Protecting elderly and offering relief for stretched health and social care sector
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paula Beaney, Quality Assurance Director at live-in care provider, Promedica24, has issued the following statement: Over-70s constitute more than 30% of the whole UK population. As people get older, they are at increased risk of underlying medical conditions which weaken the immune system, making older people a primary risk group for viral infections spread during social interaction. Those that require around the clock assistance, for instance, due to mobility issues or dementia, will find themselves and their family members in particularly vulnerable circumstances trying to secure their care needs and limit exposure to others at the same time. The recent analysis published by Age UK show that there are around 1.2 million people aged 65+ that don’t receive the help they need with essential daily living activities. This is backed up by Live-in Care Hub’s ‘Better at Home 2017’ report stating that 97% of people don’t want to go into a residential care home but often they are not aware of any alternative options. With the first positive COVID-19 cases confirmed in care homes in the UK, residential settings across the UK are now looking to close their doors to guests and visitors to keep protecting elderly residents. The residential care system is at breaking point, and professionals and families are struggling to secure hourly home care, with a knock-on effect of falls, extended hospital stays and ambulance call outs putting additional pressure on the health system. With an already stretched NHS, the coronavirus outbreak will see hospitals struggling alongside normal winter pressures. Delayed transfer of care is at its highest since 2017 with older patients ‘bed blocking’ due to an unmet community care need. Residential care is not, and should not, be the default care choice. A live-in care service provides a care worker to live with individuals in their own homes, assisting with everyday tasks such as cooking and cleaning, as well as providing personal care and support. It enables those who have support needs to remain in their own home whilst receiving quality around the clock care. Live-in care needs to be seen as a genuine and affordable option for families seeking support and there are benefits for both the people and the system. When the perception of ageing is shifted to ‘ageing well’, the system is giving people power, choice and control, fundamentally transforming lives. As with all health and social care providers, we are taking extreme measures to work alongside the Government and mitigate the risk to our clients, staff and the community. Although the pandemic itself could be upsetting for people who are vulnerable, and those who enjoy regular outings into the community may have to limit these, care workers and clients share positive relationships which will ultimately reduce distress and depression. Age UK estimate around two million people aged over 75 live alone and around one million of these individuals go for one month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or relative. With the recent recommendations from the Government suggesting that those aged over 70 will be advised to self-isolate for extended period of time, there is a definite risk that even more vulnerable people will experience loneliness. Sadly, research has linked social isolation with many health risks including depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and obesity. Statistics suggest that live-in care can help to relieve pressures on the NHS and for adult social care by providing safe and supportive home care environments for the elderly, reducing the need for prolonged hospitals stays or admittance. It’s at times like these, that health concerns are escalated, and people seek options to protect their family members. Live-in care is a good solution and helps to alleviate the stress on an already overstretched and under resourced health and social care system. The best thing though is that people can stay at home, be well cared for and feel safe, which is ultimately what we would all want. Promedica24’s live in care service aims to provide quality care in people’s own homes, enabling them to live as independently as possible, while regaining choice and control of how they spend their daily life. For more information about live-in care services, contact 0800 086 8686 or visit https://www.promedica24.co.uk/
New resource to promote strength and balance created by Paths for All
A new set of strength and balance graphics that can be used in any health and social care setting has been created by national walking charity Paths for All. The simple illustrations, which can be used as indoor wall stickers or outdoors as display panels, show how to perform eight gentle exercises that can improve muscle strength, balance and coordination. The dementia-friendly design means the graphics can be used by health and social care staff to promote supported and self-led strength and balance activity in a range of settings such as care homes, hospital wards, day centres or communal areas. The graphics are already on display in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) post-surgery ward. Paths for All have developed the new resource in response to the new prominent position strength and balance has within physical activity guidelines. Professor Nanette Mutrie, Director of Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh said: “Around the world, the guidelines about how to build strength or maintain balance have been forgotten while there has been an emphasis instead on gaining at least 150 minutes each week of moderately intense activity, such as walking. The most recent physical activity guidance from the UK’s Chief Medical Officers has brought strength and balance to an equal level of importance to the 150-minute message for health. This is particularly important from middle age onwards because we lose strength as muscles age. To counteract this ageing process and to help maintain everyday function, such as being able to stand up from a chair without using arms to push or lifting bags from the floor to the counter, we need to build strength in the major muscle groups of the body – the legs, the arms