Tag: care

Care experts provide tips to help vulnerable older people stay safe

Agincare, a family-owned care provider, has released practical home improvement advice to help families adapt an older relative’s home or care home room into a space where they can live comfortably and safely.

The advice contains just under a dozen home improvement and interior design tips that can help older people living with dementia, visual impairment, Alzheimer’s, hearing impairment, and mobility.

Adam Luckhurst, Director at Agincare, said: “We’ve set out our recommendations covering rooms for people living with dementia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, Alzheimer’s and frailty. And our 3D floorplans really bring the ideal layout in a care home room or an entire house to life.

“Ultimately, we want to help people stay independent for as long as possible, and these simple changes can make a big difference. Whether your family member wants to stay in their own home or is living in a care home, there are simple and effective changes you can make to help improve their quality of life.”

Agincare’s top tips for making homes and care home rooms safer and more comfortable are:

1)    Replace wall art with family photographs in wooden frames.

“Photographs can provide important visual reminders to family members with dementia. But be careful about using mirrored frames as they can trigger confusion. Agincare’s experts suggest using wooden frames instead.”

2)    Make sure rooms are brightly lit with natural light.

“Plenty of natural light can not only help with sight, including spotting any trip hazards for older people unsteady on their feet, it is also proven to reduce psychoactive symptoms, which are common side effects of neurodegenerative diseases.”

3)    Remove rugs and frayed carpets.

“Family members of older people with limited mobility may be conscious about electrical leads and slippery surfaces causing a trip hazard. However, one of the most common reasons for falls in the home is rugs and frayed carpets. These should be removed from living rooms and kitchens to create a safer space.”

4)    Have open shelving instead of cupboards.

“Cupboards can be stressful for older people with dementia. It can be difficult for them to remember which contents are behind which doors, for instance. Installing open shelving can help by putting everything on display.”

5)    Install a banister rail on both sides of the staircase.

“A single banister on one side of the staircase is not enough to minimise the risk of falling. Instead, they suggest having two banisters – one on each side – to give support going up and down the stairs.”

6)    Choose furniture that contrasts with walls to help visibility.

“The trendy minimalist colour schemes of contemporary homes may not be practical for an older family member with a visual impairment. If furniture is the same shade of colour as the decor, it can present a trip and injury risk. Embrace a colour clash and bring more contrasts into the home.”

7)    Hang thick curtains for improved sound insulation.

“Good acoustics are essential for older people with hearing difficulties. Street noise can make hearing conversations, listening to music or enjoying what’s on the television tricky. Thick curtains provide good sound insulation.”

8)    Decorate with a variety of textures to help with sensory needs.

“When you begin to lose your sight, you start relying more on your sense of touch. Agincare recommends using a variety of textures in decorating the home of someone with a visual impairment to help them find their way around.”

Agincare’s experts have created a series of 3D room layouts to illustrate their top tips.

The free room layouts from homes are available on the Agincare website here and the room layouts from care homes are available here.

Blackwood staff at the forefront of driving future change

Staff are being put at the forefront of a housing and care charity’s strategy to plan its future direction as it prepares for life with COVID-19.

Blackwood will be assessing the responses of all of its 549 employees and using them to implement strategies to improve the work and lives of everyone involved in the charity.

Staff were asked to answer two surveys over a six week period to assess opinions on a range of issues.

Blackwood Operations Director Angela Currie (above) said: “We couldn’t care for our customers without the hard work of all of our staff, from those on the frontline providing care and housing services, to our corporate team.

“Many of us have felt the additional pain and pressure of working in the social care sector during the pandemic. The vital, company-wide support we have had from our colleagues has been a huge factor in our management of the pandemic.

“At Blackwood we believe it is essential to ask for the input of all of our staff. We recognise how important feedback is in creating a strong organisation. We want our staff to be a part of our planning and influence how we move forward, especially as we look to progress out of the pandemic to a more ‘normal’ life.

“All of our employees were sent the surveys, which take into account how staff are feeling about working from home, their work-life balance, and what they would like to see more of in the future.”

Blackwood’s commitment to staff has been evident throughout the pandemic. The charity launched a campaign, #ImInAwe, to showcase its appreciation for the vital work of front-line social care workers, which can often go unnoticed.

As part of the campaign, Blackwood gifted all 284 of its care staff a £90 Aldi voucher to help with their essential shopping.

In addition, Blackwood have further endorsed its desire to recognise the impact of its workforce by giving its support for World Patient Safety Day.

Angela added: “Our colleagues have gone above and beyond over the past few months, we cannot thank them enough.

“Through World Patient Safety Day we celebrate and value our teams as they continue to put customers first in unprecedented times. Utilising practical solutions to empower our staff, even outside of the work environment, is the key to a safer Scotland.

