s public affairs manager for local government, said: “We’re thrilled to see Anchor pick up the RSPCA’s Housing (Platinum) PawPrints Award. We’ve awarded platinumlevel PawPrints awards to organisations that have won gold-level for five or more years consecutively, which again shows Anchor’s unwavering commitment to protecting and promoting animal welfare.

“PawPrints is all about shouting from the rooftops, recognising individuals and teams and celebrating and promoting best practice. We’re delighted to showcase Anchor and their work to protect and promote animal welfare; going above and beyond for animals and looking way past statutory minimums because it’s the right thing to do – for humans and animals.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 23

Community Integrated Care and Sport England Win Best Partnership In Charitable Sector The relationship between Sport England and Community Integrated Care, one of the biggest social care providers in the UK, has been named the Best National Corporate Partnership in the charity sector.

The honour, which was presented at the 2023 Charity Times Awards, recognises their joint efforts to improve the lives of thousands of people who access care and support. Judges commended the joint work of the two organisations in championing social inclusion through major events, creating ambitious new physical activity programmes, and utilising sport to influence social change.

At the heart of this success has been Community Integrated Care’s creation of their unique Inclusive Volunteering Model, which has been delivered with the Rugby League World Cup 2021, UEFA Women’s EURO 2022, World Gymnastics Championships 2022 and 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.

The Inclusive Volunteering Programme sees the charity support people who draw on social care to grow in skills, confidence, and social connection through participating in innovative personal development programmes inspired by the events and volunteering at them.

Inclusive Volunteering enables people of all abilities and interests to contribute to the fan and athlete experience of an event, whilst also enjoying life-changing opportunities and living their dreams. From supporting people who have profound learning disabilities to create gifts of soap and artworks for visiting athletes, to providing education that has enabled people to find creative talents to take on media, photography and performance roles at events, the programme has changed lives.

The partnership with Sport England has also seen Community Integrated Care create inclusive and imaginative new ways to enable physical activity. This includes developing the Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League – which gives almost 400 people the chance to play for rugby league’s biggest clubs with the Rugby Football League, partnering with Table Tennis England to introduce their sport

as an accessible activity in social care settings, and collaborating with the WWF, National Trust, and RSPB to create nature walking groups inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s Wild Isles.

The programmes developed through Sport England’s backing of Community Integrated Care have formed vibrant communities, where people are supported to make friends and live happier, connected and more active lives. This can be seen in the creation of www.What-To-Do.co.uk, an award-winning online hub that gives people free activity experiences with leading athletes and sporting organisations. They have also addressed important societal issues – such as hate crime, personal safety, and accessibility.

Praising the partnership, the judges said: “This innovative partnership has changed opportunities for people living with disabilities, reaching a large audience through major sporting events and demonstrating high levels of inclusivity.”

Esther Jones, Senior Manager, Disability Team Sport England said: “We are incredibly proud to have supported Community Integrated Care with their innovative approach to inclusive volunteering.

The programme uses a truly person-centred approach to understand what people are interested in, and then works with them to develop and use their skills linked to volunteering.

Paving the way, the work that Community Integrated Care has done with the partners involved has led to the creation of a successful volunteering model that can be used at all levels of sport and physical activity to ensure that spectating, volunteering and participating truly is accessible and inclusive for everyone.

We are so pleased to see this work continuing and new partnerships developing as a result of our work together. There is more positive work to come, too. Through links with UK Sport, Community Integrated Care are now partnering with other sports and organisations to develop a wide range of inclusive programmes linked to future sporting events, which is fantastic.

Care Home Residents Recall Fond Memories Staff and residents from Reigate Beaumont care home in Reigate were treated to a trip down memory lane whilst looking at all sorts of old memorabilia.

Residents had lovely time remembering items from the past, sharing stories from when they first remembered the items. The memorabilia were exact copies of magazine, newspapers, cards, advertisements and boxes of items. The afternoon ended with a delicious afternoon tea and cake for residents to enjoy.

General Manager of Reigate Beaumont, Pramojil Kurian, said: “Our residents love nothing better than enjoying an afternoon with tea and cake and talking about their memories. It is lovely to hear the residents talk about the items on display.”

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"Ugliness Kills" The Lifesaving Necessity of Aesthetic Design in Elderly Care

By Roeland Pelgrims Co-Founder and CEO of Nobi Smart Lamps (www.nobi.life) In the complex world of elderly care, where safety and security are the top priorities, design often falls by the wayside. However, this is a mistake, and one that comes at the cost of people’s wellbeing and potentially their lives.

Scientists have proven that surrounding patients, and the residents of longer-term care facilities, with good lighting, beautiful design and a connection to nature will speed their recovery, and dramatically improve their quality of life. So why is it that medical tech developers doggedly prioritise functionality over form, making assistive technology clinical, obvious, stigmatising and ugly?

Nobi aims to contribute revolutionary, lifesaving fall detection and prevention technology to the Agetech sector without compromising on design. In the past, Agetech has tended to view older people purely as passive receivers of care. But that is not how we see them, and for their mental and physical wellbeing it is imperative that this is not how they see themselves. The award-winning Nobi Smart Lamps support older people to continue living as independently as possible, offering a reliable safety system, while blending seamlessly into their surroundings.

THE RESTORATIVE POWER OF BEAUTY Science has shown that waking up every day surrounded by ugly medical equipment can diminish a person’s wellbeing and sense of self. Some may find this hard to believe. We rarely stop to consider that the impact of beauty isn’t just psychological; it’s physiological. A landmark study, conducted by Roger S Ulrich demonstrated that patients in rooms with garden views convalesce faster than those who are stuck staring at a brick wall. But this isn’t just about pleasant views, it shows that our surroundings have a measurable impact on our physical health. Being surrounded by beauty led to shorter postoperative hospital stays, fewer negative evaluative comments from nursing staff, less

moderate to strong medication, and fewer postoperative complications. Results that are very hard to ignore.

Laura Gilpin further expanded on the idea of using aesthetics to accelerate healing. She found that displaying psychologically appropriate artwork reduces stress and improves pain relief outcomes. Other studies, conducted by Eastman et al., and Beauchemin & Hays, highlight the restorative power of light. They showed that bright light therapy had an antidepressant effect when compared with a placebo, and that patients treated in sunny rooms had a significantly shorter stay in hospital on average, when compared with patients treated in dim rooms.

PUTTING THE RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE All of this works together to confirm something that we already instinctively know; that well lit, nicely decorated surroundings with a connection to nature in the form of a garden, will make someone feel happier and healthier than being confined in a dimly lit space with nothing but bare walls. So, what can we do to help already over-

stretched care facilities implement these practices for their residents?

Long term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and hospice care are necessary services, that most people will encounter in some form throughout their lives, whether it is as a family member, resident or member of staff. These places should be as welcoming and comforting as possible; an oasis where older people can continue their lives with the support and care that they need to maintain their dignity and quality of life. Instead, for many they are clinical and cold.

Innovators in the AgeTech space are helping to bring about this change, one item at a time. Nobi smart lamps bring a wealth of hight tech functionality to protect and support vulnerable people, whilst also bringing the healing powers of warm light and beautiful design. These lamps are designed to work with residents to prevent and detect falls without looking like a medical device.

The lamps blend into a room and bring medical functionality, but with a home appeal. Implementing more features like this will in turn free up care professionals time to focus on one-to-one care.

A shift in this space to prioritise quality of life is long overdue. We have a wealth of scientific evidence to support taking a more holistic approach to healing and health, where every aspect of someone’s life is incorporated into their care plan. The sector is overstretched, with staff shortages creating stress. For this reason, introducing a new approach, that prioritise form as well as function, beauty as well as basic care, must be baked in from the ground up. Change doesn’t happen overnight, especially in a sector as a large and complex as adult social care. However, now that we can quantify the healing power of beauty it would be inexcusable to ignore it.

For more information on the Nobi Lamps please visit: https://www.nobi.life/en_GB

Man City Surprise Brings Back Memories For 91-Year-Old Fan A 91-YEAR-OLD lifelong fan of Manchester City has been recalling past heroes and events that shaped the club’s history after attending his first game in decades.

Jack Evans remembers watching pre-WW2 matches with his father in the 1930s and seeing his favourite players like Peter Doherty and Frank Swift.

He also recalled Manchester United sharing City’s Maine Road stadium after the Manchester Blitz in 1940, and the final match before the club moved to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003.

The memories came flooding back to Jack, who lives at Lever Edge Care Home, on Lever Edge Lane, Great Lever, after he was gifted two tickets to watch City’s two-nil defeat of Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

The care home’s head of domestics, Heidi Armstrong, discovered Jack’s love of Man City when she was cleaning his room.

She said: “I asked Jack about his favourite football team and he said Manchester City. He then started telling me about his favourite players and attending matches with his dad.”

Jack said: “I remember everything about Man City, even from when I was a child. I had some amazing times at those games. I’ve been a lifelong fan.

“My favourite players were Peter Doherty, the club’s star striker, and keeper Frank Swift, who played in the late 30s and early 40s.

“I remember when Man United and Man City shared the stadium in the 1940s as Old Trafford had been damaged in the blitz. It was amazing to see them in the same stadium.

“I remember the final match at Maine Road football stadium, which was my favourite.”

Jack told Heidi he would love to visit Etihad Stadium one day as he’d never seen his favourite team play there, so she went about trying to make his dream come true.

Heidi asked the care home’s activities coordinator, Manny Patel, and senior carer Mike Adamson, to

email the club to ask about complementary tickets.

Heidi’s son, Frankie, heard about his mother’s mission to get Jack tickets to a match and gave him his club hat. He said: “He’ll need it if he ever goes to see them.”

To everyone’s surprise, the club responded to their email within a week with the offer of two tickets to the Nottingham Forest game, and the stage was set to surprise Jack.

On the morning of the game, Manny went into Jack’s room and woke him with the news. She said: “Jack couldn’t believe it. He was over the moon.”

Jack was also gifted two Man City football shirts to commemorate the day, one by night staff senior carer Tracey Hewitt and her husband, who are also Man City Fans, and the other by Jack’s family.

Manny added: “He happily got himself ready for the day, having a shave and getting his new shirt on.”

When Heida got to the care home to pick Jack up for the game wearing her own Man City shirt she said: “Oh, we look like twins, Jack.”

She added: “Jack was overjoyed when we got to the stadium. We went in and he couldn’t believe how big it was. He was loving every minute of it, enjoying a pie while watching the stadium fill up.

“We both joined in the chants and cheering the team to a two-nil win over Forest. We both had the biggest smiles on our faces on the way back. It really was a day to remember.”

Lisa Martin, home manager at Lever Edge Care Home, said: “At 91 years of age, his recollection of his favourite team is incredible, remembering watching matches with his dad in the 1930s and 40s and later games at the now gone Maine Road stadium.

“We all want to say a massive thank you to Manchester City for sending tickets to Jack. It was an amazing surprise for him and really meant the world.”

Registration For The Multi Award-Winning Care Show Is Now Open Registration for the Care Show, taking place at NEC Birmingham on 11-12 October, is now live.

Free-to-attend for care and healthcare professionals, the Care Show is the must-attend annual event for the entire care sector, bringing together professionals looking to connect with their community, gain new insights, exchange ideas, and revolutionise social care.

This year’s conference programme will deliver key updates across social care and carefully curated content focusing on current issues and debates in the sector, including improving culture to help develop people and workforce, sharing best practice around care home design and improving environments for staff and residents, technology and digital evolution to help deliver a better level of care, guides to help your achieve an outstanding rating from CQC, tips to help the dayto-day running of your business and an exclusive workshop-style theatre for care managers.

Michael Corbett, Portfolio Director at CloserStill Media (organiser of the Care Show), said: “We are delighted to be back with a bigger show, which has been created with the care sector at mind. Working more closely with independent care providers and the large national chains, this year’s Care Show is aimed towards those from line staff making a difference every day, to the owners, c-suite and Directors who are helping create a growing industry.

New for 2023, the Care Show will be co-located with Retirement Living Show, an event for professionals working to create independence for senior living, from raising finance, construction, business model, understanding legalities, and architecture to affordable living.

The Care Show was awarded “Best Trade Event over 2000sqm” in April at the Exhibition News Awards 2023, and Best UK Tradeshow 4,001sqm – 8,000 sqm in June at the AEO Excellence Awards 2023.

FREE tickets for all care and healthcare professionals are available at www.careshow.co.uk/tcuk

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Cheshire Admiral Nurse Shares Her Top Strategies For Families Coping With Dementia-Related Hallucinations A Dementia Resource Community (DRC) Admiral Nurse has shared her top strategies for families coping with dementia-related hallucinations.

Working alongside Cheshire and Merseyside Partnership NHS Trust Community Mental Health Team and the Jocelyn Solly Resource Centre in Macclesfield, Laura Birch is dedicated to supporting families affected by dementia.

With extensive experience covering the Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Knutsford areas of Cheshire, Laura provides practical advice to families and those living with dementia symptoms to help reduce the distress and discomfort that associated sensory changes can cause.

Hallucinations can be a common occurrence for individuals with dementia, causing them to see, hear, feel, or smell something that isn't really there. This can be extremely upsetting for both the person experiencing the hallucination and their caregivers.

Visual and auditory hallucinations, such as seeing children in their homes or hearing voices that are not there, can be particularly challenging to manage.

Laura said: “It's important to understand that these hallucinations are a symptom of the disease and not a deliberate act of the person with dementia.

“Some people living with dementia experience visual illusions, such as misinterpreting what is seen. I once supported a gentleman who thought that the trees swaying in the breeze outside his window were people waving at him. Another man with dementia believed my coat was turning into a bear beside me as I spoke with him.”

Visual hallucinations tend to be the most common form of hallucination. They are particularly common in Lewy body dementia, which accounts for 10-15% of dementia diagnoses. A person with Lewy body dementia may see things that are not there, such as flashing lights or more complex perceptions like animals or people.

“Admiral Nurses like me can provide solutions to reduce visual hallucinations and their effects,” said Laura.

“I often suggest that carers cover reflective surfaces such as mirrors as sometimes the person with dementia may look in the mirror and perceive the reflection to be another person in the house, which can cause distress.

“Other strategies that may be useful include closing curtains to avoid reflections in the windowpane that could be misinterpreted, and using plain-coloured bedding to avoid the brain confusing the patterns for something else.

“It’s also important to make sure the person with dementia has regular eye tests to manage any visual disturbance that could be causing perceptual problems.

“People living with dementia can also be troubled by auditory hallucinations. This can include hearing people speak who are not really there, or sounds that are not present such as ringing or echoing. It’s good practice to ensure the person has had an up-to-date hearing test to rule out any physical hearing difficulties.

“I advise carers on reassurance and distraction techniques, such as playing music to reduce distress and discomfort, which can also encourage relaxation. Music is known to stimulate all parts of the brain, meaning it may be remembered for longer and bring joy and comfort. Studies have found that it can positively affect the brain and sometimes even reduce auditory hallucinations.

“It’s important to remember that hallucinations may not only be distressing for the individual experiencing them but also for their carers. If you’re caring for a person with dementia, it’s important to seek support with your own health and wellbeing. Admiral Nurses like me are there for families impacted by dementia to help them to manage symptoms and issues as they arise and provide support during difficult times.”

Laura found her calling while caring for residents living with dementia at a care home.

Her passion for dementia care led her to become an Admiral Nurse, where she provides education, advice, and coping strategies to help families support their loved ones. Laura's diverse role sees her working alongside families dealing with complex symptoms of dementia, providing vital support during challenging times.

Admiral Nurses are supported and developed by Dementia UK to provide life-changing support for families affected by all forms of dementia. Nurses come from a variety of specialities, such as mental health, general nursing, and learning disability. https://www.dementiaresourcecommunity.co.uk/

HC-One Care Homes Mark Alzheimer's Awareness Month Throughout September, HC-One care homes across Britain have marked Alzheimer’s Awareness Month through awareness raising, fund raising and providing support to those in their local communities who are affected by the condition.

At Fosse Way View Care Home in Bingham, Nottinghamshire, a Senior Carer called Louise Royston completed a 30 mile walk for dementia charity, Dementia UK, as part of World Alzheimer’s Month.

Louise has worked at Fosse Way View since 2022 which is a residential and residential dementia care home. Having been inspired by spending time with residents living with dementia at Fosse Way View, Louise walked 30 miles – finishing the walk with a few laps of the Fosse Way View garden - raising £70 for Dementia UK. To celebrate completing the challenge Louise and her fellow walkers enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea together in the care home garden afterwards with residents, their relatives and friends.

Louise Royston, Senior Carer at Fosse Way View Care Home, said: “I really enjoyed the challenge, especially completing the last few yards with residents, relatives, and friends at Fosse Way View. The cheer I received as I did my last few steps was very rewarding – as was my cup of tea and slice of cake a few moments later!

“I am very grateful to everyone who sponsored me. Dementia is something I witness every day, so I am delighted to give any help I can to support families affected.”

Residents at Brandon House Care Home, a Nursing Dementia Care Home in Coventry, marked Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and Arts in

Care Week by building a memory tree.

The idea to create the memory tree came during a residents meeting after one resident described how seeing leaves reminded her of walking her dogs in a local park. Residents visited Coombe Park to get ideas of how the memory tree should look. Whilst most of the work designing and building the tree was done by residents, help was provided by two local young people’s groups, St Laurence’s Summer School, and Tile Hill Brownies. They helped residents design leaves and other decorations during recent visits to the care home.

Additional help was provided by The Coundon Crafters, who assisted the home by knitting flowers and birds to adorn the memory tree branches.

Gayle Dobson, a resident at Brandon House care home, said: “Creating the memory tree was a lovely project to do. For many of us it brought back memories of good times we had of walking in parks and breathing in fresh air.”

Home Manager at Brandon House, Sheryl Davis, commented: “It was lovely to see everyone get involved. The memory tree area is nice to sit and relax in, listening to the birds singing and looking at the tree and what is on it.

“We found that participating in the arts and crafts really helped the residents’ wellbeing, helping spur their memories and recollections of time spent in parks and woodland, and has been a helpful social activity too. It’s been a very joyful experience.”

Residents living with dementia at Victoria Manor Care Home in Whitley, Coventry, went on a special day trip to Skegness.

A group of four residents at the home had expressed their keen wish to visit the seaside after a number of years away, so Deputy Manager, Alyiah Campbell, and Wellbeing Coordinator, Katie Becker, worked together to make it happen.

During their away-day, residents were able to enjoy the fresh sea air and delicious fish and chips and ice cream by the sea front, play in the amusement arcades, and relax with a pint of beer in the pub. The trip helped bring back residents’ memories of their childhood trips to the seaside and later on, taking their own children.