and the torso. We also need to practice our balance such as standing on one leg for 30 seconds as the kettle boils. Paths for All are leading the way in adding strength and balance exercises to their well-established Health Walks so that both the 150 minutes per week advice and the twice-weekly strength and balance advice can both be done. They also have excellent resources that can be used to raise awareness to the way to do strength and balance exercise. Strength becomes even more important to gain after we have been ill or in hospital because bed rest – with no major muscles being used – means that strength can be lost quickly.” The graphics set has been used for the first time as part of what has been dubbed Exercise Alley in the RAH in Paisley. Stimulating wall stickers add to a 60m signposted walking circuit already on the ward and are helping patients get on the move. The focus on physical activity is to help patients recover faster, return home sooner and enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of being active in their community. Professor Susan Moug, consultant surgeon at the RAH said: “Patients and hospital professionals are now seeing physical activity as an essential part of the surgical pathway. We engage early with our patients at diagnosis, through treatment and into the community, to support them to get more active. “We continue to work together to ensure what may be a daunting experience is seamless for the patients. In addition to empowering patients to guide their own care – which they like – we believe that increasing activity levels is essential to improve pre-operative, post-operative and long-term outcomes.” Ian Findlay CBE, Chief Officer at Paths for All said: “Doing strength and balance exercises, alongside regular walking, can help you to meet the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines. “Awareness of the benefits of regular physical activity is increasing, however there is less knowledge and understanding about the importance of activities that improve muscle strength and balance throughout our adult lives. “Displaying our illustrations is an effective and easy way to motivate people to perform the exercises and use them more in their everyday lives and it’s great to see them in the RAH. We hope many more health and social care facilities will follow this great example.” For more information about strength and balance or order any of the strength and balance resources, visit www.pathsforall.org.uk/strength
Mental health charity helps kickstart building conversion
A local mental health charity is starting preparatory work on a £400,000 building conversion project that is scheduled to begin in spring 2020. Service users from the woodwork department of Blyth Star Enterprises’ Woodfuel Centre have begun to craft and replace windows at the Old Chandlery, Blyth, in preparation for its upcoming transformation into eight spacious, supported living apartments. The Old Chandlery building was previously used as a base for Blyth Star to deliver its innovative range of day services, including cookery classes and art and craft workshops, prior to a recent move to the repurposed Steamboat building. The conversion into new apartments has now been made possible by generous donations from The Bradbury Foundation, The Edward Gostling Foundation, The Barbour Trust, William Leech Charity, The Hospital of God at Greatham and CRASH charity. The Woodfuel Centre’s manager, Neil Hedley, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our service users. They’re excited to implement the skills they’ve learnt as part of such an important project. “Our clients really enjoy getting involved with work that benefits the local community as well as their peers. The conversion project is highly anticipated and it’s great that we can be involved in the creation of the new supported living facilities. “We’re really pleased to play such a big part in the preparation work as the building means a lot to us. We look forward to seeing the finished transformation and will be on hand to assist throughout the project.” Mental health charity – the Woodfuel Centre is one of two small businesses operated by Blyth Star Enterprises which provides sheltered working environments for service users to learn essential skills and gain structured exposure to the local community. The Sleekburn-based centre produces sustainably-sourced, kiln-dried kindling and logs for wood-burning stoves as well as various made-to-order sculptures through its dedicated woodwork depot. While attending the Woodfuel Centre, service users can also complete an in-house vocational training programme which offers the opportunity to acquire higher level skills and qualifications. The course is tailored to fit an individual’s needs and progression is assessed and monitored through use of a personal care profile which tracks how users are developing throughout each module. Gordon Moore, chief executive at Blyth Star Enterprises, said: “Being able to convert one of our buildings into a supported living environment means so much to us and to the people involved. It’s great that the Woodfuel Centre can assist in the building’s conversion as service users have the chance to demonstrate the skills that they’ve acquired through attending the Centre. “It’s important that our service users are given these opportunities as it helps them continue to grow, build self-worth and confidence whilst interacting with the local community. “Blyth Star Enterprises is committed to providing high quality services across Northumberland and look to help as many people as we can. A project of this size involves partnerships with the local council as well as other grant funding charities so we’re extremely grateful to all who have made this project possible. We wouldn’t be able to complete such fantastic work without the generosity of others and we’re always open to new partnerships and support.” Blyth Star Enterprises is a not-for-profit charity providing living support services, training and sheltered employment opportunities. It offers innovative day services to over 350 people living with learning disabilities and lifelong mental health issues across Northumberland and the North East. To learn more about Blyth Star Enterprises and The Woodfuel Centre visit: www.blythstar.org.uk.
