Issue 57 19.05.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Home partners with specialist to reduce falls AN Edinburgh care home is resuming its physiotherapy-led falls prevention class which looks to prevent falls and support residents’ mobility and wellbeing. Cramond Residence had been holding weekly classes with reduced numbers, led by the home’s lifestyle coordinators, but as of early April they have reinstated the specialist physiotherapists from Balanced to resume their classes as normal. The classes are available free of charge to all residents and take place weekly. Prior to attending, residents are individually assessed by a physiotherapist and split into groups based on their physical ability. Lisa Sohn, lead lifestyle coordinator at Cramond Residence, said: “The falls prevention classes have been very popular amongst residents, we have quite a few regulars who attend. “It’s a great way for residents to socialise while also encouraging mobility and helping to keep them safe. “Although classes are not mandatory, we do encourage residents to take part as much as possible to build up and maintain their strength. “The pre-class assessments mean that residents are split into either seated or standing groups, ensuring everyone gets
the most out of their sessions. “The aim of the classes is to prevent potential falls and give residents the confidence to move around either independently or semiindependently, based on their needs and abilities.” The falls prevention programme has been part of the care home’s programme since it opened in 2018, and was temporarily facilitated by lifestyle coordinators during lockdown to minimise risk for residents. Throughout lockdown, residents have been isolating in nine self-contained smallgroup living units within the purpose-built care home, to help with infection control. Lisa added: “It’s great to have Balanced back to take over the classes and provide their specialist support – it’s another step towards ‘normality’ for the residents which is not only fantastic for their physical health, but for their mental wellbeing. “We’ve recently been able to bring residents back together again in larger groups, following social distancing guidance, which has also helped greatly with socialisation.” Alongside the fall’s prevention programme, the 74-bedroom care home offers customised individual care plans for each resident based on their needs.
Residents overjoyed by show
A Royal Star & Garter resident has enjoyed an unforgettable 95th birthday after the staff at the Solihull Home teamed up with a local school for a trip down memory lane. Celebrations to mark Barbara Bale’s special day started with a surprise visit to Solihull School – a place dear to her heart as it was where husband Bill taught Latin for 17 years, before his death in 1969. Barbara described the visit as “a wonderful surprise” and said she was “absolutely thrilled.” Royal Star & Garter staff had told Barbara and other residents that they were going on a regular minibus outing but, soon after setting off, it diverted into the grounds of the independent school. A number of school staff were gathered outside the Headmaster’s Wing to welcome the birthday guest, presenting Barbara with a bouquet of flowers and a bound edition of A History of Solihull School 1560 – 2010.
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RESIDENTS at Moorgate Croft residential care home in Rotherham were overjoyed when World Beaters performed their dynamic drum and light show outside the home. Rotherham council contacted Moorgate Croft to organise a performance of the Spark! street theatre show for the residents as part of the Rotherham Together project. The programme provides cultural events that bring Rotherham’s residents and communities together. Three performers volunteered their time to entertain the residents in a 20-minute show that combined high-impact drumming, dynamic choreography and beautiful multi-coloured LED lighting design. Resident Raymond Shaw said: “Simple words: brilliant, fantastic. I could have watched the drummers all night. “I would definitely recommend them; it was fantastic that they changed colours. “They were the best we have had, and I would love for them to come back.” Ann Wood, manager at Moorgate Croft, added: “Thank you to Jane at Rotherham council for thinking of us for the Rotherham Together project. “Our residents loved the unique show that Sparks! performed outside our windows and are eager for an encore. “It was like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”
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Residents complete walkathon to raise awareness of charity
during lockdown.” Realising his set had outgrown his bedroom, Stan went on to use the home’s vacant summer house in the garden, however, within a couple of years, this too was too small. Luckily for Stan, there were no current plans for the day centre, which offered plenty of space, so he moved in, just in time to keep him busy during lockdown. During lockdown Stan has worked relentlessly on his project, which is now vast, using materials out of skips and eventually, a muchawaited trip back to B&Q to buy the bits he needed. He says being able to focus on the train set during a difficult time stopped him from ‘going mad’.
