Tag: older people

Edinburgh care home launches dementia awareness series

Dementia series kick starts with industry expert event at Edinburgh home

A SCOTTISH care home is bringing together some of the country’s leading dementia care experts to launch its bumper calendar of activities to raise awareness of the disease.

With an estimated 90,000 people living with Dementia in Scotland1, Cramond Residence is launching ‘Let’s talk about…Dementia’ to build support and connections within the community while sharing important knowledge.

The home will open its doors to members of the public on 18 June to host the informal event with experts from Alzheimer’s Scotland and Home Help Me Care in attendance, alongside the Dementia care team from Cramond Residence.

Informative stalls will be set up in the garden for the duration of the afternoon event with three expert presentations covering what the world looks like for those with dementia, how to care for someone living with Dementia at home and when it’s the right time to consider residential care.

Rickie Tank, Registered Manager with local support service, Home Help Me Care which specialises in at-home care, said: “We believe that bringing dementia support services that support people in the community enables them a greater chance of experiencing quality care in later years.

“Every day we hear the stressful experiences of people trying to secure the right support for loved ones but no one really guides them through the process or explains the timescales involved and this often means people have to get to a crisis stage before they secure care. 

“By coming together with like-minded community support groups and companies like Cramond Residence we want to share our knowledge to make the journey easier.”

The event hopes to raise awareness through educational sessions and discussions for those living or caring for someone with the condition or generally worried about dementia.

Ross Bijak, General Manager at Cramond Residence with more than 10 years of expertise in the healthcare sector and recently completed a master’s degree in Dementia studies, said: “I have lived with a passion for making tiny changes to people’s lives since I started my career in care and in particular for people living with Dementia.

“I aspire to support and educate people who are affected by the condition and have provided 97% of the 123 members of staff at Cramond with some level of dementia training.

“Being part of such an event as the General Manager at the home is a privilege to which I hope to lead by example in explaining how Cramond Residence helps people living with the condition to enjoy a fulfilling and dignified life.”

Alzheimer’s Scotland will also be in attended to provide information and support to make sure nobody faces dementia alone with the charity hosting an interactive session on its isolation prevention initiative, Dementia Friends.

The event starts at 12:30 and refreshments will be provided. To book a seat for the expert presentations, please contact enquiries@cramondresidence.co.uk (please note spaces are limited).

Cramond Residence strives to ensure that those living with dementia live a fulfilled life. The home offers a dedicated dementia floor, specially designed for those living with dementia to allowing them to live a richer and more satisfying life with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief.

Dementia training sits at the top of the care home’s agenda with 90% of their staff being provided with vital dementia training.

Expansion to Hospital at Home

£3.6 million to expand services

A further £3.6 million is being made available to support the expansion of Hospital at Home services, with the aim of doubling current capacity by the end of 2022.

The purpose of the service is to reduce hospital admissions for elderly patients by providing treatments in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.

The service enables people to receive treatments that would otherwise require them to be admitted to hospital, such as an intravenous drip or oxygen supply. It also provides access to hospital tests under the care of a consultant in their own home.

Evidence shows that those benefitting from the service are more likely to avoid hospital or care home stays for up to six months after a period of acute illness. For older patients, it means being able to stay at home longer without losing their independence and this has contributed to overall improvements in patient satisfaction. It also helps alleviate pressure on hospital beds.

The Scottish Government’s total investment in these services is now £8.1 million since 2020.

As well as Hospital at Home, the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Treatment scheme and Respiratory Community Response Teams now offer more than 600 virtual beds to treat patients for conditions that would traditionally need hospitalisation, an increase of more than a third from 440 virtual beds at the start of January 2022.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced the further funding on a visit to NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home service. He said: “Hospital at Home is one of the many ways we are providing more care in the community and reducing pressure on hospitals. 

“From the success of the scheme so far, we can see that there is a real benefit to treating people at home where possible.

