Caring UK Weekly - September 28 2022

The weekly online newsletter for the care sector

Resident uses background to help others

A RETIRED GP from Southampton, living in Richmond Villages Cheltenham, is helping staff and residents to understand the realities of living with dementia.

Dr Jennifer Bute built a wellrespected career in the medical profession: she ran a hospital in rural Zululand, South Africa where she was often the only doctor on-site; she has taught doctors and nurses in various countries; and she worked as a GP for 25 years.

She was forced to take early retirement when she was diagnosed with Young-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease in 2009.

However, her diagnosis certainly did not put an end to her goal of helping others.

What drove her to the medical profession is now fuelling her in her retirement.

She has spent the last decade working tirelessly to dismantle stereotypes about dementia and to help improve dementia care in retirement homes and medical settings.

Not only does she speak at conferences, post online about her experiences, and run regular memory groups for fellow dementia patients, but in 2018, she also co-wrote a book with Louise Morse about her experiences, Dementia from the Inside: A Doctor’s Personal Journey of Hope.

When discussing her

motivation behind the book, she added: “I want to help other people: it’s all that’s important to me. I’m not interested in myself and promoting myself, but I am interested and concerned and wanting to help everybody else.”

Jennifer has lived at Richmond Villages Cheltenham in an assisted living apartment since January. While she has help with daily tasks such as with cleaning and cooking, she spends her own time helping other residents with their dementia diagnoses.

Not only is Jennifer able to connect with other dementia patients and help them to understand the disease, but she also works with Richmond Villages staff.

She said: “The staff have just been so wonderful in not only accepting my help, but encouraging me.

“That has meant so much to me: the fact that they want my help because they know that it also helps me to have a purpose and to know that I have some value here too. I’m very privileged to be here. I’m so grateful to all the staff.”

To the residents and staff of Richmond Villages Cheltenham, Jennifer has become an inspirational figure.

Jennifer has been running memory groups to help fellow dementia patients to find value and slow down the progression of dementia.

Resident sells artwork to boss

A RESIDENT at Birchwood care home in Chesham, Buckinghamshire is looking forward to seeing one of her paintings on public display.

Elaine Baker, who lives at the home, which is operated by Salutem Care and Education and supports people with complex special needs and disabilities, created her masterpiece over many months and was delighted when it caught the eye of chief executive John Godden.

He bought the colourful, modern painting and it now hangs in the company’s Windsor head office.

He said: “We have some incredibly talented and creative individuals within our services, and I was blown away by Elaine’s painting.

As soon as I saw it I knew it would find a perfect home in our Windsor head office.

“It is really important to us that everyone within Salutem is supported to live their best lives and Elaine is certainly doing that. I will very proudly show off her artwork to anyone visiting us in Windsor.”

Elaine, who has cerebral palsy and has a visual impairment, has been part of an art group at Birchwood for more than 10 years.

Supported by volunteers, members of the group have created, sold and exhibited many pictures, some of which have been used for cards and calendars.

She is currently working on her latest project but is keeping it a secret until the unveiling.

Residents of Connors House Residential Care Home in Canterbury spent a day monkeying around when they visited Wingham Wildlife Park. With summer drawing to a close and the arrival of cooler days, the eagle-eyed residents spotted all the animals in their enclosures, some of which they were even able to feed and pet. General manager Christine Devlin said: “We all love a day at the zoo and as the weather is still nice we thought it was a great opportunity to enjoy a day out. The residents had a brilliant day and haven’t stopped talking about it since.”

Residents at a Chichester care home were captivated by a visit from a host of creepy crawlies. Colten Care’s Wellington Grange was thrilled to host ZooLab, its first, external entertainment provider in two years due to Covid restrictions. Companion Heather Pearce said: “At the beginning of this year, we asked residents what kind of things they would love to see in 2022 and one of their suggestions was more animals. Hannah Richards, a ranger with ZooLab, which specialises in ethical hands-on animal encounters, came to visit us with some truly amazing creatures and while there were a few squeals at first and some hiding behind scarves, our residents soon warmed up to our cold blooded and exotic visitors.”