Northampton General Hospital hosts Qualified Nursing Open Day
Northampton General Hospital (NGH) is holding a Qualified Nursing Open Day on Saturday 7th September 2019, for registered nurses looking for a fresh challenge to find out about career opportunities across Medicine, Paediatrics and Theatres, meet staff and take a tour of the hospital facilities. Northampton General Hospital provides acute care services for 380,000 people and has two gynaecology theatres and 2 obstetric theatres that are open 24/7. The hospital has recently invested in new facilities, including an emergency centre and a new chemotherapy suite, offering a great work environment for its healthcare teams. It is the first hospital in the UK to have achieved the Pathway to Excellence® accreditation, an international programme to validate workplaces, where nurses are supported to develop and flourish. The hospital also takes part in the DAISY® awards, an international programme which recognises the hard work of nursing staff. Andrew Belcher, Clinical Resource Planning Manager at Northampton General Hospital says: “We are investing in the future of the hospital and our staff and the Qualified Nursing Open Day is a great opertunity. We recently opened the country’s newest emergency assessment unit and started a new way of working to streamline the flow of patients through our services. A key focus for us is the education, training and development of our nurses. “We offer a supportive and engaging working environment where nurses can thrive and progress. We have a great development programme with our practice development team and excellent Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) results for our international nurses. We encourage qualified nurses looking for an exciting, challenging and rewarding career move to come along to the Qualified Nursing Open Day to find out more.” Northampton General Hospital is one of the key partners in the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ recruitment campaign. It is the first campaign of its kind to bring together several NHS providers to address the national shortage of doctors and nurses by highlighting the many benefits of relocating to Northamptonshire, including the varied career opportunities and better quality of life. The campaign unites the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital (KGH), St Andrew’s Healthcare and Northants GP. The Qualified Nursing Open day takes place on Saturday 7th September 2019 at Northampton General Hospitals, Cripps Centre, Area J, NGH, 10am – 2pm. For more information click here.
Chatterbox goes silent to support those with cancer
A CHATTERBOX care home worker raised hundreds of pounds to support those with cancer by taking on a 12-hour sponsored silence. Amy Trattles can always be heard chatting and singing to residents when on shift as a care assistant at The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees. So she took on the challenge of staying silent for the day to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, the 2019/20 chosen charity of the Hill Care Group, which owns and operates the home where Amy works. Communicating with hand gestures and writing, Amy collected £300 in sponsorship after successfully completing 12-hours without a word spoken. After the sponsored silence, she said: “It was very difficult to keep silent, especially when the residents were trying to trick me into singing for them. I sing all the time and they really like it so I had a real struggle to keep quiet. “Staff were also testing me by suggesting I answer the phone and I’d only remember at the last minute that I couldn’t. No one thought I could keep quiet for five minutes, never mind 12 hours, but it’s for such a good cause that I was determined to keep my mouth shut. I can’t thank everyone enough. They’ve been so generous.” Resident Dot Cowley said: “I think it’s a brilliant thing Amy’s done. I’m really proud of her as I know she loves to talk.” Jessica Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Amy decided to do this as she is the home’s chatterbox. “When on shift you can always hear Amy chatting away or entertaining the residents with a sing song. She raised an amazing amount in this first of many fundraising events and activities for the home over the coming year, as we join the rest of the Hill Care Group in raising as much as possible for Macmillan Cancer Support.”
Partnership to develop innovative wearable technology for residents at risk of falls
Essex County Council (ECC) and global innovation and transformation consultancy PA Consulting (PA) announce that they are working together to explore the potential of a new service using wearable technology – like socks and slippers – to help residents at risk of falls. ECC and PA aim to use this innovative technology for the first time in the UK with residents in Essex. The annual cost of falls in Essex is forecast to be over £46m in 2019, with almost a third of the population of Essex ‘at-risk’ of falling. Falls are often a preventable health issue and the partnership between ECC and PA will explore how technology can help to prevent them. The project, funded by the Local Government Association (LGA) through its Social Care digital innovation programme, will explore how wearable technology such as smart socks and slippers can collect real-time data on the movements and vital signs of a wearer’s lower limbs – their gait, strength and balance. This would then alert the wearer or a health or care professional to warning signs that a fall is imminent. Preventative action could then be taken to avoid the fall, such as taking some rest or drinking some water. Throughout the first discovery phase, ECC and PA will speak to organisations across the health and social care system in Essex. This will include professional and informal carers, health and care practitioners with specialist falls expertise, fallers and service delivery providers. Working with these stakeholders will help ECC and PA to establish the viability of the solution from a user, technical and service perspective. Once this is complete, the partnership’s aim is to give smart socks or slippers to Essex residents at risk of falls. Robert Turnbull, local government and care technology expert at PA Consulting, says: “It’s tremendously exciting to be working in partnership with ECC. The wearable technology innovation that we are exploring has the potential to be truly lifechanging. “PA has unmatched experience in bringing ingenuity to life in the care sector. We have a proven track record of innovative uses of technology to improve the lives of vulnerable adults, building a positive human future. We’re excited to be working with ECC on this project. ECC and PA share a passion for care technology and its ability to make a real difference to vulnerable people and their carers.” John Spence, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Essex County Council, says: “The impact of falls on individuals and their families can be devastating and can severely impact both their quality and length of life. Reducing falls and fractures is important for maintaining health, wellbeing and independence among older people and their carers.” For more information about wearable technology and care technology please visit PA Consulting
