Newborns receive Random Act of Kindness from care home
RANDOM Act of Kindness Day saw care home staff and residents donating a trove of supplies for Teesside’s newborns. Nappies, beanie hats, mittens, blankets, sleepsuits, nappy sacks and baby wipes were among the items collected at The Beeches Care Home, Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, following an appeal. Staff, family members and residents were among those who donated. The items were wrapped into gift parcels for new mums and their babies on the neonatal unit at University Hospital of North Tees. Sister Julie King, who works on the neonatal unit, said: “I’m delighted to accept the donations on behalf of the unit.” Alwyn Behan, who lives at The Beeches Care Home, was among those to visit the hospital to deliver the gifts. She said: “I was moved to tears after seeing premature baby Jasper produce a smile just for us.” Fellow resident Janet Wren said: “It’s lovely to be able to do something to help the tiny babies. And the nurses were lovely too.” Jess Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Anything we can do to help others is a good thing so, with Random Act of Kindness Day coming up, we decided to launch the appeal. “We had a great response from friends, family members, staff and residents, who all donated items for the neonatal unit at North Tees Hospital. We’d like to say a big thank you to all of them. “Residents Alwyn and Janet also loved visiting the unit and were thrilled to be able to help others.” The Beeches Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net
Technicolour dressing gowns to keep elderly warm this winter
JOSEPH’S technicolour dressing gowns were knitted by Hazelgrove Court care home residents in Saltburn-by-the-Sea. Residents at Hazelgrove Court Care Home, on Randolph Street, created the gowns for elderly people to keep warm this winter in their own homes. They were taking part in a Knit for Peace UK initiative, which encourages knitters to produce items for those in need. The care home residents chose to make dressing gowns by knitting six by six inch squares and then attaching them together to create the finished piece. The gowns take 114 squares to produce, as well as a knitted belt to match. The residents described the finished gowns as “Joseph’s coat of many colours”, according to Hazelgrove Court Care Home manager Tina Temple. She said: “It’s really important for us to continue to involve residents in activities that help the wider community. They all love to knit and were very impressed in the finished dressing gown.” The home’s activities coordinator, Sharon Lewis, found out about Knit for Peace UK when she was looking for a community project to involve the residents in. There are many keen knitters living at the home, so the residents were pleased to get involved with the initiative. Resident Joyce Baxtrum said: “We’ve been doing this for weeks and I’m really proud of myself. The dressing gowns look great. After trying on one of the gowns, fellow resident Joyce Tibbertt said: “It’s so warm. I don’t want to take it off.” Sharon Lewis added: “It’s lovely to do something for the community and that will make a difference in someone’s life.” For more information about Hazelgrove Court Care please visit http://www.hillcare.net/
Blondie the Shetland pony delights care home residents
Blondie the Shetland pony trotted into a Teesside care home to meet elderly residents. The tiny, all white pony paid a visit to those living at Ingleby Care Home, on Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick. The delighted residents greeted Blondie with smiles and even a song – which almost wooed the pony to sleep. Resident Ivy Thomas began singing as soon as she approached, when Blondie rested her head on Ivy’s knee and closed her eyes. Fellow resident John Cliff Magson, who is profoundly deaf and chooses not to participate in many activities, was overcome with the visit. He said: “It was the best thing I’ve ever seen. It brightened up my day. It brightened up my whole week.” Resident Norman Curry said: “I didn’t ever expect to see a horse walking into my room.” Kirsty Walsh, activities coordinator at Ingleby Care Home, said: “It was great to have Blondie in the home – especially as we had to delay the visit from earlier in the year due to heavy snowfall. “It warmed my heart to see how the residents responded. Especially Cliff and Ivy. “We want to say a big thank you to K&L Ponies for bringing Blondie to the home and we look forward to seeing her again.” Ingleby Care Home and Blondie is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net
Care home cook Yvonne raises awareness of cervical cancer