Resident Norman Hopkins is pictured with Egg the giant African millipede.

Holocaust stories exhibited at Didsbury care village

A SPECIAL exhibition documenting the experiences of five Holocaust refugees and a survivor living at Belong Morris Feinmann care village in Didsbury has been unveiled in the home’s synagogue, honouring them and the millions of Jews who suffered persecution in the hands of the Nazis in World War II.

Frances Waldek, Gisela Feldman BEM, Frania Strauss, Sonja Sternberg BEM, Hans Rose and Peter Mittler have each provided their own words about life during the traumatic era and the struggles they faced.

Their stories, some handwritten, accompany portraits which have been prominently displayed for posterity.

Angela Luckett, religious and cultural coordinator at Belong Morris Feinmann, spearheaded the project.

She said: “The Holocaust touches the lives of all of us and the foundations of our care village were borne out of our plight, having been originally set-up by Jewish refugee, Morris Feinmann, to help those fleeing Europe in WWII and settle here in Manchester.

“We’re very passionate about preserving history and that is the aim of the project, to document an important part of our story and to educate future generations.”

The initiative, supported with a contribution from The Feinmann Trust, was inspired by The Prince of

Wales commissioning leading artists to paint seven Holocaust survivors for an exhibition at Buckingham Palace earlier this year.

Among those photographed by Gwen Riley Jones for the Belong exhibition include former University of Manchester academic Peter Mittler.

Aged eight he fled Nazi-occupied Austria to the UK following the devastation of Kristallnacht, ‘Night of Broken Glass’, which saw violent anti-Jewish demonstrations across

the continent.

He went on to build a distinguished career, heading up the country’s first research centre for special educational needs and, more recently, he has championed the rights of people living with dementia.

Angela added: “We shared a wonderful L’chaim with family and friends for the unveiling of the portraits. It was very moving and it’s important that no-one forgets our past – we invite everyone from the community to come and have a look.”

Frances Waldek, Angela Luckett, Peter Mittler and Gisela Feldman.

Home leads the way in end-of-life care

A SPECIALIST dementia care home in Wellington has been recognised by a national standards body as an exemplar in the quality of palliative care they provide for residents, scoring full marks in its recent inspection, and now qualifies as a finalist in October’s national awards for Care Home of the Year.

It is the fourth successive occasion that Camelot House and Lodge, part of the Camelot Care group, has been recognised under the Gold Standards Framework whose role is to enable delivery of the very best end-of-life care.

Paul Teasdale, director of Camelot Care, said: “At previous inspections in 2013, 2016 and 2019 the home also passed with flying colours, and we were awarded the top grade at the last inspection as well as this one.

“This fourth accreditation is evidence of an exceedingly strong long-term commitment and genuine dedication and is such a reassurance for the families of our residents about the quality of the care we provide.

“Huge congratulations to our home manager Sam Paddon and her team –we are so proud of them.”

The GSF inspector added: “Our visit clearly demonstrated the dedication from all members of staff in the home to use GSF as their guiding framework throughout the pandemic, to give the best care that they could for the residents and the families, whilst also supporting staff through an incredibly difficult time.

“They come back to the framework and reflect and ask themselves again and again - what is the aim of the framework and how can we keep providing excellent care for our residents not only at end-of-life but their quality of life as well for every resident in the home.”

The report especially highlighted Camelot House and Lodge’s strong and supportive leadership at management level, their strong teamwork, the long service records of staff members and the excellent team communication and support they demonstrate.

Acccording to the inspector, staff had spoken passionately about how difficult the last three years had been during the Covid pandemic but said they have demonstrated strength in moving forward and remain focused on providing what matters to residents, families and staff when one of the people they care for is at end of life.

