Older Women Share Their Wisdom On International Women’s Day
“Make sure you know what you want to do, and be determined to do it” – older women share their wisdom. To celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday 8th March, 12 female care home residents across the UK have been sharing the advice they’d give to their younger selves. The ladies, aged between 82 and 93, also shared what they think young women today should know. The advice overwhelmingly focuses on being yourself and enjoying life to the full, with most women advising to trust yourself and strive for your dreams. Margaret Crowther, 91, said: “Make sure you know what you want to do, and be determined to do it”. Anne Gallagher, aged 82, agreed, adding: “Go for it, go for what you want to do – and give it your best shot.” The ladies also advised compassion and humanity, with Rita Atkinson, aged 87, saying she’d ask women of today to: “Always to be truthful, and most of all, always to be kind and understanding.” Mary Scates, aged 92, thought this was important too: “Be honest to other people, to yourself – just be yourself. Enjoy yourself, without doing any harm to anybody else”. For Pam Alleyne, aged 85, the most important life lesson was to remember that life is too short – she said she would advise her younger self: “Live every moment and take each day as it comes, because nobody knows how long we’ve got”. International Women’s Day is a global day which has been marked since 1911, and celebrates women’s achievements while calling for a more gender-balanced world. Jacqui White, marketing director at Care UK, said: “International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the successes and stories of women, and we want society to recognise the wealth of expertise and knowledge stored in the minds of older ladies like those in our video. We’re proud to have created a platform on which a group of older women have shared their most valuable life lessons for young women today and hope that other individuals and organisations will follow our lead. “It was wonderful to hear about the lives of women who lived through a social revolution, witnessing the changing attitude towards equality – but also to hear that the attitude of determination was fiercely alive in these women at a time when equality wasn’t a given. “The residents enjoyed sharing their advice. Researching, filming and watching the video has been a really valuable reminiscence activity prompting lots of interesting conversations in our homes. It’s been wonderful for residents to share their life experiences and memories, and we hope young women today agree that their wisdom is valuable and inspiring.” To view the life lessons video please visit: careuk.com/care-homes/IWD For more general information, please visit: careuk.com
Care homes getting worse in one in three local councils
Care homes getting worse in one in three local councils – urgent action needed to end inadequate standards of care, says older people’s charity The quality of care homes has worsened in the last year in more than a third of local authorities (37%) Independent Age has found. With over 2.6 million over-65s living in areas where an increasing number of care homes are rated ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) many older people and their families have no choice but to choose a poorly-performing care home. The older people’s charity analysed a snapshot of the CQC’s inspection data in January 2018 and January 2019, and found: · More than a third of local authorities saw a drop in performance between the two dates. This is an extremely concerning trend, and a stark increase on the 22% of local authorities where care home quality worsened between 2017 and 2018 · In Manchester local authority, 44% of care homes were rated ‘Inadequate’ or ‘Requires Improvement’ · There were 16 local authority areas where between 30%-40% of care homes attracted this rating. For a care home to receive a ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ rating, the service must be failing to deliver the minimum quality of care that is expected. Issues highlighted in poorly rated care homes have included residents not receiving medicine as they were prescribed, and their nutrition and hydration not being monitored. Today’s report compares the immediate action taken by Ofsted to address failing schools to the general acceptance of poorly-performing care homes. The charity believes lessons can be learned from the education sector’s approach to making improvements. Ofsted’s approaches to tackling failing schools have included a comprehensive improvement plan, such as management changes, arranging for expert help from other schools as well as regular re-inspections. These tactics are not consistently employed across the care home sector, but could be used to help tackle poor performance. Independent Age is also calling for urgent action to end the poor and inadequate quality of care. Residents and their families fund care homes, as well as taxpayers, but increasingly are not getting value for money. The charity is also calling on the government to finalise a sustainable long term funding settlement for social care now. Only with a substantial investment which puts social care on a sustainable footing, can the Government truly resource the sector so that it can tackle unacceptable variations in quality. George McNamara, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, commented: “These findings are truly alarming, and show thousands of vulnerable older people live in homes that are failing to deliver even the bare minimum. “Years of dithering by the government, and the failure to reform the social care system, is a main cause of increased pressures on the care home market and more areas with poor performers. Unless the forthcoming Green Paper is bold and ambitious, it will do little to address the crisis in care. “Essentially, the government continues to stand by and do nothing to address the quality of care suffered by older people, many of whom live with conditions such as dementia, and who are being robbed of their ability to enjoy life as much as possible. “As well as being dangerous, poor care is miserable, involving things like being woken up in the night to be dressed or taken to the toilet because of staff shortages. Care homes are where many of us will live out our final months. No life should end in misery.” Find out more
Knitted walking frame bags bring joy to care home residents