Home Manager at Victoria Manor Care Home, Tina Booton, discussed why experiences like this can be so important for people living with dementia, stating: “People with dementia may struggle to recall firm memories, but trips like this can help evoke feelings of happiness and be catalysts for conversations about lived experiences. In turn, people can feel less isolated and more connected to the world around them.

“We were very pleased to be able to facilitate this activity as part of our commitment to people-centred care, especially World Alzheimer’s Month.”

At Needham Court Care Home in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, the home held a Summer Fair. On the lead up to hosting the Summer Fair, residents living at the home created handmade crafted items to sell on their own stall at the fair to raise funds for a charity of their choice, choosing to donate funds raised to Dementia UK. Residents crafted a selection of items including bookmarks, fresh flower paper weights, keyrings, bracelets and wreaths, with everything costing 50 pence.

Residents Betty Hones and Audrey Swann assisted with selling the items on the stall, raising a total of £20 to be donated to Dementia UK. Joanne Mills, Home Manager at Needham Court, commented: “I am really proud of the residents hard work in crafting a range of handmade items to sell at the homes Summer Fair to raise funds for Dementia UK, a charity close to all of our hearts, as part of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.”

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 27

Age UK Analysis Reveals That Almost 6 Million People (5,800,000) Aged 65+ are Either Unable to Use The Internet Safely and Successfully or Aren’t Online At All Startling new analysis carried out by Age UK reveals that almost half (46%) of over-65s in the UK are unable to complete all eight of the most fundamental tasks[i] required to use the internet safely and successfully[ii]. The comparable figures for people aged 65 to 74, and for those aged 75 & over, are 30% and 69% respectively. The Charity says this shows that the headlong rush towards ‘digital by default’ is excluding millions of older people from being able to access and use the essential public services they need – including some for which they are the target audience and principal users.

The findings are released on the day that Age UK launches a new campaign, #OfflineandOverlooked, designed to persuade the Government to ensure that everyone is able to choose to access and use public services offline – by phone, letter or face to face as appropriate – rather than constantly being forced down a digital route. This would end the discrimination against millions of older people who are not online or digitally savvy, that means many currently struggle to do routine things like make a medical appointment, order a blue badge for their car or pay to park it.

The number of older people online has increased substantially over recent years, but there is still a sizable minority who are not online. In fact, a total of 2.7 million over-65s in the UK do not use the internet at all, equivalent to around one in five (22%) of this age group[iii]. It is also notable that this includes almost 500,000 over-65s who had used the internet in the past but don’t do so now, showing that as we age it is not unusual to scale down or cease our online activities altogether.

Despite digital technology playing an increasing role in our lives and, for many of us, it being essential to the way we socialise, work, shop, manage their finances, access services, and get entertainment, Age UK warns not everyone is online while others only use the internet in limited ways and not always in ways that are safe. Among over-65s in the UK[ii]: • Almost one-in-four (23%) are unable to turn on the device and enter any account login information as required.

• Almost three-in-ten (28%) are unable to find and open different applications/programmes/ platforms on their devices (e.g. opening a web browser, messaging applications).

• One-in-four (25%) are unable to keep their login information and passwords for a device and any accounts secure (e.g. not shared with anyone or written down or left prominently near a device).

• One-in-four (25%) are unable to update and change their password when prompted to do so.

• Around one-in-five (24%) are unable to open an Internet browser to find

and use websites (e.g. Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge).

• Around one-in-five (26%) are unable to use the different settings on their device to make it easier to use (e.g. adjust font size, volume settings, brightness of screen, voice activation or screen readers).

• Around one-in-four (21%) are unable to use the available controls on their device (e.g. mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, trackpad).

• Around one-in-three (35%) are unable to set up a connection to a Wi-fi network on their devices (e.g. when at home, work, out in public or visiting family and friends).

Although many older people fully embrace the digital world, digital exclusion increases with age. Among older people in England who wished to use the internet more frequently, Age UK’s own research shows[iv]: • Around 69% of people aged 65 and over do not have good enough IT skills to do so.

• Around 37% of people aged 65and over said they didn’t trust the internet.

• Around 9% of people aged 65and over said health reasons prevented them from doing this.

• Around 25% of people aged 65 and over do not have good enough equipment and/or broadband access.

Age UK’s new research supports the Charity’s call for older people who cannot, or do not want to use the internet to have access to services and support in another way that suits them.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said: “The figures we are releasing today should be a wake-up call for policymakers, because they show the alarming extent to which the rush towards ‘digital by default’ is excluding our older population. It is well known that millions of older people are not online and that’s bad enough, but now it is also clear that even among those who are online in this age group, the majority only have relatively limited digital skills. When you think about it this is not really surprising since they did not grow up with the technology and some have had only limited exposure to it as adults.

“The fact that so many millions of older people are unable to participate safely and successfully online is an inconvenient truth for governments and other organisations keen to slash costs by moving everything online, but it’s one we must confront and act on as a society.

If we don’t, we are essentially saying it’s ok for legions of older people not to be able to do ordinary things like book a medical appointment, organise a blue badge for their car or pay to park it and surely that is totally unacceptable. It is at best infantilising older people and at worst

erecting insurmountable barriers when it comes to them getting the essential services they need - including medical treatment, which is downright dangerous.

“At Age UK we think it’s time that everyone has the right to access public services offline. This is not being Luddite, far from it – as a Charity we run some brilliant digital inclusion programmes around the country – but rather a recognition that online methods simply are not working for millions of older people now and never will, and they should be able to choose to access public services in more traditional ways – by phone, letter and face to face, as appropriate.

"That’s why today, at Age UK we are launching a new public campaign, #OfflineandOverlooked, with two key asks: All public services, including the NHS, council services and other nationally provided public services, must be legally required to offer and promote an affordable, easy to access, offline way of reaching and using them, funded by central Government.

The Government should lead on the development of a long term, fully funded national Digital Inclusion Strategy, to support people of all ages who want to go online to do so. [The last such strategy was produced in 2014].

“We are launching an online and offline petition and we hope that millions of people of all ages will sign up and join us in our campaign.

As a Charity we have been inundated by complaints from older people who are deeply unhappy about organisations they engage with forcing them down a digital route, including from some in later life who use computers but who still prefer to talk to someone sometimes, over the phone or face to face. We have also heard from some older people who simply gave up even trying to access the service they needed because they couldn’t manage a more technological approach, which is undemocratic as well as extremely sad.

"We should be using digital tech to expand choice for people, not restrict it, but unfortunately the statistics we are drawing attention to today mean 'digital by default' hard wires discrimination against our older population and that's totally unacceptable.”

To sign Age UK’s Offlineandoverlooked petition go to: https://tinyurl.com/OfflineandOverlooked. People who are not online can also sign (or request a petition sheet to get loved ones to sign) by writing to: Freepost, Age UK campaign.

Locally and nationally Age UK works to increase digital engagement for those older people who want to increase their digital skills. To learn more about getting online and staying safe whilst using the internet, please visit www.ageuk.org.uk/digital-champions

Intergenerational Project Benefits Young And Old In Liphook A community link up that brings different generations together has provided insight and interest for young and old alike.

As part of a civic award being undertaken by children from Liphook Junior School, year 6 pupils aged 10 and 11 have been making regular visits to residents of Bramshott Grange Care Home in Liphook.

And the school reciprocated the favour by inviting the residents to take a trip down memory lane and visit their school.

Teacher Kirsty Clarke said both groups have benefitted from this ‘intergenerational’ experience.

“I think it has helped the children realise that older people weren’t always old – they were children just like them once. They can discuss the differences between then and now and also what they have in common,” she said.

“The children were fascinated by the life stories, one resident used to be a nanny to the Royal family, another was a pilot. All the different countries the older generation had travelled to was also interesting, Canada, Australia, and all over Europe.”

The youngsters exchanged letters with the residents and also made several visits to Bramshott Grange,

which is owned by luxury care group Dormy Care Communities. As well as exchanging life stories they joined the ladies and gentlemen for lunch and played board games.

Meanwhile the residents enjoyed visiting the school to join in with their celebration of Canada Day and to watch the pupils perform a play.

From the school’s perspective the link up is one of a number of community components of the civic award which also includes the older pupils leading play sessions with infants, litter picking and helping out at a foodbank.

And for Bramshott the link-up is one of a wide range of stimulating activities on offer to residents, with such inter-generational experiences proven to have multiple benefits including boosting mental wellbeing, combatting loneliness and memory stimulation.

Annabelle Groves, Activity Coordinator at Bramshott Grange, says: “Our ladies and gentlemen really look forward to the children visiting and taking part in activities and chatting with them.

“It has had a very positive effect and we are looking forward to welcoming the children back when term starts again in September.”

Huckleberry Lodge Opened Its Doors to the Community with a Grand Open Day Huckleberry Lodge, a newly refurbished private residential suite on the grounds of Loganberry Lodge, celebrated its new refurbishments with a grand open day on the 22nd of September.

Located in 79-81 New Farm Road in Stanway, Colchester, the event was an exciting opportunity for the community to explore this charming establishment, with celebrations taking place in the garden and conservatory.

The open day brought members of the community, resident’s families, healthcare professionals, and future residents to celebrate the recent renovations and enhancements made to the facility.

Visitors had a day filled with entertainment, starting with a live music performance in the comfortable lounge area. Delicious food and refresh-

ments were available throughout the event, offering guests a taste of the culinary delights that Huckleberry Lodge has to offer.

On the day, there were community stall holders and an exciting raffle, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage with the local community and the chance to win a prize.

“We are thrilled to invite everyone to our Open Day at Huckleberry Lodge” said Donna Newhouse, Residential Care Manager at Huckleberry Lodge. “This event is not only a chance for the community to explore the facilities and a great way for us to connect with healthcare professionals, future residents and their families. We hope we created a warm and welcoming environment where everyone could experience the unique atmosphere at Huckleberry Lodge.”

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Emotional Moments as Care Home CEO Speaks During Alzheimer’s Month “We all need to learn from people suffering from Alzheimer’s and try to change our approach and respect and accept who they are today.

We need to embrace their journey. The challenge is trying not to compare them with who they were before Alzheimer’s became a part of their lives. They are still themselves, just a different version of themselves” is how the owner of a Nottinghamshire-based care home group encourages families coming to terms with a loved one living with dementia.

As part of Alzheimer’s Month this month and World Alzheimer’s Day falling on Thursday, 21st September, Roger Daniel, Chief Executive Officer at Red Homes Healthcare Group, hopes to help families as they start to see changes in their loved ones.

It is a fear that is felt across the world as revealed in an Alzheimer’s Disease International survey of 70,000 people - which found 35% of carers across the world said that they have hidden the diagnosis of dementia of a family member.

"They are going to become a different version of themselves.

Someone might display actions and emotions from the past, even their childhood, or someone who never used bad language, might suddenly start using unfamiliar language you would not associate with their past.

“A daughter or son might say this is not my mum, but this is their mum with Alzheimer’s, we need to learn to love and accept the journey they are on, try not to get upset or cross . Those who cope the best are those who go with their loved ones on their journey. It is not easy. It can be really tough and there will be tough days. But this is a life living with Alzheimer’s.

“The more we ‘go with it’, I promise, the happier that journey is going to be. If we fight it, the more difficult that journey is going to be.”

Mr Daniel, who is a qualified solicitor with an NVQ5 in Care management, is also keen to dispel common misconceptions about care homes.

‘They will have no quality of life’ and ‘They won’t recognise me’ are just some of the conversations heard between the public upon hearing the words Alzheimer’s or dementia.

People have visions of older grandmothers, grandads, mothers and fathers sitting, soulless and alone, in their chair staring at a wall. This thought conjures up fear and despair among families.

However, a visit to good dementia centres and excellent care homes across the country will put people’s minds at rest.

They will find they are not sitting alone (unless they choose to take a moment to themselves); they are not staring at a wall for hours on end.

Mr Daniel continues: “We sometimes see in the media out-dated perception around care homes. The best homes today are the ones that create a fluid and loving home from home environment that allows everyone to keep their sense of individualism, dignity and freedom.

“You only see on the media challenging stories around neglect and abuse. Stories such as these are terrible and those homes and staff need to be called out. But it’s a fragment of what really goes on. Come into most care homes and you will see the genuine love and commitment from every member of staff – and the genuine love and trust between our lovely people and staff and families. At Red Homes’ we, like many care homes, are one big family.”

Mr Daniel added: “We also need to think about the language we use when talking about dementia and care homes. We should try to stop thinking of it as ‘putting them’ (in a care home)’, it is rather helping them move house to a safer more stimulating environment, with good interaction from people who are trained and dedicated to support with their changing needs. Instead of paying carers to come into their home, they are going to a new home, that is safer and where they will feel more secure and can access the right care.”

Red Homes is trying to change the narrative on popular perceptions of care homes and their community who are living with dementia.

As well as extensive training part of Red Homes CPD is all about setting the expectations high. As Roger explains. “The way every member of staff thinks and behaves is so important to the overall feel of our homes. We have high aspirations for our lovely people and our staff. It’s

about the little things as well as ticking off a list of care-related courses. All of our staff are expected to provide a deep and meaningful feedback on a monthly basis. These reports are over and above the hourly and daily reports. They require real knowledge of our ladies and gentlemen, not just their medication and basic care requirements. We need to know their life history and we need to know all the little details of today – right down to which hand a resident prefers to have their fork in, and then what kind of fork. It is in the tiny detail where we can make their day more comfortable and enjoyable.

Mr Daniel adds that it is fundamentally about creating strong relationships and embracing a collaborative approach.

It is a real community effort at care homes across the UK, from falls team advising safety; nurses and GPs from the community team visiting often, strong links with social services and CQC. As well as the 62-bed Red Rose, Red Court (Grantham) and Red Roofs (Newark) are also part of the Red Homes family, each catering for its community’s individual needs.

A typical day at Red Rose involves a fun-packed timetable of social events and activities that stimulate and support their community such as baking, gardening, jewellery making, crochet, croquet, bowls and dog therapy. Importantly, these events are led by the interests of their fantastic people and so they change on a regular basis. For example, currently Red Rose has four or five ladies who are attached to their dolls.

Doll therapy is a wonderful, proven way of comforting some during what can be a confusing and frustrating time. In some cases, dolls can be used effectively to support those with dementia.

As Mr Daniel explains: ”The sight of wonderful people nestling a doll close to their chest is incredibly emotional as they sing songs of times gone by with a glint in their eye and a huge warm smile.

“The sounds of Que Sera Sera and Cliff Richard’s Congratulations filling the air while they tend to their newborns is magical to observe.

They are just some of the ways that people living with dementia can better enjoy their days.

Mr Daniel continues: "Some of our people are coming in with certain needs to connect to something physical, they want to sit and hold hands. They naturally find a physically connection, and this makes them feel well and happy, and we encourage that in a safe and nurturing space.”

It is not just dolls which can lighten the lives of the community Red Rose’s very own Tangerine Man, Mark Isles, keeps coming back to the home with a bag of delicious tangerines much to the people’s joy.

Army veteran Mark visits Red Rose even after the passing of his beloved mum Pamela in April. It is the care the home provided to his mother, a talented artist, in her last two years that keeps Mark returning each week.

He said: “My mum had a wonderful time here at Red Rose times here. She settled in quickly. I did my best but I just couldn’t have looked after her much more than I was, something would have happened, she would have fallen or something so I was glad, relieved when she came here. I was worried at first. But they were great – they

Chorleywood Manor Care Home Team Embarks on an Inspiring Ten-Mile Memory Walk for a Noble Cause On a crisp autumn day, the compassionate team at Chorleywood Manor Care Home in Rickmansworth embarked on a heart-warming journey across London for a worthy cause. On Friday, September 22nd, they completed a spirited and sponsored Memory Walk, all in the name of supporting the Alzheimer's Society.

Their mission; To walk ten miles across the vibrant city of London, crossing ten iconic bridges along the way. With each step they took, they aimed to raise funds and awareness for the Alzheimer's Society, an organization dedicated to providing essential support and driving groundbreaking research for those living with dementia.

The team's unwavering dedication paid off, as they joyfully celebrated their achievement of raising over £1100. Tracy Moore, the Client Liaison Manager at Chorleywood Manor, beamed with pride, saying, "We had an absolutely wonderful time during this incredible journey, filled with camaraderie and a sense of purpose. We were blessed with fantastic weather throughout the walk, and even as a few raindrops graced our path on the return, our spirits remained undampened. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who generously contributed to our cause."

even got my mother walking again so I soon realised it was the right thing to do.”

Pamela was so loved by her friends and staff at Red Rose that they hung her amazing artwork as pride of place in the centre.

Even after Pamela’s passing, Mark still returns to Red Rose, with a bag full of tangerines for the ladies and gentlemen.

He said: “It started as a one-off giving them a tangerine and they seemed to appreciate it. One lady never used to smile – she used to tell me to go away with the tangerines. Now, I come in and she says ‘oh thank you very much so that is nice to see and shows how much it means.”

Red Homes staff don’t always follow a typical career path. Dawn Brayshaw, a total ray of sunshine in Red Rose with the official title of ‘social support’ actually started her career as a cleaner. But Dawn’s genuine love and care for her community and sunshiny nature made it clear that she was perfect to help keep them entertained.

Her smiling face, enthusiastic and caring nature, not to mention her dulcet tones is infectious. She just has a magical way of putting a smile on faces as she dances or bakes or plays balloon tennis with her excited audience.

It is an emotional scene as the people enjoy singing along or just listening to their much-loved songs of the past.

As Mr Daniel says a diagnosis of dementia is just a new journey they are starting, and their lives can still be full of joy and laughter – even if they may not quite be the person they were before.

As part of Alzheimer’s Month, the Red Homes Healthcare group, is raising awareness across its homes and further afield of the important of communication. How can staff help families coming to terms with their loved ones dementia journey. How can families look at things differently. And how can we all change the way we think and feel around this subject.

Roger and his staff are united in their desire to keep coming up with ideas to improve their much loved community’s quality of life and their families’ actions and reactions to their different stages of their journey.

His last piece of advice is for those struggling with the idea of care homes is to go and visit one that has a good reputation in their area and go and talk to their staff and also their families, if not their loved ones, to gain a fresh perspective and some positive advice.

As Mr Daniel closes “we often leave it too late to find the right home for our loved ones because we feel we should do more or that we’ve given up on them. The truth is the sooner they have the right care and the right environment their days become lighter and happier. But it is important to go and see for yourself and ensure you can communicate openly and freely to the manager and their staff. It’s always about communication. Some of the best time I spend is talking to our people or their families – although I read a care plan today, written by a fairly new member of staff just starting her vocation. And wow, the level of detail in that report brought a tear to my eye. That’s what keeps me doing what I’m doing. She made my day and that’s because I know she has taken the time to know and really understand the person in her care.

What a privilege and a joy to be working with staff of such quality and delivering care to the people and families that we love.”

