December 2014

no.222 • £4.75

By Dominic Musgrave

CARE home bosses in Wales havebacked a call for urgent reforms ofthe way services are commissionedand paid for.

A review into the quality of life andcare of older people in care homes inWales conducted by the OlderPeople's Commissioner has revealedworrying flaws in procedures forcommissioning social care.

According to Sarah Rochira’s report‘A Place to Call Home?’, the way careis procured is often more about“contractual frameworks and servicespecifications” rather than thequality of life of older people.

Care Forum Wales, the organisationthat represents 500 independent careproviders, welcomed many of thefindings which reinforced what theyhad been saying for years.

Chair Mario Kreft MBE said thereport also highlighted the fact that itwas less viable to run care homes inWales than it was in England.

As a result, an increasing numberof homes were closing because theywere not viable at a time when theneed for them was growing becauseof the increase in the number ofolder people in Wales.

Mario added: "The report is an

important piece of work but it doesnot fully recognise what is beingachieved despite the system anddoes not give enough credit to thegood quality care being provided bymany good people across Wales.

“Yes, the standard of care can beinconsistent in places and wherethere is bad practice it should berooted out, but the majority ofproviders are doing a remarkablejob in the circumstances.

“Most care homes and nursinghomes provide a very good standardof care while there are manyexamples of excellent, life-enhancingquality care taking place, often underdifficult circumstances and withextremely limited resources becauseof the chronic underfunding of socialcare in Wales.

“Many of the report's findings andrecommendations, however, chimewith what Care Forum Wales hasbeen working hard to achieve,particularly in relation to importanceof treating vulnerable people withdignity and respect and designingservices to improve quality of life.”

Care Forum Wales, he said,supported Sara Rochira's demandfor a new approach which would seeservices being commissioned forquality.

Bosses backreport’s callfor reform

Hallmark Care Homes has launched two highlyanticipated facilities in Rugby in Warwickshire andLightwater in Surrey as the group continues toexpand its portfolio. The 70-bed Anya Court in Rugbywas opened by John Craven, and 58-bed Lakeview inLightwater, opened by local resident Brian Blessed,will provide residential, nursing and dementia care.Facilities at the homes include hair salons, cinemasand cafés serving complimentary drinks andhomemade treats.

A 60’s themed afternoontea party organised byTickford Abbey care homein Newport Pagnell hasbeen celebrated the bestever at a ceremony.

The best ever tea partyaward was launched thisyear by NAPA andsupported by UnileverFood Solutions. Itencouraged care homes toinvolve residents inorganising the tea partiesand to open their doors tothe local community.

Tickford Abbey, operatedby the GreensleevesHomes Trust, pulled outall the stops, decoratingthe main house withbright colours and 60’sslogans and playing musicfrom the decade.

Staff, residents andfamily members all joinedin the fun by wearingfancy dress. Residentswere involved from theearly stages of planning tothe tea party itself.

Amie Leveridge, activityco-ordinator at TickfordAbbey, said: “ Everyoneinvolved in our event put ahuge effort into makingsure it was a success, andthe residents reallyenjoyed themselves.”

incorporating

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Tea partyis namedbest everat awards

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3CARINGNEWS

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‘Henpower’ introducedto benefit residents By Dominic Musgrave

A SHROPSHIRE care provider has wel-comed some new residents to its homes –a brood of chickens that are helping toimprove people’s health and wellbeing.

Coverage Care has introduced a flock offeathered friends at Barleyfields House inShrewsbury, and at Lightmoor View, inTelford, to stimulate and engage resi-dents, especially those with dementia.

The scheme is now being rolled outacross its other homes across Shropshire.

The project started with the introduc-tion of a brood of Speckled Pekin chicks –a miniature breed known for its friendlydisposition and love of being handled,making it ideal for older people andthose with dementia.

Residents help to feed and look afterthem and collect the eggs, which are thenused in the home’s kitchen.

At Lightmoor View, Coverage Care'shome in Lightmoor which specialises indementia care, the chickens are part of adedicated outdoor area created for resi-dents.

As well as the chicken coop, there is acaravan in the grounds where residentscan 'holiday' and enjoy al fresco refresh-ments under the awning.

The chickens are the latest animals tobe welcomed at Coverage Care homes inthe county. It already encourages families

to bring in their pets and also organisesvisits from donkeys, ‘pat a dog’, guineapigs, and birds to interest the residents.

David Coull, chief executive of CoverageCare, said: “Pets and companion animalsin residential homes bring great benefitsto elderly residents and people withlearning disabilities.

“It has also been proven in manyresearch reports that people sufferingwith dementia-related conditions benefitfrom the presence of animals. It can be agreat distraction and help to reduce anxi-

ety as well as giving families and visitorssomething to focus on.

“Providing both outdoor activities and achance to interact with animals offers astimulating environment that can reducedepression and loneliness, and gives peo-ple an increased sense of wellbeing, espe-cially those living with dementia.

“There will be some residents in ourhomes who have kept chickens orworked around animals and this couldstir up memories which promote lovelyreminiscence discussions.”

Carer Lorraine Hollins and resident Audrey Whittaker.

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MEMBERS of staff at Coed IsafNursing Home in Llanrhos, Deganwyhave literally bared all for charity.

The nine women have produced a‘Calendar Girls’ style calendar raising£2,285 in the process.

Registered nurse at Coed Isaf, KarenMarshall, said: “All the Calendar Girlshave played their part in gatheringsponsors.

We have had an amazing responsefrom local businesses andindividuals with regards to thesponsorships and have raisedenough money to pay for the

printing of the calendars so all themoney raised will be total profit andgo to our chosen charity.”

The photos on the calendar havebeen taken and edited by formerphotography student Rachel Sharp,who is a carer at Coed Isaf.

The calendars will be on sale atlocal Tesco supermarkets, servicestations, beauticians and the carehome itself.

So far the calendars have raisedmore than £2,250 for the Alzheimer’sSociety, to raise awareness of thedisease.

Care staff bare all for charityThe team at Coed Isaf Nursing Home who took part in the ‘Calendar Girls’ stylecalendar.

Residents get smartwith state-of-the-art technologySTATE-of-the-art technologydesigned to track fitness progress wastrialled by residents at a North Eastretirement village when they took upa series of health challenges.

Eighteen residents at MiddletonHall near Darlington, took part inwalking, cycling and aqua walkingchallenges while using an innovativemobile app developed by London-based de Salve, owned byentrepreneurs Dr Dylan Jenkins andNeil Bunting.

The event was part of Move Week, aEuropean wide initiative to promotethe benefits of being active. Each ofthe residents was allocated awristband registered to them with aunique ID so that when the band wasswiped on a phone, it logged theirprogress and a table of results couldbe produced. Using the sametechnology as contactless creditcards, it meant the residents couldtrack their achievements throughoutthe day. The technology has alreadybeen widely piloted in schools acrossthe UK, but Middleton Hall thought itwould also be useful for theirresidents.

Neil, a director at de Salve, said: “It’sabout finding a way to motivatepeople who may not necessarily beinto sport and getting them active.

Working with the residents has beenabout teamwork and the social aspectof supporting each other. It’s been afantastic day with great results.”

The event tied in with MiddletonHall’s Living Well philosophy, whichencourages residents to enjoymaximum health and wellbeing.

The day ended with a drinksreception and prize presentation byMiddleton Hall’s managing directorJeremy Walford, director LesleyHenderson and Neil.

Jeremy added: “It was a reallyinteresting experiment in that everysingle person did more than theynormally would when they used thetechnology, and there was a sensethat they were competing withthemselves. The residents lovedtracking their progress and they werealso keen to encourage and supporteach other.”

“The residents lovedtracking their progressand they were alsokeen to encourage andsupport each other.”

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Residents putthrough pacesby footballersRESIDENTS at Ingersley Court carehome in Bollington were put throughtheir paces by training staff fromMacclesfield Town Football Club.

Representatives from the clubvisited the CLS-run care home to getresidents in the competitive spiritwith games based on hand-eyeco-ordination.

As an organisation committed tothe highest standards of careprovision, CLS trains all carers toprovide residents with meaningful,rewarding activity and high quality oflife. The games session withMacclesfield Town was arranged aspart of the home’s continuing drive toprovide residents with interesting,engaging activities that are both funand beneficial to health.

Activities involving memory, hand-eye co-ordination, or any form ofmental activity have been shown tosignificantly slow down the onset ofconditions such as dementia andAlzheimer’s.

Staff will continue the sessions infuture, getting more residentsinvolved, and holding similar game

sessions more frequently over thenext few months, both with andwithout the club’s participation.

Cheryl Brooks, activity co-ordinatorat Ingersley Court, said: “At first Iwasn’t sure if the residents would betoo keen, but they absolutely loved it.We played a target game with beanbags, and it got quite competitivebetween the residents. A few peoplewere also glad of the excuse to talkabout Macclesfield Town’sperformance this season.”

On top of their work with theresidents, Macclesfield Town haveagreed to provide free tickets for anumber of residents to attend acouple of their home games.

Sue Duckers, home servicesmanager at Ingersley Court, added: “Ithink getting the club involved withsome competitive game activities is afantastic idea. Not only will it helpwith the residents’ physical andmental health, but it is great for theresidents to have such variety in theactivities done here at Ingersley. Thefree tickets are really the icing on thecake.”

Stocks Hall Care Group was a finalist in three categories at the Be Inspired BusinessAwards at Preston College. The group was presented with certificates after beingshortlisted in the Business of the Year, Employer of the Year and Inspirational Businessof the Year categories.

SNUG Positioning Pillows areuniquely shaped cushions designedto secure stable and comfortablebody positioning of long termbedridden or chair-bound people.

Durable, comfortable, washable andflame retardant, the Snug PositioningPillows also improve accessibility topatients during nursing.

Perfect for use in all care situations,the Snug Positioning Pillows enhancepatients’ alertness, self-awarenessand perception of surroundings,leading to better interaction with thecarers and more active participationin physiotherapy, occupational

therapy, rehabilitation and dailyactivities.

Snug Positioning Pillows areintended for long term bedriddenand chair bound people, includingpeople in a coma after brain injuries,apallic syndrome victims, dementiasufferers, visually impaired people,hemiplegia sufferers, people withlimited mobility, people at risk ofpressure ulcers, frail elderly people,terminally ill people and more.

Available in several shapes to meetdifferent needs, the Snug PositioningPillows improve quality of life of themost vulnerable people.

Pillows improve accessibilityAdvertiser’s announcement

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CARINGNEWS8

Residents at Tegfield House in Winchester had fun taking part in National Techie Day.The day is planned to be an annual celebration of all things ‘techie’ and as such, theteam at Tegfield organised a wide range of ‘high-tech’ activities for residents toparticipate in. They started the day using iPads to look at various websites andFacebook pages. Many of the residents have recently taken part in a professional photoshoot for Hartford Care and were delighted to see images of themselves online. Later inthe day residents were also given the opportunity to try out Skype, find out aboutTwitter and by suppertime many of them had even learnt how to play Candy CrushSaga. Residents Molly Allnutt and Enid Boyd are pictured with home manager ShirleyBartlett. Molly was looking at one of the photos of herself meeting Fred Dinenagerecently.

