Issue 58 26.05.21
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Homes are not returning to “open house” CARE homes in Wales will not be returning to the pre-Covid “open house” approach after visiting restrictions were eased by the Welsh Government. That’s the warning from Care Forum Wales chief executive Mary Wimbury who sounded a note of caution saying that all visits would still need to be risk assessed before they were allowed go ahead. She said it was still a challenging time for the sector and some homes would be more nervous than other. One major stumbling block was the fact that insurance companies were now refusing to provide cover for any Covidrelated claims. Previously only two designated visitors were allowed to make indoor visits but now any two can visit. But according to the Welsh Government it is still down to individual care homes or local authorities to make the final decisions whether to allow the visits to go ahead. First Minister Mark Drakeford said the changes would “improve the quality of life for residents and their families”. Mary added: “It’s clear in the guidance that care homes do have to risk assess visiting, taking into account the lack of insurance cover but also the setting in terms of the lay-out in different care homes. “We are certainly not back
to the pre-pandemic situation where you could have an open house and visitors coming in when they chose. “Visitors will have to book in and be tested and care home staff are going to have to make sure they understand the rules. It isn’t as straightforward as some people think. “Having said that, we’re all really pleased that we’re moving to something that’s a bit more like things were before the pandemic. “We’ve got to listen to scientists in terms of what they are saying and we’re all delighted that we do seem to be moving in the right direction. “At the same time we also have recognised the potential danger posed by the Indian variant that’s out there as well as the potential for a third wave of the virus. “We all want to see more friends and relatives connecting with care home residents but we also want to keep people safe. “Care home staff have done an incredible job over the past year or so in doing everything they can to keep spirits up, providing support and entertainment that was previously provided by visitors. “We would all like to thank them for their efforts in keeping people’s mental health in the best place possible.”
Emergency campaign launched
Bluebird Care Stamford and Rutland is taking part in a ‘Year to Remember’ to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. The homecare providers will be taking part in a variety of activities to raise funds, build awareness and take action for the charity. Kelly Combes, marketing coordinator at Bluebird Care Stamford and Rutland, said: “Alzheimer’s Society is a charity very close to all of our hearts, we are so proud to be raising vital funds for this great cause. We are receiving pledges from all our team at Bluebird Care Stamford and Rutland – our care assistants are so passionate about making a difference.” The majority of Bluebird Care Stamford and Rutland team members are Dementia Friends, helping to make small changes in their daily work so that people affected by dementia feel understood and included.
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SUNRISE of Hale Barns has introduced a new campaign that seeks to deliver support to its local emergency services. Led by director of community relations Sharon Parkes, the Emergency Coffee Campaign offers emergency service workers an opportunity to visit the home and receive a complimentary topup of fresh coffee within thermal mugs that are currently being distributed. She said: “We saw this campaign as an opportunity to give a little back. Over the past year emergency service workers have been through a lot, and this initiative is just our way of saying thank you. It’s great to see that despite it being in its early stages, it has already attracted many to take up the offer. Hydration is so important, especially to those who are on the go. “It is crucial to take a break to look after yourself. If we at Sunrise of Hale Barns can offer a bit of support and wellbeing through this project, as well as bring the community together, that would be great.” Inspired by a desire to give back to the community emergency services, as well as drawing awareness towards the importance of Nutrition and Hydration Week between June 14 and 16, the display of kindness has already been warmly received. The option of a thermal mug top up is available to all emergency services between 8am and 8pm throughout the week.
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Village helps spring flourish with thanks to local community
Ashworth Grange resident June Stephenson with Alfred the scarecrow.
Care home launches scarecrow contest RESIDENTS at Ashworth Grange in Dewsbury are launching a ‘Super Scarecrow’ community contest which will be displayed in the care home’s entrance to put smiles on the faces of passers-by. Staff and residents are asking local people to create their own scarecrows, with an ‘anything goes’ theme encouraging each design to be as fun or whacky as the designer would like. Lifestyle manager and driving force for the initiative, Colette Senior, hopes the Scarecrows will bring joy to the residents and help to kick start their summer garden renovations. She added: “It is more important now than ever to get into the
community together to spread joy, and this is such a nice activity to do at home with the kiddies. “Our team and residents have been creating their own scarecrows, and it just felt right to invite the community to join in too. “I look forward to seeing them all standing proudly in our garden display.” The competition is open to all ages, and currently many local schools, nurseries, businesses and even emergency services teams have created some wild and wonderful scarecrows for the display. Mayor of Kirklees Nigel Patrick will judge the top three at the beginning of next month.