Some illuminating facts to consider from Alzheimer’s Disease International • By 2050, estimated 139 million people will be living with dementia worldwide.

• 62% of healthcare professionals wrongly believe that dementia is a normal part of aging • Dementia is the 7th leading cause of death globally and in an increasing number of countries, the leading cause of death • Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds • There are over 55 million people around the world living with dementia • The number of people living with dementia is predicted to rise sharply to 1.6 million by 2050 in the UK • ~ 1 million Britons will be suffering with dementia by 2030

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 29

Homecare Provider Viability Threatened by Late Payments New research by the Homecare Association, based on responses from 225 providers representing just over 23,280 careworkers supporting nearly 42,995 older and disabled people, indicates that over 8 in 10 (80%) of homecare providers that hold contracts with the NHS and local authorities have experienced late payments. Nearly half (47%) of homecare providers say almost all of their invoices are paid late.

The definition of prompt payment for a small business supplier, contained in the voluntary Prompt Payment Code, is to pay 95% of invoices within 30 days. Shockingly, nearly a quarter (23%) respondents said their average payment length was over 90 days from the NHS. 21% of respondents said their average payment length was over 90 days from local authorities. Some small providers are owed as much as £350K and have been waiting for over a year. Larger providers report local authority debts of over £1 million.

Late payments have a significant impact on businesses, leading to cash flow difficulties, which can affect their ability to pay bills and the business’s own suppliers. Without predictable payment terms, homecare providers find it difficult to remain sustainable, invest and expand.

Worryingly, the survey also found that 8 in 10 of respondents who are being commissioned by local authorities have experienced a reduction in the number of hours available to them to provide. Nearly half (48%) said they had seen a 25% or above reduction in the number of hours available to them from their local authority. Reduction in volume of hours available per provider appears to be a particular issue in local authority areas which rely heavily on framework contracts. Where local authorities commission to a limited number of lead providers in specific geographic zones, volume of hours has remained more constant.

The cost of delivering homecare is highly sensitive to the volume of hours delivered. Not only do all registered homecare providers need to cover overheads such as a employing a registered manager and back office staff, training, recruitment, PPE, CQC registration, insurance, IT, telephony, office rent, rates, utilities, but the volume of hours can also impact on the experience of careworkers.

With a lower volume of hours, careworkers are more likely to have significant gaps in their rotas and this can reduce the salary they receive each day. It can also lead to inefficient use of their time; for example, careworkers may be out on the road for 40 hours in total, but deliver only 20 hours of paid contact time. It is difficult for them to use the time in the gaps productively. Employment conditions like this exacerbate staff turnover.

Losing 25% or more hours creates substantial risk to the viability of homecare providers. In some local authority areas, many smaller providers are handing back packages or ceasing to trade. Local authorities then have to manage potential safeguarding risks and find alternative provision, which has a negative impact on people drawing on services and careworkers.

Data from other sources, including the ADASS Spring Survey, suggests there has not been a reduction in the total number of hours of local authority commissioned homecare; if anything, it has increased. Instead, the number of hours are being fragmented across more providers.

Homecare Association’s CEO, Dr Jane Townson OBE, said: ‘’Late payment of invoices by the NHS and local authorities is a serious issue, threatening the financial viability of many homecare providers. Some are having to spend months fighting for thousands of pounds owed for care delivered, being pushed from pillar to post without resolution. ‘’Local authority commissioners need to appreciate the importance of the volume of hours available per provider, as the reduction of hours delivered severely impacts on financial sustainability of services. ’’When the number of hours delivered are spread across a greater number of providers, it can mean that individual careworkers are more likely to have gaps in their rotas reducing the amount of pay they receive each day. This risks even more homecare workers choosing to leave the sector. ‘’Providers need greater security of hours and prompt payments. Without proper change we will not be able to meet the growing demand for care, take pressure off the NHS and reduce costs for the health and social care system.’’

THE HOMECARE ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR: Local authority commissionersto appreciate the importance of volume of hours available per provider in ensuring staff retention and financial sustainability of services Local authority and NHS commissioners to abide by the Prompt Payment Code.

Local authority and NHS commissioners to offer greater security of hours and income to trusted providers.

Central governmentto provide adequate funding for local authorities to enable them to move towards approaches to commissioning and purchase of homecare which encourage quality and sustainability of services.

Cuffley Manor's Oktoberfest Celebration: A Day of Fun and Community Cuffley Manor Care Home care home in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, welcomed an array of esteemed guests at its first-ever Oktoberfest-themed Open Day on Friday 15th September. The event was a resounding success, showcasing the community-centric ethos and exceptional care provided by the home and its team members.

Attended by Mayor Cllr Chris Myers, the event drew attendees from various local community centres including Cuffley Day Centre, St Albans Day Centre, and Broxbourne Day Centre. With an impressive turnout of over 60 guests, the event surpassed expectations.

Marion Wak-Williams, Home Manager at Cuffley Manor Care Home said, "This event was a true testament to the warmth and inclusivity that defines our community at Cuffley Manor Care Home. We are dedicated to creating memorable experiences for our residents and their families, and this Oktoberfest-inspired Open Day was a perfect example of that commitment."

The festivities kicked off with spirited quiz games, fostering a sense of camaraderie among attendees. The entertainment was provided by the talented Martina, a renowned German entertainer whose live performance captivated the audience.

The culinary highlight of the day was the delectable spread of traditional homebaked German fare, carefully curated for the enjoyment of guests. Notably, the menu featured non-alcoholic beer, adding an authentic touch to the festivities, much to the delight of attendees.

Mayor Cllr Chris Myers shared his enthusiasm for the event, stating, "I've just attended my first ever Oktoberfest! Held at Cuffley Manor Care Home, this wonderful funday event for the residents and wider community might, on the face of things, seem an unusual theme, but everyone's absolutely loved it. I am always struck by how phenomenal the quality of care and the community mindedness of the management and staff at Cuffley Manor Care Home.

It was wonderful to hear head chef, Anas, speak about how he creates all his food for the residents with love, straight from his heart. It sums up the sentiment shown by everyone involved at the home."

Atherton In Bloom: Community Brings Care Village Garden Ambitions To Fruition As the nation recently enjoyed a final resurgence of a Great British summer, community spirit has flourished in Atherton as locals lend their green fingers in support of a garden transformation at Belong care village, working alongside its customers to build an ecosystem for everyone to enjoy.

Thanks to the help and hard work of customers and volunteers, the Mealhouse Lane grounds have welcomed the addition of a greenhouse, vegetable troughs and raised planters, together creating the perfect home for flowers, whilst attracting birds, insects, and wildlife. The benefits of a new kitchen garden have already been realised with herbs being used in cooking, such as coriander adding a kick to carrot soup.

Kim Calland, experience coordinator at Belong Atherton, explains more: "We have lovely dementia friendly gardens and our customers asked if we could have more vibrancy, more wildlife, and bring more of the outside world in. They were also keen to lead the project themselves and for it to have an element of sustainability, so we're growing our own fruit and vegetables for meals, as well as flowers to add a splash of colour inside and out."

Residents have been supported to get involved on the village's terraces, planting hanging baskets, filling bird feeders and keeping bird baths topped up. The dementia

specialist also invited The Wildlife Trust to share their expertise with residents and tenants on how to create a wildlife hub at their home.

Light gardening has been shown to have a number of wellbeing benefits for those with dementia. Keeping green fingers busy helps to increase strength and balance, as well as enhance sensory stimulation. Working as a team and alongside external visitors provides a sense of purpose, moving toward a goal with an end result that everyone can enjoy.

The project has been made possible thanks to funding from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, as well as generous donations from residents, apartment tenants, and their families. Work commenced earlier this year before gaining momentum when the village welcomed more volunteers to mark The Big Help Out, as part of His Majesty The King's coronation celebrations in May. Kim continues: "Our customers have been loving it. Many of them are gardening enthusiasts and have relished being able to teach colleagues about what we need, where best to plant certain species, how to do it. It's been a wonderful experience for all - now, we're hoping for some autumn sunshine, but at least we can appreciate the gardens, whatever the weather!"

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WASTE MANAGEMENT

Ensuring Safe and Sustainable Waste Management In the intricate web of adult social care, an often overlooked but critical aspect is waste management. Within the confines of care and nursing homes in the UK, effective handling, storage, and disposal of various waste types is not just a regulatory requirement; it is an ethical imperative. This feature article dives into the depths of waste management within care environments, illuminating the careful management of clinical, hazardous, and infectious waste. From meticulous risk assessments to innovative disposal methods, we explore the multifaceted approach that ensures the well-being of residents, staff, and the environment.

THE HIDDEN RISKS: CLINICAL, HAZARDOUS, AND INFECTIOUS WASTE: Behind the scenes of compassionate care lies a multitude of waste materials – clinical byproducts, hazardous substances, and infectious agents. Each comes with a unique set of risks, necessitating rigorous risk assessments. Clinical waste includes discarded dressings, swabs, and medical equipment, while hazardous waste encompasses chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Infectious waste involves contaminated items carrying pathogens. Identifying and evaluating these risks is fundamental to maintaining a safe care environment.

SEGREGATION AT THE SOURCE: A CROSS-CONTAMINATION CRUSADE:

In the battle against cross-contamination, segregation emerges as a stalwart ally. Color-coded waste containers, an emblem of UK waste management, are an essential tool. The palette of colors – yellow for infectious waste, orange for clinical waste, purple for hazardous waste, and more – functions as a visual aid, guiding staff to deposit waste correctly. This prevents hazardous mixing, fortifying infection control efforts and safeguarding residents and staff.

NAVIGATING DISPOSAL LABYRINTHS: LEGISLATION AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS: Guiding the labyrinthine paths of waste disposal are stringent regulations and legal obligations. UK care homes are bound by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Controlled Waste Regulations 2012, which outline the standards for waste management.

To traverse this landscape, care homes must work in tandem with licensed waste carriers, ensuring safe and compliant transportation and disposal. Adhering to these laws is not just mandatory; it's a pledge to environmental stewardship. The Department of Health has published revised guidance on the Safe management of healthcare waste. This details the legislative and practical requirements of managing the waste. https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/management-anddisposal-of-healthcare-waste-htm-07-01/

FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE: IMPLEMENTATION AND STAFF EMPOWERMENT: Waste management transcends written policies – it's a culture. Care homes must craft comprehensive waste management policies that embody legal mandates and industry best practices. However, policies are only as effective as their implementation. Regular staff training sessions transform care providers into waste management sentinels.

Designating a waste management coordinator further strengthens the

commitment, streamlining communication and bolstering policy enforcement.

THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF WASTE DISPOSAL: DIFFERENT TYPES, DIFFERENT METHODS: Navigating the maze of waste disposal requires an understanding of waste types and appropriate disposal methods. Clinical waste, saturated with potential pathogens, undergoes incineration. Hazardous waste follows a convoluted path, with chemicals often requiring specialist disposal. Infectious waste, concealed contagions, faces autoclaving or chemical treatment. Each method underscores the mission of eradicating risk.

LOOKING AHEAD: SUSTAINABILITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION: The future of waste management in care homes glimmers with sustainable solutions. Facilities are exploring waste-to-energy conversion, where waste generates power. Technological advancements offer smarter waste tracking and reporting, empowering care homes to refine their practices. The nexus of innovation and sustainability paints a promising horizon for waste management.

Waste management in UK care and nursing homes isn't confined to bins and regulations; it's a pledge to uphold the dignity, health, and safety of residents. The intricate dance of handling, storing, and disposing of clinical, hazardous, and infectious waste demands diligence, awareness, and a commitment to legal mandates. As care homes embrace the tapestry of waste management – from risk assessment to color-coded containers – they weave a story of responsible care, environmental guardianship, and a commitment to a healthier future.

Care Homes Spending Up To £50,000 A Year Sending Food Waste To Landfill The average UK business is spending over £50,000 every year on sending food waste to landfill, however, recycling food waste could save care homes up to £7,000 a year, according to new research from Keenan Recycling.

Despite this, only a third (36%) of care homes say that they recycle food waste in order to minimise financial losses and only a third (34%) recycle food waste to avoid costly fines.

However, new legislation due to land in 2024, is expected to mandate that any business producing over 5kg of food waste will need to separate and recycle its waste through a registered food waste carrier service.

Failure to comply could put care homes at risk of potentially hefty financial penalties-with fixed penalty notices starting from £300.

The legislation is due to be introduced by both DEFRA and the Welsh Government, who are expected to enact the provisions of the Environment Act 2021, and thereby make the separation of food waste from other waste streams a requirement.

For more insights from the research, visit: The ideal picture of food waste – Keenan Recycling at https://keenanrecycling.co.uk/the-ideal-picture-of-food-waste/

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 31

INSURANCE FOR CARE

Securing Insurance with an Inadequate CQC Rating The Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires all care and nursing homes to have insurance, and without it, you will be unable to operate. The mandatory insurance requirements from the CQC are Employers’ Liability and Public Liability cover. Any additional covers will depend on the type of care facility you own. If a care facility is unable to secure adequate insurance, residents will need to find alternative accommodation, and staff are likely to lose their jobs.

Many care homes have no difficulty in securing insurance but when a care home has an inadequate rating by the CQC, finding insurance can prove extremely challenging. Not all insurers are willing to provide terms for care facilities with an inadequate CQC rating, and when they do, premiums can be higher, and restrictions may be put in place, such as a limit to the number of service users (residents allowed).

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Research, around 1 in 5 care homes are rated ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ in the UK, which can leave these care homes with only a small range of insurance options and in turn, at risk of closure.

Barnes Commercial has built strong relationships with an extensive panel of insurers, who specialise in care home insurance, including some that will offer terms to care homes with inadequate CQC ratings.

CASE STUDY: OBTAINING INSURANCE WITH AN INADEQUATE CQC RATING Our client is the owner of several care homes in the southeast of the UK and is an example of how working closely with a broker can help secure favourable insurance terms, even with an inadequate rating. Our client came to Barnes Commercial because he was unhappy with his current provider and their ability to find him an affordable insurance solution.

One of the care homes had an inadequate CQC rating but our client and his team had been working with the CQC to create an action plan for improvements. We shared this with potential insurers who wanted to see evidence of what work was being planned, by when, and what had already been done to improve the care home. Ensuring the action plan was up to date was vital in arranging the insurance.

AREAS TO FOCUS ON TO IMPROVE YOUR CQC RATING When speaking with our care home clients whose facility had an inadequate CQC rating, they tell us that some of the most common reasons cited are poor record management and health and safety issues.

If these areas are not managed effectively, you could be putting your patients/residents, staff and your business at risk. Patient care will be at the heart of everything you do, so having robust systems in place will help you to perform at your best. For example, having a digital recording system in place, can provide you with greater governance, stronger compliance and help to ensure quality outcomes for those in your care. It can also mean recording of data will be faster, medication management will be safer and you are more ready for inspections.

Health and safety hazards are also a regular source of inadequate ratings and an area that every care home owner needs to be on top of at all times. One of CQCs fundamental standards includes safety, which means providers must assess the risks to your health and safety during any care or treatment and make sure staff have the qualifications, competence, skills and experience to keep you safe.

OUR PROCESS TO SECURE YOUR CARE HOME INSURANCE Our specialist Care Home Insurance adviser, Luke Green, can support you with tailored advice on how to secure an insurance solution that will bring you peace of mind, whilst satisfying the CQC. He will take the time to get to know your business and its current situation, so he can fully understand how he can help. He will also help you to gather and collate all your supporting documentation, including your action plan and any evidence to support your submission, for example, from your local authorities. He will then use these to advise a panel of insurers on your situation and what your business is doing to improve your ratings. Demonstrating your commitment to improving your situation will typically be positively received by the insurers and helps us to obtain an insurance quotation for you that will protect your business from commercial risk.

Send an email to enquires@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk or call 01480 272727 to make an appointment.

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce Cytolax Barrier Spray the Risk of Cross Infection Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry. Although these are designed to keep the workplace tidy and uncluttered they are, more importantly, built knowing the control of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a priority for healthcare providers, and who are employing a combination of infection prevention and control strategies, including hand hygiene, cleaning, training and the adoption of new technologies, to tackle the problem.

As a result, a wide range of infection control products and technologies are emerging on the market, including antimicrobial technology.

Angloplas’ range of dispensers are produced in the

world’s first proven Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas.

This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product, reducing levels of bacteria such as MRSA, E Coli, Legionella, Salmonella and mould by up to 99.99%.

For non-clinical environments Angloplas has recently launched its new Budget Range of products which are made to the same exacting standards as the antimicrobial protected ones but with lower price tags.

You can order Angloplas products directly from its website by going to www.angloplas.co.uk

Cytolax is a range of health and wellbeing products that interacts with human cells bringing them to life so as to improve physiological outcomes. Manufactured in ISO certified medical factories, every formulation is developed to offer premium solutions that encompasses products for home self-use as well as for the medical profession.

The barrier skin protection range is made up of Wipes, Creams and Spray to prevent and protect skin from moisture, maceration and pressure sores.

Cytolax Barrier Spray is a 100% Silicone, alcohol free solution that forms a transparent protective and breathable layer between the skin and the air or surface that the skin may come in con-

tact with. Hypoallergenic and quick drying formula ensures no irritation or burning sensation.

- 100% Silicone - Upto 72 hours protection - Unique formula allows it to be used with adhesive dressings and protects skin from medical adhesives - Transparent and Permeable solution - No Stinging or burning sensation - Alcohol Free - Non Cytotoxic - Quick Drying - 50ml Contact 0141 778 6017, sales@cytolax.co.uk or visit www.cytolax.co.uk Follow: www.linkedin.com/company/cytolax/

GOJO Recognised As A Key Partner To The NHS GOJO, THE INVENTOR OF PURELL™ is proud to be a brand showcased in an official publication commemorating the NHS, entitled ‘NHS 75: Celebrating 75 Years of the National Health Service.’ This accolade demonstrates the key role played by the skin and hygiene specialist, who has now been a partner to the organisation for over 30 years.

Widely used in the NHS, PURELL® is a trusted brand in healthcare facilities around the world. As a market leader of hand hygiene within the UK’s health service, it has been instrumental in helping core NHS metrics to be achieved, such as reductions in the number of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). Its solutions encompass fast-active, effective formulas that care for skin, state of the art dispensers, and dedicated support such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accredited training.

Launching at the Cloisters in Westminster Abbey on 6th September 2023, ‘NHS 75: Celebrating 75 Years of the National Health Service’ is a beautifully presented hardback book that has been produced in partnership with leading publisher, St James’s House and written by a team of academics and industry experts. Exploring the origins, history and impact of the NHS, the fully illustrated publication marks the 75th anniversary of the service, and the people and policies that have shaped it.

