Specialist nursing care home to create jobs in Newcastle
Around 100 jobs are being created in Newcastle this September due to the launch of Tyne Grange, Exemplar Health Care’s newest specialist nursing care home in the North East. Following a £3.1 million investment in a high-quality refurbishment of an existing care home, Tyne Grange will open later this year. The care home is preparing to recruit nurses, support workers, administrators, kitchen and domestic team members, and other staff.Conveniently located on Grainger Park Road, near Newcastle City Centre and with transport links and amenities nearby, Tyne Grange will support 22 adults who live with complex mental and physical health conditions, including neuro-disabilities such as Huntington’s Disease, and brain injuries. Every bedroom will come with an en-suite wet room and there will be two one-bedroom apartments on the ground floor to support more independent living. Tyne Grange will also benefit from high quality communal spaces, including landscaped gardens, for service users and their visitors to enjoy. The Commissioning Home Director of Exemplar Health Care’s Tyne Grange complex needs care home, Samantha Cottam, said: “I’m delighted to be opening Exemplar Health Care’s very first care home in Newcastle. “We at Exemplar Health Care are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for our service users. We have worked with health and social care specialists in the region to ensure that this quality care home has been designed to meet the needs of those living here. “Every one of our high-quality care homes provides supportive, welcoming, community-based services which help our service users reach their goals. Supporting complex care service users can be extremely rewarding, and Exemplar Health Care already offers stable and secure careers to more than 2,900 people. The opening of Tyne Grange is a fabulous opportunity for carers and nurses who are local to our new Newcastle care home.” Specialist nursing care home, Tyne Grange is now recruiting. Please register your interest at: https://www.exemplarhc.com/our-care/our-homes/tyne-grange
Beating the flu in care homes this winter
Influenza (commonly known as the “flu”) season is in full swing. This usually brings a chorus of sniffs and sneezes as people across the UK battle through illness. While flu outbreaks come as no surprise as temperatures drop, it has been reported that cases are at their highest level on record, and that the current rate of flu is worse than at any point last winter. This year’s flu season has been challenging for the NHS, with reports of outbreaks across several hospitals, and other illnesses such as ‘coronavirus’ putting more pressure on resources. This also comes at a time when A&E waiting times are at their worst since records began in 2004. With this in mind, contagious flu is of particular concern for care home managers. Footfall in care homes can be high, with a range of visitors, healthcare professionals and other service providers onsite, so keeping the environment clean and sanitised can understandably be a challenge for staff. However, with elderly or infirm residents who may be vulnerable to infection, it is critically important that hygiene standards don’t slip at any point throughout the year. Care home managers should make sure they have a routine cleaning regime in place and know when a specialist cleaning team should be brought in to deal with cleans outside of the norm. To ensure high hygiene standards this winter, managers should also look to schedule a deep clean of key communal areas such as the residents’ lounge and visitor waiting room, as well as their kitchens and washrooms. This could help protect residents from infection via cross contamination and reduce employee absenteeism as they fight through flu season. What is ‘flu’?The flu is a viral infection caused by various strains of influenza viruses. It can be caught at any time of the year, but is more common during the winter period, partly because we spend more time indoors when it is cold and wet, and therefore viruses can spread more readily. Despite many associating the flu with the cold weather, the main source of flu is other people. The flu virus is present in the mouth and nose of people who have the flu. When you cough or sneeze you launch thousands of viral particles such as saliva and mucus into the air – making it easy to pass from person to person in confined spaces such as communal areas. Perfect personal hygieneAn important part of a care home manager’s job is to encourage employees to take care of their own personal health and hygiene to prevent the spread of illness. With care workers being in close contact with residents every day, it is crucial that staff are fully educated on the best ways to maintain personal hygiene. One important area that managers should emphasise is hand hygiene. Cross contamination can be a particular problem in communal environments, as some diseases can live on hard surfaces such as door handles and walls, and are transmissible for several days. To minimise the spread of bacteria and viruses, hands should be washed thoroughly for 20–30 seconds using soap and water. It’s also important that staff dry their hands properly. It has been shown that damp hands spread 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands, so it is crucial that the drying stage is not overlooked. Staff should also have access to alcohol-free sanitisers, as they provide an effective, long-lasting barrier to protect against microorganisms. Continuous training and development for both management and staff helps to ensure high standards of hygiene are maintained alongside operational efficiency. This can also help prevent unnecessary downtime in the