DEMENTIA care specialist Belong Macclesfield has welcomed spring with its residents thanks to the support of local businesses and their help with seasonal projects which are set to enhance the wellbeing of the local community. Taking advantage of glorious sunshine, Belong colleagues were joined by 11 staff from facilities management specialists Sodexo, based at AstraZeneca’s Macclesfield Campus. The volunteers lent their gardening, DIY and painting skills to spruce up the Upton Priory village’s grounds for residents, apartment tenants and visitors to enjoy. Together, the team weeded and planted the grounds, then painted the fence, before constructing houses for birds and bugs, feeders for bees and butterflies and sowed wildflowers, in a bid to encourage more wildlife, all while residents enjoyed the bustling outdoor activity from their windows. Meanwhile, inside the village, Belong colleagues and residents made bird cake and held talks on the importance of nature to climate change. Gina Titley, experience coordinator at Belong Macclesfield, said: “We wanted to involve the community as much as possible in our spring activity plans and give everyone something to smile about. “Nature has such a positive influence on our wellbeing, as does working with others, and so we invited those around us so everyone
could benefit. “We’re ever so grateful to Sodexo for giving their time, effort and donations toward the gardening project to help make a difference on World Earth Day — they worked incredibly hard.” In another project, Belong worked with its older people and those living with dementia to create special gifts for pre-school students at nearby St. Alban’s Catholic Primary School: a ‘Hello Spring’ book comprising decorated poems, along with an inspiring painting of flowers to mark the beginning of the new season. In return, the school’s own spring art book with children’s creations proved a hit as residents enjoyed reminiscing about their schooldays and sharing memories of picking bluebells.
Care firm steps up commitment to staff with real living wage accreditation A GWYNEDD care company is bucking the trend when it comes to employment conditions in the care industry by offering all staff the opportunity for long-term progression within a new formal career structure. It follows Meddyg Care, which operates specialist dementia care homes in Criccieth and Porthmadog, being recognised by the Living Wage Foundation as a real living wage employer. This involves paying wages over the legal minimum to both its staff and its contractors. There are currently just eight such companies doing so in the Welsh care industry. Managing director Kevin Edwards said: “This new career structure is vital if we want care to be able to compete as an industry of choice for those with ambition and the desire for a vocation instead of just a job. “We always look to invest and develop our staff in line with the
Meddyg Care managing director Kevin Edwards.
specialist provision we offer to our residents, but by paying the real living wage we want to show that carers are valued from day one. “We all know how hard carers have
worked during the pandemic, and while we want to recognise that, we also want to underline that care can offer real, rewarding careers that grow and develop with the individual.”
Meddyg Care wants to show that care can offer the possibility of a lifelong vocation, with good pay paired with real opportunities for training and progression with the right employer. To this end, the new transparent career structure includes training and qualifications coupled with bonuses and regular increases in pay to enable its employees to see how they can develop. The company believes its own plans for growth, revealed following its management buyout, will provide further opportunities to staff. The current real living wage is £9.50 per hour for anyone over 18 and is calculated by the Resolution Foundation based on the cost of a minimum standard of living in the UK in 2021. The UK Government’s national living wage is £8.91 for those over 23, while the national minimum wage for those under 23 is £8.36.
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Time for a Cuppa as operator brews up for dementia charity THE kettles were on, the cakes were tasty and the chat was lively as all 21 Colten Care homes took part in Dementia UK’s biggest annual fundraising drive. Residents and staff found a host of Covid-safe ways to get together and enjoy Time for a Cuppa, helping families affected by dementia in the process. The garden summerhouse at The Aldbury, Colten’s dedicated dementia care home in Poole, was specially decorated for an Audrey Hepburnthemed afternoon tea party. Amid sparking lights and vintage décor, there was a life-size cutout of the star in her trademark black cocktail dress, pearl necklace and slender cigarette holder. Held on what would have been the screen legend’s 92nd birthday, the fun included a quiz about Hepburn’s life and career which rekindled memories of famous movie moments. “Most of our residents found it really interesting and got many of the answers right,” said companionship team member Melissa Sait. “It was a lot of fun that gave everyone the opportunity to reminisce.” On show at Linden House, Colten’s Outstanding-rated dementia care home in Lymington, was a giant
Beryl Spaulding and Diana Janes, residents at The Aldbury in Poole, enjoy the home’s Audrey Hepburn-themed party in aid of Dementia UK’s Time for a Cuppa fundraising day. papier mache teapot covered in a tea UK logo. cosy sewn together by residents in There was also a chance to watch arts and crafts sessions. and discuss a documentary about At Castle View in Dorchester, a how the charity has been supporting springtime celebration tea party was those living with dementia during the a definite hit with residents. Covid pandemic. And at Abbey View in Sherborne, Residents at Outstanding-rated residents tucked into cupcakes Newstone House in Sturminster specially baked by home chefs in the Newton had a fun time baking and green and red shades of the Dementia decorating their own cupcakes.
