PPP Taking Care launches new Home & Well service to support home from hospital transition
As an increasingly resource-strapped NHS faces further pressures to manage demands resulting from an ever-aging UK population, the importance of enabling safe transition back home from hospital for the elderly has never been greater. For both patients – particularly those who live alone, and their carers – often relatives with work and family responsibilities, the challenge of ensuring safe transition home from hospital for patients is placing an unprecedented burden upon occupational therapists whose work load is bordering on unsustainable. In a recent survey conducted by PPP Taking Care, 66% of occupational therapists reported that they were unable to commit enough time to the core part of their job; that of helping people transition following a hospital stay. In recognition of the challenges faced by all, PPP Taking Care – leading UK technology-enabled care provider and subsidiary of AXA PPP healthcare – has launched a new ‘Home & Well’ service which aims to provide extended support and crucial peace-of-mind to users and those who care for them. The service includes a 24/7 personal alarm provision, 24/7 medical and medication help lines and regular check-in calls to ensure recovering patients are provided with essential support whenever they need it. To enable users to recuperate at home without financial worries – the first six weeks of this service is free, and if they wish to continue, a discounted rate on the set-up of the personal alarm service is also included. Lynn Walker, PPPTC said: “At a time when social care is pressed for time, budget and resources, we have identified the need for a service which could provide support in areas which are currently under strain and bursting at the seams. Our programme of support and in-home technology takes some of the pressure off occupational therapy and re-ablement teams who simply don’t have the capacity to deal with the volume of demand they are currently experiencing.” The Royal College of Occupational Therapists last year identified vacancy rates of up to 40%, with particular pressure in the Capital. This, coupled with local authority budget cut targets of £824m in social care, is leading to delayed discharges from hospital which is hindering the recovery of mature patients. Early return home from hospital has been proven to support quicker recovery, decrease risk of contracting infections and aids ongoing independence for the elderly to remain in their homes. Lynn added: “Putting in place something as simple as a personal alarm service and support lines gives people the confidence to return home from hospital and also ensure they are safe and well in the process. Aiding independent living is very much at the heart of our services, as well as supporting occupational therapy staff, who are aiming to provide the necessary care and attention to patients. “The new service provides the peace of mind for patients, staff and the families of those who are returning home from hospital and ensure that they make full and swift recoveries to their usual selves following the trauma of a hospital-level illness or injury.”
Hill Care fire colour canons for Teesside Hospice Colour Run
COLOUR canons fired by Hill Care Group staff kicked off the third and final Teesside Hospice Colour Run for 2018. The care home group, which operates several homes across Teesside, was one of the sponsors of this year’s event and given the important role of starting the run. Almost 1,200 participants took part, taking laps of Stewart Park, in Middlesbrough, while being pelted with environmentally friendly coloured powder paint. The staff from Hill Care, which has homes in Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, also manned one of the colour stations. Julie Walker, customer relations officer for Hill Care, said: “It was wonderful to see children from six years old through to teenagers, parents and grandparents all running in memory of their loved ones who have been supported by Teesside Hospice. “It was an honour to represent Hill Care at the event and we hope we can continue to support the hospice and the wonderful work they do.” Teesside Hospice offers palliative care for people over the age of 18 who are living with a life-limiting illness when a cure is no longer possible. All funds raised at the colour run will go towards the services the hospice provides.
