SureCare Warwickshire Blog

Is it just "Getting Old" or is it Dementia?

2011-11-21T12:22:00.001-08:00

Have you seen the new advertisement by the Alzheimer's Society to raise awareness of dementia? (See it here) . As our population grows older the single biggest health risk is dementia which is a progressive decline in major functions i.e. memory, reasoning, communication and skills for daily living. Of course there are other reasons for memory loss and as soon as you feel that something is not quite right, it is best to get some advice, help and a definite diagnosis as early as possible.

It is especially important to get an early diagnosis so that treatment can be accessed as early as possible to slow down deteroriation and enable the person with dementia to have as full and independent a life as possible. Family and friends can also access support to help them to cope with the changes ahead and support the person with dementia more effectively.

How do you tell if there is something really wrong? Everyone gets a little forgetful as they get older. Someone who has early signs of dementia may have difficulty in having a conversation as opposed to forgetting the occasional word. Someone who may have dementia will regularly misplace things and have difficulty retracing steps to find them as opposed to occasionally losing things. Someone with early dementia will display poor judgement and decision making on a regular basis as opposed to occasionally making a poor decision.

The Alzheimer's Society suggests this quick checklist which could be early signs of dementia:

struggling to remember recent events, but easily recalling the distant past
struggling to follow conversations or programmes on TV
forgetting the names of friends or everyday objects
repeating things or losing the thread of what's being said
having problems thnking or reasoning
feeling anxious, depressed or angry aout memory loss
feeling confused even when in a familiar environment

If any of the above sounds familiar then it is time to encourage your loved one or friend to see a doctor. Take a list of all the symptoms which you are worried about, a list of any medication, and also the patient's medical history. The doctor will do an examination and will try and rule out anything which may cause similar symptoms such as a uniary tract infection. He may then refer to the local memory clinic for more detailed tests.

Once a diagnosis has been made the person with dementia and family may ask "what now?" Although there is no current cure for dementia there are a range of treatments and support services which will help the person with dementia to live a full and active life. In the next blog I will outline some of the support which is available to people with dementia and their carers.

Surecare provides home care support for people with dementia facilitating maintenance of daily living skills. This enables them to live at home for as long as possible leading full and active lives. For more information on SureCare go to www.surecarewarks.co.uk

Helping Someone with Dementia with Medication

2011-09-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

It's very common for people with dementia who have other health conditions as well to have to take a  number medicines at various times of the day.   This can become very confusing and, if they live alone, a source of anxiety for their family too, who worry if they are taking thier medicines.. Here are a few tips to help people with dementia who live on their own to take their medicines correctly.
The first thing to do is to establish what medicines are being taken and why. A chat to the doctor or pharmacist will help to clarify why each medicine is being taken and to ensure that you know the correct dosage. It may be helpful to make a list of the medicines, the dosage, the time of day and any special instructions, such as whether a tablet needs to be taken before or after food. It is also useful to have a medicines review with the doctor every year to ensure that all the medicines being taken are still needed.

For someone with dementia, or indeed any elderly person who is having a lot of medication and finds it confusing, it is best to have all tablets which are being taken regularly to be put into a "blister pack" . This is an A5 sized card with small cells filled by the pharmacist, each holding all the medication for each time of the day the medicines must be taken - typically morning, lunchtime, teatime and bedtime. These only hold the tablets and liquid medicines must still be poured out onto a spoon or medicine cup. New liquid holding blister packs are becoming available so do ask your pharmacist about these if required.

Blister packs make it easy to ensure that the right medication is taken at the right time.   Blister packs are also very useful if you have several family members who assist with medicines as everything is very clearly labelled and easy to dispense.

Remembering to take the medication at the correct time can be a challenge especially for someone living on their own.     There are a number of ways which the person with dementia can be helped to remember to take medication. A chart on a whiteboard where the person with dementia can tick off when medicines have been taken, various alarm systems and  timed talking pill boxes are all available and can be very useful in individual circumstances. It is important, whatever system is chosen, to establish a routine and ensure that all medicines are taken regularly at the right dose, at the right time.

If a reminder system is not appropriate or does not work, the next step is to organise a home care support worker to call in at regular times to assist the person with dementia to take their medication regularly. Home care support workers can help to dispense prescribed tablets, liquid medicines, topical patches, eye drops and creams.   All SureCare staff have had medication administration training so you can be sure that they are able to assist with medication competently. If you would like some help with medication for someone you know, call SureCare today on 01926 800159.

For more information on SureCare please go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Buying a Mobility Scooter - Tips from RentMobility in Rugby

2011-08-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Have you seen a mobility scooter and wondered if you could benefit from having one? I went down to RentMobility in Rugby who have a vast selection of scooters and chatted to the owner of the business, Suzanna, about how to go about buying a mobility scooter. Here are some of Suzanna's tips.

Mobility scooters are the answer for anyone who has trouble getting out and about and is restricted because they cannot walk far. Scooters come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and it is very important to get advice from a knowledgeable retailer like Suzanna who can ensure that the scooter you choose is not just a nice colour and looks good but actually is right for your build and weight and meets your specific useage needs. A good retailer will ask you a lot of questions about how you intend to use the vehicle and about what you want out of it before recommending a scooter to meet your needs and will allow you to try it out first. Be very wary of just buying a scooter off the internet without actually trying it first - it could be an expensive mistake!

Most scooters are either a 4 miles per hour(mph) or a 8mph. The smaller versions can by used on the pavement only and the larger versions can be used on the road as well. The 8mph versions will also have a free tax disc and you can park in any disabled space or on the road. You will need to keep a service log similar to a car and it is recommended that the scooter is serviced every six months if you use it every day.

The scooter will need to be recharged and depending on how much you use it that could be every day or once every two weeks. It's best to store the scooter in a garage or under a car port but you can also leave it outside with a specially made cover over it but the life of the scooter will be reduced.

It's very important to get some training in using the scooter and Suzanna will show you how to start, stop, steer and park it safely. Breakdowns are covered by Rentmobility 7 days a week and 365 days of the year so even on Christmas Day you can have an emergency service should your lovely scooter suddenly develop a fault. I was most impressed with the customer care and the knowledgeability of Susanna and the team at RentMobility. I would strongly advise anyone thinking of buying a scooter to visit RentMobility and talk to Suzanna. I definitely know where I'll be purchasing my scooter when I need one!

Why Use a Community Alarm?

