Caring UK Weekly - Issue 32

Issue 32 04.11.20

The weekly online newsletter for the care sector

Call for more support as deaths rise WORRIED care providers have called for greater Government support after a steep rise in the number of Covid-19 deaths in care and nursing homes.

New figures showed that 106 people died in homes in the week ending October 16, a sharp rise on the previous week’s total of 63.

The Independent Care Group said the figures were worrying and called on the Government to provide greater support, starting with reinstating the VAT break on personal protective equipment.

ICG chair Mike Padgham said: “This is a significant increase this week and worryingly shows that Covid-19 is starting to take hold again amongst the most vulnerable.

“We have to get greater support to the frontline to prevent a repetition of what happened during the first wave.”

Care providers will be paying more for personal protective equipment for their staff now that a temporary reduction in VAT has come to an end.

“A big rise in the cost of PPE is coming just at a time when care providers need every penny to fight the second wave of Covid-19 which is now hitting the sector,” Mike added.

“Care providers are already struggling financially because of reduced admissions and

take-up and can do without another rise in their costs. If we are to fight the second wave, we are going to need some financial help.”

The Government had suspended VAT on PPE to help care providers until the end of October.

While providers do get some PPE free of charge, the association says it is nowhere near enough to cope with what is needed during the pandemic.

The ICG and other campaigners have long called for social care to be permanently zero-rated for VAT to end an anomaly that penalises the sector.

Care providers are charged VAT for products and services but cannot charge VAT to offset any of those costs. The ICG has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging him to end the unfair anomaly.

“This added cost at this critical time highlights once again the unfairness of charging care providers VAT when NHS providers are exempt,” Mike added.

“In tackling Covid-19, like tackling all the care issues we face, we should have parity with NHS care and should be zero-rated for VAT.” Deaths have been rising over the previous weeks, at 48, 38, 31, 27, 17 and 23, respectively.

Wednesday Wave beats loneliness

103-year-old resident Percy Mann and best friend and care nurse, Laura Hagan, stuck to their annual tradition of dressing up as famous twosomes for Halloween. This year they proved they ‘have a friend’ in each other by continuing the tradition as Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

The pair, who have become very close during Percy’s time at Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs care home in Thornliebank, made this the third year in a row they took on the home’s costume competition together. Last year Percy dressed up as Harry Potter, complete with the thunder-bolt scar and famous round glasses, while Laura complemented the costume with her own Hermione Granger get-up. n For more Halloween fun turn to page 3.

A BIG THANK YOU

FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING TO KEEP OUR MOST VULNERABLE SAFE AND HAPPY …

WE’RE IN AWE OF YOUR SELFLESS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION.

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A BUXTON care home has signed up to a new campaign to unite the community and stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic.

A few months ago, Portland Nursing Home was clapping for our care worker heroes, now they are contributing to The Wednesday Wave to counter loneliness among care home residents or those feeling isolated in the pandemic.

The campaign has been launched by the Vamos mask theatre company and will run for 10 weeks.

It aims to connect the public with people in care homes or who may be isolating in their own homes.

Home manager Kaye Fogarty said more than 500,000 vulnerable people are unable to leave their homes because of the pandemic, and it’s having an effect on many people’s mental health.

She added: “We can’t thank our community enough for their support during this difficult time.

“Everyone’s gifts and letters of support have really lifted the resident’s spirits over the last few months, especially as they can’t go out themselves.

“Initiatives such as The Wednesday Wave help to spread some much needed positivity and lets those that are isolating know they’re not alone.

“The impact that a friendly wave can have on loneliness is huge, and those who are isolating must not be forgotten.”

Portland Nursing Home is asking the community to come together and wave to the residents on a Wednesday at 3pm.

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HONOUR 2020 C A R I N G U K M AG A Z I N E

Have you nominated your lockdown hero?

Nominate your lockdown hero who has gone over and above in these most testing of times in the Caring UK 2020 Roll of Honour.