“We know that frail patients tend to occupy hospital beds for a longer period of time and that is why we are expanding the scheme. In reducing the number of prolonged hospital stays, we will free up more hospital beds.

“With additional funding, all health boards can apply for money to either develop or expand their services with the aim of doubling the capacity of Hospital at Home by the end of the this year.”

Dr Sarah Henderson, Consultant Geriatrician for NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home Team, said: “Developing this important service has enabled us to provide the same high standard of clinical care and treatment patients would receive in hospital without the need for them to leave their own home.

“We know from feedback how much local patients have valued being able to stay in familiar, comfortable surroundings without the anxiety and disruption often associated with an admission to hospital. This is also less stressful for family and friends who know that their loved one is getting all the medical care and attention   they require at home.”

Helen Sammels from Alloa has been supported twice by the Hospital at Home team when she required treatment for a respiratory condition.

She said: “I am sure I got better, quicker by being able to stay at home. It really made a difference being in my own surroundings, but I still got the care, services and tests I required. The Hospital at Home team were great, and I feel really grateful for all the treatment and support they provided.

“I also have a little dog and I didn’t want to leave her so being able to stay at home with her was very important to me and fortunately with the support of the Hospital at Home team I was able to do this.”

Renaissance Care home residents bask in their April Fools’ glory! 

Elderly residents at Renaissance Care have been enjoying their April Fools’ Day as they pranked the nation with their ‘Scotland’s Strongest Pensioner Championships’. 

The care home residents had a blast taking photos during fake training exercises inspired by the World’s Strongest Man competition, as they were pictured working towards personal goals and bests in the famous Vehicle Pull, the Hercules Hold and a variety of deadlifting challenges.

The residents have been taking part in Summer and Winter Olympics initiatives across the group, which improved the health and wellbeing of residents and saw them get competitive across the sports.

For April Fools’ Day, they felt the perfect joke would be to take that one step further to find Scotland’s Strongest Pensioner.

Care home resident Robert (81) took part in the joke and was photographed at Renaissance Care’s Whitecraigs Care Home. ‘Rob Roy’ said: “We had a great laugh lifting the fake weights and pretending to pull the mini-van along. 

“We have all been really competitive and have been joking about who has been the best at the Olympic games and who is the strongest so wanted to have a little fun for April Fools’ Day!”

Renaissance Care launches Scotland’s first ever Strongest Pensioner Championships

Elderly care home residents have been in training for weeks and have been flexing their muscles as they get ready to go head-to-head for the title of Scotland’s Strongest Pensioner.

Building on the success of its recent Summer and Winter Olympics initiatives, which improved the health and wellbeing of residents, the leading care group Renaissance Care has launched the championships to determine the strongest senior citizens across the country. 

With training exercises inspired by the World’s Strongest Man competition, residents will be working towards personal goals and bests in the famous Vehicle Pull, the Hercules Hold and a variety of deadlifting challenges.

Renaissance Care pensioners are now in preparation to take each other on in separate men and women’s categories, hoping to be crowned Scotland’s first ‘Strongest Pensioner’.

Care home staff have invested in equipment to help the residents train including weight belts and dumbbells, and have even reserved the home’s mini-vans for practicing the Vehicle Pull – one of the competition’s most challenging events.

Taking part in the competition is April (99). She said: “Those who say they aren’t in this for the glory are lying. I have set my sights on being Scotland’s Strongest Pensioner in the women’s category and won’t stop until I get there, no matter what.

“My mini-van pull technique has been improving every day and I’ll continue to work on that as well as my stamina in the Hercules Hold – it’s all about the gains. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to pull it along with all of my grandkids inside.” 

Care home resident, Joe King (96), said: “This competition is more about mental power and technique than it is brute strength. Muscles I have, but pushing through mentally when the pressure is on mid-competition? That’s when we’re really tested.

“I’m disappointed there’s no Fridge Lift this year as I’ve been working on my tactics for a while, but I’m hoping that will be introduced for next year’s event.” 