2011-07-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

A lady who looks after her mother was telling me about her mother's experience with the Community Alarm, which is a telephone based system with a pendant with a button which is pressed to summon help in an emergency. Her elderly mother was most reluctant to have any form of monitoring and hated wearing the pendant. One day the lady had to go to another town to visit a relative and made sure before she left that her mother was wearing the pendant in spite of her mother's protests. As it happened, the mother had a nasty fall during the day and luckily wearing the pendant, she was able to call for help and medical assistance. She is a lot happier to wear her alarm now. This story highlighted to me how important it is for elderly people to have a community alarm and I spoke to Sheila Field, the Supported Housing Co-ordinator, at the Warwick Response Control centre in Leamington Spa about how the system works.
The Community Alarm Service, called Warwick Response, is run by Warwick District Council and is available to anyone of anyone aged 50 or over, anyone with a disability regardless of age and any other people regardless of age made vulnerable by their situation or circumstance.

The system is very simple and basically a box connected to the telephone line with a pendant which is worn round the neck. Help can be called 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. If an elderly person has a fall or other injury they just need to press the pendant button to be connected to the control centre who will either contact the client's family, summon medical assistance or will send a Response Officer to assist, depending on the situation and where the client lives. The Control centre will also support clients with other emergencies for example, floods, break-ins or even if the client is being targeted by doorstep sellers. Warwick Response Officers will also are happy to act as a sign-posting system and help clients to get access to other local services and community organisations that may be available in the area. For example, helping to get transport to luncheon clubs, making referrals to social services for home care. The aim being to assist clients in maintaining as much personal independence as possible.

There are around 5,000 customers in Warwick and Stratford District with a community alarm so the centre is kept very busy. The community alarm is free to council tenants living in supported and sheltered housing but there is a small charge for customers who live in their own homes, other social housing tenancies or ordinary Council properties and private tenancies.

If you feel that someone you know can benefit by having an alarm then please contact the Control Centre on 01926 339577. Like the lady whose mother had a fall, you may be glad that you did and peace of mind can be at the touch of a button!

For information on SureCare Home Care services please go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Survival Tips for Carers - Carers Week 13-19 June 2011

2011-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

It's Carers Week between 13 - 19 June 2011 and an opportunity to recognise the great work which is done by our country's six million carers. Many carers give up employment, income and pension rights to take on their caring role. It can be a 24-hour exhausting responsibility with little practical or financial help. Most carers are also so concerned about the welfare of the person (or sometimes "persons"!) that they look after that they forget to look after themselves leading to exhaustion, ill health, anxiety, depression and permanent disabilty for themselves as well.    If you are a carer who has not had a holiday or a break for as long as you have been caring, and recognise any of the above then you are probably a victim of what is known as "carer burnout".

There are a few simple steps which you can take to avoid carer burnout and keep you fit and able to continue to care effectively:
1. Eat properly and regularly. If you don't feel much like eating it's easy to just rely on sugary snacks boost your sugar levels. However you need good nutrition to give you the energy to help you cope with the physical and emotional challenges of looking after someone else full time. So even if you don't feel like it, cook good healthy meals for yourself and eat regular meals every day.

2. Get enough sleep and excercise. Easier said than done I know! However this is really important for your good health. If you are having disturbed nights you will feel tired and irratable the next day and this can have a negative impact on your well-being. Similarly lack of excercise can make you lethargic and prone to depression. Try to find someone either within the family or amongst neighbours and friends to look after the person you care for for short breaks so you can catch up on sleep and try to get out and have a walk or walk the dog if you have one.

3. Make time for YOU. Try and keep up with your own friends and hobbies. Even though it may mean miltary style organisation, there are the ways and means to get out and have a break - have your hair done, catch up with an old friend for lunch, see a film, go window shopping, go to the library - there are lots of ways to take short breaks from your caring role and it's important for your own well being and self esteem that you do so.

4. Have a laugh once a day.  This may seem odd but laughter is really the best medicine. Connnect with people who have a good sense of humour and will support you positively.  If you don't know anyone locally and have access to the internet there are a number of carer chat rooms where you can find people in similar situations to yourself and it can be enormously refreshing to be able to talk to someone who knows what you are going through.

5. Get Help! Join your local carers group if you have one locally. You will find them a great help in negotiating the social care system and getting practical help. Try not to take on more control and responsibility than you need too. Family and friends are often very happy to help out - if they are asked! Remember that you are only human and can only do so much. Seeking help doesn't mean that you are a failure. On the contrary, a little support for your own health and well being will keep you able to care effectively for longer.  And that has got to be good for the person you look after.

SureCare can help you if you need help with taking a break and supporting your caring role. You can find out more about SureCare at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Personal Care : Washing and Dressing

2011-05-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Assisting someone with Dementia with personal care is one of the most common tasks which care workers are asked to undertake. Many people resist having assistance with personal care as it is a reminder that they are not as able as they used to be and they feel that they are losing control of this most intimate part of their lives.
However, care staff are there to help not to take over and we encourage the client to do as much as possible for themselves. The emphasis is always on maintaining everyday life skills and facilitating the client to remain independent for as long as possible. Here are some tips to ensure that washing and dressing are as stress free both for the person with dementia and the person assisting them.

Before starting with bathing or showering get everything ready and laid out so that there is a calm and unhurried atmosphere to undertake washing and dressing. Lay out clothes that will be worn afterwards on the bed - offer a choice of two alternatives as this is easier for the person with dementia to handle. A wardrobe full of clothes presents too much confusing choice.  Check that there are towels, flannels, soap and that the bathroom is warm enough. It is also good practice to ensure that he or she uses the toilet before starting bathing to avoid any interruptions.

Once in the bathroom, help to undress as necessary and put the dirty clothes away out of sight so that they are not worn again before they are washed. Always ensure that the person has a towel to cover with and they are not naked until actually in the bath or shower. Check the water temperature carefully and assist the person into the bath or shower.  A small stool in the bath or shower can make washing easier and more relaxed. Guide the person to wash themselves as much as they are able. You may have to soap a flannel or washcloth and guide the person's hand to show how to wash. You may have to assist to wash parts that are difficult to reach such as the feet and back. Keep talking and reassuring, reminding the person of the next step.

Once the he or she is clean, wrap in towels and again allow him or her to do as much drying as possible and as before, assist with hard to reach parts.  This is a good time to check toenails and fingernails which may need cutting and to check for any skin lesions or bruises.  If the person uses deodrant or moisturiser, assist to apply as necessary.    Facilitate to dress by reminding the order of clothes and assisting with any difficult buttons or zips.  If he or she has had a stroke and one limb is weaker, then that limb must be dressed  first.

