Visiting dog inspires care home resident to speak
RALPH the dog turned a care home resident who rarely speaks into a chatterbox during a recent visit. The pet pooch and his owner, Ian Turnbull, were visiting The Beeches Care Home, in Stockton-on-Tees. When the pair went to see resident Brian Fenny, 85, who has dementia, staff were surprised when he began speaking to his four-legged visitor. Jessica Roth, activities coordinator at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Brian doesn’t tend to talk that much and mainly communicates through gestures and looking at pictures. “However, when he saw Ralph, he started talking in sentences. He kept saying Ralph was “lovely”, and a “good boy”. He was telling Ralph to sit and wait as he was giving him his dog treats. “Brian had a big smile on his face and then, when Ralph was going to see the next resident, he put his thumbs up. “Myself and the other girls on shift were surprised at how much he responded to Ralph. It warmed our hearts seeing him so happy with the dog.” The visit from Ralph and Ian was arranged through Wag and Company North East Friendship Dogs. The charity assesses volunteers and their dogs and arranges regular visits to older dog lovers in their own homes or in care and medical establishments across the region. As well as visiting Brian, Ralph was taken to see other residents in their rooms and those sat in the main lounges in both the home’s residential and dementia units. Jessica Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Everyone responded well to Ralph and enjoyed giving him dog treats. “A big thank you goes to Ian for bringing Ralph to meet the residents and to Wag and Company for arranging the visit. “The residents always love visits from animals, particularly dogs, as many of them used to be dog owners and activities like this bring back fond memories.” For similar stories about Ralph the dog and other care related stories click here
Flexible Caring: The Need for Change
Christian Brøndum is the CEO of Planday, a start-up that provides workforce management software to businesses working across all sectors including both hospitality and care homes. Here, he tells Care & Nursing Essentials about how software can aid flexible caring and help deal with the challenges of retaining staff… Recently, Carers UK announced the results of a report which found that over 600 people quit their job every day to prioritise caring for older and disabled relatives. Anyone working in the care sector will be familiar with the unique stresses of caring for an elderly or disabled person. Perhaps even more stressful is the fact that often, employers fail to provide the flexibility necessary for workers to keep their jobs whilst caring for their loved ones. Whether you work in the care sector or find yourself struggling to care for relatives whilst working, the need for flexibility is a pressing issue. Care work was found to be the most stressful profession in a recent survey; respondents cited the workload in the industry, having to cope with tight deadlines and the potential impact of making a mistake as their reasons for feeling stressed. Alongside this, 47.4% of respondents mentioned that work-related stress impacts their lives outside of work, highlighting the need for a refreshed look at work-life balance in the industry. A new perspective is needed to revitalise the motivation and culture of the sector. New resources brought about by technological advances can help care homes deal with these particular challenges. The arrival of the cloud, for example, has encouraged businesses across all industries to provide online and mobile platforms which redirect more control over scheduling back to employees. The sophisticated technology helps with increasing contact with employers, speeding processes to ensure deadlines are more achievable, and helping teams to communicate more easily to avoid mistakes. A ‘personal’ management style is not always enough when dealing with teams with varied skills across multiple sites. Digitalizing your management approach reduces the amount of time spent on traditionally manual processes and lowers frustration amongst employees, meaning that retaining those employees becomes much easier. With a 2018 Skills for Care report finding that employee turnover rate in adult social care is 30.7% (equivalent to around 390,000 leavers in the past 12 months), there’s a considerable need for an improved focus on retention. An online platform for workforce management means that problems are flagged and dealt with before they cause any complications. Mistakes are fewer and both patients and employees benefit from a more open and efficient process. The trend for flexible working is increasingly being adopted in other sectors and has the potential to go beyond being merely a trend and become the norm. All workplaces can make small changes to put welfare at the core of their management style, and help to have happier, more effective employees. For more information on flexible caring, see the Planday website.