Sam Paddon, manager of Camelot House and Lodge, said: “We are delighted the inspector recognised how our whole team embraces the underlying GSF ethos, which is all about ensuring when any of our residents are evidently approaching the end of their life the experience is as peaceful and positive as possible and that their wishes are observed.

“The report also praised our staff members for being constantly alert to ways they can develop and move forward.“

Concert supports Society

RESIDENTS of three care homes joined voices with the local community to benefit the Alzheimer’s Society.

Colten Care specialist dementia home St Catherines View staged a concert at Christ Church in Winchester, raising more than £750 through ticket sales and donations from the event.

Colten companion Naomi Rides said: “Our residents just love to sing and so we recently formed our own 25-strong choir with residents from two other Colten homes, Abbotts Barton in Winchester and Braemar Lodge in Salisbury.

“I raised money for the Alzheimer’s Society by taking part in its 26-mile walk and some of the residents said they wanted to help too, so, we decided to stage a concert.

“Even though this was the first

time we have performed officially as a choir it was a great success with a variety of people coming along.”

The concert featured a saxophone quartet, oboist, singers and a few jokes, as well as a varied selection of popular songs including Any Dream Will Do, Catch a Falling Star and the Skye Boat Song all, which were sung by the choir.

Colten Care’s music and arts partner Fiona Pritchard was the conductor for the event.

She added: “For people with dementia, music and singing can be a powerful way to trigger positive feelings and connect with other people. We also recorded the concert so the choir and their fellow residents could watch it in full later.

“There was a huge buzz throughout St Catherines View as we watched it again in all its glory on screen.”

Operator expands its specialist dementia service in Sunderland

ORCHARD Care Homes has opened a second specialist dementia care service in Sunderland.

Archers Court Dementia Care Home in Farringdon will host an open day to showcase its Reconnect service, adding to the operator’s Sunderland portfolio.

This follows the successful launch of its first Reconnect community at Ashlea Lodge in Millfield in 2020.

Hannah Miller, dementia lead at Orchard, said: “The new Reconnect community at Archers Court will provide nurturing, holistic care that focuses on positive outcomes, improvement in people’s sense of well-being, purpose, and independence.

“Through focused, individualised support, the aim will always be towards reconnecting people as far as is possible, to the world around them, to their identity and life.

“Higher staffing levels will support this, with care that brings all current research together.

“We have innovative approaches to pain assessment, leading the sector in this area.

“Detailed evaluation of how physical health impacts on a person’s experience and the unintended negative impact of certain medications.

“Staff receive training, not only about dementia as a condition but supporting meaning occupation, detailed analysis of the causes of distress, effective communication and the law underpinning dementia care.”

Reconnect is a transformative approach to dementia care, created by leading sector professionals following three years of research and development.

This innovative programme aims to connect people and families to share

a better quality of life.

People are encouraged to improve their strengths and abilities and stay active whilst living in familiar surroundings.

The purpose of the Reconnect service is to provide specialist nursing care for people living with dementia who are experiencing persistently heightened levels of psychological distress responses that they express through their behaviour.

Additionally, people will be living

with physical health conditions which require varying levels of nursing care in order that care is holistic from a physical and cognitive perspective.

“We need to move away from the traditional model of care, evolving practice that embraces and values people, does not focus on their diagnosis but brings joy, purpose and normality to life as much as possible,” added Hannah.

“There is a strong focus on improving the person’s ability to engage meaningfully with life, reduce distress response behaviours and the use of psychotropic medication, and focus on the people not their diagnosis.

“People living in the Reconnect community will not have previously responded to support in alternative settings or have found previous care ineffective in relieving their distress and reducing risks they pose to themselves or others.

“They will require high levels of intensive, individualised support.

“Staff are trained through Orchard’s bespoke, comprehensive training programme to evaluate the complexed causes of distress and develop support plans to reduce the frequency, intensity, and duration of the distress through nonpharmacological approaches.”