People vary greatly in their personal care - gentleman who wish to shave are safer with an electric shaver and this can be part of their washing and dressing routine. Ladies can be assisted to put on some makeup and nail varnish and this can help to boost self esteem and increase well being.

It can be difficult for people with dementia to accept help from family to bath or shower especially their adult chidren and it is oftern easier for them to accept help from professional care staff. SureCare staff have all had training in assisting with showering and bathing and specialist training in dementia care. They will always ensure privacy and dignity for the client. If your loved one needs help with bathing or showering we can help.

For more information on SureCare please go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Five Easy Ways to Communicate with Someone with Dementia

2011-04-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

As Dementia progresses the part of the brain which deals with speech and understanding starts to become affected. It becomes increasingly difficult for the person with Dementia to make sense of the world around them. The ability to process information decreases, concentration reduced and they become unable to recognise what is being said to them or to articulate what they want. It's all too easy for carers to become frustrated and angry when their loved one seems to have difficulty with even simple communication. Here are five easy ways to ensure that communication with someone with Dementia is not a continuing battle.

1. Ensure that any physical obstacles to good communication are addressed. Does the person with dementia have sight or hearing difficulties? if so, get a medical examination and ensure that they have the right aids to ensure good communication.

2. Listen to your tone of voice. Research has shown that even in the latest stages of dementia, people can recognise frustration and anger in the voice. If they are already feeling frustrated and upset a nagging or angry voice is not going to help. Don't patronise or talk down  to them as if they were children. Stay calm, constantly reassure and praise when they have achieved something.

3. Speak slowly and clearly using good eye contact. Use short uncomplicated sentences. Get the person's attention first by saying his or her name first e.g "Janet...(pause).... can you put the plate on the table?"   Be specific in what you want, keep it simple and do not offer too many choices.

4. Show pictures or objects to indicate what you mean. For example you may say "We are going to Tescos" and indicate to a plastic Tesco carrier bag.  Or you can say "do you want Ham or Cheese?" showing a packet of ham and a packet of cheese. You can also mime words - imagine how you would try to make yourself understood in a foreign country - there are gestures for telephone, bill, scissors, money and many others. You can be creative here!

5. Don't ask lots of questions which require memory to answer or press them for answers if you can see them getting worried or confused. Instead of asking "would you like a cup of tea?" you could say "I am going to have a cup of tea - can I make one for you?" Questions that require a simple "yes" or "no" answer are easier to deal with than questions where they need to think about the answer.

Remember too that communication with someone with dementia is not necessarily about getting the words right and having the right understanding, but it is about showing care, concern, compassion and love as well.
For more information on SureCare go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

The Truth about Handwashing

2011-03-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

In recent years there has been a rise in the sale of hand sanitisers, antibacterial soaps and wipes etc and it is easy to become confused as to what is the best way to prevent infection. The easiest and best way to prevent infection is to wash your hands frequently and properly.
Always wash you hands before preparing or eating food, after blowing your nose or coughing into your hand, using the toilet or changing nappies, touching an animal or emptying bins. Of course, it goes without saying that you should always wash your hands if they look dirty!

The correct method of washing your hands is:

Wet hands with running water
Apply liquid soap
Lather well
Rub your hands in the 7 step sequence shown below

Rinse well and dry with clean paper towels

There are many misconceptions about handwashing. Here are three myths that you should know about handwashing :

Hot Water is better than cold water to wash hands.

In fact, scientists have found that hotter temperatures are no better in reducing bacteria. And further, hot water may instead increase the “irritant capacity” of some soaps , causing dermatitis.

Antibacterial soap is more effective than ordinary soap

In fact, scientists have found that antibacterial soap is no more effective than ordinary soap and prolonged use may lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the antimicrobial agents and harder to kill in future.

Hand Sanitisers are better than soap to kill germs

In fact soap and water is the best defence against the spread of infections. Repeated and prolonged use of hand sanitisers can contribute to the development of dermatitis.

For more information on SureCare go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Keeping Safe and Well at Home

2011-03-08T01:24:00.000-08:00

Looking after an elderly person at home is rewarding and maintains independence but keeping him/her safe at home can be challenging. This post gives some tips on ensuring that the elderly person is safe and well at home and reducing stess for carers.

1. Trips and Falls at home are a prime hazard for elderly people. Make sure that slippers are well fitting and not worn. Age UK have an excellent slipper fitting service and can give advice. Find your local branch click here: AGE UK Warwickshire or telephone:01926 458100.

2.Using the toilet at night can also be a hazard. If possible, try to have a light cord by the bed so that the light can be switched on easily to use the toilet at night. Also ensure that the path to the toilet is well lit and that there are no pieces of furniture to bump into whilst not fully awake. A commode in the bedroom may be another practical solution for those who find it difficult to get to the toilet at night.

3. Elderly people often do not drink enough and can be at risk of dehydration and associated illnesses such as unirary tract infections. Keep a small light jug for water handy all day and remind them to drink often during the day. Being well hydrated can ward off sleeplessness, improve apetite and prevent headaches.

4. Failing eyesight can be very frustrating for an elderly person. A TV remote with big buttons can make watching TV more enjoyable. Telephones with oversized dialing pads are also very useful and digital clocks with large displays are also easier to read and recognise.

5.Fire safety is all important in the home too. Make sure that the smoke alarm is tested regularly and if the elderly person is hard of hearing then alternatives should be investigated. Systems with flashing lights and avibrating pad for under the mattresses can be installed and the RNID will be able to help. Click here for a link to their Smoke Alarm Factsheet.

6. Taking medicines correctly at the right time can prove quite challenging. Simple solutions are Dossett boxes which are containers with the date and time printed on and which can be pre-filled to ensure that the right dosage is taken at the right time. There are a wide range of boxes available and some will have verbal reminders programmed into them too. Contact the SureCare office for a list of suppliers of these systems.

SureCare can help you look after your loved ones at home safely. For more information please see our website at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/ or telephone our office on 01926 800159.

What Carers should know about Incontinence

2011-02-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

I remember many years ago the shock of discovering that my elderly mother had become incontinent. It just seemed an impossible situation and looking after her as a carer, I wish I'd known then what I know now. The majority of people who suffer incontinence are over sixty and older people are much more liable to become incontinent because of weakened pelvic muscles, enlarged prostrate glands in men, recurrent uniarary tract infections or simply that they have slowed down and cannot get to the loo quick enough!