Richard becomesthird in family tojoin fire serviceA CARE home worker has become thethird member of his family to joinDorset Fire and Rescue Service.

Richard Upshall, guest services co-ordinator at Colten Care's NewstoneHouse in Sturminster Newton, hascompleted his initial training as aretained firefighter.

The 22-year-old follows in thefootsteps of his father Carl, 54, whobecame a retained firefighter in 1986,and brother Simon, 29, a full-timefirefighter based at Christchurch.

Richard, who joined the group threeyears ago, said: "The fire service hasalways been a part of my Iife thanksto dad's involvement.

“It's something I've always wantedto do and I'm really pleased myapplication was successful and thatmy initial training has beencompleted.

“My mum, Theresa, is very proud,as is my dad. Since becoming aretained firefighter I've already beenon 11 jobs including fires and roadaccidents so it's been fairly busy.”

Residents at Newstone Houseenjoyed a behind the scenes look,after Richard arranged for a fireengine to visit the home.

Richard, together with his dad, Carl,

demonstrated some of the onboardequipment including cuttingmachines and pumps.

He added: “Colten Care has beenvery good in giving me a role with adegree of flexibility which allows meto respond, when possible, from theworkplace without compromising mywork as guest services co-ordinator.

"My training as a retained firefighterwill continue for another three years.It's hard work and intense at timesbut very worthwhile. I really enjoy it."

Retained fireman Richard Upshall withdad Carl.

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9CARINGNEWS

Care assistants Debbie Morris and Michaela Power explore the new minibus.

Legacy to take St Faith’sHouse residents for a rideSUCH were the fond memories thatformer Cheltenham resident RonaldCrump had of his mother’s care at StFaith’s House that he rememberedthe home in his will, bequeathing alegacy that has resulted in the charitybeing able to purchase a new, 15-seater minibus.

The vehicle was immediately put togood use by the Cheltenham basedcharity Lilian Faithfull Homes’ runfacility with an afternoon trip toCirencester. The new minibus hasspecial adaptations to make it fit forpurpose including easier wheelchairaccess, better all-round visibility forpassengers and better seating.

Manager Nicholas O’Reilly said: “Weare delighted with the new minibus,

which will be used by all of ourhomes for regular and special treattrips.

“Everyone likes to get out of thehouse from time to time and our resi-dents are no different – they love toget out and about and the newminibus will make it much easier totake them for a ride.

“They look forward to their outingswhich include trips to the coast, gar-den centres, and rides through thewonderful Gloucestershire country-side.

“We are deeply grateful for this gen-erous legacy and delighted the lateMr Crump had such good memoriesabout the quality of his mother’scare.”

RESIDENTS at Bupa’s Craigbank CareHome in Glasgow are enjoying newentertainment and games facilitiesthanks to the proceeds of a successfulsummer fete fundraiser.

The residents were able to makespecific requests for a collection ofparticular recreational items includ-ing DVDs, music, books – and even asnooker table – from the £500 raisedfor the home’s activity fund.

The success of the exercise prompt-ed staff, residents and family mem-bers to work together to transformone of the home’s spare rooms into

an entertainment hub to house theitems. Plans are also in place to addextra activities such as a dartboard,board games and a karaoke machine.

Manager Alan Twigg said: “Thehome is dedicated to providing resi-dents with the best care and support.

“Having a specific entertainmentroom will be stimulating for residentsand give them a great new space toget together, play together and enjoyeach other’s company. We are lookingforward to adding even more equip-ment to the room, allowing the resi-dents to enjoy even more activities.”

Proceeds lead to fun and games

Recipe book toprovide supportto care caterersTHE National Association of CareCatering has produced a newFortified Meals Recipe Book to pro-vide additional support to care cater-ers in this specific area.

Demand for fortified diets to sup-port the health needs of the elderly isincreasing, and with it the require-ment for caterers to offer a variety offortification options in care settings.

The NACC’s recipe book gives carecaterers the knowledge and confi-dence to meet this demand andeffectively create fortified menus thatenhance an existing diet with calorie-dense foods, and also taste great andare visually appetising. The compre-hensive recipe book offers inspirationand a helping hand in preparing suc-cessful fortified meals.

It features a wide variety of easy-to-follow recipes, advice on adaptingmeals already being prepared for oth-ers, nutritional analysis to enablecaterers to trace calories consumed,portion guides, a useful one-weekmenu planner that covers each meal-time and includes ideas for snacksand drinks for variety, and tips froman expert chef on how to present

dishes to ensure meals are eaten.NACC national chair Neel Radia

said: “For people at risk of malnutri-tion a fortified diet plays a vital rolein maintaining weight and overallhealth.

“Fortification, however, is one areawhere there is currently little or nounderstanding. We therefore werecompelled to produce this recipebook to give caterers the know-howand capability to deliver this increas-ingly important element of carecatering.

“The Fortified Meals Recipe Bookwill inspire caterers, with a variedrepertoire of delicious fortified meals,snacks and drinks that are easy tomake and ensure calorie-dense mealsthat meet the dietary needs of resi-dents – and are, of course, alwaysenjoyable to receive and eat.

“It also supports on a practical frontwith nutritional information that iscrucial for monitoring the calorieintake of residents and a handy menuplanner that will allow for a variety offortified options to be introduced andeasily incorporated into existingmenus.”

Hadrian Healthcare Group is sponsoring the newly formed under 16s section at GosforthBohemian Football Club, thought to be the first in the club’s 120-year history. Around 20boys are now involved in the section, and the team is competing in the North East YouthDevelopment League this season.

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CARINGNEWS10

A SOUTH Gloucestershire businesshas won the top prize at an annualUK care award ceremony.

Bluebird Care SouthGloucestershire, who operate fromtheir offices in Chipping Sodbury,have been named South WestNewcomer of the Year following ayear of continual success.

The award came in the same weekas the organisation celebrated its firstbirthday. Set up in October 2013, thecare provider has consistentlyprioritised excellent customer serviceand high standards of care.

Managing director Sophie Rowland-

Jones said: “We are very proud ofwhat we have achieved at BluebirdCare. We won this award as a result ofthe hard work and dedication of ourteam, and the work put in on a dailybasis.

“For us, this extremely positive CQCreport is the minimum acceptable forour service and so we strive to doeven more. Our strong links with thecommunity, and the continual workwe do to build positive links withothers has meant that theorganisation has already become wellstabled with a excellent reputation injust the first year.”

Business scoops prize atawards on first birthday

Bluebird Care South Gloucestershire managing directors Jack Whitfield and SophieRowland-Jones receive the award from Fiona Williams, head of operations.

Home’s healthy mealsachieve catering markNAZARETH Lodge in SturminsterNewton, Dorset is the first residentialcare home in the South West ofEngland to achieve the SoilAssociation’s Silver Food for LifeCatering Mark for serving fresh andhealthy meals, using local andorganic ingredients.

The achievement represents a majorcommitment on the part of the hometo ensure food remains an essentialpart in the daily lives of theirresidents.

The Silver award provides anindependent endorsement that thefood served by Nazareth Lodge meetshigh standards of traceability,freshness and provenance.

The à la carte menus served at thehome now include organic milk andflour and locally sourced ingredients.In addition, eggs come from freerange hens, all meat is farm assuredand fish is sustainable.

The Food for Life Catering Markbrings together all of the issuespeople care about – health, climatechange and animal welfare.

It means that residents and theirfamilies can be confident they areeating freshly prepared meals whichare free from undesirable additives,whilst supporting local producersand, importantly, reducing theenvironmental impact.

Camilla Trimble, proprietor ofNazareth Lodge, said: “I am delighted

that we are the first residential carehome in the South West to achievethe Silver Food for Life Catering Markfor the meals we serve to ourresidents.

“After winning the 2013 South WestRegional Great British Care Award forNutrition & Hydration, I felt thatapplying for this Catering Mark wasthe next logical step.

“The food I serve to my residentshas always been important to me, infact I have no fixed budget when itcomes to food.

“ With the many challenges carehomes have in supporting theirresidents, diet is often overlookedand this catering mark highlights thelink between healthy food andhealthy residents.

“By achieving the Silver award, weare supporting sustainable, organicagriculture, which has a significantpositive impact on ourenvironmental footprint.”

Rob Sexton, Chief Executive of SoilAssociation Certification, said: “Thisis a fantastic achievement byNazareth Lodge Residential CareHome who is leading the way in thedrive to change food culture in thecare of the elderly.

“Serving menus to Silver CateringMark Standards supports localbusinesses and reassures residentsand their families that all meals arefree from GM ingredients.”

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11CARINGNEWS

Company, college andeducation firm to joinforces in sector firstBy Dominic Musgrave

A SHROPSHIRE domiciliary carecompany has become the first in thesector to set up a formal link to helpcounty students into work.

Bosses at Carewatch (MidShropshire), based at Stafford Park,Telford, will offer a work experienceplacement for students at TelfordCollege of Arts and Technology andSBC Training, based in Shrewsbury.

This is another first for the compa-ny, after it was asked into TelfordCollege to deliver a talk on the careindustry.

Steve Harris, director of Carewatch(Mid Shropshire), said: “Some timeago I was approached as a careambassador to go into the collegeand talk about getting into care, theindustry, what it is like and how itworks. This was about six months agoand we have been working with thecollege ever since.

“We organise mock interviews aswell and I felt it was a huge boost tothe industry to have these peopledoing this course and learning aboutthe care industry.

“As with most jobs you learn morewhilst on the job and seeing otherpeople at work, so I felt offering work

experience was another way we couldget involved.”

The placements, which will be get-ting into work training days, havebeen created in conjunction with theJob Centre Plus and ReedRecruitment.

Graham Reynolds, senior adminis-trator for pre-employment skills atTelford College, said it was a hugecoup for them.

He added: “Going on work experi-ence is really eye-opening for the stu-dents.

“We work with students who arecurrently unemployed and while theyget qualifications with us, quite oftenit is the actual experience that poten-tial employers look for.

“Having the opportunity to be partof a company that deals with careand get an insight into the companyis more important than anything theylearn in the classroom.

“It has become increasingly difficultfor students to get work experience inthis field, for reasons we understandas regulations are vital, but there hasto be some time for them to get expe-rience.”

He added that this partnershipcould benefit up to 100 students intotal.

BOHILL House care home inColeraine is bridging the generationgap by inviting students from nearbyDunluce School to join in their activi-ties.

Fourteen students, under the super-vision of two staff members, visit foran hour each week.

The aim is to promote and enhancethe lives of the residents as well asgive students an opportunity todevelop their skills within a caringenvironment.

Tracy Henry, manager at BohillHouse, said: “It is heart-warming tosee the young people and our resi-dents working together and interact-ing with each other.