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Other Colten homes holding Time for a Cuppa parties included St Catherines View in Winchester, Avon Reach in Mudeford and Outstandingrated Kingfishers in New Milton. Funds raised from Time for a Cuppa contribute to the provision of specialist Admiral Nurses who work alongside families in communities across the country. Dementia UK’s national helpline, which offers practical advice and support from Admiral Nurses, has seen a heightened demand for help during the pandemic. Colten Care Admiral Nurse Kay Gibson added: “It continues to be the most challenging and isolating of times for families with loved ones who need dementia care. “It’s brilliant that Colten Care residents and staff are doing their bit to help.” As well as providing an Admiral Nurse service, Colten Care’s own dementia care strategy includes support for Dementia Action Alliances in the communities served by all its 21 homes in Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire. Linden House, The Aldbury, St Catherines View, and Fernhill in Longham near Bournemouth are dedicated dementia care homes.
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Language school hosts classes for residents online
Mayflower mosaic unveiled at home A MOSAIC of the Mayflower has taken a commemorative journey to Southampton before going back to Plymouth. It was co-designed by the residents of Burtons, in Plymstock and Abbeyfield House, in Hartley, which are supported housing schemes managed by The Abbeyfield Society, a charity providing housing and care for older people in the UK and internationally. Last year a venture between Abbeyfield and Mayflower 400 Community Sparks enabled Abbeyfield’s residents to embark on a creative mosaic project. Together, through a series of workshops and virtual consultations, and with support from staff, residents planned their vision of an artwork that would promote the legacy of the Mayflower voyage. Vicki Gillow, Abbeyfield community engagement manager and art enthusiast who conceived the project, also used china and sea glass in the mosaic, to provide a connection to the story of the Mayflower’s voyage. It was initially designed to sit in a publicly accessible garden at Mayflower Court, Abbeyfield’s new 80-bed independent living scheme in Millbay. Before the mosaic can take up its permanent home, it has begun its
journey in Southampton, where it is temporarily displayed at Abbeyfield’s Southampton care home, Speedwell Court. Vicki said: “We wanted to make the link between the two maritime cities and the significance of both places in the Mayflower and Speedwell journeys. “The idea is to commemorate and acknowledge the importance of these journeys and their legacy, the hardships, the heritage and the links with America today. “We strongly encouraged the residents to input their own ideas, and we hope to be able to add in some small panels they will be making when face-to-face workshops can safely resume later in the year.” Vicki and the Speedwell Court activities team will be supporting Speedwell Court residents to make their own mosaic to commemorate the Speedwell, and will be installing this once the Mayflower mosaic returns to Plymouth. The Mayflower mosaic will make its return journey to Plymouth in the autumn, mirroring the journey of the Mayflower four centuries ago. Vicki added: “This creative project has enabled residents and all involved to have time to reflect and discuss the journey and our long term links with America.