STAFF and residents at Bowbridge Court in Newark have completed a four-week ‘walkathon’ challenge, clocking an impressive two million steps, the equivalent of 1,000 miles, for charity. Every staff member and resident at the care home played their part in helping to achieve the step count after being inspired by the heroic fundraising efforts of Captain Sir Tom Moore. Home manager Claire GordonRundle said: “I am absolutely blown away by the commitment of our team and residents to achieve two million steps. “The team have been brilliant in organising the walks and our residents have embraced it with such gusto. “It has been lovely to see everyone getting out in the garden and enjoying themselves – I can see us doing plenty more walks and challenges throughout the summer.” Residents opted to set themselves a walking challenge much like Captain Sir Tom to raise awareness for the Alzheimer’s Society charity by completing laps of their home. Initially residents aimed to reach a 30,000 step target over four weeks using pedometers to keep track of their steps. However, as everyone embraced the challenge, they hit the target within the first two weeks. Everyone at the home marched on and were delighted to reach nearly 30 times their original target by the end of the month. The team created a ‘yellow brick
Resident Frank Cavander proudly adds his daily walks steps to the Yellow Brick Road counter. road’ step counter which was proudly displayed in the social lounge and updated each day with the latest total steps. The residents were keen to get moving with the walkathon as a way to stay fit and active and enjoy the garden whilst the sun has been shining. Residents were given the option to complete their laps on foot or pedal their way to the target with the help of a seated pedal exercise machine.
the service inadequate overall, and for being safe and well-led. It was rated requires improvement for being responsive to people’s needs and good for being effective. The service’s good rating for being caring is retained from its previous inspection. The service was also placed in special measures. This means it is subject to close monitoring to help it improve its care and ensure patient safety. If insufficient progress is made, CQC will use its enforcement powers further to protect patients from the risk of harm and hold the service’s leaders to account. Inspectors found several shortfalls in the service, including: n Unsuitable IT systems, leading to almost 10,000 missed medicine deliveries from October to December 2020. This meant some patients experienced avoidable harm and needed hospital treatment.
n A failure to always investigate safety breaches and assess risk. n Poor record keeping, including regarding people’s allergies . n Insufficient governance, oversight and assurance systems to manage quality, performance and patient safety. n A failure to provide statutory notifications to CQC following service disruption. n A culture where patients, their families and staff were not empowered to raise concerns. Some patients reported fearing their medicine deliveries would be cancelled if they complained, and some staff reported fearing dismissal if they raised concerns or contacted CQC. However, inspectors identified some areas of good practice, including: n Staff trained in key skills who received manager-led appraisals. n Instances where care and treatment
were delivered in line with best practice, including when nurses administered chemotherapy. n Patients receiving regular health assessments and practical support to lead healthier lives. n Good infection control, including for Covid-19. n Staff knowledge of the service’s vision and values, teamwork and a focus on patient need and improvement. Following the inspection, the service developed an action plan to drive improvement. It also communicated its plans to rebrand and implement a new patient app to CQC. The service’s leaders also complied with a condition, imposed following the inspection, to provide regular performance reports to CQC. These reports indicated the performance of the service has improved since the inspection.
Stan’s train set is just the ticket MODEL railway enthusiast and Dene Holm resident Stan Glazier has put the former day centre to good use with his ever-expanding project. Since he moved into the care home more than six years ago, Stan has always been a model railway enthusiast. But what started out as a small set up in his bedroom has grown so much that it’s taken over the home’s now unused former day centre. General manager Christine Hutchinson said: “Stan’s railway set is very impressive, he works really hard on it and what started out as a tabletop project has become huge. “It is clear Stan is very passionate about his set and It’s certainly been great for keeping him occupied
Service rated inadequate and placed in special measures following inspection THE Care Quality Commission has rated a Staffordshire-based clinical homecare service inadequate and placed it in special measures, following an inspection which found people using the service had been harmed. CQC inspected Healthcare at Home, which has its head office in Burton-on-Trent, in November and December. Healthcare at Home provides care and treatment to people with chronic conditions – including Crohn’s disease, haemophilia and HIV – in their own homes. At the time of the inspection, it delivered around 110,000 prescriptions a month. CQC undertook the inspection following reports that people were not receiving their medicines on time or able to contact the service to raise concerns, as a result of a new computer system. Following the inspection, CQC rated