Care home manager, Vera Funnai, said: “We have a great schedule of activities to improve the health and fitness of our residents throughout the year, and this is the ultimate challenge.

“I have complete faith in our ‘Scotland’s Strongest Pensioner’ participants, and I look forward to crowning the winner later this month.”

Plea to help vulnerable adults at risk of harm

Scots are being asked to keep an eye out for vulnerable adults in their local communities amid concerns the pandemic has left some people more isolated.

Across Scotland around 750 referrals are made a week to Adult Support and Protection teams and this has risen to approximately 780 in the last six months. One in seven referrals leads to an Adult Protection Investigation, but in cases where a full investigation is not needed, a referral can still mean other steps can be taken to ensure the person is supported and protected.

On National Adult Support and Protection Day (20 Feb), members of the public are being asked to keep an eye out for things that don’t look right and report any concerns.

Minister for Social Care Kevin Stewart said: “We can all think of someone we know who we worry about sometimes; such as a friend, family member or neighbour.

“During the pandemic, social workers have been going above and beyond to make sure that reports of concerns about adults who are vulnerable have been followed up.

“We know adults are most commonly at risk of physical harm or financial exploitation, but adult protection can include everything from sexual harm to psychological harm; self-harm to neglect or self-neglect – when people struggle to take care of themselves.

“Making an adult protection referral can help ensure serious situations are investigated, or can just trigger a bit of attention and help for those who need it.”

John Paterson, Chair of the National Adult Support and Protection Scotland Independent Convenors’ Group said: “COVID-19 has had an impact on many people’s well-being and mental health and left some people more isolated than ever before. As we are emerging from the pandemic, we are mindful of the crucial role our communities play in safeguarding.

“Just like with the protection of children, Adult Support and Protection is important every day of the year and we want to ensure that the right supports are in place to protect people who are unable to keep themselves, their money, or their belongings safe.”

“An adult protection referral can also be a good sign that someone needs a bit of support to stay safe, and can stop things getting worse. If something doesn’t seem right, you can help by making an adult protection referral. We can only act on concerns that are known about.

“Adult protection is everyone’s business and every member of our community is due our consideration and protection. You might provide the vital piece in the jigsaw that helps keep someone safe. If you see something, say something.”

Contact details for where to make an adult protection referral in your local area can be found here: Home – Act Against Harm.

The local body responsible for co-ordinating the safety and well-being of adults in Edinburgh also backed the fifth national Adult Protection Day yesterday.

Edinburgh’s Adult Protection Committee is hoping to raise awareness of how some adults are harmed or abused. Harm against adults has been harder to see during the pandemic and the committee is encouraging people to act on their gut feeling and say something when they see anything that points to an abusive situation to someone they know or come across.

Early indications from data looking at the impact of Covid-19 suggest that across Scotland, there were around 750 Adult Support and Protection referrals per week, on average; this average increases to around 780 per week when using data from the past six months. Although there is volatility in the figures, there has been a general upward trend in Adult Support and Protection referrals since May 2020.

Nationally, for every seven referrals, one went on to an Adult Protection Investigation. For those that did not go on to investigation, other steps were frequently taken to ensure that the adult was supported and protected.

Harm and abuse can take many forms; physical, psychological, financial, sexual harm, neglect and self-harm but there are usually signs and clues that indicate something out of the ordinary might be happening.

Through the Edinburgh Adult Protection Committee, City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Police Scotland and local voluntary sector organisations, are committed to working together to tackle abuse of vulnerable adults.

Jackie Irvine, Chief Social Work Officer at City of Edinburgh Council said: “Everyone has the right to feel safe. However, for some people, a disability, health condition or impairment can prevent them from being able to keep themselves from harm.