Twiddlemuffs and doll donations help residents with dementia
Twiddlemuffs and dolls have been donated to a North Yorkshire care home to help residents with dementia. Volunteers from two separate groups knitted and donated the therapeutic items to Sycamore Hall Care Home, in Ripon. The Ripon Cathedral group of the Mothers’ Union Diocese of Leeds dropped off around a dozen handmade twiddlemuffs at the home. While the volunteer group Comfort Dolls and Twiddles for People With Dementia made a separate donation of twiddlemuffs and several comfort dolls. A twiddlemuff is a knitted or crocheted handwarmer with accessories such as ribbons and buttons sewn on to them, which help to calm those with dementia by keeping their hands and minds occupied. Dolls are also used to provide therapeutic effects, particularly for those in the later stages of dementia, with residents being comforted by holding and interacting with them. Chrissie Medway Steele, home manager at Sycamore Hall Care Home, said: “The donations from both groups came as a surprise but a very welcome one. “Both twiddlemuffs and dolls provide great therapeutic benefits for our residents with dementia, helping to improve mood and wellbeing. “A huge thank you to the Mothers’ Union Ripon Group and Comfort Dolls and Twiddles for People With Dementia for making these donations. Sycamore Hall Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information about twiddlemuffs and doll donations and about Sycamore Hall Care Home visit www.hillcare.net.
Newborns receive Random Act of Kindness from care home
RANDOM Act of Kindness Day saw care home staff and residents donating a trove of supplies for Teesside’s newborns. Nappies, beanie hats, mittens, blankets, sleepsuits, nappy sacks and baby wipes were among the items collected at The Beeches Care Home, Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, following an appeal. Staff, family members and residents were among those who donated. The items were wrapped into gift parcels for new mums and their babies on the neonatal unit at University Hospital of North Tees. Sister Julie King, who works on the neonatal unit, said: “I’m delighted to accept the donations on behalf of the unit.” Alwyn Behan, who lives at The Beeches Care Home, was among those to visit the hospital to deliver the gifts. She said: “I was moved to tears after seeing premature baby Jasper produce a smile just for us.” Fellow resident Janet Wren said: “It’s lovely to be able to do something to help the tiny babies. And the nurses were lovely too.” Jess Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “Anything we can do to help others is a good thing so, with Random Act of Kindness Day coming up, we decided to launch the appeal. “We had a great response from friends, family members, staff and residents, who all donated items for the neonatal unit at North Tees Hospital. We’d like to say a big thank you to all of them. “Residents Alwyn and Janet also loved visiting the unit and were thrilled to be able to help others.” The Beeches Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net
Care home turns into pizzeria for National Pizza Day
A TEESSIDE care home transformed into a pizzeria for the day as residents baked their own Italian creations. National Pizza Day was celebrated by staff and residents at The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Stockton-on-Tees. Alwyn Behan, 86, Marian Knightly, 83, Jane Monaghan, 72, and Sylvia Smith, 77, were among those who created their own pizzas. The residents chose their favourite toppings, including pepperoni, chicken, ham, and a variety of vegetables, before baking them in the oven. Jane Monaghan said: “Pizza making has gone very well. Only I’ve got tomatoes everywhere. I’ve always been a messy cook. “It brought back memories of pizza-making parties with my grandchildren. My favourite pizza is double cheese with herbs.” Marian Knightly said: “I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s something different to do. My favourite is mushroom and cheese.” Alwyn Behan added: “I’ve enjoyed pizza making. It’s nice doing it myself and putting the different toppings on. My favourite is chicken and vegetables.” Jess Brown, home manager at The Beeches Care Home, said: “National Pizza Day was an opportunity to get messy and make our own pizzas. “The residents loved it. It brought back fond memories for many. And then they all enjoyed a slice with their afternoon tea.” The Beeches Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Great Oaks care home welcomes soft food diet specialist