facility, minimising disruption to the lives of residents. A clean routineIt’s essential that cleaning is carried out in care homes both proactively and reactively. Proactive cleaning involves the routine disinfection of shared contact points – such as door handles, surface tops – and communal areas. Reactive cleaning occurs when necessary. In care homes, this often takes place in response to an outbreak of illness, or when an individual presents a transmissible infection. In this case, all areas inhabited by the individual should be thoroughly disinfected. Regular deep cleans are also important. This involves conducting a thorough clean by moving all furniture away from the walls to make sure no areas are being missed from the cleaning routine. Ideally, deep cleans should be carried out at least twice a year by a professional cleaning company. They will have access to specialist multi-purpose biocidal cleaners which can decontaminate surfaces by killing bacteria, fungi, spores, yeasts and viruses. Specialist cleaning after an outbreakWhile a routine cleaning regime can help to keep infection under control, outbreaks can still occur. An outbreak of a disease, such as influenza, needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible to minimise the risk to residents. Ultra Low Volume (ULV) disinfectant fogging is a method of disinfection, carried out by a specialist, which enables the treatment of large areas in a short space of time. It works by generating a mist of disinfectant, which settles on top of, underneath and on the sides of objects, soft furnishings, furniture and hard-to-reach areas, offering maximum surface area coverage. Fogging is also fast-drying and can significantly reduce the number of pathogens present when compared to manual surface cleaning alone. It’s important that employees don’t become complacent following a visit from a professional cleaning company, as another outbreak could occur if standards are not maintained. Final thoughts With influenza on the rise, and new strains seemingly arising each year, its important than ever for care home managers to take the time now to make sure there is an effective cleaning regime in place, and that all their employees are adhering to personal hygiene best practice. Article from:Paul Casson, Technical Field Manager, Rentokil Specialist Hygiene &Jamie Woodhall, Area Technical Manager, Initial Washroom Hygiene
Free online course on understanding and preventing the spread of coronavirus
With 71,429 cases in 25 countries and sadly 1,775 deaths so far in 4 countries – 1,772 in China and one each in Japan, the Philippines and France – the novel coronavirus outbreak currently constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.* There is now a free online course open for registration on “COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus” from experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a renowned institute of public health, available on FutureLearn.com, the leading social learning platform. Understanding and preventing the spread of Coronavirus The online course is focussed on the outbreak of novel coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, and will cover what is known about the disease outbreak so far, what the practical implications for response are, how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and what is needed for the future. The course will start on 23 March and is suitable for everyone, from those working in healthcare to anyone interested in the subject and the response more generally. The course will run for three weeks and will require approximately four hours of study per week. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who will be running this online course, was named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2016 for its response to the Ebola outbreak which included, among many other things, an online course, Ebola in Context, on FutureLearn. That course saw over 18,000 enrolments from over 185 countries including Sierra Leone, which was badly affected by the epidemic. The course will be led by Dr Anna Seale and Dr Maryirene Ibeto from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Dr Anna Seale, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:“The response to COVID-19 is an international effort, requiring worldwide collaboration and transparency. This course, which is open to participants around the world, aims to bring together expertise, and share knowledge on what we know to date and what we are still learning about the virus and how to combat it.” Dr Maryirene Ibeto, Research Coordinator at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, commented:“Through this course, we aim to facilitate communities of practice, connecting those working with, or interested in, COVID-19. By pooling our knowledge to fill gaps in our knowledge about the virus, we stand the best chance of stopping this outbreak in its tracks.” Simon Nelson, Chief Executive at FutureLearn, commented, “Our purpose is to transform access to education. For me, that means working with institutions like the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to support them to get information out into the public domain as quickly as possible that is accessible all over the world. When we worked with them on the Ebola course, we saw the impact. We played a small part in helping with the response to Ebola and we’re pleased to be able to support with the response to Coronavirus.” The course is free to start and learners can upgrade for £29 which gives them access to course content for as long as the course remains on the FutureLearn platform, and access to tests in order to be eligible to gain a certificate if they complete the course and score at least 70% on any tests.
