Care Home Volunteers Help During Snow
A Skelmersdale mum and her two children volunteer their services at a local Care Home during the snowy weather. After the snow forced closures at several Lancashire schools on Thursday 8th March, a kind-hearted Skelmersdale family volunteered their service to local Care Home, Stocks Hall Skelmersdale. Joanne Wilde, Office Administrator at Westhead Lathom St James’ CE Primary School and her two children, Daisy, aged 7 and Dan, aged 13 who all live in Skelmersdale, approached the nearby Care Home to see if they could help in anyway. Joanne says “We live nearby and I thought it would be a great opportunity for the young and old to come together. I thought it would be valuable experience for us all, providing the chance to spend time with people who typically have fascinating stories to tell about their long lives.” The charitable trio helped out serving lunches and provided companionship and laughter throughout the afternoon to those living at the Home. Joanne continues “The Home have been very welcoming to us all. It’s been very special to see my children learning, having fun and finding new friendships.” Dan who attends Ormskirk High School says, “We have made some lovely friends today and have learned about the use of memory boxes and reminiscing activities, a great History lesson.” Daisy who attends Brookfield Park Primary School in Skelmersdale says “It was lovely to sit and have lunch with the Residents, we even enjoyed some yummy cheesecake for dessert, it was delicious.” Manager of Stocks Hall Skelmersdale Home says “I’d like to say a big thank you to Joanne and her wonderful children, Daisy and Dan, for offering this kind gesture. They are inspirational, caring and kind people, we are so grateful for the help they have given today. This is community spirit at it’s best.”
Looking forward to the Future of Care Conference
Against the backdrop of increasing service pressures within the sector, the Future of Care Conference provides a platform to look forward to the future and collaborate to support each other with advice and knowledge as we move forward despite the crisis in both funding and workforce. This brand-new one-day conference consists of a range of high calibre speakers from across the industry who will impart their knowledge and innovative ideas. Sights are set firmly on the future as topics include ‘What next for the care home sector’ and ‘Understanding the trends and future challenges with Alzheimer’s’. Held at the acclaimed venue of The King’s Fund in London, event director Emma Barrett comments: “The focus of this conference is to address the key problems and issues before they develop in order to save money, time and resources in the future. By bringing the industry together like this, will help to determine or at least discuss the next steps to allow the future of the care industry to prosper as it once did. The passion within this industry is second to none and the atmosphere will be sure to portray this on the day.” With only a handful of tickets remaining at this late stage, visit the website www.futureofcare.co.uk or call 01425 838393 to book your seats today. This event aims to provide personal as well as professional development to all those involved alongside a selected range of exhibitors who will be on hand to offer their support during the networking opportunities throughout the day. The organisers look forward to welcoming delegates, exhibitors and speakers on Tuesday 13th March. This event is one not miss this year!
Four-legged friend joins Leeds City College
Leeds City College welcomes its newest recruit, Jeffrey the dog. The 12 week old Cockerpoo joins the college’s schools of Health Sciences, Childhood & Education and Public Services as a pet therapy animal. Jeffrey will be attending Puppy School on a weekly basis to become an accredited therapy dog and has already been supporting students. Sheila Lucciarini, Head of Childcare and Public Services at Leeds City College, said: “Once Jeffrey is fully trained, we will register with UK animal charity, Pets as Therapy (PAT) to get approval for him to become a PAT visiting dog. We’ll then be able to visit care and educational settings to support others. “Studies suggest that pets play an effective role in supporting the young and elderly and we’ll be conducting research into the impact Jeffrey has on our most vulnerable students and their achievement levels, especially those with autism and additional needs. “We’ll be teaching our students the benefits therapy dogs have on those living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s. It’s not uncommon to watch someone transition from emotionless to joyful when a pet enters the room. “Dogs can also support cognitive behaviour to work with phobias and fears, along with counselling and mental health support for depression, anger management, behavioural issues, self harm and eating disorders.” Leeds City College will be documenting Jeffrey’s progress and activity through a blog which will be published soon. PAT was founded in 2011 when it was recognised how animals can have a positive impact on learning and emotional wellbeing. The charity initially supported children with learning difficulties and worked on a positive behaviour programme for those on the autistic spectrum. Pets as Therapy endorse the research study being carried out by the University of Lincoln into the benefits that animals, specifically dogs bring to the lives of children.