Chris Wakefield, V.P. European Marketing and Managing Director UK & Ireland, GOJO Industries-Europe

Ltd. comments: ‘The NHS is one of the country’s most recognised and cherished organisations – here to improve our health and wellbeing, support us to keep mentally and physically well, and to help us get better when we are ill. The GOJO purpose of ‘saving lives and making life better through well-being solutions’ very much aligns with these values, and it is what drives our innovation in hygiene.

‘We are extremely proud to play a major role in helping prevent infection and improve public health and are thrilled to be included in this prestigious book celebrating 75 years of the wonderful NHS.’ As well as being the ideal partner to healthcare trusts and facilities, GOJO is passionate about developing sustainable products that both clean and care for hands in a variety of sectors. These include education, hospitality, leisure, retail, catering, food processing, offices, manufacturing and more. From soaps and hygienic hand rubs that can be used repeatedly throughout a busy shift in hospitals, to specialist hand cleaners that remove tough soils from the hands of heavy-industry workers, GOJO has an effective solution to remove germs and dirt, whilst protecting skin health.

Backed by a wealth of scientific expertise and specialist formulations, GOJO is committed to developing sustainable products that deliver results and maintain skin health. PURELL remains the market leader, thanks to its focus on formulation without compromise.

For more information, call +44 (0)1908 588444, email CustomerExperienceUK@GOJO.com, or visit https://www.gojo.eu/uk

ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

CHSA’s Half Year Report Shows Members High Levels of Compliance with Accreditation Scheme Specifications ‘Our Standards. Your Guarantee.’

The 2023 half year report produced by the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association’s Independent Inspector shows high levels of compliance amongst CHSA Accreditation Scheme members.

Scheme logo to guarantee quality.”

The CHSA operates six Accreditation Schemes. They are for manufacturers of paper-based products, plastic-based

products, cotton-based products, and cleaning chemicals, for general manufacturers and for distributors of cleaning and hygiene products.

By 30 June, the Inspector had completed 83 audits, just over half the total scheduled for 2023.

During the auditing process the Independent Inspector

During the inspections approximately 1,000 labels have been checked to make sure they accurately represent the content of the packaging, guaranteeing ‘what’s on the box is what’s in the box’. Approximately 2,700 individual products have been checked, making sure they meet the specifications of the relevant Accreditation Scheme standard. For distributor members, the Independent Inspector has checked approximately 24,000 stock lines.

weight and or performance of the product. He also assesses

While the full year results for 2023 will be published in January 2024, the interim results indicate high levels of compliance.

“The integrity of our Accreditation Schemes is at the heart of all we do,” explained Lorcan Mekitarian, Chair of the CHSA. “People must be able to trust the CHSA mark wherever they see it, reccognising the Accreditation Scheme logo as a guarantee of quality. The interim audit results for 2023 provide the evidence buyers need to know our members continue to maintain standards.

“Our advice to buyers is to look first for the Accreditation

checks the labels contain the required information and that the product is as stated on the label. Depending on the

product, this involves checking the sheet count, width, duty,

1.

All statements and claims are truthful.

2. Supporting evidence, such as data sheets, reports and

certificates, are available on request to substantiate all product and service claims.

3. All statements and claims are transparent. For example, it is clearly indicated if the claim applies to the product, the packaging or both.

4. All statements and claims are meaningful. For example, the term eco-friendly must be defined in relation to all

aspects of the product and substantiated across the full lifecycle.

This formal commitment to ethical marketing was developed

the member’s quality assurance procedures. For distributors

to address the growing problem of spurious, misleading and

Manufacturer and where it is not, that it conforms to the

chemicals. Typical claims that lack supporting evidence

he confirms if product is from a CHSA Accredited specification of the relevant scheme.

Committed to the integrity of the Schemes, the CHSA’s

governing Council will expel any Scheme member who,

despite being offered the guidance required to correct issues, consistently fails to conform to the relevant Scheme Standard.

Members of CHSA Accreditation Scheme for Cleaning Chemicals sign commitment to ethical marketing The members of the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers

Association’s (CHSA) Accreditation Scheme for Cleaning

Chemicals have signed a commitment to ethical marketing.

The commitment states members adhere to four ethical principles:

unsubstantiated claims being made about cleaning

relate to the efficacy of the products and many

environmental credentials are little more than greenwashing.

All members of the CHSA adhere to the requirements of the

relevant Accreditation and have signed the Association’s

rigorous Code of Practice, which incorporates the

Competition & Markets Authority’s Green Claims Code. It

means CHSA members:

• Trade ethically and sustainably;

• Provide supporting information for claims made; • Provide quality, fit for purpose products; and

• Make sure what’s on the box is what’s in the box.

@CHSACleaning www.CHSA.co.uk

PAGE 38 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

CATERING FOR CARE

Texture Modified Diets For Dysphagia Understanding and managing the nutritional needs of the elderly suffering from dysphagia, requires caterers in a care home environment to be suitably trained and skilled up in this area.

Those suffering from dysphagia have difficulties in swallowing, and are likely to require a specially prepared diet. Dysphagia is reported by the World Gastroenterology Organisation to affect over 50% of all elderly patients in care homes worldwide, so a condition that most care home caterers are going to need to manage at some time.

There are many causes of dysphagia including neurological conditions such as dementia, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and motor neurone disease.

Individuals with head and neck cancer also commonly suffer with dysphagia. Due to the increased incidence of these diseases with age, it follows that many elderly residents of care homes are at risk of dysphagia. Those who struggle with dysphagia are at risk of choking when they eat food or drink not suited to their swallowing abilities. They are also at risk of aspiration pneumonia; this is where food or fluid enters the lungs, potentially leading to chest infections and hospital admissions.

Whatever the cause of the dysphagia, affected individuals are likely to struggle with certain textures of food and drink. Initially any resident identified as struggling to swallow should have an urgent swallow assessment carried out by a trained professional such as a speech and language ther-

apist. A texture modified diet might then be needed, where food is moistened, mashed or pureed to make it safer for an individual to eat. Fluids may also need to be thickened.

Tess Warnes, dietitian at food procurement specialist allmanhall has suggestions for caterers on how to provide a nourishing, safe, and tasty texture modified diet. “Given the risks associated with giving the wrong texture to an at-risk individual, care home caterers should be knowledgeable on how to create dishes with the appropriate texture, with access to relevant training. A useful source of information is the ‘International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative’ (IDDSI) , a framework which grades different textures between levels 1-7. Many individuals with dysphagia are at risk of malnutrition due to poor nutritional intake. Therefore, they may benefit from meals which are fortified with added butter, cheese and cream to increase the energy content of their meals. Adding these may affect the overall texture of the food.

Consider offering texture modified snacks between meals as this is the time of day when individuals with dysphagia will miss out if nothing is available for them. Flavour is important to consider so use herbs and spices to add interest to the meal without compromising the texture. Salt can be added but be aware that too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure.” https://allmanhall.co.uk/blog/texture-modified-diets-for-dysphagia

5-Star Food Ratings Awarded to All 23 Orchard Care Homes sites

Orchard Care Homes, with homes across the North of England and Midlands, is celebrating after achieving an outstanding 5-star food hygiene rating group-wide.

All 23 of Orchard’s homes have been awarded FSA (Food Standards Agency) 5-star rating, only given to businesses after careful consideration of three key criteria - how hygienically the food is handled, the physical condition of the business and how the business manages ways of keeping food safe. Specific areas analysed included cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and pest control; as well as looking at processes, training and systems to ensure good hygiene is maintained.

The 100% record was confirmed when the company’s Riverdale care home in Chesterfield received the latest 5-star rating at after an inspection in September.

Orchard Care Homes previously achieved this group-wide validation in 2019 and repeating the feat has only been possible through a commitment to maintaining the

highest catering standards.

Orchard Care Homes commit to ensuring everyone receives a varied menu with the very highest quality of food. As well as holding high preparation and hygiene standards, chefs work alongside those who have specific dietary requirements to develop a menu that suits individual tastes and needs.

Jason Hunter, Catering Lead at Orchard (pictured above), commented, “We are very proud to have been recognised at the highest level by the FSA. The 5-star accolade reflects the attention to detail and high standards across Orchard’s group portfolio. We are mindful of all nutrition needs, as evidence shows that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and cereals, and low in red meat and sugar could help reduce dementia risks. Our seasonal menus are enjoyed by all, and we take great satisfaction in delivering quality, nutritious meals.”

PAGE 40 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

CATERING FOR CARE

Food Cost Savings During High Inflation? allmanhall Make It Possible.

Taylor & Taylor, a group of family-owned residential care homes approached food procurement experts, allmanhall, looking to achieve scalable cost savings and efficiencies to support their growth. They needed to ensure no detrimental impact to the excellent quality of their food offering and their residents’ dining pleasure.

Their desire was to achieve a 5% food cost saving and to ensure ongoing effective management of catering budgets and invoicing. Operationally, access to reports and insights were key, as was ease of ordering and management of stock and deliveries. allmanhall undertook a like-for-like benchmark and identified food cost savings of 11.4% - more than double the initial objective! A few months into the contract, allmanhall undertook further analysis and the real-life saving is actually 18%. On the multi-temp category, allmanhall have in fact delivered savings of 21.4% in a time of 17%+ food inflation!

Proactive buy right recommendations from allmanhall will deliver an extra 2.9% saving. Protein savings and an ABL have also been proposed to drive further value.

allmanhall have implemented industry-leading catering controls technology, providing the homes with tools such as stock taking and standing orders. Central billing is also a big win, with allmanhall consolidating all supplier invoices into just one invoice per month, per home.

From the start, everything has been expertly managed, and the transition has been fully supported: “I would wholeheartedly recommend allmanhall’s services to others in the care sector and I look forward to continuing to grow our offering and provide outstanding food for our residents.”

– Chris Rees, Group Executive Chef Why not let allmanhall support your food procurement? They will deliver savings, reassurance and efficiencies. allmanhall will give you more time to focus on your residents and on addressing labour challenges.

See the advert on this page for further details.

Turner Price Strengthens Position in Care Home Sector Though NACC Premier Partnership Turner Price have announced a new partnership with the National Association of Care Catering (NACC).

The Yorkshire based foodservice provider has officially become a Premier Partner and will become an active member of the North and Midlands branches, as well as contributing at a national level.

Jason Watkins, Head of Sales at Turner Price, has a long connection with the NACC and says the new relationship will further strengthen the wholesalers’ position with the care sector.

He said: “We are proud of our history of supplying care caterers, something that our business has been built on for over 30 years.

Across the North and the Midlands, we service independent and care home groups, hospices, meals on wheels, rehabilitation centres and hospitals.

“This new partnership with the NACC will mean we can offer more support to our existing caterers, as well as showcase our trusted service to new potential care providers. The NACC are hugely respected, and we look forward to exhibiting at the Training & Development Forum event in October and working closely with the association over the coming years.”

The National Chair of the NACC, Sue Cawthray, also welcomes the

news of Turner Price becoming a Premier Partner. She said: “The NACC is delighted to welcome Turner Price as a new Premier Partner, who provide a vital contribution to the work of the Associations. This is certainly a time when we need all our partners working within Care Catering to show their commitment to the health and social care sector and we look forward to working more closely with Turner Price in the future.”

Turner Price is a large delivered foodservice wholesaler who supplies over 2,500 businesses across large parts of the UK. Turner Price customers includes coffee shops, QSR operators, pubs, hotels, restaurants, schools, universities, care homes and hospitals.

For further information please visit www.turner-price.com

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 41

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

Cutting-Edge Commercial Laundry Equipment for Healthcare Facilities Maintaining impeccable cleanliness and hygiene standards is paramount for care homes, hospices, nursing homes, and healthcare institutions. MAG Laundry Equipment, with a nationwide presence of skilled engineers, has been a trusted partner for over 10,000 care homes, offering a comprehensive range of products, services, information, and unwavering support.

MAG's extensive product lineup encompasses commercial-grade washing machines, tumble dryers, ironing machines, presses, and top-quality detergents. With a legacy spanning a century, dating back to 1922, MAG has consistently evolved and refined its offerings, culminating in some of the industry's most dependable, energy-efficient, and cost-effective machines

available today.

For those in search of superior washing results capable of removing the most stubborn stains, MAG Laundry Equipment is your go-to source for expert advice. Notably, their washing machines come equipped with complete thermal disinfection capabilities, a standard feature designed to assist nursing homes in not only meeting but surpassing the latest regulatory requirements.

Discover how MAG can assist your care home's laundry operations by reaching out to them at 01353 883025 or visiting their website at https://maglaundryequipment.co.uk/sectors/nursing-care-homes/.

Forbes’ Laundry Consultants Help Care Homes Optimise Savings and Operations When looking for a commercial laundry solution, Forbes Professional stands out as a leading provider with its client-centric approach and unparalleled expertise. At the heart of their success is a consultative methodology that ensures every client receives a laundry rental solution tailored to their specific needs.

Forbes Professional deliver’s comprehensive service packages with inclusive delivery, installation, commissioning, and ongoing maintenance, to ensure a hassle-free experience for care sector clients. Forbes’ consultative approach also enables them to ensure that care homes can truly optimise both savings and efficiency. By providing solutions that extend beyond the surface, Forbes empowers clients to make informed decisions that have a profound impact on their operations and bottom line. Their consultants deliver detailed calculations of cost projections, with an emphasis on the importance of whole life cost analysis.

Whilst rental relinquishes clients of the burden of large upfront payments, Forbes Professional recognises that making informed decisions goes beyond looking at initial expenses and procurement or rental prices.

Their team educates clients on energy-efficient solutions, exemplified by the remarkable 70% energy savings achievable with heat pump dryers compared to standard condenser dryers. To underscore the advantages of Forbes’ strategy, their analysis for a new client recently resulted in a staggering projected running cost saving of £1,000,000 throughout the contract's duration.

Forbes’ meticulous approach translates into not only cost savings but also environmental responsibility, as energy-efficient equipment contributes to a greener footprint. Forbes Professional's dedication to creating value for clients by optimising efficiency and minimising costs is a testament to their industry leadership.

Choosing Forbes Professional means opting for more than just laundry solutions; it's a commitment to a partnership that prioritises specific needs, longterm benefits, and sustainability. In an era where sustainability, practicality and financial prudence are paramount, Forbes’ consultative approach and focus on holistic value, delivers transformative solutions to care homes across the UK. www.forbespro.co.uk | info@forbes-professional.co.uk | 0345 070 2335

PAGE 42 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS Preserving Identity and Preventing Loss: Cash's Apparel Solutions' Century-Long Legacy Cash's Apparel Solutions has been at the forefront of manufacturing woven nametapes for over a century, serving the nursing home sector and beyond. Their nametapes have become synonymous with preserving identity, preventing lost garments, and delivering personalised identity items and gifts.

Preserving dignity Cash's woven nametapes provide a simple yet effective solution to labelling clothing in nursing homes minimising distress caused by lost garments, fostering an environment where residents are seen and respected for who they are.

Cash's has earned a global reputation for reliability and quality. Their woven nametapes are sold and utilised worldwide, serving as a testament to their effectiveness.

In addition, Cash's Apparel Solutions goes beyond their renowned nametapes. Their expertise in weaving and personalisation allows them to create a diverse range of identity items and gifts. From personalized badges to custom keyrings and promotional products, Cash's demonstrates their versatility in meeting unique customer needs. By offering tailored solutions, they

celebrate individuality, making a significant contribution to the spirit of personalisation and fostering a sense of belonging.

A Century of Excellence: Cash's century-long presence in the industry showcases their enduring commitment to excellence.

They have adapted and innovated, embracing modern technology and evolving customer demands. Cash's unwavering dedication to their craft and the nursing home sector demonstrates their genuine concern for residents' well-being and comfort.

In conclusion, Cash's has established itself as a leader in manufacturing woven nametapes, personalised identity items and gifts. With their century-long legacy of quality, reliability, and attention to detail, Cash's continues to make a significant impact in the nursing home sector and beyond. By preserving identity, preventing loss, and embracing personalisation, Cash's Apparel Solutions truly embodies their commitment to enhancing safety, dignity, and individuality in care facilities worldwide.

Visit www.cashslabels.com

Commercial Kitchen and Laundry Solutions (CKLS)

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

Commercial Kitchen and Laundry Solutions (CKLS) are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial kitchen and laundry equipment. Whether you are a small sized residential home or large scale nursing home group, CKLS has the expertise and equipment you need to keep your operations running smoothly.

At CKLS, we understand that the success of your business depends on the quality of the equipment you use. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to provide businesses across the UK with the highest quality commercial laundry and kitchen equipment available. We work with only the best manufacturers in the industry to ensure that our customers get the most reliable and efficient equipment possible.

Our commitment to our customers doesn’t end with the sale of our equipment. At CKLS, we know that maintenance and repairs are crucial to keeping your equipment functioning at its best. That’s why we offer a full range of maintenance and repair serv-

ices to our customers, including emergency repair services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We believe that our success as a company is measured by the success of our customers. That’s why we’re constantly striving to provide better products and services to help our customers achieve their goals. We’re proud to say that our commitment to excellence has earned us a reputation as the goto provider of commercial laundry and kitchen equipment in the UK. So, if you’re looking for reliable, high-quality commercial laundry and kitchen equipment, look no further than CKLS. With our extensive range of products and services, we’re confident that we can help you find the right equipment to meet your needs and keep your business running smoothly for years to come.

Visit our website www.ckls.co.uk, contact by phone on 01200 411914 or email at sales@ckls.co.uk.

PAGE 44 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

FURNITURE AND FITTINGS Mr Trax Curtain & Blind Solutions Blueleaf Launches New Bedroom Range with Faster Delivery Times

Mr Trax Curtain & Blind Solutions aims to provide a first class service across a wide range of products and bespoke fittings thanks to its two decades of experience, with many previous clients in the care sector.

Mr Trax has a range of NHS compliant fabrics for use in care homes, including ‘blackout’. They can supply and fit a wide range of flame retardant curtains and blinds in various fabrics to be made to your sizes and fitted using heavy duty fittings and rails.

Curtains can normally be made and installed within four weeks and blinds in two weeks.Fire retardant blinds on heavy weight systems are readily available and can be manually controlled or electrically operated. They also have antimicrobial options as well all at varying prices all normally available in two-three weeks. Faster times are available on some products.

The company is affiliated with Checkatrade where you can see customer reviews, including this recent

comment: “Douglas did a fantastic job fitting our shutters and curtain rail. He even fitted an extra rail for us which we had bought ourselves! Friendly and efficient service, plus great looking results. Very pleased would definitely recommend!”

Based in Hailsham, East Sussex and owned and run

by Doug and Carol Coe, the firm also provides a number of corded and motorised options for blinds as well as curtains, and offers a comprehensive range of shutters.

Doug says: “We stock two ranges of silent gliss corded curtain tracks and two ranges of silent gliss uncorded curtain tracks the fitted prices for which are available on this website. All of the aluminium silent gliss tracks stock can be shaped and fitted into bay windows, as can some of the poles. We also have ready access to many more ranges of both tracks and poles, most of which we can get in one working day.