Screening and Treating Malnutrition in Community Care Settings
Malnutrition is a major clinical and public health problem in the UK. It’s estimated that over 3 million people are malnourished, with 93% living in the community and 1.3 million aged over 65 (1). A person is classified as malnourished if they meet a set of criteria which often includes a low Body Mass Index (BMI), significant and unintentional weight loss over a defined period of time, and/or reduced nutritional intake over a defined period of time (2). In community care settings, NICE guidelines recommend that nutritional screening for malnutrition is conducted on admission to care homes and when there is a clinical concern (3). Screening is a rapid and simple way to detect those with or at risk of malnutrition so that suitable action plans can be implemented. However, recent evidence (4) suggests that nutritional screening is not being fully implemented. Failure to screen or inaccurate scoring could lead to missed nutritional intervention which could have serious consequences for patients. Additionally, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) can prosecute health and social care providers who fail to conduct adequate nutritional needs assessments if it results in avoidable harm or risk of harm to a person using the service (5). Therefore, it’s important that all staff involved with nutrition-risk screening are suitably trained to meet the required standards for their organisation. The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is the most frequently used in the UK. It’s a five-step tool which is suitable for screening adults across all care settings. It’s a scoring system that uses objective or subjective measurements to establish nutrition risk. Patients are deemed to be either low, medium, or high risk of malnutrition. For more information on how to conduct MUST screening, click here. A food-first approach is a simple way of providing enhanced nutrition to those who are or at risk of becoming malnourished. It can be useful for patients who still have a good appetite. Fortifying foods help to increase the nutritional density of the diet without increasing the volume of food consumed. Several foods which can be used to fortify the diet include:○ Double Cream○ Full Fat Milk○ Honey/Syrup/Sugar○ Butter○ Cheese○ Milk Powder○ Oils such as olive oil Additional snacks can be used to improve nutritional intake and examples include cakes, biscuits, crisps, cheese and crackers, and custard. Encouraging patients to consume nourishing drinks that provide more energy and protein than tea, coffee or water is also an effective strategy. AYMES Retail is a nutritionally-balanced, milkshake-style drink designed to help give an additional boost to those who do not require a medical prescription. It provides up to 266 calories per serving when mixed with 200ml whole milk. It’s presented conveniently in individual cartons containing 4 x 38g sachets and comes in a variety of flavours (chocolate, strawberry, banana, vanilla) to help prevent flavour fatigue. With an RRP of just £3.19, it is available to buy at pharmacies and via the AYMES website. By Harriet Smith, Registered Dietitian
Eyecare – we care!
