Fiona Phillips announced as chair for Future of Care Conference
Future of Care Conference, a brand-new event taking place at The King’s Fund in London on 13th March 2018 is pleased to announce that Fiona Phillips, journalist and broadcaster is chairing the event. A passionate campaigner for a number of national charities, Fiona is an ambassador for Age UK, The Alzheimer’s Society, Alzheimer’s Research UK, Carers UK, The Prince’s Trust, MIND, Plan International and Missing People. Commenting on the conference, Fiona explained ‘I am delighted to chair at this event as it is a subject close to my heart. I am keen to hear what the future holds, not only for those who work in the care sector, but also to those who it affects – us.’ Delegates will have the opportunity to discuss what good practice looks like and how the sector can achieve it, not just for now, but for the future. How will the many challenges facing social care, including an ageing population, be overcome to ensure sustainable models of practice and ownership? How can local government, the NHS and the provider sector work together to ensure better social care provision for future generations? All of which will be discussed during the focussed speaker slots. Speakers from BUPA UK, NHS England, Barchester Healthcare, Care England and CQC will be in attendance across this one-day conference. BOOK TODAY To take advantage of the super early bird rate, book your tickets before 22nd December. Visit the website www.futureofcare.co.uk or call 01425 838393. Tickets for this conference are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.
New research to investigate whether CO poisoning is being misdiagnosed as dementia
The Gas Safety Trust (GST) has announced it will fund a piece of research looking at the impact of low level carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in older adults and its potential impact on cognitive function. The research, to be carried out by Lancaster University and supported by the West Midlands and Merseyside Fire Services, will gather data on low levels of CO present in homes of older adults and screen their cognitive function and mental health. This research will assist in the understanding of whether low level and long term CO exposure can be a risk factor in neurological disorders such as dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society say that over 850,000 people have a diagnosis of dementia in the UK, with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. They say that this will increase to 2 million by 2051. 1 in 6 people over the age of 80 have dementia whilst in the UK there are over 40,000 people under 65 years of age with dementia. Symptoms of dementia include memory impairment and cognitive impairment such as effects on language, motor skills and recognition. These symptoms are similar to those displayed by people who have been poisoned by CO. In 2016, the GST, in collaboration with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network West Midlands, held a roundtable discussion in Birmingham to look in particular at CO in relation to the impact on peoples’ cognitive function as well as potential links to dementia. This piece of research from Lancaster University stemmed from discussions that took place at this roundtable and from data showing that over the 2014/15 winter period there were four fatalities in people over 80 years of age, from three separate incidents involving piped natural gas. Chris Bielby, Chairman of the GST said: “It was very encouraging to receive this proposal as further research into understanding the risks of low level CO poisoning is an important research area for the Gas Safety Trust – the Trust is focused on working to help reduce the health and safety risks for the more vulnerable in our society.” Professor Carol Holland, Co-Director of the Centre for Ageing Research at Lancaster University said: “We are delighted to receive this funding award to enable research that will make a significant addition to our prevention approach to research on cognitive decline and dementia. Lancaster University is committed to working with a variety of sectors to develop understanding that will help us all to reduce the likelihood of cognitive decline in older age.” The GST, set up in 2005, is the UK’s leading gas safety research charity and has in recent years refocused its strategy on funding several strands of CO related research, to provide the underpinning empirical evidence that supports improved awareness and understanding of the effects of CO.
