COVID-19: Practical advice for recruitingduring the crisis

Recruitment into the social care sector has always been a challenge but in light of the current COVID-19 outbreak staff shortage has become even more of a

reality.

Click on the following links to access some practical advice on recruiting

during the crisis.

Webinar recording:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk4

Qy_z2gTcPowerpoint slides:

https://pages.birdie.care/hubfs/Recruitment_%20COVID-

19%20Webinar%20slides.pdf

Social Care Workforce Development Partnership BulletinBulletin 2 - In these unprecedented times our aim as the Learning & Development team is to share regular bulletins with our partnership agencies to keep you informed and up to date with relevant information.

Public Health Wales are offering staff and parents access to an innovative ONLINE course about children, worth £39, completely free of charge. Understanding

your Child is put together by the Solihull Approach. Use the Access Code: NWSOL (valid until November 2022) at www.ourplace.co.uk to register for your own account and revisit the course indefinitely without paying a

penny. Understanding Your Child is for parents, carers, and professionals caring for children

aged 0-18 years. It looks at brain development, play, styles of parenting, sleep, temper tantrums, communication and more and is based on the nationally and internationally acclaimed face to face course offered by the Solihull Approach. There are 9-11 modules each taking around 20 minutes (the main screens have

optional audio voice-overs) as well as interactive activities, quizzes, video clips and practical hand-outs.

“This has been a really valuable experience that in a way will impact on many aspects of my life”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk4Qy_z2gTchttps://pages.birdie.care/hubfs/Recruitment_%20COVID-19%20Webinar%20slides.pdf

Social Care Workforce Development Partnership Bulletin

City & Guilds UpdateWe understand and appreciate that

this is a particularly difficult time. We want to reassure you that we are working closely with

Qualifications Wales, Social Care Wales and Health Education Improvement Wales and other sector stakeholders. We are

monitoring on an ongoing basis the COVID-19 outbreak in the UK and how to manage any particular challenges to learning delivery including taking and administering of our exams and

assessments.

To support you whilst delivering our qualifications and assessments, we are producing further guidance and will continue to communicate those updates with you via this

website in due course.

For further information please click on the link below: https://www.healthandcarelearning.wales/covid-19-

coronavirus-advice/

Social Care Wales have shared creative ideas and activities that can be carried out at a patient’s bedside.

Feel free to download and/or print.

https://www.healthandcarelearning.wales/covid-19-coronavirus-advice/

(1)Goldfinch

(2)Wren

(3)Blackbird

(4)House sparrow

(5)Chaffinch

(6)Blue tit

(7)Siskin

(8)Song thrush

(9)Starling

(10)Woodpigeon

(11)Great spotted woodpecker

(12)Dunnock

What can I do that is meaningful, by my hospital bed, while socially distancing?

Created by Ali and Paula, The Dementia Care Training Team, April 2020

What can I do that is meaningful, by my hospital bed, while socially distancing?

We realise that some of you will be caring for older adults who may have contracted COVID-19. Because of this, their cognition may be impaired due to delirium caused by the infection. Others may already be living with dementia. For all of them the lack of familiar routines and change of environment will often cause distress, unease and possibly a further decline in their cognitive function. The usual distraction and reassurance of visits from familiar family and friends is not available to them. Depending on how unwell they are there is often a need for meaningful occupation. If there is nothing meaningful for them to do and they are still mobile, they will find something to do . We realise that in the pressure you are under it is often difficult to come up with ideas. With this is mind we have put together a list of possible activities that could take place by a hospital bed.

Always ensure the “Reach Out to Me” form is complete as this will give you a better idea of what the person may enjoy doing. You also need to take into account their cognitive impairment.

Self-care:-

· Give me a mirror so I can:

· Put on my makeup

· Comb my hair

· Pluck my eyebrows

· Shave

· Wax my moustache

· Give me a nail file to clean and file my nails

· Hand cream for me to rub in

· Support them to choose their clothes or night clothes. Talk to me about the colours, get me to feel the texture, do they smell of nice?

· Make sure they have a box of tissues. Don’t worry if they take them all out, fold them and stuff them back in the box. It has meaning to them.

Spiritual well-being:-

· Ensure they have their relevant Holy Book

· Find out how they usually express their spirituality e.g. prayers at particular times of the day

· Find virtual services on YouTube

· Do they have any items that are part of their practice such as prayer beads or mats to pray on?

· Don’t forget gentle reassurance and touch, all be it with gloves

· This link may give you are starting place to find appropriate religious music:

https://musicmemories.bbcrewind.co.uk/

Reading:-

· Books

· They may find it easier to read short stories in magazines

· If reading is difficult try books with lots of large pictures on a subject they enjoy

· Read out loud to them or get audio books on YouTube.

Photo albums preferably write who is in the pictures for staff to be able to facilitate conversation.