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Bride reunites with her granny on the way to her big day A BRIDE had her dream come true when she was able to share her longawaited wedding day with her granny – in her care home. Dance instructor Jill Morton was determined to be reunited with 93-year-old Margaret Morton on her big day after they had to endure months of shielding and virtual calls. Although she had to rearrange the wedding three times due to the pandemic, Jill was able to have Margaret play a key role in her marriage to Murray Winton, thanks to help from Mansfield Care’s Pine Villa staff. The team at the Loanhead care home also set up a live stream of the ceremony and coordinated a socially distanced visit from the bride, mother and father of the bride and the bridesmaids, before the official ceremony at Edinburgh’s Bruntsfield Hotel. In addition, they helped Margaret to choose a wedding day outfit for the occasion. Jill said: “My granny Margaret has been so supportive and excited about the wedding, always asking about it and finding out how we are. “So being able to see her and have her be a part of the wedding was really special. “The staff also helped us arrange a
Jill Morton with her granny Margaret Morton, a 93-year-old resident at Mansfield Care’s Pine Villa in Loanhead. live stream of the ceremony so that she could watch it from Pine Villa and celebrate with us.” The reunion between Jill and her granny had been long-awaited after briefly seeing one another at the funeral of Jill’s grandfather in February. Jill said: “It was the first time I’d
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seen my granny in person since my grandpa’s funeral in February. “That was a really hard time as my granny couldn’t be around family the way you usually would during a time of grieving. “I was initially extremely sad about her not being able to come to the ceremony but the Pine Villa staff have
been really great. “They’ve made such a big effort to make a big deal of the wedding and arranged a celebration after the streamed ceremony and everything. “A member of staff even helped my granny pick an outfit. “Last September my granny and grandpa celebrated their 70th anniversary at Pine Villa and it was a lovely day for them. “Between that and the funeral and now with the wedding, the staff have just been incredible. “We’re a big family so we were all a bit nervous when the pandemic hit and we couldn’t visit but the level of care and support Pine Villa has given has been remarkable. “They have been really amazing for my gran and it’s put everyone’s mind at ease.” Supporting her career from a young age, Jill’s granny and late grandpa always attended every dance show. Jill said: “My granny and grandpa danced together all the time. “They would go to dance evenings and do these incredible partner dances together. “They’ve always been very supportive and interested in my career and that side of my life so it’s really special being able to share that passion together.”
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Andrew goes from delivering parcels to providing care Knight Frank appointed as Anchor Hanover’s sole property adviser KNIGHT Frank has been appointed as exclusive residential care home property adviser to Anchor Hanover, the largest provider of specialist housing and care for older people in England. Knight Frank and Anchor Hanover have a long-standing relationship which will now be further strengthened by the new partnership, with a deep focus on national healthcare strategy and advisory services. Jane Ashcroft CBE, chief executive of Anchor Hanover, said: “The changing needs of our ageing society mean demand for high-quality residential care is strong and set to grow. “We want to provide more homes where people love living in later life and are delighted to be working with Knight Frank to ensure we’re wellpositioned to meet that demand.” Knight Frank’s latest Healthcare Capital Markets report highlighted the UK healthcare property market as achieving record investment volumes in 2020 totalling £2.7billion despite the Covid-19 pandemic, 55 per cent higher than the previous year. This comes as investors increasingly seek stable returns and long-term secure income meaning healthcare property has seen surging interest from investors both in the traditional sectors such as care homes and
private hospitals, in addition to rising demand for more specialist assets and providers such as mental health, learning disability and children’s services including children’s homes, foster care and schools. Julian Evans, head of healthcare at Knight Frank, added: “We are thrilled to have been appointed by Anchor Hanover as their exclusive care home property adviser. We are exceptionally proud to partner with a such dynamic organisation whose core values are centred around client care and wellbeing and whose business shares many synergies with our own as an independent organisation with a unique culture and heritage. “We are looking forward to working with Anchor Hanover to further bolster their market-leading offering via strategic advisory and consultancy around development funding, strategy and innovation.” Knight Frank’s research identified a potential 6,500 care homes at risk of closure over the next five years, equating to 140,000 beds. This shortage will be exacerbated by the increased demand for care homes by 2050, which will see a national bed crisis in the UK as the share of people over the age of 80 is expected to surge over the next 30 years, with one in 10 adults set to be over 80 by 2050, compared to one in 20 currently. Jean Crouch celebrated her 100th birthday at HC-One’s Court House in Malvern surrounded by more than 100 birthday cards thanks to social media group ‘Postcards of Kindness’. She received cards from the children at nearby St Matthias CE Primary School, the Mayor and Mayoress of Malvern, as well as from the Queen herself. Jean also had some lovely visits from her family, both indoor and in the garden, while Suzie McKeown, owner of Suzie’s Sweet Treats, donated a birthday cake and some biscuits for everyone to enjoy.
