Safe Environment Supported with Yeoman Shield Anti – Ligature Handrail System
Yeoman Shield Anti – Ligature handrail system is being utilized in a newly commissioned dementia unit in South Wales. Ysbyty George Thomas, as part of Cwm Taf Health board’s Valley Life Initiative, has recently undergone a refurbishment to become a health and wellbeing centre for people with cognitive and memory problems. Throughout the design process of the new Dementia Unit, comfort and functionality for clients who would be accessing the area was paramount. Not only were aesthetics taken into consideration with a stunning welsh valleys mural wallpaper installed in between bright colourful “front doors” but safety aspects were of a prime concern. For safeguarding measures Yeoman Shield’s Anti- Ligature Guardian Handrail was chosen, as both a supportive and wall protection rail system, along the main corridor of Ysbyty George Thomas as well as through the Dementia Unit. This Anti-Ligature handrail has a continuous fixing block which runs the full length of the back of the rail eliminating any points that can easily have a length of material or cord wound around it, preventing the possibility of harm to patients. To ensure that the terminating ends of the handrail are not used in a similar way, a tightly fitted wall return is added to totally enclose the ends allowing no gaps between the wall and the rail. Supplied in a dark grey colour as a good contrast to the light wall colour scheme, the Guardian Handrail also dovetailed perfectly into the wall paper design by resembling the top of the depicted drystone walling. “We are exceptionally pleased with the new Dementia Unit and the complementing look, quality and functionality of the Yeoman Shield Anti-Ligature Guardian Handrail.” Commented Jeanne Smith, Directorate Support Manager, Mental Health, Cwm Taf University Health Board For more information on Yeoman Shield products suitable for the healthcare environment go to www.yeomanshield.com or call 0113 279 5854
Social-Ability calls to raise awareness of alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms
New research commissioned by social venture Social-Ability to mark World Alzheimer’s Month has shone a light on current understanding around Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia revealing alarming limitations to public understanding of the condition and its symptoms, despite more than half of respondents (51%) living with dementia in their family. Social-Ability is now calling for new initiatives to raise awareness around early symptoms of dementia. The research has revealed that almost two thirds (61%) did not think they could identify the difference between early signs of dementia and natural signs of old age, risking delays to diagnosis for those living with dementia. Early diagnosis is vital if people are to benefit from potential treatment options to slow or reverse symptoms. The research also pointed to limited understanding of the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common cause of dementia. Two thirds (67%) of people said they did not understand the difference between the two. Social-Ability’s findings come as the health and social care sector faces a potential dementia crisis, with news that one in five new dementia cases could have been missed during lockdown, creating a backlog in diagnoses equating to 50,000 people. Further, a report this month from the All-Parliamentary Group on Dementia suggested the pandemic could have set back research into a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease by as much as a decade. Concerningly, 82% of people did not feel confident that the social care sector is well-equipped to deal with the increase in number of people living with dementia, despite the announcement by the UK Government of a new health and social care levy during the course of this research. The survey has shed light on the most commonly recognised signs of early-stage dementia. The vast majority of respondents (82%) cited memory loss as an indication of the condition, followed by confusion about dates and times (81%), difficulty finding the right words (68%), concentrating (68%) and following a conversation (67%). The findings also suggest 82% of respondents were not confident recognising the difference between varying types of dementia. As a result, Social-Ability is calling for new initiatives to raise awareness around early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia, which is too often reduced to simply being a “memory loss disease” leading to under-recognition of the condition and delayed diagnosis. For example, frontotemporal dementia may present first with changes in personality and behaviour or difficulty with language. Vascular dementia symptoms may also vary, meaning any change in cognitive function – including around language use, reduced social sensitivity or spatial awareness – should be considered a potential sign. In Social-Ability’s survey, only around half of respondents (49%) recognised reduced sensitivity to the feelings of others an early indication of dementia. John Ramsay, Managing Director of Social-Ability, said: “Despite around half of people living with the condition in their family, it is alarming to see that public awareness remains so limited around symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia. It is vital that this changes – we are calling on the wider health and social care sector and government to join us in raising awareness of early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia to encourage people to seek diagnosis as soon as possible. This can be so important in enabling effective early interventions. “This also has serious implications for our overstretched health and social care sector, which continues to grapple with the impact of the pandemic, but also estimates that dementia cases will reach more than 2 million in the UK by 2050. One of the most striking findings of our research is people’s concerns about the preparedness of the social care sector to manage this. “Investing in therapeutic programmes will be crucial for helping social care providers to achieve good outcomes for people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. Social-Ability’s Happiness Programme, for instance, focuses on delivering these better care outcomes, using a programme of interactive tech-based activities with the magic table 360. Programmes such as these will help to reduce the burden on our health and social care services, limit over-medication of patients, and empower people to feel happier in their lives.”