30th Anniversary at Stocks Hall Nursing and Care Group
West Lancashire based Care Provider, Stocks Hall Nursing and Care Group got into full blown celebration mode this weekend as they celebrated their 30th Anniversary. The Company first opened its doors in 1987, beginning with Stocks Hall Residential Care Home in Ormskirk, Lancashire. Now the group have 6 Homes based around West Lancashire, East Lancashire and Merseyside, over 720 Employees and a Homecare & Nursing Services Department. The Group marked the occasion with a party of celebration for the people living at Stocks Hall, staff, past and present, plus community and family members who wished to attend. They welcomed Deputy Mayor of West Lancashire, Councillor Noel Delaney and Deputy Mayoress Mrs Ann Stubbert as their Honorary guests for this occasion. The afternoon commenced with welcoming speeches from the Deputy Mayor and Stocks Hall before going on to enjoy live entertainment provided by Bamhoot Music, an Acoustic Duo with Justine Konstantynowicz on vocals and Rich Taylor on guitar. A delicious buffet followed, specially prepared by Glen, Head Chef and his team at the Stocks Hall Mawdesley Home. The afternoon reflected around the growth of the Company, the compliments and kind comments people had written in about Stocks Hall Care over the years, what it is like to live and work at Stocks Hall and the value of all the staff. Sue Lace Director of the Group said “It is with much pleasure that we provided this celebration for all to enjoy. 30 years… Wow, what an amazing journey and a fabulous achievement. I thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have contributed and made Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group what it is today. Your passion and commitment to making life and work meaningful for all, is outstanding.” “As our motto says ‘Every Person is Valued’, and as each person gives their best, we can together continue to deliver Quality Care with Integrity & Respect.” Captured here are special moments of the day to add to Stock’s Hall family album. For further information about Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group, please visit http://stockshall-care.co.uk/
Top tips for on boarding yourself into a new job
Just landed yourself a new job? Congratulations! Your effort applying and interviewing has certainly paid off, however the hard work shouldn’t stop there. Now is the time to ensure you are not only fully prepared for the role, but also that your first few weeks are a success and demonstrate you are the right hire. So what can you do to ensure you onboard yourself successfully? Here are our top tips. Build relationships before you begin If you have a break between leaving your new job and starting the next, it might be all too tempting to put your feet up and relax. And while it is important to be well rested and mentally prepared, make the time to create the foundations for strong professional relationships. Write a personal thank you to your interviewer, or hiring manager, and take time to find out what you can about your new line manager and colleagues. It is also advisable to ask if there is anything you can do to prepare – is there any reading you should be doing or research about the care home you will be working in? All this will position you as an individual that is serious about their career and passionate about making a good first impression. Review your induction schedule It’s likely that you will have received an induction booklet or handbook prior to your start date, make sure to set plenty of time aside to read them both thoroughly. Pay particular attention to the dress code and give yourself plenty of time to source appropriate items. And if you haven’t been issued with a schedule or policy booklet, requesting one will certainly set a good impression with the employer. And remember, if you have secured your role via a recruitment consultancy, they will also be able to assist you with liaising with your future employer so make use of your contacts there. The first few weeks Regardless of how busy you might be in your first few days and weeks, it is vital that you take the time to introduce yourself to your colleagues. Afterall, establishing the grounds for strong professional relationships not only creates a more enjoyable work environment, but it can also help you get to know the structure and culture of the business. While it can be daunting entering a new workplace, don’t be tempted to keep yourself to yourself. And if you struggle in situations like this, why not prepare some small-talk topics to draw on when you are introduced to new people- this can be particularly useful if you are joining a large team. It is also advisable to schedule some time at the end of your first week to sit down with your line manager to discuss how you are finding the role. This will also offer the chance to get some initial feedback, and discuss anything you are finding challenging or would like more information about. Professional development The end of your first week also offers a great time for you to set yourself a 90 day goal which should include where you want to be and what skills you want to develop and acquire. Once you have this in place, regularly review it to assess how you are progressing. And ensure that you make the time to review your skill sets and discuss opportunities to develop these – whether this is via internal or external training opportunities – with your employer. Samantha Edmondson, Senior Recruitment Consultant – Nursing division at Clayton Recruitment
How to Cope With Taking Care of Aging Parents: 5 step guide!
Taking care of an aging parent is a hard job, it requires relentless effort and a lot of time. I often see adults complaining that despite their entire interest in a parent’s caretaking responsibility, they end up feeling drained and upset. If you’re one of those adults, and you’re seeking advice, I think I can be of some help to you. There are certain things that you can do to make this job much more manageable for yourselves than it already is. I’m sure by now you’re super curious to know so without further blabbering, I’ll continue with the advice. 1. Set Boundaries I understand that you care a lot about your parent, but you have to make sure that you have specified boundaries that no one crosses. Before you take up the job of caregiving, make sure you communicate with your parents that you have your own life and your privacy that you wouldn’t want to be meddled with. I’m sure they will understand that and help you in this regard. 2. Take Care of Yourself How can you possibly take care of someone if you’re not careful with your own mental, emotional and physical health? Have your meals at a time and make sure you’re emotionally healthy as well. Your parents’ well-being is pretty much dependent on your wellbeing. I advise that you never compromise on your health. 3. Have Alone Time When you have an elderly parent at home, it might feel like that the time is just flying by and as if you don’t have any time for your self. Make sure that you occasionally take time out for yourself and indulge in an activity you love so that you do not get frustrated with your caregiving routine. This is very beneficial for both you and your parent because sometimes they need a break as well. 4. Involve Family You don’t have to do it all yourself; this is the worst mistake a perfectly kind and understanding adult caregiver-child can make. They assume they are responsible for their parents’ caretaking solely and therefore they cannot seek help. On the other hand, you must make sure that all your family members are as indulged in the caregiving, at least mentally, as you are. Ensure that your kids spend time with your parents and keep them company when you’re busy with work or chores. Similarly, make sure that your siblings play their designated role in caregiving. 5. Help them Socialize Did you know that if the elderly socialized they would act and feel less grumpy and irritated? Socialization helps stay sane, and this has been proven scientifically as well. Hire befriending services so that your parents get more involved with the society and do not shut themselves in their rooms just to peer out of the window from dawn to dusk. It will only have adverse effects on their mental health. I hope these tips help your parents. Author Bio: This article was written by Chris Palmer who regularly shares advice on elderly care. In particular dementia and supporting your elderly parent. You can find more by Chris on: https://www.agespace.org/.