Championing Dignity & Respect
Green Tree Court, Exeter’s CQC rated ‘outstanding’ nursing and specialist dementia care home, has marked a commitment to promoting dignity and respect with a new initiative that will see all staff members eventually become ‘Dignity Champions.’ From now, becoming a ‘Dignity Champion’ is officially part of the week-long induction process that all new members of staff undergo when they join the Green Tree Court Team. Michelle Gorringe, Managing Director of Lexicon Healthcare, which owns Green Tree Court, commented: “Being treated with dignity is a basic right – not an optional extra. And providing care in a way that maintains dignity at all times is core to our person-centred approach. Like many organisations, Green Tree Court has encouraged a small group of staff to act as ‘Dignity Champions.’ Their role is to ensure residents, staff, visitors, and contractors are always treated with total respect and dignity. But we felt this still wasn’t enough. Understanding the place of dignity and respect is so crucial to every member of staff, whether they are in our care team or in our kitchen, we felt that all staff should hold this vitally important role. “As a result, we’ve changed our induction process. Now every new member of our team will make a commitment to champion dignity. In doing this, we are reinforcing the message that dignity is central to everything we do. And we’re equipping every member of the team with the knowledge and understanding they need to meaningfully fulfil this role and go above and beyond to deliver services that treat everyone as an individual.” The 10 Dignity Do’s Have a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse Support people with the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your family Treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service Enable people to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control Listen and support people to express their needs and wants Respect people’s right to privacy Ensure people feel able to complain without fear of retribution Engage with family members and carers as care partners Assist people to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem Act to alleviate people’s loneliness and isolation www.lexiconhealthcare.com
Shirly drops her zimmer and dons her dancing shoes
A MOBILITY miracle takes place every time octogenarian care home resident Shirly Naylor is near a dance floor. When the music starts, the 82-year-old drops her zimmer and struts her stuff without the assistance of a frame or stick. Staff at Ingleby Care Home, in Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, were surprised during a recent line dancing activity when Shirly decided to join in. She left her zimmer frame at the side of the dance floor and walked into the middle of the group to take part in the choreographed steps. Other staff members had seen Shirly perform previously, when she took to the dance floor at local pub The Roundel during a senior citizens lunch. Entertainer Pete Matlock was singing for the residents when Shirly joined fellow resident Annabelle Hubbard for a boogie. Shirly said: “I used to dance at my local social club but it’s only as I’ve gotten older that I feel I have to jump up and have a dance at any opportunity. “I hate that I have to use a walking frame and the dancing makes me feel normal.” The care home regularly uses dance activities to keep residents active, including a dance aerobics class in the garden during the sunny summer weather. The armchair activity, run by Billingham-based social enterprise Nouveau Wellbeing, is designed to improve residents’ mobility, confidence and social interaction. While most residents remained seated shaking their maracas and tambourines, Shirly was on her feet, bobbing along to the music. Kirsty Walsh, activities coordinator at Ingleby Care Home, on Lamb Lane, said: “Shirly has used her zimmer since coming to the home in February. “She needs it to get around the home but it always comes as quite a surprise to those who haven’t seen her abandon it for a dance. “She loves to dance at any opportunity, and she can do it without her frame, but she does still need the assistance of it to get about.”
Person Centred Software launches Mobile Care Monitoring in Australia
Person Centred Software is delighted to announce its launch in Australia. Southport Lodge in Queensland, Australia, is the first care provider outside of the UK to use Mobile Care Monitoring (MCM), and in August 2018 they successfully passed accreditation. Residential aged care services in Australia must be accredited by the independent Australian Aged Care Quality Agency to receive government funding. Person Centred Software is working with Belgravia Health & Care, a leading software solutions provider for ‘out of hospital’ customers across the Australasian market. Jonathan Papworth, co-founder and director of Person Centred Software, says, “The world is looking to the UK as an example of how to measure quality of care, whereas Australia and New Zealand have for many years had the funding mechanism for the standardised measurement of care.” Jonathan continues, “Australian aged care homes are a very good fit for Mobile Care Monitoring, with more similarities than differences with the UK care sector. By working globally, we create the best of both worlds to the benefit of all our customers. Our aim is to make social care transparent and measurable, and in so doing, provide care homes, whether in the UK or Australia, with the tools to help them achieve outstanding care.” Tammy Sherwood, CEO of Person Centred Software in Australia, says, “I’m excited to introduce Mobile Care Monitoring to Australia and New Zealand. Mobile Care Monitoring is designed to be used in the hands of the carer, it’s easy to use and icon-driven which limits the need for typing. All this provides care homes with a solution to give carers more time to care for residents.” Southport Lodge is a privately-owned care home in Southport, Queensland. With 36 rooms, residents enjoy ‘individualised care’ and the benefit of being part of a ‘close-knit’ community, while still having the flexibility to maintain their independence. The home has been using Mobile Care Monitoring for more than nine months for all its residents and plans to extend its use to its new second facility, currently in development. Lorraine Garland, Southport Lodge General Manager says, “We don’t have a single staff member who doesn’t like it.” The 20-strong caregiving team comes from a range of different cultural backgrounds and education levels, but Person Centred Software’s Mobile Care Monitoring system has proven to be easy for every staff member to use. Carers capture evidence of care on the icon-based Care App delivered via a handheld device. “The interface is friendly and being picture based, staff can just tap the icon and it’s done,” Lorraine said. “With care-giving there’s often an overwhelming amount of documentation. Our staff don’t want to spend their time doing that. MCM makes it more accurate, because it can be done in real time, rather than when the carer gets back to the office.” Most importantly, MCM frees up Southport Lodge’s caregivers to focus on the people who need it most. “Report writing is so quick and easy, we’re spending 25% more time with our residents,” says Lorraine. https://personcentredsoftware.com