Care home wins funds for multi-sensory garden
A multi-sensory garden is to be created at a Bolton care home following a successful funding bid. Lever Edge Care Home, in Great Lever, was awarded £6,100 by Bolton Council as part of the Bolton Transformation Fund. The money will be used to create a colourful, edible garden with installations to stimulate both sight, sound and smell. The garden is located at the front of the care home and will be open to the community – with schools and other groups invited visit. Fruit trees, herbs, peas and tomatoes are just some of the produce the care home is hoping to grow with local help. Anyone who participates in helping to maintain the garden will have the opportunity to harvest the crops for their use. The care home’s residents are already looking forward to tasting the first of their fruit and vegetables, said home manager Karen McMahon. She said: “We were absolutely delighted to win the funding bid for our multi-sensory garden and can’t wait to get started with the installation work. “The residents are thrilled they will be able to grow their own produce and look forward to harvesting later in the year for the kitchen to create some wonderful dishes. “The garden will also be a great place to spend some time during the warmer months, as there will be lots to see, hear and smell. “Multi-sensory activities have a proven therapeutic effect for the elderly, especially those with dementia, as it can help to alleviate confusion, depression and anxiety.” Building work on the garden will begin in April, with local community group Great Lever Connected carrying out the work, including installing chimes, ornaments and other audiovisual features. After the plants have had time to bed in and grow, an official opening ceremony will take place later in the year. Lever Edge Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net
The Living Art Gallery at Stocks Hall
People living at a Care Home in Merseyside are delighted to reveal an evocative collection of artwork. A corridor and lounge area at a Care Home in St Helens has recently been transformed with an area full of artwork that sparkles with life and colour. The Living Art Gallery at Stocks Hall St Helens Home has been developed to showcase a collection of beautiful and unique art pieces that have been lovingly created by people living at the Home. The exhibition features eleven artworks that explore still life paintings using paint, pastels and collage. The exhibition currently shows the works from the very talented Kevin Richardson (60), Ann Black (71), Maureen Donegan (65), Brian Littlewood (73), Joan Fairclough (66), Paul Shepherd (44) and Paula Cowan (53). Laura Coghlan-Adam, Activities Staff and in-house Artist is passionate about offering everyone an opportunity to reflect Individuality, experimentation and expression through contemporary art practices. Laura says “This is a wonderful celebration of inspiration and diversity through the art and craft sessions held at the Home, bringing an array of benefits to the people wishing to be involved. The sessions encourage everyone to socialise within a creative environment whilst discovering their own artistic freedom. The concept of the new Living Art Gallery has inspired further discussion amongst people living at the Home – transforming an additional corridor with colourful mixed media art work, commencing in the next coming weeks.” The Home’s mission is to unite people and inspire communication and understanding through the Arts. The weekly art sessions are devised and delivered to enable participants to explore their creativity with the guidance of experienced artist, Laura, providing support as and when needed. Laura says “Creative sessions not only gives people an outlet and a voice for their thoughts and ideas, it helps them to feel valued and is also incredibly therapeutic. We are looking forward to hosting our very own Living Art Gallery opening show very soon.” http://stockshall-care.co.uk/care-home/stocks-hall-st-helens/
Superheroes and Disney characters visit Chesterfield care homes on World Book Day
CAPTAIN America, Banana Man and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Veronica Salt were among those to visit Chesterfield care homes on World Book Day. Staff and their children dressed as their favourite characters as part of celebrations at Barnfield and Holmewood care homes. Among them were four-year-old Olivia Furniss and her eight-year-old brother Riley, who dressed as the Roald Dahl character and Marvel comic book superhero. The pair are the children of Barnfield Care Home activities coordinator Rachel Furniss and the grandchildren of home manager Alison Riley. Alison said: “We celebrate World Book Day every year and my grandchildren often visit to read their favourite stories to our residents. “Everyone loves their visits as they bring so much energy and fun into the home and the residents thoroughly enjoy reading books with them.” Banana Man care assistant Chantelle Parker, resident Gerald Yem and Snow White care assistant Marilou Lamprou celebrate World Book Day at Holmewood Care Home. At Holmewood Care Home, care assistants Chantelle Parker and Marilou Lamprou’s costumes shared a fruity connection. Chantelle appeared as the parody superhero Banana Man and Marilou avoided the poisoned apple to show-up as Disney’s Snow White. Kathleen Richardson, Holmewood Care Home manager, said: “The staff decided to dress up for World Book Day to entertain the residents, alongside the children who dropped into the home as well. “It was a brilliant event to celebrate alongside our partner home and everyone had a great time reading their favourite books.” Barnfield and Holmewood care homes are part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net. Hill Care Group specialise in providing residential, nursing and dementia care, personalised for you and your family. Our experienced professional healthcare teams and safe, comfortable accommodation provide residents with bespoke healthcare support. Including the privacy, dignity and the opportunity to make their own choices and maintain as much independence as possible. Planned daily routines as well as stimulating activities and events, create a positive experience for the whole family.