“Forging relationships with organi-sations in the community contributes

to the quality of life residents enjoy atBohill. This scheme helps bridge thegeneration gap by enabling the stu-dents to mix with older people andlearn a little about caring for olderpeople and treating them withrespect and dignity.”

Following each visit, students aregiven learning ‘tasks’ and, at the endof the six-week programme, awardswill be presented to outstanding stu-dents.

This will further enhance theircareer development and their CVs.The initiative is supported by thePrince’s Trust.

One of the first projects the studentsand residents worked on togetherwas making a scarecrow for thehome’s Harvest Festival celebrations.

Students join activities Bohill’s Iris Millican and service user Anne Stewart with students from Dunluce School.

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CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT12

TWO new short courses on infection control inhealthcare environments have been launched bynational care training provider Connect 2 Care (C2C).

The half day courses – Infection Control, andInfection Control for Cleaners and Domestics inHealthcare Settings – are tailored to cleaning, domesticor housekeeping staff in health or social care settings.

They also enable care providers to meet statutoryrequirements whilst improving the skills andknowledge of their workforce.

“All healthcare workers have a duty of care to theirpatients and preventing infection forms part of thatduty of care,” said Sara Goldie, operations director atC2C. “There are no prerequisites for either of the newshort courses, so they’re ideal for anyone currentlyworking in a health and social care role with thewillingness to learn.”

Connect 2 Care offers a wide range of professionallyrecognised care skills, training and developmentoptions.

Enquiries: To find out more, contact Connect 2 Care on 0800 954 2803

or visit www.connect2care.net

Two new infectioncontrol courses

from C2C

Societies join forces to launch approvedUnderstanding Dementia qualificationALZHEIMER’S Society Training andConsultancy and The Royal Societyfor Public Health (RSPH) havelaunched an exciting co-developed,Ofqual approved qualification tohelp people understand more aboutdementia.

With 80 per cent of people in carehomes living with dementia ormemory problems, the Level 2Award in Understanding Dementiahelps to respond to the real need fora recognised standard for peopleworking directly in dementia care.

Ideal for care professionals whowant to improve their knowledge orskills to understand and care forsomeone living with dementia, theUnderstanding Dementia Awardenables participants to comprehend

how the experience and progressionof dementia is unique to the person.

The Award helps participants gainan understanding of how thewellbeing of a person with dementiacan be improved, including how

society can have a positive influenceon people living with dementia.

The award is also open to anybodykeen to broaden their knowledgeabout dementia, includingDementia Friends.

STAFF and residents at GalsworthyHouse Nursing Home havelaunched a new recruitment andtraining initiative with help fromRichmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith.

Galsworthy House was chosen byCaring Homes Group to host thelaunch of a range of new initiativesdesigned to attract the bestmembers of staff and to ensurethey receive the very best training.The initiatives launched included adedicated recruitment website andthe Helena Jeffery Care Academy,which provides hands-on trainingto nurses and carers.

MP for Richmond Park, ZacGoldsmith, said: “I was delighted tobe able to meet with residents,relatives and staff at GalsworthyHouse. It’s always a pleasure tospend time with such importantmembers of our community.”

The company will also beproviding additional resources fornew employees, including thepayment of professional fees and anew Voluntary Employee Benefitsscheme, which offers retaildiscounts at over 8,000 locationsnationwide.

Managing director of CaringHomes Group, Laird MacKay, said:

“It was incredibly exciting to beable to launch these initiatives withthe Residents, relatives and staff atGalsworthy House along with ourlocal MP, Zac Goldsmith.”

MP Zac helpshome launchrecruitmentinitiative

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A Bradford-based care group is backing a government-funded initiative that has recently beenlaunched in the UK to combat malnutrition among elderly people. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Group provides food for thought withmalnutrition awareness campaignCZAJKA Care Group will bepromoting and sharing the firm’s bestpractice in order to help othersunderstand the importance ofproviding both a choice of nutritious,appetising meals to residents as wellas highlighting the support manypeople need to eat them.

Area catering supervisor at Czajka,Gerard Raedcher, said: “Thegovernment’s MalnutritionPrevention Project aims to increasediagnosis and treatment ofmalnutrition and improve care andsupport for those at risk.

“It plans to encourage wholecommunities, including care homes,hospitals and GP surgeries, to cometogether to raise awareness ofmalnutrition and ensure that those atrisk do not fall through the net, andwe are backing it all the way.”

Funded by the Department ofHealth, the project is being run byThe Malnutrition Task Force, a groupof experts which include Age UK andthe British Association for Parenteraland Enteral Nutrition. The approachis currently being piloted in fivedifferent areas across England, withthe results from these to bedisseminated nationally.

The latest figures from BAPEN

suggest that 1.3 million people overthe age of 65 in the UK suffer from orare at risk of malnutrition, and fiveper cent of these people live in carehomes.

Gerard added: “It is important toraise awareness of the dangers ofmalnutrition in the elderly which isusually caused by an inadequate dietand can often result in an early death.

“Older people are particularlyvulnerable to malnutrition for anumber of reasons, includingchanges in body composition duringageing and reduction in appetite. Adecrease in both taste and smell cancause a decreased interest in foodand dental problems often make itdifficult to eat certain types of foods.

“There are many reasons whyelderly people’s appetites diminishbut despite this, a lot can be done tomonitor their nutritional intake tominimise the risk of malnutrition.The Malnutrition Prevention Projectrepresents an excellent opportunityfor professionals, carers,organisations and the public to worktogether to improve the nutrition ofall vulnerable people in our society.”

Since the company was founded in1983, Czajka Care Group has placedstrong emphasis on the catering

provision of its residents. Menus are developed on a four

week cycle and updated seasonally toensure the best available ingredientsare being used.

Gerard said: “Food and mealtimesare an integral part of the overallservice that we provide across ourestate of nursing and retirementhomes. We believe that the food weprovide is just as important as the

care. Mealtimes form a fundamentalpart of our residents’ daily routine sothis is an area where we can reallywork hard to serve their bestinterests.

“When residents first move into oneof our homes, they are interviewedabout any likes and dislikes theymight have. We then compile thisinformation and use it to create ourmenus, incorporating their requestsat every opportunity. We cater for therequirements of vegetarians, vegans,diabetics and those with religiousdiets, and have systems in place togain feedback to further improve ouroperations. Menus are planned with afocus on nutritional and seasonalingredients and our strong supplychain, which we have built up overseveral decades, allows such diversity.We always use local supplierswherever possible to allow greatercontrol and knowledge of the originof our stock. All our meat comes froma butcher in Saltaire village and ourfruit and vegetables are suppliedlocally from Keighley.”

Czajka employs around 20 chefssupplemented by domestic staff in itskitchens who are all required to havefull professional cateringqualifications.

Gerard Raedcher with Brookfield residentMolly Bamforth.

14 18/11/14 12:15 Page 1

15CARINGNEWS

IT was party time at The Potteries inPoole when the Care UK home cele-brated its first anniversary.

Over 70 people including residents,their family, friends and every mem-ber of the team, gathered at the carehome for a special party to celebratea successful first year.

Entertainment was provided bylocal singer, Dave Howes, who gotresidents singing and dancing, andhelped the party go with a swing.

Rebecca Hudson, customer rela-tions manager at The Potteries, said:“It’s been an incredible first year andit was important to everyone herethat we marked this milestone instyle. I’m thrilled so many peoplejoined us for our first anniversary

party and everyone had a day toremember.

“Our first year really has flown by,with the team welcoming over 60 res-idents, and we have worked hard tohelp each person feel at home here.We have achieved a lot since we firstopened our doors 12 months ago andwe are all very excited to see wherethe next year takes us.”

The Potteries provides a range ofservices from respite, nursing andresidential care, to specialist care forthose living with dementia.

The purpose-built home offers resi-dents high quality facilities and afocus on luxury living with a contem-porary coffee shop, cinema and a hairsalon.

Home marks first anniversaryThe Potteries care home in Poole.

By Dominic Musgrave

TWO new care homes, built as part ofa £5million investment, have beenofficially opened in Tain and Muir ofOrd.

Innis Mhor in Tain and Urray Housein Muir of Ord are new, state-of-the-art care homes, purpose-built forParklands Group, one of the largestindependent care home providers inthe north of Scotland.

They were officially opened by JanetBowen, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Ross and Cromarty.

Built overlooking the Dornoch Firth,Innis Mhor offers 34 rooms andemploys 58 people. Urray House alsooffers 34 rooms and supports 45 jobs.

Both homes are built over threewings with each room offering en-suite facilities and a Smart TV withintegrated camera so that residentscan Skype loved ones anywhere in theworld. Rooms are around 40 per centlarger than the minimum standardset down by the National CareStandards.

Each wing has its own dining roomand meals are prepared using fresh,locally sourced ingredients. A coffeeshop and family room are availablefor residents and visitors.

Public areas have been furnished bya local design company and feature acontemporary Highland theme.

Both homes offer nursing and resi-dential care for the elderly. Respiteand day care services are also provid-ed at Urray House.

The new care homes replace theageing local care home facilities for-merly run by The HighlandCouncil.Management of both carehomes transferred to Parklands inMay 2013.

Ron Taylor, managing director ofParklands Group, which also hashomes in Aberlour, Keith and Buckie,said: “We have invested heavily toprovide the best possible living envi-ronment for our residents, with state-of-the-art facilities that we believe seta new benchmark for the care sectorin the north.

“We have listened carefully to ourresidents and their families anddesigned homes that provide a fullrange of services in modern sur-roundings that nevertheless retain astrong sense of Highland tradition.

“Our new homes in Tain and Muirof Ord offer the latest in luxuryaccommodation, with en-suite roomsthat are significantly larger than theindustry standard. This investment isnot only good news for our residentsand their families, but for the widercommunity.”

Parklands is also developing plansto open new care homes in Brora,Dornoch, Inverness and Elgin.

£5m care homesopen their doors

15 18/11/14 12:16 Page 1

CARINGNEWS16

Belong experience coordinator Lisa McLaughlin and resident Doreen Hunter enjoy theFive Senses workshop.

Artist prompts care villageresidents to get creativeCUSTOMERS at a new communitycare village have been connectingwith their creative side through aninspiring sensory art workshop.

Aimed particularly at the needs ofpeople living with dementia, the FiveSenses workshop at BelongWarrington is designed to stimulatethe senses and inspire participants toexpress themselves through art.

Led by artist Christina MilarvieQuarrell, the session began with theuse of essential oils to evokememories and emotions associatedwith the smells.

After a discussion around anymemories that had been triggered,

participants were encouraged tochoose colours that corresponded tothese memories, using acrylic paintsto express their feelings on canvas.

In closing, the group read poetryand laughed at shared memories oftheir experiences growing up andraising families.

Janine Curwell, general manager,said: “The sensory workshop andactivities offered something foreverybody that took part.

“As well as the rewarding experienceof so many people in the villagetranslating their memories intobeautiful pieces of art, Christina'spoetry reading also moved us.”