Nursing associates: What does the scheme involve and is it working?
Denise Baker, Head of Pre-Qualifying Healthcare at the University of Derby The University of Derby is one of the first eleven cohorts of nursing associates in the UK. Later cohorts have been termed fast followers and now we have in the region of 2,000 trainee nursing associates in England, 125 of whom are at Derby. As part of a wider review of development of the nursing workforce, the associate role was proposed as one which would free up registered nurses to concentrate on more complex cases. The associate role is also seen as a route into nursing, allowing experienced support workers access to the registered nurse role if that’s appropriate. Our students have been sponsored by Health Education England and are supported by their employers to attend university one day per week for two years to undertake a foundation degree. Work-based learning is nothing new – we have been seeing assistant practitioners educated this way for years – but the scale and pace of this development is unprecedented. Students had a break in their studies over August, but there is no let-up in their development. Many are undertaking placements in a completely different environment to their usual workplace. This has been one of the challenges for employers – sourcing an adequate number of appropriate placements, often with different employers. A large employer hosting a small number of social or primary care students is not impossible, but it becomes much harder when you want to place 30 hospital based Nursing Associates in GP practices or nursing homes. Is the hard work worth it? Our students tell us it is. Their practice is enriched and enhanced by seeing how care is delivered in different sectors and they have a much better understanding of the journey patients need to undertake to receive care. Not surprising perhaps, but the thought of allowing employees to visit other employers to see how it all works is quite unique. There are many who still do not quite know what the nursing associate role is. Indeed, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are still drawing up the standards which will tell universities and employers exactly what the role will look like. This is a challenge for education providers and nursing associates alike. Are we sure that we are teaching the right topics and giving them the correct workplace experiences? We believe so, but we have also learned so much already. The support that the trainees receive in practice is critical. Each trainee has an experienced nurse as their supervisor whose role is to mentor the future nursing associate into the nursing profession. However, not knowing what the ‘finished’ role looks like is hard for everyone. Of course, this brings many opportunities to shape the role and make it fit for purpose, but we run the risk of introducing variations in the role in different parts of the country or even region. Funding received from Health Education England has allowed employers to provide clinical educators in our region. This role has been key in offering support to nursing associates and supervisors and enabled easier communication between employer and education provider. But this is a short lived role, only possible because of the additional funding. Further cohorts of nursing associates are planned and an apprenticeship is in development, but unless employers agree to continue funding the educator role themselves, they will finish at the end of the pilot project. The clinical educators have already proved their worth, so their removal will be a risk. In spite of the challenges, working with this group of learners is a joy. Experience with our assistant practitioners has shown us how much talent is already in the support workforce, and given the opportunity, they blossom. What they bring with them is experience of delivering care – sometimes years and years of it. Foundation degrees offer trainees the opportunity to organise, supplement and develop their existing knowledge, and we know that what we do in the classroom today can be put into practice tomorrow. Writing assignments is a challenge – many haven’t studied for a number of years and they have full time jobs and full time lives to fit in too. But don’t be tricked into thinking that foundation degrees are the easy option or that support workers aren’t academic. University may have felt like an impossible dream to many of our trainees, but they absolutely deserve to be there and consistently impress us with their hard work, knowledge and compassionate approach which comes through in the classroom. At a time when we hear a lot about the challenges faced in the healthcare workforce – the impact of Brexit, the public sector pay cap, removal of bursaries or the numbers of vacancies employers are currently carrying, we have to think differently about the workforce of the future. Nursing associates are part of that future. Lack of clarity about the role, time to develop new skills and logistics of arranging placements in other organisations are challenging, yes, but we are already starting to see benefits in practice. We look forward to welcoming more trainees early in 2018 and are proud to be part of a wider team of employers and education providers in the East Midlands.
Grandad Inspires Entrepreneur to Make A Change.