Great Oaks in Bournemouth has appointed a soft food diet specialist to allow for a wide range of diet requirements to be catered for at the care home. Patrick Fensterseifer, head chef at Great Oaks, specialises in the production of dysphagia meals which means he is able to cook dishes for residents who have difficulties with swallowing. Patrick is passionate about preparing meals that are flavoursome, nutritious, well-presented and meet the specific dietary requirements of every resident. As a Dorset Healthcare NHS dysphagia practitioner, Patrick has a wealth of knowledge which has enabled him to lead the rest of catering team confidently and help expand their skills and understanding of the disorder. Patrick has more than 18 years’ experience as a head chef and has demonstrated to the rest of the team that it is still possible to be creative when catering for a resident who requires a soft food diet. Great Oaks also works closely with Dining with Dignity, a specialist training provider, to help meet the nutritional needs of residents who have dysphagia. The catering team receive training from a specialist Dining with Dignity chef, who also provides a bespoke workshop plan, which includes demonstrations on how to prepare puree meals. Patrick Fensterseifer, head chef of Great Oaks care home, said: “At our home we are so passionate about going the extra mile to put a smile on our residents’ faces. Meal times are treated with great importance, everyone has individual needs and we take the time to get to know what each resident likes and doesn’t like to eat. “Every meal is prepared using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to ensure our dishes are as nutrition-rich as possible. When we create meals for our residents with dysphagia, we like to challenge ourselves to serve soft diet food, which still look like their solid counterparts. We use a range of mould and piping techniques that allow us to create a variety of appetising courses which contain the vital ingredients that boost our residents’ health. I am a member of the National Association of Care Catering which ensures the team are continually learning, creating new recipes and evolving the catering offering at Great Oaks.” Great Oaks is the latest addition of an established family of care homes managed by Encore Care Homes, with two other care homes in Dorset and Hampshire. The 80-bed care home is fitted with state-of-the-art facilities, designed to enable staff to provide the highest standard of 24 hour, personalised care and ensure residents are comfortable and happy in their surroundings. Please visit www.greatoaksbournemouth.co.uk for more information or call 01202 087444.
St Budeaux Pupils Get Creative
Residents at a care home in Plymouth say that regular visits from pupils of nearby St Budeaux Foundation School are ‘a breath of fresh air.’ The Year 4 pupils come to see their older friends at Freshfields care home as part of the Archie Project, a scheme that links local schools with people with dementia. Freshfields’ activities co-ordinator Paul Hutt said: “This is the fourth year that St Budeaux children have been coming here and our residents just love their visits. “They sit side by side and enjoy a whole different variety of activities when they come here. “On their most recent visit they did seasonal arts and crafts activities.” The Archie Project is a project created to reduce the stigma and fear associated with the word dementia that links to local primary schools, care homes, sheltered housing schemes, businesses, and community members. Swedish designed and purpose-built, Freshfields in Agaton Road, Plymouth, is a specialist 38-bed dementia care facility which overlooks the Tamar Estuary. Camelot Care also has homes in Bridgwater and Wellington in Somerset. For more information see www.camelotcare.co.uk
Care Home Celebrates Outstanding Report From CQC
Staff at a Plymouth residential care home are celebrating after the service was given the Care Quality Commission’s highest rating following a recent inspection. After its previous CQC inspection in January 2016, Restormel House was given an overall rating of good. But following its latest inspection, in September this year, it has been upgraded to outstanding. Carla Dearing, who has been manager of the service for four-and-a-halfyears, said: “I’m so pleased that the hard work, commitment and passion demonstrated by the staff here has been rewarded with the CQC’s highest rating. “I’m privileged to lead an excellent team here who put everything into providing the best possible care for the people we support, and the team thoroughly deserve to be recognised in this way.” Restormel House, a large, six-bedroom Victorian property in Restormel Terrace, is run by the Regard Group, the UK’s third largest care provider in its sector. It specialises in accommodating and supporting adults with learning disabilities, mental health issues and other complex needs, including autism and Asperger’s. Carla said: “The ethos here is to promote empowerment, and this means enabling an element of positive risk-taking, to help the people we support develop their independence. “We