16 18/11/14 12:17 Page 1

17 Quality care compliance 13/11/14 09:51 Page 1

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Our software is compatible withmultiple platforms, such as iPhones,iPads, and Android devices – you caneven access the software remotely,enabling you to use the software onthe move, wherever you are.

CoolCare is a completely integratedproduct suite that covers every admin-istrative and recording task in a carehome. These include client recordsincluding assessments and care plan-ning tools, staff records from an HR

perspective including training andtime and attendance functionality. Inaddition, various financial tasks suchas client billing, private monies andpetty cash records are all includedalong with a host of other useful fea-tures. Part of the implementation ofeach CoolCare installation is its tailor-ing and configuration for each cus-tomer so that it fits in with existingsystems and content naturally. Thisflexibility sets CoolCare apart fromother similar systems and enablesusers to create a solution that suitstheir needs. With over 1,000 sites usingCoolCare, we have the experience tohelp and support users appropriately

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New CQC toolkitsnow available ...QCS are pleased to announce thelaunch of our new FundamentalStandards Draft Guidance andStakeholder Surveys to enable youto prepare for inspection under theCQCs ‘Fresh Start’.

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Within the system you will find:� Policies for each of the five KeyQuestions: Safe, Effective, Caring,Responsive and Well-Led.� Policies for each of the Key Linesof Enquiry (KLOEs), including the16 mandatory.� A comprehensive PIR guide toassist you with completing your

Provider Information Return.� All of the QCS policies within themanagement system have beenindexed against the Key Lines ofEnquiry.� 20 new Stakeholder Surveys –one for each Key question for thestakeholder groups; 'service usersand advocates', 'professional advi-sors', 'visitors', 'staff', along withinstructions on how to use themthroughout the year.� CQC outcomes conversion chartto help you map out the changes.Coming soon:We are working on a new MockInspection Toolkit which will helpyou prepare for inspection andhelp you collect evidence todemonstrate compliance.

18 18/11/14 12:18 Page 1

19 18/11/14 12:27 Page 1

CARINGNEWS20

STAN Glazier, a resident at DeneHolm in Northfleet, has transformedhis bedroom at the home in to amodel railway village, with the help ofa few recycled items.

A lifelong fan of trains, he beganbuilding train sets around 10 yearsago, using recycled items as the basefor his model railways and villages.

“I really enjoy it, it keeps my handsmoving and keeps me busy,” saidStan. “Sometimes it can be a bit fiddlyand I get frustrated but then I just

take a break and come back to itlater.”

The fully operative train set is thethird Stan has built, and he has spentaround 12 weeks perfecting theminiature town and railway, but it’snot finished yet. He has passed on hislove for trains to his grandson, whocomes to see him regularly.

Stan added: “My grandson visits meeach week and he loves to play withthe train set, though I often have torebuild it after he has left.”

Stan builds railway in his roomStan Glazier with his model railway.

Domiciliary firmto partner withreview website EXPERTISE Homecare has becomethe first domiciliary care company topartner with independent reviewservice Reevoo on an ongoing basis.

The partnership will enable peoplesearching for a care provider to seeregularly updated, accurate andtrustworthy customer satisfactionreviews. Reevoo will contact ExpertiseHomecare customers directly,collecting in-depth and impartialfeedback and gauging satisfactionlevels across a number of set criteria.

They will then produce ‘TripAdvisor’ style reviews and star ratingsthat give potential customers anaccurate assessment of the range ofservices and the quality of careprovided, allowing them to make aninformed care choice.

The Reevoo reviews will feature oneach Expertise Homecare franchise’swebsite. Expertise Homecaremanaging directors Natalie Richardsand Harriet Smith said providingpotential customers with thisindependent assessment servicereinforced their commitment tobuilding trust through transparency.

Natalie added: “We want torevolutionise the UK home caresector by investing in innovative

services that increase care standardsand add value to customers. Ourpartnership with Reevoo is just oneexample of our industry-leadingactions.

“This partnership will give peoplefull, frank and honest reviews of ourfranchises across the UK rather thanjust cherry-picked soundbites thatdon’t really tell people anythinguseful. Though partnering withReevoo we are enabling people tofind out precisely what our customershave to say about the standard of carewe provide and how we deliver thatcare. This service furtherdemonstrates our commitment toour four core principles – trust,transparency, quality and support.”

Harriet added: “Although we willhave no control over the Reevooreviews, we are confident that ourcustomers will appreciate the stepswe have taken to ensure we providethe highest standards of care.

“We will keep a very close eye on allthe feedback provided by Reevoo andimmediately respond to anyinstances where our service isdeemed to have fallen below theincredibly high standards we setourselves.”

20 18/11/14 12:18 Page 1

21 20/11/14 14:00 Page 1

22 18/11/14 17:36 Page 1

23CARINGNEWS

CHILDREN have spent weeks collect-ing items to be buried in a time cap-sule in the grounds of Moore Placecare home.

Pupils from Esher Church PrimarySchool collated magazines, pho-tographs and letters to capture theessence of modern life, as well aslooking at the historical celebrationsthat have taken place in 2014, whichwere all buried alongside documentsrelating to the new Anchor carehome, Moore Place.

The time capsule was buried byCathy Bell, headteacher of EsherChurch Primary School, 10 pupilsand Anchor staff at a special ceremo-

ny in the grounds of the new carehome.

Sonia Hamilton- Martin, fromMoore Place, said: “Everyone hasbeen looking forward to burying thetime capsule as it will be an insightinto life in 2014 when it is opened in100 years’ time.

“The pieces collected by the chil-dren and papers relating to MoorePlace and Esher will be importanthistoric documents when they areread in 2114.”

Moore Place is opening in theSpring and will provide care for olderpeople as well as specialist dementiacare.

Children’s treasures buriedin time capsule in grounds

Youngsters with the time capsule at Moore Place in Esher.

Home celebrates10 years of careRESIDENTS and the team at aSanctuary Care home in Watlingtoncelebrated a major milestone whenthey marked the 10th anniversary.

Watlington & District Nursing Homeopened its doors on July 23, 2004 andto mark its birthday the residentsand their loved ones, the team andtrustees of Watlington HospitalCharitable Trust came together toraise a toast to the last decade.

The home, which provides demen-tia, nursing and intermediate care for60 residents, stands on the site of theformer Watlington and DistrictHospital.

Its creation was made possiblethanks to a fundraising appeal by theoriginal trustees of the WHCT, whichraised almost £2million in 2000. Thisenabled the site to be transformedinto a beautiful, purpose-built carehome, which was opened by HisRoyal Highness, The Duke of Kent in2004.

Watlington and its team are wellknown for providing intermediatecare, enabling people to leave hospi-tal following operations or illness andbuild up their strength and confi-dence, before returning home andregaining their independence.

The event also celebrated the grandopening of the home’s stunning neworangery, which will provide adelightful setting for residents to

spend time overlooking the home’sgardens. Pauline Willett, who hasbeen a resident since day one, offi-cially declared the orangery open bycutting a ribbon.

Julie Cooper, who has managed theHill Road home since 2008 and hasworked there for 10 years, said: “Weare absolutely delighted to have cele-brated such a marvellous milestone.Our home has gone from strength-to-strength over the past decade and it’sbeen an honour to provide such highquality care to our residents.

“It was very fitting that Pauline, whois one of three residents, and 20members of the team who have beenwith us since we started, opened ourorangery after months of hard workto get it ready.”

Resident Pauline Willett with homemanager Julie Cooper.

23 13/11/14 11:11 Page 1

CARINGNEWS24

A registered nurse has realised her dream of running her own care home after purchasing aLancashire care business. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Care comes naturallyto new owner Melissa ASHLANDS Nursing Home,Rossendale, which provides care for19 residents and has 25 staff, hasbeen acquired by Melissa O’Rourkeand her husband Jason, following theretirement of former owners AnnaMai and Arthur Marriott.

Melissa, 35, has worked in the caresector since leaving school, andrecently spent two years as nursemanager at The Manor Housenursing home, Chatburn. Jason, 43, aformer joiner and surveyor, will lookafter the financial and administrationside of the home.

The pair have been learning theropes at Ashlands since January andAnna Mai and Arthur will continueworking with them to ensure asmooth transition now that theownership baton has officially beenhanded over.

Melissa said: “Owning and runningmy own care home is something I’vewanted to do from an early age. I waslucky enough to meet Anna Mai andArthur on a nursing course and after

getting to know them they raised theidea of me taking over at Ashlandswhen they retired.

“I feel privileged to be taking overfrom two wonderful people and willstrive to maintain the excellentstandards for which they have madeAshlands renowned.”

Growing up, Melissa got her firsttaste of caring for older people whenshe used to visit a local care home totalk to residents.

After leaving school she trained tobe a nurse and worked for manyyears at Clitheroe Health Centre, alsocaring for her own parents, the lateAnne and Albert Marsden, when theybecame ill with cancer.

“I have always had a naturalinclination to care for people,” addedMelissa. “I cared for my own mumand dad when they were ill, so I knowand understand what that feels likefor family members. It’s made mewant to treat everyone how I wantedmy own mum and dad to be cared forwhen they were ill.

“The care sector often makesheadlines for the wrong reasons, butmany people never hear about theexcellent job done by the vastmajority of care professionals.”

The detached, stone-built, Grade IIlisted property, situated off Turnpike,Rossendale, was built in the 19thcentury as a residence for localwoollen manufacturer SamuelAshworth Lord.

Over the years it has been owned bya number of other local captains of

industry and businessmen, beforebeing converted into a residentialhome for the elderly in the 1980s.

The historic property waspurchased by Anna Mai and ArthurMarriott in 1993 who re-registered thehome to provide full nursing carefollowing sensitive internal structuralchanges and refurbishment.

Melissa and Jason were advised onthe purchase by Simon England fromthe property team at Harrison Drurysolicitors in Preston.

Melissa and Jason O’Rourke with Simon England from Harrison Drury solicitors.

24 13/11/14 11:13 Page 1

25CARINGNEWS

GLORIA Hunniford officially openedthe new extension at The LaurelsNursing Home in Hastings.

Residents, family and friends werejoined by guests from the medical,legal, financial and healthcare pro-fessions as the TV presenter per-formed the official opening ceremo-ny.

The guests then enjoyed drinks anda buffet lunch prepared in thehome’s kitchen by The Laurels’ owncooks, and all the residents who wereunable to attend the festivities in the

lounge due to health reasons weretreated to a personal visit fromGloria. After taking 14 months tocomplete the extension at a cost of£2million, The Laurels’ newRochester Wing has added an addi-tional 24 rooms with private facili-ties, many having balconies anddirect access to the private gardens.

The new wing also includes a hairsalon, mini cinema, two relaxinglounges, a bright and airy atrium,private patio areas and sensory gar-dens.

Gloria opens £2m extensionat Hastings nursing home

Gloria Hunniford at the opening with The Laurels owners Baljit and Jas Thind.

