The Carer Digital - Issue #196

Lib Dems Pledge Free Personal Care for Elderly and Disabled...

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Editor Peter Adams

A New Dawn for Adult Social Care?

Finally one of the mainstream parties has got off the fence and committed to an adult social care policy for the forthcoming General Election For far too long the silence from political parties on the urgent issue of adult social care has been deafening The broken system has been crying out for reform, yet meaningful action has consistently been pushed to the back burner In this light the recent pledge by the Liberal Democrat party to offer free personal care to the elderly and disabled is not just a breath of fresh air it is a long-overdue commitment that could transform countless lives

The Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey brings a personal perspective to this issue having experienced first-hand just how fractured the current system is His advocacy is not just political; it is deeply personal driven by the lived reality of so many families struggling to navigate an underfunded and overstretched social care landscape This pledge is a bold move and it is heartening to see a political leader take such a definitive stance on an issue that has been neglected for too long Radical, serious, and much-needed reform has been repeatedly postponed, a prime example being the Conservative government s delay of the Adult Social Care Charging Reforms Originally set to implement an £86,000 cap on personal care spending by October 2023, these reforms have now been pushed back by two years This delay is yet another instance of “kicking the can down the road,” leaving those in need of care and their families in a state of uncertainty and financial strain

Last night was the first “head to head” debate between two political leaders Labour’s Sir Kier Starmer and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak which didn’t bring anything to the table insofar as adult social care was concerned We saw clashes on taxes the NHS and immigration but once again saw and heard precious little on adult social care

Only early days I am prepared to concede but I do hope that pressure is stepped up on all political parties and politicians as we lead up to July 4 In the midst of these discussions on future reforms we find ourselves on the eve

Carer is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, 3 Carlton Mount, 2 Cranborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2

of a significant historical milestone

Tomorrow, June 6th, marks the 80th Anniversary of D-Day Communities across the UK will come together to honour the thousands who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we cherish today

Many residents in our care homes lived through this momentous period, and here at THE CARER, we are proud to share their stories and memories of bravery and sacrifice (See pages 18-19 )

As we remember the past we are reminded of the values that define us: courage resilience and a commitment to the common good The sacrifices made by the DDay heroes underscore the importance of looking after one another especially our most vulnerable and as we advocate for a better more equitable social care system we draw inspiration from their legacy

We at THE CARER are humbled and forever grateful to those who fought for our peace and freedom Their legacy drives us to continue advocating for the dignity and care of all citizens ensuring that the promise of a fair and supportive society is fulfilled

I can also be contacted at any time at editor@thecareruk com

We would also ask our readers to follow us on Twitter @TheCarerUK and also sign up to our email newsletters at www thecareruk com/recommends/signup to have all the latest news delivered directly twice weekly

Lib Dems Pledge Free Personal Care for Elderly and Disabled

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

SOCIAL CARE CRISIS

In March 2023 Sir Ed issued a scathing attack on the current state of social care when he said: We cannot fix the crisis facing the NHS without fixing the crisis facing social care I’ve been a carer most of my life, for my mother, my grandmother and now along with my wife Emily, for our son John My family, like so many, relies on professional carers every day It’s heartbreaking that for many people, that essential care is not available ”

“In May last year (2022) it was reported that half a million people in England were waiting for care Vulnerable people are being left stranded in hospital due to the lack of space in care homes Or unable to go home after finishing hospital treatment simply because the follow-up care they need doesn t exist This takes an enormous toll on them and their families while putting even more pressure on our strained NHS

This isn t caused by NHS inefficiency or bad management as the Conservatives might want us to believe It s a symptom of a failing social care system that no one has had the bravery to try and fix properly ”

According to a Local Government Information Unit survey half of councils in England believe they may have to apply to for s 114 status (‘Bankruptcy’) in the next five years, which will likely result in a significant reduction in current adult and children social care funding

Seven councils have already had to apply for a s 114 status, including Birmingham and Nottingham In Birmingham, this has resulted cuts of £115million in Children’s Services and £77million in Adult Services over two years and at the same time having to pay £100k a month for Government Commissioners

The Health Foundation has identified that England needs just for Adult Social Care between a 3 4% and 6% increase above inflation or between £8 3bn and £18 4 bn to meet future demand and improve access depending on how far we want to meet future demand and improve access PLANS “WELCOMED”

Lucinda Allen Senior Policy Officer at the Health Foundation said ‘We welcome the Liberal Democrats’ plans to tackle some of the urgent problems facing the social care sector which has been undermined by decades of political neglect and underfunding We await to see if other political parties follow suit and offer detail on their plans to address this longstanding policy failure Under the current system, many older and disabled people go without care they need, staff pay and conditions are poor and reliance on unpaid carers is high ”

‘While free personal care would not protect people with the highest care needs against catastrophic care costs it offers basic support to everyone with the cost of some care services Free personal care if adequately funded and delivered would be a huge improvement on the current threadbare safety net for people with care needs and their families

It is also positive that the Lib Dems proposals include plans to increase wages and improve the professional status of care workers but the scale of the challenge shouldn t be under-estimated with 1 in 10 posts in the sector currently vacant ”

‘The next government must put in place meaningful reform to address the deep unfairness of the social care system Reform and investment are needed to improve access to care, protect people against extreme care costs, boost staff pay and conditions, and better support unpaid carers Inaction is not an option ’

BROKEN SILENCE

Vic Rayner OBE CEO of NCF commented: “At last one of the political parties has finally broken the silence and acknowledged that social care is a fundamental election issue The Liberal Democrats have made a clear statement about the importance of social care and we welcome their understanding of the centrality of care to people s quality of life as well as to supporting an integrated health and care system There is a very welcome focus in their announcements around addressing the pay terms and conditions of the care workforce and recognising the professional status of care workers

“Care is a hugely complex and skilled role and there is a clear evidence base that demonstrates addressing these factors would support recruitment, retention, career development and pride in delivering this most vital of public services The detail behind their plans for free personal care will be important to understand and the fundamental premise of any new system is that it enhances people’s ability to access high quality sustainable social care at the time and place that they want it In this regard there is much to learn from partners across the UK and wider who have introduced free personal care

We now urgently need the other parties to step up and outline what they will do in relation to social care Millions of voters are deeply affected by social care directly or indirectly and want to vote for a party that cares about their interests An estimated half of the electorate either work in social care draw upon care and support are waiting for a care assessment or are an unpaid carer for someone so this really is an issue for millions of voters ”

PRIORITISE SOCIAL CARE

Chief executive of the Association of Directors of Adult Social

Services Anna Hemmings said she hopes "all the main political parties prioritise social care in this election, and in the next government " She added: “Many people will be worrying about what care they can afford while others will be juggling how to care for their family and continue working Universal free personal care would allow people to plan for the future giving greater peace of mind about what care and support they could access

SIGNIFICANT STEP

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, said ‘It is heartening to see a political party pledge to begin to address the crisis in social care This is an important issue for voters - the latest British Social Attitudes survey shows that public satisfaction with social care services has dropped to just 13 per cent the lowest level ever recorded We hope other major political parties stop avoiding the topic and explain how they will deliver much-needed reform of a social care system that is not fit for purpose

Funding free personal care would be a significant step forward from the current social care offer in England Providing increased levels of support to many more people would also help reduce the burden of millions of unpaid carers – of which England has equivalent to 4 million paid care workers – who often have to support their loved ones without the professional help they need Free personal care already exists in Scotland so there is experience to learn from

But the devil will be in the detail of how far the commitment will go Social care services don t only support older people; about half of the social care budget in England goes on supporting working age adults living with disabilities and it’s not clear whether they are covered by this proposal And we caution that while this is a good first step, free personal care is not a panacea and will not cover everything that is needed to put social care back on a sustainable footing so it can support people to live good quality lives in their communities Much of what the social care sector provides goes beyond personal care

‘There must be further bold action to tackle workforce gaps to support providers to be financially sustainable and to improve quality of services If fully funded, the Liberal Democrats plans to introduce a Carer’s Minimum Wage will reduce workforce pressures which is welcome however the true cost of reform will be much more than stated Labour is committed to the introduction of a national care service for adults services over the next decade and set out plans in 2023 however shadow health secretary Wes Streeting has said that he would not commit to "jumping straight in with the legislation" in their first term if they win

New Visiting Regulation for Care Homes, Hospitals and Hospices

By

On 6 April 2024, a new regulation came into force requiring providers of care homes hospitals and hospices to facilitate residents visits

The newly-inserted regulation 9A has essentially created a new fundamental standard of care and has been inserted into The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (“Regulations”), amending the existing Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014

This amendment has arisen following the Covid-19 pandemic when relatives were unable to visit their loved ones in care homes hospitals and hospices owing to resident or servicer user safety WHAT IS THE NEW REGULATION?

Regulation 9A only applies to care homes, hospitals and hospices in England and Wales ( care premises ) and states in brief at section two that care premises, unless there are exceptional circumstances, are required to:

a) Facilitate visits to services users liv ng or receiving overnight treatment or care at care premises

b) Not discourage a service user living in a care home from being taken on visits outside the premises

c) Enable a service user to be accompanied by a family member friend or supporter to a hospital or hospice for care not involving an overnight stay

The term “exceptional circumstances” has not been statutorily defined and will therefore be determined on a case by case basis and assessed – and most likely challenged – during a CQC inspection fol-

lowing feedback received from relatives and stakeholders

With this in mind, providers’ policies, procedures and care plans must be sufficiently robust to guide staff on what to do when faced with such decisions These include keeping clear records of decisions made to ensure a provider can demonstrate compliance with Regulation 9A as well as Regulation 17 (Good Governance) OBLIGATIONS

To comply with the above, a registered person, meaning a service provider or registered manager ( registered person ) must in accordance with section 3 of the Regulations:

• Facilitate a visit to care premises in a way that is appropriate meets the service user s needs and so far as reasonably practicable reflects their preferences

Take such action(s) or put in place the required precaution(s) deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure service users are safely receiving visits in care premises or are accompanied to hospital or a hospice in a safe manner

• Ensure that regard is given to the service user s care or treatment plan

Involve relevant persons when making arrangements or decisions with regard to visits EXCEPTIONS

The Regulations state however that there are no requirements for service users to receive a visit make a visit or be accompanied to a hospital or hospice where they have not provided their consent or where it would not be in the service user s best interests

A registered person is also not required to do anything contrary to a court or Tribunal Order nor a provision of the Mental Health Act 1983 Mental Capacity Act 2005 or the National Health Services Act 2006

This provides a registered person with the necessary safeguards from relatives who may wish to try and extend the true nature of Regulation 9A AVAILABLE GUIDANCE

It is essential that providers and their staff keep clear records documenting their decisions regarding service user visits to meet Regulation 9A

In their online guidance entitled ‘Regulation 9A: Visiting and accompanying in care homes hospitals and hospices’ (“guidance”) the CQC have clearly stated that:

“Providers must keep a record of any assessment and decisions on visiting They should be able to demonstrate What are the stated preferences of the person

How they have made these decisions and who has been involved

How the balance of the person’s rights has been considered

Whether restrictions are lawful legitimate and proportionate

Whether they have implemented any mitigations to make sure they have used the least restrictive most reasonable option when they have reviewed the restrictions ”

This guidance gives providers with further information regarding the CQC s expectations in connection with visit decision or assessment records, and the CQC will no doubt assess records against this criterion during inspections

Furthermore, and where restrictions are required, the CQC has explicitly stated that where visits or accompaniments may pose a significant risk to the health safety or welfare of a person using the service or on the premises despite considering all possible actions and precautions the provider should put in place the necessary restriction and review arrangements regularly As soon as the circumstances change the provider should remove the restriction and allow in-person visiting or accompaniment again”

This in itself means that where visiting is to be restricted for a particular reason, this decision should be kept under review by providers and lifted as soon as the threat risk or concern has finished Providers should work with those involved and keep relatives friends supporters and residents updated at all times

ENFORCEMENT

Whilst the CQC is unable to prosecute a provider for breaching Regulation 9A they can bring other regulatory action including civil enforcement where appropriate This could include imposing varying or removing conditions on a provider s registration or suspending or cancelling a registration Therefore, and as already detailed above, it is imperative that providers remain compliant with Regulation 9A CONCLUSION

Whilst many registered persons reading this article may already facilitate visits and enable service users to maintain community connections under Regulation 10 (Dignity and Respect) the fact remains that the CQC has included this new fundamental standard of care within the Regulations

Registered persons must, therefore, take heed of this regulation, and the accompanying guidance to ensure the service remains compliant going forward to prevent a breach of the regulations or potentially a double breach under Regulation 9A and 10 being found during their next inspection

Exemplar Health Care Welcomes New Sexuality Champions

Exemplar Health Care, has welcomed its first group of Sexuality Champions to encourage and normalise conversations about friendships sexuality and intimacy within care homes