Operator acquires site in Woodford Green

HALLMARK Care Homes has exchanged contracts on a two-acre site in Woodford Green.

The family-run operator acquired the site from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association after a competitive bidding process, to develop a care home for the local community.

The proposed start-of-the-art home will provide exceptional standards of accommodation, an array of extensive communal amenities and will draw on the latest technology in the sector, as well as providing the highest level of residential, nursing and dementia care, which will enable residents to enjoy life to the full.

Managing director Aneurin Brown said: “The demand for new care homes continues to rise as people are living longer and needing greater

support, and we are very excited to announce our latest acquisition of a site in Woodford Green.

“We are proposing to develop an outstanding, high-quality care home with luxury features such as a cinema, therapy room, and wellness centre which will help meet the growing demand for specialist care in the area.”

Hallmark Care Homes will be inviting the community for its feedback on the proposed care home over the next few months, ahead of the submission of a planning application next year.

The new development will be the operator’s 24th home and is one of several Hallmark developments currently in the pipeline which are being built by Savista Developments.

Home takes residents on trip to lavender fields

RESIDENTS at a Hertfordshire care home recently enjoyed a ‘magical’ trip to the famous Hitchin Lavender fields to help promote mental and physical wellbeing by stimulating the senses.

Attended by 10 residents and four staff members from Foxholes near Hitchin, the day out was hailed a great success as residents experienced the powerful sensory aspects of the lavender fields, including the smell, touch and sight of the plants.

Adele Querelle, head of engagement at Foxholes, said: “Partnering with activity providers like Hitchin Lavender fields is an integral part of our diverse care offering.

“The traditional English feel of the trip was so inviting and provided a perfect opportunity for our residents to get out and immerse themselves in the British sunshine.

“Seeing the smiles on residents’ faces highlights just how important it is to keep them engaged with stimulating activities.

“For some time now the Hitchin Lavender fields have been high on our list o things to do in Hertfordshire this summer and we were delighted with the overall experience we got on the day.”

Since its official opening in 2012, the 30-acre field has become the UK’s largest pick-your-own lavender farm, being regularly visited by photographers, Instagrammers, locals and more.

As Foxholes’ residents strolled through the fields they were reminded of iconic film scenes,

with many reminiscing about their childhoods, while others opted to pluck some lavender to create mini bunches for family members.

One resident was so caught up in the excitement of pruning the lavender and enjoying the scents and smells that she even lost one of the wheels to her wheelchair an experience she recalls as being “totally worth it”, as she got into the spirit of attempting to capture the perfect Insta-worthy image.

Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes, added: “Following the success of our recent ‘Foxcubs’ initiative, we’ve already reached out to local mothers in an effort to schedule more sessions – with talks of a future mother/baby exercise group in the works, too.”

“We’d also love to continue developing our gentlemen’s lunch club, with plans to take the club on the road and have days out on walks or the golf range. If the demand is there, we’ll aspire to fulfil that and much more – the possibilities are endless.”

Energy price surge threatens to sink social care sector

CARE England has called for immediate Government action to prevent a widespread catastrophe within adult social care, as figures released by the group and Box Power CIC reveal the shocking impact of energy price rises on the sector.

Care England has written to MPs asking them to pledge their support for immediate and targeted support for the sector.

Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, said: “The figures illustrate the true scale of the energy crisis facing adult social care, with providers facing a staggering 683 per cent increase in energy costs over the last 12 months.

“For gas and electricity that would have cost £660 per bed, per annum this time last year, this week care providers would have to pay an astonishing £5,166.

“Representing an additional cost of over £2bn per annum sector-wide, the energy crisis comes at a time when adult social care is already facing the most challenging circumstances in its history. Current packages of Government support ignore the social care sector entirely.

“Care providers, despite paying the same VAT and Green Levy rates on

energy bills as domestic settings, are not subject to the domestic price cap and are not set to benefit from the £400 energy rebate.