A LANGUAGE school is running online languages classes for care home residents throughout the UK which are proving to be an enjoyable and stimulating weekly activity for the elderly. Neil Kendall Language School is based in Inverness but teaches classes worldwide via Zoom. Founder Neil Kendall started teaching care homes online during the pandemic, and has received an excellent reception to his classes so far. His sessions use colourful and fun video animations to teach Spanish and French, which incorporate scientifically proven memory hooks to teach vocabulary and grammar. The methods were first created by Dr Michael Gruenberg of Linkword Languages around 40 years ago and have been updated for the modern era via software and animated courses, which Neil uses in his classes. Several independent cases studies have proven that these methods teach vocabulary and grammar around three times faster than normal across many different demographics, including the elderly. Neil said: “Many people in care homes need something to exercise their minds. Learning another language is one of the best ways to do this. “Language learning has also been shown to help stave off dementia in later life. Not only that, but it’s also great fun. “As far as I know, nobody else is doing language classes for care homes. “My philosophy is to get away from the boring, ineffective and outdated language learning methods used in schools and traditional classes and replace them with ones that are fun and produce better and faster results.” As an example of how the methods
Neil Kendall work -– you take a word in a foreign language, think of a word it sounds like English then create a silly but memorable memory hook visualisation (which you visualise in your mind’s eye for about 10 seconds) to help you remember it. For example, the Spanish word for cat is gato. This sounds a bit like ‘gateau’, so you might imagine a cat eating a gateau, with its paws covered in cream etc. The more absurd, humorous and ridiculous you make the memory hooks, the better. The courses have ready made memory hooks so students don’t have to come up with their own. But it’s not only for learning vocabulary that these methods excel. Neil’s classes also teach grammar in easily accessible ways and get people translating sentences to and from the target language, as well as having simple conversations, right from the start. Some of the care homes he has run classes for include Silveremere care home in Surrey (Avery Healthcare), Sedgley Court care home in Dudley and Elworth Grange in Sandbach. In addition to Spanish and French, Neil Kendall Language School also teaches German, Italian, Polish, English and Portuguese. Neil offers an initial free taster session of 30 minutes to an hour so every care home can try it out for themselves.
Concert marks resumption
Residents of Rogers House in Wigmore spent a sunny morning potting some plants to brighten up their balconies. Armed with plenty of soil and seeds, the residents of the care home got together in the activity room to plant an array of flowers and vegetables, to display on the balconies around the home. There was a lot to be done but the residents enjoyed working together, spurred on with plenty of cups of tea and a few biscuits, of course. Home manager Jackie Miles said: “We are lucky to have lovely gardens and outside areas here, and the residents really enjoy helping us to maintain them and planting new flowers and vegetables. They are looking forward to watching the flowers grow and reaping what they’ve sown.”
A CARE home in Swiss Cottage, Camden, has marked the resumption of in-person activities with a singalong concert performed by musicians from the Royal Albert Hall. The Hall’s in-house group Albert’s Band visited Compton Lodge, putting on their one-hour show “The Royal Albert Hall Songbook” for the benefit of 24 residents at the home. This is the first time the group has performed the show live to an audience since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The performance, which took place in Compton’s gardens, went ahead following the completion of the Covid vaccination programme for residents at the home. Fiona Saadat, acting care director, Central and Cecil, said:
“With residents receiving their second vaccination and shielding requirements ending, we have been in the fortunate position to restart activities where residents can safely come together. “This is so important for our residents after long periods of lockdowns, which have at times restricted us to running activities only online. “There’s a wealth of mental and physical benefits bringing residents back together and being able to enjoy a cultural experience with each other.” Other activities, including art therapy sessions, dance fitness classes and regular singalong events with a professional musician, have also resumed in-person at the home
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Sector needs to do more to protect the mental health of young care workers By Leah Cooke LAST year the Government launched the ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’ recruitment initiative. The thinking behind the scheme, which was rolled out nationally, was to demonstrate just how rewarding a career in the adult social care sector could be by enabling the general public to realise short and long term opportunities in the sector. With recruitment and retention presenting a perennial challenge for the sector, the campaign was also seen as an opportunity to attract people from a wide range of walks of life, including the hospitality, service and aviation sectors, all of which have haemorrhaged jobs during the pandemic. But it wasn’t just cabin-crew, retailers, publicans and customer service professionals who joined the ranks. Anecdotally at least, school leavers and university graduates – many of them motivated by the boundless courage and dedication exhibited by an army of care professionals in the pandemic – have also chosen to work in the care sector. Some see it as their calling, while others view it as a staging-post in their careers – and a precious opportunity to learn new life skills, not to mention a chance to give something back to society. Whatever their motivation, young people entering the care sector may have vast reserves of energy, enthusiasm and an unbridled sense of optimism, but some are also incredibly vulnerable. We know from a GMB survey, for instance, that 75 per cent of care professionals “said their work during the pandemic has had a serious negative impact on their mental health”.1 While the survey doesn’t reveal