25 13/11/14 11:12 Page 1

26 CARINGNEWS

Belinda Joyce-Ludlow, payroll manager at Sunrise Senior Living, was shortlisted in the‘Best Boss 2014’ category at the Payroll World Awards following a surprise nominationfrom her colleague Suzanne Foody. She was praised for her supportive managementstyle and for her initiative encouraging colleagues to improve their health by taking a30-minute walk each day.

Home launchesrefurbishmentwith open dayBy Dominic Musgrave

SEALE Pastures House in Acresford,Swadlincote officially launched itsnew look with an open day for allthe community.

The care home, which specialisesin residential care for up to 40 elder-ly residents, has undergone anextra-special refurbishment as partof Akari Care’s £15million invest-ment programme in its homesthroughout the UK.

The home threw open its doors forvisitors to take a look around thefresh new premises and attendeeswere joined by councillor PatMurray, Chairman of SouthDerbyshire District Council, and RevMichael Yates.

There was also entertainment pro-vided by local harpist EmilyPilkington.

As part of the refurbishment, resi-dents are now able to enjoy a trip tothe hairdressers in the comfort oftheir home, with a new salon thathas been created in one of therooms that was rarely used.

There is also a coffee shop for resi-

dents and visitors to socialise in andenjoy sweet treats and refreshments.

To make the communal areas morecomfortable for residents, thehome’s conservatory and loungehave also been extended.

The facility has also benefited froma complete re-decoration, with newfurniture, curtains, soft furnishingsand upgrades made to the bath-rooms, to improve the surroundingsfor residents.

Seale Pastures House managerDiane Leary said: “Everyone at SealePastures House is thrilled with thenew surroundings, so it was fantas-tic to show off our fresh new premis-es to the local community and bejoined by Pat Murray and RevMichael Yates.

“The environment of a care homeis extremely important and has amajor impact on the residents’ livesand needs to be safe, fresh and com-fortable.

“This major investment will have apositive impact on the home, mak-ing the area more appealing and,above all, will offer an even greaterstandard of living for our residents.”

New design led ranges created byAngela Gidden MBE

BRITISH healthcare manufacturer of motion furni-ture, accentu8, has unveiled six new rise and reclinechairs designed to introduce new contemporarydesigns to the healthcare market.

The new models are the work of furnituredesigner Angela Gidden MBE, who joined parentcompany, the Wilcare Group, in 2013 as consultantcreative director, with the aim of introducing adesign-led ethos to the company and its market-place.

The result is a new stand-alone brand in accen-tu8 and the simultaneous launch of six new mod-els offered in a choice of powered or manual oper-ation; ‘arc’, ‘cloud9’, ‘haven’, ‘horizons’, ‘lotus’ and‘mode.’

accentu8 offers a diverse range of fabrics fromthe brand’s collection ‘cover and colour’ with anemphasis on the ‘crafted with care’ aspect of itsproducts.

Angela said: “This marks the start of a number ofhighly focused and considered design programmes,which will see further phased launches including

developments of new innovative motion mecha-nisms, static sofa and chair collections and compli-mentary furniture accessories within the accentu8portfolio.”

Enquiries: To view the online brochure visitwww.accentu8.net or call 01446 776111.

26 20/11/14 14:11 Page 1

27CARINGNEWS

Ranked top in the country by carehome.co.uk and shortlisted for care home of the year, TheWillows has gone from strength to strength. Here, founder, chairman and chief executive PaulSwithenbank looks at the role food has played in making the home the success story it is today.

The ingredients of success ...“PROVIDING high quality care is thefocus of everything we do at TheWillows and the food we serve to resi-dents is a real reflection of the pas-sion and commitment we share inachieving that aim.

When I first bought the home fiveyears ago, the in-house chef wouldtend to cook things she felt like cook-ing – perhaps without enough con-sideration for the residents. Forexample, there would be cod, pota-toes and cauliflower served on awhite plate, whereas I knew we need-ed meals that were colourful andmore appetising. I also believed weneeded to offer a 28-day rollingmenu, which is what we providetoday.

However, while I had strong viewsabout the changes I wanted to make,the first step in the process was totalk to my residents and those closestto them about what they’d like to seeon the menu.

First things first – involving residents iskey to successWhile it was time for a change, com-pletely revamping our food offer wasa big decision for us and one we did-n’t approach lightly. I had long beenaware of apetito‘s reputation for pro-

viding high quality meals for carehomes, but before we decided tobring them on board, we organised atasting session for residents andfriends and family. As with anychange, there was some hesitationabout introducing a whole new cater-ing service, but once people had thechance to experience the food forthemselves – its attractive appear-ance, appetising aroma and delicioustaste – we had 100 per cent positivefeedback! This ushered in a wholenew era for our catering services.

We know how important it is tokeep the menu fresh and exciting. Weregularly refresh our menus andinvite residents and their families totasting sessions before doing so. Notonly does this ensure we’re continu-ing to cater to individual tastes, it’salso a nice social occasion for the res-idents.

Similarly, when someone newmoves into our home, talking to themabout what they like to eat is animportant part of making the transi-tion as smooth as possible. After all,moving out of their own home isoften a very daunting experience forelderly people and welcoming themby serving their favourite food canmake a huge difference.

Creating theright atmos-phereFostering apleasantenvironmentat mealtimeswill greatlyenhance res-idents’enjoyment oftheir food.We make apoint ofturning thetelevisionoff, playingsome back-groundmusic andcreating areal atmosphere. There are picturesof residents on the walls, adding tothe homely feel, and they’re served bycarers as we felt counter service wasmore institutional. Our mealtimes areprotected, so if any visitors happen toarrive while food is served, they’rewelcome to sit in the conservatorywith a cup of tea and a biscuit untilour residents have finished dining.That way, residents aren’t distractedfrom the enjoyment of their meals.

Setting high standardsOur high standards are reflected ineverything we do, from our policiesand procedures to our menus. We setexceptionally high standards for staffat all times because if you get thatright, everything else will follow.

Partnering with a company likeapetito not only provides the reassur-ance that our menus provide thenutritional intake residents need toremain healthy and well – while satis-fying the requirements of the CQC –but the high quality of the food weserve makes sure mealtimes remain ahighlight of their day.

In fact, the food is so good here thatour biggest problem is keeping ourresidents’ weight down! A ladyrecently joined us for a two-weekrespite period and her family told usthat she had been struggling to main-tain her weight.

After her stay with us she had puton 7lbs and her family were sodelighted they asked for a two-weekextension with a view to her livinghere permanently.

Examples like that are a valuablereminder of just how big a role quali-ty food provision can play in makinga real difference to the health andwellbeing of residents.”

Paul Swithenbank

27 Beaucare 19/11/14 17:19 Page 1

CARINGDEMENTIA28

A SEAFARERS’ care home in Bansteadwelcomed a team of volunteers fromlocal financial services provider Legaland General for a day of gardening torevamp their grounds.

Working in partnership withBusiness in the Community for thisopportunity, the 12 employees fromLegal and General spent a dayrevitalising the existing garden at theRoyal Alfred Seafarers’ Society’sBelvedere House, which providesdedicated nursing care andaccommodation for retired seafarersand their dependants.

The team helped to revamp thehome’s sensory garden, which isaccessed and used by all the 68residents, 25 tenants and 95 staff atthe home. The garden particularlyprovides those residents living with

dementia with a calm and relaxingsetting which is part of the home’srange of musical and reminiscencetherapies, designed to help theresidents. Music and the othertherapies can help to relieve thefeelings of isolation some dementiasufferers experience, as well asreviving forgotten happy memories.

Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society chiefexecutive, Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, said: “It is always a pleasure towelcome local companies andbusinesses to the Society. The teamfrom Legal and General have done agreat job in revitalising the sensorygarden, which the residents and staffappreciate tremendously. Theirenthusiasm, even through the wetand windy weather, couldn’t bedenied.”

Volunteers transform gardenThe team from Legal and General hard at work at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society’sBelvedere House.

Iffat scores firstwith dementiastudies degreeBy Dominic Musgrave

IFFAT Manzoor is celebrating afterbecoming the first person to graduatefrom a pioneering dementia carescholarship.

The senior care assistant at Bupa’sSeabrooke Manor care home in Ilfordhas become the first person tograduate with a BSc in dementiastudies from Bradford Universityunder the company’s new dementiacare course.

Iffat joined Bupa as a care assistantin 2006. She was one of just 11successful applicants who joined thesponsored programme in September2012, and has worked her waythrough the course of part-timestudies while continuing to care forresidents at Seabrooke Manor.

Iffat has now taken charge oflooking after residents in the home’sresidential dementia unit so she canshare her learning and expertise morewidely.

Celebrating her success withresidents and colleagues, Iffat said: “Iam very proud of myself for doingthis and I am grateful to Bupa forgiving me the opportunity. It’s beentough but now I have a far betterunderstanding of different types ofdementia, and that means I can helppeople to live a more joyful, happylife.

“But it’s not enough for me to just

be able to provide better care forpeople living with dementia – I wantto share what I’ve learnt witheveryone I work with.”

The scholarship programme,providing degree and postgraduatequalifications in conjunction withThe University of Bradford, waslaunched by Bupa in September 2012.It builds on the dementia caretraining programme specially createdfor Bupa by Bradford University’sworld renowned Bradford DementiaCentre.

Managing director of Bupa carehomes, Andrew Cannon, added:“From the day she joined us, Iffat hasshow great dedication to ourresidents and I’m delighted she’s ourfirst Bupa dementia scholar. She’sworked very hard and deserves all ourcongratulations.

“Committed, trained people are thekey to providing excellent andstimulating dementia care for ourresidents.

“We introduced this scholarshipprogramme to provide a much morein-depth level of learning that buildson our sector-leading person firstdementia training.

“Iffat has a new challenge now – toshare her expertise with hercolleagues, and champion greatdementia care in the home thatfurther improves the lives of ourresidents and their families.”

Fundraisers go the extra mileThe Bield team which completed the 24-mile stretch of the Fife Coastal Path.

A TEAM of sure-footed fundraisers –including an 82-year-old resident –have gone the extra mile to raisemore than £2,000 for Bield, one ofScotland’s leading providers ofhousing and care services for olderpeople.

The company’s fundraiser KevinRowe put together an enthusiastic 12-person team to complete a 24-milestretch of the Fife Coastal Path.

The exercise was aimed to mainlyraise funds for Bield’s Flexicareservice in Fife, which worksspecifically with those living withdementia.

Kevin and Bield board membersMike Mackinlay and JacquelineMcCormick were joined by 82-year-old Davey Hunter who is a tenant of

Bield’s Quayside Court, a verysheltered housing development inPerth. Davey, whose daughter andson-in-law signed up for the trip, alsowanted to acknowledge the goodwork done by Scotland’s Charity AirAmbulance and their efforts raisedmore than £100 for the charity.

In addition, Elizabeth Fox, themanager of Bield’s Hillcrest Court inCumbernauld, also joined the walk,raising more than £200 to go towardsthe development’s Garden Club, asdid Patsy Smith and staff from theLeven Flexicare team who raisedalmost £500 for their service.