Developing incontinence can seriously affect an older person's self esteem. They may feel dirty, humiliated and totally embarrassed to have to wear incontinence pads and accept help from carers to manage their condition. People with dementia may find their condition acutely distressing and they may try and hide the evidence - for example they may take off their urine soaked garments and hide them with their clean underwear. Confusion about where the toilet is can also result in them relieving themselves in inappropriate places.

The first thing to remember in dealing with someone who has incontinence is that they have no control over this condition. Try not to get angry or upset and never show embarrassment or disgust. Try to remain calm and deal with the situation for both of you in a dignified and practical manner.

Here are some things you can do to help the person who is suffering with dementia and is having trouble getting to the toilet on time:
1. Remind him/her where the toilet is with a sign on the door of the toilet or bathroom
2. Try leaving the toilet door open so that it's obvious what the room is
3. Ensure that the toilet is easy to use with guard rails and hand rails to steady him/her
4. Ensure that clothing is easy to take off and put on again. Velcro is easier than having to fumble with buttons and zips.
5. Ensure that there is a clear passage to the toilet and there are no chairs or other clutter in the way.

There are also some aids which could be useful to help with managing the condition:
1. Incontinence pads
These are like large nappies and come in different absorbencies for day and night. Your local continence nurse can advise on what is most suitable. If using these be vigilant in keeping the groin area clean and use a barrier cream like Sudocrem to prevent chafing and rashes. Ensure that the pads are changed regularly and use a nappy sack to dispose of them hygienically.
2. Waterproof mattress covers, and Kylies
Mattress covers, protective duvet and pillow cover can all be purchased reasonably in larger home ware stores. A much better solution is a coverlet called a "Kylie" which lays on top of the sheets and can absorb up to two litres of liquid . The Kylie is good for keeping the sheets dry and you can also purchase a Kylie coverlet for a chair.
3. Commodes
These may be the answer if the incontinent person is just not able to get to the toilet quick enough. A commode by the bed can prevent late night accidents and just maintain that bit of independence which is so precious.

If accidents do occur, its really important to deal with them quickly and efficiently. Leaving someone in dirty wet clothes or bedlinen can lead to sores, unirary tract infections and skin infections. Use soap and warm water whenever you can. Large wet wipes are also useful. Change into dry clothing and wash the soiled items as soon as possible. Always use a nappy sack to dispose of soiled pads and keep them in a seperate bin away from kitchen waste to prevent cross infections.

Incontinence can be managed effectively by good hygiene and goood practice. If you need further help you can contact the Continence nurse through your GP's surgery or call us at SureCare and we may be able to help or point you in the right direction.

For more information on SureCare please go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Four Ways to Help Someone with Dementia to Eat Well

2011-02-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

If you are looking after someone with Dementia you may find that he/she is no longer interested in food or forgets to eat regularly or drink enough fluids. . Many people with dementia experience poor appetite and this can greatly affect their health and well being. Not eating properly can result in weight loss, increased infections, greater confusion and a lack of energy. To eat well and healthily the person with dementia should have a wide range of nutritious food, enough vitamins and minerals, enough fibre, plenty of fluids and very importantly too,....choices which make eating an enjoyable experience.

If your loved one has dementia and is not eating well there are some things you can do to encourage him /her to find eating a more enjoyable experience:

1. Present food to stimulate the appetite
Remember you enjoy food with your eyes first. Arrange the food so that it looks appealing. A little salad as a garnish can transform a plate of simple sandwiches into a delicious meal.    Do not overload the plate because this can be overwhelming and off putting to a small apetite. Keep portions small and manageable. If you are heating a microwave meal try child size portions available in most supermarkets - they may be easier to manage. Also make sure foods are not served too hot as people with dementia sometimes lose the ability to judge temperature.

2. Make sure Meals are Taken in a Calm Environment
Frequent small meals may be more appealing to someone with dementia. A calm and regular routine is also helpful. Turn off all distractions such as the TV and let him/her take their time to look at the food on the plate and enjoy the meal.    Don't fuss about sticking to traditional meal sequences - will it really matter if the pudding is eaten before the main meal so long as they are both eaten? Always let them eat at their own pace.

3. Make sure that there is a good Fluid Intake
Dehydration can lead to unirary tract infections, constipation, confusion and even eventually to strokes or heart attacks. Keep a flask of tea or soft drinks handy and remind the person with dementia to drink through out the day. Give a glass of water or cup of tea in the hand and don't leave on a table because it's likely to be forgotten. The aim should be at least 8 cups of fluid every day.

3. Be Inventive in Meal Planning
Remember that tastes can change as dementia progresses. Try offering sauces or seasonings such as chili to enhance the flavour of food or unusual food combinations such as savoury and sweet may also be more appealing. Sometimes finger foods may be more acceptable to someone with a poor apetitie and is restless  as they can pick up the food and take it with them to eat while they walk about. Try small cubes of cheese or little cocktail sausages which are easier to pick up and manage. Often someone with dementia may find colourful foods more appealing too so see how many colourful foods you can present.

SureCare helps Older People and People with Dementia to live at home independently by providing practical support through HomeCare. For more information on SureCare please go to: http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

How to Find Good Homecare Part 2 - Getting a Good Service

2011-01-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

Once you have a list of likely companies do some background research - do they have a website or any literature they can send you? Find out as much as you can about the companies on your list and then make a shortlist of 2-3 companies you think would be able to potentially provide you with a good service within your area. Invite them to come and see you in your home (where they will be working), ask them to tell you more about their services and how they operate and ask for a quote for a likely schedule of care for a week (you don't want any surprise bills!).

So what do you need to know about a care service? I've grouped possible questions that you may want to ask under the four main headings:

1. Background:
Confirm they members of the UKHCA and registered with the CQC (if they don't meet these two essential criteria , don't go further and show them the door!)
Do they cover your area and do they have staff working in your neighbourhood?
How long have they been in operation and what do their other clients say about them? Do they have any testimonials?

2. Staff
Are the staff CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked and do they have written work references?
What training do staff have before they start work? Do they receive any additional or specialist training? What percentage of staff have achieved an NVQ?
How are staff supervised and supported?
Will I get a regular carer? How are they matched to my requirements?
What happens when the regular carer is off sick or on holiday?

3. Fees and Payment
Is there a schedule of Fees and is it clear what the charges are? Are there any mileage or hidden costs?
How is payment made?