“While these measures are incredibly important to protect public health and support struggling households across the country, parity must be introduced in the treatment of the most vulnerable in our

communities.

“Without immediate and targeted support from Government, this energy crisis poses a very severe risk to the sustainability of care services across the country.”

Care England have been working closely with Box Power CIC to analyse the extent of the impact of energy price rises on the social care sector.

The data released identified that:

To secure future energy (gas and electricity) from October 2022, a care provider would pay:

n On August 31, 2021: £660 per bed, per annum.

n On August 24, 2022: £5,166 per bed, per annum. This represents a 683 per cent increase in price compared to the previous year.

To secure future energy from October 2023, a care provider would pay:

n On August 31, 2021: £557 per bed, per annum

n On August 24, 2022: £4,123 per bed, per annum. This represents a 640 per cent increase in price compared to the previous year.

Based on the October 2022 market rates, and with 454,933 CQC registered beds, the approximated

impact of the rising energy prices over the last year on the sector is more than £2bn per annum.

With research from the Centre for Health and the Public Interest estimating the sector’s total prepandemic profits before tax, rent payments, directors’ renumeration and repayments on loans at £1.5bn per, the rise in energy prices will eradicate profit margins generated across the sector, driving many providers into insolvency and eliminating scope for investment.

In response to these catastrophic circumstances, Care England has called for immediate and targeted support from central Government to the sector, including:

n The introduction of a per bed energy price cap equivalent to the proposed domestic energy price cap, or the reimbursement of providers for increased energy costs incurred by other means.

n The extension of the £400 energy rebate to vulnerable people in care and supported housing, introducing parity in the way they are treated compared with those living in their own homes.

n The removal of VAT and the Green Levy on energy bills.

Professor Martin Green OBE

Government accused of ‘tinkering’ rather than tackling crisis

CARE providers have accused the Government of tinkering with the edges rather than tackling the crisis in the care of older and vulnerable people.

The Government has announced the continuation of the Workforce Development Fund, which helps care providers with the cost of training their staff.

At the same time, it has begun consultation into the distribution of funding for adult social care charging reforms, set to come in from October 2023.

The Independent Care Group says both measures are valuable but are failing to address the real issues facing the social care sector.

Chair Mike Padgham added: “Training is vital for the social care sector as we look to develop and retain a strong workforce and the charging reforms are overdue and need to be addressed.

“But neither of these measures will tackle the crisis facing social care today. The real issues at the moment are the dire underfunding of care, which is seeing providers leave the sector and the critical staffing shortages.

“Prior to Covid-19 there were around 120,000 vacancies but Skills for Care recently reported that the figure had grown by 55,000 in the past year.

“What we need to see are urgent measures to get more of the Health and Social Care Levy fund to social

care so that we can properly fund the sector and provide a realistic and fair wage to our staff so that we can encourage more to join the sector and ease the shortages.

“Even though Care Minister Gillian Keegan is saying the biggest part of the £5.4bn earmarked for social care from the fund is going to the workforce, the reality is that some £2.2bn will go towards charging reform, £1.36bn on fair cost of care measures and just £500m on the workforce.

“That isn’t enough and if the Government is serious about making a difference to social care, its share of funding from the levy has to be looked at again and quickly.”

NACC Awards 2022 shortlist is revealed

THE National Association of Care Catering has revealed the shortlist for the NACC Awards 2022.

The awards recognise and celebrate teams and individuals that epitomise excellence, innovation, dedication and outstanding contributions within the care catering sector.

Across six categories – including the new Bev Puxley Award, introduced in memory of Bev Puxley, a longstanding friend, supporter and champion of the NACC who passed earlier this year – the finalists represent those working in or associated with care catering that deliver exceptional service every day, from care homes, meals on wheels services and lunch clubs to suppliers to the sector.