Flexicare offers people withdementia the opportunity to haveexperienced and qualified carersassist them – whenever they need.

28 13/11/14 09:52 Page 1

29

New £4.75m home opens in BrentwoodA NEW £4.75m state-of-the-art carehome is set to open in Brentwood.

Howard Lodge II is a new 68 bed-room care home facility for the elder-ly owned and run by St MichaelsHomes Ltd, who secured funding tosupport the project from The RoyalBank of Scotland using the bank’sFunding for Lending scheme.

St Michaels Homes Ltd constructedthe new facility in the grounds of itsexisting home Howard Lodge, whichwill be demolished as a result of thecompletion of the home.

Incorporating a fresh and up-to-date design, Howard Lodge II willprovide residents and staff withmuch improved and modern facili-ties and more accommodation thanits predecessor.

Bed capacity has been increasedfrom 44 to 68 and all rooms haveensuite facilities. Howard Lodge II

also offers its residents a hair-dressers, sun terraces/balconies,activity and training facility, day carecentre, tearoom, dining and livingrooms on each wing and landscapedgardens. The new facilities will bene-fit existing residents as well as pro-viding increased space for newcom-ers welcomed to the home.

Sean Watson, director at StMichaels Homes Ltd said: “We arethrilled that the home is now readyto re-open and that all our hard workhas come to fruition. It has takenwell over a year for the constructionwork to complete but the new facilityis excellent and exactly as we hadhoped.

“We have been extremely fortunatethat our residents have experiencedonly minimal disruption during thebuild period and have not had to bere-housed at any point during the

process. Our commitment of care toour residents has remained ourutmost priority and their response tothe new facility has been fantastic.

“I’d like to thank RBS for their sup-

port with this project. The relation-ship we have developed with themduring this period has been fantasticand the service and advice we havereceived has been excellent.”

Claire Watson (company secretary), Sean Watson (director), Sheila Watson (companydirector) and at the bottom Graham Tallyn (RBS).

29 13/11/14 11:14 Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE30

Homecare providerstung for £20,000By David Waters

OVER a third of claims received byPrimeCare Insurance last year relateto incidents where a staff member isinjured in the course of his or heremployment. These are known asemployers’ liability claims andbrought against the domiciliary carebusiness owner, you!

Employers’ liability claims canresult from almost anything, such assomebody tripping over on a path,sustaining back injuries throughdriving or being bitten by a dog whilevisiting a client. They can costthousands to settle, highlighting theimportance of beingcomprehensively insured andoperating a risk managementstrategy.

An obvious but often neglectedmeasure is ensuring carers haveaccess to the resources they need todo their job easily and effectively.

We recently had a case involving acarer working in the domiciliarysector who was provided with a torch,a headlight and spare batteries forboth. One winter evening she chosenot to use them when she went tovisit a customer. The carer was sureshe knew where the key cupboardwas and could find it easily in thedark. Unfortunately she tripped over

a low level walland fracturedher leg.

The carer wasunable to workand had tomake anemployers’liability claimagainst ourclient. It is aduty ofemployers toprovide a safesystem of workfor all employees and this wasevidently not the case here, althoughwe were able to argue a large amountof contributory negligence as she hadchosen not to use either the torch orheadlight. This was accepted, but thecost, including legal fees, was still inexcess of £20,000.

The costs were covered under theterms of our client’s insurance butwill inevitably lead to higherpremiums upon renewal.

Ensure that carers have the toolsthey need to do their job and thatthey use them. Also, encourage carersto be alert to risks and inform othersabout them, as each property theyvisit will be different. � David Waters is managing directorof PrimeCare Insurance.

David WatersHOUSING and regenerationspecialist Keepmoat has secured itsfirst new build contract in Wales tobuild a 40-apartment extra carescheme on behalf of Hafod Care.

Work on the new £5.7m housingscheme for older and vulnerablepeople got underway recently atTalbot Green, in Rhondda Cynon Taff,South Wales.

The development, being built inpartnership with Hafod CareAssociation, is situated on abrownfield site previously owned byRhondda Cynon Taff BoroughCouncil. The apartments areexpected to be completed by summer2016.

The development will feature a mixof one and two-bedroom apartments,offering independent living for the

over 55s. The complex will also boast a range

of additional facilities and on-sitehealth and care support including arestaurant, IT suite, lounge, library,craft room and a hair and beautysalon.

Keepmoat regional director for theWest Midlands and South Wales, NeilBaxter, said: “This is an importantscheme for Keepmoat; our strategyfor growing our business in SouthWales is focussed on working withlocal suppliers and subcontractorswherever possible and maximisingtraining opportunities.

“By working closely with HafodCare, the local supply chain and localcommunity, we aim to deliver aquality scheme of which we can all beproud.”

Firm secures first newbuild contract in Wales

An artist’s impression of the new extra care scheme.

30 13/11/14 11:14 Page 1

31 Chis 13/11/14 09:52 Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE32

£50,000 could be the money lost injust five years on the average £1mloan if you choose the wrong lenderfor your next refinance or extension.

We have seen banks offering betterdeals to new customers whileexpecting existing customers toaccept less attractive terms for theirfinancing.

At the worst end of the scale alender offered a client a rate of baseplus 3.5 per cent on a £4.6mdevelopment loan, but when leadingUK finance brokers, Global BusinessFinance, put the deal to the same

bank they used their extensivebuying power to obtain the offerletter at base plus 2.75 per cent fortwo years interest only, reducingthereafter to base plus 2.25 per centon capital and interest repayments.

With over £1.5bn in completedcare home loans, Global BusinessFinance very often work with banksat national level rather than branchor regional level, and in this onecase they saved the care homeowner over £260,000 in loan intereston just the first five years of hisloan.

£50,000 could be lost in five years

The Bristol office of Christie + Co has sold the Old Vicarage in Frampton-on-Severn toexperienced local operator Shenaz Butt and her husband Richard, of Geniecare Homes.Acting on behalf of Gary and Eileen Winchle, who had run the business for over 15years, the company discreetly marketed the 37-bedroom residential care home,receiving a strong level of interest and multiple offers from existing operators.The facility, renowned locally for its excellent level of care and dedicated staff team,specialises in dementia care for older people. The acquisition of the Old Vicarage bringsthe number of care homes owned by Shenaz Butt to four.

SureCare rolls outcare sector’s firstmicro franchiseA CARE company has launched theUK’s first micro franchise.

The first SureCare Local microfranchise has opened for business inYork and the firm says it is in talksabout opening “at least anotherdozen”.

The micro franchises – whichtypically cover a territory with apopulation of around 100,000 people– are proving particularly popularwith experienced care managers whoare keen to become their own boss.

The first SureCare Local franchisewill provide clients with a mix ofhome services – including gardening,DIY, cooking and cleaning, shoppingand companionship – and children’sservices such as mobile crèches forweddings and babysitting.

SureCare Local in York will be led byYan Huang, who has an extensivebackground in the care sector.

Gary Farrer, managing director ofSureCare, said: “The huge interest inSureCare Local is being fuelled partlyby the continuing deep cuts in localauthority services with many councilcare managers being maderedundant or simply growingdisenchanted with their workingenvironment.

“Many of these people are perfectcandidates to become franchisees.They have management experience,sufficient funds to invest in a micro

franchise, know their local area welland already have a strong network.Add to this the desire to become theirown boss and make a differencewithin their community and you havethe ideal franchisee profile.

“We are delighted to be rolling outour first SureCare Local franchise andwe are currently talking to at leastanother dozen people who haveexpressed interest in joining us.”

One of the big attractions is the costof becoming a SureCare Local microfranchisee – £8,995 as opposed to£32,000 to buy a full SureCarefranchise covering a much largerterritory.

Vikki Donnachie, SureCare’sFranchise Sales Manager, said: “Thepool of talented candidates interestedin becoming their own boss has neverbeen greater. The beauty offranchising is that they are alsoassured of having an experiencedteam to help them get their franchiseup and running and doing everythinga franchise has to do in order to besuccessful.”

Yan Huang, of SureCare Local York,said: “We are excited to be the firstSureCare Local micro franchise. Ourvision is to provide clients in Yorkwith the best possible home servicesand childcare. We aim to enhancepeople’s quality of life whether theyare young or old.”

ANCHOR and construction partnerCastleoak have moved another stepcloser to delivering a luxury £12.4mretirement apartment developmentin Weybridge, Surrey, with aceremony to mark the completion ofthe building footprint.

Anchor chief executive JaneAshcroft CBE and Castleoak chiefexecutive Melville Knight welcomeddeputy mayor of Elmbridge,councillor Mrs Jan Fuller, for a tour ofthe construction site.

The new development, namedAustin Place, will have 65 one-andtwo-bedroom luxury apartmentswhich will be offered exclusively forsale. Communal facilities will includea hair and beauty salon, treatmentroom, coffee shop, lounges, a reading

room and landscaped gardens. As well as a thriving local

community, residents will benefitfrom the peace of mind of anoptional tailored care package andplan from Anchor.

Jane said: “We are very excited thatthe building footprint is complete atAustin Place and the development isreally starting to take shape. Peoplewill be able to make the most of livingin a spectacular setting with thepeace of mind that there are a rangeof housing and care options availableto them.

“Austin Place is another stepforward in Anchor putting solutionsin place that meet its customers’aspirations and changing needs.”

Austin Place will open in 2016.

Anchor celebrates constructionmilestone for new apartments

The Anchor team with deputy mayor of Elmbridge, Councillor Mrs Jan Fuller, andCastleoak chief executive Melville Knight.

32 13/11/14 11:15 Page 1

33 18/11/14 12:38 Page 1

CARINGNEWS34

Ian Trainor, activities co-ordinator at Redworth House, with resident Patsy Monk, herson Gary Monk, and a picture of her husband Tony Monk, who helped to build the home10 years ago.

Care home celebratesits 10th anniversaryA SHILDON care home hascelebrated 10 successful years since itwas built, with a fun-filled party.

Redworth House, which is part ofBondcare Shaftesbury, held a partyfor its staff and residents inrecognition of the landmark, withsinger Kevin Royal providing theentertainment.

One of the home’s residents, PatsyMonk, particularly enjoyed thecelebration, as she is the wife of thebuilder, Tony Monk, who helped tobuild the home 10 years ago.

Also at the party were the home’slongest standing members of staff,who have been there since it openedits doors in 2004.

Robin Mortimer, the home’s

maintenance man lives nearRedworth House and rememberswatching it being built and IanDawson, catering assistant at thehome, celebrated 10 years workingthere this year.

Joan McNeil, home manager, said:“We’re delighted to be celebrating adecade since the home was built. Thefacilities we have on offer atRedworth House are excellent and westrive to provide our residents withthe best possible care and support.

“The party was the perfect way tocelebrate the home’s 10 yearanniversary and I would like to thankeveryone for attending and especiallyKevin for his performance, which theresidents and staff really enjoyed.”