World class training suite provides education to NHS staff
Infection prevention and control specialist GAMA Healthcare, best known for hospital disinfectant range Clinell, has built-in a state-of-the-art training facility, which is supporting healthcare professionals on the frontline. GAMA Healthcare has provided complimentary training to over 32,000 NHS healthcare professionals since 2016 and hopes to reach a further 10,000 NHS staff over the next 12 months. The training suite was the brainchild of the company’s clinical directors, who are passionate about improving quality in the NHS. GAMA Healthcare has a strong heritage in education, guided by its four clinical directors who are all internationally renowned lecturers in infection prevention, allied with esteemed global Academic Institutions and involved in advising governments in infection prevention and control policy. During COVID-19, the team were released back to the NHS, helping to guide infection prevention and control protocols at the height of the pandemic. “We welcome NHS staff working in infection prevention and control into our training suite. GAMA Healthcare is passionate about preventing infections and has provided healthcare training for over a decade; As Clinical Directors, with nearly 100 years combined IPC experience, we share knowledge and skills both in the UK and abroad. This makes the clinical team a valuable resource when it comes to healthcare professional education,” comments Yvonne Carter, Clinical Director at GAMA Healthcare and previously Head of Infection Control at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Find out more at www.gamahealthcare.com
Activities based care software – RemindMecare 2.0 launches on 13th September
IT’S HERE! – THE NEXT GENERATION IN ACTIVITIES BASED CARE SOFTWARE – AND ITS FREE FOR TWO WEEKS Tech in care is now the norm, and everyone wants to know what’s coming next. Well this is it. RemindMecare is the leader in person centred care activities based software, and with the launch of its new version, it’s bringing new features to address the requests of its clients post Covid. So what’s so special? Here’s just some of the new features; ROOMS – Your own care facility video portal, and one for each resident. No cost, GDPR compliant and easier than zoom. ACTIVITIES – Hundreds of readymade activities for every day of the week. Or a means to make your own. FAMILY CONNECTIVITY – Video connectivity, remote music and content upload, life story books and much more. APPS PLAYSTORE PORTAL – a curated collection of vetted Playstore apps, and means to capture usage data. AUTOMATED ACTIVITY REPORTING – for management, carers, family and regulators. ROI – RemindMecare saves and makes money. The average care facility will gain returns of over £15k pa. Check our calculator here; www.remindmecare.com/business/overview/ What will I need to use it? As little as a tablet and broadband. Or as much as you want. For RemindMecare works on tablets, connects to TVs, integrates with touchscreen tables and care planning software, and connects to Alexa, with our own proprietary skills. So how far you want to go is up to you. What’s next! Over the next year, we’ll be launching a lot of what we know you want; from Alexa care skills for self-care management, admin and family and entertainment, to rewards based care tokens, community tools, family wallets and digital life story book creation. If it’s activity then RemindMecare will have it covered. Get in now and these will be free. Special Offer – RemindMecare is free….for the next two weeks. Free forever? Crazy right? (OK. There’s a £399 one time set up and support fee). Well Covid was a tough time for everyone. Including us. So we gave RemindMecare free to anyone who asked. And learnt from them what they wanted from tech. The all new RemindMecare 2.0 is the result and si the next generation in activity based person centred care. ….and for home care, check out ReMeLife.com As a taste of things to come, check out www.ReMeLife.com, our consumer portal and rewards based Membership platform. It’s here where you start when you first need care solutions. And a means to be part of something when you need it most.
