Issue 70 18.08.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Home takes part in pen pal project A HERTFORDSHIRE care home has teamed up with a local girls’ school in a bid to strengthen community connection and form longlasting intergenerational friendships by relaunching its pen pal project – marking the first of several events to celebrate Good Care Month. Foxholes Care Home and Hitchin Girls’ School recently resumed its mission to help foster friendships the oldfashioned way by sharing letters between residents and students, after the scheme which initially launched in February last year had to be paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. To mark the relaunch, residents Shirley Saunders, 82, and Pam Colicott, 73, visited the school to distribute the latest batch of letters from residents, which were for a mix of pupils in secondary and sixth form education. Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes Care Home, added: “We’re really excited to continue our collaboration with Hitchin Girls’ School on this pen pal project, especially with it coinciding with Good Care Month. “Friendships, especially those formed from our school days,
are sacred, and the same is true for care homes. We wanted to remind the younger generation how important it is to preserve these friendships and wanted to offer them the chance to learn from our inspiring residents. Every resident has lived a full, eventful life with an array of knowledge and wisdom to share.” The project will see 22 residents and students pair up to exchange handwritten letters seasonally throughout the year. The letters contained information documenting key elements of their lives, such as name, age, family information (marital status, number of children/ grandchildren), which served as a mini biography to aid the introductory process. The relaunch included the students’ teacher taking the time to read through each letter and appropriately match them with a pupil, whose interests, background and hobbies align with a suitable resident. The family-run home decided to relaunch the project to coincide with Good Care Month, a campaign in Hertfordshire that aims to raise the profile of the social care sector.
Resident has Covid book published
Barchester Healthcare’s CEO Dr Pete Calveley has been named Influencer of the Year 2021 by RoSPA. The prestigious title is awarded to those who have made the biggest impact in health and safety, either at work or in the community, in the past 12 months. A prominent figure in the health and social care industry for more than 25 years, Dr Calveley is a pioneer in the sector and has used his expertise to lead Barchester Healthcare through the pandemic with resident safety always at the forefront of his decision making. He has also been influential more broadly throughout the Covid crisis and is acknowledged for having spearheaded the call for mandatory vaccination for care workers in order to protect the most vulnerable members of society. His campaigning and early implementation at Barchester resulted in a change in the law – all care workers are now legally required to be vaccinated against Covid.
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 94-YEAR-OLD Cardiff man has published a book describing his life as a care home resident during the coronavirus pandemic. Pandemic! My Care Home Diary, tells the inspiring story of how Bob Skinner lived and thrived during the pandemic at Sunrise of Cardiff care home. General manager Sara Reading said: “Bob’s touching account of the COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique and personal record of his experience while living at our care home. “Although a challenging time, Bob’s story of life at Sunrise of Cardiff depicts the reality of this era, including the unexpected joys and community spirit which helped us through the worst public health crisis in a century.” The book is based on Bob’s blog diary, which he began in March 2020 as coronavirus swept Britain. As a former journalist, Bob has a true reporter’s eye for the events of the year that changed our lives for ever, explaining how he recovered after three weeks in hospital with coronavirus. He also recalls his first reunion with his family, shown live on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. Moving and often amusing, Pandemic! My Care Home Diary gives a unique account of what life was like for Britain’s care home residents during the worst pandemic for more than 100 years. Bob’s book will be a lasting tribute to the carers who risked their own lives looking after residents. Pandemic! My Care Home Diary is available as an eBook
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