We want to hear from you if you know someone who has gone above and beyond in 2020 to make a difference and help their residents and colleagues get through these harrowing times.

The Caring UK 2020 Roll of Honour will appear in our January 2021 issue.

Send your nomination to events@scriptmedia.co.uk and we will be featuring some of your stories in Caring UK magazine, and our weekly Caring UK digital newsletter.

Closing date for entries is Friday December 4.

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Sunrise of Sonning care home hosted a ‘walk-through’ Halloween visit for residents and their families.

The event was specifically aimed at grandchildren of residents, who have been unable to visit since the nationwide lockdown in March this year. The walk-through event was carefully orchestrated to ensure the safety of guests and residents. Families booked 15-minute slots with residents, with everyone dressed up for Halloween and plenty of sweet treats for the children to enjoy. Most of the residents and their families burst into tears when they reunited One resident was even able to meet her eight-week-old granddaughter for the first time. Gai McNeile, walk through event facilitator, added: “Our residents were so thankful for the opportunity to see the youngest members of their family, I am so glad we were able to orchestrate this safely.”

There wasn’t a trick in sight at Dene Holm Residential Care Home in Northfleet as residents enjoyed some treats in the form of chocolate dipped apples. Deciding toffee apples were just a bit too tough on the teeth, the hungry residents opted to dip their lovely fresh apples in melted chocolate instead, decorating them with sweets, sprinkles and marshmallows for an extra treat. Home manager Chris Hutchinson said: “Halloween and Bonfire Night were a bit different for us this year, like they were for everyone, so we found new things to do and found joy in the little things, like delicious chocolate covered apples.”

Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs care home residents created a haunted Halloween pebble hunt around Newton Mearns in Glasgow, to give local children an alternative to trick or treating. The residents and staff look forward to Halloween every year, and especially love seeing local children and families trick or treating around the neighbourhood. However, with this year’s restrictions, the home got creative by painting pebbles in a Halloween theme and distributing them around the local area. From creepy spiders and ghouls, to witches and pumpkins, the residents have been using their artistic skills to help them stay connected to the local community.

Children were encouraged to share the pebbles they found on social media for residents in the area to see, as well as to move them around to keep the hunt going, allowing as many people as possible to get involved.

Residents and colleagues across HC-One care homes participated in Halloween festivities. Teams across the country embraced the Halloween spirit and the opportunity to become involved in a number of creative creep-tacular fun activities to mark the occasion including carving pumpkins into jack-o’lanterns; holding a Halloween party for Residents and dressing up in Halloween costumes; apple bobbing; enjoying bewitching cakes and magical food; telling scary stories; sharing happy memories recalling the fun they had as children at Halloween; playing games, quizzes and pranks as well as watching horror films

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CARINGWEEKLY

Provider shortlisted for three accolades

Meals on Wheels in the spotlight THE National Association of Care Catering has produced a collection of case studies to illustrate the frontline contribution of services for Meals on Wheels Week.

The case studies, which can be downloaded from the NACC website, capture the agility and the role played by all types of Meals on Wheels services in supporting the elderly and vulnerable throughout the Covid-19 pandemic – from the established providers who extended their services to include the homeless and families in crisis, to the cafés, pubs, restaurants and hotels that adapted their skills and facilities to support their communities.

Sue Cawthray, national chair of the NACC, said: “The elderly and vulnerable living independently in the community are at risk of malnutrition

and social isolation.

“This has always been the case, but in times of crisis, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the important issue is exacerbated and highlighted. And with it, the vital social need for Meals on Wheels services to help combat the issue is spotlighted.

“We have produced this important collection of inspiring case studies to illustrate the significance of the service within the community.

“It clearly demonstrates the vital frontline contribution Meals on Wheels services make and how they always innovate and adapt to ensure those in need continue to receive the essential, life-quality-enhancing social lifeline that is so much more than just a meal.