Hand crafted walking frame bags have given care home residents more freedom to get about carrying their “essentials”. A knitting group from Thornaby Methodist Church, near Middlesbrough, created the bags for residents at Mandale House Care Home. One of those residents, Mavis Thomas, has been a member of the church and friends with the knitting group organiser, Shirley Whitfield, for over 50 years. Shirley established Chat and Craft to help members work through their grief after their husbands passed away. They began knitting items to raise funds for the church and later diversified into baby clothes and blankets, for Blue Light Babies charity. The group then started knitting items for care homes in the area, including the walking frame bags for those living at Mandale House Care Home, on Acklam Road, Thornaby. Shirley said: “The group loves helping others and making a difference to the community. “The ladies who go to the group enjoy the company and that they’re creating something useful to help others. “They’re delighted the Mandale residents love the bags and use them all the time.” The knitting group has also donated baby dolls and knitted clothes to the home, as residents with dementia find dressing and holding them comforting, according to home manager Louise Hawksby. She said: “The knitting bags that residents are able to fasten to their walking frames have been really popular. They are absolutely delighting the residents. “They are having a hoot collecting and carrying around their essentials. Some of the things they’re carrying are packets of biscuits, tissues, fruit, twiddle muffs and toys. “The knitting group also supplied two fully clothed dolls for the dementia suite. They came with knitted trousers, beanies, cardigans and a blanket made from lace trimmed terry towelling nappies. “They have been a hit with our residents, as they bring back memories of when they used to look after their own children. The simple act of dressing and holding the dolls can provide a lot of comfort and joy.” Residents Florence Jinks and Margaret Morris have both been making use of their new walking frame bags. Florence said: “It’s really handy. I like to keep my biscuits and tissues in my bag.” Margaret added: “I have been filling mine with fruit from the fruit bowl.” Mandale House Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
New home manager for Teesside care home
A FORMER care assistant has risen through the ranks at a Teesside care home,The Beeches Care Home, to be named home manager. Jessica Brown joined The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Newtown, in 2014 and was promoted to senior care assistant before becoming deputy manager in 2018. She became home manager in February 2019 and has said she is aiming to lead the home to the highest rating from industry watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC). She said: “I truly believe that everyone is unique and should be treated in a person-centred way, with activities and services tailored to each person’s individual preferences. “ “I am very excited to be the new home manager of The Beeches and am delighted to advise that the home has achieved a “Good” CQC rating across the board. We are working towards achieving an outstanding rating at our next inspection.” Originally from Stockton-on-Tees, Jessica studied for an A Level in aviation at college but decided it wasn’t for her and took at job at a domiciliary care company in 2011. She then moved to a facility offering independent living space for elderly people as a senior care assistant before moving to The Beeches, a residential and specialist dementia care home. The Beeches Care Home received a “Good” rating for all five areas in their latest CQC inspection report. The report stated the home’s residents were “supported to maintain a healthy diet”, “treated with equality, dignity and respect” and provided with “person centred care”. For more information about the Beeches Care Home please visit https://www.hillcare.net
Borough Care Appoints New Board Member
Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, has appointed Lee Omar to its Board of Directors. In his new position as a Non-Executive Director, Lee Omar will support Borough Care’s Executive Team at a strategic level and also engage with residents, their families and staff, to provide invaluable feedback to the leadership team. Lee’s role will include developing relationships with external stakeholders, to help Borough Care innovate and remain commercial focussed. Commenting on what attracted him to becoming a Board member at Borough Care, Lee Omar says: “Having been a Non-Executive Director for NHS Trusts, I was interested to work in social care as I believe one of the great challenges we face is how we meet the requirements of our ageing society. We are living longer lives and I want to be part of the change that sees us offering aspirational products and services for this ageing population.” Lee Omar continues: “I am looking forward to working with Borough Care’s innovative leadership team and adding my expertise and skills to the mix, as we empower our residents and their families by delivering a world class service. As a founder and CEO of a start-up company, I have had to be innovative to grow my business and survive. This has meant creating trusted partnerships with external stakeholders and doing things differently. I will be bringing this approach to Borough Care.” Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, says: “It’s great to have Lee joining us at what is an exciting time for Borough Care. As a forward-thinking company, we have ambitions to lead a step change in the approach to care for older people and Lee’s expertise will be invaluable in helping us achieve this.” Lee Omar is CEO of Red Ninja, a design led technology company that makes apps for the healthcare and transport sectors. He also advises governments on technology at Prime Minister and President level. At Red Ninja, Lee has designed apps that help older people shop online and improve their nutritional intake. He has recently worked on an app that helps prevent falls in care homes, which has been adopted by the NHS. Find out more
Carrot Cake Day helps Chesterfield care home residents