A CARMARTHENSHIRE man who went from delivering parcels to providing care because of the pandemic is urging others keen for a change to take advantage of the rising trend for ‘occupational switching’. Watching the hardships of his friends and neighbours during the pandemic led Andrew Watson from Cross Hands to join six per cent of the UK population and switch occupations in 2020. He had previously worked for Amazon but, seeing the community come together to look after each other during the lockdown, thought it was time for him to take a career leap and get a job offering a more caring role in society. Andrew joined ND Care & Support as a care support worker and hasn’t looked back. He comes from a family with a tradition of helping others. “My mother was a nurse for around 40 years and it’s about giving back,” said Andrew. “Seeing everything turn upside down due to Covid, I knew I wanted to change my job to be a part of people’s journeys and support those who need it most. “I love it and wish I had done it a lot sooner. “Going from working in retail to working for ND Care & Support has been a huge learning curve, but one that I have loved taking on and I haven’t looked back. “I would encourage anyone looking for a new challenge to take the leap into the care sector as it is so rewarding.” Andrew works five days a week, providing bespoke care services for people in Carmarthen with a variety of needs. Support to individuals can vary from personal care, helping with meals and medication, to supporting people who need help to get out and engage with their local community for social inclusion. ND Care & Support provides specialist care to individuals in the comfort of their own homes and communities. Although Andrew had no formal care training, ND Care recognised
Andrew Watson that he had transferable skills for a caring role and leapt at the chance to give him the career change he was looking for. Andrew Downey, registered manager for ND Care & Support’s Cross Hands branch, added: “Having worked with big teams throughout his career in retail, Andrew had excellent people skills and thoroughly enjoyed working closely with others, so was a perfect fit for our work. “We pride ourselves in supporting our care workers to expand their skills as their careers progress and I’m looking forward to helping Andrew achieve career progression within the industry. “He is a great example of someone who has had their eyes opened to a different job path due to the pandemic and excels at it.” A registered member of Care Inspectorate Wales, ND Care & Support supports more than 450 individuals and their families, with over 350 care workers working across Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan.
Group welcomes new chief exec SHEFFIELD charity Sheffcare has appointed Claire Rintoul as its new chief executive. Claire has many years’ experience in the charity sector, most recently working as chief executive of Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and as interim chief executive of Relate Derby and Southern Derbyshire. Other important roles have seen her working with Kent Wildlife Trust, the National Autistic Society, Peterborough and Fenland Mind and Nottingham CVS. Sheffcare is a registered charity and serving the needs of more than 1,000 older people in 10 care homes throughout the city. The charity began operating as a not for profit organisation in 1994,
when a number of care homes were transferred out of local authority ownership. “I am very excited to be part of the Sheffcare team as we look forward to enhancing and developing our place within the Sheffield community,” said Claire. “The impact of Covid-19 on the care home sector has been enormous but I am keen to work with the Sheffcare trustees and the dedicated professionals in all our homes as we continue to work on the comfort and safety of all our residents. “As I visit our properties, the most important thing I am seeing is how all our staff work consistently and enthusiastically to create a happy and secure home environment.”