Meals on Wheels Week runs until November 6.

Mandy is a lockdown hero WE recently received this nomination from Ann Norris, home manager at Chandos Lodge in Stourbridge.

She wrote: “I would love the opportunity to nominate Mandy Bramley for the Roll of Honour 2020, a little bit about Mandy......

“Mandy has been hairdresser to four of Clarendon Care Group’s homes over the past 10 years.

“When the Covid pandemic took hold I asked Mandy how she would feel about joining the domestic team.

“Mandy jumped at the chance to cover one of our staff that was isolating at the time.

“When the staff member returned to work, Mandy had skills transferrable to our activities role so she then took on that role, again to cover a staff member’s isolation.

“On completion of this cover, Mandy then transferred to our care team, this was where her true skills have come into force.

“Mandy has never turned up for her shift with a sad face, in actual fact the total opposite, she is always bubbly and full of life, ensuring our residents are not impacted by the negativity that comes with Covid.

“Even more amazing than this, Mandy has ensured our residents have continued to look their best throughout the pandemic, setting

aside one day every two weeks to pamper our males and females, ensuring they do not have lockdown hair, keeping them looking stylish at all times. Mandy has done this free of charge.

“More amazingly Mandy has done the same for staff, no one would think we have been through a lockdown as we all continue to look or best and this is all thanks to Mandy.

“She truly is an amazing person who puts all of us before herself.”

Please send your nomination to events@scriptmedia.co.uk Closing date is Friday December 4.

There will be a place on our 2020 Roll of Honour for the most inspiring nominees and they will all receive a certificate to mark their achievements.

OAKLAND Care has been shortlisted in the Small Residential Care, Outstanding Response to Covid in Social Care and Management Excellence categories at this year’s LaingBuisson Awards.

The group’s core values of family, integrity, respect and exceptional service has seen the company go from strength to strength since a new chief executive officer, Joanne Balmer, was appointed in August 2019.

She said: “To be shortlisted for three awards at this year’s LaingBuisson awards is a truly amazing achievement and one that the entire Oakland Care community can take pride in.

“Over the last 12 months we’ve demonstrated our ability to provide industry-leading services to our residents in line with our core values.

“And, although the Covid-19 pandemic has been a testing time for the social care sector, our care homes have risen to the challenge and ensured that each and everyone of our communities has remained a safe environment for our residents.

“As we look ahead we will continue to build on these successes but always keep the health and wellbeing of our residents and team members at the heart of everything we do.”

On its shortlisting for the Small Residential Care award, LaingBuisson was impressed by Oakland Care’s enduring commitment to the health and wellbeing of both staff and team members.

The care provider demonstrated an impressive increase in its level of staff engagement, with survey participation rates jumping from 45 per cent to 95 per cent.

Oakland Care has also reduced the rate of employee turnover by 37 per cent, after year-on-year figures saw turnover decrease from 65 per cent to 28 per cent.

In response to its efforts to manage the current pandemic, LaingBuisson has also shortlisted Oakland Care for the Outstanding Response to Covid in Social Care Award.

The care provider kept all homes

Joanne Balmer

free of coronavirus by introducing a series of measures. These included closing to visitors very early on in the pandemic, purchasing significant stocks of PPE and cleaning products at the earliest point, closing staff rooms, co-horting groups of staff to specific areas of the homes, additional cleaning and extra hand-washing facilities.

The group was also praised for its communication, with relatives joining Zoom-based forums with Oakland’s leadership team, receiving fortnightly updates from the CEO and having contact with their relatives via video calls.

The group was also among the first in the UK to reinstate safe visiting in early June with the introduction of bespoke summerhouses in its gardens.

Oakland Care has also been named as a finalist for the Management Excellence category.

With an ethos that puts the wellbeing of residents and families first, the judging panel recognised the quality of management displayed by Oakland Care.

