New Century Care bridges the gap between generations with rollout of innovative new intergenerational playgroups
Following a six-month trial, New Century Care plan to expand intergenerational playgroups across all homes New Century Care has joined forces with the local community around it’s homes to launch some of the UK’s first ever intergenerational playgroups – in a move that has been described as one of ‘the highlights of the week’ by some of its residents. Over the last six-months, the intergenerational playgroup concept has been trialled at New Century Care’s Westbank care home in Kent, and since June at The Oaks care home in Colchester. With successful results at both homes, New Century Care now plans to rollout intergeneration playgroup sessions across all 21 homes in the group over the coming months. The move follows similar schemes in the United States and Australia showing positive outcomes for both the young and the old – particularly in tackling loneliness among the elderly residents and improving children’s language development. This is why the Home Managers at both the Westbank and The Oaks care homes, jumped at the chance to be the first to open their doors every Friday to children and their parents for some intergenerational fun! As part of the playgroup, parents, who are required to attend with their children, are encouraged to sit back and relax while the residents and toddlers interact with each other. Activity Coordinators at the homes design and implement an action-packed day of games in the garden, arts and craft sessions and, of course, the much-loved sing-along at the end of the day. The programme is specially designed by the New Century Care staff to allow full participation from the children and the residents, in a way which will keep them safe, healthy and active. Genevieve Rodrigues, Home Manager at Westbank care home, said: “The staff love watching the children and the residents form these new relationships and have fun together. It is so important for our residents to be part of the community, and for many of them, the playgroup is one their highlights of the week.” Lindsay Ridley, Activities Coordinator at The Oaks care home said: “It is such a great experience for both the residents and the children. Interacting with the children brings huge smiles to the residents’ faces, and it is good to see so much excitement on all sides. Events like this are a hallmark of good care, and we couldn’t be happier to have more planned. We all can’t wait for them to visit again.” Indeed, the scheme has proved such a success that New Century Care is in the process of expanding the project to its other homes around Southern England, with the view to implementing the programme in all of its 21 care homes up and down the country. Jon Catterwell, Regional Manager at New Century Care said: “We have been running the playgroup at Westbank and The Oaks for six-months now, and it has proven to be a huge hit with both the toddlers and our residents. “Having the children, who are wonderful bundles of energy, and their parents at Westbank and The Oaks, encourages our residents to be active, and helps them to interact and remain engaged with the local community which we value so highly. We are now working with our other homes and their respective local communities to set up similar playgroups.” New Century Care group is an expert national care operator specialising in providing compassionate residential, nursing and dementia care in a homely setting. We care about care.
Low Intensity Vibration therapy for care home residents launches in UK
A medically-approved device that uses low-intensity vibration (LIV) to help redevelop bone and muscle tissue, restore postural control and improve balance and mobility is launching in the UK. Approved for therapeutic use, Marodyne delivers safe, gentle and consistent vertical vibrations to help restore motion to joints, redevelop muscles, facilitate bone healing, increase bone mineral density, prevent and reverse the complications of osteoporosis and ease osteoarthritis. Marodyne is the only low-intensity vibration solution for patients that is backed bydecades of preclinical and clinical trials, supported by a leading Scientific Advisory Board and considered safe by OSHA and ISO Standards. It is certified as a class 2a medical device under the Medical Device Directive 93/42/ EEC Annex II and is the only LIV or WBV (Whole Body Vibration) medical device in the world to meet the standards set in ISO 2631 for mechanical vibration. It has no contra-indications or side effects. Sheila Scott OBE, former care home owner and recently retired as the National Care Association CEO, says: “I immediately saw the potential of low intensity vibration therapy for the elderly. Those who are physically inactive and unable to exercise will benefit from the boost in circulation and cell stimulation provided by this low intensity vibration training. The fact everyone in a care home setting could use the device and you only need 10 minutes per person means all residents could use it daily. If I were managing a care home today I’d be very keen to offer the Marodyne LIV treatment.” People simply stand on the Marodyne platform while its ‘smart’ technology automatically adjusts to deliver even and optimal cycles at 30 contractions per second.Marodyne uses a microprocessor to control and maintain sound waves that output 0.4g acceleration to any user. This precise low acceleration, low level vibration is transmitted at a high frequency (30Hz), mimicking the small high frequencycontractions exerted by muscles onto the bone. These small forces have a direct effect upon the growth, health and renewal of musculoskeletal tissues involving networks of cells that are sensitive to chemical, biological and mechanical signals. LIV should not be confused with Whole Body Vibration (WBV) which exerts a highacceleration, high level vibration of well over 1g and is generally unsuitable for the elderly or infirm. Four key areas where LIV can help the elderly: Osteoporosis – by maintaining and increasing bone mineral density, speeding up bone healing, and increasing the quality of fracture repair. Osteoarthritis – by improving metabolism, boosting blood flow and helping ensure the nutrients necessary for cartilage formation are pumped efficiently into the joint cavity. Falls Prevention – by stimulating and restoring the dynamic action of muscle fibres in the legs which help to give better balance, postural reflexes and co-ordination while improving muscle strength and stimulating new muscle growth. Active Ageing – by stimulating blood circulation and lymphatic flow and improvingleg strength it encourages mobility, flexibility and independence. www.marodyne.com Media contact: Katherine@actionpr.co.uk/07787 533143