NATIONAL Carrot Cake Day has been helping Derbyshire care home residents living with dementia. Residents at Springbank House Care Home, on Ashgate Road, in Chesterfield, have been recalling their baking skills to mark the national day. They helped make and decorate buns and cakes before they were served during afternoon tea. Using their baking skills has proven beneficial for those with dementia, according to home manager Karen Busby. She said: “We’re always looking for activities where our residents can use familiar skills, especially for those living with dementia. “Tasks that bring back memories can have a very positive effect on their mood and wellbeing. “Many of the residents used to bake for their families and friends, so National Carrot Cake Day was an opportunity to get them mixing, whisking and decorating their own cakes and buns. “Everyone had a great time making and then eating the cakes.” One of those residents who got involved in the activity was Eileen Ransome, 95. She said: “I was taught by my mother to cook and, in those days, there were no mixers. You had to mix the butter and eggs with a wooden spoon – adding eggs slowly because it would curdle. “Today, they buy cakes or get cake mix in packets – not like in the olden days, where we made them from start to finish.” Another resident, Freda Botham, 96, said: “My mother made beautiful bread and biscuits but I lost her recipe book. “I always disliked chocolate cake but I made them for my children, David and Diane.” Alongside the baking activity, the home’s staff introduced two mascots for the day, Kevin and Katie Carrot. The pair of cuddly toys kept residents company and rode the serving trolley while the cakes were handed out with afternoon tea. Home manager Karen added: “The residents thought having Kevin and Katie Carrot in to help was lovely and cute. “The pair have now retired and we have agreed to put them on display and raffle them to raise money for the residents’ fund” “The team at Springbank work so hard to give the residents a lovely time and fill the home with cheer and laughter, which is as good as any medicine.” www.hillcare.net
Care home’s first coffee morning a “huge success”
FAMILIES, friends and VIPs turned out for an inaugural coffee morning at a Peterlee care home. The Town Mayor Councillor Scott Meikle, Deputy Mayor Councillor Terry Duffy and Councillor Gordon Carne were among the guests at the first Bannatyne Lodge Care Home community coffee morning. They were joined by staff, residents and visitors for hot drinks, cakes and a chat. There was also a tombola to raise money for the residents’ fund, which contributes towards activities and outings for those living at the home. Lynn Chapman, home manager at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, on Manor Way, said: “Our first coffee morning was a huge success. “We all enjoyed cakes, tea, coffee and a big tombola. Residents and their families, friends of the home and council members all came along to show support. “Anyone is welcome to attend our coffee morning events, so we hope to see as many as possible at the next.” Bannatyne Lodge Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Paints and playdough for intergenerational sensory session
PAINTING and playdough gave elderly care home residents a new lease of life when they visited a nursery in Stockton-on-Tees. Residents from Ingleby Care Home were at Busy Bees Nursery,Myton Road, Thornaby, for an intergenerational sensory session with the children. The youngsters, all aged two to four years, showed residents how to build sandcastles and make pizzas out of playdough, broccoli, asparagus and red lentils. They also played with toys in the pond and painted on a clingfilm canvas using brushes and their hands. Resident Shirley Naylor, 84, said: “I loved having little Heidi on my knee dancing away.” Margaret Salmon, 93, said: “It was lovely. It really brightened my day.” Moira Hall, 76, added: “I don’t want to go home, I’m having so much fun.” Carol Singleton, home manager at Ingleby Care Home, on Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick, said: “The residents always thoroughly enjoy it when the children come to visit us at the care home. “They were all really looking forward to going to the nursery this time, to see the children and take part in a sensory day. “Everyone had a lot of fun and didn’t want to leave at the end. We are planning a picnic in the park with the children later in the year, so we can’t wait to see them again.” Ingleby Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Bluebird Care Gosport Launches Campaign to Unite Against Loneliness
Bluebird Care Gosport, a home-care provider in the Hampshire area is embarking on an ambitious, and possibly life changing campaign, to try and bring about an end to loneliness. Unite Against Loneliness will be ongoing throughout 2019; the Bluebird Care Gosport team will be running a yearlong campaign to raise awareness of, and ultimately, try to eradicate loneliness within the local community and beyond. The aim of the campaign is split into two objectives; the first is to raise awareness of the overwhelming issues of loneliness among the elderly and vulnerable. The second, is to show everyone how easy it is to support people who may be isolated and lonely, by encouraging them to be more socially inclusive and focused on community outreach. Small actions go a really long way. The campaign is in partnership with The Silver Line, the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is open to anyone who is feeling lonely or isolated. Bluebird Care Gosport have a different event planned for each month of the year, which they hope will inspire others to take part in and share across social media. Some of the monthly activities include a Lock-In Social Experiment, Dinner Nights, a Pen Pal Project and Neighbours Month, to name but a few. Kat Thomas, the mastermind behind these exciting plans, is the Director of Bluebird Care Gosport, the newly opened home-care provider in the area. Kat’s first challenge is The Isolation Experience, which she will be completing in February. Kat will be isolating herself for seven days and making a video diary, talking about mental health, and the emotional ramification of isolation. Kat will be in a self-contained flat, and will have no access to the outside world, no technology, her phone or visitors. Kat Thomas, Director of Bluebird Care Gosport, said: “My biggest hope for this campaign is that it steers real change in our communities. There are so many charities, organisations and groups out there doing amazing things; The Silver Line, The Jo Cox Commission, The Campaign to End Loneliness, and lots more. “Even the government is making serious headway in identifying the problem and steering real change but we can only make a difference if communities and people come together. If we are a society that is United Against Loneliness, then that’s when great things can and will happen. “I really look forward to my year of campaigning and can’t wait to see this idea take shape and become something real, that could be life changing for people.” To keep up with Bluebird Care Gosport’s campaign over the year, to find out more and to get involved yourself, follow the team on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Bluebirdcaregosport/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bluebird_care_gosport/.