Seaside childhood memories rekindled for elderly residents
A SEASIDE trip was a walk down memory lane and brought back many childhood memories for elderly care home residents on an outing to Whitley Bay. The town on the north east coast was the scene for many a childhood holiday for residents at Waverley Lodge Care Home, Lemington, near Newcastle. Staff and family joined the residents for a day out to the coast, which included fish and chips and a walk along the beach. Resident Veronica White, 68, who first visited Whitley Bay in the 1960s, was astonished at how much the town had changed from when she was a child. She said: “It doesn’t look like Whitley Bay. It looks posh now.” Michelle Park, activities coordinator at Waverley Lodge Care Home, showed Veronica a display of old posters and photos outside the amusement arcades, which brought back memories. Michelle said: “Veronica recognised the old Spanish City leisure centre, a local landmark that had slides, merry-go-rounds, waltzers and other fairground rides. It was great to be able to take the residents out for the day, the smiles on their faces meant the world to all of us. When they got back to Waverley Lodge they all wanted to tell everyone how much fun they’d had and their childhood memories.” After returning to the care home, resident Francis Costello, 92, said: “I had such a lovely time. I’m ready for my bed now. It must be the sea air.” Jackie Wright, daughter of resident Matty Ovington, said: “It was lovely seeing my dad look so happy. He’s really enjoying living at Waverley Lodge.” For more stories like elderly residents reliving their childood memories please visit the Care and Nursing news page
Glasgow’s leading the way in reducing medicine’s gender gap
Glasgow is leading the way in closing medicine’s gender gap, thanks to a new initiative which was jointly launched on Wednesday 5th June by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and the University of Glasgow. Despite the fact that over half the UK’s medical graduates are women, a significant gender gap remains in senior medical leadership roles. Currently only around 25% of medical directors and 36% of NHS Chief Executives are female, while women only represent approximately 40% of lecturers, 30% of senior lecturers, and only 15% of professors in UK medical schools. That’s why these institutions have joined forces to launch a new leadership development programme to help to nurture female leadership in the medical field. Their new Developing Female Medical and Academic Leaders Scholarship Programme has opened today (Wednesday 5th June). Successful applicants will receive: Complimentary access to a range of non-clinical skills and human factors learning and development opportunities Speaking today as she launched the programme at an event at the University of Glasgow, Professor Jackie Taylor, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow said: “I’m proud that our College is taking action today to help close medicine’s gender gap and assist women to reach their full potential as leaders. Our NHS is currently facing a range of significant challenges, so it’s essential that we tap into the widest possible pool of talent and utilise the skills that women have. This isn’t just the right thing to do for women, equality benefits everyone in our health service. Research has shown that greater gender diversity can improve financial and organisational performance and decision making and increase productivity. I look forward to working with our successful applicants when they are announced later this year”. Professor Anna Dominiczak, Vice Principal and Head of College, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow said: “The University of Glasgow is pleased and proud to be involved in this scheme with the RCPSG to reduce medicine’s gender gap. Gender equality is an issue of great importance to the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences. 50 percent of our medical graduates are women, and yet they are underrepresented in leadership roles within our health service, to the detriment of the public and profession alike. We look forward to welcoming applicants to this very important and exciting initiative as we strive to redress the gender gap in our health system. Hopefully, with the right support and guidance, we can nurture talented female clinical academics into the world-changing healthcare leaders of tomorrow.” For other informative articles like the gender gap please view our articles section.
St George’s Day indoor street party at Teesside care home
AN INDOOR street party marked St George’s Day at a Teesside care home. Bunting, Union Jack flags and hats, decorated cakes and a sing-along all helped celebrate the patron saint of England at The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees. Residents took part in an arts and crafts session to create the English flag bunting. They also used icing sugar and other toppings to decorate themed cupcakes. A buffet of sandwiches, crisps and hot drinks was also laid out for the occasion. Singing along to classics from Dame Vera Lynn, Doris Day, The Beatles and ABBA got everyone into a party mood. A group rendition of “Que Sera Sera” had both staff and residents singing at the top of their voices. Resident Sheila Bradley said: “You’ve outdone yourself with this street party. I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been such a lovely afternoon.” Lena Evenden, who also lives at the home, added: “It’s been so nice to sit and have a chat with a cup of tea and also have a sing-along.” And fellow resident Marian Knightly said: “I have enjoyed this afternoon. It’s been a nice change. I would definitely join in again when we hold the next street party.” Jess Roth, activities coordinator at The Beeches Care Home, said: “It was lovely to see all the residents smiling and singing along, as well as chatting to other residents they wouldn’t necessarily see on a day to day basis. “It has been a really enjoyable afternoon seeing everyone so happy. It’s really made my day.” For more stories like the indoor street party click here