Musical Thursdays For People Living With Dementia
Thursday afternoons have taken on a new significance for residents of Avalon Nursing Home in Bridgwater since Salvation Army volunteer, Graham Box, has started weekly visits to the home to lead a range of worship meetings, social get-togethers and musical therapy. A regular visitor to the home last spring, Graham has long carried out worship meetings alongside his fellow volunteers and has recently begun visiting weekly in response to demand from residents. Activities co-ordinator Emma Hill says: “Many of our ladies and gents enjoy attending worship meetings with the Salvation Army, which not only gives them the opportunity to practise their faith but is also spiritually uplifting through prayer, readings and musical therapy. “Participating in musical therapy is just as important as watching and listening and they always have a great time joining in with a selection of percussion instruments. “The power of music, especially singing, to unlock memories and kick-start grey matter is an increasingly key feature of dementia care. It seems to reach parts of the damaged brain in ways other forms of communication cannot. “A favourite activity is to sing along when Graham plays the piano. They all enjoy singing songs and hymns – even when they don’t really know the words! – and enjoy a chat and cup of tea afterwards. We really appreciate Graham continuing to make time for these visits.” Graham Box said: “All my visits to the Avalon are a blessing to me, but I feel particularly privileged to play the piano to accompany the singing of old-time favourites, which many of the residents enjoy and can remember well. “It’s lovely when we also get some relatives visiting to join in and the Home’s staff are most welcoming and encourage the residents to get involved.” The schedule for Graham’s visits varies, with a worship meeting for those who wish to join on the first Thursday of the month, usually involving prayer, readings, hymns and social chat, while every second and fourth Thursday, he spends some time with the residents just chatting about whatever takes their fancy. This is particularly beneficial for those who prefer to socialise on a one-to-one basis or who are poorly and on bed rest. On the third Thursday of the month Avalon holds a coffee afternoon for the residents, their friends and family and Salvation Army Volunteers. This includes refreshments, activities and musical therapy with Graham and his colleague Pat Potter who also sometimes attends other meetings. Founded in 1865 by William Booth, the Salvation Army is famously known for helping those who have fallen on hard times and their work in the community. Avalon Nursing Home is run by specialist dementia care home group Camelot Care www.camelotcare.co.uk who have further homes in Wellington, Plymouth and Yeovil.
Westminster Society care service rated Outstanding by CQC
Westminster Society Domiciliary Care Service for Adults has been rated Outstanding overall by the Care Quality Commission. This service, which is run by The Westminster Society For People With Learning Disabilities, provides care and support to people living in 18 supported living settings, so that they can live in their own home as independently as possible. It was rated Outstanding for being caring and responsive. It was rated Good for being safe, effective and well-led, after an inspection in June and July 2018. At the time of the inspection the service was supporting 101 people in the City of Westminster, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London borough of Camden. People using the service and their relatives spoke extremely positively about the caring and compassionate nature of the staff and felt that they went above and beyond their expectations of care to meet clients’ needs including some exceptional work to support people to deal with sensitive issues, such as bereavement. It was clear that positive relationships had been developed with people and the staff teams across the service. CQC inspectors saw that people were extremely relaxed and comfortable with staff and were given the opportunity to express their wishes. Staff were focused on the needs of people and spoke with them in a calm and respectful way, responding compassionately if they became upset or distressed. People were allocated a keyworker to ensure the support they received was consistent and allowed them to develop caring relationships and understand how they liked to be supported. One team manager said: “It is important to have consistency for the residents, with no rapid changes from one thing to another.” People using the service were also encouraged to be involved in the staff recruitment and training process. Detailed care plans were in place and provided a summary of medical histories and health conditions for staff. They included people’s personal histories, behaviours, how their diagnosis affected them as well as their social and emotional needs. Care plans were person centred, highlighted what was important to people, their preferences, communication methods and how they wanted their care needs to be met. People using the service and their relatives were fully involved in making decisions about their care and support. One relative said: “I’m always involved and updated with any changes. They always ask me for my opinion and if I can add anything that will be of help.” The service had continued to find ways to develop and improve, looking at ways of overcoming barriers to support people to lead independent lives. For example, events had been created to support people to attend music venues outside the normal working hours of staff. This gave people more opportunities to do the things they wanted to do. The service listened to people’s experiences and concerns through a monthly consultation group called ‘Listen to Us’ which was made up of people using the service to discuss issues important to them and to help them get their own messages across. Since the last inspection this group had expanded with a new group set up to support people in the Camden area too. The service worked in partnership with other agencies for the benefit of both people using the service and staff teams. The provider had worked closely with a local day centre to support a person to return after a period of absence due to deterioration in their health. Visits from local MPs, local nurses and the community police to the provider’s consultation groups had also been arranged. Inspectors saw the provider had a working partnership with the National Portrait Gallery to provide opportunities for people to attend art programmes. Debbie Ivanova, CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, said: “Staff and management at Westminster Society Domiciliary Care Service for Adults are to be congratulated for the high quality of care they provide to people. “I was particularly impressed that the service had developed ways to make sure everyone could influence the development of the service to meet their individual needs and aspirations.” You can read the report in full by clicking on https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-315882426 on CQC’s website.