Working in tandem with Exemplar Health Care s existing sexuality training programme the two initiatives help build the confidence and knowledge of colleagues and residents on these sensitive subjects, whilst challenging perceptions about sex and disability to empower people to maintain fulfilling, healthy personal relationships

The motivation for introducing the new Sexuality Champions initiative was research carried out with Leeds University in 2019 that found many people living in care homes thought they weren t allowed personal relationships and as such struggled with low self-esteem

Residents who took part in this study indicated that they were rarely (if ever) asked about these needs and that team members didn t always know how to manage or discuss the topic with them in an appropriate and professional way

The study further highlighted that people receiving care too often miss the company and social interaction that relationships bring, and individuals in wider society take for granted in their day-to-day lives

To combat this issue Exemplar Health Care partnered with national charity Enhance the UK to first deliver training on this topic in 2020 upskilling around 3 000 colleagues As part of Enhance the UK s

#UndressingDisability campaign, which aims to normalise sex and disability team members at all Exemplar Health Care homes are trained to help residents exercise their right of sexual expression in a safe healthy and legal way This training will now be led by the new Sexuality Champions to ensure everyone continues to be educated on the topic and feels confident to continue having these conversations

The Champions are trained in topics including sexual expression privacy, gender identity and sexuality, mental capacity, the law, professional boundaries pornography and sex workers The programme is supported by Lianne Ford Head of Nursing Lorraine Thomas Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner and Sophia Feurtado Service User

Engagement Manager

Lianne Ford Head Nurse at Exemplar Health Care said of the Sexuality Champions initiative: We all want to be loved look and feel good and have meaningful relationships Our Sexuality Champions are here to ensure that this isn t any different for people who live in care homes

“Our Champions deliver training and support to both colleagues and residents to improve care around sexuality intimacy and relationships in a safe and lawful way The aim is to make this part of the norm at Exemplar Health Care and we will continue to put in the work to make sure this becomes the case ”

MHRA Warns of Unsafe Counterfeit

Anti-Choking Devices

Nicola Wheater, solicitor on the Healthcare Regulatory team at HCR Legal (www hcrlaw com)

‘Stop Running From Social Care’ Parties Are Urged

CAMPAIGNERS today challenged politicians to ‘stop running away from social care as they launched their General Election manifesto calling for bold reform of the way we look after older and vulnerable adults

The Independent Care Group (ICG) is calling for a root and branch overhaul of social care including the creation of a National Care Service better pay for care workers a cap on care costs and dementia care to be funded by the NHS

The provider group’s Chair, Mike Padgham said:

It is time for politicians to stop running away from social care and commit to the reform the sector has been cheated out of for a generation We need to hear in their General Election manifestos how they plan to end the crisis in the care of our most vulnerable

All have been frighteningly quiet on social care in these early days of the campaign and that is a betrayal of those needing care now and the millions more who will need it in the years to come ”

The ICG says 80% of the population will need care in their lifetime but the sector isn t ready to meet future demand 1 6m people currently can’t get care and the sector is short of 152 000 staff

It is writing to the main election candidates urging them to meet with them, see social care on the frontline and make reform part of their manifesto

In its manifesto ‘Save Social Care’ Mr Padgham says “ we have to make the public wake up and see that 80% of us will need social care of one form or another in our lifetimes and that if we don t change the sector it will not be there for us As politicians talk on the hustings and on our doorsteps about the economy, about immigration and about the NHS we have to persuade them to talk about social care too

“A huge wave of extra demand for ever more complex care is heading our way and we are woefully under-prepared for the challenges that

Nottingham Care Home Raises Over £450 For Dementia UK

Employment Law: Settling Disputes

The problems associated with litigation are well documented Unlike many other types of legal disputes, there are no fees for using the employment tribunal system and the losing party will generally not have to pay the winner’s costs, which can make litigation very expensive Tribunal claims are also stressful time consuming and can be difficult to navigate Therefore if you are involved in an employment dispute resolving it at an early stage through discussion or negotiation can be the quickest and best option for most people and businesses

Problems between employers and employees usually fall into one of two categories:

grievances – where the employee raises concerns problems or complaints with the employer • disciplinaries – where the employer has concerns about the employee s work conduct or absence

As an employer you will want to ensure that issues are addressed at an early stage To achieve this you need to ensure that employees understand the avenues open to them to resolve issues informally for example by raising the problem with a line manager or formally through your grievance procedure

If your employees raise the problem to you first, the time limits to bring a claim to the employment tribunal do not change However the employee may be able to resolve the dispute so there is no longer any need to make a claim

The are several benefits of early discussion and negotiation including:

It is an informal process that does not require legal representation

It can prevent the conflict from escalating by improving communication thereby maximising the odds of a positive outcome

It allows for flexibility in that the parties can tailor the decision to their own needs

• It saves time and money by resolving the dispute within a short period of time

If early discussions/negotiations fail then there are other forms of alternative dispute resolution available such as mediation conciliation and arbitration

1 MEDIATION

By

Mediation is when an independent and impartial third party discusses the problem with the employee and employer to try and find a solution It is entirely voluntary, and the mediator cannot force the parties to accept a solution

Mediation allows both parties to talk through the situation in the presence of the mediator who can help keep the discussion calm and balanced with less conflict allowing both sides to share their views with clarity

However it would not be appropriate for problems that have to be formally investigated such as discrimination or harassment

2. CONCILIATION

Conciliation is similar to mediation but is normally used in the following circumstances:

before an employee makes a claim to an employment tribunal (known as early conciliation) after an employee makes a claim to an employment tribunal (known as conciliation)

ACAS do offer a free conciliation service to help resolve disputes

3. ARBITRATION

Arbitration is when a neutral third-party makes a firm decision on a case after considering all the issues

The arbitrator will consider the evidence from both sides of the dispute at a hearing and make a decision

The employer and the employee must both agree to the arbitrator’s decision being legally binding

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS

There are two ways in which an employer can legally make an employee give up their rights to go to a tribunal:

Negotiate a COT3 agreement through ACAS

Agree to a settlement agreement

Many employers are using settlement agreements regularly

A settlement agreement is a legal contract between the employer and the employee It might involve the employer agreeing to pay the employee a sum of money in consideration for them giving up their rights to go to a tribunal The employee must seek independent legal advice otherwise the agreement will not be valid The employer will usually contribute or pay for the employee to obtain legal advice

Whatever the reason for the dispute, it is important to try and resolve matters before proceeding to the tribunal It is the quickest and more cost-effective solution and generally less stressful and confrontational for both parties If, however, the dispute cannot be resolved through open communication then you should seek legal advice

Local Care Home Launches Dementia Support Café With Support From Chippenham Police

In order to support residents’ relatives and friends and the local community Barchester’s Cepen Lodge Care Home in Chippenham is launching a regular monthly dementia café on the last Friday of the month and everyone is welcome to attend The first café was opened today with the support of PCSO Cunningham and PCSO Staples from Chippenham Police to discuss the Herbert Protocol and dementia wristbands available to those living with dementia in the community

During a recent visit PCSO Cunningham and PCSO Staples also got to meet resident David Jennings who served as a PC for Wiltshire Police from 1965 until 1990 he was PC 576 Jennings who also policed in Chippenham from 1966 – 1968 They had a great talk about memories and reminisced on the good old days! Each month, the dementia café will be open for all to come along and meet others who are supporting friends and family living with dementia or who think a loved one may have dementia It will be a chance to find out about coping strategies, how to get a diagnosis, what support is available and get help and advice from people who are having a similar experience Fellow profes-

sionals in the community will also be in attendance to offer advice and support Come along for a cuppa a slice of cake and a chance to relax and unwind

Senior General Manager, Jade Hodge says: We want to help and support relatives friends and members of our local community who have loved ones who are living with dementia The café will be a great way to relax make friends find out information about dementia from our specially trained staff We are inviting everyone to come along and have a coffee and chat to others who have friends and family members living with dementia or who are concerned about a loved one In addition to this it was wonderful to see one of our residents from our residential community reminiscing and talking about his past career in the Police with PCSO s Cunningham and Staples Both will be back again for our next Dementia Café and regular meetings with our residents Engaging with our local community and public services is so important to us, not just for our residents but also for the community too

Restoration Work Nears Completion On Lincolnshire Care Home

The restoration of a popular heritage building on a high street in a Lincolnshire market town is nearing completion after a year of work

Sensitive exterior cleaning of The Laurels care home in Market Deeping is now finished after a local stonemason deployed cutting edge cleaning machinery to give the building a facelift

Gary Cook used the new Doff III machine from restoration experts Stonehealth using steam superheated to 150 degrees C to remove decades of dirt and bring the façade of the old building back to life

The work is one of the final phases in the year-long restoration project by the building’s owners Nene Valley Care Homes

Mother and daughter team Touran and Yasamine Watts own three homes in the area – The Laurels, Florence House in Peterborough and Garden Lodge in nearby Glinton

Once fully restored, The Laurels will be home to 19 residents, in the Grade 2 listed building which is within walking distance of the Market Deeping town centre

The building is currently in partial use after being taken over a year ago with necessary work waiting to be done on the car park the garden and the interior

Gary Cook who is based in Stamford and has more than 20 years of experience in architectural masonry, said: It s been a pleasure to help Touran and Yasamine bring this wonderful old building back to life They both have a vision for taking the property back to its original look and I am excited to help

The accumulation of dirt happens very gradually over many years so it s fantastic to see what the building is supposed to look like in its best condition

“Even without the work it’s a fine old house Now it looks magnificent and it s somewhere that the owners and the residents are going to be proud of

“For my part, being able to use a machine like the Doff to bring these old heritage properties back to their former glories is something I m excited to be able to do I have a passion for traditional architecture so to

restore old buildings is a real privilege

Superheated steam cleaning is by far the best way to do it – it s extremely gentle so avoids any deterioration of the stonework itself but it’s also highly effective at cleaning

“It’s been great to be part of this project and I’m happy to help restore this important feature within the community of Market Deeping

Originally built in the early 1800s The Laurels has changed ownership several times even since World War II during which it was used for RAF quarters It was turned into a restaurant and hospitality venue in 1947 before a stable block

The walls and ceiling have crumbled in places and we ve had to remove several trees which were risking the foundations and structure

“I m pleased to say that we’re getting there though Gary’s work has been a real landmark moment for us and we know how much people in the town have noticed the improvements too

“Market Deeping is a small place but because of the location of the house we many comments on how the house has played a part in their lives

“So it’s lovely to be restoring it properly, as well as knowing that the improvements are making a real dif-

Lydia Wawiye an Employment Solicitor at Par fitt Cresswell (www par fittcresswell com)

Lend a Hand - Age UK Spearheads Combat Loneliness Campaign

Loneliness

volunteer to help their local communities

Six million people took part in last year s Big Help Out to experience how rewarding volunteering can be and the power it has to make a change

Don Warrington, actor and Age UK supporter, said I was fortunate to be invited to Age UK Barnet last year

other people, and you get so much back from those people, so everybody involved benefits You have to make a decision to get involved and the rewards are immense ” AGE UK OFFERS MANY SERVICES, NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, WHICH MEANS THERE ARE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE, SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE:

• Volunteering Opportunities at Age UK

Join an Age UK shop team

Support a local Age UK

Volunteering as a Telephone Befriender

Volunteer for The Silver Line Helpline

Campaign to make the UK a great place to grow older Age UK believes it is vital the Government listens to the needs of older people Our campaigners give their time to help push for change through small acts such as signing petitions or writing to their MPs

To find out more about volunteering roles at Age UK and supporting The Big Help Out visit www ageuk org uk/volunteer

Alloa Care Home Residents Take a Trip Down Memor y Lane With a

Visit To Hampden Park

At

HC-One Scotland s The Orchard Care Home in Tullibody, Alloa there are many residents who are keen football enthusiasts so colleagues contacted their local football club and were delighted to arrange a tour and visit from a local football historian Sandra Curl Wellbeing Coordinator at the nursing and nursing dementia care home has links to the Scottish Football Association Stella Murphy Administration Assistant at Football Memories Scotland, and reached out to see if something could be organised for the resident fans at The Orchard Amazingly Stella came back and organised a trip for three residents to Hampden Park National Football Stadium of Scotland in Glasgow for a stadium tour and visit to the museum which took place on Tuesday 14th May

The residents had lots of fun on their trip Elsie scored a goal and Stuart enjoyed the museum looking at the old legend’s pictures Everyone had a stadium tour taking in the dressing rooms press rooms then the pitch before the museum visit

Sandra Curl Wellbeing Coordinator commented:

“This was a huge success and we’re hoping to arrange another trip in the summer Stella has also supported me with some football cards for reminiscing with our residents which has been a great topic for some of our group sessions and one-to-ones ” Stella has also put The Orchard in touch with a local gentleman called, John Glencross who volunteers doing football memory sessions at the local Alloa Football Club Glencross is a local Alloa

historian who has written a book about the history of Alloa Athletic which is found at The Alloa Athletic Football Memorabilia Exhibition Glencross kindly visited The Orchard to meet residents and chat about the history of the football club

Among those in attendance was John Simpson who

well known to Glencross due to his football and journalist career in the Alloa Advertiser Simpson shared lots of pictures with the group from his football days

Sandra added: The selection of wonderful pictures that John provided were made into a scrapbook, and he loves talking about it It is fascinating to hear his stories

Glencross has since opened a Football memorabilia Museum in Alloa and residents families and colleagues are very much looking forward to visiting again soon as a trip out on the minibus That is not the only link The Orchard care home has to the football club Resident Kathleen s husband was the Director and Secretary of Alloa Football Club She is delighted to be invited along to the club and has been enjoying looking at old pictures and recognising family members and friends

Susan

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NHS Rolls Out Joint Appointment Booking

Care Home Resident Climbs For Guide Dogs

Building Sustainability Into Existing Care Homes

Where do you start when introducing sustainability into care home operations? Greg Brushett, sales director at hot wat specialists Adveco (www adveco co) offers some advice on the most popular current options

The implementation of low-carbon water heating is one of the fastest low-impact means of introducing sustainability into an existing care home A considered well-designed replacement system will reduce carbon emissions by at least half compared to equivalent-sized gas-fired water heating and likely by much more as the electricity grid continues to become greener

Efficient robust and relatively low maintenance, the latest generation of renewables represents a solid investment in the future of a building and the comfort it supplies to residents and staff

The current government s renewable technology of choice is the heat pump of which the easiest and lowest cost to implement is the air source heat pump (ASHP) The technology uses a reverse refrigerating circuit to extract heat from the air even when ambient temperatures drop during the winter months The efficiency of a heat pump is measured by its COP (coefficient of performance) which defines how much energy it uses compared to the heat energy it generates The higher the number the better The COP will fluctuate with external temperatures so it s always best to use the seasonal COP which averages the efficiency across the year As the ambient temperatures drop the heat pump will demand more electrical energy to run the compressor to maintain necessary operating temperatures This is where heat pumps have a weakness because they were designed to operate at low working flow temperatures (35 ) to supply radiators and underfloor heating not the more stringent heating requirements of water (+60 C) required to prevent legionella

This additional electrical energy required to raise temperatures comes from the grid and remains far more expensive than gas In the past three years electricity prices have fluctuated and climbed from three to nearly five times the cost of gas This means transitioning to low-carbon technology can deliver considerable increases in operational costs if not approached with care and consideration

Heat pumps have a valid role to play, but for water heating, they need to be used as part of a wider process to ensure cost-effective efficient operation This hybrid approach employs the ASHP as a source for preheating cold water flowing into the system to 45 C This is more than achievable for most heat pumps maximising the efficiency and reducing the energy required to run the unit This warmed water is then fed into a cylinder where a second heating source tops up the water temperature to a safe 65 C for use throughout the care home This top-up can come in the form of a gas water heater, gaining very low operational costs but a less meaningful reduction in carbon emission typically around 30% To maximise emission

reduction an electric boiler is preferred although operational costs will climb smart controls will optimise the two heat sources to minimise energy demands and provide control over operational costs

With a hybrid system there will be an increased plant with a heat pump boiler and larger cylinder needed to account for slower system reheat after peak demand

Compared to traditional gas water heating this can be a concern when retrofitting as space in a care home holds value The latest generation of renewables from monobloc ASHPs to electric boilers are increasingly more compact, while smart controls maximise storage optimising cylinder size

For smaller to mid-sized hot water demands, typically seen in care homes with a single longer period of peak demand in the morning Adveco has redefined this approach with its award-winning FUSION electric water heating system Conceived as a direct replacement for older gas systems FUSION mounts an electric boiler onto a cylinder with prebuilt pipework The controls and sealed multiple immersions within the boiler ensure resilience and almost completely nullifies damaging limescale in hard water areas For soft water areas, the stainless steel cylinder provides anti-corrosion protection The optional addition of an electric immersion also provides redundancy with short-term backup to guaranteed service should repair ever be required FUSION excels with a twin coil cylinder variant that enables a monobloc heat pump to be connected to preheat the water With the latest options supporting storage capacities of up to 750 litres there is a variant for most small to mid-sized care homes which is quick and easy to install for minimal operational disturbance

For larger buildings a more bespoke system is likely to be required although the basic premise remains the same using ASHP preheat and a secondary energy source preferably electric It may also be possible to integrate solar thermal technology as a mid-heat to further cut energy demands by as much as 30% annually to further offset operational costs and reduce emissions

When it comes to water heating every building from structure to usage is different So before embarking on any major renovation to a water system its always sensible to gather data on current system use and especially the peak demand periods That is easily achieved through non-invasive water metering which takes approximately a month to collate necessary data to accurately model the building's requirements From this data a theoretical system design can be produced One that delivers on the building’s demands whilst optimising the equipment necessary which translates usually into lower up-front investment and a better grasp on future operational costs That is truly valuable as it enables more accurate planning and budgeting before making any initial commitment towards a more sustainable operation

Bournemouth Care Home Residents Enjoy

Folk Festival-Themed Music And Dancing

New Glasgow Care Home Appoints Manager

Commitment To Moving More Care Away From Hospitals Questioned As Analysis

Reveals Funding Cuts To Key Ser vices

A new analysis of day-to-day funding for NHS services shows that successive governments have not put their money where their mouths are to meet much-touted ambitions of moving more care away from hospitals

The analysis published today by the Nuffield Trust shows that when accounting for inflation (in real terms) total funding for NHS-ran patient care services has increased by 3 1% a year over the past six years but this increase has not been applied equally to different sectors

While acute ambulance and NHS mental health services have seen real terms increases overall funding for NHS community healthcare services has grown much more slowly at only 0 5% per year since 2016/17 or 3 2% in realterms over the entire period Some services – dentistry, public health, and prescribing – have seen real-terms cuts to their budgets over this time

The picture is even more stark once these figures are adjusted to take account of healthcare need to reflect our aging population (known as needs adjustment”) Needs-adjusted spending on NHS community health services in 2022/23 was 4 2% below where it was in 2016/17 meaning those services received £6 less per person in 2022/23 – when demand for their services is taken into account – than they did seven years ago

For dentistry the drop is 20% over time or the equivalent of a drop of £11 per person when adjusted for need Local authority public health spending – which buys vital services like health visiting school nursing and promotion of good health – has been cut by 24% per person during this time, equivalent to a cut of £15 per person Meanwhile funding for mental health care which has grown most significantly per person when adjusted for need was £43 more per person all stated in 2016-17 prices

The analysis of NHS funding by care sector is drawn from the detailed annual accounts of all 212 NHS provider trusts supplemented with information from NHS England s and the Department of Health and Social Care’s annual accounts It is published as part of an update to the Nuffield Trust’s Health and care finance tracker funded by the Nuffield Foundation and calls into question the commitment to moving care closer to people’s homes, a key plank of policy over the past decade OF THE NINE NHS SERVICE FUNDING LINES EXAMINED IN THE ANALYSIS :

• Four experienced average annual real-terms increases over the period – acute services (4 4%) mental

on average each year over this period THE ANALYSIS ALSO SHOWS THAT:

When healthcare need is taken into account the Nuffield Trust reveals that overall funding per head rose by an average 2% real terms a year over the period and fell by

“But

“These

to climb to reverse this trend without detracting from the very real spending pressures in acute care

Residents Relive Their Youth At Devon County Show

Dementia Prevention Through Lifestyle Medicine

Dr Liana Borza - Founder of Prevention Journeys Ltd will be presenting a talk entitled Dementia Prevention through Lifestyle Medicine at The Alzheimer s & Dementia Show 15 25 - 15:45 14 Jun 2024 at ExCeL London

This

A Day in the Life of a Care Home Manager:

Insights from Rui Santos at Hailsham House

As the General Manager at Aurem Care s Hailsham House my days are filled with purpose and a deep commitment to our residents I am Rui Santos a dedicated professional with a robust background in nursing and management currently advancing my expertise through an apprenticeship as a Leader in Adult Care (Level 5) My journey in healthcare began in 2013 as a Registered Nurse, where I gained invaluable experience working with vulnerable adults with complex health care needs My leadership roles as Nurse Supervisor and Deputy Manager have equipped me well for my current position which I have proudly held since January 2024

My typical workweek spans five days usually from 9am to 5pm with an additional weekend shift each month Each day begins with a walkthrough of Hailsham House, a facility that encompasses four communities with a total of 119 suites and a dedicated team of more than one hundred employees This initial round allows me to connect with the team gain first impressions of the day s atmosphere and complete the necessary audit forms It s a crucial part of ensuring the home runs smoothly and that any immediate issues are identified early

Following the walkthrough I check my calendar and emails to plan the day The volume of correspondence is substantial reflecting the dynamic nature of our work At 11am we hold a flash meeting with the

heads of departments These meetings cover a wide range of topics including daily activities and outings meal plans, staff sickness, admissions and discharges, maintenance issues, housekeeping needs, clinical updates and changes to residents care plans

One of the most essential skills in my role is active listening Being available and approachable for everyone; residents their families and staff member is key Effective communication is vital whether it involves conducting supervisions and appraisals leading team meetings or partnering with external stakeholders to enhance the wellbeing of our community

While the work is demanding and the challenges varied it is the interactions with our residents that make it all worthwhile Their moments of joy and appreciation bring a profound sense of fulfilment to my day Each chat every smile and the small victories we celebrate together remind me why I chose this profession

Being able to come to work each day engage with them and make a positive difference in their lives no matter how small is immensely rewarding It feels like being part of a large extended family here at Hailsham House

Every day is unique and the responsibilities of running a care home are too numerous to capture in a single article However it s the combination of professional dedication and personal connections that truly defines the role My focus remains steadfast on improving the quality and consistency of care supporting our residents and their families and fostering a caring and professional environment for our staff

In

Singer Rebecca Spreads Joy Through Music at Langdon House in Cambridge

and gentle manner with the residents who attend her sessions Rebecca isn't just any performer; she's a dancer with two decades of experience under her belt as well as a teacher at Cambridge University

A professional dancer Rebecca works at Cambridge University and started singing just three years ago

“It was during lockdown and everyone was doing something new –mine was singing and making videos of me singing “ explained Rebecca

“I grew up around music as my mother was a music teacher and I really love rock n roll – there s something about the music I am sure it must be something scientific, that gets the feet tapping and people joining in

So once things started to open up Recca started to get out and about specialising in the timeless tunes of rock and roll and pop from

the 1950s to the 1970s With a repertoire that includes hits from legends like Elvis Presley Chuck Berry and the Monkees Rebecca brings a sense of nostalgia and familiarity to Langdon House with every note she sings She offered to come on a voluntary basis in order to get some experience in music performance and the inspiration for Rebecca's mission hits close to home as her own mother lived with dementia and experienced a lack of entertainment during her time in a care home

Reflecting on her mother's experience Rebecca shares "I am sure my mum would have enjoyed what I am doing and I guess that is part of the reason for doing it – I love to entertain and to perform

Through her performances at Langdon House Rebecca has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of music for those living with dementia While the effects may vary from person to person, there s an undeniable sense of connection and engagement that music brings to individuals who may otherwise feel isolated or withdrawn

Obviously it is very rewarding to get my students through their degrees but it’s even more rewarding, I think, to see a man who has not moved out of a wheelchair for some time tapping his feet and singing along to my act Or someone who is essentially non-verbal singing the lyrics with me ve

Kerry Taplin, the Lifestyles Coordinator at Langdon House, expresses gratitude for Rebecca s monthly visits acknowledging the positive

impact they have "We are really grateful to Rebecca for coming along to us on a monthly basis – I know the residents look forward to her visits and enjoy the time with her even if they don t always show it says Kerry

The benefits of music for those living with dementia are well-documented, offering a myriad of therapeutic effects that extend beyond mere entertainment These include -

Music has the power to evoke strong emotions and memories, allowing individuals living with dementia to connect with their past experiences and feelings

• Listening to familiar songs can uplift spirits and reduce feelings of anxiety or depression promoting a sense of wellbeing and contentment

Even when verbal communication becomes challenging music provides a universal language that fosters communication and connection between individuals

Certain songs can trigger memories from the past enabling individuals living with dementia to reminisce and engage in meaningful conversations with others

• Whether it's tapping their feet or swaying to the rhythm, music encourages physical movement and can improve motor skills

Calming melodies and soothing rhythms have a calming effect, reducing instances of agitation or restlessness

Shared musical experiences create opportunities for socialisation and bonding among residents caregivers and visitors alike

Renaissance Care Celebrates 20 Years In Business

Care homes continue

Dr

than you and that is exactly what I have done and will continue to do as we build on the existing platform of Renaissance Care It is also very true that you cannot successfully scale a business if you are not prepared to delegate important decision-making to those around you

“Despite

Junior Doctors Announce New Strike Dates

In England Ahead Of General Election

Care Home Raises Funds For Alzheimers Awareness

HCR Law Welcomes Healthcare Regulator y Specialist, Laura Shelton as a Partner

Q&A: The Crucial Role of Learning Disability Nurses

Jamie qualified in 2010 as a RNLD (Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities) and started her first post as a staff nurse in May 2010 She progressed up to Charge Nurse then moved in to a Deputy role by February 2017

In August 2017 Jamie moved up to Hospital Manager and moved into social care in September the same year and moved away from the hospital setting

What she has experienced since then has sharpened her opinion on why being a Learning Disabilities Nurse certainly isn t the lower end of nursing: it’s an important way to have long-term influence over the quality of people s lives

She is now the Registered Manager of Cygnet Social Care’s Hope House a residential service in Hartlepool providing outcome focused care for adults with a learning disability and associated complex needs who may have behaviours that challenge

What’ the biggest dif ference between hospital and residential setting, as a Nurse and Manager?