Young carers could be better supported if no-one made fun of them
“Young carers could be better supported if no-one made fun of them” – This is the opinion of 13-year-old Cara*, who has been caring for her grandma since she was just 8 years old. Her daily tasks include feeding her grandma breakfast, making sure she has the right medication and even taking her grandma to the toilet as she cannot walk on her own. Looking after her grandma is a big responsibility and has affected how Cara spends time with the rest of her family. “We can’t go anywhere fun as a family because one person has to stay with my grandma as she can’t walk.” Cara also finds it difficult to socialise with her friends outside of school because of her additional responsibilities. The social standing of children in school has remained quite unchanged through the years. There are still those students who excel academically, still ones who tease others and still children who act “differently” to the rest of their peers. It is often the case that students who act “differently” can come across problems in school in the form mental or physical bullying from their classmates – but the question is, WHY do these children act differently? Outside of school, there has been a huge change in the circumstances of many young people – one that is still largely hidden from society. In a survey carried out in 2010, the BBC estimated that there were 700,000 young carers in the UK, up from 175,000 identified in the 2001 census. The responsibilities experienced by young carers at home can often have an impact on how they perform or present themselves at school. Anxiety and physical tiredness can cause some young carers to retreat into themselves, struggling to build friendships and causing them to feel isolated, whilst others find it difficult to control their emotions, resulting in unexpected outbursts of anger or frustration. Behaviours like this can seem strange to other children or even threatening, which can make young carers the target of bullying. NRS Healthcare is the UK’s leading provider of Community Equipment, Wheelchair Services, equipment supply and Clinical Services to the NHS and Local Authorities, and their number one focus is to help those who are older or disabled live independently. By offering equipment that can help people to look after themselves, NRS hope to enable young carers across the UK to have more time to enjoy their childhood by making their daily caring duties easier. NRS Healthcare contacted Sheffield Young Carers (SYC), to ask if any of their members would share what it’s like to be a young carer. Cara was one member of SYC to respond and NRS also received several other case studies – all from young carers aged 10-19. Cara’s suggestion that “Young carers could be better supported if no-one made fun of them” turns out to be exceptionally relevant, as the case studies showed that: 9 out of 11 (82%) young carers had experienced problems at school as a direct result of their carers role. Many were often too tired to socialise with their peers, with one young carer in particular noting this caused conflict with her friends who had a “lack of understanding”. Some young carers also mentioned feeling frustrated in school due to worrying about their loved ones they have left at home, causing them to lose focus in class and even disrupt lessons. Poor attendance was also a big factor for many of the young carers, with one 10-year-old admitting he would “act up on being ill” so he could stay at home to look after his Mum. According to Cara, “It is really important to raise awareness [of young carers] because the more people support us the more the people we care for will get a lot of support.” In other words, it’s a win, win. By bringing the “hidden army” of young carers in the UK out of the shadows and into the public eye, not only will other children have a better understanding of what their classmates may be going through at home (encouraging them to stop “making fun” of young carers) but young carers loved ones will hopefully receive more support to help them live more independently in their daily lives. * Name has been changed to protect the young carer’s identity
Memories Are Made Of This – St Budeaux Foundation School
