Zoom calls with Alzheimer’s patients to search for dementia warning signs
Zoom calls with people living with Alzheimer’s disease will help scientists search for the warning signs of dementia in a new University of Essex study. Psychologists hope older adults in the early stages of the disease can help identify early symptoms from the comfort of their own homes. The relaxed sessions will help researchers from the Department of Psychology explore how retaining information in the ‘working memory’ is affected by the degenerative condition. During the virtual sessions, simple exercises will help researchers see how memory is impacted by dementia. The results will then be compared against other older adults to see how healthy ageing differs from Alzheimer’s-induced memory loss. The research is being led by Dr Vanessa Loaiza, who said: “This study will help us learn more about Alzheimer’s from the people on the frontline of the disease. “We know how devastating a diagnosis can be and that’s why we are using Zoom to make it as easy as possible for them to join our study from the comfort of their own homes. “Although it is early stages this research could help us find the difference between an ordinary ‘senior moment’ and something a lot more serious. “We really need the help of people with Alzheimer’s to find out more about the disease and I urge anyone who can help to get in touch with my team.” The study will focus on working memory which is what we use when doing mental arithmetic. Healthy older adults tend to struggle with tasks requiring working memory, which can impact their day-to-day lives. Anything from reading and listening to problem-solving, is limited by what we can keep active in working memory. Dr Loaiza’s study will distinguish between the subtle kinds of working memory mistakes that healthy older adults make compared to older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease. Clearly distinguishing normal forgetfulness from dementia will help scientists and medical professionals catch and treat the condition early in its progression. Alzheimer’s is a disease which damages the brain and more than 520,000 people in the UK have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease – with this figure set to rise. The progressive condition sees chemical messengers in the brain decline sparking memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language. The study is funded by the Experimental Psychology Society and will involve roughly 150 people in total, with initial results expected in the summer.
Care provider targets over a million visits in January, to aid government promise to cut NHS wait times
In the government priority announcement this week, Rishi Sunak focused on the issues facing the NHS – and A&E in particular – as patients fit to be discharged remain in hospital beds across the country. The Prime Minister noted the importance of extending telemedicine and helping patients access better data to inform decisions – to deliver high-quality, responsive healthcare for generations to come. Leading home healthcare provider Cera is today announcing a commitment to deliver over one million visits in January, to more than 20,000 patients per day. With around two million visits made to A&E departments in England each month, Cera has the scale to make a real impact in relieving pressure from the wider health service and enable more people to receive safe, effective care from the comfort of home. As Europe’s largest provider of digital-first home healthcare, Cera is already equivalent in capacity to 50 NHS hospitals, working with numerous NHS Integrated Care Systems and Local Authorities nationwide to deliver care, nursing, telehealth and repeat prescriptions. During a visit from Cera’s team of carers and nurses, a patient’s symptoms and health data are collected via the Cera App, which data analytics uses to predict deterioration in conditions 30x faster than traditional methods and can anticipate up to 80% of hospitalisations seven days in advance. This machine learning triggers earlier health interventions to prevent people from becoming unwell. It has been proven to reduce hospitalisation rates by an unprecedented 52%, keeping more beds free across the NHS. Last month, Cera launched its rapid discharge service in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Cheshire, and Merseyside, in advance of a national rollout. This service enables c.80% of patients who can be discharged from the hospital to be seen on the same day by Cera carers or nurses, by digitising the matching of the right carer or nurse with a patient faster and driving efficiencies through electronic scheduling.* Dr Ben Maruthappu MBE, CEO and Co-founder of Cera, comments: “In Wednesday’s announcement, the Prime Minister outlined the NHS’s wait times and the need to discharge people out of hospitals and into social care as one of the nation’s biggest priorities. Healthcare services are now required to do more with less, with demands increasing alongside an ageing population that requires more complex care, battling lengthy waiting lists across hospitals, and sector-wide struggles with staff burnout. “Through its technology-powered model, I am proud to announce that Cera will be in a position to provide over a million care visits this month, to help more patients leave hospital and relieve pressure on the NHS. Using machine learning and data analytics, Cera offers a care solution that does more with less and keeps patients safely at home through predictive technology. Moving healthcare services from the hospital to the home reduces the cost of healthcare ten-fold – the cost-effective solution the country needs.”