In hospitals you resolve and reduce In social care you don’t focus on resolving in the same way Instead, you help individuals live more meaningful lives

Without being cheesy in social care it’s honestly about the small wins Watching someone fasten their shoe lace after a year of trying Or witnessing a service user who was so shy and anxious – they covered their face and wouldn t leave their room change to being out in the communal spaces learning a dance with me 6 months later

Our rewards are personal and huge it s lovely to see the affect you can have on people

What types of progress do you enjoy seeing with your ser vice users?

We encourage our service users to have belief they can do what some people would say are normal things

Here it totally depends on the individual and the type of condition and support they need – it’s so varied – there aren t set procedures in the same way

The level of care we provide is different, more long-term and we really build relationships and get to know people You end up being able to learn what service users need just from the way they raise an eyebrow – even if they are non-verbal you start to understand exactly what they are feeling and need

What can people working in Hope House or LD residential ser vices expect to see in terms of ser vice user progress?

At Hope House, our service users have their own flats – the building is divided into flats and some have their own gardens so they can have their own space which really helps

There are 2 pathways in the main:

1 The individuals that are going to be with us for quite some time or until they get ill or change in some way that we can t support

2 People that eventually move into supported living – where they need some help in maintaining a home but we help them move towards more independent lives

80% of our service users have autism alongside a learning disability or a mental health condition (like bipolar or personality disorder)

We do hope to see individuals go back into the community and while they will always need some level of support it doesn t need to be 24 hour care so we are there to support that and reduce the chance of future relapses Why do you think L&D nurses aren’t thought of as ‘proper’ nurses – when the work you do is so impor tant in helping really vulnerable people within our society?

People can either be negative or naïve – if they don’t understand it I ended up doing my LD qualification after doing a placement I had wanted to be a teacher but after a placement I realised it was what I wanted to do LD nursing isn t presented correctly Because it s not as built on medical models it s based on the needs of the service user Our experience is so varied and diverse but it s certainly not lesser

But effectively we are our service users’ advocates We help them and their families to break barriers

Whether that s with their own expectations of what they can do in their own lives or within the community For example – I have to ask for joint appointments with service users GP s so they get double the time to communicate with them I also fight to get my service users voices heard – so that healthcare and other social care professionals don t ever speak on their behalf when they come into contact with them

We re constantly working out how to speak to our service users and question how to make things more suitable – through makaton or widgets for example

Depending on our individuals conditions and needs, we approach things in different ways all the time

Do you think more people coming into nursing should train in LD – there’s been a huge drop of f in the last 10 years?

I always ask why people want to do the line of nursing – it’s important to understand what people’s passions are and that we understand career goals and how to help people develop

I think the approach between LD Nursing and Mental Health nursing say can be a little different There may be more risk adversity within the MH, especially within more secure settings as one example

Yet we re seeing more universities now offering joint LD and MH cohorts as the two can work well within each other s setting – which adds to the diversity of the role as a LD nurse with MH experiences

What excites you about the future of L&D Nursing?

I think there s been some issues historically where people could be discharged from hospitals too quickly the pressures on timeframes could see people at risk of relapse But since 2015 there’s been more robust frameworks put in place

The beauty of independent care is where the NHS has clear guidelines and pressure to discharge we don t face hose pressures

I think this area continues to improve as the topic of accessibility continues to be discussed in the wider society

– which is exciting!

At Hope House we are encouraging all our staff to use Makaton and have a big push on people using it daily so they really learn it- rather than forget after one training session!

Care Development East set to Host Dementia Marketplace to Boost Support for Carers and Families Within Suffolk

RMBI Care Co. Teams Up with The Access Group for Giving Back Initiative

CARE HOMES COMMEMORATE

D-Day 80th Anniversar y: 102 year old Ron Shares His Experiences

Ron Lawrence a resident at Deer Park View in Teddington is a remarkable 102-year-old Normandy veteran whose vivid memories of D-Day have become a source of inspiration and pride for his family and friends

Ron was one of the brave soldiers who "got his feet wet" during the historic landings on 6th June 1944 The journey to France began on the evening of 5th June with Ron and his comrades arriving at daybreak He was in the second wave of men to land on Sword Beach transported there in a landing craft tank As a member of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), Ron stayed on the beach for several weeks, tirelessly repairing vehicles essential to the ongoing operations

Sword Beach was divided into Queen White and Queen Red zones, a detail that led to a popular joke among the soldiers: Red white and queen Despite the seriousness of their mission, the soldiers found moments of levity in their shared experiences During his time on the beach Ron found shelter in captured German dugouts

In the days leading up to the landings, while stationed in the south of England, Ron and his friends often struggled with hunger One lucky day they encountered a kind American

GI who shared some tinned peaches with them a small but significant act of kindness Ron didn't stay hungry for long, though During the rough crossing to France, many soldiers became seasick and couldn't eat their rations However Ron an experienced lighterman like his father was unaffected by the turbulent seas Lightermen were skilled in transferring cargo from ship to dock using engineless crafts that relied on the tide

"Ron has spoken a bit to me recently about the landings as I’ve been talking to him about the 80th Anniversary It s so important to do this as there aren t many of them left," said Ron’s daughter Christine Lawrence highlighting the importance of preserving these firsthand accounts

To honour Ron and the 80th anniversary of D-Day Deer Park View will be hosting a series of commemorative events The highlight will be a special party with special guest

The Mayor of Richmond, Councillor Richard Pyne, complete with themed food, including tinned peaches a tribute to Ron s cherished memory Ron’s family is traveling from near and far to join the celebration eager to share in this significant milestone

D-Day 80: Navy Wife Remembers the Normandy Landings

A newlywed whose husband left their honeymoon to take part in the D-Day offensive has been reminiscing ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings

Mary Holley revealed her husband Roy’s ship was torpedoed during the Allied invasion of northern France which commenced on 6 June 1944 She had married him just a few weeks earlier

The D-Day assault marked the start of the successful campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation Mary 99 now lives at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton which provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia The charity also has Homes in Solihull and High Wycombe and runs new services reaching out into the community

Mary had met Roy shortly before the start of WWII The couple were courting for a year before he was called up to the Navy in 1941 Following a three-year posting to the Far East they married in April 1944 after Roy returned home on a week s leave The newlyweds honeymooned in Weston-super-Mare but within days they were separated again

Though she did not know at the time Mary later learned Roy had left to prepare for D-Day on the cruiser HMS Frobisher She said: During the Allied invasion his ship bombarded Gold Beach in preparation for the landings However, his vessel was hit by an enemy torpedo, and fearing it would sink, the crew were

Saltburn s “Knitting Nannas” have been creating woollen soldiers and poppies in support of a tapestry project marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day

The club of elderly knitters at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, on Randolph Street, has been producing the little figures for The Longest Yarn an 80m long knitted tapestry

The project includes 80 panels of knitted scenes from the Second World War Normandy landings with contributions coming from around the world

The finished project is being displayed in the NotreDame Church, in Carentan-les-Marais, north-western France until 1st September 2024

The knitting club at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, named The Knitting Nannas got involved after the home’s activities coordinator learned of The Longest Yarn project on social media

They have sent over 40 knitted poppies and 25 miniature soldiers so far with a further 25 soldiers still in production

They are being sold on The Longest Yarn Etsy shop to support the project, which will be touring Europe, outreach activities and various veterans charities

Joyce Wooffindin, 83, is one of the Knitting Nannas She said: “You have made my life worth living through this project

The project was also an opportunity for the care home’s residents to share their memories of the War

Joyce added: “I was only three on the D-Day landings and can remember my dad talking about the prisoners of war

Betty Wood, 100, said: “I can remember D-Day I lived in South Africa at the time and remember that two South African soldiers received the military cross for gallantry in action

Joyce Baxtrum, 93, said: “I remember listening to Eisenhower’s speech on the radio when he talked about

given orders to abandon ship But when the Frobisher remained afloat the men were able to clamber back on board ”

The crew remained in place for several days despite swallowing substantial amounts of oily sea water while in the Channel, and later Roy was one of a party sent ashore to establish a signal station at the strategically important city of Caen

Mary said: I did not know Roy was involved in the landings at the time but I assumed he was And I stayed positive I didn’t fear the worst I expected the best ”

Thankfully Roy did survive D-Day and the war He left the Navy in 1946, and the couple went on to have three children

Looking back on Roy s service during WWII Mary added When he was called up to the Navy, I felt very proud Everybody was called up, so you were no different to everyone else I knew there was a war going on and I would not have seen him again for a long time but that was that All I focussed on was that he was coming home and we were getting married

The last D-Day veteran cared for at Royal Star & Garter lived at the Surbiton Home and died in November 2023 just a month before his 100th birthday

Wellbeing Teams will be hosting events and activities to mark D-Day in each of its three Homes on 6 June

the landings I’ve loved knitting these little soldiers and poppies every day

Ellen Else, 93, said “My dad was a vicar and I can remember us praying for all the soldiers It s been lovely doing something so worthwhile with the project ”

The Knitting Nannas received a parcel of French biscuits and a thank you card from the project organisers as a gesture of appreciation for their support

Residents at Hazelgrove Court have also been sending handwritten thank you cards to D-Day veterans via The Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society which set up a project called The DDay 80 Thank You Card Drop

They were sent the names of two veterans: Clifford Brown who served on a mine-sweeping ship in the Royal Navy; and Peter Middleton Lovett who served in the 3rd Canadian Infantry which landed on Juno Beach one of five beaches of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France on 6th June 1944

Sheila O Neill 83 wrote to Peter: I want to praise you for being one of the many men who landed on the beaches in Normandy on D-Day 6th June 1944 Your bravery helped liberate our country Thank you very much My prayers will always be with you

Sharon Lewis, activities coordinator at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, said: “Our Knitting Nannas are absolutely loving this project

“It s giving them a huge amount of pleasure but they are aware that it’s being done to remember D-Day and has brought up a lot of memories We’ve had lots of discussions around this

It s fantastic the residents are taking part in a global project as D-Day involved soldiers from so many different countries

Everyone

Derek Tapson’s Remarkable D-Day Stor y

D-Day Veteran Honoured by Dutch Government

David Woodrow, one of the last surviving British veterans from World War II will be honoured for his unparalleled service by the Dutch Government and the Norwich Normandy Veterans Association on 19th May 2024 The event will not only commemorate his remarkable contributions but also celebrate his 100th birthday occurring two days later

David now residing at Saxlingham Hall Care Home near Norwich owned by Healthcare Homes has found comfort and support in the compassionate care provided by the facility Despite the passage of time, his spirit remains indomitable, a testament to the resilience forged in the crucible of war

His journey began on 24th March 1943 when he enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) Following rigorous training he joined the esteemed 652AOP Squadron C Flight Army/Air Corps Operating Auster planes, David and his squadron were tasked with locating enemy targets and directing artillery fire onto them Their vital support aided the 1st Corps, with C Flight specifically supporting the 51st Highland Division artillery

One of David s most significant assignments was during the pivotal D-Day operation As part of the advanced landing party he played a crucial role in establishing an airfield at Plumetot enabling planes to

fly from England and provide crucial support

By July 20th 1944 in Normandy 652 Squadron had flown 856 sorties conducted 458 shoots and logged 420 hours of flight time Despite facing enemy fighters on twelve occasions resulting in the loss of four aircraft and the lives of two pilots and one rear observer Woodrow and his comrades remained steadfast in their mission

Among their many feats was the pursuit of the Seine Turnhout Antwerp canal Esschen Nijmegon Operation Trojan Reichwald Forest and Goch - daring battles that stretched from Normandy to the Netherlands and Germany showcasing their unwavering dedication and bravery