AN Aberdeen care home hassuccessfully been awarded a grantfrom the City Council’s GreatOutdoors Fund to transform anunused outdoor space into abeautiful garden for residents toenjoy.

As part of their application for thefund, Four Seasons Health Care’sLaurels Lodge drew up plans toredesign the area in order to create astimulating, accessible and attractivespace for all of the home’scommunity to enjoy.

It will include colourful flowers andplants allowing green-fingeredresidents to enjoy some gardening.There will also be a new patio withbenches so that people can spendsome quiet time alone or sit withfriends or family. The home is alsoinvesting in work benches soresidents can comfortably tend toplants.

The new outdoor area willcomplement the home’s existingsensory garden especially designed

for those living with dementia. Thesegardens are specifically designed totake into consideration the impact ofscent, light, colour, contrast, textureand sound in order to create abalanced and stimulating sensoryenvironment.

Home manager Sylvia Nicholls said:“We are delighted to have receivedfunding from Aberdeen City Councilthat will enable us to have a newgarden and outdoor space forresidents and their families to enjoy.

“The area will provide a tranquilenvironment in which everyone canrelax and it will make a real differenceto the wellbeing of people living inthe home.”

The Great Outdoors Fund bestowsgrants for therapeutic improvementsto green spaces in Aberdeen,enabling organisations to engagewith, care for and support the elderly.

Located in the outskirts ofAberdeen, Laurels Lodge providesEMI nursing care for its 45 residentswho live with dementia.

Home gets green fingeredwith City Council grant

ARTIST and Abbeyfield Kent residentLester Edenborough gave aninsightful talk and paintingdemonstration at the Dynesresidential home in Kemsing.

He uses a technique calledencaustic painting, in which imagesare created with wax using an iron.Lester gave a talk at the Dynes’ artclub as well as a short demonstrationon how the technique works.

“I started painting around 25 yearsago, I’d had oil painting sets beforethis but they’d never really excitedme,” Lester says of his decision totake up painting. “I was at aChristmas fair with my wife and I sawa man painting with a travel iron, Iwas amazed and I said to my wife,‘that is what I want for Christmas!’”

“I sold my first painting to animpressed neighbour, then I decidedto hold an exhibition in my garden. Itrained so we had to move it insidebut we had plenty of visitors andsales throughout the afternoon.”

Despite never having any educationin art, over the years, Lester haspainted hundreds of paintings on avariety of subjects including flowers,landscapes and abstract, he alsomanaged to sell many of them from astudio in Otford, where he lived, andeven featured on the ITV news once.

In a rather unusual coincidence, heeven sold a starter painting kit to theDynes’ home administrator JaneDebenham around 10 years ago.

“I enjoy painting because it iscreative and colourful. I am aChristian and I am certain my abilityto paint was a gift.”

Lester continues to attend theDynes’ weekly art club and still sellsmany of his pieces of work, as well ascards and calendars.

Lester gives art demoto home’s residents

Lester Edenborough with an example ofsome of his work.

Group’s homes enjoyarts-led activities aspart of BOLD FestivalRESIDENTS at care homes across theNorth East have enjoyed a series ofarts-led activities as part of BOLDFestival this autumn to celebrate thecreativity and experiences of olderpeople.

Hill Care homes across the regionjoined forces with ARC, Stockton ArtsCentre, to take part in BOLD Festival.

Residents from Ingleby, QueensMeadow, The Beeches, MandaleHouse and The Gables care homesattended a variety of events,performances and workshops duringthe month-long festival.

These included a special day trip towatch the production of Home SweetHome, a stage play about the joys andchallenges of life in a care home,which was based on the true storiesand experiences of over 200 peopleacross the UK.

ARC also hosted activities at variousHill Care homes as part of the festival,which included a show by two BOLDperformers at Mandale House. Theshow was based on the performers’own inspirations and experiences, andwas created over three days withdirector Ree Collins at ARC beforebeing performed to the public.

Other events at the homes includedtwo ‘Silver Singers Workshops’ thatwere held at Ingleby and MandaleHouse. During the workshopsresidents sang songs to a musicalaccompaniment – an event that they

enjoyed so much that the sessionslasted for an hour-and-a-half.

Mandale House also welcomed backARC for a ‘ukulele workshop’, wherethe opportunity to play the Hawaiianinstrument was a first-time experiencefor most of the residents.

ARC also hosted a ‘creative arts’session at Ingleby, which was attendedby friends, family and members of thelocal community.

Liz Jones, customer relations officerat Hill Care, said: “BOLD is awonderful festival which provedextremely popular and we weredelighted to be involved. ARC haveheld a range of events in our homesthat have inspired as well asentertained our residents.

“At Hill Care we put great importanceon holding different activities at ourhomes and always try to involve thelocal community where we can. Wewere very pleased that through ARCand the BOLD festival we couldconnect with the community, partakein new and exciting events andorganise a trip to the arts centre forHome Sweet Home.

“Because BOLD celebrates olderpeople and their creativity ourresidents have been able to relate toand thoroughly enjoy every eventthey have been involved in so wewould like to thank ARC and lookforward to working with them againnext year.”

34 13/11/14 11:15 Page 1

35CARINGNEWS

Call for sector-wide consultationafter survey results are revealedBy Dominic Musgrave

HC-ONE has initiated a sector-widedebate on implementing an opt-in,visible camera scheme in care homes,following its consultation on the mat-ter.

Leading the way in restoring trust inthe care sector following recent casesof malpractice towards residents, theUK’s third largest care home providerlaunched a consultation among itsresidents, relatives and staff to gaugetheir views on an opt-in, visible cam-era scheme.

Based on the results received, HC-One is now calling for a sector-widepublic debate on the issue.

Over 12,000 residents, relatives andstaff responded to HC-One’s consul-tation:� 68 per cent of all respondents werein favour of introducing opt-in, visi-ble cameras in homes.� 87 per cent of relatives supportedthe use of cameras.� 63 per cent of staff supported theuse of cameras.� 53 per cent of residents opposedthe use of cameras.

The consultation revealed a numberof concerns about the implementa-tion of such a scheme:� Privacy for residents – 74 per cent. � Who has access to the footage – 65per cent.

� Who watches the footage – 63 percent. � Where footage is stored and howsecure it is – 60 per cent. � Where in the home cameras areused – 53 per cent.

This consultation was phase one ofHC-One’s broader three-phase pro-ject. Phase two involves an industry-wide debate on the above findingsand possible ways to navigate the so

far inconclusive results. HC-One’s chairman, Dr Chai Patel,

said: “At HC-One, we have long beendebating how to stamp out malprac-tice in care homes and restore publictrust in the care sector.

“Having worked hard over the lastthree years to make a number ofimportant investments and improve-ments to our homes, we felt now wasthe right time to discuss the use ofvisible cameras with the individualswho matter most to us – HC-One res-idents, relatives and staff members.

“The results of this consultation arevitally important in initiating anindustry-wide debate on the matter.The potential implementation of anopt-in, visible camera scheme is avery serious issue and one for thewhole sector to debate in depth.

“We welcome regulators, stakehold-ers and other interested bodies toshare their opinions and ensure thatour loved-ones up and down thecountry receive the kindest care.”

The full report of HC-One’s consul-tation has been sent to regulators andstakeholders, including theDepartment of Health. HC-One iskeen to receive feedback from thesebodies, and any other interestedorganisation, by December 31.

The full report can be downloadedfrom www.hc one.co.uk/resources/camera-consultation

HC-One’s chairman, Dr Chai Patel.

TWO members of staff atWallside Grange Care Centre inFalkirk are celebrating afterachieving valuable qualificationsin care.

Care assistant Terry Allan hasgained his Train the Trainer forMoving and Handling qualifica-tion and Meghan Storrie, also acare assistant at the CanterburyCare Group owned facility, hascompleted her SVQ Level 3 inCare.

Terry and Meghan were bothassessed on theory work andcompleted practical training ses-sions to enhance their skills.

Manager of the 36-bed facility,Stuart Waterfall, said: “It isimportant to have both a caringand well-trained and skilledworkforce to ensure that thequality of care is high and con-sistent.

“We are all extremely proud ofTerry and Meghan for workingreally hard and gaining theirqualifications.

“The theory and skills theyboth learnt on their respectivecourses will be put to excellentuse every day in their work ascare assistants at WallsideGrange.”

Care duocelebrateresults

35 Skills 4 Care 19/11/14 10:02 Page 1

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS36

Forbes Professional’s CompleteCare for the healthcare sectorA FAMILY company established in1926, Forbes take great pride in thelevel of service that is delivered fromour nationwide infrastructure.

Our Complete Care package offersclients access to Miele commerciallaundry equipment with no costlyinitial capital outlay and a simplefixed monthly payment structure.

An inclusive and fullycomprehensive service backuprelieves our clients of unexpectedrepair or maintenance costs.

Miele’s latest range of commerciallaundry equipment is designed totake cost efficiency to another level.

Indeed, some models can boast upto 73 per cent lower energyconsumption and up to 56 per centlower water consumption whencompared to predecessors.

As such we can provide machinesthat combine cost effectiveness withspeed, whilst retaining an optimumwash quality and ensuring thermaland sluice disinfection.

Care homes looking to cutownership costs and upgrade to thelatest premium commercial laundryequipment will financially benefitfrom our package, while optimisingtheir laundry facility.

Cooper Healthcare optsto keep it in the familyCOOPER Healthcare’s SamanthaCooper, a healthcare consultant withover 20 years’ experience, haswelcomed her brother Ian Catterall tothe team to strengthen the firm’spresence locally and nationally.

Ian joins from a national electricalwholesaler where he worked for 10years, specialising in personalaccount relationships from one manbands to large corporate companies,many of which he looked after for thefull duration of employment.

Previous employment also includesa leading group of estate agents,specialising in the disposal ofresidential properties in the NorthWest, where Ian prided himself ongiving a personal touch.

Samantha said: “I am thrilled Ianhas eventually joined the company,we are a very close family and Iwanted to work with someone that Icould trust and mirror thecommitment and dedication I give tomy clients.

“Ian has exceptional knowledge,expertise and focus for clientrelations, which I think will greatlybenefit Cooper Healthcare as wecontinue to grow.”

Ian added: “Joining CooperHealthcare is a great opportunity tobe part of a respected consultancy,enabling me to offer a morepersonalised and consultativeapproach within the sector.

“My knowledge of purchasers andcustomers has, to date, proved to beone of the main contributing factorsbehind my success, which I know willmature at Cooper Healthcare.

“I am looking forward tounderstanding care home businessesand maintaining long termrelationships, old and new.”

Ian Catterall

WORK has begun on four residential,nursing and specialist dementiahealthcare projects across the UK asNorthStar gets on site to develop five-star home from home environments.

Totalling over £15million, theprojects are situated throughoutBritain and will see the company’sprofessional team come together todeliver a total of 220 beds, 17 studioapartments and 25 extra carebungalows to meet the needs ofmodern elderly care.