Tablets, IPads, mobile phones can hold:-

· favourite TV programmes

· favourite music

· colouring, quiz, and other activity Apps

· memory aids apps - https://arts4dementia.org.uk/home/memory-aids/

· photos and messages from family

· video “visits”, via WhatsApp, Skype or Zoom, with family, friends and pets

· using headphones may help concentration and reduce stress for others in the ward

Music:-

· can create an atmosphere of calm, try classical music such as Mozart, or try YouTube “music to study to” – e.g. https://youtu.be/VB6SIKl8Md0

· Music with rhythm can raise alertness and encourage movement

· A person’s favourite music may bring back memories, encourage conversation or just lift or calm their mood. These links may help;- https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/

https://musicmemories.bbcrewind.co.uk/

· Music quiz:- start to sing a song and they have to say what word comes next.

Get moving:-

· Put music on with a good rhythm encourage people to sit or stand then do the following to the music :-

· lift legs up and down or stamp to music

· shift weight from side to side

· twist

· reach arms up in the air, out to the side, down towards the floor

· clap

· tap knees

· nod head

· Sing “Heads, shoulders, knees and toes” while doing the actions.

· Sing the “Hokey Cokey” while doing the actions (adjust for those sitting down)

· If possible, take them for a regular supervised walk even if it is to look out of the window and back.

Normal everyday tasks:-

· Encourage them to:-

· make their bed

· tidy their bed area

· wipe down their locker and table

· wash and dry dishes (they can be put in the dish washer after)

· put clothes away

· fold tea towels, pillow cases etc. (have some just for this purpose)

· polish shoes

· pair socks

· Sorting:-

· their hand bag

· their wash kit

· buttons

· screws, nuts and bolts

· different coloured card (laminated so it can be used again)

· pack of playing cards into suits or numbers

Keeping Hands busy:-

· Wind bandages or wool

· Twiddle mitts - https://knitforpeace.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Twiddlemuff-Pattern.pdf

· Yellow dusters

· Stress balls

· Elastic bands

· Give someone a pack of cards

Be creative:-

· Knitting from a pattern, or squares for a blanket, or just knitting

· Crochet

· Cross-stitch

· Colouring

· Dot-to-Dot - there are some simple ones at this link but be careful to remember age appropriateness. https://activities.raisingourkids.com/

· Making cards

· Drawing can just be done with a pen and piece of paper

· Origami

· Make paper aeroplanes and have a competition to see who’s flies the furthest

· Writing list, letters, cards

Use your mind:-

· Cross word puzzles as a group (sitting well apart) or individually.

Some simple puzzles can be found here:- https://activities.raisingourkids.com/

· Word searches. Find free printable ones here:- https://thewordsearch.com/ If you laminate them and use a wipe off felt pen you can disinfect and reuse them.

· Alphabet game:- choose a letter then everyone has to think of a girl’s name, boy’s name, town, flower, fruit

· Name a colour and look around to name items you can see that are that colour

· I Spy with my little eye something beginning with…… (name a letter)

· Pairs quiz:- name the other person or item in the pair (See appendix 1)

· Finish the proverb (See appendix 2)

· Kim’s game: - put a few items on a tray, the person then has to remember them, then without the person looking, remove one item. Can they remember which is missing?

· Card games (see appendix 3):

· Patience

· Memory card game. Make sure you adjust the number of pairs to match the person’s memory abilities.

· “Play your cards right” game.

· 20 Questions: - give someone a name of a person or item then people ask questions that require a yes or no answer only, eg: - “Is it a person?” “Are they still alive?” They are allowed up to 20 questions to guess who or what they are.

· Hang man (see appendix 4)

· Noughts 0 and Crosses X: - Taking into account social distancing, this can be done as a group with the game stuck to the wall or individually with a member of staff playing.

· Dominos:- This could be played as a matching game or see how many you can stand on end then knock down or played with a member of staff.

Appendix 1 Pairs: - say the first person or item then they give the matching person or item

Famous people

Items:-

1. KnifeFork

2. CupSaucer

3. Table Chair/s

4. BeltBraces

5. Brush Comb

6. Shirt Tie

7. Socks Shoes

8. Bucket Spade

9. ChalkCheese

10. Dustpan Brush

11. Pen Ink

12. Horse Cart

13. ApplesPears

14. Ladies Gentlemen

1. Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers

2. LaurelHardy

3. CanonBall

4. AbbotCastello

5. Dr JekyllMr. Hyde

6. RomeoJuliette

7. ChipDale

8. David Goliath

9. HanselGretel

10. Lady The Tramp

11. RodgersHammerstein

12. MorecambeWise

13. WallaceGromit

14. Tom Jerry

Opposites:-

1. Hot Cold

2. ThisThat

3. NightDay

4. RightWrong

5. BigSmall

6. Black White

7. Rich Poor

8. In Out

9. Up Down

10. LeftRight

11. EitherOr

12. Good Bad

13. Top Bottom

14. RoughSmooth

Appendix 2:- Complete the proverb

1. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

2. A rolling stonegathers no moss

3. Those in glass housesshouldn’t throw stones

4. Absence makes the heart grow fonder

5. A stitch in timesaves nine

6. An apple a daykeeps the doctor away

7. As you sow so shall you reap

8. The devil finds work foridle hands

9. Better late than never

10. Cold hands warm heart

11. Don’t count your chickensbefore they are hatched

12. Don’t throw the babyout with the bath water

13. Every doghas its day

14. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

15. Give them an inchand they’ll take a mile

Appendix 3 :- Card Game

Patience

Patience is quite easy, and you can play it on your own. 52 cards are used. Americans call it Solitaire.