After an illustrious career David concluded his service on 24th March 1947 leaving behind a legacy of valour and sacrifice

David Woodrow s story is a testament to the courage and resilience of an entire generation The presentation on 19th May will serve as a poignant reminder of his

and a

of his 100th birthday

Residents at Ipswich Home Singalong to War Songs in Memor y of D-Day

Cosson

The residents had a great time some of them gave requests joined in with the singing and the atmosphere on the day was amazing

We served everyone tea coffee and juice and the lounge was full of residents and you would often get staff popping in and out

“The songs triggered some war memories for our residents and you could see how much

“Some

D-Day Mini Concert For St Benedicts Residents

have been enjoying a sing-along at a mini concert which has taken place at their home to mark the anniversary of the D-Day Landings

The courtyard garden at St Benedict s rang out with familiar wartime favourites sung by the D-Day Dollies including songs from the Andrews Sisters Judy Garland and Dame Vera Lynn and residents were only too keen to join in William Merivale assistant operations manager for St Benedict’s Nursing Home said “Many of our residents are living with dementia but they

have no problem recalling the words to the songs of their youth

The visit by the D-Day Dollies which included some brilliant choreographed routines, was a huge hit and a lovely way to pay our respects in remembering the sacrifices made by those involved in the D-Day landings

The concert at St Benedict s is part of a busy and varied programme of activities organised by the home for the benefit of residents White Care Group also runs St Cecilia Care Home in Shepton Mallet and The Rectory in Taunton

Unpaid Care Has A Huge Impact On Mental

Health Landmark Europe-Wide Study Has Shown

all ages across Europe It was carried out by University College London and St George s University of London with support from UK charity Carers Trust and research teams in Spain Norway and Germany It showed around one in 10 people aged 15 to 29 across Europe are carers More than a quarter (27%) of these young adult carers come from households ranked in the bottom fifth for income

Their mental health also deteriorates after becoming a carer and the impact increases the more hours they spend caring showing the urgent need for early identification and intervention to support them Young adults who are providing more than 20 hours of unpaid care per week are more than 96% more likely to report poor mental health compared to their peers

Young adult carers education and future employment are also affected and in the UK there are stark inequalities in educational attainment Young adult carers are 38% less likely than their peers to hold a university degree as their highest qualification This rises to a staggering 86% for those who provide more than 35 hours of care per week Dr Rebecca Lacey from St George’s, University of London, said “Our research shows the significant impact that being a young adult carer can have on a young person s life Many carer organisations and charities will know the inequality that young adult carers face but through this research we have helped to evidence and quantify that difference It is a gap that is sadly substantial particularly for young adult carers who provide significant hours of care We really hope that this will help to pave the way for better support for young adult carers ”

For people aged 30-49 in the UK unpaid care is also linked to worsening mental health and the effects persist for years after care starts The impact is more pronounced for women compared to men, the

research showed

Carers in this age bracket are also more likely to come from disadvantaged households Of those ranked in the lowest two-fifths of the population for household income 17% were carers This compared to just 12% of those in the richest fifth of the population The researchers concluded that support must be ramped up with financial assistance programmes carer tax credits and social safety nets for low-income carers

The research also showed that older carers are more likely to report loneliness It recommended increased support for their mental health and wellbeing including access to counselling services community engagement social support networks and mental health screening programmes Anne McMunn Co-ordinator of the Eurocare project based at UCL said: Our partnership with Carers Trust has been crucial to the research for this project informing the entire process from formulating research questions to interpreting and sharing results Carers play a vital role in our society and need our support to stay well We hope these reports will provide some impetus for improving that support ”

Rohati Chapman Carers Trust s Executive Director for Programmes Policy & Impact said: This vital research shows the significant impact that failing to support unpaid carers has across Europe From young people seeing their future prospects blighted to ever worsening mental health and finances across all ages the price paid for unpaid care is high People shouldn’t be forced to sacrifice their own health and wellbeing just for trying to do the right thing by looking after family and friends but that’s the situation faced by millions of carers

“Carers Trust will use this valuable evidence to inform our work to support carers

Sweet Joy For ‘Happy And Active’ Dorothy On 104th Birthday

Reflecting on her most enduring memories of youth, the much-loved grandmother said: “I remember the war and having to ration sugar I like sugar! Aside from that my fondest memories are all about watching my children grow up ”

Asked how it feels to be 104 Dorothy said: I still feel 90 I don t know where that time s gone but I am looking forward to having a big cake for my 105th next year ” Dorothy also shared her secret of longevity: “Be happy and have a cup of tea ” Son-in-law Keith Adams Julie s husband explained how four years ago Dorothy had to celebrate her

100th birthday on Zoom as it fell during lockdown More than 60 family and friends joined her online at the time

Thanking the team at Brook View for their support and care in looking after Dorothy and staging her 104th Keith said “It was lovely to have this party for her We loved seeing her enjoy it so much ”

As well as afternoon tea with a strawberry and vanilla sponge cake baked by Brook View

Chef Jack Wood the birthday fun featured entertainment from singer Bee Chumbley

She performed a series of Dorothy’s favourites including White Cliffs of Dover

Thank You for the Music and Singing in the Rain prompting party guests to dance

Companionship Team Leader Lauren Parrett said: “Dorothy is an active lady who enjoys armchair exercise quizzes going to the seaside on minibus trips and spending time with her family On a sunny day she loves sitting by our garden pond with a cup of tea and a slice of cake ”

Fellow Brook View residents at the celebration included Dorothy s friend Peggy Jenkins who was marking her 91st birthday on the same day

Chef Jack baked a lemon cake for Peggy and joined colleagues to sing a hearty ‘Happy Birthday to both ladies

Centur y Celebrations For Local Care Home Resident

Scottish Researchers Awarded £100k

To Drive For ward A Cure For Dementia

Researchers based at leading Scottish Universities have received support from Alzheimer s Research UK helping them to develop future treatments for dementia

The £100k is part of a £4 million funding announcement that will help UK researchers find new ways to treat diagnose and prevent dementia Over the last two decades Alzheimer’s Research UK has provided over £10m of funding to dementia research in Scotland

Dr Shuzo Sakata, based at the University of Strathclyde has been awarded £70K to understand more about the link between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, in the hope of finding new ways to prevent the disease Research has shown that changes in sleep patterns are common in people with dementia even in its early stages However the connection between sleep and dementia is still a mystery

Speaking about the project Dr Sakata says: “My project will hopefully shed light on how sleep affects the brain s immune cells in Alzheimer s It s the first time this will be studied and could help find new ways to treat and prevent Alzheimer s disease in the future, which is an incredibly exciting prospect”

Dr Paula Beltran-Lobo based at the University of Edinburgh has received £30K to investigate how the protective blood brain barrier becomes damaged by the diseases that cause dementia The blood brain barrier controls the brain s blood supply and regulates which substances cross it

She will be focusing on star-shaped cells called astrocytes, which support the blood brain barrier and keep it healthy But when a protein called tau builds up in astrocytes in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Frontotemporal dementia it can interfere with their function This affect on the astrocytes can lead to the blood brain barrier becoming ‘leaky’ Dr Beltran-Lobo said: “By figuring out how the communication between astrocytes and the blood brain barrier becomes disrupted by tau we may uncover key proteins that we can target with drugs This funding provides a stepping stone for my research which I hope will lead to the development of treatments which target earlier stages of the disease ”

Dr Julia Dudley Head of Strategic Programmes at Alzheimer s Research UK says “In the UK alone nearly one million people are living with dementia So there s never been a more pressing need to prevent or treat the diseases that cause this devastating condition

“Alzheimer s Research UK is proud to support research that’s gaining a greater understanding of how these diseases develop in the brain which could lead to the breakthroughs that people with dementia deserve and need

It s essential that we keep investing in studies like

GP Star Emma Receives Award from Barnsley Care Home

Added Value Enterprises - Sustainable Solutions for Social Care

Sustainable solutions for Social Care.

Social care organisations have a lot on their plate without a supply chain review getting in the way We collaborate with social care organisations and care homes across the country, taking care of the time-consuming details, and achieving the good value they deserve

With a robust, ethical, highly traceable supply chain, we deliver expert food, beverage, and non-food purchasing solutions that save time and money That means more time to focus on what matters, like supporting patient wellbeing with exceptional quality produce

Let's achieve new efficiencies today Sustainable sourcing for social care organisations and care homes.

We know how important sourcing is to social care organisations and care homes You need to know where your food, beverages and non-food are coming from, but that often means paying more than you should

At AVE, we don t believe that there should ever be a choice between ethics and value We offer sustainable sourcing that is good for the planet and your bottom line Social care purchasing.

Social care organisations choose us as their partner because we know the particular requirement of this challenging field We deliver a lean robust supply chain that works for your patients and people In a busy market we cut through the obscurity and complicated language to find the deals that matter to you achieving the quality you deserve at prices you didn't know were possible

How's that for a healthy supply chain? Your social care purchasing partner.

Achieve lean, robust food and non-food supply for your social care business or care home Our purchasing experts have spent years working in the social care sector, identifying the particular needs of people in this challenging field and delivering on time every time Sustainable produce, better prices and the quality you deserve Social care food management consultancy. inspire healthcare chefs and catering staff with quality menus and recipes that your patients will love Our food management consultants have worked with health and social care organisations and care homes across the UK, crafting bespoke menus that deliver on price and taste We'll even help you navigate the tricky territory of special diets and allergens with ease Social care in-house catering solutions.

Catering can be tricky to go at alone Why not partner up? Trust us to lend a specialist hand across every aspect of your food operation, and guarantee the best results - safety and sustainability assured

NHS Leaders Facing “Drastic Measures” To Make Ends Meet

Health leaders in England are calling on the next government to protect local NHS organisations from having to further cut staffing levels to make ends meet at a time when the needs of their patients are so high

In a survey of NHS leaders across trusts integrated care boards (ICBs) and primary care in England, some local NHS organisations are already cutting or freezing posts to balance their books They fear local services are trapped in a cycle of short-termism where immediate cuts to meet financial targets are having to be prioritised over long term plans to improve and transform local services

The survey was carried out during late April and early May – a time when the NHS has been coming to terms with the flat revenue settlement set in the Spring Budget The NHS has been set an annual efficiency target of 2 2% despite many organisations starting the financial year in a worse underlying state due to industrial action and other cost pressures As the NHS Confederation survey shows many local NHS organisations are facing much higher efficiency targets that will impact on their staffing levels

The rate of NHS productivity growth has averaged 0 9 per cent over the past 25 years, with the NHS often delivering higher productivity improvements than the wider economy However the NHS leaders responding to the survey said that they need, on average, to make efficiency savings of 6% in 2024/25 with local services facing targets ranging from 1 6% all the way up to 11%

Recently the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that real-terms spending on the NHS had risen less quickly than was pledged at the last general election five years ago This squeeze on NHS spending is likely to be compounded by the main political parties committing this week to no further tax increases which the IFS say will further constrain spending on public services

In response to this some health leaders are having to take “drastic measures to balance the books with cuts to agency spending freezing vacancies and cuts to clinical and managerial and administrative staff the most effected This is to cover what is estimated to be a larger

projected deficit in the financial plans of local integrated care systems (ICS) than has been seen in recent years This could lead to further cuts to capital and other budgets

Cuts to staff come at a time when the latest data shows there are over 100 000 vacancies across the NHS in England including nearly 9,000 medical posts This short-term risk to freeze or cut posts could be seen to go against the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan s commitment to grow the NHS’s headcount so that it can meet the needs of patients and respond to rising demand

The main political parties appear to agree that the NHS must grow its workforce yet without appropriate levels of funding locally that are matched to the efficiency asks of the NHS many health leaders feel as though they have no choice but to cut back

An NHS trust chair said: Our financial position is really difficult We’re expected to make very substantial efficiency savings, larger than the NHS has ever achieved at the same time as facing extraordinary levels of demand ”

An NHS trust chief executive added: I do not believe that it is possible for us to deliver all our financial performance workforce and quali-

ty/safety requirements next year – something has to give ”

Health leaders want the main political parties to safeguard local NHS organisations from having to further freeze or cut clinical and non-clinical posts, especially given the task ahead in reducing waiting lists They are recommending that the next government ensures the NHS has the resources it needs, including with at least an additional £6 4 billion of capital investment commitment to fund the implementation of the long term workforce plan, and a similar plan to be published for social care

Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said: The NHS is operating under immense financial strain with some local services already cutting or freezing clinical and managerial posts as well as cutting some patient services They are facing up to some drastic measures to balance their books this year

“While NHS leaders know they must continue to run their services as efficiently as possible this is the tightest financial position the NHS has faced in years

“This will

“This type of short-term planning hinders the NHS’s ability to plan services over the long term and it represents poor value for money for taxpayers