The care provider is also unreservedly committed to supporting its team members, with Joanne regularly hand writing letters of recognition to those who provide outstanding levels of service.

Louise Luke recently celebrated her 20th year of working at HC One’s Glanffrwd care home in Bridgend. She began her journey in 2000 as a Registered General Nurse and was presented with flowers, a bottle of Prosecco and a £100 gift card to mark the occasion.

Home manager Joan Thomas said: “We are very proud to have Louise working as part of our team. She brings great strength and knowledge to the home.”

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CARINGWEEKLY

Remarkable 75-year WWII reunion told by veterans’ charity

Natalie named Activity Personality of the Year A CARE village experience coordinator from Crewe has been named Activity Personality of the Year 2020.

Natalie Ravenscroft, of Belong Crewe care village, took home the National Activity Providers Association award during a virtual ceremony.

The seventh annual NAPA Awards recognise outstanding achievement amongst its cohort of members from care providers across the UK. Natalie said: “I’m overwhelmed to be named NAPA’s Activity Personality of the Year. I feel so proud and it has given me even more passion to keep doing what I’m doing.

“Activities have such a positive impact on older people’s wellbeing and I can’t thank my team enough for their hard work and support, especially during these challenging times.”

Coming from a family of care workers, Natalie took up the post of experience coordinator at the care village in spring 2018 and has since spearheaded a number of successful initiatives, while building strong local links which have made her a well-

known face in the community.

Most recently, she has helped launch a call-out to the Crewe community to support the town’s Remembrance Sunday, with the village working alongside Crewe Town Council to curate donations of red handprints from the community.

These can be provided in any form – painted, coloured, card and photographed contributions– and will be used to symbolise poppies to help mark the national commemoration event on November 8.

Natalie has also worked closely with the LGBT+ community, helping to host Crewe’s first Silver Pride event at the village in 2018, and with Bluecoat, Liverpool’s centre for contemporary arts, as part of a joint research project to use the arts to improve the lives of those with dementia.

Last month, Belong residents celebrated Arts in Care Homes Day by taking on the role of ‘life models’, recreating some of the world’s most iconic portraits, including works by the likes of Picasso, Van Gough and Frida Kahlo.

A Thornton-le-Dale care home turned pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to coincide with a recent national campaign day. The Hall used pink gels on its floodlights to bathe the building in a rosey hue, staff wore pink wigs and masks, and residents were served pink cupcakes in a magenta dining room. Wear it Pink is a national campaign hosted by the research and care charity Breast Cancer Now and has raised more than £35million since its launch in 2002. n Resident Joyce Allen is pictured wearing it pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.

THE extraordinary tale behind a WWII reunion is being told by Royal Star & Garter as part of its ‘Every face tells a story’ Remembrance campaign, ahead of Armistice Day on Wednesday, November 11.

It features the story of Army veteran George ‘Bunny’ Avery, who took part in the D-Day landings, and is now a resident at Royal Star & Garter’s Home in High Wycombe.

Bunny became friends with a Belgian boy in 1944 while building Bailey bridges to help Allied troops advance into Nazi-occupied territory.

In 2019, Bunny was reunited with his Belgian friend at the very same spot, in front of the very same brick building, 75 years later.

Bunny was a Sapper in the Royal Engineers and was part of the second wave of troops to land on the Normandy beaches on D-Day, June 6 1944.

He advanced through Nazi-occupied Europe, building portable crossings which allowed troops and vehicles to travel at speed across rivers and canals. Along his way he passed through recently liberated Auschwitz.

In 2019, Bunny’s daughter Kathryn discovered in her father’s possessions photos of a bakery and a family with a Belgian address written on the back.

The pair often return to France, Holland and Belgium to take part in liberation commemorations, and Kathryn called on her contacts to find out more about the photo.

She eventually discovered that Bunny stayed with the family at the bakery in 1944 while building Bailey bridges.