Leah Cooke the ages of the people who were interviewed, it highlights the monumental mental health challenges that professional carers – both young and old – face. So how do we as a sector support young professional carers? As a qualified nurse, an experienced care specialist, and, most recently, QCS’ head of content operations, I believe that young care staff really need a registered manager to monitor, mentor and listen to them – especially when they’ve had a challenging shift. That can take the form of individual or group supervision. But supervision only covers part of what I am trying to convey. The word ‘supervision’ suggests formally discussing a topic that can be neatly covered in a session. However, managing mental health is not a box ticking exercise. It is subjective, complex and nuanced and so I prefer the term ‘well being support’. That means being and feeling part of a person-centred culture, where the manager’s door is always open. A mantra I share with many people
is that ‘It’s okay not to be okay’. And when I’m not feeling okay after a very tough shift, I find the best way to alleviate stress is to vent frustration to a trusted colleague. That said, not everyone de-stresses in the same way. Thinking back to when I was 18, many of my friends would go running, play tennis, bake a cake, bury their heads in a good book or even make preparations to go travelling. I guess what I am trying to say it’s not what you do to relax that matters, it’s whether or not it helps you to switch off and improves your mood and wellbeing. But I think, with teenagers and care professionals in their early 20s, there is an extra dimension at play. In some instances, their lack of life experience can sometimes make it challenging to separate professional and personal boundaries. When you’re starting out in the care sector, for example, it can be difficult not to get emotionally involved. Often this is compounded by the fact that many young people come into the profession having looked after a sick relative. Caring for a service user, where there is no family bond, is not the same. This, I think, could – in some instances – make it much harder for some care workers to know where those boundaries start and finish. There are grey areas and it’s easy for carers to carry the huge burden of worry on their shoulders. Therefore, it’s absolutely crucial that the manager they work with is experienced in spotting the subtle signs that a young professional carer might be suffering from underlying stress or depression. In home care settings, where I work for example, questions that I appreciate from a manager in a wellbeing support session might be,
‘Do you worry when you go home that the service user you looked after in the afternoon will be okay?’ ‘It’s perfectly natural to feel that way if you do. How do you cope with it and what support can I provide you with to help you to manage the worry that you’re feeling right now?’ QCS, the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector, has a number of policies that you might find useful. There’s the ‘Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace Policy and Procedure’, for example. For guidance around supervision, QCS has created the ‘Supervision Policy and Procedure’, while registered managers can also access survey and wellbeing tools, which are aligned to best practice and are constantly updated. These tools, if used properly, not only help to lay the foundations for mental health support but help foster the right culture. Indeed, in a sector where staff turnover is high, such a culture is often the difference between someone leaving the profession and staying. With last week being mental health awareness week, it’s something that we, as a sector, would do well to always keep in mind. QCS is the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector. Reference 1. GMB ‘Three quarters of care workers’ mental health has worsened during the pandemic’ Date: 23rd, April, 2021 https://www.gmb.org.uk/news/threequarters-care-workers-mental-health-hasworsened-during-pandemic
n Leah Cooke is head of content operations at QCS. If you wish to find out more about QCS contact their compliance advisors on 0333 405 3333 or email sales@qcs.co.uk
Group’s approach to training recognised A HIGHLY regarded competition to find some of the best employers in the country has demonstrated that Care UK is in the top three for the way it helps its team members to learn and develop their skills. The operator was awarded the bronze medal in the UK Employee Experience Awards under the Employee Training and Development category for its commitment to all colleagues in developing a fulfilling career through clear career ladders, comprehensive inductions, a diverse range of apprenticeships and innovative development programmes. Human resources director Leah Queripel said: “We are incredibly proud to have our approach to developing our colleagues recognised in this way. “We have a strong ‘grow your own’ ethos and a great many of our home managers and directors have developed their career paths
from team member through to their current senior role thanks to the development opportunities we offer. “I truly believe that this recognition reflects the fact that society is finally realising that social care offers a
great career for people who want to learn valuable skills as well as make a difference to the lives of older people. “And, for those who aspire to climb a career ladder to a very senior level, we can help people to make
that happen through our leadership development programmes.” The awards are open to all types of business and Care UK shared the top three slots with the bank TSB and the London and North East Railway company. Care UK was the only social care provider to win in this year’s Employee Experience Awards. This is the second year that Care UK’s commitment to its employees has been recognised at the same awards – in 2020 it picked up a silver award in the Best Company to Work For category. The UK Employee Experience Awards are one of the most rigorously judged employee experience awards in the country with at least five independent judges per category and each entry is scored at least 10 times. Other shortlisted employers in the 2021 awards included airlines, banks, universities, motor manufacturers and insurance companies.
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