“There is more the NHS is doing, and needs to continue to do to improve productivity But there are a range of factors outside of the NHS’ control that are impeding progress, including a lack of capital investment insufficient capacity in social care and industrial action That’s why we are calling on the next government to invest at least another £6 4bn in capital so that the NHS has the IT technology and infrastructure it needs to deliver long lasting improvements in productivity ”

104th Birthday Celebrations For Local Care Home Resident

Sona raises £22m to help large Social Care organisations access AI-driven WFM

We are excited to announce this new round of investment and how it will impact large Social Care organisations and their employees

Together with my fellow co-founders, Oli Johnson and Ben Dixon, we’d like to thank Felicis who led the financing with participation from Northzone, Google s AI-fund Gradient, SpeedInvest, Antler, BAG Ventures, and the numerous notable angels who participated in the round

When we founded Sona in 2021, we wanted to solve the unique challenges of frontline work with technology that empowers every employee, on every level of a large organisation

Two years later, Sona is doing just that for over 100,000 people We are grateful to the many organisations who have chosen us to support them on their digital journey, including Community Integrated Care, iVolve, Affinity, Yorkshire Care, Greensleeves Care, Cartrefi Cymru, and Livability, helping them deliver almost 5 million seamless shifts We’d also like to thank our partners who share in our vision for an integrated tech landscape for Care, including Nourish, Radar Healthcare, and Lottie

Some of the most talented and motivated people around have joined us to make this possible, and I d like to give a particular shout-out to Hayley Horwood and Richard Upshall Together, they have more than 25 years of experience in the Care sector and their insights have guided us every step of the way

This deep involvement has taught us that the complexity associated with multi-location, 1000+ staff operations is coupled with the pressure and responsibility to provide the best care possible Social Care demands a state-ofthe-art solution, built with the kind of technology that isn’t just the latest right now, but that is flexible enough to continue being state-of-the-art ten years from now and later into the future

The financing is a big step on our journey to becoming the go-to WFM for large Social Care groups, but - more importantly - it is an investment in the sector as a whole Over the past year, we’ve seen demand for a nextgeneration solution like Sona increase fourfold Our

partners are looking to make their operations more efficient and reliable, improve staff satisfaction, and become financially sustainable organisations that can easily grow and support more people

The fact that we can confidently say Sona is a solution that pays for itself - and then more! - is something we’re incredibly proud of because it provides organisations with a new revenue source they can re-invest into employee wellbeing and a better experience for the people they care for

So, what does this mean for the Care sector?

1 A truly intelligent AI-driven solution

We want to empower Social Care enterprises to forecast their staff needs based on what is best for the people they support with maximum accuracy and automatically tailor their operations accordingly This will help organisations speed up their scheduling, gain real-time views of their shift runs, and encourage growth in a way that tech simply hasn’t in the last decade Previously, the focus was mostly on digitising paper-based processes, but as many organisations are now starting a vendor-replacement cycle, we want to provide them with a real nextgeneration solution

2. Automated HR processes

Our HR solution is already closely linked to Scheduling and communicates seamlessly as solutions built to work together from day one should The next step is to bring automation to the HR processes that currently take up the most time and are heavily prone to errors Our goal is to make the data we feed into our Payroll engine as accurate as possible and remove the potential for mistakes to snowball, leading to drops in employee satisfaction, more admin time, and even legal risks down the line

3 User-first technology

One implementation challenge organisations have experienced with legacy software is low tech adoption rates from frontline staff But what oftentimes is seen as fear of change, is actually a natural reaction to employee apps which were not designed to be accessible The Sona mobile app - together with all our interfaces - is built with usability in mind and consumer-grade standards We want to enrich this experience with even more features that make user life more efficient and increase satisfaction, particularly around self-service and onboarding new staff We believe the first impression new employees get of their organisation and its processes is key to their retention

4 High-quality research and contributions to Social Care in the UK

The feedback we’ve received for our industry-leading reports, webinars, and other research activities has always been incredible and we’re only looking to add more Social Care is first and foremost about the people and the community We plan to continue reporting on the pulse of the sector, bring together leaders and visionaries to share their insights, and always spotlight the many opportunities Care offers At the same time, we want to expand our existing charitable contributions and make sure that we’re always giving back to those on the frontline

committed our Customer Success and Implementation teams are to always going the extra mile, helping them optimise and grow their business We want to make sure that as we grow ourselves, we only improve this experience and provide even more comprehensive support every step of the way For that we’ll be on the lookout for the best talent available

Overall, with Sona, I like to think of it as building the “selfdriving car of running a Care business The last 20 years of workforce management were dominated by legacy point solutions that digitised simple paper processes Sona is building the next generation of WFM with a truly intelligent platform that enables organisational leaders in complex, multi-location enterprises to put the right people, in the right place, at the right time; and to seamlessly manage their workforce end-to-end

We believe we can deliver this because our exponential growth has been driven by tangible factors: speed of product delivery, high configurability, and sector expertise

Unlike legacy platforms, Sona’s technology has been built from the ground up for real-time data processing and insights Leveraging the Elixir programming language and large language models - similar to what powers tools like ChatGPT - we offer AI-powered real-time actionable feedback which helps drive intelligent decision making and leads to real workforce productivity gains The trust of our investors so far has yielded a total of £30 millionfunds that we see contributing to the development of the sector as a whole

We are proud to lead Sona's Series A round and support its mission to empower frontline enterprises with cuttingedge workforce management solutions We believe in Sona's potential to redefine how businesses [ ] manage their workforce, and we re excited to be part of their journey towards reshaping the future of work Ben, Oli, Steffen and the Sona team have already helped over 100,000 frontline workers schedule shifts, and we know so many more will appreciate smarter software that enables their work ”

Niki Pezeshki, General Partner at Felicis

As we continue to innovate, our mission remains clear: to transform the outdated tools that have hindered Care enterprises in the past and usher in a new era of intelligent WFM that drives efficiency, employee wellbeing, and, ultimately, the delivery of exceptional care

Steffen Wulff Petersen Sona CEO and Co-Founder

5 A trustworthy partnership for all our UK customers

Our partners have consistently highlighted how

Sona co-founders Ben Dixon Steffen Wulff Petersen and Oli Johnson

Top Nurse Commends Nursing Associate at Meadow House

Tracy Eves a dedicated carer at Meadow House care home in Norfolk has been recognised by Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Department of Health & Social Care for her exemplary commitment and pioneering role as one of Norfolk's first Nursing Associates

Tracy s journey into nursing began in September 2018 when she joined the Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) scheme through her employer Healthcare Homes as one of the inaugural cohorts in Norfolk and Waveney

The TNA scheme provides a level 5 apprenticeship fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, bridging the gap between healthcare assistants and nurses Tracy s dedication and passion for caregiving earned her a Silver Award nomination for Outstanding Services to Social Care in 2021

Christine Futter Chief Operating Officer for Norfolk and Suffolk Care Support commended Tracy stating "Tracy's journey is a testament to her dedication and serves as a fantastic example to the trainee nursing profession

Tracy s illustrious career at Meadow House spans 25 years during which

March, Tracy shared her inspiring journey at a

workshop in Cambridge offering invaluable insights into the TNA role and its transformative impact Tracy's poignant account moved the audience to tears, emphasising the profound significance of investing in caregiver development

Reflecting on her experience Tracy expressed gratitude for the TNA opportunity stating "I never thought I would be able to work in nursing It has given me so much Tracy remains committed

Care Home Bikers Rev Up For Anniversar y Fun

Fun-loving motorbike fans at a Dorset care home didn t need to be asked twice to sit in the saddles of some classic Lambrettas

When retro bike group the Grumpy Grandads came to help Colten Care’s Poole home Bourne View celebrate its fifth anniversary they made sure the occasion had the feel of a 1960s Mod-era road trip

Excited onlookers gathered to welcome the colourful Union Jack-bearing motorcycle convoy with the parka-wearing Grandads quick to chat with interested residents and offer them the chance to climb on and feel the handlebars

For those living at art deco-themed Bourne View who previously owned motorbikes, the hands-on experience brought back many happy memories

After sitting on a bike which sported dozens of lights and mirrors, Pam Pamphilon said: “I used to have bikes in the past and it was marvellous to sit on one again

Fellow resident Norah Lowe said “I didn’t want to get off I thoroughly enjoyed it ” Irene Whyment and Joan Blackshaw took their seats on a couple of bikes at the same time prompting Joan to smile and say: I can see us going for a ride together

The bikers’ call was among a host of activities Bourne View team members organised to celebrate the home s fifth anniversary

An open day for families friends and community contacts featured a party with music from singing duo the Land Girls

There was also a visit by the Mayor and Mayoress of Poole to mark the official opening of a bigger dining room and event space on the ground floor

Building and refurbishment work has involved the merging of the home s Charleston Lounge and Hepburn Dining Room and the installation of a new ‘snug’ corner in the bistro

The Mayoral party were welcomed into the new space to the sounds of two songs written and performed by a residents choir led by Colten Care’s Music & Arts Partner Fiona Pritchard

On the piano was 97-year-old Bourne View resident Myrtle Smith a former professional pianist chamber musician and teacher

During the visit the Mayor Councillor Pete Miles spoke with residents including 107-year-old Yvonne Glover

Home Manager Gemma Parkin said: “We have all had such great fun celebrating our fifth anniversary with friends family and other special guests

“We especially thank the Mayor and Mayoress, and Rod Hall and his fellow bikers from Grumpy Grandads for coming to see us and sharing in this very happy occasion

From Drug Discover y to Treatment to Care: The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Show 2024

Now in its 11th year The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Show is the UK’s leading event for care providers healthcare professionals families and carers This is an unmissable event for those wanting to learn from leading experts find practical advice and support resources help and information develop a better understanding of dementia and further professional skills

Taking place at London ExCel on 14 - 15 June the show features a fully accredited CPD conference programme with talks from leading experts family carers and people living with dementia alongside professional advice clinics dementia and care exhibitors and unique individual training opportunities you won t find at any other event

EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS

Exhibitors include organisations offering a range of products and services including care at home care homes living aids reminiscence therapy funding training telecare assistive technology charity research legal education and finance

EXCLUSIVELY TO THE ALZHEIMER’S & DEMENTIA SHOW 2024:

The Virtual Dementia Tour & Training Experience is for anyone working in any form of dementia care or living with someone with dementia It offers a greater knowledge and understanding of how to improve the lives of those with dementia by experiencing an immersive tour taking eight minutes followed by a tailored 75 minute individual debriefing and training session

The CQC will be running an ‘inspector hub’ on stand C26 All show attendees are invited to come and speak to a CQC inspector or registration manager to discuss any queries they may have; local inspectors will be able to answer any questions as well as dealing with registration advice

This year s Alzheimer s & Dementia Show will for the first time include a Drugs Discovery Summit for GPs, nurses, and community carers providing insights into the latest advancements in research and treatment options as well as practical tools to guide and support patients and Chaired by Professor Fiona Ducotterd

Nigel Ward the show s founder and organiser said: “Over the last 11 years our annual event has strived to deliver practical help and expert guidance to care professionals as well as unpaid members of the public caring for those with dementia In the continuing absence of more robust financial support both persons living with dementia and their carers desperately need and deserve all the help and reassurance they can get

Under one roof with straightforward access to products and information from trusted suppliers and CPD accredited experts, visitors can increase their knowledge and confidence which in turn benefits the quality of care they provide

Dementia Interpreters – learning the language of dementia takes away your ability to speak see hear and move your body and is the first experiential course specifically designed to simulate the communication needs of people living with dementia It forces you to find new ways to communicate and recognise how to better understand living with dementia

Book your tickets today – www alzheimersshow co uk

it! Slough Care Home Residents Knit

Corridor Care’ Becoming ‘Normalised’

And Is Major Threat To Patient Safety

Every day in Scotland patients are being cared for in corridors and other inappropriate settings and left without access to essential equipment and facilities, it is revealed today (Monday 3 June) in a new report from the Royal College of Nursing

Treatment like this in inappropriate settings can last for extended periods sometimes even days The RCN says these must now be determined as Never Events in NHS services in the same way as having the wrong limb operated on or a foreign object left inside a patient’s body

The nursing union is also asking for mandatory national reporting of patients cared for in corridors to reveal the extent of hospital overcrowding as part of a plan to eradicate the practice

The new report is based on responses to a UK-wide survey of frontline nursing staff including over 1 400 in Scotland It shows the extent to which corridor care has become normalised When asked about their most recent shift, more than one in three (38%) nursing staff working in typical hospital settings report delivering care in an inappropriate setting such as a corridor

Of those being forced to deliver care in inappropriate settings over half (58%) say it left them without access to life-saving equipment including oxygen and suction Seven in ten (71%) said the care they delivered in public compromised patient privacy and dignity