Ben Atkinson-Willes founded Active Minds, a company who design and create activities for people living with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Active Minds work with several care homes across UK and the NHS, Age UK and Bupa. We recently caught up with Ben to find out more about his journey and plans for the future… The idea started back in 2008 when my grandfather had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for the past 10 years, and I decided to see what I could do to help support him. When my Grandfather was first diagnosed, he became an avid jigsaw enthusiast. However, as his ability to perform tasks diminished, the jigsaws got simpler and simpler. He started with 1000-piece puzzles when he was first diagnosed, this quickly became 500, then 200, until he was only able to do 50-piece jigsaws designed for a 3-year-old, and the house started to fill with children’s toys. Then in full-time care, I spent a few days shadowing my grandfather’s carers to build on what I already knew. To me, it seemed that his care needs were well catered for, but there was a real lack of activities to keep him entertained during the day. It frustrated me that such a great man was reduced to doing jigsaw puzzles of cartoon characters whom he had probably never heard of and who meant nothing to him, so Ben was determined to source alternative activities which would have relevance to someone of his generation. After further research into the sector, I noticed the entire care sector globally was using children toys to address this huge challenge. Further investigation revealed there was plenty of research from the Alzheimer’s Society and Stirling University that showed the importance of meaningful activity in the life of someone living with dementia. It helps reduce depression and sleeplessness, as well as encourage conversation and connection with others to reduce isolation. There are 46 million people living with dementia worldwide so there was clearly a huge need for more appropriate activities. Since 2010, Active Minds has been researching, designing, and developing activities to improve the quality of life for people live with dementia. Our mission is and will continue to be, to create positive, mindfully designed, human-centred activity products and games to help people lead active lives. To date we have helped support over 150,000 people living with dementia. We have partnerships with many of the UK largest healthcare organisations such as BUPA and Royal Free NHS Trust, as well as selling directly to families of those living with dementia. Last year we pledged to create 100 products to support people living with dementia by 2018, a goal that we are getting ever closer to, in fact we are on track to have reached our target a year early. My grandfather was my inspiration to start Active Minds and continues to inspire me every day.
Encore Care Homes is the first in Dorset to provide an immersive dementia experience
Encore Care Homes is the first care group in Dorset to offer a Virtual Dementia Tour, which provides care and health professionals with an inside look into what it’s like to live with dementia, and training on the best ways to support someone suffering with the disease. Encore manages three care homes in Dorset and Hampshire. Great Oaks, Encore’s latest addition, welcomed local healthcare professionals from across the county and members of the community, to learn and experience first-hand how patients living with dementia feel. The Virtual Dementia Tour is a fully immersive experience that uses specifically designed clothing and equipment, which affects the vision and hearing of participants. The specialist equipment replicates some of the symptoms of mid-range dementia. The tour is run by Training 2 Care and is owned by the non-profit company Second Wind Dreams. The tour is medically and scientifically proven to be the closest way a healthy brain is able to experience the effects of dementia. Izzy Nicholls, operations and quality director of Encore, said: “We feel it is so important to offer free Virtual Dementia Tour training to care professionals and members of the public to promote the understanding of what it is like to live with dementia. This understanding can change the way residents with dementia are cared for and therefore improve their quality of life. “Dementia is not only about memory loss, it deprives all the senses and can severely affect vision, hearing and touch creating a world of fear and confusion. The Virtual Dementia Tour changes the way both healthcare professionals and family members think about dementia and helps support them in communicating and connecting with their loved ones. Participants have described the tour as scary, intimidating, confusing and feeling vulnerable – however, they have also commented on what an eye-opening experience this truly is and how it has completely changed their perception of dementia. “We are proud to host this revolutionary training within Dorset. It is our ambition to become a dementia resource for the community and to educate society on how to care and communicate better with those who live with dementia.” Great Oaks will hold future free Virtual Dementia Tour training on Tuesday, December 5. Places are limited and will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. Please call 01202 476960 or email dementiatour@greatoaksbournemouth.co.uk to book your space.
Residents get a ‘kick’ out of donkey visit
Rescue donkey Willow captured hearts when he dropped into meet residents at Acacia nursing home in Yeovil. Accompanied by his handlers, the former show donkey travelled to the Hendford Hill home run by care provider Camelot Care from the Donkey Sanctuary at Sidmouth. Percy West was just one of Acacia’s residents who enjoyed a close encounter with 16-year- old Willow who is being cared for by the world-renowned charity. Dannielle Whitehouse, Acacia’s activities co-ordinator, said: “The donkey came round to the residents in the communal lounges. “Residents were smiling and most of them really enjoyed meeting and stroking the donkey, and asking questions of the Donkey Sanctuary staff. “The Donkey Sanctuary has visited us in previous years but this was the first time they have come to see us this year. “We enjoy bringing all different types of animals, from donkeys to birds of prey, to visit our residents, who usually talk about the visits for some time afterwards.” The visit from the Donkey Sanctuary was just part of a busy activities programme Camelot Care provides at Acacia Nursing Home. Camelot has 15 years’ experience providing top-quality nursing and dementia care to the elderly, with other homes in Wellington and Bridgwater, in Somerset, and Plymouth, in Devon. photo: Resident Percy West welcomes a visitor from the Donkey Sanctuary. For more information about Acacia Nursing Home visit: www.camelotcare.co.uk or call: 01935 470 400.