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Things to consider when designing a new home for elderly residents By Rishi Sodha CERTAIN considerations must be taken into account before creating an environment for an elderly person to reside in, to ensure they are as comfortable, safe, and happy as possible. Set to open its doors in June, Priesty Fields, a 78-bed purpose-built nursing care home, in Congleton, Cheshire, will offer an authentic gastro pub, farmers market, cinema, spa, salon, gym, library, private dining room, garden lounge, and GP office. Listed below are some of the key areas of interior design that its team have carefully considered for the luxury home, so it can offer the utmost quality of care for those residing and working in it. Design One of the biggest and most crucial design considerations should be on providing an environment that will allow staff to thrive. If they are empowered with a space that takes their mental wellbeing into consideration, they in turn will be able to provide the highest quality of care to others. Breakout areas for staff show they are valued and will result in a happy, healthy team. Outstanding spaces provide outstanding care. Rather than a receptionist’s desk, the main entrance should take the shape of an interactive central hub that’s open to the community – consider implementing themes of the local community’s heritage. Paying homage to the area shows prospective residents that thorough research and planning has taken place; respect goes a long way. Authenticity is key. Care homes should promote authenticity over proxy. Design each space first then tailor it to the care home as opposed to designing the care home and getting each space to adapt to it. Throughout the design, the care philosophy should be intrinsic to offer the highest quality of care. People don’t live their lives in their bedrooms, so why should they do that in a care home? Spaces that incorporate biophilic designs such as living walls and water features stimulate the senses and evoke positive feelings that promote good mental health. Priesty Fields will have a full-sized tree in its entrance with limestone flooring to give the impression of being outdoors. Entrance Keeping with authenticity, connect with the community as soon as they step foot through the door. For instance, with the Congleton area having a lot of redbrick homes and buildings, Priesty Fields will use the same brickwork to give an industrial feel
Priesty Fields in Congleton is nearing completion.
that’s recognisable and feels homely. Again, with Congleton being an old market town, a café, bakery and farmers market, with crates of fresh fruit and vegetables on display, are positioned at the entrance to resonate with the community. Target all senses. When someone walks into a care home, they should be met with aesthetically pleasing sights, sounds and even smells. It could be soft jazz music coupled with the smell of fresh bread; tapping into and stimulating senses creates an environment people want to be a part of. Walls and floors Be bold and creative with clashing patterns. Sticking with simple, mundane tones can look too similar to a commercialised or clinical space and should be avoided. A mixture of textures and patterns keeps the design eclectic and inviting. A well-designed care home should draw someone in. A vast contrast of exciting textures helps with natural wayfinding too. Perhaps consider using a different theme and colour scheme for each floor to help people identify where they are at all times. If designing an area for residents living with dementia, however, then it is best to avoid overwhelming patterns such as geometric designs. While appealing, such striking designs can cause confusion and therefore be unsettling. Furniture and fabrics Find the balance of creating a setting that feels like a home-from-home while also being practical for residents. Consider seats that are slightly higher than average with arms so residents can comfortably sit and stand without needing assistance. Also, it’s preferable to use wider tables so residents feel they have their own individual space while being in a communal area. Make sure the tables have wheelchair access too.
Ultimately, ergonomic furniture is a necessity in care homes, for both staff and residents. Consider using impervious fabrics for furniture that are also easily wipeable – which is essential for infection control. High quality fabrics come in a wide variety of designs nowadays from faux leather to more domestic fabrics. Lighting Utilise natural lighting. If possible, palliative care should be situated on the top floor as that’s where the most natural light is let in. Think about energy usage and try to be as environmentally friendly as possible. LED lights that use minimal energy, sunlights and mood lights, all with varying lux levels, should be considered. Sundowning, a sense of agitation, confusion or anxiety at the end of the day for those with dementia can be common, so lighting that can change temperature, such as to a warmer orange, can help people to acclimatise to the time of day and fall into better, healthier routines. Sound Consider natural soundproofing through the architecture of the building. With the typical L, T and H shaped concepts, sound can be absorbed through soft, plush carpets. Acoustic monitoring nurse call systems remove the beeping and alarms often heard in care homes by alerting staff through handheld devices. It creates the atmosphere of a silent, domestic home rather than an institutionalised one. Communal areas Communal areas should be located throughout the home to encourage people to spend time outside their bedrooms. Central hubs allow people to get a sense of fulfilment from going somewhere away from where they live, closely mimicking real life. Kitchenettes provide active spaces where people can independently cook, eat or chat over a cup of tea. It’s vital to encourage independence where possible. Every micro decision by a resident, whether it’s making a drink or snack, leads to a sense of fulfilment and achievement. Also, think about focal points. This could be a fireplace, a bookcase or a view of the outdoors that could provide a reflective space. Overall, there are many factors to consider when designing a living environment in a luxury care home, but they are all crucial elements to ensuring those using the home to reside or work in are safe and comfortable – something every care environment should aspire to provide. n Rishi Sodha is the care director at Priesty Fields care home.
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