“Working with our colleagues on this survey will hopefully provide us with some interesting insights on how staff are feeling, and how we can retain some of the more positive elements of working we have seen over the past six months.”

Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals to live independently. It specialises in technology and design innovation to support the role of its housing and care staff across Scotland.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk  

Care and Carers: A Guide to Keeping in Touch

For people experiencing care, this pandemic may be worrying and confusing.  Alongside other organisations, The Care Inspectorate has produced information to support contact with loved ones during this time.

We have published a guide to keeping in touch, with practical information on using apps and mobile devices so  loved ones can stay in touch when those they care for can’t receive visitors.

The Scottish Council for Learning Disabilities website has published easy read information about the COVID-19.

Alzheimer Scotland have created a suite of resources for people with dementia, their carers and families to use throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

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We CARE: Hancock launches care sector action plan

The UK government has published an action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the coronavirus outbreak.

  • New action plan to reduce outbreaks in care homes, support care staff and providers and maintain independence of those receiving care
  • Plans to boost access to PPE, ramp up testing for care sector and recruit more staff
  • Unifying new ‘care’ brand for care workers with NHS-style identity, to ensure recognition and access to benefits during crisis and in response to ask from sector

Better access to testing, millions of additional PPE items, expansions to the workforce and a new brand to further recognise the sector’s contribution to society are at the heart of a new action plan to support the social care sector through the coronavirus outbreak.

The Government has committed to ensuring that all care workers who need a test receive one, and all symptomatic residents in a care home will be tested to prevent outbreaks. Over 4,000 social care workers have already been referred for testing so far.

Everyone going into a care home from hospital will be tested with immediate effect. Currently the first five residents with symptoms are tested to provide confirmation of whether there is an outbreak.

The way PPE is being delivered to care homes is being rapidly overhauled, with homes supported to order PPE quickly, including through direct dispatches via Royal Mail, a 24/7 hotline and a new pilot website.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said:  “We should all be proud of our incredible care sector who are fighting this battle against this virus on the frontline.

“Our care staff come to work day-after-day supporting our most vulnerable in these incredibly challenging times.

“Today we are introducing a new CARE brand that can be worn with pride, and it will signal to everyone that they belong to a strong, united and respected family.”

Over 1.5 million frontline care workers will now be able to unite under one banner to help create an NHS-style single identity to better celebrate and recognise the care sector.

This will be based on the existing CARE badge, which was launched as a unifying symbol of pride for the social care sector by Care England and the National Care Forum.

This will make it simpler for care-givers to access benefits such as priority shopping hours, in the same way as NHS staff and will recognise the integral role social care workers are playing in responding to this outbreak and supporting vulnerable people.

The action plan also outlines plans to expand the social care workforce by tens of thousands through a new recruitment campaign that will highlight the vital role of care staff, backed by a new online learning platform to rapidly upskill new staff.

Social care providers across England have already received an emergency drop of 7 million PPE items, so that every CQC registered care provider received at least 300 face masks to meet immediate needs.

In the coming weeks, a dedicated supply chain will be in place for social care, which will mean social care providers can make orders and have them dispatched directly to them – in line with the NHS and Local Resilience Forums.

Care providers unable to get PPE from their usual suppliers will be supported by a 24/7 hotline and a dedicated, in-house team at the National Supply Disruption Response (NSDR), who can rapidly pack and deliver PPE to providers.

The UK Government is also working with e-commerce experts to pilot a website which will allow care homes to order PPE online, using NHS Supply chains and shipped directly via Royal Mail.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said: ”The care workforce is playing an essential role in the fight against Covid-19, and they deserve the same recognition and support as NHS staff.  

“This virus has brought many challenges to the sector and today we are setting out how we will ensure care staff have all they need to do their jobs safely.

“We are keen to get as many people on the care frontline as possible which is why we’re launching a campaign to attract people to the sector to support the national effort. I urge former social workers, occupational therapists and nurses to return to the sector to join the fight to protect our most vulnerable.”

The plan also gives guidance to help minimise the spread of infection within all care settings. This includes advice on safe discharge from the NHS, including testing prior to discharge and when isolation is recommended.

This follows the announcement by the Health and Social Care Secretary yesterday that all care home residents and social care staff with COVID-19 symptoms will be tested as capacity increases.

Dedicated testing has already begun for frontline staff, including social care workers and in addition to over 20,000 tests for NHS workers and their families.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are working in partnership with ADASS and local providers to lead the coordination of regional testing and have already offered testing to 11000 care facilities. All registered care providers will be contacted in the coming days so employers can identify staff eligible for testing in line with PHE guidance and refer them to their local testing centre.