LloydsPharmacy and Unforgettable Bring Active Minds Products to the High Street in UK First
Active Minds is the first award-winning dementia activity company to have their products launch in national pharmacy, LloydsPharmacy. Active Minds’ partner, Unforgetable.org have secured a deal with LloydsPharmacy to sell dementia products in their stores across the UK, making LloydsPharmacy the first major high street retailer to stock products suitable for people with dementia. The carefully selected Active Minds products will be available in from 50 LloydsPharmacy and 9 Betterlife from Lloyds Pharmacy stores. Two of Active Minds innovative products will be accessible on the high street and ‘click and collect’ for the first time in the UK. These products include Aquapaint dementia painting and a 35-piece jigsaw puzzle which aim to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia. Aquapaint™ Dementia Painting (£12.49 with VAT relief) These cleverly designed reusable painting sheets provide all the enjoyment of creating a piece of artwork with just water. Helpful in improving dexterity, Aquapaint™ will keep your loved one engaged, stimulated, and most importantly put a smile on their face. 35-Piece Jigsaw Puzzles (£9.99 with VAT relief) Engaging and fun to use, these 35-piece jigsaw puzzles are designed to stimulate memories and conversation. Made from durable hygienic plastic, the framed backing board ensures they are easy to use.
Adelphi care services to become part of the regard group
Shropshire care group Adelphi Care Services, which provides services to adults with learning disabilities, autism and challenging behaviour, is to become part of The Regard Group, the UK’s fourth biggest care provider. Nine specialist residential and supported living services will become part of Regard, which was formed in 1994, and now has a staff of over 2,200 operating at 150 sites around the country. The organisation currently supports more than 1,100 people, helping them to live their lives to the full and as independently as possible. Carterwood, the specialist property agents dedicated to the care sector, were instructed by the shareholders of Adelphi Care Services to seek a suitable buyer for the business and played an integral role in facilitating the acquisition by Regard, which comes at a time when it is already experiencing significant organic growth. Regard has opened 12 new services within the past 12 months – all of which filled very quickly – with a further 12 new openings planned by mid-2018. The Regard Group was named ‘Specialist Care Provider of the Year’ in the 2017 national awards of HealthInvestor magazine. Judges said their team had demonstrated ‘innovation and excellence in the deals they worked on over the past year as well as an ability to bring meaningful change to the lives of the people they support.’ The Adelphi services will benefit from the merger by having access to a wide portfolio of specialist in-house services, such as Regard’s dedicated Benefits Team and Positive Behaviour Service, all designed to ensure the best possible quality of life for the people they support. Sandie Foxall-Smith, chief executive officer of Regard, said: “We believe that Adelphi shares our values of putting the people we support at the centre of everything we do. “We fully understand how important continuity of care is for them and their families, and are looking forward to welcoming them into The Regard Group. “Despite the market being very tough at the moment, Regard is growing steadily across the country – both occupancy-wise and business-wise – due in no small part to the way we monitor and respond to regional demands.” Regard regional director Kay Beacham is leading the team that is helping to ensure a smooth transition for the Adelphi services as they are incorporated into The Regard Group. Tom Hartley, principal agent at Carterwood, said: “All parties involved have worked extremely hard to achieve a successful completion of this acquisition and we are pleased to achieve a good outcome for all.”
Fire Risk Assessments and Fire Safety in Your Premises
Do you realise that you might be responsible for fire safety in your premises. The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires that all businesses appoint a ‘Responsible Person‘ for their premises. Regardless of how small the business may be this is a statutory requirement.. In general it would be the business owner, but it might also be the manager of the premises. The starting point for all business owners and building managers is to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. The Responsible Person must ensure that all persons who might be on their premises would be safe and protected in the event of a fire emergency. Consideration must be taken of visitors as well as staff A great deal of attention is currently being placed on the cladding installed on the outside of high-rise buildings. However, the fire safety provision inside your premises is likely to be of greater importance in the initial stages of any fire. It is critically important that all persons who might be on your premises can evacuate promptly and safely within secure and protected escape routes. This is the reason why it is a statutory requirement to assess the potential causes of fire, the potential risks that could allow a fire to develop and spread, and the control measures you have in place. Areas that must be included in any fire risk assessment include: sufficient provision of, and correct installation of, fire doors electrical testing fire partition walls suitable means to raise a fire alarm accountability for all persons an appropriate fire strategy David Black of DB Fire Safety Limited is hosting a seminar on Friday 30th June entitled ‘Fire Safety & Your Fire Risk Assessment’. This seminar, which is FREE to attend, will provide business owners and property managers with the relevant information and tools to fully understand the fire hazards and risks that are likely to be present in their premises. It will also provide the necessary tools for owners of small businesses to carry out their own fire risk assessments. The seminar will help you understand the importance of fire safety in your premises and will run from 10:00 – 12:00 with tea/coffee on arrival from 09:30 To register for your FREE tickets please go on the attached Eventbrite link.