“It’s not always easy to tell if an adult is in trouble, but there are signs and situations to be aware of. For example a person may have unexplained cuts and bruises or refuse to talk about their injuries. They may be failing to look after themselves or their property, or are confused where their money has gone, or giving money to people they know for reasons that might concern you. 

“Making an adult protection referral can be vital and can ensure that someone receives the attention and support they need and can stop things getting worse. We can only act on concerns that are known about, so if something doesn’t seem right, you can help by making an adult protection referral.”

Anne Neilson, Chair of the Adult Protection Committee added: “We all have a responsibility to look out for people in our communities. If you’re concerned an adult is at risk of harm, or something feels wrong, it’s right to have it checked out.

“Of course we understand that sometimes members of the public may not want to get involved, intrude on privacy or subject another person to unfair accusations. But the process can be simple – you can send an email or anonymous phone call and it will be checked out and any support needed will be given. It may be a false alarm, but there’s no harm in being sure.”

If you are worried about an adult at risk of harm you can contact:

Social Care Direct

The City of Edinburgh Council’s social work service
0131 200 2324
socialcaredirect@edinburgh.gov.uk 

Police

101 (call 999 in an emergency)

NHS Inform (for information)

0800 22 44 88

You can find out more on the types of harm we can help with at

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/speakupspeakout 

You can also follow on Twitter at #AdultProtection #SeenSomethingSaySomething.

Care home fighting fit for 2022 with record occupancy rates

AN EDINBURGH care home has recorded a strong bounce back from the last two years of lockdowns – with record occupancy numbers as it looks to expand its team for 2022.

Despite the challenges brought on the care home sector, Cramond Residence is optimistic for the year ahead with occupancy rates up 65% on this point last year.

The home is set to hire additional members of staff to take its team to more than 100, in response to the continued growing demand.

Located in Cramond, the care home was launched in late 2018 and offers uncompromising nurse-led care, as well as respite and dementia specialist services and offers small group living in nine luxuriously-appointed homes.

Throughout the pandemic it has been able to use its purpose-built layout and cutting-edge air filtration system and laundry facilities to minimise cross-infection.  


Christian Daraio, Client Liaison Manager at Cramond Residence said: “After an unprecedented two years for the industry, we finally have positive momentum.

“Our clients and their families are placing their trust in us and we’re thrilled to be reaching record occupancy levels.

“The biggest obstacle we now have to us providing care for more older people is recruitment. We’re hopeful that we can cut through the current workforce crisis by offering some of the highest salaries in Edinburgh, competitive terms and conditions and a great team environment.  

“Putting the wellbeing of our residents and staff has been and continues to be our main priority and as we continue on the path to normality, we are looking forward to increasing our offering over the coming months.”

The home is looking for applications from lifestyle coordinators, qualified nurses and catering assistants, with particularly high demand for nursing staff and care assistants.

Included in the home’s current offering for residents is a tailored monthly activity programme, curated by its dedicated lifestyle team, bespoke physiotherapy sessions by boutique physiotherapy experts, Balanced as well as specialist dementia care.

Throughout the duration of the pandemic, the home offered a range of virtual activities, including linking up with the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions to deliver a programme of interactive tours of some of Scottish most famous attractions, to keep residents stimulated and engaged.

Cramond Residence offers high quality care for up to 74 residents offering a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from a highly-trained team.

To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Care home residents go for gold in their very own Winter Olympics

Elderly care home residents across Edinburgh have kicked off their own version of the Beijing Winter Olympics this week with a range of specially adapted activities from seated ice-hockey to stationary skiing.

Complete with their own opening ceremonies, Renaissance Care residents from around the country will be taking part in the fortnight long event which was created by staff to encourage mobility, fitness and wellbeing as part of the care group’s ongoing focus on increasing the quality of life within the homes.

The Renaissance Care Winter Olympics comes as the snowball effect of a successful summer Olympics held in the homes in July. The event will see 16 Scottish care homes take on a range of sporting games designed to suit the abilities of residents building fitness, confidence and team spirit.