“To read more of what our customers say about us please do look us up on Checkatrade: checkatrade.com/mrtrax” Call now to speak to one of our team on 0800 3345114 or 07968 242004, email us at: doug@mrtrax.co.uk

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

approach, and the feeling of shared ownership, can be a significant benefit in making the resident feel comfortable from the start.

The choice of eight pre-designed schemes – carefully created by a team of visionary designers who specialise in care design – also significantly eases the buying process, and ensures the rooms are compliant with industry regulation and entirely fit for purpose. It takes the burden of responsibility for the interior design away from the care home manager and puts it into the hands of experts more skilled in the role.

Ellen Brown, Sales and Marketing Director of Blueleaf, says Stock 7 is yet another example of how Blueleaf, the nationwide business that helps care the business is delivering on its mission to help care homes deliver better outcomes, has launched Stock 7, home providers deliver exceptional outcomes: “With an updated range of bedroom refit solutions that can Stock 7 we are giving care homes a refurbishment be delivered quickly from UK stock to help care option that offers a fast turnaround, comprehensive providers avoid the cost of empty rooms. styling, and a quick return on investment.

The new range comprises eight different bedroom “Whether a care home is looking to refit an individschemes to match different tastes and budgets. They ual room to welcome a new guest, or is undertaking a include not only beds and mattresses, wardrobes, and home-wide refurbishment programme, we have the other associated furniture, but also matching curtains, quality designs to reflect your brand and the quality soft furnishings and linen. The schemes also include of care you provide.” ancillary items such as crash mats and overbed For more information, visit: tables. Paints and finishes are also recommended for www.blueleafcare.com/ each of the designs.

The launch of Stock 7 addresses one of the principal issues that every care home faces – the need to maintain 100% occupancy levels wherever possible. Rather than having to wait up to three months for a new suite to be delivered, Stock 7 can be delivered and installed within seven working days, anywhere in the UK. If time and situation permits, the speed of delivery enables a care home to consult with the families of a new guest and the guest themselves on the style and colours that would suit them best. Taking an inclusive

Alpha Furniture Alpha Furniture are well suited to projects of all sizes, from refreshing a couple of bedrooms to a full fit-out of all areas in a new or refurbished home. We are also able to help propose designs, or put you in touch with experienced interior designers. And if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, send us a picture and we will almost certainly be able to quote for an identical or similar style.

We are fully committed to supplying high quality contract furni-

Rosehill Furnishings Rosehill are proud to have a long-standing history within the furniture industry. It’s their unique history and knowledge of the market which sets them apart from the rest. They’re committed to quality, and their standards have continued to excel over the last 40 years.

The expert team at Rosehill understand the market and can tailor

ture products at great value with excellent service.

Once again we have been able to add many new items to our range of durable quality furniture to make this the most comprehensive Care Home Furniture Direct website to date.

In these financially testing times we have excelled at bringing customers high quality products at the very best value. To cope with raw material price fluctuations we regularly review our prices to ensure we remain competitive, passing any savings on to you quickly.

As ever, quality products and attentive service remain our top priorities.

See the advert on this page for further information. your order to suit your exact requirements. With over four decades experience in the industry, you can feel at ease knowing that you’re in safe hands. They take pride in the quality products they supply which are built to last, while also being great value for money.

Rosehill have experience working with healthcare organisations who require durable and comfortable seating for their patients and staff. Rosehill specialise in seating and tables for care home lounges, dining rooms, visitor and waiting rooms, wards, staff rooms and FF&E packages.

Options include bariatric seats, anti-microbial vinyl and fabrics for hygiene and infection control, high back chairs with head support and armchairs.

Product Highlights • High back chairs with head support and wingback models.

• Chairs which have been tested for bariatric use.

• Their upholstered chairs can be supplied with antimicrobial vinyl and wood finishes for hygiene and infection control.

• Models are available with arms to assist people getting up and down from their seat.

• Made to order products in a huge range of colours and finishes to fit in with your existing décor.

• Lounge chairs, side chairs and coffee tables, which are designed to enhance your communal areas.

• Dining chairs and armchairs with stylish and durable tables in a range of shapes and sizes.

• Bedroom furniture with fitted items in high quality finishes.

• Outdoor furniture and benches.

• Complimentary breakout, modular and office furniture for staff areas and receptions Their furniture is available in a variety of styles and is designed and manufactured to help you provide a safe and comfortable seating option for your staff, patients and visitors. Their range is high quality and built to offer great comfort, and durability for furniture that lasts.

Browse their wide range of furniture for your care home, clinic, ward or waiting room online at www.rosehill.co.uk, or call 0161 485 1717 to request a brochure or discuss your requirements with their helpful sales team.

Visit www,rosehill.co.uk

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 45

FURNITURE AND FITTINGS

CCP Contract Furniture

CCP is an established independent supplier of products and furniture to the healthcare and leisure contract markets. CCP is proud to offer excellent customer service and where required we can offer an initial consultation to understand your exact needs. We can offer design ideas too.

Visit www.cavendishcareproducts.co.uk to see our standard portfolio of dining room, bedroom, lounge, reception and occasional furniture. We also supply a full range of additional items including profile beds and mattresses and can supply all your sundry items including a full

range of towels, bedding and table linen.

If you can’t see what you need on our website... tell us what you need & we’ll send you some ideas.

If we don’t stock it... we’ll source it If we can’t source it... we’ll make it If you are looking to refurbish, update or require a full turn-key package for a new build than look no further than CCP. We are proud to offer quality products at competitive prices with delivery available throughout the UK. T: 01423 359242 sales@ccpuk.co.uk : www.ccpuk.co.uk

Skopos Fabrics, Meeting the Requirements for Caring Interiors Each year Skopos launch new collections, developed specifically with Care interiors in mind. In time for Care Show 23 Skopos will be launching 2 new collections aimed to provide a Boutique, relaxed feel for Caring interiors.

Chamonix Deuxieme, a collection of 38 upholstery fabrics, includes our most popular designs, Slalom, Orelle and Marmotte, in a fresh new palette, offering an antimicrobial, impervious solution for Care home furniture fabric and hospitality settings. Alongside this collection we will be showcasing our new print, Treehouse. This collection evokes a whimsical, enchanting mood in an uplifting colour palette of brights and elegant neutrals, perfect for bedrooms or public areas. Designs, Milly (graphic petal), Eve (floral)and Guinevere (paisley) all bring something different providing choice for customers for cushions, curtains, bedding and upholstery and work well with Skopos’ accent plains.

Skopos can offer a fabric-only service or a full serv-

ice; with site measure, product manufacture and installation. The Skopos team produce approximately 25,000 made-up items each year, including bed-throws, cushions and pairs of curtains, all manufactured by a highly-skilled team of machinists, cutters and pattern makers; items that are delivered and installed into different contract environments.

As with all Skopos prints, customers are able to order designs across base-cloths for upholstery, curtains and bedding.

Qualities include waterproof upholsteries, velvets, drapery linen-effect qualities and blackout/dimout fabrics.

Skopos also offers a Bespoke design service, for statement interiors that require something different.

Our design team will work alongside you to develop ideas which can make your caring interior personal, branded and unique.

For samples of any of our collections www.skoposfabrics.com

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

PAGE 46 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

DEMENTIA CARE Music Charity Inspires Staff Rise & Shine Game Promotes Mobility and Wellbeing Working In Dementia Care with New Free Resource A music charity with more than 25 years’ experience of working with care staff has released a new, free resource to inspire and encourage the use of music in dementia care.

Music as Therapy International is a UK-registered charity which believes in the power of music to strengthen care. For more than 25 years they have worked alongside people on the frontlines of care, offering training and support to help them introduce and embed music into the care they provide.

The charity is now sharing a free resource for caregivers of people living with dementia, in the hope it will inspire and encourage them to introduce music into their day-to-day care routines.

The charity’s director, Alexia Quin OBE, said: “There’s a wealth of research which evidences the proven ways music can have a huge positive impact on the lives and wellbeing of people with dementia.

As well as reducing agitation and distress, music can join a fragmented existence together, giving people a sense of who they are in the here-and-now and offer them ways to connect with those around them.

“Caregivers tell us that incorporating music into their caring relationships not only benefits the person living with dementia, but makes a positive difference to their own well-being. That said, it can feel daunting, given a lack of time, resources and confidence.

But it can be simpler than you think.

“This new resource is an accessible introduction for people who are interested in using music in the care they provide. With simple prompts, tips and guidance on what to look out for when using music, we hope we can inspire caregivers to give it a try – and see for themselves the impact it can have.”

The free resource, titled ‘Be inspired: The role of music in dementia care’ is designed to help readers explore the role music can play in the care of people living with dementia. It includes ideas, questions and inspiration for choosing the right music to use, as well as things to look out for to help make the most

of any shared musical experiences.

The content of the booklet has been created as part of the development of a new online training course – titled ‘Music Helps’ - that the charity is aiming to launch later this year.

Music Helps is an online training course created specifically to help caregivers working with people living with dementia. The interactive four-hour course comprises five chapters offering guidance, videos, exercises, and resources to give caregivers an understanding of the role music can play in the care they provide, whether at home or in a residential setting.

Music Helps has already been developed and run with caregivers in India for over 12 months. The strong feedback from among more than 100 caregivers who have enrolled onto the course includes 100% of participants saying what they learnt from Music Helps has helped them get to know the person living with dementia better, and 97% feeling it has helped their own well-being.

Anyone interested to learn more about the role of music in dementia care can view and download the new resource for free from the charity’s website, where they can also register their interest to be one of the first to gain access to the Music Helps online course when it is launched.

For more information, please visit www.musicastherapy.org

In an effort to combat the nationwide issue of reduced mobility among senior citizens, an exciting game called "Rise & Shine" is making waves in healthcare and social care communities.

Developed with the goal of encouraging physical activity in elderly individuals, this innovative game consists of 30 uniquely designed tiles, adorned with playful illustrations by renowned artist and sculptor Bob Olley.

The game is designed to be played in group settings, with healthcare staff identifying participants who would benefit from engaging in physical activity. After receiving their tiles, participants join in activities suited to their needs, such as chair exercises or walking. Once the activities are completed, tiles are placed into the

"Rise & Shine Post-box." As the game progresses, a draw determines the winner, who receives a small prize.

Rise & Shine has been trialled successfully at Sunderland Royal Hospital and South Tyneside District Hospital. Feedback from both patients and staff has been overwhelmingly positive, with improvements in mobility and morale noted among participants.

By incorporating Rise & Shine into their routines, caregivers and healthcare providers can play a crucial role in keeping our elderly community active, engaged, and mobile, ultimately enhancing their wellbeing and independence. www.riseandshinegame.com or see the advert on the front cover.

The Well-being Suite The Well-being Suite was carefully designed to promote well being, foster connection and enhance engagement within a care facility. The innovative suite brings people together enhancing overall wellbeing – sharing enjoyment, nurturing a sense of belonging, creating friendship and cohesion.

Unlock cognitive potential with a vast range of activities crafted to stimulate these abilities, engaging minds and maintaining mental agility. These activities foster memory retention, attention span and critical thinking skills. As well as allowing the residents to unlock their creativity and imagination, the activities give a sense of accomplishment, boost self

esteem and nurture personal growth.

The Well-being Suite promotes social interaction, allowing residents to engage in group participation – sharing enjoyment, building connections, nurturing a sense of belonging, friendship and social cohesion.

Activities have been designed to range from cognitive stimulation, creativity, multi sensory engagement and emotional well being. Guided breathing exercises, expressive art therapies and virtual nature journeys provide moments of tranquillity and emotional respite for residents.

See the advert below for further information.

Top tips for decorating care homes

can appear as a step up or down – as this can be perceived as a hazard, so ensuring the flooring is a consistent tone is therefore crucial.

Other areas of consideration

Alongside critical surfaces, the furnishings of care homes should also be taken into account. They should contrast with critical surfaces so they can be quickly identified. Plus, furniture in a range of shapes and sizes helps increase the residents’ independence: variety provides choice and offers more options to suit needs and preferences.

Lighting should also be a consideration. With residents spending much of their time indoors, it is vital that lighting chosen helps stimulate and mimic sleep-wake cycles.

Good lighting is also important in helping residents identify spaces and enjoy their everyday routines and activities, as well as reducing glare and shadows that can cause confusion.

The perfect paint

While the choice of colours is critical to the wellbeing of residents with dementia, it is the type of paint that keeps the surfaces in the best condition for longer.

Every September, people from around the world come together for World Alzheimer’s Month to educate people about the disease and how to care for those affected, all while challenging the stigma surrounding it. Andrew Cleaver, National Sector Manager for Healthcare at Dulux Trade, explains how designing care homes correctly can improve residents’ quality of life.

There are over 17,000 care homes in the UK1 and according to studies by building and construction market researchers AMA, “the demand for additional capacity within the care home market is likely to start rising again within the next couple of years2”. To support residents living with dementia, it is important that those developing or reinvigorating care facilities know the key design concepts that can aid wayfinding and independence.

Colour is critical

While there is no right or wrong way to colour a healthcare setting, the shades used need to be carefully selected to ensure that critical surfaces – walls, doors, floors and ceilings – are all easily identifiable. This means choosing colours that are all 30 light reflectance value points apart.

For example:

Main walls

Soft, calm tones should be used on main walls. The calm hue of the Dulux Colour of the Year 2024, Sweet

EmbraceTM, is a prime example. It is a subtle, serene standalone shade that makes bolder tones used on other critical surfaces stand out.

In addition, the Colour of the Year was launched alongside three complementary palettes. For bedroom and living spaces, look to the soft blues and greens in the Calm palette (such as Serene Waters or Fresh Foliage) that can help to create a positive, soothing environment for residents.

The 2024 Colour of the Year, and the shades in its corresponding palettes, can be selected for products across the Dulux Trade range of paints. This means that no matter the project, there is a paint and colour suitable for it.

Feature walls

Feature walls should not just be added for visual interest, but to also aid wayfinding. Using more saturated hues – such as the warm terracotta and sand colours in the Warm palette, or modern ochres and lilacs in the Uplifting palette – at the end of corridors, behind kitchen serving areas, or at the front of the living room will act a clever visual prompt and help visually zone areas. A variety of these colours can also be used to visually differentiate each storey of a care home.

Doors

Bolder shades should be used on doors to make them more obvious against the softer tones of the walls. The deeper blues and greens in the Calm palette such as Sapphire Salute or Neptune Seas contrast well with Sweet Embrace™, while also remaining tranquil and easy on the eye.

On the other hand, staff-only doors and supply cupboards should be painted in the same colour as the walls, so they blend in, and limit prohibited access.

Floors

Floors are also considered a critical surface, and the design of these is just as important as the walls enclosing them. High sheen should be avoided, as it can make surfaces appear slippery, and reflect light, which can create confusing shadows. Bold patterns and stripes can also be disorientating, and make the floor feel unstable. In addition, contrast between flooring in one room to the next

When designing or redeveloping care facilities, consider a durable paint that will stand the test of time, and limit the disruption caused by potential future redecoration work.

The recently reformulated Dulux Trade Diamond Matt is compliant with BS EN ISO 11998 Class 1 and BS 7719 Class C and can withstand 10,000 scrubs (the equivalent of five hours non-stop scrubbing). It also delivers additional resistance to oil-based stains, such as food or cosmetics, to help stop stains from being absorbed into the surface, making them easier to clean.

Healthcare environments could also be decorated with antibacterial paint. In such busy environments, fingers, liquids and vapours can often come into contact with walls, which can encourage the spread of germs. Reduce this risk by using a paint such as Dulux Trade Sterishield, which inhibits bacteria and reduces population of MRSA and E.coli, and, when combined with appropriate cleaning practices, helps achieve a more hygienic environment.

For more information about the Colour of the Year 2024, please visit www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk/ en/colour-of-the-year-2024

For further information about designing for dementia, please visit: www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk/en/content/occd-hub

1 https://www.carehome.co.uk/advice/care-home-stats-number-of-settings-population-workforce#:~:text=There%20are%20about%2017%2C100%20care,total%20number%20of%20care%20homes.&text=Figures%20correct%20as%20of%208%20August%202022 2 https://www.amaresearch.co.uk/report/care-home-construction-market-report-uk-2021-2025/

PAGE 48 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES C&S Seating Ltd C&S Seating Ltd have provided postural control equipment to residential homes, hospices, medical equipment services and NHS trust hospitals nationwide since 1991.

With 9 different sizes of T-Rolls and Log Rolls, in a removable and machine washable Waterproof Titex or Soft Knit material. These rolls are used to control posture and position of the body in either supine or side lying. Our Knee & Leg support wedges are available in 2 sizes.

C&S Seating Ltd is the sole manufacturer of the Alternative Positioning Support – also available in two sizes, which has removable side cushions and middle pommel for when more control of the abducted lower

limb is required.

Our popular and vibrant range of Soft Knit covers in a choice of 5 colours, provide a softer alternative, ideal for the colder seasons and are designed to fit snug over our waterproof rolls for maximum protection and comfort.

Contact us on 01424 853331 or visit www.cands-seating.co.uk to request or download a brochure, pricelist or order form, request an individualised quotation, speak to an advisor or to place an order. See the advert on page 6.

Make First Impressions Count with Major Plants

Major Plants Limited specialises in providing costeffective and visually striking hanging basket maintenance services. This means we design plant arrangements to suit your business, using a combination of hanging baskets and window boxes.

We know that busy carers have enough work to do without trying to remember whether the flowers have been watered, fed, or tidied up. Calling in the experts like Major Plants Limited means that you can get on with your premises while we ensure that outside, your plant arrangements and presentation never let you down.

Besides our regular floral display services, we also offer a full package maintenance plan for your grounds and gardens.

Whether you are seeking an alternative quotation to compare with an existing supplier or are looking at external flower arrangements for the first time our flexible agreement and personal service will give you a piece of mind reliable support for your business.

Please get in touch!

0800 111 4014 – info@majorplants.co.uk Or see the advert on page 15.

HipSaver Soft Hip Protectors Consort Claudgen Introduces Wi-Fi

HipSaver Soft Hip Protectors protect the elderly and disabled people from fall-related hip fractures.

Designed to protect elderly people from fall related hip fractures, HipSavers are a leading brand of soft hip protectors. Used in the NHS since 2002, HipSaver Soft Hip Protectors are user friendly, affordable and cost-effective personal protective garments.

Soft, comfortable, effective and compatible with incontinence protection, HipSaver Soft Hip Protectors are perfect for use in care homes and by elderly people living independently.

HipSavers should be worn day and night for 24 hour protection and especially during physical and recreational activities, when accidental falls, slips and trips can lead to hip fractures.