Sue Cawthray, national chair of the NACC, said: “Huge congratulations to all the shortlisted finalists. Care catering professionals continue to work and care for older and vulnerable people in incredibly challenging circumstances – from staff shortages to the cost-of-living crisis and supply chain issues, and not forgetting the impact of the pandemic that we are still feeling.

“The agility, tenacity, dedication, energy and brilliance that care caterers continue to exude across the country are encapsulated in the NACC Awards finalists and I am in awe of them all.

Staff members commended

A CARE home near Brecon has celebrated the dedication of its staff with an event attended by the local Mayor.

Trenewydd care home – operated by Shaw healthcare in conjunction with Powys County Council – hosted the celebration to commend the long service of its staff members, which ranges from five to more than 40 years.

Mandy Potter, a catering assistant who joined the team in Trenewydd in December 1979, was praised for her long service and dedication.

Mandy, who is popular amongst Trenewydd’s residents and staff alike, has been a constant throughout the development of the home over the years.

She always goes out of her way to deliver a top level of care, keeping a very high standard in the kitchen with

her cooking.

As a family woman with a busy social life, Mandy makes time to be a dog mum for her collie, Lady. Mandy and Lady can often be found outside strolling the beaches and walking in the hills.

Manger, Richard Shephard said: “Mandy is a reliable and kind lady who is thought of fondly by all who meet her. Trenewydd would simply not be the same without her.”

In attendance were special guests from Powys County Council, including Ros Murphy, Stephanie Hyde and Mayor of Brecon, Councillor David Meredith, who all thanked the staff for their hard work and commitment.

Staff and guests enjoyed coffee and biscuits as the efforts of staff members were highlighted in a ceremony.

“I very much look forward to the gala awards dinner where we will come together with fellow members, colleagues and friends, to reflect, recognise and celebrate the amazing people in our sector.

“Their fantastic work and achievements make an enormous difference to the lives of so many through good food and nutrition and

meaningful mealtime experiences. I wish all the finalists the very best of luck.”

The NACC Awards 2022 finalists are: Care Establishment – Green Meadows Residential Home; Metchley Manor, Care UK; Chandler Court, Care UK; Karuna Manor Care Home, TLC Care. Meals on Wheels – Meals At Home, County Enterprise Foods; Community Meals Service, Bristol City Council; ICare GB Ltd; Monmouthshire Meals. Catering Team – Care UK food and hotel services team, Care UK residential services; The HC One catering and housekeeping team, HC One Limited; Lakeview Manor Care Home catering team; Kitchen team of Cherry Hinton Care Home. Catering Manager – Vicky Meakin, kitchen manager, Aspen Court; Mateusz Wojciechowski, chef manager, Westholme Care Home; Christopher Rees, head chef, Shipston Lodge Nursing Home; Valerie Kelly, chef manager, Houndswood House; Chris Burdett, group food and beverage manager, Signature Senior Lifestyle. Our Care Catering Hero – Caroline Lloyd, head chef, Prince George House, Care UK; Valerie Kelly, chef manager, Houndswood House; Kiryl Drozdov, head chef, Elsyng House. The Bev Puxley Award – Christopher Rees, head chef, Shipston Lodge Nursing Home; Valerie Kelly, chef manager, Houndswood House. The winners of the NACC Region of the Year, the Pam Rhodes Award and the National Chair’s Award will also be honoured at the gala awards dinner which takes place on October 6 as part of the NACC Training & Development Forum held at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham.

Residents and friends of Connors House in Canterbury got together for some fun in the sun at the care home’s annual summer fete. There was plenty of family fun on offer at the summer fete, which took place in the home’s garden, thanks to the sunshine and warm temperatures. Residents and their guests made the most of the day, whilst browsing the stalls and having a go at the games, including a tombola and hook a cuddly toy. A homemade cake and cold drink stall ensured no one went hungry and a magician entertained guests of all ages. Thanks to the efforts of the team they managed to raise £160 for the residents’ fund over the day.

Resident Robert Crick is pictured with magician Terry Knight.

Mike Padgham