The situation is so grave that NHS boards and Scottish government ministers should be forced to disclose the number of instances of care delivered in inappropriate settings, including corridors The findings and testimonies are published in Corridor Care: unsafe undignified unacceptable alongside

the College’s UK general election manifesto Both call for corridor care to be eradicated from health and care settings

Nursing staff report how corridor care has become the norm in almost every corner of a typical hospital setting Heavy patient flow and lack of capacity sees nursing staff left with no space to place patients What would have been an emergency

Superior Care Expands Portfolio With New Home Acquisition

Unlocking Innovation and Collaboration: The Care & Occupational Therapy Show

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show, scheduled for July 17th at Westpoint Exeter is poised to be a pivotal event in the fields of care and occupational therapy With an extensive lineup of CPD-accredited seminars keynote speakers networking opportunities and expert exhibitors this event offers a comprehensive platform for professionals to explore the latest trends exchange ideas and foster collaborations

At the heart of the event are the CPD-accredited seminars and keynote speeches which promise to provide attendees with invaluable insights and knowledge Renowned experts will take the stage to address pressing issues share innovative strategies and discuss emerging trends shaping the future of care and therapy From advancements in assistive technologies to holistic approaches to patient care attendees can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the evolving landscape of their professions

Networking

expert exhibitors showcasing the latest products services, and solutions

From state-of-the-art assistive devices to innovative therapeutic interventions, attendees have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of offerings from leading industry providers The exhibition serves as a hub for discovering cutting-edge technologies exploring new approaches to patient care and staying abreast of industry developments

Furthermore the event caters to professionals at every stage of their career journey from seasoned practitioners to students and newcomers to the field For students and recent graduates the show offers valuable insights into the profession, career guidance, and networking opportunities to kickstart their careers For established professionals it presents a platform to stay updated on the latest advancements, expand their knowledge base, and connect with peers to drive continuous improvement and innovation in their practice

The Care & Occupational Therapy Show is a must-attend event for professionals seeking to stay ahead of the curve in the dynamic fields of care and occupational

Patient Hygiene Wipes Promote An Individualised Approach To Cleansing For Those Receiving Care

Unigloves Rebrands Its Derma Shield Workplace Skincare System

The Importance of Nutrition and Hydration in a Care Home Setting

By Rob Henry, Head of Culinary Solutions and Compliance

assistance with eating and drinking skills as well as the provision of meals

With that in mind, it’s essential that you re not only aware of the food and drink regulations in place but how you can build on these to improve your offering and services within a care home environment

WHAT HAPPENS IF RESIDENTS DON’T RECEIVE THE RIGHT NUTRITION?

With age malnutrition can become more of a concern It s estimated that around 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 are either malnourished or at risk Changes that the elderly go through can lead to things like a

diminished appetite or even a loss of interest in food not to mention health conditions or changing health needs that can also impact the amount of nutrition a person receives

It s important to remember that residents may be a healthy weight but could still not be getting the right nutrients they need Other signs of malnutrition might include things like muscle weakness feeling tired increased falls or even poor wound healing

What’s more older people will find it more difficult to absorb vitamin D through sunlight and so this must be considered in their diet

Similarly older adults can also be a higher risk of becoming dehydrated as they may not recognise the feeling of thirst the way they used to FOOD AND DRINK REGULATIONS FOR CARE HOMES

The Health and Social Care Act of 2008 was brought in to ensure all care home settings registered with the Care Quality Commission and complied with its requirements It’s deemed to be one of the most significant reforms of social care in decades

In particular Regulation 14 states that the nutritional and hydration needs of residents must be met WHAT CARE HOMES CAN DO

With that in mind, it’s important that care homes have the right measures in place to keep residents as healthy as possible when it comes to nutrition and hydration Here are some tips on how carers and kitchen staff can work together to further improve the system in place

• Regular assessments: Every resident will have different needs and so by carrying out frequent assessments you can determine more accurately

whether residents are getting what they need from their current meals and drinks This also gives you the chance to identify issues or changes in requirements and address it accordingly

• Personalised plans: Being able to offer personalised meal plans means that you ll be better equipped to meet the residents dietary requirements

Not only this but it also means that you can meet their needs in regards to allergies, medical conditions and also flavour and texture preferences too This can be critical to ensure an enjoyable mealtime and offer a more encouraging environment for residents to eat and drink

Supervision at mealtimes: This can be particularly crucial if residents have trouble swallowing or eating as you’ll need to support and supervise when necessary However, it can be helpful even for those who don t experience this This is because you can observe and monitor how they are with using cutlery or holding a cup and whether they have any additional needs that you could assist with

Ongoing education: It’s hugely important to carry out regular training and education so that carers can continue to recognise the signs of dehydration or malnourishment It also means they can be better placed to help residents improve their health and wellbeing

Emotional support and reassurance In some cases residents may hold back on eating or drinking because of worries with incontinence It’s absolutely pivotal that carers can give the right emotional support and are able to reassure residents on this topic

Nutrition and Hydration Essential To Residents’ Health and Wellbeing

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

The Importance of Proper Laundr y Practices in Care Environments

Laundry is one of the major cleaning and hygiene challenges for care homes

For care homes maintaining impeccable cleanliness is more than a routine task; it is a vital responsibility The elderly and those with compromised health are particularly susceptible to infections making rigorous hygiene standards essential Professional laundry systems are engineered to meet these stringent requirements ensuring that every piece of linen from bed sheets to residents' clothing is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized

Unlike domestic machines commercial laundry systems are designed to handle large volumes with consistent efficacy They maintain precise water temperatures and use specialized detergents capable of eradicating harmful pathogens This level of thoroughness is crucial in environments where the risk of infection is high MINIMISING INFECTIONS AND CROSS-CONTAMINATION

Infection control is a critical concern in care homes Pathogens such as MRSA E coli and norovirus pose significant threats to residents Professional laundry systems play a key role in mitigating these risks by incorporating advanced features designed to prevent cross-contamination Barrier washers for instance have separate compartments for dirty and clean laundry ensuring that contaminants are contained and do not spread to freshly laundered items

Programmable wash cycles in these systems can be tailored to different textile types and soil levels, optimizing the disinfection process Furthermore innovations like ozone technology enhance sanitization while allowing for lower temperature washes, preserving fabric quality and extending the life of linens THE ROLE OF TRAINING AND SAFETY

Effective laundry management in care homes extends beyond the machines themselves Proper training for staff is critical to ensure that laundry processes are carried out safely and effectively Understanding how to use detergents correctly is a key aspect of this training Professional laundry detergents are formu-

lated to be both powerful against germs and safe for sensitive skin but improper use can diminish their effectiveness or even pose safety hazards

Staff must be trained in the correct handling and dosing of these detergents to maximize their benefits while ensuring safety Additionally, training on the use of laundry equipment helps prevent operational errors and promotes adherence to hygiene protocols

SAFEGUARDING YOUR RESIDENTS

In conclusion the importance of best laundry practices in care homes cannot be overstated By implementing effective laundry procedures care facilities can safeguard the health and well-being of residents maintain a clean and hygienic environment, and ultimately enhance the quality of care provided Prioritising proper laundry practices is a fundamental aspect of upholding the highest standards of cleanliness and ensuring the comfort and safety of individuals in care homes

P&G Professional have a suite of well-known and respected products across the sector for powerful cleaning and lower operational costs

Ariel Professional Washing Powder Antibacterial is a professional detergent specially formulated to deliver excellent stain removal and deep down cleaning at low temperature Ariel Professional delivers unrivalled cleaning and antibacterial protection at low temperatures and with short washing cycles thereby reducing energy and time costs whilst still getting things clean There is also an added benefit in that many P&G Professional products have similar names and smells as their domestic ranges giving a feeling of comfort and familiarity to residents and their families

Hygiene and infection control is vital and at the top of the agenda for care homes but we can be comforted to know we are going into battle with some of the most reliable and scientifically proven products that P&G Professional have developed with their unparalleled experience of engaging with the care sector and with the most comprehensive scientific rigour

Revolutionising Care Home Laundr y: The Genius Choice

INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

The Transformative Role of Music in Care Communities

In life where memories intertwine with the present there's a profound need for companionship understanding and support – especially for those navigating the complexities of dementia We know that Dementia isn t just a medical condition; it s a complicated journey for over 90 000 people in Scotland today marked by profound emotional upheaval and huge uncertainty As such we believe that approaches to this delicate type of care must transcend clinical protocols and embrace the little things when it comes to human experience For example music!

When the rhythm of life slows to a gentle rhythm in the quiet corridors of care facilities, music can be a powerful force and breathe vibrancy and vitality into the lives of those who need it most What we have found is that for those navigating the complexities of dementia, the role of music

surpasses mere entertainment it becomes a lifeline A conduit for connection and a source of comfort

In my time in my role I personally have witnessed first-hand the great impact of music in nurturing mental physical and emotional wellbeing among the 3 500 people benefiting from our Dementia Day Care Services every year We have all been exposed to music in some way in our lives –whether by listening to recordings playing an instrument attending concerts or dancing From lively sing-alongs to serene music therapy sessions partaking in a symphony of experiences when living with dementia can awaken hidden memories, stir dormant emotions and reignite feelings of joy and camaraderie

In fact a study comparing standard care to regular singing or music listening sessions over 10 weeks in 89 people with dementia (type not specified) music sessions improved general cognition (MMSE score) attention and executive function compared to standard care Singing appeared to evoke personal remote memories by increasing recall of names of children friends and immediate short story recall

One of our flagship programmes the Music Wellbeing Programme stands as a testament to the power of communal music-making Led by talented musicians and dedicated staff members this dementia-inclusive activity serves as a sanctuary where residents and caregivers alike gather to share stories create melodies and forge lasting connections Through familiar tunes, we witness the emergence of radiant smiles, the tapping of feet, and the stirring of long-forgotten memories, as residents reclaim moments of joy and belonging Music really does serve as a universal language for us all overcoming factors such as age cognition and physical ability

Could your centre or service partner with local entertainers or other community organisations to incorporate music within your care community? From lively dance performances to intimate acoustic sessions these

collaborative endeavours create an environment with an infectious energy, lifting spirits and fostering a sense of collective celebration

The Eric Liddell Community stands as a centre of hope, redefining the landscape of dementia care with innovation compassion, and inclusivity Our namesake – a Scottish legend, sports person and missionary – strived to create a world where no one felt isolated or alone Where every individual's journey is met with dignity and respect

Based on the substantial evidence that music offers numerous health benefits we’d highly recommend that your establishment considers introducing music entertainment and community engagement Together we can all create moments of joy connection and meaning for those who need it most

Recreo VR - Bringing a Change of Scener y to Care

Recreo VR’s innovative service has been proven to enhance the mental and social well-being of those living with dementia through person-centered virtual experiences Our headsets are a fun and exciting way to personalize care enhance activities and improve the quality of life of your residents

We partner with the Alzheimer’s Society and our service has been co-designed with those affected by dementia offering an intuitive VR interface for carers to select experiences and environments that are meaningful, engaging, and suitable for residents to enjoy In a recent evaluation of our product with over 100 people living with dementia 97% of residents engaged with our headsets 86% said they enjoyed it and wanted to access VR more in their care Our headsets also helped residents recall memories improved mood and wellbeing over

Coordinate Activities For Elderly People and Seniors with Hashtag Quiz

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Music for Health: Enhancing Lives Through Musical Workshops INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

Founded in 2001 Music for Health has been making significant strides in improving the well-being of residents in Care Homes and Nursing Homes across England and Wales These workshops are thoughtfully designed to engage participants in a variety of activities including dancing with instruments singalongs and interactive quizzes

The program s multifaceted approach is particularly beneficial for residents suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's Music known for its therapeutic properties provides a stimulating environment that promotes both physical and mental activity Dancing helps improve motor skills and coordination while the rhythmic aspects of music can trigger memory and emotional responses providing a sense of familiarity and comfort

Sing-alongs create a communal atmosphere encouraging social interaction and reducing feelings of isolation The quizzes not only entertain but also stimulate cognitive function challenging the brain and helping to maintain mental acuity

Overall, Music for Health’s workshops offer a holis-

tic approach to care ensuring that elderly residents remain active engaged and socially connected By bringing the joy of music into care homes this initiative continues to make a profound impact on the lives of many fostering a sense of community and wellbeing

To expand our reach and impact Music for Health is currently recruiting more Area Directors to join our team across the United Kingdom If you have a passion for music and a desire to make a difference in the lives of others, we encourage you to contuct us and help us bring the healing power of music to more communities

Contact Carl on 07712 669456, email musicforhealthrecruitment@gmail com or visit www musicforhealthteam co uk

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

Activities to Share

Tired of the same old song and dance when it comes to planning engaging activities? Well fear not! Activities to Share is here to sprinkle some excitement into your daily routine