Available as comfortable underwear or long casual

pants in several sizes for men and women, HipSavers feature soft protective airPads permanently sewn into the garments over the hip areas prone to injuries and fractures. HipSaver TailBone models have an additional protective airPad over the coccyx on lower back for protection during swaying, accidental knocks, bumps and backward falling.

Machine washable at high temperature and tumble drier friendly, HipSavers are practical, hygienic and durable.

HipSaver Soft Hip Protectors - affordable protective garments for the elderly and disabled people!

For more information see the adverts on the front cover and page 3 or contact Win Health Medical Ltd 01835 864866 - www.win-health.com

Yeoman Shield Fire Door Services Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety and are considerations of the design and maintenance of any building, but especially residential.

Article 17 – RRFSO states fire safety provisions (includes fire doors) must be maintained in a suitable condition and working order.

Yeoman Shield’s Fire Door Services can help to take the guess work out of fire door maintenance by providing fire door inspections, condition reports, remedial work and fire door installation all carried out

by FDIS and/or FIRAS accredited team members Having a good maintenance routine will dispel some needs of fire door replacement therefore being more cost effective.

The implementation of Yeoman Shield Fire Rated Door Protection products can also be in the long term

financially beneficial by halting impact damage from the start eliminating many repairs in the future and again will extend door lifecycles.

Installing Yeoman Shield door protection products such as, door protection panels, door edge protectors and PVCu glazing bead units will not affect the integrity of the fire door as all products have been tested, in situ, to the current standard required.

Vulnerable frames and architraves can also be protected from impact with Yeoman Shield to prevent dangerous splintering and splitting as well as abolishing the time-consuming, repetitive need for repainting.

For a complete repair and protect service contact the team today frdp@yeomanshield.com or visit www.yeomanshield.com or see the advert page 10.

EAIS - The Ideal Solution

EAIS is a leading Manufacturer and Supplier of storage and transportation products supplied both to the Foodservice and Healthcare industries. Proud to be based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk we are renowned for our innovation and ability to offer solutions which not only meet the customer’s demands, but their expectations as well. Whether you are looking for food storage shelving, racking systems, trolleys and fabrication, or maybe its healthcare shelving and medical trolleys or even

Wippet For Care Wippet For Care is the simplest and most versatile way to procure everything you need for your care home. Wippet is your gateway to fair prices from known and trusted suppliers.

Wippet is not a supplier, we have sourced many different suppliers onto our platform. Any healthcare business, small or large, can buy from Wippet.

At Wippet, our purpose is to provide fair market prices to all care operators. So, we have pre-negotiated prices from known and trusted suppliers to the care sector giving instant savings across your purchases.

Our platform and 3 unique services, designed by care procurement specialists, Club, Partner and Fuse are adaptable to the smallest and largest care operators.

- All suppliers routinely, independently checked and vetted.

- Care procurement specialists negotiating with suppliers on behalf of our customers.

- Bolt-on functionality and additional services as you need them.

- More than 50 suppliers and 50,000 products and services already available.

- One login, one basket, one invoice.

WIPPET CLUB

bespoke design products. With the combination of our ability to hold vast stocks of our key product lines, combined with our hugely experienced and award winning customer service it has made EAIS the number one choice within the Industry.

Why not put us to the test and let EAIS become your Ideal Solution? Contact our sales department on either 01553 765205 or sales@eais.co See the advert on page 13 for details.

Wippet Club is our core service offer, we provide the power and technology to make extraordinary prices accessible to all our registered and approved customers.

Our ongoing commitment to work with suppliers negotiating fair prices for you is what we do best.

WIPPET PARTNER

Through Wippet Partner you will turbo-charge your procurement with support from our care procurement experts as and when you need it. From simple benchmarking, via our range of suppliers and partner affiliations, to multiple category tenders. Using the Wippet platform technology to manage your procurement projects more efficiently allowing you to focus more time on other areas of your business.

WIPPET FUSE

Wippet Fuse is the simplest, yet most powerful, purchasing platform for care. Take your procurement to the next level with powerful technology that brings you P2P functionality at a fraction of the cost.

Register to gain access to our 3 services and improve all aspects of your procurement.

Find out more and register today at: https://wippetforcare.com/ info@wipet.com or see the advert on page 8.

Enabled Heaters to LST Range Consort Claudgen's innovation in the electric heating industry takes another leap forward by introducing Wi-Fi-enabled heaters to their low surface temperature (LST) range. These cutting-edge heaters offer unparalleled convenience and efficiency.

The heaters connect directly to Wi-Fi, enabling users to control heating through the digital control panel on the heater or via the Consort Connect app. With a comprehensive 7-day timer, which allows 24 individual heating periods per day, and features such as a lock function, open window detection, and custom automation, users can tailor their heating needs to their preferences.

Adding to the ease of use, users can view the ener-

gy consumption statistics of all connected heaters, providing insights into usage patterns and potential savings. The LST heaters with Wi-Fi and occupancy sensors have a self-learning control ability.

They utilise in-built occupancy sensors to detect and learn a user's weekly presence in a room, creating an intuitive heating schedule. When the space is unoccupied, the heater conserves energy by switching to a setback temperature or frost protection mode.

BIM (Building Information Modelling) objects for the heaters are available for download from Consort's website.

01646 692172 | sales@consortepl.com | www.consortepl.com or see the advert on page 19.

Exclusive Antimicrobial Scrub Technology

by Grahame Gardner and Micro-Fresh® The range, exclusive to Grahame Gardner, incorporates cuttingedge technology Micro-Fresh® to help keep healthcare workers safe whilst maintaining unrivalled comfort.

The garment fabric, which is 65 per cent polyester and 35 per cent cotton, is incorporated with innovative Micro-fresh® technology at point of manufacture. The antimicrobial technology not only kills 99.9 per cent of bacteria beyond 50 washes but is also proven to reduce the spread of human coronavirus by 99.2 per cent.

With wash resistant antibacterial protection, MicroFresh® also boasts odour prevention, providing longer lasting freshness for the wearer. The scrubs are hypoal-

lergenic, gentle on skin and vegan friendly.

The exclusive scrubs are available in two fits – unisex and female – the scrub top is available in six colourways: Oasis, Navy, Eau de Nil, Bottle, Smoke Grey and Blue 18 each with a classic contrasting white trim, the trousers are available in core colours Navy, Bottle and Black.

Grahame Gardner also offer all six scrub colours in their Made to Order range with a bespoke choice of trim colour.

The scrub top design features multiple pockets, including two waterproof chest pockets and a wearers right hand hip pocket, which also has a pen divide and an elastic loop for a clip-on hand sanitiser. The trousers have a drawstring waist, and also side and a back pockets.

The range is exclusively available to purchase here: www.grahamegardner.co.uk/healthcare/ microfresh-scrubs.html www.grahamegardner.co.uk info@grahamegardner.co.uk See the advert on page 7 for further details.

Cutting Operating Costs & Lowering Carbon Emissions In One Move The growing trend for selfcontained single-room bed spaces, including either en-suite bathrooms or preferably a wetroom, which not only make the most of smaller spaces but is a practical solution for people with restricted mobility, is driving daily demands for hot water in care homes. Heating the water for more than 17,000 residential care and nursing homes in the UK, their estimated 400,000 residents and a further 750,000 staff means the sector’s energy demands for this service alone are considerable and potentially a key contributor to both operational costs and carbon emissions. Understanding and addressing hot water generation should therefore be an important part of a care home’s daily operation, especially if the sustainability of the care home environment is being challenged.

Adveco Live Metering of the hot water demands of a building is a quick, non-invasive, and extremely cost-effective means of gauging needs. It also provides application design which enables owner/man-

agers to develop realistic and sustainable development strategies which deliver active results today with low to no impact on ongoing operations.

Unless a new build, which will be electrical-based, most refurbishments will look to either improve on existing gas systems or aim to completely replace them with electrical alternatives, typically heat pumps and/or direct-electric heating. This comes at a cost, in terms of capital and especially operational expense, but does reduce carbon emissions.

Solar thermal can help further reduce carbon, but crucially also reduces the expense associated with operating on both gas or electric, reducing annual energy requirements by typically 30% although it could be more. With a less than 10-year return on investment now possible, solar thermal, as a proven renewable should be on any list of net zero technologies being considered as part of a care home’s sustainability strategy. www.adveco.co or see the advert on page 5.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 49

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MANAGEMENT

Lotus Care Technology The NurseAlert pressure mat has been one of the most successful floor pressure mats due to it being non slip and carpeted which makes it feel very natural under a residents foot.

Designed to combat the problem of residents who are inclined to walk undetected, The Nurse Alert Mat can help protect residents especially at night that are at risk of falls and accidents.

This Nurse Alert Mat can be placed typically at the bedside or at the door threshold and plugged into the call socket of the Nurse Call system or the mobile Floor Sentry Monitor.

It can then alert staff for example before the resident is up and about, sounding the alarm with a small amount of pressure thus enabling staff to investigate.

Need to add a pear push lead in the same call point then add a 2-1 adapter

In addition The Floor Pressure Mat has a heavy non slip backing, It comes professionally sealed so can easily be cleaned for liquid spills and is fully serviceable.

And carries a 12 Month guarantee Lotus Care Technology Ltd have many other fall saving devices that can give you peace of mind whilst caring for this at risk of falls.

Having many years of experience in fitting and maintaining Nurse Call Systems helps the guys at Lotus Care Technology understand that every home is different and has different needs. They can specify not only the best system for the environmental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier.

Visit our NEW WEBSITE at www.lctuk.com for details.

Frequency Precision - Sensors and Pressure Mats to Monitor Those in Care Technology has made people more connected with the world around them and the revolution in assistive care devices has made it possible for the elderly to spend their last years in a comfortable and familiar environment. These devices have also made it easier for home carers to provide quality care for their loved ones while managing their own lives. They allow you to care for your elderly whether they are travelling in the city for errands, staying alone at home, or staying in the same home as you. They are also helping nursing homes provide better care for them with discrete monitoring and quick responses to emergencies.

If you’re looking for these kinds of assistive care devices for your loved ones or nursing home, Frequency Precision produce some of the best systems available to help you with elderly care and mobility monitoring, ranging from bed, chair and floor sensor mats through fall monitoring and GPS tracking to fully integrated nurse call plug or wireless systems.

Phone: 01837 810590 Email: contact@frequencyprecision.com Website: www.frequencyprecision.com

Nurse Alert Mats Designed to combat the problem of residents who are inclined to walk undetected, the Nurse Alert Mat can help protect residents especially at night that are at risk of falls and accidents.

When connected to a Nurse Call system or the mobile Floor Sentry Monitor it will then alert staff, sounding the alarm with a small amount of pressure thus enabling staff to investigate.

• Nurse Call Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Door Access • Staff Attack • CCTV • Infection Control • Dementia Care • Electrical Contracting

In addition The Floor Pressure Mat has a heavy non slip backing, It comes professionally sealed so can easily be cleaned for liquid spills and is fully serviceable.

INCLUDES A 12 MONTH GUARANTEE

sales@lctuk.com 0800 8499 121 www.LCTUK.com

PAGE 50 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MANAGEMENT Your Fall-Encompassing Care Solution: How Vayyar Care is Shaking Up the Sector There are plenty of reasons why 17 local authority care homes (at the last count) have embraced a new approach to data-driven care. But two stand out: ensuring rapid response to resident falls and accurately assessing risk in order to prevent falls from happening.

Achieving those long-standing goals has been made possible thanks to two types of transformative technology: cutting-edge radar-on-chip sensors and a new generation of connected care platforms capable of analyzing reams of behavioural data and generating actionable insights that enhance outcomes.

FAILSAFE FALL DETECTION The first of those technologies is Vayyar Care. The solution, produced by the world leader in 4D imaging radar and distributed by installation and support experts Panacea Healthcare Group, provides 24/7 monitoring – even in pitch darkness and steamy bathrooms. The sensors deliver instant, exceptionally accurate and fully automatic fall detection without the resident having to push a pendant button – which they might have failed to put on that morning.

Crucially, Vayyar Care ensures the right balance between the detail that care providers need and the dignity residents demand. Less intrusive than video cameras and more precise than acoustic monitoring, it provides full visibility while respecting personal privacy.

As Natasha Corness, TEC Innovation Lead and Essex County Council, puts it: “Vayyar gave us the opportunity to have a non-intrusive way of monitoring our customers across Essex and maintain dignity and respect. It was-

n’t a camera that was monitoring them, you don’t have to remember to put on a pendant alarm. I’d definitely recommend Vayyar Care to other councils because we believe this technology is the future.”

FORWARD-LOOKING FALLS MANAGEMENT Care providers don’t want only to prevent long lies. They also want to mitigate fall risk. That’s where connected care platform providers such as Anthropos come in, providing advanced software that pulls in data from a range of smart devices in order to reveal exactly what’s going on with every resident.

Vayyar Care is at the core of the Anthropos ecosystem.

“We wanted a device that we could easily integrate with in our platform, because we need to have a device that we can trust the data that it provides. That is what Vayyar did for us. It’s almost the equivalent to being there with your client 24/7, when no-one is there,” explains Frances Morrison, Chief Customer Officer at Anthropos Digital Care.

The combined offering’s activity tracking features show where residents are in their suites over any defined period, highlighting risk factors including loneliness, disturbed sleep and higher-than-usual bathroom usage, all of which increase the likelihood of falls.

“It’s pretty impressive technology. I would definitely recommend the system to any care home in the country.

It is definitely a life-saver,” says Michelle Wood, Care Home Manager at Dryfemount in Lockerbie.

To find out more about how Vayyar Care and Anthropos can enhance resident safety, reduce caregiver workload and support your organisation’s digitisation journey, email collaboration@vayyar.com

Silent Running - Tranquility in Care Homes Blaucomm Ltd - Telecommunications & Networks Quiet and calm care homes ensure that residents are able to live in a more relaxing and pleasant home environment.

Similarly, carers and staff find that they too benefit from reduced stress when working in a home where noise levels are kept to a minimum.

Modern Nurse Call systems can incorporate a number of methods to reduce their impact in a care home. These include zoning whereby there are separate alarm types used depending upon the location of the call. In these circumstances, dementia sufferers and those vulnerable to noise can be located in one “zone” whist less vulnerable residents live in an alternative “zone”. Each “zone” can operate different call tones, warning lights or other methods to alert when help is required Reducing noise levels is essential to create a tran-

quil environment for residents.

Pagers have been around for many years, are a relatively simple and cost-effective measure in reducing the levels of noise, and can be added to most Nurse Call systems.

Smart Mobile Devices are now becoming more commonplace for care home staff and hold a variety of apps for care planning, e-medication, etc. Many Courtney Thorne clients are now utilising the “Go” app with their Nurse Call system. With the “Go” app, nurse call alarms are delivered immediately and silently straight to the handsets, alerting the individual carers to all Nurse call alarms without creating any general alarm sound and rarely disturbing the rest of the residents in the home.

For more information email us at: info@c-t.co.uk or see the advert below.

Blaucomm’s Nurse Call Messaging Service (NMS) is the market leading solution to remove the dependency on noisy nurse call panels and pagers, through its intelligent software, which delivers the alerts straight to the care staff who need them.

Care homes are rapidly introducing smartphones for digital care planning and eMar - now, the same devices can be used to receive the nurse call alerts they need for the residents under their care.

Furthermore, Blaucomm NMS is deeply linked into Person Centred Software MCM, so call bell data is linked straight to care plans. This unlocks a huge benefit to care homes to enhance the staff performance with how they accept and respond to residents, which ultimately promotes better response times and visibility for management to audit their performance.

The best part is that Blaucomm NMS links into

your existing nurse call system - we work with all major brands such as Aidcall, ARM, Courtney Thorne, C-TEC, ENS, Intercall, Medicare, SAS and TeleAlarm.

Care operators are constantly recognising Blaucomm NMS for its reliability and dependability to their care operations, which is why we’ve been chosen time and time again over other solutions.

Head of IT Trudi Harrow at WCS Care had this to say about Blaucomm NMS: “We find Blaucomm is a genuinely fantastic company with a reliable product.

"We would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to replace expensive pagers and silence those annoyingly loud nurse call screens!”

To find out more about Blaucomm NMS, visit www.blaucomm.co.uk/healthcare See the advert on the front cover for more details.

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

PAGE 52 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MANAGEMENT Arquella - Connected Technology, Connected Care ARQUELLA, a leading care technology provider, offers solutions to enhance the quality of care in nursing and residential homes across the United Kingdom.

Arquella is passionate about making a difference in the quality of care provided to nursing and residential homes across the United Kingdom. Through the power of technology, we have developed cutting-edge solutions that are accessible and supportive, putting people at the forefront.

As part of a nationwide initiative driven by a £25m UK government funding pledge to enhance the quality of care and support individuals’ independence, Arquella is proud to be at the forefront of the digital transformation in the care sector.

Falls in care homes are a significant concern in the UK, with residents three times more likely to fall than older people living in their own homes. Arquella’s innovative solution, Arquella Sense, utilising sensor-based technology, and Arquella Call, a digital nurse call system, will improve reactive care and reduce risk.

Arquella Sense uses discreet wall or ceiling-mounted sensors to monitor fall risk behaviour 24 hours daily,

Medpage Falls Management Products Medpage Limited has been at the forefront in patient care product innovation for almost four decades.

During this time, we have invented alarm clocks to wake deaf people, monitors for people with epilepsy to detect night-time seizures and alerting carers by radio pager, Calendar Clocks with memory prompting for people with dementia, bed and chair leaving alarms with pager warnings for a carer, and a vast array of electronic sensors.

Our philosophy is always to produce products that people can afford, not just dream of. Certainly, the way world has been for the past few years that philosophy makes more sense today. Our latest range of bed and chair sensor alarms for example, cost a fraction more than they did 10 years ago. Mainly due to the good old microprocessor replacing a bucket load of analogue components. Does anyone remember op-amps and tran-

alerting carers via mobile handsets. The technology aims to intervene before falls occur, increasing safety and providing a cost-effective solution to cumbersome mats.

Arquella Call is an app-based digital nurse call system that delivers in-depth digital records and future-proof functionality. It integrates seamlessly with other software applications, offering actionable data to help shape care delivery and adjust staffing levels.

Arquella is at the forefront of a digital transformation revolution in the care sector. Technology is more important than ever in providing insights and actionable data to inform decisions and improve lives.

For more information about Arquella’s products and how they can benefit your care home, please call 0333 242 7505 or visit their website at www.arquella.co.uk

sistors?

There are close to 100 Medpage branded products to aid care of people who may be; a falls risk, live with epilepsy, suffer from stroke, are a full-time carer, professional healthcare worker, living with dementia. Our products are designed, manufactured, and distributed governed by an audited quality management system. You can trust us to delivery on every count.

People generally these days are not so concerned with the past, mainly what can we have today and what could we have tomorrow. Simple answer.