The projects, which are based inGloucester, Glasgow, and Norfolk, willprovide specialist residential, nursingand dementia care for elderly peoplein environments that have been

designed to be as flexible as possibleto meet a range of care needs.

Danny Sharpe, director atNorthStar, said: “This certainly is abusy time for us, from the planningand design to now the actualconstruction start date, we are happyto get going and see these fourprojects completed within the next 12months.”

The developments will seeNorthstar sensitively manage issuesranging from working within aconservation area, followinghistorical building lines, to beingespecially sensitive to other dwellingsin a high population area of onedevelopment.

Residents wear itpink for breastcancer charityCARE home residents across theNorth East turned everything rose-tinted in a bid to raise awareness forBreast Cancer Care.

Queens Meadow in Hartlepool, TheBeeches in Stockton-on-Tees andMandale House, based in Thornaby,each held activities and donned huesof fuchsia, salmon and coral to raiseawareness and funds for the charityon Wear It Pink Day.

The Beeches served refreshmentsand cupcakes, which were, of course,decorated pink, and activities co-ordinator Shannon Burton-Cormackeven braved an ice cold bath in thehome’s grounds to raise funds for thecause.

Queens Meadow hosted a flowerstall and tombola to celebrate the dayand each of the homes asked fordonations and sponsorship for staffand residents to get dressed up intheir favourite pink apparel.

The homes raised hundreds ofpounds for Breast Cancer Care, which

will go towards vital research into thecauses, prevention and treatments forthe disease which affects 55,000people each year, more than 350 ofwhom are male.

Liz Jones, customer relations officerat Hill Care, said: “We always love tosupport charities in any way that wecan at our homes and it’s great thatthe residents and staff could do thiswhilst enjoying themselves too.

“Everyone who got involved shouldbe proud of themselves for themoney that they have raised,especially our activities co-ordinatorShannon who really took the plunge...plummeting into the freezing cold icebath in her pink outfit to raise furtherfunds. Breast Cancer is the mostcommon cancer in the UK; it affectsthousands upon thousands of peopleeach year and we at Hill Care felt itwas vital that we joined the fightagainst this horrible disease andhelped raise awareness and funds totackle it head on.”

A North East retirement village is celebrating after scooping a Northumbria in BloomGold Award for the fourth year running.mMiddleton Hall Retirement Village, nearDarlington, clinched a gold medal in the Best Kept Grounds of a Care Facility in thecompetition, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Middleton Hall was alsonamed overall winner of the category. Renowned plantsman Lord Howick, owner ofHowick Gardens in Northumberland, presented the awards during a ceremony atBrandling House, High Gosforth Park, Newcastle.Middleton Hall’s gardeners James Stark, Alan Langburn and head gardener DeanLazenby are pictured picking up the Northumbria in Bloom Gold Award for the fourthyear running.

Work begins on four projects

36 20/11/14 14:33 Page 1

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS 37

Claim VAT back on your home evenif you are not VAT registered

IT is true, care providers can reclaimVAT worth about £3,000 per bed forany residents who stayed in yourhome between 1993 and 2002 paidfor by the local authority.

You don’t have to be VATregistered to make a claim. We canusually find the information requiredwith minimal disruption to yourbusiness.

How is this possible? Well in 2002a care provider called Kingscrestchallenged the view held by HMRCand won. There is no cost to youunless we are successful.

Typical claims: 50 beds –£240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287beds – £1.25m.

And the best part is that you getthe money in your bank accountbefore you pay us. Don’t forget thetax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.

Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.

SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, RichardsResidential Supplies have concentrated uponsupplying simple solutions to common nursinghome problems.

The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to thistradition.

With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 percent waterproof backing, the remarkableWACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills mayoccur.

Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms orbathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpetprotection. Then, after use, simply machine washand tumble dry! It’s that simple...

The WACMAT® will then be clean and odour-free, ready to perform time and time again.Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be usedas an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of poundsin rental costs alone.

Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

Simple solutions

Beaucare’s Beauwash™ Range BEAUWASH™ is an efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly laundry cleaning products range,specifically formulated with healthcareestablishments in mind.

It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaningperformance at lower temperatures, shorter washcycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing amore sustainable laundry cleaning process in termsof overall running costs and for the environment.

Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs,5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers.

When combining the laundry liquid with

automated dosing systems, it creates one of themost efficient laundry solutions available on themarket today.

Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficientway to run all healthcare laundry needs andprovides expert fitting and maintenance ofautomatic dosing systems by its own serviceengineers.

Enquiries call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit

www.beaucare.com

REGARDLESS of how thorough staff are in ensuringtheir clients wash their hands after toileting, thechances are there may be faecal deposits still underfinger nails etc…

That poses a potential risk when the client thentouches anything- a chair, biscuit, carer, friend.

The most effective solution is to avoidhand:body contact when toileting. Clos-o-Mat,Britain’s leading supplier of toilet solutions forelderly and disabled people, manufactures thebrand-leading Palma Vita automatic wash and drytoilet.

With its in-built washing and drying, the PalmaVita eliminates any need for manual contact/cleansing after toileting. Thus it delivers a ‘hands-free’ answer to achieving a consistently highstandard of cleanliness and hygiene for client andcarer.

The Palma Vita looks like, and can be used as aconventional WC. Simple pressure on the operatingpad triggers simultaneous flushing and warmwater douching, followed by warm air drying.

The process means there is no need for manualcleansing with toilet tissue, and thus no risk of

faeces soiling clothing, and/or transferring tohands for onward contact. It also means the user isalways cleaned to the same consistently highdegree, and reliance on carer assistance isminimised or removed.

Enquiries: Visit www.clos-o-mat.com or call 0161 969 1199.

Hands-free toileting for reducedcontamination risk

Are you paying too much?IF you’re seeking to restructure orincrease your existing mortgage,Chandler & Co.’s status as anindependent healthcare specialistmeans we have strong links with acomprehensive range of lenders.

The combined experience of thepartners including financial,management and care homeownership offers first-handknowledge and expertise in thehealthcare sector.

As existing operators, you canconsider the whole range of optionsavailable to you, including:� Restructuring of existing loans.� Equity release and debtconsolidation.� Purchase of additional businesses.

� Refurbishments and extensions ofexisting business.� Land purchase and new buildschemes.� Sale and leaseback finance.

By combining finance forimprovements with a restructure ofyour existing borrowings, it may bepossible to enhance your businesswithout increasing your monthly loanrepayments.

Terms include:� Rates as low as 1.65 per cent.� 75 per cent loan to value� No arrangement fees� 25-year loan commitment

Make an informed decision with aFREE financial review from Chandler& Co.

Anchor Lodge receivesthe Shackletons touchANCHOR Lodge care home inSunderland was looking to create awarm and welcoming domesticenvironment that would specificallyavoid the stereotypical look of ahealthcare environment.

Situated near the beach, on thescenic Roker seafront, Anchor Lodgehas been designed to providesupported housing and respite carethat will assist people withAlzheimer’s and dementia diagnosisin a relaxed, warm and welcomingenvironment.

Shackletons was hired by thecompany as sole supplier of furnitureto complete the entire project whichincluded: nine fully furnished studioapartments, communal areas,lounge, dining area, activity room,fun pub, quiet lounge, andbedrooms.

Shackletons supplied seating,bedroom furniture, occasionalfurniture and soft furnishings toprovide Anchor Lodge with theidentity they required.

Carefully chosen healthcare specific

furniture and colour schemes werespecified to aid residents with visualand cognitive impairment achieve ahigher level of independencethroughout the scheme.

Owner Benice Slater said: “Wefound the Shackletons product verysupportive of our needs; especiallyour specific requirements of findingproducts to suit the needs of ourresidents with dementia. To date wehave had 60 enquiries and stillcounting.

“We’re already planning our nextcontract with Shackletons. I highlyrecommended them, excellentservice.”

Sarah Thompson, regional salesmanager at Shackletons, added: “Assoon as I visited Anchor Lodge Iknew it would be a special project.Fabulous sea view to the front andgarden views to the rear provided asense of tranquillity before westarted.

“We brought nature inside, whileensuring the residents would be fullysupported by their surroundings.”

Anchor Lodge care home in Sunderland.

Caring staff raise funds for charitySTAFF from Stocks Hall Care Groupraised more than £1,000 by takingpart in the Alzheimer’s SocietyMemory Walk at Aintree Racecourse.

Geraldine Ball, Paris Sharples andEmma Fairclough of Stocks Hall CareHome in Ormskirk and Emma Hyatt

and June Meadows of Stocks HallCare Home in Skelmersdale walkedeither 10km or 2km.

June said “We were all pleased toparticipate in the memory walk andhelp to raise money for a very worthycause which is close to our hearts.”

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Transport

Accountancy

Transport

ID Cards

Care home hosts inauguralFlame of Forgiveness eventCOMMUNITY leaders, schoolchildren and care homeresidents gathered at aninaugural event tocommemorate the centenary ofWorld War 1 in the spirit offorgiveness.

Marlborough Court CareHome in Thamesmead was thevenue for the historic occasionof the first Flame of Forgivenessevent, which was held as part ofthe Flame of ForgivenessFortnight to commemorate thecentenary of World War I.

Flame of ForgivenessFortnight is a new initiativebetween care homes andschools to commemorate thecentenary of WW1.

The project has beenlaunched by the team at FourSeasons Health Care’sMarlborough Court Care Homein Thamesmead alongside theirlocal MP Teresa Pearce and it isbeing supported by TheForgiveness Project charity andCare England. NAPA are alsoworking with MarlboroughCourt on the project.

A host of guests includingTeresa Pearce MP, Bexley MayorHoward Marriner, CareEngland’s professor MartinGreen, Sylvie Silver from NAPA,

Marina Cantacuzino of theForgiveness Project, LindaDelieu of Trust Thamesmeadand schoolchildren andteachers from the local school,Bexley Business Academy.

Built on munitions land fromWoolwich Arsenal, which stillexists three miles away,Marlborough Court held abeacon lighting ceremony,where the local schoolchildrenjointly lit torches alongside aresident at the home CatherineThompson.

The home was decorated withartwork depicting forgiveness,which had been created by thechildren, and the pupils alsoread moving poems aboutforgiveness.

Home manager MaggieCandy said: “It was a verymoving evening, with thecommunity joining together tocommemorate WW1 in thespirit of forgiveness. I’d like tothank Teresa Pearce MP and allof our other guests for theirsupport.”

Community leaders, school children, guests and Marlborough Courtresidents gather at the Flame of Forgiveness event.

If you’ve got a story for the nextissue of Caring UK magazine,email dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

SOMERSET Care held itsannual awards ceremonyat the Somerset countycricket ground, Taunton, atwhich several members ofstaff were honoured.

Over 170 guests,including award winnersand their families,attended the event, wherestaff were recognised for

their long service andspecial achievements.

Presentations were madeto staff members who hadbeen nominated by theirfellow colleagues for goingabove and beyond, with awinner being announcedin each category. Chiefexecutive Alyson Martinwas among the speakers.

Event honours staff

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