4. Operational
How is privacy and dignity of clients maintained? Has the company a safeguarding policy to protect clients?
How is quality of service monitored and maintained?
How would the agency be contacted in an emergency or out of office hours?
What would a client need to do to cancel a particular call or cancel the entire service?
Is there a contract to be signed? What are the main terms?
How are complaints dealt with?

Once you have been through the above information gathering process you will be confident that the service you select will be realiable and meet your particular needs. It may be tempting in the face of a lot of different agencies, to just select the first company on the list or because you like the sound of the name (this happened!) - it is worth investing some time at the begining to ensure that you and the care agency are on the same wavelength and not only that they have the right policies and procedures in place but that they have the right atitude and committment to providing you with a continuing excellent service.

For more information on SureCare go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

How to Find Good Homecare Part 1 - Finding a Care Service

2011-01-18T10:02:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you think that you may be needing some assistance in the home? Perhaps you have had an accident or just come out of hospital after an operation. Perhaps you are finding that as you get older that those regular heavy jobs around the house (lifting a basket of washing or carrying the hoover upstairs) is just getting a little too much. Maybe you have an elderly relative who has been diagnosed with a long term illness and can no longer take care of the house and also needs help with personal care but doesn't want to go into a residential home? Where on earth do you start?

Most people would start with Social Services and they are easy to find either in the phone book or on the web.. They can help by offering an assessment of your situation and if you qualify under their strict criteria called Fair Access to Care Services (FACS), they can organise basic care. Be aware though - and this sometimes comes as a surprise - social care is not free anymore except in a very few instances and   you will have to contribute to the cost. You won't get any choice either in which care agency is commissioned to come into your home.

There are also private providers of Care Services that you can engage and you then have a choice of service and cost to meet your requirements. They might be a little tricker, to find. You don't often see Care Services advertised in the local press for example and how do you know if they are any good? Will they be reliable?  These people have to come into your home and can be providing the most intimate personal care.....how on earth can you trust them?

Hopefully these blogs can help navigate this difficult area - Part 1 covers where to find a reputable Care Service in your area and Part 2 will cover how to ensure that you get a good service.

There are several routes to finding good quality reliable and trustworthy Homecare in your area :

1. Check with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who regulate all Homecare providers for registered Care agencies in your area. You can download a list of providers covering your postcode area from the CQC site at http://www.cqc.org.uk/. All reputable Care agencies will be registered with the CQC and all agencies offering personal care MUST be registered with them.

2. The United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), the professional association for Homecare, can also provide lists of reputable care agencies in your area. Registering with the UKHCA means that the care agency is committed to providing good standards of care and has signed up to the Association's Code of Good Practice. They also have to be registered with the CQC. You can find more information on Homecare services at http://www.ukhca.co.uk/

3. Here in Warwickshire we are lucky to have an excellent organisation sponsored by the local authority called PHILLIS ( Promoting Health and Independence through Low Level Integrated Support!) which basically a resource to find out about local services for older people in Warwickshire be it home delivered meals or dog walking services. PHILLIS also has a list of reputable Homecare services which they have referenced and have a good record.  You can find the PHILLIS service on the Warwickshire County Council website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/vintage

4. Another good way to find a good Homecare service is to ask your friends and neighbours. Don't be shy and don't worry about being nosy! Even if you don't immediately need any assistance it's worth finding out which agencies are working in your local area and which ones have a reputation for good service. People who have received a good service will want to recommend their care agency and this is a good way of finding out more from the client's perspective.

5. Google is your friend here too and good local Care Services will have their own website telling you about their service and why you should use them. Check whether they are registered with the CQC and the UKHCA - two very good indicators of reputable agencies.

Using all these methods you should have a good list of providers of Care Services. So how do you whittle down the list to find the right company to provide your care? Check my next blog for my tips on finding the right service for you.

For more information on SureCare go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Celebrating our 1st Birthday

2011-01-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

It's hard to beleive that we are one year's old! And what a year it's been! Our first hurdle was to get the registration of our sevice with the Care Quality Commission - that took eight weeks - but we got there and they passed us as fit for duty! Then we got our spot contract with the Local Authority which took another few weeks and then we were good to go!

It was an exciting time when we started to take on our first staff and clients and it was a steep learning curve! Although I've worked in the voluntary sector and run organisations in the past I found there is a big difference from having a set up organisation with all the equipment and operational procedures in place to starting from scratch and having to put everything into place from the kettle up!

A year on and our offices are fully functional and we even have a fully equipped training room! Our office staff has expanded to include an administrator to keep the office running smoothly. We have a fantastic team of carers and a wonderful group of clients for whom its a previlige to provide a service. We have done some wonderful work with our clients with dementia and our knowledge and expertise is growing all the time.

On Tuesday 11th the staff celebrated our first birthday with a specially made cake by Annie, one of our carers and we looked back with wonder and great pride at all we have achieved this year. We just know the next year is going to be even more interesting and we look forwardin anticipation to all the good things to come for our service.

For more information on SureCare please go to: http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

VAT Increase and Home Care

2011-01-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

The dreaded increase in the rate of VAT came into force today and many of us will be wondering if the new prices of goods truely reflects the increase or if retailers and service providers are taking the opportunity to hike their prices as well.

Homecare thankfully is exempt from VAT and therefore there will be no immediate "hiking" of prices for our services. This will be good news to many elderly people on restricted incomes who depend on social care services to continue to live at home independently.

Unfortunately Homecare providers are not exempt from paying for VAT and buying in goods to provide the service (for example protective aprons and gloves for personal care) are going to be subject to VAT which will increase our running costs. Another big cost to us is paying for mileage to carers who use their cars to reach clients. Eventually these costs will have to be reflected in increased charges for services and therefore clients, often very vulnerable elderly people will be paying for the VAT increases indirectly in due course.

Mike Padgham , the Chair of the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA) , the professional association of domiciliary care providers, said today: "It is fortunate that the homecare sector's VAT exemption will protect people purchasing its services. However, todays tax increase signals the need for Government to consider applying zero-rating to our services, to protect the public from indirect increases in the cost of care".

At SureCare we would like to add our voice to the UKHCA and call for the government to zero rate domiciliary care provision to support its commitment to help the elderly to remain at home and live independently.

Caring in the Snow

2010-12-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

While Warwickshire grapples with the worst winter weather for several decades, there is a small band of heroines and heros who are working steadfastly through the artic conditions to ensure that the most vulnerable people in the county are still able to receive hot food and help with personal care. They are the County's care workers some of who work for SureCare.