Aim

The aim of patience is to make four piles of cards, one for each suit, sorted into order by the numbers on the cards.

Set up

· Shuffle the pack and mix the cards up

· Place seven cards face-down in a line, next to each other

· Turn up the card on the left

· Place six cards on top of the six that are already face down

· Turn up the left card of the second row

· Repeat this until you only put one card down, and turn this up

· Place the deck to one side

How to play

· Place any aces in the bottom row into one of four foundation piles above the rows.

· Turn over the top card of the deck.

· Attempt to place the card in an appropriate spot.

· Cards must switch between red and black.

· Cards must be in order (K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A).

· The goal is to move all cards into the foundation piles.

· Foundation piles must all be the same suit (spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds).

· Foundation piles must be in order (A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K).

· You can move an appropriate card to the foundation piles at any time.

The Rules for Playing "Memory"

1. Mix up the cards.

2. Lay them in rows, face down.

3. Turn over any two cards.

4. If the two cards match, keep them.

5. If they don't match, turn them back over.

6. Remember what was on each card and where it was.

7. Watch and remember during the other player's turn.

8. The game is over when all the cards have been matched.

9. The player with the most matches wins.

Play your cards right (simple version)

· Set out 5 cards face down in a row

· Turn up the one on the left end

· People have to guess if the next one is lower or higher than the one they can see

· Repeat until they have all cards turned up or get it wrong.

· Decide how many turns everyone will have. Give a point for every time a person gets the whole row correct.

· The person with the most points wins.

Appendix 4 :- Hangman

· Someone chooses a word and puts a dash for each letter in the word under the hangman.

· Put the letters of the alphabet underneath.

· Everyone takes it in turns to guess a letter that may be in the word.

· If they are correct, the person who chose the word puts down the letter in the correct place as many times as it occurs in the word.

· If it is incorrect, they draw part of the man to hang.

· The aim is to guess the word before the man is hanged.

Noughts & Crosses

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

ANSWERS

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Shar-Pei

3. Briard

4. Boston Terrier

5. Shi-Tzu

6. Bedlington Terrier

7. Chow-Chow

8. Mastiff Napolitono (Mastino)

9. Jack Russel Terrier

10. Münsterländer  

Social Care Workforce Development Partnership Bulletin

Caring for a loved one with Dementia during the Coronavirus Outbreak

Patsy Pope continues to offer free 20 minute Webinars.

What to do and not to do when caring for someone with dementia during the Coronavirus outbreak.

• Keeping emotions positive• Stop the quizzing and arguing• Why do they do that?• Do I keep them active?• Is there a cure?

To reserve a place by send an email to the address below:rochelle@allaboutdementia.co.uk

PPE Guidance During this difficult period the aim is to safeguard all staff and any

members of the public who we may come into contact with, in whatever capacity.

The guidance on this page seeks to set out clear and actionable recommendations (as part of safe systems of working), on the use

of PPE, for ALL workers in relation to their day-to-day work. The page includes:• A video about Putting on and Removing PPE• Additional considerations, in addition to standard infection

prevention and control precautions• Infection control E-learning Module• Health and Safety advice about face mask use, hand washing,

hand sanitiser, cleaning protocols, RIDDOR, homeworking and more.

To access this information please click on the following link:https://ynysmon.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=84

To request a Learning Pool account please send the following details to Careworkforce@ynysmon.gov.uk -First Name, Surname, email address, contact number and the name of the organisation

you work for or whether you are a volunteer/unpaid carer.To access our last bulletin please click here.

mailto:rochelle@allaboutdementia.co.ukhttps://ynysmon.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=84https://www.anglesey.gov.uk/documents/Docs-en/Jobs/Social-Workforce-Development/Bulletin/Partnership-bulletin-wc-13.04.20.pdf

Online Social Care training (mandatory and further learning)

is available to all staff working in the Social Care,

volunteers and unpaid carers free of charge

via Anglesey County Council’s E-Learning portal.

Request an account by sending the following details to Careworkforce@ynysmon.gov.uk

First Name, Surname, email address, contact number and the name of the organisation you work for or whether you are a volunteer/unpaid carer.

Interested?

Social Care E-Learning

Social Care Workforce Development

Partnership Bulletin

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