Borough Care Residents Celebrate Their Friendships
As the world marked International Friendship Day, some of Borough Care’s residents enjoyed spending time with friends they’ve made since moving to a Borough Care home. Borough Care is the largest not for profit provider of care for older people in Stockport and staff at the company’s eleven homes have seen some strong bonds develop between residents. Ishbel Lees, Maureen Bramwell and Ann Kelly, residents at Borough Care’s Meadway Court in Bramhall, love spending time together. At meal times they all sit together and have a catch up. Their relationship is based on humour and they enjoy nothing more than laughing about things that happened recently or in the past. All three ladies love joining in with the wide range of social activities Borough Care offers its residents. From enjoying live entertainment and afternoon tea, to getting some exercise on the social walks or at the Kung Fu Squash sessions, Ishbel, Maureen and Ann enjoy the camaraderie. Over at Borough Care’s Cawood House in Brinnington, Elsie Beard and Margaret Ashley can frequently be found sitting next to each other people watching and putting the world to rights. The two ladies have been friends for over three years, since they both moved to Cawood House. Although they’re from different backgrounds – Elsie having been a solicitor’s clerk in the city and Margaret originating from the countryside – they have forged a close bond at Cawood House. As well as chatting and enjoying each other’s company, Elise and Margaret also like going on the day trips Borough Care organises. Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, says: “The friendships that develop in our homes are hugely beneficial to the individuals concerned. Developing friendships in a residential home can help people settle in, feel part of a wider family and improve their wellbeing. At all our homes we have a regular programme of activities and social events people can participate in so they never need to be lonely.” www.boroughcare.org.uk
Animal Therapy at Maidenhead Care Home
Boulters Lock care home in Maidenhead hosted an entertaining and stimulating therapy session courtesy of the animal therapy experts, Zoolab. During the first time visit Sophie the ranger introduced the 29 residents to a Giant African land snail, rat, stick insect, tarantula, scorpion, tree frog, corn snake, giant African millipede and Madagascan hissing cockroaches. This activity may be perceived as an unusual approach for a care home but there are multiple benefits: Reminisce about childhood memories growing up and pets Interaction with animals is emotive to create calming or joyful mood Improve well being to stimulate a positive mood and mindset Learning new facts and information about the creatures New sensory experiences to touch and hold creatures to examine them closely Create conversations and interactions to ask questions Sarah Laird is from Zoolab: our expert presenters work with animals to provide experiences to make people’s lives better. Animals hold a special place in many people’s hearts and lives, and there is compelling evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that interacting with animals can be beneficial to the physical, social and emotional well-being of those with dementia. Our work in the care sector is designed to provide our lifelong learners with new opportunities to gain knowledge. During our visit to Boulters Lock we heard stories and anecdotes of animal behaviour which is fantastic to create a shared experience for residents and staff alike. The exceptional care provided at the Maidenhead care home is underpinned by the core values of care, comfort and companionship. The welcoming and comfortable home is proudly led by our fully-trained, compassionate and caring team, who strive to make a positive difference to the quality of life for those who call Boulters Lock home. Gurmeet Ubhie is the General Manager at Boulters Lock: We firmly believe that you are never too old to learn something new and our residents are always curious and excited to interact and learn more about animals and we always enjoy the visits from Zoolab to discover new things about the creatures! Boulters Lock is situated in a unique and desirable residential location, just a few minutes away from its picturesque namesake on the River Thames. With a varied and interactive daily activity schedule for the residents, Boulters Lock is a welcoming family home.