Contenders will be going head-to-head or working with a team in a number of sports including stationary skiing, designed to improve arm strength and stamina, seated ice-hockey, to develop aim and team-work, and indoor curling, to increase hand-eye co-ordination and independence.

‘Snow’-body has been left out of the fun across the group, with those who prefer to spectate working with staff over the past couple of weeks to make sure the event goes off without a hitch.

Crafty residents and staff have been busy creating signage for the occasion, placards with messages of support for the sports-people, and have even turned areas in the home to apres-ski chalets where spectators and athletes alike can enjoy a hot chocolate.

Skip of the competing GB Curling team and three-time Olympic champion, Eve Muirhead, caught wind of the event and has shown her support with a video message filmed for Renaissance Care residents.

Eve said: “I hear you’re all giving curling a go, what a great opportunity to do that in the month of February. I hope you enjoy it. I’ll be competing at the Olympics in Beijing, but I hope you all have lots of fun.”

Resident at Renaissance Care, Gillian Sangster (79), said: “We have all been getting ready for the Winter Olympics since we completed the summer games. The competitive spirit has been great for morale and although we are trying hard to beat the other, it’s been fantastic for the mood in the home and all the fighting talk has given us a great laugh.

“In these events being a spectator is just as important as taking part in the sport, which suits me perfectly; it allows me to rest up and get my tactics right for the next round of ice hockey.”

Yvonne Mackenzie, Operations Director at Renaissance Care, said: “Just as our summer Olympics, this campaign has underlined the extra lengths our staff go to ensure the residents in their care not only are well and staying fit, but are having fun and enjoying life to the fullest.

“The Winter Olympics is the first of many events we have scheduled for our residents throughout the year to encourage physical activity and mental wellbeing, and if the creativity and effort of this campaign is anything to go by, this year will be a fun-filled one for all.”

Luminate survey about creative work for older adults in Scotland

Luminate, Scotland’s creative ageing organisation, are looking for anyone who undertakes creative activities with and for older people to respond to their new survey.

Their work is about ensuring all older people in Scotland can enjoy high quality arts and creative activities, whatever their background and circumstances, and wherever they live.  They want to hear about people’s experiences to help them plan their work for the rest of this year and beyond.

Anyone taking part can win a £50 shopping voucher, and the survey itself should take only about 10 minutes to complete.  All replies will be kept confidential and contact details are only needed for the prize draw, and will not be shared.

The survey will be open until close of play Wednesday 9 February.  

No need for second booster at this time, say health experts

Boosters continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from Omicron in older adults

Latest data from UKHSA shows booster doses are continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults.

Figures show that around 3 months after they received the third jab, protection against hospitalisation among those aged 65 and over remains at about 90%.

With just 2 vaccine doses, protection against severe disease drops to around 70% after 3 months and to 50% after 6 months.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has taken this latest evidence into account in their ongoing review of the booster programme.

The Committee advises that at this present time:

  • there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, or fourth jab, to the most vulnerable (care home residents and those aged over 80) – the timing and need for further booster doses will continue to be reviewed as the data evolves
  • priority should continue to be given to rolling out first booster doses to all age groups
  • unvaccinated individuals should come forward for their first 2 doses as soon as possible

Professor Wei Shen Lim, the JCVI’s chair of COVID-19 immunisation, said: “The current data shows the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, even for the most vulnerable older age groups.

“For this reason, the committee has concluded there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, though this will continue to be reviewed.

“The data is highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab. With Omicron continuing to spread widely, I encourage everyone to come forward for their booster dose, or if unvaccinated, for their first 2 doses, to increase their protection against serious illness.”

The latest study looked at booster doses in those aged over 65, who were among the first to be eligible when the booster rollout began in mid-September.

Whilst with a booster dose, the duration of protection against severe disease remains high, protection against mild symptomatic infection is more short-lived and drops to around 30% by about 3 months.