If you are looking after elderly people in residential care, they may need assistance with mobility, self care, and medication, but is anyone helping them take care of their eyes? Older people are most at risk of eye disease, and those in residential care can easily miss out on the important routine sight test which checks on both the health of their eyes and their vision. Read on to find out how you can easily ensure your residents’ eyes are just as well looked after as their other needs. Max Halford FBDO is Clinical Lead at the Association of British Dispensing Opticians. He explains, “Eyes, like any part of the body, change as we get older but poor eyesight isn’t something we should accept. People will need to use their glasses more. They may seek better lighting for small print as they get older. However if you notice that a resident is struggling with reading or looking at the television it can be a sign that their vision has changed. If someone you care for has lost interest in reading for example, a visit to your local optician’s practice is recommended.” Everyone, however old, should have a sight test every two years, or more often if the optician recommends. You can also go back if you feel your eyes have changed in between tests. If you are concerned about how to get an elderly and frail person to the opticians, you will find that there are optical practices in most towns who provide a home visit or “domiciliary service”. Max Halford says, “If the person you are caring for is housebound the cost of this may well be covered by the NHS. If you are having difficulty locating an optician who provides this service look online for your Local Optical Committee and they will recommend opticians who specialise in care home visits.” Opticians will visit whether a single person needs eyecare, or whether you have a number of residents in need of care. Max Halford says, “It is a good idea to get the optician to visit the care home first so you can discuss the best way they can come and look after your residents.”Some people may prefer to stick with the optician they are used to: they or their family may be able to supply details. This provides the benefit of continuity of care. Max Halford says, “A visit to the resident’s own local opticians can be best as they will have the previous records. All optician’s practices have to comply with the Equality Act and welcome carers to come in and support patients whilst the eye test is being carried out”. Make sure that the optician writes down their recommendation for the person so that this can be shared amongst all those who care for the person. The recommendation can be to update spectacles, and when they should be worn. Some people may need further tests at the hospital if they have signs of eye disease and the optician can advise on this too.It is important to ensure that people wear their specs as the optician advises. Max Halford says, “If you work in a care home, there is nothing worse than finding a pair of specs and realising you have no idea who they belong to!” To avoid this he suggests, “Take a photo of the resident in their new specs to add to their record. Pop the residents initials on the inside of one of the sides in indelible pen. And if a mix up has occurred, the optician will have a record of any specs they provided!”Some people will have more than one pair of spectacles, and it can be difficult for the carer to know which specs they should wear when. Max Halford advises, “Nowadays most people get on well with varifocal or bifocal specs so one pair helps them see clearly at distance and close up. Some people prefer a separate pair of reading and distance glasses. If they do get muddled up the best way to check is to ask the resident in which pair they can see the television best- this should be the distance glasses.” You can also add “D” for distance or “N” for near in indelible pen to the side of the specs and the case they are stored in to help everyone know which pair is which. Some of your residents may have uncomfortable eyes. Dry eye is a major problem for many older people and one study compared chronic dry eye discomfort to that of angina. Do talk to the optician about this as there are a number of ways to help people. Max Halford explains, “Most people with dry eyes do have lots of tears. Very often you will see them with very watery eyes, but the quality of the tears is not good enough and they aren’t lubricating the eyes properly. Your optician or local pharmacy will be able to recommend eye drops to be used on a regular basis throughout the day- possibly every couple of hours or more- check with the optician when they visit.” There is lots more information about eyecare and older people on the Association of British Dispensing Optician’s website – or follow EyecareFAQ on Twitter or Facebook.
Eating Disorders in the Elderly – Are we taking the threat seriously?