I have been so proud of my care staff over the last weekend. In spite of heavy snowfall, sub zero temperature, car breakdowns, slippery roads and illness they carried on to provide good care for our clients in very difficult conditions. When the roads got too bad to drive, one of my carers set off on foot through the snowdrifts to clients to ensure that they had care and were safe . Another roped in family to drive her when her own car failed in the cold temperatures. Another was pushed out of snowdrifts twice in one day to carry on and complete her rota.

All their efforts were very much appreciated by clients who worried about their carers braving the weather to attend their calls. Carers are not the most well paid of workers but they surely are the most dedicated. We always say that staff at SureCare often go "the extra mile" to provide good quality care and they certainly proved it this weekend!

Forecasters are predicting more bad weather on the way. Lets take our hats off to these wonderful women and men who don't let little things like snowstorms and blizzards get in the way of providing comfort and care to the elderly and vulnerable.

For more information on SureCare please go to: http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Paying for Care

2010-07-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Paying for care for the future is becoming a hot political issue both nationally and locally. Warwickshire County Council (WCC) have an ongoing consultation on the increase in care fees with individuals making greater and, they say, more equitable contributions to their community care costs. Care home fees are not under scrutiny at the moment but no doubt will soon be targetted for "equity" as well.

It's an issue which a baby boomer like myself has not wanted to think about but it's all too apparent after attending one of the WCC consultation meetings that for future generations paying for your community care services is going to be the norm. And we are going to have to get used to it! I remember when charges were first made for meals-on-wheels - my elderly parents were outraged - but it's accepted now that there is no such thing as a free lunch even when you are old and disabled.

The levels of charges are going to be a shocker for many people too. WCC is intending on raising the payment for homecare from £9.66 per hour (July 2010) to £16.95 per hour next year (April 2011). Although the charges are means tested the increases are going to hit a lot of those "just managing" and they may be tempted to do without the assistance they need to pay for the food or warmth they can't live without.
Day care, which is a lifeline to many carers offering a few precious hours of free time are going to particularly badly hit with increases from £5.50per day to £25-103 per day. No doubt the increases reflect the true cost of care but what will be the cost to WCC when carers can't cope or fall ill through lack of respite? The cost then is going to be a lot higher. And with spiralling costs and subsequent falling attendances at day centres, this may be just the end of day centres as we know them. A great loss of a vital part of community care.

There may be a silver lining in all of this though. More people may be encouraged to take up direct payments which puts them in control of how and when they receive care and who provides it. SureCare for example is very competitive in the hourly cost of home care. And we provide a personalised, flexible service, giving full value for money. We also offer individualise day care at home services which may be more suited to the client who does not enjoy traditional daycare.

Insurance companies are also responding to the concerns about future care and developing "annuties" and other products which will help pay for care for the future. They are worth considering if paying for care in the future is something you are thinking about. More information on the website at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Supporting Admiral Nurses

2010-05-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Last week it was my pleasure to meet an Admiral Nurse - one of only two who work in Warwickshire. Admiral nurses are specialist mental health nurses who specialise in supporting people with dementia adn their families similar to MacMillan nurses who support people with cancer.

Admiral nurses seek to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and their carers right from diagnosis to end-of-life. They help families to develop caring skills and promote a positive approach to living with dementia. John Suchet the broadcaster whose wife, Bonnie, has developed Alzheimer's has nothing but praise for the Admiral Nursed who supported them and gave them hope during their difficult journey.

With the incidence of dementia on the rise - here in the Warwick district alone in 2008 there were 1609 people over 65 diagnosed with dementia and this is predicted to rise to 2,378 by 2025. We NEED MORE Admiral Nurses to support both the people with dementia and their families in the coming years. At the moment it's a bit of a postcode lottery - if you live in North Warwickshire you have a chance of seeing Rachel the Admiral Nurse even if you may have to wait a while but if you live in South Warwickshire you have no chance although there is telephone helpline support in the form of ADMIRAL DIRECT.

With another hat on I am also a member of a business and professional women's organisation called Soroptimist International. This year I am president of the Rugby club and I have chosen to support Admiral Nurses as one of my charities for the year. I recently invited Rachel the Admiral Nurse (see photo above) to speak to our group and her role and the success of Admiral Nurses was truely inspiring. We hope to raise money for Admiral Nurses this year and hope we can also spread the word about their invaluable work and call for more Admiral Nurses to support people with demetia and their families in south and east Warwickshire as well.
For more information on Admiral Nurses go to: http://www.dementiauk.org/
For more information on SureCare go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Positive Futures: Coping with Caring for Someone with Dementia

2010-04-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

There are 820,000 people with diagnosed dementia in the UK and most of these will be living at home cared for by their families. The whole family can be affected by the diagnosis of dementia and family carers will wonder how they are going to cope with the life changes which will follow the diagnosis. Caring for someone with dementia which can stretch for many year and is tiring. And isolating. And often leads to depression and anxiety for carers. Where can carers get help?

The Alzheimer's Society is generally the first port of call and they have an incredible array of information on their website on coping with every aspect of care of someone living with dementia. The local Carers Service - the South Warwickshire Carer Support Service in our area is also a good source of help, advice and emotional support through their team of Carer Support Workers.

SureCare provides practical help and support to carers by giving them an opportunity to have a break by taking over the caring role enabling the carer to have some time to themselves, whether its to visit the doctor or just catch up on some sleep! With our team of highly skilled support workers, carers can have peace of mind while they are away knowing their loved one is being cared for by someone competent and knowledgeable about dementia.

In addition to this we are also piloting two workshops in July and October 2010 on coping on the life changes that a diagnosis of dementia will bring to the family and all family carers are invited to attend. The workshops are called Positive Futures and consist of a 2.5 hour session with Life Coach and NLP practitioner Jackie Hart who will give delegates useful and practical tools to understand and manage emotions, unusual behaviour and big decisions. Delegates will be able to practice in small groups and refreshments will be provided. For more information on the Positive Futures course go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/ and download course information. Places are limited because groups are being kept small, so enroll now to secure your place!

Please visit SureCare website for information on all our services at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

SPECAL is Special

2010-04-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

SPECAL stands for Specialised Early Care for Alzheimers and is a method of communication which harnesses a person with dementia's intact past memories to relate to present events and so allows them to enjoy well being and a good quality of life. I came across SPECAL several years ago and have been intrigued by the approach but only last week was finally able to access a course held at the SPECAL centre in Burford, Oxfordshire. It was everthing I expected - good quality training which gave much food for thought and inpiration.