Aria Care Home wins award for Initiative Care
Aria Care Home awarded Best Initiative in Care at the prestigious Caring UK Awards 2022 Aria Care Home, the 28-bed residential home in Newport for people living with Dementia, has been recognised at the Caring UK Awards for its commitment to improving the culture for its workforce – which saw employee retention levels reach 100% for the year. The Caring UK Awards is a UK-wide initiative that celebrates outstanding people in the care sector. It took place at the Athena, Leicester, hosted by Emmerdale actor, Dean Andrews. Aria was also recognised as a finalist in the Regional Care Home of the Year – Wales & Midlands Category. Managing Director of Aria Care Home, Ali Al-Mufti, said of the achievement: “A national award for a small, single care home like ours is enormous recognition for the entire team that has worked relentlessly this year to buck the trend of recruitment and retention in the care sector – and have created an environment that elevates the home for our residents and each other.” The home is an accredited Real Living Wage employer, offering additional schemes such as employee wellness programmes to support the mental health of team members. Ali added: “The past year has been an incredible and unforgettable year for Aria Care Home. We don’t intend to rest on our laurels and will continue to better the care we provide to our residents. I am so pleased that the hard work of our team members has been acknowledged on a national level, they deserve so much recognition.” The care home, offers its residents person-centred care from highly qualified and experienced staff who deliver award-winning dementia support. The home has a diverse range of amenities and opportunities that offer residents surroundings that fit their lifestyle and care needs. The home has been regularly named in the “Top 20 Care Homes in Wales”, accredited by carehome.co.uk which is determined solely by reviews from residents and their families.
Second generation takes the reins at Meallmore Ltd
Leading Scottish care provider, Meallmore Ltd, has announced its new senior team, as Cillian Hennessey takes over as managing director. Cillian takes over the top job from Gerry Hennessey, who has retired from his role after 35 years. Gerry and his brother Aidan were founding directors when Meallmore was established in 1987. The company has grown steadily and has successfully retained its original family business values. Gerry will remain as chairman for Meallmore, while Cillian takes over the running of operations. Cillian joined the family business in 2010 as area manager after working as an investment surveyor. He became the company’s commercial director in 2017, where he was involved in determining the company’s growth and helping guide its operations and future development. Cillian will be supported by the existing executive team and directors group. Rachel Gothard has been appointed to the newly created role of People & Culture Director and Hazel O’Rourke was promoted to Quality Director. Together, they will continue to support Meallmore’s Operations Director, Mary Preston; Regional Director, Carol-Anne Foote; Property Director, Michael Gillespie; and Finance Director, Gavin MacKenzie. Outgoing managing director of Meallmore, Gerry Hennessey comments: “It was always my hope that the business would be passed onto the next generation, so for Cillian to be taking the baton is an extremely proud moment for me. The business is a very different one to the one I started running in 1987 with my brother, as we’ve gone from operating one care home to 26. The transition from one generation to the next has been well considered and I’m confident that Cillian will do an excellent job in his new role.” Cillian Hennessey says: “Since being founded over 35 years ago by my father and uncle, Meallmore has secured the reputation of being one of Scotland’s leading care providers and I’m proud to be part of such a reputable company which offers a great place to live for our residents, and a great place to work for our colleagues. “I’ve spent the last 12 years working in the family-run business and I’m ready to take Meallmore into the next generation and put my stamp on it, which is a really exciting prospect. That being said, nothing will change in terms of Meallmore’s ambitions or principles, which is to provide excellent personalised care and support, delivered by trained and professional caring teams in quality and safe environments.” Since opening its first care home, Daviot Care Home (formally known as Meallmore Lodge) in Inverness in 1987, Meallmore has grown to become one of Scotland’s leading care providers. Meallmore currently has a network of 26 care homes across Scotland, including offering care for the elderly and adults with mental health diagnosis. More information about Meallmore Ltd can be found at https://www.meallmore.co.uk/
Care workers offered savings plan to ease cost of living crisis
Two Hull-based companies have established a partnership to help employees during the current cost-of-living crisis. Not-for-profit care organisation HICA Group has partnered with HEY Credit Union to provide a staff savings scheme. HICA Group is offering all employees an opportunity to save money more easily during this challenging economic period. All staff are able to join the credit union, opting for a percentage of their salary to be deducted automatically and transferred directly to their own savings account. The care group owns and manages residential care homes across Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire as well as two retirement villages in East Yorkshire and Lancashire, employing over 1,500 people. Terry Peel, CEO at HICA Group, said: “Our team is the backbone of our not-for-profit organisation. They work incredibly hard, demonstrating commitment and passion to their roles and we aim to show our appreciation of this through the benefits we provide to those who work for us. “Financial security is a key concern for many people right now, including our employees, which is why we want to offer people the option of saving money directly from their salary. “By working with a local credit union, we’re able to offer this in a structured and secure way so that employees can regularly save money and adapt to a new way of managing their finances.” “We chose to partner with HEY Credit Union as it’s a local organisation that prioritises the financial wellbeing of people, offering affordable and ethical financial services that genuinely help people to manage their money better.” Established 23 years ago, Hey Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial co-operative providing fair and responsible saving schemes and loans for those living in East Yorkshire, Hull and Northern Lincolnshire. In the same way as other financial institutions, members’ savings are protected (up to a £85,000) by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. John Smith, chief executive at HEY Credit Union, said: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with HICA Group offering a salary saving scheme that gives employees access to an ethical saving provision. Through the partnership, The HICA Group is supporting employee financial wellbeing with a highly regulated yet deeply community-focused local organisation which is proud to put people before profit.” Sheila Harvell, from Hull, who opts into the scheme, said: “The money being taken from my salary before it hits my bank really appealed to me as it feels like I’m saving money without trying. “I am keen to build up a bank of money for special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas and holidays so that I have money saved and ready to use when I need it, without borrowing. “The savings benefit offered by HICA allows me to do this in a sensible way as it’s something I can stick to and also gives me peace of mind that I’m saving some money every month.”