Challenged to conjure the image of a person with an eating disorder, who are you going to picture?Someone female perhaps? Skeletal? And, most likely…an adolescent or very young adult.Of course, no-one can accuse you of being wrong with that assumption.Indeed, eating disorders have an extremely high prevalence of onset among those of school-age, and slightly above.But here’s where we’re in danger of being blinded by social perceptions and perceived ‘norms’.In fact, eating disorders can – and do – affect those as young as six, and those well into their pensionable years.Wednesday’s Child, a not for profit organisation established to support those experiencing eating disorders, has found an increasing number of enquiries from elder adults – and their concerned family or friends.“Despite the perception of eating disorders as something predominantly experienced by young females, we know that this devastating disease can manifest in a boy, girl, man or woman, at any age in their life,” says Wednesday’s Child’s founder, Debbie Watson.“Often, issues might develop in times of stress, crisis, or as a result of changing lifestyle circumstances which impact the way a person feels able to cope, or how they view their body.“Contact we receive suggests it is increasingly the case that losing a long-term spouse, having to move into a residential home, or losing confidence through a health episode, can indeed be triggers for an eating disorder to develop.”While these may be obvious scenarios of the ‘perfect storm’ which threatens someone’s mental health, evidence suggests that even health professionals can be in danger of spotting the early onset of an eating disorder.“We hear experiences of where elder people have reached out to a GP and been told ‘not to worry’ and that ‘they’re appetite is naturally going to fade as they get older’,” adds Ms Watson.“This is a devastating reaction to hear for someone seeking help at a very low point in their life.“It’s also worth remembering that eating disorders don’t typically have a ‘look’ so we cannot assume that someone has or hasn’t got an issue, only when they are in a smaller body. A person could just as easily be maintaining a relatively normal weight, but developing unhealthy behaviours about their food, or in a potentially critical cycle of restricting and purging.”Worryingly, a recent exploration by the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme was able to discover that some of the country’s specific eating disorder clinics have a cut-off age of 65.This potentially creates a gap in specialist provision for those in the age band who are urgently in need of support.Clarifying that body image is indeed an issue for the elder population, a recent survey by Gransnet found 77% of their respondents were unhappy with their weight, and that of those reporting ‘eating issues’, only 40% had sought help. Most who had failed to do so, said it had been as a result of ‘embarrassment’.With stigma still unfortunately attached to this deathly illness, it’s imperative we all take more care about appraising the likelihood of someone’s vulnerability to an eating disorder.For information about support for sufferers, or training for health and care professionals in this area, contact Wednesday’s Child on hello@wednesdayschild.co.uk
Borough Care Residents Explore Wonderland Festival
Residents from Borough Care’s Meadway Court in Bramhall recently visited the Wonderland Festival at St Michael and All Angels Church. A multi-sensory interactive walk-through experience, based upon Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the Wonderland Festival was a magical morning out for residents. Meadway Court has excellent links with the local community and residents and staff regularly attend events at St Michael and All Angels Church. Amanda Millett, Activity Lifestyle Facilitator at Meadway Court, says: “We had a fabulous morning at the Wonderland Festival. We were all so impressed with the organisation and effort the volunteers put into this event to make it such a fascinating experience.” Meadway Court resident Pam Autherson has attended a number of events at the Church and was keen to visit the Wonderland Festival. Pam says: “It was lovely to see so many people of all ages enjoying the Wonderland experience. My favourite character was the White Rabbit.” Phyllis Price is staying temporarily at Meadway Court on an active recovery programme. A very lively 94 year old, Phyllis is always keen to join in the wide range of activities put on by the home. Phyllis attends church regularly and was keen to see what the Wonderland Festival was all about. Commenting on her visit, Phyllis says: “I never imagined that exploring Wonderland would be such an adventure. It was magical going from one area to the next discovering the Alice in Wonderland story.”
Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare Celebrate Excellence
Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare have celebrated brilliance across the organisation, at their annual Excellence Awards Ceremony. The event, which was part of their 2020 UK Kick Off Leadership Conference, brought together General Managers, Deputy Managers, Sales Leaders and Senior Support Office Managers. The Excellence Awards recognised and celebrated the outstanding achievements of team members during 2019. The awards were split over numerous categories, including two new awards: Activities Champion and Team Member Leader. As well as awarding prizes to distinguished team members, the conference raffle raised over £2,250 for the Good Samaritan Fund. This fund has been created to help team members at Sunrise UK and Gracewell Healthcare, and its affiliates, who are suffering severe financial hardship – resulting from a catastrophic event in their lives. The first prize of a two-week holiday at a villa in Northern Cyprus went to Gill Fitches, Head of HR Business Partners. Suzanne Foody, Benefits and Reward Manager at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate all of the wonderful work our team members do at Sunrise Senior Living UK and Gracewell Healthcare. We wouldn’t be able to provide outstanding services to all residents without the dedication, enthusiasm and amazing care from every single person within our organisation. I’m hugely proud of all our achievements in 2019 and look forward to what we can achieve in 2020!” The full list of award categories and winners: Activities Champion: Gillian Grove, Activities Coordinator, Gracewell of Horley Park (Winner) Tamara Juckes, Activities and Volunteer Coordinator, Sunrise of Banstead (Highly Commended) Champion of Quality Care: Arlene Acuavera, Deputy Manager, Gracewell of Maids Moreton (Winner) Geraldine Parke, Regional Quality Partner (Winner) Cristina Cristea, Deputy Manager, Gracewell of Horley Park (Highly Commended) Joy in Service (Regional) Dawn Buchanan-Hole, Learning & Development Manager (Winner) Paul Roberts, Senior Project Manager (Highly Commended) Joy in Service (Community) Patrick Maher, Maintenance Coordinator, Sunrise of Chorleywood (Winner) Sales Leadership Christine Ellesley, Home Admissions Advisor, Gracewell of Kentford (Winner) Andrea Bullen, Home Admissions Advisor, Gracewell of Maids Moreton (Highly Commended) Emily Wyllie, Home Admissions Advisor, Gracewell of Woking (Highly Commended) Team Member Leader Giles Conroy, Executive Chef (Winner) Meena Mehta, Assisted Living Coordinator, Sunrise of Solihull (Highly Commended) Sue Beckett, Head House-Keeper, Sunrise of Mobberley (Winner) Founder Award Suzanne Garston, General Manager, Sunrise of Banstead (Winner) Tanta Stefanescu, General Manager, Gracewell of Maids Moreton (Winner)
What can Going Digital look like?
This a question we are often asked at Care Vision and more so in the social sare industry. It is seen as a scary prospect and someone said “It’s like driving without holding the steering wheel”.In reality for us, it’s adjusting from using manual gears to automatic, saving you all the time and effort on the road that is social care.Technology, media and the internet has been having a huge impact in our lives for decades now. But the sudden reliance on digital usage has brought much better and more advanced opportunities to business, marketing and general public awareness. NHSX’s Chief Digital Officer, Tara Donnelly, stresses “it’s the opportunity for digital tools and personalised care to collectively improve health care experience and outcomes as well as reducing pressure on the system and provide value for money”.The Future of Healthcare: Our Vision for Digital, Data and Technology in Health and Care recognises that “the potential of cutting-edge technologies to support preventative, predictive and personalised care is huge”. Even the NHS Long Term Plan, has a clear vision for a digital-first approach: “People will be empowered, and their experience of health and care will be transformed, by the ability to access, manage and contribute to digital tools, information and services.”In social care we often wait for direction from the NHS and wait for their lead. At Care Vision we didn’t wait for that change to happen, we led by example and developed a digital system which has engulfed the NHS vision, NOW!:“IT solutions should be able to be accessed in a way which provides maximum flexibility for users, including through a range of devices such as different types of smartphone and through mobile and web apps. They should also support assistive technology, enabling solutions to meet best practice guidance around accessibility.IT solutions must provide accurate record keeping for all user’s IT solutions should enable accurate electronic record keeping. They should record decisions made, by whom, when, including the reasoning and how this decision was communicated to the relevant people. This supports the legislative duty as part of due process”. Care Vison was born directly from a care home and the carers’ first-hand knowledge of the physical and emotional demands and the frustrations that the industry brings. The system was trialled and tested in our own homes before an inspector suggested sharing it with other providers. NHSX’s Chief Digital Officer, Tara Donnelly, believes “IT solutions should give people the confidence and ability to move away from paper-based record keeping”.Care Vision is icon based, it provides ease of use for the carer and a single piece of software for the Manager that brings all your care home needs under one roof.Staff simply carry around a mobile device to log and document what happens in real time throughout the day which is stored onto the care home’s cloud-based system, this means nothing is missed and more accurate notes can be taken.Embracing ‘going digital’ could help all the day to day bureaucracy and compliance issues. Making it a thing of the past, it’s like having an extra administrator, BUT cheaper.Now making that transition to ‘going digital’ doesn’t have to be scary but automatic.