Residents at a care home in Plymouth enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane with a visit from youngsters from nearby St Budeaux Foundation School. Eight pupils met up with four people who live at Freshfields as part of the Archie Project, a scheme that links local schools with people with dementia. The ‘Life Stories’ project involves children asking residents questions about their life, including favourite holidays, fashion, and former beloved pets. Dog lover Elizabeth Bessant, 73, relived happy memories of her cherished ‘Westie’ dogs and the companionship they provided. She also told the girls about her favourite childhood destination, Looe in Cornwall, where she and her family used to go on trips. “This is the third year that St Budeaux children have been coming here and our residents get so much out of it,” said Freshfields’ activities co-ordinator Paul Hutt. “The ‘Life Stories’ project enables the individuals who live here to reminisce about days-gone-by and relive happy memories. “Their stories really seem to strike a chord with the youngsters – there is a real connection and it really brightens up our residents’ days.” St Budeaux head teacher Cathy Drage said the visits provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils to interact and connect with a different generation. “Our young people get so much from their visits to Freshfields. They are always fascinated to hear residents’ stories about their younger days. “Young and old lead increasingly segregated lives these days and coming together like this is an excellent way of raising awareness.” The Archie Project is a project created to reduce the stigma and fear associated with the word dementia that links to local primary schools, care homes, sheltered housing schemes, businesses, and community members. Swedish designed and purpose built, Freshfields in Agaton Road, Plymouth, is a specialist 36-bed dementia care facility overlooks the Tamar Estuary.
Radiometer Ltd
Radiometer Ltd has implemented its AQURE Enterprise point-of-care (POC) data management system at the University of Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust’s new Emergency Department. Radiometer Ltd has also supported them in configuring the interface of the Trust’s Sunquest Integrated Clinical Environment (ICE) EPR system so that blood gas test results are automatically linked to an individual’s electronic patient record (EPR). Blood gas tests are ordered via the ICE-EPR system and processed within the Emergency Department on Radiometer’s ABL90 FLEX PLUS blood gas analysers, with results being delivered to the clinician via Sunquest ICE in as little as 1 min. The almost immediate display of accurate results can have a significant effect on patient outcomes. Having invested last year in twenty four of Radiometer’s ABL90 FLEX PLUS blood gas analysers and its AQURE Enterprise data management system for all its POC blood gas tests, the Trust subsequently asked Radiometer to interface AQURE with its Sunquest ICE prior to opening its Emergency Department (ED) pathology hot lab in April 2017. The connectivity between Radiometer’s AQURE Enterprise system and the ICE-EPR now enables doctors to have a full picture of the patient journey, right from initial admission into the ED. AQURE Enterprise has a number of features designed to improve patient safety, including unique barcode identifiers and rigorous checks between patient record and POC analysers, patient notes and samples. In addition, should the Trust’s central IT systems be down for any reason, AQURE Enterprise has fallback connectivity so that the ED can still process blood tests. Patient safety and clinical governance are major priorities for any NHS Trust, so ensuring both the accuracy and speed of a test result, and its confirmed match to the patient is essential. The new solicited testing process implemented in Leicester’s ED is the first of its kind in the UK. In the EPR system, the booking of a blood gas test is identified, and then the test result is anticipated and linked back to the patient record through a barcode. It is delivering significant benefits for patient safety, efficiency and cost effectiveness, as Jasminder Dhillon, POC Team Manager, explained: “The AQURE Enterprise system is a lot quicker and a lot safer than what we had before. It’s all about having the right information at the right time for the right sample and the right patient.” The new hot lab system is an integral part of Leicester Hospitals NHS Trust’s £48 million purpose-built ED. The Trust had been working with another supplier to implement solicited testing, but had concerns about how the project was progressing. Radiometer was asked to help and completed the complex integration project in just one month — a week ahead of schedule — beating the tight deadline imposed due to the opening of the new pathology hot lab. “I have worked with many suppliers and it is not often you get one quite so responsive and with experts who fit in so well with our own team,” said Linda White, Project Manager, Information Management and Technology (IM&T) Department. Radiometer continues to work with the Trust to support further service efficiencies, which will benefit patients and clinicians from the ED and across all departments in three Leicester hospitals. For more information, please visit www.radiometer.co.uk.