Celebrating 46 UK organisations who have outstanding workplace training programmes with HRH The Princess Royal
London, Thursday 8th December: On Tuesday 6th December, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, welcomed 46 organisations to Banqueting House in London are celebrating successfully achieving a Princess Royal Training Award for their commitment to training and development. The Princess Royal Training Awards recognise employers across the United Kingdom who deliver outstanding training and development programmes that have had a direct impact on their people and organisations. This year, applications were made from a wide range of organisations from large multi-nationals through to small not-for-profits. Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds said: “This year we have seen applications from a range of organisations who have prioritised the development of their teams, as they continue to operate in a challenging context. I am delighted that we are able to recognise 46 fantastic employers who place value on training their employees. From inclusion and diversity, through to programmes addressing the ongoing impact of climate change and tackling skills shortages in certain sectors – organisations are using training to address these issues. It’s an honour to come together and celebrate these organisations’ shared and unrelenting commitment to learning and development.” At this year’s ceremony, employers Santander, Christies Care and Travis Perkins were welcomed onto the stage for a panel discussion about the impact of their award-winning programmes. Travis Perkins explained how they used the apprenticeship levy to create a Learn and Earn Apprenticeship programme which addresses the male-dominated and ageing workforce demographic typical for the construction sector. The impact on the company is still being realised, but 35.2% of this year’s applicants are female, the average age of recruits is now 25 and BAME representation has increased from 1.2 to 6.2%. Christies Care were revalidated for their induction programme initially awarded in 2017. In 2021 the pass rate for the Carer Induction was 93%, compared with 90% in 2017. By introducing online learning, Christies Care were able to upscale their provision quickly during the pandemic and continue training carers at a time of peak demand and immense pressure. The programme accommodated this demand and was popular with carers. Client satisfaction also remained positive and its reputation for highly trained carers remained unchanged. Santander described how they tackled the increasing number of customers becoming victims of scams during the pandemic by creating a staff training programme. This led to an impressive reduction in losses to customers from £12.5m in 2021 to just £20k in 2022. Five organisations also received a special commendation for demonstrating a significant commitment to inclusion and diversity. Those commended for their Inclusion and Diversity initiatives in 2022 include Greene King, Labcorp, IBM UK Ltd, Sheppey Matters and UK Electronic Skills Organisation. For a full list of this year’s recipients and their training programmes please see the 2022 recipients page or you can find out how to apply for The Princess Royal Training Awards 2023 here.