Kathryn was able to track down the baker’s family and got in touch with the son Urbain, who was just six back then.

Kathryn and Urbain arranged to meet in his childhood hometown of Peer with Bunny. When there, Urbain produced a remarkable photograph showing him being carried by 23-yearold Bunny. The friends went on to pose for a photo 75 years later on the same spot.

Bunny now lives with dementia at Royal Star & Garter, and cannot remember his meetings with Urbain.

But he made a lasting impression on Urbain, who told Kathryn that he

Bunny reunited with Urbain at the same spot they were photographed together in 1944. remembers playing with her father and him being good fun.

At Royal Star & Garter, Bunny is particularly fond of the fresh bread, which is baked each morning to encourage residents living with dementia to eat.

Kathryn says it is possible that the baked bread smell could remind her father of his time spent in Belgium with Urbain’s family.

Bunny spent five years in the Army, from 1942-1947, and also served in Greece, Italy and Palestine. In 2016, he received France’s highest military honour – the Legion d’Honneur – as thanks from the government for his role in its liberation.

Also featured in Royal Star & Garter’s ‘Every face tells a story’ campaign is 93-year-old Dick, who served in Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

He is now able to reconnect with old hobbies in the home, such as art and gardening since moving to Royal Star & Garter. The former rambler is also able to stand on his own two feet again thanks to the work of the home’s in-house physiotherapy team.

Sherborne care home named a finalist for design accolade TRINITY Manor Care Home in Sherborne has been selected as finalist for the Knight Frank Luxury Care Home Guide and shortlisted for the Care Home Design Award 2021.

The Care Home Design Award recognises innovation, design, sustainability and the environment.

The independent judging panel will be reviewing all the finalists over the next few weeks and the winners will be announced shortly.

Mark Bennett, director of property services for Barchester Healthcare, who run the home, said: “The design

of Trinity Manor compliments the existing residential area, and the Arts and Crafts architectural style of the adjacent Sherborne Girls School.

“The home offers state-of-the-art facilities to enhance the lives of the residents living within the home.

“Resident bedrooms differ from the standard room layouts in most homes and offer prospective residents a choice of rooms with character, with different layouts and features. We are really excited to be shortlisted as finalists and look forward to hearing the result.”

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CARINGWEEKLY

Marie Curie to support Care UK teams in wake of Covid-19 pandemic END-of-life charity Marie Curie and care home provider Care UK are working together to provide additional support to care home teams and to help prepare for any future outbreaks.

Marie Curie will work with Care UK on its approach to end-of-life care, including evaluating current training and practice, provide support to home managers to enhance resilience among team members and will be on hand for colleagues who need a space to share, reflect and learn, with the opportunity to speak to Marie Curie experts about any aspect of end-oflife care.

In homes affected by coronavirus, Marie Curie will provide support to the entire care home team via the Marie Curie Professional Companions programme.

Marie Curie will also provide recommendations about additional support that might develop and reassure care home teams in the future.

Leah Queripel, HR director at Care UK, said: “Our care home teams are what makes the care we provide second to none and we want to do everything we can to support our team members.

“I know absolutely that the last seven months have not been easy for them, but they have risen to the challenge in ways that would have been unimaginable a year ago.

“Their courage to keep on going to work, day in day out, to deliver great care and to support each other has been something we are incredibly

“Our care home teams are what makes the care we provide second to none and we want to do everything we can to support our team members.” proud of.

“We know that extraordinary grit and determination has, in some case, taken its toll on people and I hope that working with Marie Curie will help our teams in that position to move forward.”

Leah added: “Although a confidential telephone support service has been available to all Care UK employees for several years, directors at Care UK recognised that the past seven months have been like no other period in its history and that something additional was required.

“Sadly, the virus did claim the lives of some residents in our homes and care home teams worked incredibly hard to ensure that residents at the end of their lives were in comfortable, loving and supported surroundings.