SPECAL uses an unusual analogy of a Photograph Album to explain how memory works and how a person with dementia will experience intermittent and then increasingly frequent memory "blanks" relating to recent events. What I most like about SPECAL is that it is a method which is very person-centred and individualised - it is exactly what "person-centred" care is all about. The SPECAL method teaches that there is only one difference between someone without dementia and someone with dementia and that is the ability to store recent information. The person is not "lost" - he or she is still there and communication can be fulfilling and harmonious with given tools and techniques which are easily learnt by anyone who cares for someone with dementia. A great book on the SPECAL methodology is "Contented Dementia" by Oliver James published by Vermilion.

SureCare will be using SPECAL training for all care staff to ensure that they can offer the best quality of care by enhancing communication skills. People with Dementia who live at home need support to enjoy a quality of life and increased well being and this is exactly what we aim to provide. Cares will also benefit in the knowledge that someone competent is caring for their loved one giving them peace of mind and a break from caring responsibilities.

For more information on Dementia Care with SureCare please see our website at: http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

The Dementia Declaration

2010-04-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Readers will notice that there is a new badge on this blog site - The Dementia Declaration. This is a campaign spearheaded by the Community Care magazine and involving a number of high profile bodies such as the Alzheimer's Society and the United Kingdom HomeCare Association. Thy are quite simply calling for a full debate on the issue of dementia during the general election, a recognition of the increasing numbers of people with the disorder and the the need to make their care an explicit priority when allocating resources in the future.

With over 820,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the UK and the predictions that by 2025 there will be over a million people affected, it's not an issue that can be placed on the back burner. All parties who are vying for government need to be showing what they are going to do to tackle this issuee sooner rather than later.
Plenty of high profile luminaries and dignitaries are throwing their weight behind the campaign including Michael Parkinson, the Dignity Champion and Shadow leader of the House of Commons, George Young. As of today the Declaration has 500 signatures which is a fatastic achievement and shows how how important the issue is. I would recommend that everyone signs up to the declaraton today by going to:
www.communitycare.co.uk/demcampaign
Let show the government what's really important to us for the future.

for more information on how SureCare supports dementia care please see our website: http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Championing Dignity in Care

2010-03-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

This week I became a Dignity Champion. I felt quite privileged to be following in the footsteps of Michael Parkinson who has been the Government's Dignity Ambassador since 2008 and frontman for the Dignity in Care Campaign. I am also joining a growing group of people from all walks of life - Dignity Champions - who believe passionately that Dignity is a basic human right and that care services must be compassionate, person-centred as well as efficient. Dignity Champions promote dignity within the care sector and take practical steps to improve dignity for clients in service delivery.

I'm keen to see Dignity being promoted in the home care sector. I've seen enough poor practice to know that often older people with care needs are just a number or a "call" to be made, a set of tasks to be completed as quickly as possible to move onto the next one. This is not "care" and disrespectful to the person with care needs. I hope to challenge poor practice and train my staff to treat their clients with respect - as human beings who have a right to privacy, independence and control of their lives. Its not always big changes that's required. Small changes such as addressing a client respectfully in the way they would wish, asking their opinion, giving them a choice or asking their permission before performing a personal task.

As a Dignity Champion I will pledge to promote the following values in the SureCare home care service and within the home care sector:

Having a zero tolerance of all forms of abuse
Supporting clients with the same respect as I would expect for a member of my family
Treating each client as an individual by offering a personalised service
Enabling cleints to maintain the maximum possible level of independence, choice and control
Listening and supporting clients to express their needs and wants
Respecting clients right to privacy
Ensuring clients can complain without fear of retribution
Engaging with family members as care partners
Assisting clients to maintain confidence and positive self-esteem
Doing everything possible to alleviate clients loneliness and isolation

For more information on SureCare please see our website - http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Training is Essential to Good Quality Care

2010-03-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

We held an induction training session today. Our new recruits arrived early and full of anticipation for the day ahead and the role they will be undertaking in the future. My welcome to them included a summary of our values and ethos and how as an organisation we will be supporting them in their future role and the training they will receive with SureCare.

Training is a vital ingredient to providing a high quality service. It requires no qualifications to become a Care Support Worker - just a commitment to supporting older people, a caring outlook and an ability to be able to engage with the client group. All neccessary skills can be taught such as keeping good records, administering medication and moving and handling techniques. There is mandatory training which care staff must undertake before they can be allowed to work with clients and these five modules make up the "Common Induction Standards"(CIS): Principles of Care, Understanding the Organisaton and Role of the Care Worker, Safety at Work, Effective Communication, Recognising and Responding to Abuse and Neglect and Development as a Care Worker.

Every employer must ensure that their staff are competent in the standards and have undertaken the training. Unfortunately a lot of employers stop there considering that the CIS are enough to be getting on with. At SureCare, in addition to the CIS we ensure that our staff have training in Dementia Awareness, Moving and Handling Techniques, First Aid, Medication Awareness, Food Hygiene, Infection Control and COSHH. And we ensure that all new staff shadow a more experienced worker who will sign them off as competent to be able to work on their own.

Good training is followed by supervison every six weeks where staff have the opportunity to discuss with their supervisor any work issues and any training needs which they identify. All staff are encouraged and supported to undertake NVQ in social care and a high proportion of our staff have NVQ2 and above.

If you know of anyone who is interested in a career in social care and would like to have good training and good support in their employment please ask them to contact the SureCare office or to go to our website at:
http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

Helping Clients to Live Independently and Safely

2010-03-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

It seems scarcely a week goes by without a horror story being reported in the press about elderly people who have been subjected to revolting forms of abuse. It seems that no matter where you are - at home or in residential accomodation, if you are elderly, you are at risk. And in addition to violence, neglect and doorstep fraudsters which are all too common and well covered in the press, perpetrators find ever more ingenious ways to take advantage of the elderly.

I was reading this week about a couple who befriended their neighbour, a woman in her eighties with health problems living alone without family and few friends. This "caring" couple started out by befriending their neighbour, helping with her chores, progressing to cancelling her care workers, moving her into their home to "look after her", isolating her from her contacts and eventually persuading her into signing over her home to them. Luckily for this lady one of her "real" friends became suspicious, investigated the couple and found that they had a history of preying on elderly women living alone in valuable properties and had managed to acquire three other properties in this way. The friend reported the case to Social Services, but although they ageed to keep an eye on the lady, there was little they could do in these circumstances when the lady is grateful to her "friends" and seems to be be acting of her own free will.