Chief Executive of Care England Professor Martin Green OBE said: “The social care action plan gives us a framework on which we should build the future of social care, as well as showing the important role social care is playing to support people in this current health emergency.”

To attract 20,000 people into social care over the next three months to relieve pressures in the care workforce, in the next few weeks we will re-launch our national recruitment campaign to run across broadcast, digital, and social media.

The campaign will highlight the vital role that the social care workforce is playing right now, during this pandemic, along with the longer-term opportunity of working in care. A new online platform will be developed to streamline the recruitment process for candidates and employers.

Previously registered social workers in England, occupational therapists and nurses are being invited to return to the sector to support the frontline effort. Over 7,000 retired nurses have responded to a call to return to employment – some of whom will be deployed to care settings.

The government has invited former social workers who have left the profession in the last two years to return to employment – with the aim that 8,000 social workers could be supported to return to work if they wish to. Over a thousand individuals have already expressed an interest in returning to social care during the outbreak.

Last month, the government announced £2.9 billion of funding to strengthen care for the vulnerable as part of the government’s commitment to ensure NHS and social care system, and other public services, have all the resources they need during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Joint Chief Social Worker for Adults, Mark Harvey and Fran Leddra said: “The social care workforce supports our families, friends and neighbours in the millions every day.

“They provide care and support to sustain in some of the most important elements of our lives – relationships, companionship, inclusion, meaning and aspiration. They enable people to not only get the best care possible but to also continue to contribute to and be a part of society. Our social care staff are there to make moments such as end of life as respectful and caring as possible, as this becomes more of a reality.

“We have both worked in social care all our lives and everyday find ourselves in awe of the dedication and commitment that care workers, social workers, and occupational therapists amongst many others have always shown and now in responding to COVID-19 and the new challenges that it has brought.

“We are delighted that the new CARE brand will provide much-deserved recognition to the social care workforce, and continue to be grateful to those returning or joining the workforce at this time.”

The new social care action plan has been published on GOV.UK

Coalition urges government to up it’s game

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, is urging the Scottish Government to ‘up its game’ in response to a new report from the Mental Welfare Commission.

The report indicates that the number of young people under the age of 18 admitted to non-specialist hospital wards – mainly adult wards – for treatment of their mental illness in Scotland in 2018-19 rose for the second year running. There were 118 admissions involving 101 young people.

This is an increase on the 2017-18 figures which were 103 admissions involving 90 young people and a further increase from 2016/17 when there were 71 admissions involving 66 young people.

Admission of a young person to an adult ward should only be acceptable in rare situations.

However, despite a greatly increased demand on mental health services, there are currently only 48 specialist hospital beds provided by the NHS in Scotland for adolescents with mental health problems.

These are located in three child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) inpatient units (Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow) and there is a further six place unit for five to 12-year olds in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow. There is no inpatient provision north of Dundee.

Given the lack of provision, many children and young people with severe mental health problems are therefore being admitted to non-specialist adult and paediatric hospital wards, settings which are in many cases inappropriate to their needs.

The coalition has urged the Scottish Government to ensure that there are adequate specialist bed numbers that can deal with the requirements and to refocus its efforts on prevention and early intervention, ensuring that issues do not escalate so that they require the provision of these specialist services. It has also called for secure impatient facilities for young people with mental health illnesses, of which there are currently none in Scotland.

Under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 Health Boards are required to provide appropriate services and accommodation for young people admitted to hospital for treatment of their mental disorder.

Given admissions to non-specialist mental health wards, it is clearly arguable whether appropriate services are being provided.

There are a number of differences between specialist units and wards designed to treat the needs of adults with serious mental illness, both in terms of staff training and the overall ward environment. Given this, there is a clear concern that the needs of a young person may not be met in comparable way when admitted to an adult mental health ward as opposed to a specialist child and adolescent unit.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “We are clearly concerned about the increasing number of those being admitted to adult mental health wards, often inappropriate to their needs, both in terms of staff training and the ward environment.

“The Scottish Government needs to up its game on this and provide adequate facilities, ensuring that there are sufficient specialist bed numbers for those requiring them. There is also currently no provision north of Dundee and this requires to be urgently addressed.

“For children and young people who require inpatient mental health care, a lack of such services means that they frequently remain at home, often until the family reaches crisis point, leaving them feeling isolated and delaying recovery.

“These are among the most vulnerable members of our society and we owe it to them to give them the adequate care and support that they need.”

MSPs call for improved mental health provision in secure care and young offenders’ facilities

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee are calling for better mental health support for young people ordered into either secure care or a young offenders’ institution (YOI).

The Committee is calling for assessments of a young person’s needs to be made within the first days of their incarceration, and consistent, high-quality physical, educational and mental health support to be provided thereafter. Continue reading MSPs call for improved mental health provision in secure care and young offenders’ facilities