If you ve been feeling like you re stuck in a creative rut we ve got the antidote Picture this a wonderland of activity ideas free downloads that are basically the golden ticket to fun and a treasure trove of products that'll make your heart skip a beat (in a good way)

We get it – after a while even the most fantastic activities can start feeling a bit blah That's why we've scoured the corners of creativity to bring you fresh fabulous ideas that'll have you and your crew grinning from ear to ear

Our website, activitiestoshare co uk, is your go-to haven for all things fun and engaging Need a burst of

The Role Of Memor y Lane Games In Person-Centred Care Planning

Digital therapeutics can be effective and efficient tools to enhance and support care plans in many different ways including intervention and management of physical well-being cognitive stimulation emotional and mental health and clinical monitoring

Memory Lane Games as an example uses therapeutic interventions driven by specialized software that helps those living with dementia and their care teams manage specific needs and improve clinical outcomes through dementia-specific games The app is an adaptive solution which is tailored over time to individual needs More specifically it makes for more effective care delivery in the following ways

Creating Engagement by employing personalised and localised games to not only trigger positive memories but also foster improved socialisation address social isolation and improve communication and understanding of a person s likes dislikes and needs

Supporting health equity with multinational multicultural multi language localised content

Through its ava lability and portab lity the app can be employed at a moment’s notice, when it is most

Timeless Presents - Enhancing Lives Through Connection and Engagement

After her father s passing from Alzheimer s Sharon Daltrey and her husband Chris founded Timeless Presents a company devoted to encouraging engagement and communication for those living with dementia by promoting cognitive stimulation emotional engagement and sensory assistance Drawing from their personal experiences and informed by the challenges her father faced, Sharon and Chris embarked on a mission to make a difference in the lives of individuals currently living with dementia The Activity Coordinator at Forbury Residential Home had this to say “We won some prizes in a competition and our residents really enjoyed them The Curiosity Box is amazing for one of our residents who continually claps her hands Since having the Curiosity Box she has been occupied with it and engaged in a meaningful way Our residents are also loving the puzzles and coloring books Thank you so much for giving our residents a better quality of life At Timeless Presents Sharon and Chris are dedicated to developing innovative solutions that promote meaningful interaction and enhance quality of life for individuals with dementia By adopting principles discovered during her father s later stages of Alzheimer s and incorporating current research, Timeless Presents designs familiar and accessible activities that inspire reminiscence and positive practices without requiring any training For example their Sentimental Seaside Puzzle’ is a familiar activity that has been adapted to overcome sensory difficulties that those with dementia may have while incorporating a vibrant design that is familiar and may prompt conversation and reminiscence In a significant milestone Timeless Presents recently achieved accredi-

Focus Games - Game Based Training for Ever y Situation

tation from the internationally renowned Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) for three products being the first time that they had assessed any activities This accreditation underscores the company s commitment to creating dementia-inclusive products that meet the highest standards of quality and effectiveness They will be exhibiting at stand A16 at The Alzheimer s & Dementia Show on 14-15th June 2024 where you will be able to meet them see their products and get a first look at their Timeless Train Set prototype With a focus on accessibility and impact Timeless Presents aims to empower individuals with dementia and their caregivers to navigate the challenges of dementia with dignity and joy Through their innovative approach and dedication to excellence Timeless Presents is shaping the future of dementia care one meaningful interaction at a time 07936 408

New Award-Winning Seated Dance Activity Programme

A Comprehensive Approach to Managing Falls Among Elderly Residents: A Nursing and Operational Perspective

By

As the Director of Operations and Commissioning at Langdale Care Homes, and a seasoned nurse with over 20 years in the healthcare industry, I have witnessed first-hand the challenges posed by falls among elderly residents It is a subject close to my heart, and I feel it is of utmost importance to share our comprehensive and sensitive approach to this matter

Falls can have devastating effects on the physical, mental, and emotional health of our elderly residents leading to injury hospitalisation and a decline in confidence and independence However they are not an inevitable part of ageing With effective strategies and due diligence we can significantly reduce the risk and impact of falls Our approach is rooted in individualised care Each resident is unique and so too are their risks and vulnerabilities A thorough and personalised risk assessment is the cornerstone of our falls management strategy The assessment covers a wide range of areas from physical health mobility and medication to environmental factors within the home

In terms of physical health we pay keen attention to conditions known to increase fall risk such as poor vision arthritis and neurological impairments Regular health check-ups coupled with personalised exercise programmes to improve strength and balance have proven highly effective Our team works closely with residents ensuring they feel comfortable and confident in performing these exercises

Medication can also significantly influence fall risk As a nurse I understand the complex interactions between various drugs and how they can affect balance and coordination Therefore we regularly review residents'

Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions

NURSE CALL AND FALLS

Reducing Falls with Bide

Dr Tom Adler was a GP for 30 years He often witnessed the devastating effects of accidental falls on the faller their carers and also the resource implications for the NHS and Social Care

Tom

“Falls

“Although there were many innovations

Stay Safe with Smart Wireless Nurse Call

In

increasing

of

and other more local issues which have driven up the rate of inflation over the last few years The impact of this meant that most manufacturers of electronic products had to increase their prices as costs spiralled This of course has impacted the end user The most dramatic impact has been on the Care Industry An industry that has lacked the support it desperately needs in these trying times

Courtney Thorne at the same time took a strategic decision to take a close look at our core products right down to component level the objective being to make us less vulnerable to future global supply chain issues, and to reduce the cost of each product with the amin of ensuring that we deliver the same high quality product at a cost protected price We had to ensure that this would happen without jeopar-

dising the superb levels of support we provide to our valued customer base

This ground up review involved all departments from Research and Development right through to the Field Service team (and everything in-between) This in-depth collaboration took time as we had to ensure that each and every element was refined perfected and tested to our (and our customers) rigorous requirements Whilst many organisations have limited-time or end of product line offers we are very pleased to announce a price reduction on our core Connect and Connect Health Nurse Call system ranges With flexible terms full integration with Care Apps celebrated service delivery and the most reliable and robust solution now at a new lower price there has never been a better time to talk to us about a new nurse call system For more information email us at: info@c-t co uk or see the advert on this page

Reducing nighttime falls for your loved ones

33% of accidental falls are at night

• Automatically plays voice messages to remind loved ones to take care when they wake up

• Lights up gently to help navigating in the dark

• Suitable for use at home and in care homes

EXAMPLE VOICE MESSAGES:

• “David, take your time before you stand up, we love you”

• “Don’t get out of bed Emma Press your buzzer, we’ll come and help you”

Simple installation:

1 Plug into power socket

2. Record up to 5 personalised voice messages

3. Place by bedside

Peace of mind for you, independence for your loved ones.

Tel: 0114 437 1298 Email: hello@getbide com Website: www.getbide.com

NURSE CALL AND FALLS MONITORING

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

Crash Mats Designed to Reduce Injuries from Bed Falls

Blaucomm Ltd - Telecommunications & Networks

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 eMarnow 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

We find Blaucomm is a genuinely fantastic company with a reliable product

"We would highly

One Call Systems have developed one of the most reliable streamlined wireless nurse call systems on the market The rechargeable technology, water-resistant casings, and long-range radio capabilities set us apart

At the heart of the innovative Nursecall system is the One Call Display Panel which runs on an efficient internal radio network Designed to provide the highest level of performance and reliability The Display Panel allows staff to view live calls instantly Qualified installers will set up your system quickly and efficiently, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum benefits

With the ability to connect to the internet you can easily monitor your Home's call records from anywhere The panel is completely configurable from the display allowing you to customize your Home's settings to your preferences Trust our innovative system to provide the safety and efficiency your Home’s needs

The One Call Room Units are designed to withstand the rigours of your busy care environment There are five alternative versions - Pear push lead Pull Cords Out of Bed Door monitor and Leadless Units that you can choose from that best suit your needs

Watertight casings and fitted rechargeable batteries mean that you can rest assured that the units can be easily washed and will provide reliable service for up to 2 years on a single charge

The Call Logging system is designed to meet the safety and care requirements of Care Homes and nursing facilities The digital solution ensures complete and accurate logging of every call to prove evidence of care This invaluable tool ensures the safety of your residents

The Call Logging system is a must-have for any Care Home that wants to ensure they are providing the best possible care

Onecall provides the ability to monitor response times attendance duration and which Carer has attended which call You can be sure that you have complete oversight of your care provision Not only does this system provide valuable evidence of care, but it also helps to motivate and encourage staff to continue providing an exceptional level of care

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Mainteno Facilities Management Software

Envivo Group is at the forefront of care and support sector driving innovation that enables people to live lives full of choices and opportunities They have 202 locations that are now using Mainteno Facilities Management software

“Our experience with Mainteno at TLC/Envivo Group has been really positive already Since its roll-out it has shown real and measurable benefits and has had a marked impact on the workload and assurance of our operations team

"We can now raise issues whether large or minor almost the instant they are spotted We can denote the priority with which they need to be tackled and track the progress of works to rectify them It has reduced almost completely the need to be directly contacting people to resolve issues which was an almost daily occurrence It has been obvious that the streamlined approach that it provides helps in prioritising works for maintenance teams and contractors, gives them plenty of detailed information as to the

exact issue and has given us an evidence base to show that issues are resolved in a consistent and effective timeframe

"The details that are available once a job is logged are invaluable to us as managers to assure ourselves that issues are not forgotten

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:

Save you time

• Increase the efficiency of your teams

Improve the quality of care

Deliver better outcomes

INTEGRATED HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Our commitment to the continual evolution of PASS is further illustrated by the addition of GP

Connect The first product of its type to offer this feature PASS is still one of only a handful of digital care management solutions to have completed this NHS Digital integration, and is the only one offering it to the home care market

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 nfection

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

Alleviating Pain in Care Homes - Prevalence of Pain in Care Homes

Over 425 000 people live in Care Homes in the UK Many have significant longterm health problems Some 65% have dementia, reduced cognitive functioning, and difficulties with communication Studies estimate that at least one-third of the Care Home population live with, and experience pain

Care Home residents with cognitive and speech disorders are at a higher risk of living with pain and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) that affect muscles bones and joints

The Care Act 2014 emphasises the importance of measuring and improving the wellbeing of social care users However, there is no standard method of measuring quality of life in Care Homes nor are there ways to measure aspects of health such as pain, anxiety, or depression

The consensus is that pain is often under-recognised and under-treated in care homes

However pain is a subjective experience and cannot be adequately measured which is why mainstream approaches rely on self-reporting A key challenge to carers managing these experiences is the high proportion of residents who live with dementia

THERMAL IMAGING – A NON-INVASIVE OBJECTIVE SOLUTION

Thermal imaging or thermography is a non-invasive complementary diagnostic approach that creates a high-definition thermal map of your body (thermogram) Thermograms illustrate temperature patterns consistent with inflammation Inflammation is a vital part of the immune system s response to injury and infec-

tion

The appearance and location of thermal patterns helps to identify regions and sources of pain based on levels and differences in temperature and hence thermography can be used to diagnose pain objectively - invaluable when the resident is unable to communicate effectively

Thermography can also detect the source of pain and inflammation surrounding bone fractures entrapped nerves muscular trigger points and arthritis It enables the early detection of pressure injuries before any visible signs and provides diagnostic information indispensable in helping to arrive at identifying the sources of pain and an accurate diagnosis

Early detection of the source of the problem allows practitioners and residents to design a proactive treatment plan with specific interventions and treatments to mitigate the process of inflammation Thermography is also a highly effective tool for monitoring if a treatment protocol is working

Bunn et al in a meta-analysis of studies in 2020 found that thermography had such high diagnostic utility that they propose thermography as a first line MSD detection tool

By seeing what the human eye cannot see Thermidas thermal imaging solutions can assist carers and clinicians in locating and creating optimal treatment plans and alleviating pain

Stephen Taylor Thermidas UK

Book a free demo at www thermidas fi

Data Protection And Cyber Security: Next Steps For Care Homes

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

CareZips® Classic Adaptive Pants

Caring About Solar For Sustainable Hot Water

Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection

C&S Seating Ltd

vice Trolleys

Debt Financing and Social Care

RECRUITMENT & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Debt Financing and Social Care

(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

There are an increasing number of debt financing options open to care providers from alternative lenders through to grants In Kent for example Kent County Council is offering an interest-free loan to fund capital investment and growth projects Whilst these schemes will often require match-funding or come with a demonstratable job creation requirement they can offer a valuable way to reduce bank funding

Care businesses should always take specialist and independent advice based on their own specific situation before considering which lender to approach for borrowing or taking external investment Rachel Emmerson is a Partner and Abbey Watkins an Accountant in the Funding Team at Kreston Reeves Kreston Reeves offers accountancy, tax and business advice to a wide range of clients Visit www krestonreeves com

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 health-care 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

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