no.267 • £4.75 incorporating
January 2019
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Nottingham care home named best in country
Positioning aids improve quality of life ADULTS with conditions such as Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma and dementia often spend long periods laying in one position, which can cause problems with breathing, digestion, circulation and negatively affect mood. Now a research study has shown that night time positioning aids can help to alleviate these effects. The study was carried out by The University of Salford with 12 residents at Four Seasons Health Care’s Cameron House Care Home in Bury. A prescription for the night time positioning aids was written for each participating resident to meet their respective needs and was used over a study period of 12 weeks. The positioning aids consist of specially designed pillows and support systems to take pressure off the body, to make sleeping more comfortable and to prevent residents from getting into positions that could adversely affect them. They were made by specialist manufacturer Simple Stuff Works. Carol Bartley, lecturer in occupational therapy at the University of Salford, added: “Many health professionals have been calling for research into the effect positioning aids have on adults with complex needs, but this is the first time that any serious analysis has been carried out. We’ve found the
effects have been significant across a wide range of measures.” The results showed significant improvements to residents’ quality of life, including improved sleep for 70 per cent of the participants. Almost two thirds reported less pain and the remaining 40 per cent had no pain, including a resident amputee who no longer experienced phantom pain in his leg by the end of the study. Pain medication (analgesia) was reduced or discontinued in 40 per cent of the participants. Asthma medication was able to be discontinued for one participant by the end of the study. Food and fluid intake was also improved, with 50 per cent of the residents gaining weight, while 20 per cent also saw a reduction in the need for laxative medication. Choke risk was also reduced by half, including one participant who started the study requiring continuous assisted feeding while seated/lying in bed, but by week 12 was able to sit unaided and feed himself. Depression was seen to decrease by almost a third. The study participants showed higher levels of social engagement in the day, such as taking part in activities and games and better interactions when relatives came to visit.
A residential, nursing and dementia care home is celebrating after welcoming Colchester United legend Bobby Hunt as its first community ambassador. Foxburrow Grange provides services to 69 people with a range of care needs including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, general and specialist nursing, and end-of-life care. Bobby and his wife Sylvia have both been regular visitors to the home since their first visit in April with the Colchester United youth team. Bobby, who used to play for the club, lives with dementia and had visited the home to give a talk to staff and residents.
LANDERMEADS has been crowned the UK’s best care home at the Caring UK Awards 2018. The Nottingham care home won both National Care Home of the Year and Regional Care Home of the Year Midlands and Wales at the awards, held at Leicester’s Athena venue at the beginning of December, as well as the Excellence and Innovation in Dementia Care category. The home is owned and run by Ros and Rob Heath and their son, Jay. The awards, organised by Script Events in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank PLC, celebrated the success of winners in 20 categories. The evening was hosted by journalist and broadcaster Christa Ackroyd, and was attended by more than 400 guests. Event director Judith Halkerston added: “All our winners have had an arduous journey to this point – the standard of entries was very strong and every facility that walked away with an award should be extremely proud. “Our awards’ night was an amazing celebration of the care industry – being in December many of the shortlisted homes used the occasion as their Christmas party and it was lovely to see everyone having such a great time.” Full round-up starts on page 17.
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