Today you could visit our website and explore the vast array of Independent Living Aids, Hospital Discharge Patient Home Support product packages, Domestic and Professional Carer Support products. Better planning today will bring better outcomes for tomorrow. Take a look at www.easylinkuk.co.uk See the advert on page 15 for further details.

Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions Fall Savers®, are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years.

FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR

Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions!

Upgrade your falls programme with the latest technology from Fall Savers®. The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad. This results in less work for nursing staff, improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads. Wireless advantages include the ability to use one monitor with two sensor pads simultaneously and support for many new wireless devices.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Safer for patients; less work for staff Bed and chair pads available One monitor works with two sensor pads Integrates with most nurse call systems A variety of options, including: Call button Pager Floor sensor mat Wireless door/window exit alerts

TREADNOUGHT ®FLOOR SENSOR PAD

The TreadNought® Floor Sensor Pad is built to last with a durable construction that far out lasts the competition. Our anti-bacterial floor

sensor pad is compatible with most nurse call systems or can be used with a portable pager to sound an alert when a person steps on to the sensor pad. Caregivers typically place the sensor pad at the bedside, in a doorway or other locations to monitor persons at risk for falls or wandering. An optional anti-slip mesh reduces the potential for slippage on hard surface floors.

FEATURES INCLUDE: Connects directly to most nurse call systems High Quality anti-bacterial Floor Sensor Pad Large Size Pad: Measures (L) 91cm x (H) 61cm Options (sold separately): Anti-slip mesh for hard surface floors See the advert on this page for further details or visit www.fallsavers.co.uk.

PAGE 54 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Revolutionary Software Solution, Direcht LD, Empowers Self-Care Within Learning Disability Environments Sidqam UK is proud to announce the launch of Direcht LD, a cuttingedge Software Solution designed specifically for Learning Disability Environments. With a core mission of empowering self-care within individuals, Direcht LD promises to revolutionise the way we support and enhance the lives of those with learning disabilities.

Direcht LD is the result of years of research and development, guided by the belief that everyone, regardless of their abilities, deserves the tools and opportunities to lead more independent and fulfilling lives. This innovative software solution is poised to make a significant impact in the field of learning disabilities.

Key features of Direcht LD include: • Empowering Self Care: Supporting people living in LD care, MH care or supported living by completing Daily Questions each day.

• Carer support : Decision making made easy by completing soft signs, vitals, and generating pre-built SBARD’s for reaching out to external healthcare professionals.

• Audit tracing – Past records can be utilised to assist care home managers when being audited.

• CQC inspection assurance: Every interaction is logged, saved and easy to reach for when care homes have inspections from CQC. No more panic during those surprise visits.

• Tailored for Learning Disability Environments: Direcht LD is uniquely designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities, making it a valuable asset for caregivers, educators, and support professionals.

• User-Friendly Interface: Direcht LD boasts a user-friendly and intuitive interface that ensures accessibility for all users, regardless of their level of technical proficiency.

• Comprehensive Learning Resources: The software includes a vast library of lessons, assessments, and educational materials, all designed to cater to diverse learning needs and styles.

• Robust Support: Direcht LD is backed by a dedicated team of experts who are committed to providing top-notch customer support and continuous

software updates to meet evolving user needs.

Sidqam invites individuals, organisations, and institutions in the field of learning disabilities to explore the possibilities that Direcht LD offers. This innovative software solution aligns with the mission of enhancing the quality of life and promoting independence for individuals with learning disabilities.

For more information about Direcht LD, please visit www.sidqam.co.uk or contact Lawrence Chadwick-Smith at lawrence.chadwicksmith@sidqam.co.uk and 07920067737

About Sidqam: Sidqam is a leading healthcare technology company that offers cuttingedge solutions to healthcare organisations across the UK and beyond.

These innovative solutions are designed to elevate patient outcomes, lower operational costs, enhance efficiency, and, most crucially, elevate the quality of patient care.

In today’s dynamic healthcare landscape, Sidqam stands as a trailblazer, spearheading advancements that transform the way healthcare is delivered. Our commitment to delivering exceptional technology solutions stems from our unwavering dedication to improving the well-being of patients across the country and beyond.

Transform Your Care Business with Advanced Care Cloud Are you tired of juggling multiple systems and struggling to stay on top of your care organisation's operations? Look no further! Advanced Care Cloud is here to revolutionise the way you manage your care business.

With Advanced Care Cloud, you can say goodbye to the complexities and limitations of outdated software. Our innovative cloud-based solution offers a true, single, integrated platform that empowers you to efficiently manage any type or size of care and support organisation.

Imagine having all your key information at your fingertips, accessible in one central location. No more searching through countless spreadsheets, paperwork, or disjointed systems. Advanced Care Cloud brings everything together, allowing you to see and do what you need, exactly when you need it.

Why choose Advanced Care Cloud? Here are just a few reasons: 1.Streamlined Operations: With Advanced Care Cloud, you can streamline your day-today operations, eliminating time-consuming manual processes and reducing administrative burden. From scheduling and staff management to client records and billing, everything is seamlessly integrated for enhanced efficiency.

2.Comprehensive Care Management: Whether you provide residential care, domiciliary care, supported living, or any other type of care, Advanced Care Cloud has got you covered. Our solution is designed to meet the unique

needs and requirements of various care settings, providing comprehensive care management tools tailored to your specific workflows.

3. Real-time Insights: Gain valuable insights into your care business with Advanced Care Cloud's robust reporting and analytics capabilities. Track key metrics, monitor performance, and make data-driven decisions to drive continuous improvement and achieve better outcomes for your clients.

4. Anywhere, Anytime Access: Advanced Care Cloud is accessible from any device with an internet connection, giving you the flexibility to manage your care business on the go. Even in situations where the connection is lost, Advanced Care Cloud remains accessible. You can continue working offline and rest assured that any updates made will be automatically synced once the connection is re-established. So, whether you're at the office, visiting clients, or attending conferences, you can stay connected and in control.

To experience the power of Advanced Care Cloud firsthand, visit our stand G74 at the Care Show on the 11th and 12th of October at the NEC Birmingham. Our team of experts will be available to provide live demonstrations, answer your questions, and showcase how Advanced Care Cloud can transform your care business.

For more information on Advanced Care Cloud and to schedule a personalised demo, visit our website www.oneadvanced.com/products/care-cloud or call us on 0330 311 6077 today.

PAGE 56 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Technology Enabled Care:

The Next Generation of Care Provision

At The Access Group we are aware of the challenges of maintaining quality care facing the care industry. It is estimated that there are 1.98 million social care requests made every year and with limiting budgets and staff recruitment at a all time high it is getting increasingly difficult to ensure care providers are constantly delivering better person-centred care.

We are delighted to announce our latest solution which will sit within our Workspace for Care, Access Assure. Our Assure ecosystem will sit at the centre of our care offering to prevent, monitor, and react to social care needs as they change.

Here our technology enabled care and digital telecare goes further than just a digital social alarm. We combine both traditional reactive alarm functionality with proactive digital monitoring to deliver better proactive and preventative care.

Our digital monitoring tools allows for continuous data capture and analysis for care providers and clinical consultants, aggregating the data collected and transforming it into actionable insight. In just a matter of 14 days our Assure ecosystem can learn individual daily routines to notify

care providers and loved ones of any changes before something more critical takes place.

The Assure ecosystem supports people recover across the care continuum to prolong independence, provide reassurance, delay future care needs, and reduce hospital discharge delays to help budgets stretch further and help reach the demand easier.

Technology Enabled Care is more than just a single component or sensor it’s the combined sum of all its parts. To enable this Assure integrates with 3rd party sensors and devices and a variety of our other care solutions. This ensures we can deliver a level of intelligence and can help join up data to provide insight on wellbeing to deliver a preventative approach to care and improve care planning, care management, and care delivery to give individuals the freedom to do more.

To find out more about how our digital telecare helps deliver better proactive and preventative care, contact us today at www.theaccessgroup.com/engb/health-social-care/form/digitaltelecare-demo-contact-form/

Introducing Caregraphy: Transforming Social Care Management In today's rapidly evolving world, where technology drives progress across industries, the field of health and social care is no exception. Caregraphy is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, offering an innovative software solution that revolutionises the way care organisations manage their operations.

At Caregraphy, we understand the challenges faced by care providers in delivering high-quality services while navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Our mission is to empower care organisations with the tools they need to enhance client outcomes, streamline administrative tasks, and ensure compliance with ever-changing regulations.

What sets Caregraphy apart is its user-centric design that places care providers and clients at the heart of every feature.

From comprehensive client assessments and personalised support plans to secure communication tools and real-time reporting, our software is built to simplify your daily tasks and elevate your service quality.

With Caregraphy, gone are the days of manual paperwork, inefficient communication, and disjointed processes. Our platform seamlessly integrates all aspects of care management into one unified system, enabling you to focus on what truly matters – delivering exceptional care and improving the lives of those you serve.

We are not just a software provider; we are your partner in progress. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that Caregraphy works to suit your unique needs, evolving alongside your organisation. By harnessing the power of technology, we enable you to unlock new efficiencies, achieve higher standards of care, and drive positive outcomes.

Experience the Caregraphy difference – where innovation meets compassion, and where your organisation's success is our top priority.

Discover more at www.caregraphy.com and book a demo to find out how you can start your journey with Caregraphy today.

See the advert on page 46 for details.

Pass Profile 2023

• Save you time • Increase the efficiency of your teams • Improve the quality of care • Deliver better outcomes

PASS supports over 1,000 care providers every day, giving them access to market leading care management tools hand in hand with unlimited 24/7/365 support from our dedicated and friendly PASS team.

Assured by NHS Transformation Directorate, PASS provides a secure platform that allows you to plan, record and evidence the care you deliver. The only assured solution built specifically for the home care sector, it provides comprehensive real-time functionality and allows you to share progress against outcomes with customisable, exportable reports.

CARE PLANNING AND ROSTERING FROM A SINGLE PLATFORM To meet the wider needs of the PASS community All-in-one PASS has recently been launched , bringing advanced rostering functionality to our established digital care planning platform. As a result advanced staff scheduling, payroll and invoicing functionality is now seamlessly linked with care planning and reporting, reducing the technical complexity, risk and overhead associated with integrating two separate systems.

As a result, PASS now provides an all-in-one suite of digital care management tools, available from a single platform, designed to:

INTEGRATED HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE Our commitment to the continual evolution of PASS is further illustrated by the addition of GP Connect.

PASS GP Connect provides authorised social care staff with realtime access to their client’s GP records. It makes medical information available when and where it is needed, leading to improvements in both care safety and outcomes: • Visibility of allergies, vaccinations and medications, especially useful for clients unable to reliably share their personal information • Using medical information to inform care planning • Ensuring that the right medication is delivered to the right person in the timeliest manner. In one case, this allowed the administration of antibiotics on a Friday evening, aiding the service user’s swift recovery from infection Available to all PASS users at no additional cost, PASS GP Connect is significantly more efficient than waiting for a GP response. It’s also a positive step forward on the path to the DHSC’s goal for widespread digitally enabled care and is in full alignment with their ambition for joined up care for everyone.

Get in touch: www.everylifetechnologies.com hello@everylifetechnoloiges.com

PAGE 58 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Sidqam - Software Solutions for Community Care Sidqam is a health technology company that offers cutting-edge solutions to health and community care organisations in the United Kingdom. These innovative solutions are designed to elevate patient outcomes and staff confidence, lower operational costs, enhance efficiency, and, most crucially, improve the quality of patient care.

In today's dynamic healthcare landscape, Sidqam stands as a trailblazer, spearheading advancements that transform the way healthcare is delivered. Our commitment to delivering exceptional technology solutions stems from our unwavering dedication to improving the wellbeing of patients across the country and beyond.

Fardeen Siddiqui, CEO Sidqam Ltd. says, “Our software solutions are a testament to our commitment to delivering excellence within community care. We understand the profound impact that technology can have on the lives of both caregivers and the individuals they support. In the realm of care homes, Direcht Care streamlines administrative tasks, allowing staff to dedicate more time and attention to residents. We prioritize enhancing the quality of care, ensuring that each individual receives personalised support tailored to their unique needs.

For those with learning disabilities, Direcht LD creates opportunities for independence and growth. It fosters a supportive environment that encourages skill development and empowerment. We believe that technology should serve as a bridge to inclusivity, enabling individuals with learning disabilities to lead fulfilling lives within their communities” Lawrence Chadwick-Smith, Head of Operations added, “Our software solutions for community care are driven by a shared passion for enhancing lives, it's a sector we are immensely proud to serve. We understand that the well-being of individuals in care homes, those with learning disabilities and domiciliary care hinges on the quality of care they receive, and we are here to set new standards of excellence and compassion.”

OUR PRODUCTS Direcht LD is the result of years of research and development, guided by the belief that everyone, regardless of their abilities, deserve the tools and opportunities to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.

This innovative and fit-for-purpose software solution is poised to make a significant impact in the field of caring for people with learning dis-

abilities.

Direcht Care empowers care providers with a comprehensive and user-friendly platform to streamline and enhance resident care. Our software offers intuitive care plan creation and management tools, enabling care teams to develop personalised care plans that cater to each resident's unique needs, preferences, and medical history.

Additionally, incorporating Direcht Restore enables comprehensive deterioration monitoring and escalation.

Direcht Restore is the ultimate monitoring deterioration and escalation software that helps care homes provide the best care to their residents by empowering care workers with the support they need.

Co-developed with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB (the original creators of the paper RESTORE2™), Direcht Restore is the only fullstandard deterioration monitoring solution on the market.

For more information about the Sidqam range of software solutions for community care, please visit www.sidqam.co.uk, email direcht@sidqam.co.uk or call 0161 818 4614

WhosOffice Online success Helps Care Sector with Shift Planning and Staff Leave Management Kent -based WhosOffice.com is helping the care sector manage staff shifts and leave planning. Currently used by many businesses to manage staff holidays and shift rotas online.

WhosOffice’s CEO, Reg Groombridge, has seen a noticeable shift in the way companies are managing essential HR tasks like coordinating staff time off and shift patterns.

“All companies, including large care homes, hospital pharmacies and the care sector generally are more sensitive than ever to key staff not being available at vital times during a shift. Management, including local managers, need to have a clear vision of whos on shift, day off, who’s on leave or even off sick and be able to plan tasks accordingly to the correct staff.”

“As there continues to be pressure caused by the shortage of skilled and qualified personnel, you need online systems that your whole team can use to see accurate information, wherever they’re located – at head office, care home based, onsite or on the move.”

Knowing who’s on shift or available to cover a shift is the key to success along with who’s qualified to cover certain essential roles and tasks.

“The switch to digital shift planning is driving investment in HR tools like WhosOffice because there can be less face-to-face interaction between staff. Its easier to have an online system that gives everyone from the ground up a clearer picture of who’s on shift, who’s available and qualified to take on tasks that must covered.

Particularly in the care sector you can’t just lean across the desk and ask someone if they’ve booked next week off or when they are next on shift.

“There’s also a need for companies to provide a good employee experience. When recruitment is a challenge, you can’t afford to lose your most valuable people – and a basic mistake like miscalculating someone’s holiday allowance or not logging their time off request can have a huge impact on people’s loyalty to your business.”

“Likewise, it’s important to protect the health and wellbeing of your workforce, to mitigate the risk of someone going off long-term sick.

We’re seeing more companies using the WhosOffice absence management feature to track staff sick leave, so they can identify people who may be struggling with their physical or mental health and offer appropriate support.”

Ever-rising employee expectations have created a stronger business case for investing in HR technologies. When WhosOffice launched in 2015 it was one of the very first online staff shift and leave planners, and many businesses still used paper forms or spreadsheets to track time off. Now, companies of all sizes are modernising their operations to help them attract and retain the best people.

“Fortunately, essential HR tools have become much more affordable in recent years, which means SMEs can use the same, sophisticated software as much larger companies.”

Contact details WhosOffice.com +44 (0)1227 812938 support@whosoffice.com

PAGE 60 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Cyber Attack On Social Care: A Case Of ‘When, Not If’

By Daniel O’Shaughnessy, Delivery Manager at Better Security, Better Care In the modern world, cyber attacks are a case of ‘when, not if’, and social care is no exception. During National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October, Better Security, Better Care will be encouraging all care providers to check and improve their cyber security arrangements.

The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023 reports that 59% of medium sized businesses recall breaches or attacks in the last year. Smaller organisations are identifying them less, but this may reflect that managers in smaller organisations view cyber security as less of a priority in the current economic climate, so are undertaking less monitoring.

As most care services are small or medium sized businesses, with valuable data such as staff, clients’ and the company’s bank details, they can be particularly vulnerable. The impact can be significant and costly such as: • loss of access to care plans and rosters, putting care delivery at risk • financial losses due to theft from bank accounts, fake requests for payments, and ransomware demands • the time lost through having to fix systems.

Many more care providers are using the free Data Security and Protection Toolkit

(DPST) for social care to assess and improve their arrangements. That is real progress.

The challenge is to be continuously alert to less obvious or emerging risks.

For example, if a software supplier is the victim of a cyber attack, it can impact on organisations using their systems. This happened last summer when a cyber-attack impacted NHS and social care software systems. One care provider had all the appropriate cyber security infrastructure in place, but they were still disrupted because the attack on the software company blocked access to their system. Fortunately, the care service had a strong business continuity plan in place. As the manager explains: “We had already been backing up and downloading our employee rosters as part of this plan, so when the attack happened, we were able to check our downloaded rosters and move these over to a spreadsheet.”

We strongly encourage providers to take up the benefits of going digital – and plan for the potential risks. The DSPT brings you through all the issues you need to consider.

And you don’t have to do it alone. You can access free support from the Better Security, Better Care programme – including 28 support organisations across the country.

Visit www.digitalsocialcare.co.uk/bettersecuritybettercare or see the advert on page 9.

Elevating Care Standards: A Revolution in UK Residential and Domiciliary Care Auditing In an era of ever-evolving healthcare regulations and an unwavering commitment to delivering quality care, auditing and compliance have never been more critical in residential care and domiciliary care settings. The spotlight on transparency, accountability, and patient safety shines brighter than ever before. That's where our state-of-the-art auditing tool comes into play, paving the way for a new standard of excellence in care provision.

A NEED FOR TRANSFORMATION IN CARE AUDIT PROCESSES Traditionally, auditing processes for care providers have been time-consuming, paper-heavy, and prone to errors. The burden of regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and delivering exceptional patient-centred care can be overwhelming.

THE POWER OF CARE AUDITS Customisable Templates: Tailor audit templates to your specific care setting, ensuring that the auditing process aligns perfectly with your care protocols and regulatory requirements.