The Oaks Care Home cook has been sharing her experience of cervical cancer as part of a national awareness raising week. Yvonne Gibson, who works at The Oaks Care Home, in Blyth, Northumberland, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cervical cancer five months ago. Despite being on long-term sick leave, she decided to visit work to talk to the staff about the importance of going for cervical screening. Her talk coincided with Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 2019, promoted by Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust to educate others on reducing their risk of the disease. Yvonne said: “No one thinks it will happen to them. It takes five minutes of your time to have your smear test and I can’t express enough how important it is to do so. It has been an exhausting five months going for treatments and I have been very lucky that I am on the road to recovery. I am looking forward to returning to work mid Feb.” Natalie Brimelow, activities coordinator at The Oaks Care Home, said: “I am Yvonne’s niece and watching your family go through this is emotionally draining – some people are not as lucky. It is amazing what the NHS do for people suffering from cancer. Five minutes of your time could save your life. Yvonne is an inspiration and it was so kind of her to come and talk to us about her journey and express how important it is to attend for a smear.” After her talk, Yvonne also went around each of the residents to give them hugs, as her visit also fell on National Hug Day. Resident Marilyn Harwood said: “Yvonne is a brave lady to be coming back to work so soon. She looks brilliant for fighting cancer. It has been a lovely afternoon celebrating her upcoming return to work.” Ann Mielnik, home manager, added: “I am so proud of Yvonne. She has gone through such a harrowing time, but she has remained so positive throughout her journey. She is so eager to get back to work and has greatly missed everyone as we have missed her. I cannot thank her enough for helping us out with what is a very difficult subject to talk about.” The NHS Cervical Screening Programme aims to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer.All women who are registered with a GP are invited for cervical screening every three years if aged between 25 and 49 and every five years if aged between 50 and 64. Women over 65 receive screening if they have recently had abnormal tests. To find out more about The Oaks Care Home and cervical screening, visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening.
Care home uses pies to help residents remember
PIES helped care home residents living with dementia to recall their younger days, this National Pie Day. The smells, tastes and sights of one of the nation’s favourite dishes were used as part of an active minds session at Halton View Care Home, in Widnes, Cheshire. Staff organised the activity to coincide with National Pie Day – when they asked residents to remember their favourite ingredients. They were also shown pictures of various sweet and savoury pies and asked to name as many different types as they could. The residents were then treated to a buffet dinner, with a wide selection of pies to choose from. Victoria Brown, home manager at Halton View Care Home, said: “Multi-sensory activities like this, using smells, tastes and sights, have a therapeutic effect on those living with dementia. So we’re always looking for different ways to engage residents and get them thinking about the past. National Pie Day offered the opportunity to discuss a dinner time favourite of many of the residents. We asked them to recall memories of making pies and what ingredients they need to make the pastry and fillings. The response was amazing. Everyone got involved and had an opinion on the best pie – from meat and potatoes to apple pie with custard.” For more information about National Pie Day please click here
Edinburgh man is crowned top care home chef in the country
Months of head-to-head heats and a showdown final have seen residential care home provider Care UK crown Graham Watson Care Home Chef of the Year. Catering sector experts joined a panel of judges to name the champion, in a multi-stage competition open to the hundreds of chefs from across Care UK’s 119 homes. The trophy was lifted, at the Residential Care Services (RCS) Stars awards ceremony, by Graham, the head chef at Lauder Lodge, in Edinburgh. Having worked in the hotel and leisure industry for much of his career, Graham has cooked for an impressive array of people, including wildlife campaigner and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and Anne, Princess Royal. But judges say it was his willingness to challenge himself and set a new standard in the care home sector which truly tilted the balance in his favour in the hard-fought contest. Contestants were given a box of 15 ingredients to create a two course menu. Graham’s menu consisted of chicken supreme stuffed with chorizo and chili rice cracker powder, classic fondant potato, butternut puree and a fig and red wine jus followed by and Oreo crumb and chocolate torte with brittle sugar and pineapple salsa. Graham said: “I love working in care homes, it presents a unique set of challenges to a chef. We work in what is our residents’ home and there is nothing more personal than food – it allows people to express their preference, their past and their individuality and it is our job to cater to all of that. The favourite dishes of residents at Lauder Lodge are slow cooked. They love stews and roast dinners, with all the trimmings, and our homemade Yorkshire pudding. They also have a sweet-tooth and they love all the fresh cakes and desserts me and my team make for them.” Graham enjoys the