The Care Show is back! This October
CloserStill Media, organisers of the Care Show, are looking forward to opening their doors on the 13th & 14th October at the NEC Birmingham to welcome you all to the main event in the 2021 social care calendar. The Care Show is back and ready to be the safest space for rediscovery and learning, whilst offering interactive opportunities to network with each other in a comfortable setting. It is time to celebrate the great and the good from care homes, nursing homes, and domiciliary care providers and reunite the care community. The Care Show has been the gathering point for the care sector for over 20 years and is dedicated in assisting you to upskill and find the best solutions that will allow you to save time. The event provides 80+ all-important CPD accreditation conference sessions led by experts, which allows you to leave the show and improve your services right away. You can expect to acquire new practical hands-on training and discover answers to problems you are facing in the care sector by reconnecting with other care professionals. With over 200+ leading healthcare suppliers in our exhibition hall you will have the opportunity to ask for their expert advice. Whilst giving you access to thousands of the latest product and services with exclusive show deals to make your budget go further. New for 2021 is an energised and refocused event for everyone involved. The programme has been carefully designed to provide you with everything you need to know to help improve the quality of your care and run an outstanding care business! It will address topics on how the sector is planning for changing client needs, new technologies that are being utilised in care settings, and case studies on what is really working. This year the Care Show will focus on key themes including: There is something for everyone. To ensure you get the most out of the exhibition we have created tailor made road maps to highlight the most relevant stands and sessions depending on your interests, ensuring that you don’t miss out on the outstanding content that you came for. Face-to-face networking has been missed, so this year we have created more opportunities to re-connect with the inclusion of more lounges and networking zones for you to come together, share stories, recharge, and be with other care professionals. We hope to see you there in October! The Care Show continues to be free for all care providers, ensure you register online at www.careshow.co.uk (linked to https://www.careshow.co.uk/cnewebsitearticle)
Loneliness Awareness Week: Reducing social isolation in care homes
Over one million older people report feeling lonely all the time1, and even when living in a care home, loneliness and isolation can still occur. According to Christina R Victor’s ‘Loneliness in care homes: a neglected area of research?’ thesis, rates of severe loneliness reported by people living in care homes (22-42%) are more than twice that of residents in the wider community (10%). It’s important that care home operators are aware of what can be done to support their residents and staff, and reduce the risks of isolation and loneliness. For this year’s Loneliness Awareness Week (14-18 June), Bernadette Mossman, Healthcare Director at dementia care specialist Vida Healthcare, discusses how care home operators can combat feelings of loneliness and promote good wellbeing. Residents The main role of a care home is to provide high quality care to its residents, and create a positive living environment which promotes good wellbeing. To reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, care home operators can: Improve connectivity with staff: Care home staff play a huge part in easing feelings of loneliness, particularly when visits from friends and family are prohibited. Initiatives, such as cutting edge technology, can free up staff time so that they have more opportunities to socialise with residents. Invest in social activities: Consider coordinating different activities, such as stretching classes and choirs, to encourage residents to socialise with each other and therefore create a community spirit and strong connections. Keep families connected: Moving to a care home can be a stressful time, particularly when it comes to being able to see friends and family regularly. Visiting policies and times which are accessible will keep residents feeling connected to their community, and families up-to-date with the lives of their relatives. Staff It’s not only residents that can feel lonely in care homes. Care home operators also have a duty of care to protect their staff and promote positive mental wellbeing. Open communication: A positive workplace environment where conversations between colleagues are encouraged will support their mental health. If an employee is feeling lonely or struggling with their work, make it clear that it’s ok for them to talk to someone about how they feel. This is often an effective way of helping people to cope, and can address an issue before it becomes severe. Work life balance: A good work life balance is crucial for staff to be able to spend time with their friends and family, and therefore reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. It’ll also make care provision more effective because burnout will be less likely, and their mental health will be optimal. Socialisation with families: Families are not only crucial to support the mental health of residents, but can also provide another outlet for staff. Good connection between staff and families will promote feelings of positivity and give both parties opportunities to create a positive environment for all involved. Care home operators which consider methods of combating loneliness, opening up lines of communication between key stakeholders, and encouraging connectivity will find that their residents live longer, healthier and happier lives, and staff recruitment and retention rates improve. For more information, please visit www.vidahealthcare.co.uk
New Girbau Laundry Provides Vital Support to Carers and Residents at Mary Stevens Hospice