Time and Cost Efficiency: Say goodbye to the days of sifting through mountains of paperwork. Care Audits streamlines the auditing process, saving time and reducing costs.

Real-time Tracking: Stay ahead of compliance requirements with real-time tracking and reporting. Our system allows you to monitor, manage, and report on audit findings instantly, reducing the risk of compliance gaps and penalties.

Improved Care Quality: By identifying areas for improvement quickly and efficiently, Care Audits empowers your team to enhance care quality and patient outcomes.

Comprehensive Training and Support: We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to ensure that you maximize the potential of Care Audits.

JOIN THE FUTURE OF CARE AUDITING Embrace innovation, elevate your care provision, and ensure unwavering compliance with Care Audits. It's time to leave behind the challenges of outdated auditing methods and embrace the efficiency, accuracy, and quality improvements Care Audits offers.

Invest in your residents, clients, and the future of care. Contact us today to schedule a demo or experience Care Audits first-hand with our free 14-day free trial.

See the advert on this page for further details.

Patient Handling and Moving

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 61

PATIENT HANDLING

Patient handling and moving in UK residential and nursing care homes is an essential activity that needs to be carried out safely and efficiently to prevent injury to both patients and staff. Handling and moving patients can be a physically demanding task, and staff must be trained and equipped to carry out this activity safely.

LEGISLATION

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary legislation that governs health and safety in the workplace, including residential and nursing care homes. This act requires employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees and anyone else who may be affected by their work. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 build on this act, requiring employers to conduct risk assessments and implement measures to eliminate or control the risks identified.

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 also relate to patient handling and moving and require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling wherever possible. If this is not feasible, employers must assess the risk of injury and take steps to reduce it, such as providing training, equipment, and other aids. The regulations also require employers to ensure that workers are aware of the risks associated with manual handling and the measures in place to minimize them.

TRAINING

Training is a crucial aspect of patient handling and moving in residential and nursing care homes. Workers must be trained in the safe use of equipment and techniques to prevent injury to themselves and patients. The training should cover the risks associated with manual handling, such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), and how to minimize them. Workers should also be trained in how to use patient handling aids and equipment, such as hoists and transfer belts.

Training should be provided to all new employees and repeated periodically to ensure that all staff are aware of the latest techniques and equipment. The training should also cover the specific needs of different patient groups, such as those with dementia or other cognitive impairments. It is essential to ensure that workers have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective care to all patients.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk assessment is a crucial step in ensuring the safety of patients and caregivers in residential and nursing care homes. Employers must

conduct risk assessments to identify potential hazards and take steps to eliminate or control them. The risk assessment should cover all aspects of patient handling and moving, including lifting, transferring, and repositioning.

The risk assessment should consider factors such as the patient's weight, mobility, and any medical conditions that may affect their ability to move. It should also consider the environment in which the patient is being moved, such as the presence of obstacles or uneven flooring.

Based on the risk assessment, employers should implement measures to reduce the risk of injury, such as the use of patient handling aids and equipment or changes to the layout of the care home.

INJURIES

Injuries resulting from patient handling and moving are a common problem in care homes. Staff who handle patients regularly are at risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries, such as back pain and strain injuries. Patients may also experience discomfort, pain, and pressure sores if they are not handled correctly. These injuries can be prevented by following safe handling techniques and using equipment such as hoists and slings.

Patient handling aids and equipment play a critical role in ensuring the safety and well-being of both patients and caregivers in UK residential and nursing care homes. These aids and equipment are designed to assist with patient handling and moving, which can often

be physically demanding and potentially dangerous without proper equipment and techniques.

One of the most commonly used patient handling aids is the hoist.

Hoists are devices that use a lifting mechanism to move patients from one location to another, such as from a bed to a wheelchair or a bath.

Ceiling hoists are often used in care homes and are mounted on a track system that allows them to move across the ceiling, while mobile hoists are freestanding and can be moved from one location to another.

Transfer belts are another type of patient handling aid that is widely used in care homes. These belts are placed around the patient's waist and are used to assist with transfers from one location to another, such as from a bed to a chair or a toilet. Transfer belts are particularly useful for patients who have some mobility but may need assistance with standing or walking.

Slide sheets are also commonly used in patient handling and moving. These sheets are placed under the patient and are used to slide them from one surface to another, such as from a bed to a stretcher or a wheelchair. Slide sheets are particularly useful for patients who are unable to assist with their own transfers.

Other types of patient handling aids and equipment include standing aids, turning discs, and lifting cushions. These aids and equipment are designed to provide additional support during patient handling and moving, reducing the risk of injury to both patients and caregivers.

DISCOMFORT AND DIGNITY

Patient handling and moving can be uncomfortable and undignified for patients if not carried out correctly. Care homes should ensure that patients are treated with dignity and respect at all times and that their privacy is protected. Patients should be involved in the handling and moving process as much as possible and should be given the opportunity to provide feedback on their experiences.

In conclusion, patient handling and moving in UK residential and nursing care homes is a vital activity that requires careful planning and execution to prevent injury to both patients and staff. Care homes should ensure that all staff involved in patient handling and moving receive regular training, and that they have access to appropriate equipment and aids. Risk assessment should be carried out before any handling activity takes place, and patients should be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

Lento Neuro - Elevating Neurological Patient Comfort and Care Unmatched Comfort and Support Lento Neuro is a therapeutic solution, engineered to meet the unique needs of patients with neurological conditions.

With its emphasis on supportive seating and ergonomic design, it the chair ‘hugs’ patients and provides a secure and calming “cocooned” feel when in the chair.

Widely Adjustable We recognise that every patient is unique. That's why Lento Neuro offers a wide adjustability that means this chair can be change in size as a patient’s condition progresses.

Find the ideal fit for a patient with: • Removable armrests • Adjustable seat depth and width • Adjustable back angle and incremental recline.

Seamless Mobility and Safety Mobility and safety are crucial in a healthcare environment, Lento Neuro features lockable wheels on the chair and footrest allowing you to easily adjust the chair's position.

Pressure Care Materials Throughout The Lento Neuro is designed with built in pressure care solutions that prioritise the health and safety of your patients.

We've incorporated Dartex, a leading pressure care material that allows moisture to pass through, into Lento Neuro's skin contact surfaces. This provides additional support by preventing skin breakdown, crucial for patients with neurological conditions who may be at greater risk.

The breathable back cushions also allow air to pass through the chair and maintain patient comfort.

Accessories Whether it's choosing from various postural cushion options or utilising the chair's intuitive adjustable positions, you can personalise the seating experience to optimise patient comfort and well-being.

A Partnership for Progress Vivid Care are not just a supplier; we're your collaborative partner in delivering exceptional patient care. With this innovative chair, you can elevate care standards and enrich the lives of patients facing neurological challenges.

Join us in shaping the future of neurological disease patient care.

enquiries@vivid.care 01423 799960 www.vivid.care

PAGE 62 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

PROFESSIONAL AND RECRUITMENT

Navigating Nursing Shortages: Legal Responsibilities & Recruitment Strategies Brendan Wincott is the managing director of Guardian Support, an HR, Employment Law and Health and Safety consultancy (www.guardiansupport.co.uk) The care sector is facing an unprecedented recruitment challenge which is being compounded by high staff turnover (31%) and increasing vacancies (currently 8%). While UK employers are increasingly relying on overseas workers, this is not enough.

It is unlikely that the NHS or government will be able to solve this issue themselves. In this blog, we focus on employers, their legal duties towards nursing staff and how they can potentially increase the recruitment and retention of nurses.

WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF NURSES IN THE UK?

area where nurses may not work. Employers should take care when including such clauses, as they should aim to protect the interests of the business while still being fair to the employee and any future work opportunities they may be presented with.

NAVIGATING POOR WORK PERFORMANCE IN A NURSING SHORTAGE During a crisis such as this, it can be difficult for employers to navigate the way forward. Should employers be dealing with issues like poor performance more leniently? And should the criteria for nursing recruitment change?

Ideally, employers should always strive to attract and retain top talent. One of the first courses of action you should take is to conduct a background check on your nurses. This will help you determine whether

There are many factors that have influenced the nursing shortage.

The Covid-19 pandemic put immense pressure on the healthcare system, ramping up nurse demand. This resulted in significantly heavier workloads, burnout and mental health issues.

When you couple these poor working conditions with the severely low pay, one can understand why these professionals are choosing to leave the healthcare sector or not enter it at all.

should use the opportunity to understand why this is the case and provide the training and support needed

WHAT ARE EMPLOYERS' LEGAL DUTIES & HOW CAN THEY HELP NURSES?

to improve a nurse's performance.

UK employers are legally required to adhere to the rules and regulations set out by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. In terms of the nursing sector, employers must do everything in their power to ensure a safe working environment for nurses.

This includes assessing risks (such as patient handling, use of equipment, and exposure to infectious diseases) and implementing preventative measures. Additionally, nurses must be supplied with the correct personal protective equipment, as this will prevent exposure to harmful pathogens.

HOW ELSE CAN YOU SUPPORT NURSING STAFF?

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS FOR NURSING STAFF Employment contracts should be fair to both parties. Something that has been increasingly seen in nurses' employment contracts is restrictive covenants, which are more commonly known as non-compete clauses.

With these clauses, an employee agrees to refrain from competing against the employer, poaching colleagues or inducing customers away from the employer. Often, these clauses also stipulate a geographical

they are fit to work with vulnerable adults and other groups.

Additionally, you should ensure they are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council) and hold a relevant associate or bachelor's degree.

During the duration of the employment contract, it’s also essential that you conduct appraisals with your nursing staff. This will help you to determine if they are still performing at a satisfactory level. If not, you

Many nursing staff have left their jobs in the past year, citing reasons such as anxiety, stress, depression and other mental health issues. As an employer, you have a duty of care towards your nursing staff, and apart from ensuring their health and safety, you should also take steps to support their welfare. Providing mental health support as well as training can assist nurses with the skills needed to work in such a taxing environment.

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE NURSING SHORTAGE The nursing shortage is a crisis for the UK sector, and in such a climate, employers are faced with the challenges of attracting and retaining skilled nurses while still ensuring legal compliance.

Providing employment contracts that are fair to both employer and employee can help with attracting and retaining skilled nurses. Additionally, employers should look to support staff welfare through mental health assistance and training.

In Dire Need Of Experienced Health Care Assistant, Senior Carer Or A Nurse?

JJ Recruitment has the large database of well qualified applicants with experience in the healthcare industry, such as health care assistants, senior carers, and nurses from overseas. We also have an expert team of solicitors for the necessary legal proceedings and advices.

WHY JJ? • We have very minimal processing fees.

• We assist you to get a sponsorship license.

• Qualified and experienced candidates from overseas.

Tel: 01704 808227 www.jjcarerecruitment.co.uk admin@jjrecruitment.co.uk See the advert on the facing page for details.

Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance Global assists clients throughout the U.K. who specialise in the healthcare sector to achieve their objectives of purchase, development and refinance.

We have organised over £1.8bn for clients in the past 30 years, providing clients with competitively priced funding to refinance existing debt, ease cashflow and develop businesses further.

From helping clients make their first purchase through to allowing groups to grow significantly in

size we assist at every stage of your business expansion.

Every proposal is individual and deserves to be treated that way, so we hope you will allow us to be of assistance to you and call us to chat through your plans and requirements, I am sure we will be able to tailor a facility to your requirements.

Call us on 01242 227172 or e-mail us at enquiries@globalbusinessfinance.net

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE SOCIAL CARE SECTOR DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOU, SIGN UP AT WWW.THECARERUK.COM/SIGNUP

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164 | PAGE 63

PROFESSIONAL AND RECRUITMENT Transforming Care Services: How Interim Managers and Mock CQC Inspections Can Save Providers Money, Stress and Their Reputation As a provider, we have encountered our fair share of challenges. From staffing shortages to regulatory hurdles, the road to providing good care can often be rocky. However, through our journey, we’ve learned of two invaluable tools that can save providers money, stress, and their reputation.

THE POWER OF INTERIM MANAGERS Interims are seasoned professionals who step in during times of crisis, transition or growth; bringing a fresh perspective. Their expertise can range from operations and compliance to financial management and staffing. Here's why they are an asset to providers: • Problem Solvers: They quickly assess the situation, identify problems, and implement effective solutions, preventing issues from escalating and incurring more significant costs.

• Regulation: They ensure services remains compliant,

avoiding costly penalties.

• Staff Development: Interims excel in reducing staff turnover, agency cost and supporting staff.

• Efficiency: Hiring an interim may seem like an added expense, their ability to streamline operations can result in substantial cost savings.

THE VALUE OF MOCK CQC INSPECTIONS Inspections led by experienced professionals help providers improve, preventing costly regulatory fines and reputational damage. Mock inspections demonstrate commitment to and evidence of people’s lived experience, attracting more clients and investors.

THE PATH TO SUCCESS Given our experience as provider who have weathered numerous storms, we can attest to the transformative power of these tools when they are led people like the Jiggle team, who know the sector.

By embracing interim support and mock CQC inspections, you too can embark on a journey toward a brighter, more sustainable future.

Nicola Brookes Head of Social Care & Interim Support www.jigglestaffing.com or see the advert on page 11.

Immtell - Navigating Immigration, Delivering Solutions Filling roles in the care industry has never been more challenging.

The need for experienced staff to provide vital care services is increasing and it’s crucial we find solutions to bridge this gap.

Immtell is your ally in this journey, guiding care homes through the process of acquiring and maintaining a Home Office Sponsor Licence and sourcing talent globally through the Health and Care Visa route.

As a care home, it’s paramount to have robust procedures in place to ensure compliance with immigration laws. Beyond Sponsor Licence application and management, we assist with Sponsor Duties, Compliance Audits, Right to Work Checks and provide immigration staff training. Our services mitigate

the risk of fines and reputational damage from employing illegal workers.

For overseas nurses and carers aspiring to work in the UK, Immtell offers specialised UK immigration support with initial visa applications, extensions, family dependant visas and more, simplifying the path to new opportunities in the UK care sector.

Our work at Immtell is making a real difference, helping to resource care homes with the experienced personnel they need and enabling caring professionals to take up these critical roles.

For more information, contact Gavin Webster, Director at Immtell, at info@immtell.com, or visit our website at www.immtell.com.

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

PAGE 64 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 164

PROFESSIONAL AND RECRUITMENT

Creating Caring Communities: A Chat with Kata Care's MD, Fae Mell Interviewer: Let's dive right into it, Fae. Can you give us the lowdown on Kata Care and what got you started on this journey?

Fae: Kata Care is all about making a positive impact in social care. My co-founder and I saw a need for expert support that could adapt to the ever-changing demands of the sector. We wanted to be that helping hand for care providers, whether they're struggling with leadership, quality improvement, regulations, or growing their business. We wanted to be the onestop shop for all their needs, whether it's a specific project, an interim contract, or a long-term care quality partner.

I: That's fantastic! So, what's the secret sauce that sets Kata Care

apart?

F: Well, it all comes down to personalised support. We get that every care provider is unique, so we offer tailor-made solutions. Our team includes a whole bunch of experts - Registered Managers, Directors, CSuite pros, and former regulators. Plus, we've got national coverage of close to 100 experts, so we adapt to whatever our clients need, and quickly.

I: What do you look for in the professionals you bring into Kata Care?

F: We seek people who share our passion for excellent care, who are compassionate, adaptable, and always eager to improve. Our team are experts in their fields, but they're also great collaborators. Most of them have been in the sector for over 20 years - they're all incredible.

I: Collaboration and empathy, that's what it's all about. Speaking of collaboration, what's your vision for Kata Care's role in encouraging collaboration within the care community?

F: We see Kata Care as a central hub for collaboration and knowledge

exchange. We're all about connecting care providers, consultants, suppliers, job seekers, and specialist experts. We want to share best practices and spark innovation. Our network of interims and consultants is bursting with talent, and together, we're raising the bar for social care. For those who know me, they know I'm a strong advocate for collaboration. The world would be a better place if we all worked in harmony.

I: Love the community spirit. Before we wrap it up, any advice for those looking to make a difference in social care?

F: Easy. Follow your heart, believe in the positive change you can make, and surround yourself with a supportive crew. Together, we can make the world of care brighter and better for everyone who needs it.

I: You're spreading some serious positivity, Fae. Thanks for sharing this with us today. We're rooting for your mission to uplift social care standards!

F: Thanks so much for having me :) See the advert on the facing page for details.

Are You Looking For Trained Healthcare Professionals?

At Nurse 365 we provide experienced and fully vetted agency support workers and nurses on a temporary and block booking basis. We are based in Whitchurch, Shropshire and supply care staff to the West Midlands, Shropshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Wirral areas.

Our lines are open 24/7 365 days of the year, with a team dedicated to your staffing solutions.

Nurse 365 has a high number of care staff who are available to cover shifts as and when needed, to the highest quality. Every candidate is trained annually in numerous courses (some of which are; dementia awareness, epilepsy, positive behaviour support, learning disabilities and autism

awareness) and many, many more.

We have helped numerous care, residential and nursing homes combat their staffing solutions with our high quality staff and are now No.1 on their PSL/suppliers list. Our care is second to none – you can rely on us to provide professional and reliable care staff to be a part of your team.

Get in touch today for all enquiries: Tel: 01948 808833 Email: nurse365@mail.com Web: www.Nurse-365.co.uk

Elevating Healthcare Staffing with Meridale In the complex world of healthcare, the backbone of any healthcare facility is its dedicated team of nurses, healthcare assistants, support workers, and many others. The quality of care provided to patients hinges on the expertise and commitment of these professionals. At Meridale, we understand this fundamental truth and have made it our mission to revolutionize how healthcare recruitment is handled.

EXCEPTIONAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES

Meridale stands at the forefront of healthcare staffing because we recognize that the heart of healthcare lies in the people who provide it. Our commitment to excellence extends beyond mere lip service; it’s embedded in every facet of our recruitment services. We specialize in connecting healthcare facilities with the finest talent available.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEEDS We understand that every healthcare facility has unique needs and constraints. Meridale takes the time to listen, comprehend, and collaborate with you to find solutions that align with your budget and meet your specific requirements. Our commitment to tailoring our services ensures that the candidates we recommend are highly skilled and a cultural fit for your institution.

FULFILLING STAFFING GAPS EFFICIENTLY

In healthcare, time is of the essence. Staffing gaps can disrupt operations and impact patient care. With Meridale’s extensive network of healthcare professionals, we can swiftly and adeptly fill these gaps. Our goal is to ensure that your facility operates seamlessly and that your patients receive nothing short of the best care possible.

In these challenging times, when the healthcare industry faces unprecedented demands, having a reliable and dedicated team is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Meridale stands ready to support healthcare facilities in their mission to deliver exceptional care. We are more than a recruitment agency; we are your partner in elevating the standards of healthcare staffing.

Contact 01902 240019 or see the advert below for details.