Julie Spencer, head of care at Avery Healthcare group, discusses how the introduction of innovative technology has improved medication management within their care homes.
Effective medication management has been an ongoing problem for care homes for a number of years. Reports show that almost 70% of residents have experienced at least one error in their medication regime1. Now, new technology is helping Avery staff tackle this serious issue by reducing the risks associated with using a paper medication administration record sheet (MAR) in managed care homes. On average, residents in care homes take an average of 7.2 medicines per day2. With each additional medicine comes an increased risk of errors in prescribing, monitoring, dispensing and adverse drug reactions. Julie states, “At Avery Healthcare, we needed a simple solution to ensure that our residents were receiving the right medication at the right time. We currently have 50 homes, so our teams are dealing with many complex medication regimes every day. We found that the staff’s time was regularly taken up for long periods with medication management. These processes are not only time-consuming but also reduce the time dedicated to face to face resident care. “Initially, we decided to run a pilot scheme across two of our homes using Omnicell eMAR as it was really user-friendly and provided a robust audit trail. In addition, the dashboard presents an oversight of medication rounds within the homes. The system gathers information, provides prompts and accurate instructions for our staff and gives managers real-time medication administration data at the touch of a button.” Each individual medication is identified through a barcode applied in the pharmacy. Medication can then be tracked at all stages from check-in at the care home and administration to the resident, to unused items that are disposed of or returned to the pharmacy. The system uses on-screen photograph identification and provides important medical history for each resident. It includes a simple alert and verification system to minimise the risk of medication administration errors in the home. Each staff member has their own log-in details which enables robust auditing. Julie added, “Prior to using Omnicell eMAR the checking in of medication would take 5 hours per floor, totalling 15 hours of staff time per month for 3 floors. Since we have introduced the system this has been reduced significantly to 2 hours per floor which is now only 6 hours per month. This reduction of 60%, means our staff can spend more time providing face-to-face patient care. “Our staff have really embraced the new system, so much so that we are now expanding the trial across 6 homes.”
Bield builds better access in Duns
Work has begun on a £200,000 investment in better access at a Berwickshire retirement housing development. Bield’s Turnbull Court in Duns is to have four state-of-the-art internal platform lifts installed as part of their ‘Step Free’ project. The work will be undertaken by Glasgow based Luddon Construction who will install the platforms over the next six weeks. Ian Barclay, Director at Luddon, said: “Having worked with Bield in the past we’re delighted to be re-establishing this relationship with the work in Duns. “It is fantastic to be working with such a respected name in housing in helping to provide better access for all their tenants.” This latest work in Duns seeks to further maximise the freedom of all Bield’s tenants, in line with their ‘Free to Be’ ethos, as they make improvements to provide the highest quality of housing for older people in Scotland. Caryn Innes, Head of Development said: “It is great to see work starting on such an exciting addition at Turnbull Court – one that could have a really positive effect for some of our tenants. “Our Asset Management Strategy is to have a bespoke approach to improve access and demand and ensure that Bield developments across the country remain meet the needs, demand and aspirations of our existing and future customers. First built in 1975 with 36 retirement flats, Turnbull Court includes communal facilities such as a residents lounge, communal heating system and laundry. Operating at 152 developments across Scotland, Bield is one of Scotland’s leading housing care providers. The development currently has available properties for rent and people over 50 looking for a new home in the Scottish Borders can call in to the development and view a show home or call 0131 273 4000.