Refurbishment of the laundry at Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge, West Midlands with new washers and dryers from Girbau UK has a vital, if largely unseen role to play in supporting the well-being of residents with life-limiting illnesses. “Everyone in the Hospice knows it is like a puzzle, where every single part is vitally important and needs to be pieced together with little effort,” says Gerry Crow, Director of Operations & Support. “Even though the laundry is very much a function hidden away from those we are caring for, without it we would not be able to provide the level of support we do to our patients and their carers.” Mary Stevens Hospice provides specialist care and support for people who are living with a life-limiting illness, and their families. Care is provided in a 10-bed In-Patient Unit and its Day Services Unit. Both offer modern facilities complemented by a warm, friendly and comforting environment. After visiting the hospice to get a full understanding of its laundry needs Girbau recommended the installation of two HS-6013 washers in combination with two of its energy efficient ED260 dryers. “We have used Girbau products for many years and have found them to be very reliable,” says Gerry Crow. “The decision to choose Girbau products again for this refurbishment was taken on cost of ownership, the proven reliability of Girbau equipment and the level of long-term support available directly from Girbau.” Designed to lower water and energy consumption while boosting productivity, Girbau HS washers feature automatic chemical dosing, high-speed spinning, unmatched durability and a high degree of programmability. Their high spin speed achieves a market-leading centrifugal spin force of up to 400G throughout the spin cycle to leave laundry with residual moisture levels of less than 50%, offering significant energy and cost savings in the subsequent drying process. Girbau’s premium ED series dryers ensure all items including delicates are dried safely, uniformly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Designed to be more energy efficient than any other conventional dryer, ED Series feature Girbau’s Transflow technology. This is a combination of both radial and axial airflow for maximum efficiency, reduced cycle times and lower energy costs. Cabinet insulation and a double-glazed door further optimise energy efficiency. The highly reliable and accurate humidity control system on ED dryers automatically senses when clothes are dry and activates the cool down process maximising energy efficiency and assuring textile care. For more information visit: www.girbau.co.uk
5 Benefits of Outdoor Cover in Care Settings
With the summer in full swing and the recent pandemic situation, the need to spend time outdoors has never been so prevalent. We’ve therefore outlined five of the greatest benefits that a canopy brings to care settings when paired with a nature garden. • It’s Safer to Socialise Outside Right now, it’s safer to spend time with others outside making your residents, staff and visitors feel much safer and at ease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that “Indoor spaces are more risky than outdoor spaces where it might be harder to keep people apart and there’s less ventilation.” Correspondingly, spending time outside when the weather is pleasant seems to make the occasion more enjoyable for all involved. The sun has put a smile on everyone’s faces, particularly after being cooped up indoors all winter. • Nature Heals It is well known that nature heals and spending time within nature can help patients to feel better in themselves. Over the years, several studies have found that something as simple as windows that look out into a natural outdoor area with trees, foliage and flowers, can improve attention span, reduce stress and even help hospital patients heal after surgery. Alongside many other studies, Roger S. Ulrich, Ph.D. published a paper in 2002 titled Health Benefits of Gardens in Hospitals which stated that “simply looking at environments dominated by greenery, flowers, or water — as compared to built-up scenes lacking nature (rooms, buildings, towns) — is significantly more effective in promoting recovery or restoration from stress. (See Ulrich, 1999, for a survey of studies.) A limited amount of research suggests that viewing settings with plants or other nature for a few minutes can promote measurable restoration even in hospital patients who are acutely stressed.” • It’s Great for Our Mental Health In relation to healing, spending time within nature is also known to be highly beneficial to our mental health. The mental health charity Mind explains: “Spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems including anxiety and depression. For example, research into ecotherapy (a type of formal treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature) has shown it can help with mild to moderate depression. This might be due to combining regular physical activity and social contact with being outside in nature. Being outside in natural light can also be helpful if you experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that affects people during particular seasons or times of the year. And people tell us that getting into nature has helped them with many other types of mental health problems.” • A Covered Outdoor Space Encourages Movement For patients with limited mobility, they may be put off going outside by worrying that it may rain or be too hot and the effort to go outside won’t be worth it. However, if they have a canopy that they can sit under, without the need to rush indoors if it rains, they may be more inclined to venture outside and reap the benefits of the great outdoors. This will also keep them more physically active my moving about instead of staying seated indoors. • All-Year-Round Outdoor Protection A canopy enables your nature garden to be used all year round as it provides protection from both the sun and rain, keeping you cooler in the hot, summer months by creating a cooling shade underneath the canopy. It also protects from the rain by providing a sheltered area where residents and staff can take time out to recharge sit outside with a beverage and listen to the calming sounds of the rain whilst keeping dry. A canopy therefore gives your residents the chance to enjoy the healing benefits of nature throughout every month of the year. If you are thinking of adding a canopy to your care home or healthcare setting, contact the canopy experts Able Canopies Ltd. on 0800 389 9072 or email sales@ablecanopies.co.uk you can also visit: www.ablecanopies.co.uk
Training and dispensing services for your residents with stoma, sheath and/or continence care needs
Moorland Surgical Supplies is a long established, specialist dispenser of all continence, urology and stoma products that are available on prescription. Free training for all staff Training on all aspects of the management and care of continence, sheath and stoma appliance users is offered to Residential Care and Nursing Home staff free of charge. Certificates of attendance will be issued. This training can be arranged face to face or via video call and it lasts for approximately 1-1.5 hours. Multiple sessions can be accommodated to suit your needs. Moorland dispensing and delivery services On receipt of a valid prescription, all prescribed items within Part IX A, B and C of the Drug Tariff: Benefits of the service What do our customers have to say about the Moorland Delivery Service? FREEPHONE: 0800 470 0122 Email: info@moorland.com *Moorland Surgical Supplies Limited is wholly owned by Salts Healthcare Ltd.