Sector-leading dementia care nurse receives Queen Mother’s accolade
Care UK’s Suzanne Mumford, Head of Nursing, Care and Dementia Care, has received the prestigious The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service. The accolade, more commonly known by the title of Queen’s Nurse, was bestowed to Suzanne and other recipients during the Queen’s Nursing Institute’s ceremony on Monday 28 November. Suzanne was recognised for her constant innovation, something that she has continued to deliver in her role at Care UK, particularly in the practice of dementia care. By her own admission, Suzanne “fell into nursing” when she was just 17 years old. Her first role was as a care assistant in a geriatric hospital where she quickly realised that nursing was the career for her and still maintains it’s “the best job in the world.” After training in Southampton and specialising in neurology and neurosurgery, Suzanne discovered a love of teaching and coaching others, which has been a crucial component to her career overall. After running a training company specialising in healthcare, she initially joined Care UK in 2018 as Quality Development Manager and has since progressed to lead a new team under the direction of Rachel Gilbert, the organisation’s Director of Care, Quality and Governance. Suzanne credits the “constant innovation and drive” within the sector as her motivation. She is always looking for ways to improve the practice of dementia care and passes this passion onto the Approach to Care Team, which she leads. The most important thing, she says, is supporting people to achieve their potential: “It’s about saying – this is what we’re doing, but we can always do it better, so how do we make that happen?” A large part of that process has been gathering and imparting knowledge within Care UK to ensure those living with dementia have compassionate and consistent care across the organisation. Having been a customer of Care UK herself, Suzanne has “seen it from both sides” and says that the experience of her parents having been residents informs everything she does. Suzanne oversaw the implementation of a sector-leading initiative to help enrich the lives of those living with advanced dementia. The Namaste programme now runs across all Care UK homes to ensure those most impacted by dementia – between 12-13% of those living in our homes – receive a comforting, one-to-one sensory experience during dedicated sessions, which focus on their mental and physical wellbeing. As a result, residents have become more alert and communicative. Another passion of Suzanne’s is to decrease the use of psychotropic drugs in Care UK homes. These drugs are often prescribed for those living with dementia but can make patients feel sleepier and can increase the risk of falls. Nurses within our homes have now decreased their use of psychotropic drugs by 26% – this is possible due to ongoing professional practices, which allow our teams to identify and address the unmet needs of those living with dementia. Under Suzanne’s leadership, Care UK is launching a new academy for the training and development of their care home nurses, called the Seacole Academy for Care and Clinical Excellence. This gives nurses a programme within the organisation that formally recognises their professional commitment and development. In addition to this, it offers those who are team leaders or senior carers at Care UK homes the chance to train to be a nurse, or to step into a health care assistant role to continue supporting residents. Rachel Gilbert, Director of Care, Quality and Governance at Care UK, said of the award: “Since her arrival at Care UK, Suzanne and I have worked together to ensure we continue to support and provide care in the very best way possible. “Her compassion and her leadership means that colleagues at every level, and in many different roles, feel empowered to provide the best care possible for our residents. Those who live in our care homes are people who have lived rich, fulfilling lives and under Suzanne’s innovative initiatives, they can continue to do so. “The Care UK team are very proud of Suzanne’s achievements, and I can’t wait to see how she uses this accolade to continue support residents and to develop her colleagues within the organisation.” When asked if she had any words of wisdom to pass on to new or aspiring nurses, Suzanne said: “When you train as a nurse, you are there – and you should be there – as an inspiration to people. You should be role-modelling best practice and you should be inspiring other people in your field to be the best that they can be. “You must be interested in people and in their wellbeing – both emotionally and physically. To do a nursing degree, as well as being interested in people, you have to feel like you can make a difference. Be kind, compassionate and be curious because there is so much learning to do. She also praised the skills of care home nurses, adding: “Our nurses are so specialist – we are looking after people who are living with so many different conditions and who are at a point where they now need more support, even when they’ve been fantastically independent throughout their lives. In those circumstances, you have to want to be close to people and be a part of their lives, as well as being observant and an excellent communicator.” If you want to join Care UK and help those living in our homes to lead fulfilling lives, you can apply here….visit careuk.com
Learning and Development Manager at South East care home championed as one of the leading women in social care
A South East care group is celebrating after one of its staff members was recognised with one of the highest accolades in the profession and championed as one of the social care sector’s most influential individuals. Marisa Spice, Learning & Development Manager at Nellsar, a family-run group of 13 care homes throughout Kent, Surrey and Essex, was crowned winner of the ‘Talent Development Award’ category in this year’s Women Achieving Greatness in Social Care Awards (WAGS) – an annual showpiece that highlights and celebrates incredible achievements of female leaders in all roles. Recognised for her unwavering commitment to resident and nursing practice, Marisa received the highly sought-after accolade during an awards ceremony at the Hilton Bankside, London, on Wednesday, 30th November. The WAGS aim to highlight and celebrate the incredible achievements of female leaders from all corners of the sector, recognising accomplishments at all levels of leadership across the entirety of social care. As a recipient, Marisa now stands alongside a selection of remarkable individuals, helping to raise the profile of professional women leaders across the sector – and serves as an