challenges of supporting residents’ health and wellbeing. He said: “We work with care and nursing colleagues to ensure that all our residents nutritional and dietary needs are met, and we have developed excellent relations with local suppliers to ensure we use the best, seasonal produce available. Food is also an excellent way to promote reminiscence and help people keep up their life skills. Our home uses Activity Based Care to engage residents in activities that benefit their wellbeing and foster their Janeinterests and hobbies.” During the awards ceremony the team at Ferndown Manor, in Poole, were also presented with an award to mark their commitment to creating an excellent daily dining experience for their 75 residents. A recent CQC inspection report praised the home that is known for its five-star dining experience. Inspectors praised the attractive table settings, which take into account individual requirements, and the great attention to detail that ensures each residents has not just a choice but also a dignified choice. For more information about Graham Watson and the Care Home Chef of the Year award click here
Person Centred Software lead the call for better care in care homes
According to an article published in The Guardian on 25th November 2018, more than 1,000 care home patients have died suffering from malnutrition, dehydration or bedsores. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/25/care-home-patients-england-wales-malnutrition-dehydration-bedsores These figures are from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which completed an analysis of death certificates at the newspaper’s request. The ONS acknowledged that ‘it is possible that poor care may have been a factor in some of the deaths’. To many, this report is not a surprise. Person Centred Software, the developer of Mobile Care Monitoring, an intelligent mobile solution for evidencing care interactions, electronic care planning and reporting, is already working with UCL (University College London) to conduct a study into the impact of good care on life expectancy. Professor Laurence Lovat, leading the study, says, “The report by the Office of National Statistics may well underestimate the magnitude of the issue. There are many clues that a problem may be developing. Our research is looking at using big data analysis of routinely collected information by care home workers to identify patterns which predict development of malnutrition and dehydration. This will lead to simple early interventions to prevent this entirely avoidable cause of death in vulnerable care home residents.” One solution to this issue is to give residential social care providers the tools they need to provide the best quality of care possible. The Mobile Care Monitoring application is now used by over 900 care homes in the UK and enables staff to record care at the point of delivery using its icon-driven app. The information is then at the fingertips of carers to analyse and adjust care as necessary to ensure a responsive and person-centred approach. For instance, rather than guess what people have drunk and risk them being dehydrated, using Mobile Care Monitoring, staff can accurately and immediately evidence fluids they have offered, and residents have drunk. With access to precise evidence of care, fluids can be monitored, and risks are greatly reduced, not just to dehydration. One care home group found that by monitoring fluids using Mobile Care Monitoring, they were able to also reduce falls by 33%. Alison Redhead, Registered Manager at Minster Grange Care Home said, “A member of the care team requested that a resident was put on fluid watch as they were concerned that they weren’t drinking enough. The fact that this member of staff, rather than feel frustrated, knew that the system could support us shows just how invaluable the Mobile Care Monitoring system is.” 5% of care homes using Mobile Care Monitoring are rated Outstanding by CQC compared to 3% of care homes nationally, as stated in the original article. And it’s not just carers and care home managers that want and need confirmation that residents are cared for. Relatives can often be left isolated once a loved one has been placed in care. This is now solved with the secure Relatives Gateway portal, part of the Mobile Care Monitoring service. It enables friends and family of those in care to stay informed and in touch as well as share messages and photos. The system not only dispels families’ fears about care homes but keeps them much more connected to their family member’s new stage of life during the transition into care. The Relatives Gateway also gives value back to carers too, since it shows and recognises everything that they do, from major activities to the smallest acts of kindness. For more information about Mobile Care Monitoring please visit www.personcentredsoftware.com
DPC becomes ‘force’ for innovation and best practice