Leading finnish healthtech company fastroi to exhibit at healthplus care
Fastroi will be attending this year’s Health + Care event at London’s ExCel Arena. This event marks a new phase in Fastroi’s 15 year journey, where they move from a market leading domestic operator to challenging on the international stage. Fastroi are behind a technology platform for health and care workers to ensure a more efficient level of care for service users in their own homes or within the care home environment. The product is called ‘Real Time Care’ or RTC and gives companies running home care services a new way to manage their staff and improve the overall efficiency of their operation. By using mobile technology, RTC provides a platform that drives down the cost of treating patients at home or in care homes. Customers typically see a 25-30% cost and time saving in their operations. The technology removes all of the inefficient practices such as writing up notes and reporting and at the same time makes the whole process safer and less prone to mistakes. Some of the key features are: Mobile real-time reporting – meeting CQC standards Automated scheduling and optimisation Matching staff skills to patient needs and allowing these changes to be realised on the fly Optimised travelling that minimises non-contact time Service-user care plans delivered automatically to mobile, containing medication, routines, tasks and providing feedback Ability for staff to report by speaking into their mobile while the system transcribes to text Better quality of care for service users, through time released for care, increasing employee satisfaction Lone-worker alert system and employee messaging Friends and Family Portal – providing information on current and future care Fastroi CEO, Mr. Risto Jalovaara stated that ‘Coming to the UK is an easy decision for Fastroi. With the NHS being one of the largest organisations in the world, it was a natural choice for us. The NHS is under a lot of pressure to keep patients out of hospitals for longer, so if Fastroi’s RTC can help providers treat more patients at home, then we see that this will benefit everyone.’ In order to drive the UK operations, Mr. Jim Ward has been recruited to the team. With many years of experience selling technical solutions into the NHS, Jim has a deep understanding of the procurement processes, functionality and requirements of the NHS. ‘I was very keen to work with Fastroi after discussing the benefits of RTC with Risto. They have proven the technology in Finland where they are now the market leaders, so it was an easy choice when asked if I could help them enter into the UK.’ Jim is also a Blog contributor. His latest Blog post can be found here. Fastroi will be at booth #34, Digital Healthcare Hall. Health Plus Care. 28-29th June. We invite you to come and visit the team at Booth #F34 in the Digital Healthcare Hall. Mr. Risto Jalovaara (CEO) and Mr. Jim Ward (UK Representative) will be available to discuss the product. We encourage you to pre-arrange a meeting with the team by contacting us at sales@fastroi.fi or by visiting our website. Fastroi UKJim Ward, UK Consultantjim.ward(at)fastroi.co.ukt: +44 (0)1555 666344m: +44 (0)775 6668444 Fastroi Ltd.Risto Jalovaara, CEOristo.jalovaara(at)fastroi.fi+358 50 60 357 Fastroi Ltd. Fastroi Ltd. is a Finnish software company providing mobile enterprise resource planning (ERP) and client data systems for the care, nursing and housing sectors. Our smart solutions enable versatile data acquisition, storage, analysis and transfer between different IT systems. fastroi.fi/en
OpenPASS film: Connecting Families
The hero piece of content is our ‘Connecting Families’ film that documents the end to end experience of openPASS, and how it connects the person in care to their families. The film features our customer Melody Care and their clients, the Macro family, demonstrating an efficient, modern method of care giving, using The PASSsystem during a care visit, and most importantly capturing the emotional peace of mind gained by the family accessing openPASS. The objective is to generate a broad interest from potential end users (the families of those in care) to see the benefits of accessing care notes remotely. This in turn hopes to generate an upward pressure for care homes and providers to adopt The PASSsystem. The video is now live on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_98ay_D86KQ Shorter versions can also be seen on the www.openPASS.com and www.everylifetechnologies.com website home pages. National Broadcasts: We kick off our national media exposure with Radio. The film will be discussed in radio interviews across the country featuring Paul, and supported by celebrity Doctor, Dawn Harper (Embarrassing Bodies). Dr Dawn, wholeheartedly supports openPASS and how it enables families to stay connected, have full transparency into the care of their loved ones and challenges social care issues continuously mentioned in the media today – such as poor quality social care and lack of funding. These interviews should generate some interesting news and views within the care industry and beyond. Confirmed media appearances for Tuesday 20th June: 08:30 – 08:45 Interview with North Manchester FM 09:15 – 09:30 Interview with Spectrum Radio (London) 09:40 – 09:50 Interview with UCB (National) 10:15 – 10:30 Interview with New Style Radio (Birmingham) 11:00 – 11:15 Interview with Pure 107.8 FM (Stockport and Congleton) 11:15 – 11:30 Interview with BBC Norfolk 11:30 – 11:45 Interview with Radio Yorkshire 11:45 – 12:00 Interview with The Wireless (London) 12:15 – 12:30 Interview with SFM Radio (Kent) 12:30 – 12:45 Interview with Camglen Radio (Glasgow and Lanarkshire) 13:15 – 13:30 Interview with BBC West Midlands Social Media: Both the film and broadcast coverage will be shared across our company’s social media channels on 20th June too so please keep an eye out on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Youtube. We would be grateful if you would support us by following our company profiles and retweeting, sharing and liking! Here are the links to the company profiles.