work with young adults who want to take risks and experience the same opportunities as other people their age. “For example, they sometimes want to go out drinking, so we sit and budget with them and provide support.” Over the past 18 months Restormel House has said goodbye to five people who have been able to move on to less-supported environments, increasing their independence. Carla said: “I like to lead by example, but this is not really a management and staff, them and us, kind of place, I try to be very inclusive, always inviting suggestions and ideas from the team. “I am so proud of the team, and it’s very satisfying to read comments like ‘staff said they loved their work’ in the CQC report. “We treat Restormel House as people’s home rather than a place of work, and work had as a team for the benefit of the people we support.” She said the team will not be resting on any laurels having achieved the top rating. “We are always looking for ways to improve what we do, and we will continue to do that because we are determined to keep getting better and better; it’s not good enough to reach a certain level and then just stand still. Kerry Libby, Regard’s Regional Director, said: “I am incredibly proud of Carla and her team at Restormel House on being given a well-deserved outstanding rating by the CQC. “It’s heartening that the CQC recognised the positive culture and can-do approach of the staff, who are clearly passionate about providing very high standards of care for the people they support. “This inspection report adds to our industry-leading quality ratings, of which we are immensely proud. “Currently, 95% of our services are CQC rated good or outstanding, compared to an industry average of 82%, and that’s due, in no small part, to the commitment of staff and the quality of their managers. “I would also like to thank Locality Manager Sarah Ghent and the wider management team, for the support they have provided to Carla and her staff at Restormel House; earning the outstanding rating has been a true collaborative effort.” The Regard Group supports more than 1,300 people, with a dedicated staff of more than 2,600 people at 168 sites throughout the UK. For more information about the group, visit www.regard.co.uk.
NEW STARTER COMES TO THE RESCUE OF AN ELDERLY PATIENT
New starter at Hilton Nursing Partners, personal nursing assistant Lilly Schwarz, used her quick thinking to safeguard a 95 year old patient from a potentially life-threatening situation as an electrical fire took hold. Only 12 days in her new role, new starter Lilly’s responsibility to assess patients after their discharge from hospital quickly went from a routine task, to that of a life saving situation when she was met at the patient’s home with panic and plumes of toxic smoke. “Mrs Frapwell had just been discharged from hospital after complications with her diabetes. My role was to support her through the transition of leaving hospital and regaining her confidence and independence at home again. As soon as I rang the intercom I knew there was a problem. I couldn’t get to her quick enough; thankfully she was outside her flat but very distressed that she couldn’t stop the toxic smoke from developing. “I moved her well away towards an open window where she could breath in fresh air, and then I went back to the flat. I could see an electric kettle on the electric hob, which had been switched on. I just turned the hob off then found the cut-off switch for the electrics before opening the windows as wide as I could. It must have taken me minutes to act; thankfully the fire brigade were quick to take over. The chocolates I received from Mrs Frapwell’s family as a thank you were absolutely gorgeous, but for me it was a natural response and I’d do it again to make sure any one of our patients were safe.” Mrs Frapwell said that she was very happy Lilly was at her home when she was as she didn’t know what would happen stating Hilton Nursing Partners could not have been better and the support she received was fantastic. Ann Taylor, CEO at Hilton Nursing Partners says: “We are incredibly proud of Lilly, her quick thinking kept our patient safe, and prevented the fire from progressing further. I can’t praise her selfless actions enough, without giving her bravery a second thought her only concern was to make sure Mrs Frapwell wasn’t hurt or upset by the incident – what a star.” 100% focused on getting patients out of hospital and recovering in their own homes. Working with the NHS and Social Care Commissioners Hilton Nursing Partners successfully deliver safe, timely and supportive hospital discharges, patient assessments and patient recovery programmes via nurses, therapists and nurse led personal nursing assistants with a proven track record in freeing hospital beds, as well as reducing re-admissions and on-going social services support.