embodiment of innovation, talent, commitment and excellence throughout the industry and beyond. Having joined in 2013, Marisa has been an integral asset to the family-run operation at Nellsar, helping the business go from strength to strength while implementing a care ethos built on compassion and empathy. Her ongoing commitment to improving the interface between social care and other external professional bodies has been recognised as an industry example – having introduced new skills for carers and guidance on how to use nurse associate roles within social care. Speaking about her award, Marisa said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have received such incredible acknowledgement and to stand alongside so many remarkable ladies who I consider to be the benchmark of excellence throughout our sector. Having worked in care for many years, I’m humbled that my efforts have been recognised and this will only motivate me to continue doing a job I love doing each and every day. I consider myself lucky to be surrounded by so many exceptional colleagues, who inspire me to implement a standard of care that improves the quality of life for everyone across the industry, while creating a rich and diverse culture alongside people I consider to be not just friends, but family, too.” Commenting on her acknowledgement, Glenda Osmotherly, Director of Operations at Nellsar, said: “Marisa is a remarkable individual and we couldn’t be more proud of her. The dedication and commitment she continuously delivers to those around her is not just an example to everyone at Nellsar, but carers up and down the country, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have Marisa representing the care culture we look to implement across the board at Nellsar.” Having enjoyed a variety of roles with Nellsar over the last ten years, from Registered Nurse to Registered Manager to Operations and Compliance Manager, Marisa now specialises in learning and development of the care group’s staff teams. Over the past few years, Marisa has been at the forefront of Nellsar’s care development scheme, attending various conferences, meetings and webinars regarding several areas of development. Marisa has worked very closely with external professionals from various areas and has developed many of their attributes to bring knowledge into Nellsar’s workforce. One such event that Marisa has and will continue to attend is the Social Care Nurse Supervision (Kent and Medway Nurse Clinical Supervision) group, which is supported by KCC, Skills for Care and a fellow Queen’s Nurse. Also representing Nellsar at the WAGS this year was Leni Wood, Nutrition & Wellness Manager, who was shortlisted as a finalist in the Wellbeing at Work Award category, for demonstrating her unwavering professionalism and specialism whilst dedicating a vast array of knowledge to both staff and residents from a nutritional standpoint. When Leni joined Nellsar five years ago, she cemented the company as one of the first UK providers to recognise the value of having a Nutritional Therapist onboard. She has driven creativity and innovation in the nutrition arena, imparting her wide-ranging knowledge to both staff and residents alike. For more information on Nellsar, visit www.nellsar.com.
Luxury new Solihull care home welcomes centenarian as first resident
A newly opened luxury Solihull care home that specialises in exceptional residential, nursing, dementia and respite care has welcomed its first resident through its doors. 100-year-old Margaret has become the first resident at Blossomfield Rose, a new state-of-the-art care home situated as part of the existing Blossomfield Park in Solihull, offering residents compassionate and supportive care within a unique setting. The new home sits neatly within the wider Blossomfield Park development, a mix of sympathetically converted historic and contemporary buildings set within five acres of mature, private grounds — offering privately owned accommodation to all ages. Residents have access to all park-wide amenities and grounds, proving to be Margaret’s favourite part of her stay so far. Margaret said: “I have made the most of the sunny weather since moving in, especially as I know it’s about to change. I’ve loved spending time in the beautiful gardens and seeing the donkeys in the field opposite but as it gets colder I’ll still be able to see all this wonderful wildlife from the window in my room.” Born and raised in Shropshire, Margaret enjoyed an 80-year marriage to her wonderful husband George, where they raised two daughters. Margaret enjoyed a career with the Ministry of Food where she started out in the rationing department before working her way up to community inspections. Margaret reminisced: “I enjoyed carrying out the street inspections where I would hang around chatting and being friendly, but I would actually be watching for stalls selling illegal goods! I would then make a purchase at these stalls for evidence to catch them red handed, then they would be sent to court.” Now residing at Blossomfield Rose, Margaret and her fellow residents experience the use of unobtrusive, integrated technology throughout the home which helps the dedicated care team deliver the highest quality and standards of dementia and nursing care. Features such as acoustic listening devices and nurse call systems will offer families peace of mind as care can be delivered swiftly as necessary, alongside thorough digital record-keeping and care planning. Margaret also said: “It is a beautiful environment here, and I feel lucky to be able to live in such a friendly space. The staff have been very welcoming and the food is exceptional!” Sonia Tenniswood, Home Manager at Blossomfield Rose, commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Maragret and her family into our home, and hope she creates many happy memories here. “On her first day we welcomed her with balloons and champagne to make it a really special occasion and hopefully everyday we continue to make her feel special, allowing her to express her independence within a safe and caring environment.” Blossomfield Rose is one of thirteen homes in the Macc Care group, which runs a collection of care homes in the Midlands. The group prides itself on three core values — Love, Caring and Compassion. The word ‘rose’ is used across the collection of homes to symbolise new beginnings, which will be pertinent to both staff and residents at this exciting new community. For further information on Blossomfield Rose, please visit: https://blossomfieldrose.co.uk/, or for further information on the wider Blossomfield Park, please visit: https://blossomfieldpark.co.uk/ For information on the Macc Care group, please visit: https://www.macccare.com/.