Diabetes Professional Care 2018 (DPC2018) is set to become the biggest yetwith a record-breaking attendance expected, leading to the event being described as a “force for good”. More than 6,500 delegates have pre-registered, with 4,000 predicted to attend – topping last year’s previous record of3,235 delegates and placing it firmly as the UK’s best-attended event for healthcare professionals working in diabetes. DPC2018 is the UK’s only national, free-to-attend and CPD-accredited conference for those involved in the prevention, treatment and management of diabetes, and its related conditions. Taking place at London’s Olympia on 14 and 15 November, delegates are invited to attend presentations and workshops on a variety of topics, such as the type 2 diabetes reversal,mental health and wellbeing, cardiovascular disease as well as making the most of consultations. In response to rising childhood obesity rates, DPC2018 is staging a Live Debate dedicated to the subject with top experts and policy makers from the field. The debate called ‘Preventing childhood obesity – whose responsibility?Policymakers, professionals, family environments or technology?’will take place from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Thursday, November 15. This year, the results of the eagerly-anticipated DECLARE study into cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes will be shared for the first time in the UK at the conference. The research involved 17,000 people and showed how the drug Forxiga (dapagliflozin)reduced hospitalisation for heart failure or CV death with no increase in major CV events versus placebo in a broad population with type 2 diabetes. The session called Cardiovascular outcomes with SGLT2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes – update from AHA conference takes place on Wednesday, November 14, between 3.15pm and 3.45pm. A new user-friendly, subject classification has been introduced to the programme and workshops as the organisers, Healthcare Publishing & Events, strive to improve the event, which encompasses both primary and secondary care, helping to provide a platform to further integrated care and best practice. Founder Maggie Meer, who has type 2 diabetes and set up the conference in a bid to improve care, said: “It’s massively exciting that Diabetes Professional Care has developed so much since we started and now people are using our annual event as a platform to launch research findings, products, data and examples of best practice in diabetes. Diabetes Professional Care is at the heart of sharing best practice and tackling subjects that need to be addressed in diabetes.” Commenting on the rise of Diabetes Professional Care, Oliver Jelley, Editor of The Diabetes Times, said: “Diabetes Professional Care has quickly become a force for good in diabetes care in the UK, with the conference acting like a platform to share best practice and innovation across the NHS to improve care for people with diabetes.” For more information about the Diabetes Professional Care show please click here
DPC hosts ‘lively and engaging’ childhood obesity debate
Leading clinicians and policymakers participated in a “lively and engaging” debate about childhood obesity on the second day of a major DPC2018. Dr Max Davie, Health Promotion Officer at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health was joined by Dr Fiona Campbell, Consultant Diabetes Paediatrician at Leeds Children’s Hospital on the debating panel at Diabetes Professional Care (DPC2018). They were joined by Dr Mayank Patel, Consultant Diabetologist at University Hospital Southampton and the Rt Hon. Keith Vaz MP, Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes. All four of them were selected because of their views on various issues with the topic of childhood obesity, such as social media, food labelling and digital health. The Diabetes Times Editor Oliver Jelley said: “Childhood obesity is dominating the headlines right now, so it was a highly relevant subject for this year’s Live Debate. The contributors all have vast experience within their field of work, so it was hugely interesting hearing their ideas about the subject. It certainly made for a lively and engaging discussion.” Childhood obesity continues to be discussed as it was announced in May that the number of 10 and 11-year-old children who are classed as severely obese in the final year of primary school is nearly double that of those in reception. DPC founder Maggie Meer, who has type 2 diabetes, said: “We already know type 2 diabetes is associated with poor lifestyle and can be avoided through a combination of diet, exercise and education but, sadly, it seems the younger generation have missed out on being told these vital health tips.” As well as the Live Debate, the second day of the conference covered various other topical subjects including individualising diabetes care for older people with a focus on frailty and how to make acute care for people with diabetes safer. DPC2018 has become a major annual event for people who are involved in the prevention, treatment and management of diabetes, and its related conditions. Now in its fourth year, DPC2018 is the UK’s only free CPD-accredited diabetes conference for healthcare professionals. Once again the two-day event brought together world-class practitioners and thought leaders, tackling the most pressing issues in diabetes care. For more information about DPC2018 please visit www.diabetesprofessionalcare.com