“While I hope it never arrives, these recommendations will also help us to be even more prepared and resilient if we see a surge of cases in our homes in the coming months.”

The work with Marie Curie has just got underway in Care UK’s 124 homes and the charity’s report and recommendations on its findings is expected to be presented to the directors later this year.

First peek inside new luxury Dudley home A NEW state-of-the-art care home in Dudley is getting set to open its doors for the first time.

Sedgley Court will be welcoming new residents from mid-November and will provide a safe and luxurious home for up to 66 older people, employing more than 50 team members once fully staffed.

Care provider Ideal Carehomes’ latest development has benefitted from a £10million investment, giving Sedgley Court all the finishing touches you would expect from a luxurious new home.

Home manager Kim Dean said: “I am extremely excited to soon be able to open the doors of our beautiful home.

“Our future residents will benefit so much from our facilities and the full and varied social programme organised by our activities coordinators.

“We have had such an overwhelming response so far from local people, for both the first phase of recruitment and from prospective residents.

“I can’t wait to support our new residents to live life to the full as part of the Sedgley Court community.”

The spacious en-suite bedrooms and latest care technology will allow the Sedgley Court team to deliver person-centred care in a dignified manner, promoting independence as far as possible.

The well-appointed care home boasts large, open plan social areas and ultra-wide corridors which lend themselves well to current guidelines and is designed with residents in mind.

Facilities on offer at Sedgley Court include a Sky Bar with far reaching views over Baggeridge village, a vintage tearoom complete with balcony area and a cinema room featuring its very own popcorn machine.

The newly appointed staff team will complete a thorough induction period prior to the home opening and be given access to industry leading training and development via the ‘Ideal Academy’.

Kim and her team will be hosting exclusive preview days on November 19 and 21 (subject to government guidelines) which will provide an opportunity to explore the facilities, by appointment only.

Home makes final plea to community as it nears completion of timeline puzzle FOXHOLES Care Home near Hitchin is making one final plea to the local community to send in their stories to help complete its 163-year-old timeline following the launch of a ‘history hunt’ in April to help uncover the long and eventful timeline of its striking central building The six-month campaign has seen a flood of information from the community on their connections to the imposing 19th century building, which is known to have been a manor house, former maternity ward, Catholic boarding house, and care home.

Now, to coincide with Family History Month, Foxholes is making one final appeal for information in the hope of finally completing its timeline puzzle, so it can create a book on the history of Foxholes and a special ‘wall of memory’ in the entrance of the home that tells everyone’s story.

Whether it is images, stories or information on someone who was born, educated, or cared for at Foxholes, all connections are welcome and may help to fill the final gaps to the building’s colourful history.

Foxholes Care Home near Hitchin.

Having launched the appeal with minimal knowledge of its history, the residential care home has managed to pull together a comprehensive timeline thanks to the support of the Hitchin community.

Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes, said: “Six months ago, we had virtually a blank canvas when it

came to documenting the history of Foxholes.

“Now, thanks to the generosity and support of the local community, we have uncovered so many incredible stories linked to the building. I can’t thank everyone enough for sending in their connections. It’s been overwhelming to say the least.

“Now, with it being Family History Month, we’re doing one last appeal for information.

“There is still not an awful lot known about Foxholes between the 1960s and 1980s, so any more information the public may have that would help us fill in the final gaps would be very much appreciated.”

As well as helping to complete the timeline, the local community have also been sharing their personal stories and memories connected to the building.

One recent story sent in by local resident Richard Blake details his childhood in Hitchin and his father’s friendship with a priest at Foxholes called Father Lemon.

Richard recalls his parents telling him that Father Lemon had come to Foxholes after helping prisoners escape back to the UK when he lived in Switzerland/France during the Second World War. Father Lemon would often invite the Blake family to relax in Foxholes’ grounds and Richard has fond memories of picnics, football, and even holidaying in a caravan onsite.

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