We need to be vigilant about our vulnerable elderly neighbours. Care Support Workers can be a great help in looking out for their elderly clients ensuring that they are visited regularly and noting anything unusual in the day to day activities of the home. This can give peace of mind to relatives. They can also be sure that our Care Staff are trustworthy because at SureCare, we take safeguarding of our clients very seriously. All our Care Support Workers have an enhanced CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check and two written references from previous employers.

We then train them to spot any signs of abuse and have robust procedures to ensure that any suspected or actual abuse is reported and acted upon promptly. The director of SureCare also belongs to the Warwickshire Safeguarding Network to keep up to date with developments in safeguarding and cascades information on safeguarding down to all staff. We are constantly vigilant to ensure that all our clients are able to live full and independent lives in safety.

If you are a relative of an elderly adult who needs care please see our website for more information on our services: www.surecarewarks.co.uk

Looking After Our Staff

2010-03-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

We have been recruiting staff this last week as Care Support Workers. Their role will be to work with older people in their homes supporting them with personal and domestic taks to enable them to live independently for as long as possible.

Listening to how some Care workers are treated by Care Agencies makes me very angry. Care Workers are not the best paid and have very low status in society in spite of the critical work that they do in ensuring older people with care needs - who are some of the most vulnerable people in our society - are supported at home. Poor training, poor supervision, poor monitoring, poor management, call cramming and so on are all things I'm hearing from potential recruits are widespread in the care sector particularly amongst private agencies.

In SureCare, our starting point in providing high quality person-centred care is to look after our staff. Because we beleive that if our staff are well paid, well supported, well trained and supervised they will in turn do a good job of looking after their clients. Simply, by respecting the personhood of the Care Worker, we respect the personhood of the client.

Our calls to clients are a minimum of 1/2 hour and we will ensure that our staff remain to for the full half hour because the client deserves to get their full time allocation that they have paid for. There is no call cramming and adequate travelling time factored in for staff to reach their next client. We give staff a full induction programme plus additional training in important areas such as medication, moving and handling and food hygiene. All our staff will also undergo specialist dementia courses to support our clients with dementia. When they have completed this training they will be able to wear a Specialist Care Worker badge to indicate their completion of this additional training. We encourage our Care Workers to complete NVQs in social care. Monthly supervison, yearly appraisal and regular team meetings all contribute to supporting and mentoring our staff so they can provide the best care for our clients.

We are always looking for highly motivated and committed care staff. If you know anyone who would like to join our team please see our website at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/ or email us at info@surecarewarks.co.uk for more information.

Person Centred Care

2010-02-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

We hear a lot about "person-centred" care in the care sector to the extent that you can't be delivering "good" care unless it's "person-centred" now. But what does it mean? Trying to discover what it really means is not straightforward and there seems to be many interpretations. It can mean individualised care or a set of techniques to use with people with dementia or just a value base.

The best definition which I've found for person-centred care is from Dawn Brooker* who describes four elements to person centred care using the following "VIPS" model:
1. Valuing people with dementia and their carers - promoting their rights and inclusion regardless of their age or abilities.
2. Treating people as Individuals with all their history, personality, preferences and resources.
3. Understanding the Perspective for the person with dementia, their experience and empathising with them.
4. Recognising the need for a Social environment which enriches and promotes relationships and focuses on the abilities of the person with dementia.

This is an excellent blueprint for person-centered care planning and delivery and for developing our domiciliary care service within SureCare. We value people by ensuring that they get the time and quality of service which they deserve.. We treat each client as an individual who has choice and aim to focus on supporting the client to make the most of his or her abilities. We aim to provide a service which supports people in their own homes to remain part of their community and lead as full lives as possible.

For more information on SureCare services please go to http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

*See Person Centred Dementia Care by Dawn Brooker ISBN 978-1-84310-337-0

Social Care - An Election Issue

2010-02-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

It's a well known fact that the population of Great Britain is getting older -around 34% of the population is over 50 and this is set to rise to 40% by 2026. This is a huge challenge to all involved in the social care sector as it is estimated, that over 1.7 million people will require social care.

The National Audit Commissio's report, Under Pressure, published this month is a sobering read on the costs of care for an aging population. It says that increasing levels of public debt coupled with falling income from taxation means that the Government will be under pressure to cut public spending. Consequently, Local Authorities will be under pressure to cut their levels of spending just as more and more people are going to be requiring care.

The reasons for the increase in care is that age-realted health conditions are on the increase. Older people disagnosed with Dementia, for example,will double over the next 30 years to 1.4 million and the associated costs will treble to over £50 billion a year.

The cost of future care was debated accross the country last year in a government consultation following the green paper on Shaping the Future of Care Together. The paper proposed a National Care Service with three main options for funding future care: the first is for a partnership of people and the State sharing the cost based on ability to pay, the second is a voluntary insurance scheme and the third is a compulsory payment of £20,000 which can be deferred until after death.

Paying for social care is a tricky question and none of the major parties in government seeming to want to get to grips with the issues favouring instead sensationalist prouncements such as "free care for everyone with cancer" or a £20,000 "death tax". Attempts to find common ground has so far been unsuccessful with all parties blaming each other for the collapse of talks.

With a general election looming the funding of social care will be high on the agenda as it should be. We should be listening closely to what the main parties are saying about social care and what their propositions are for funding care in the future. They have all known about the demographic time-bomb for many years and have been reluctant to accept responsibility and make unpalatable decisions. This issue won't go away - and it affects us all. Who will give us the care we need when we grow old? Will they get our vote?

For more information on SureCare Home Care service please go to www.surecarewarks.co.uk

Where is the Love? - Valentine's Day thoughts

2010-02-13T02:25:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is a celebration of love and I would like to take the opportunity to think about love in my business. In social care we do see a lot of people in difficulties, with illness, disability and difficult family situations. However, there is also a lot of love in this business which isn't often recognised.

I often meet people who give up their jobs and livelihoods to look after a spouse or a parent or other member of the family. Parents with a disabled child who dedicate their whole lives to their child and never have time for themselves. Neighbours and friends who give their time and compassion to those who need them even though they have their own lives and difficulties. These are all carers whose love and dedication is needed to save the economy £81 bn each year yet get so little recognition for their vital role in society. Lets think about carers on Valentine's Day.

Care Workers often get bad press - I'm sure that many people will have seen some of the TV expose of bad domiciliary care agencies or read press reports of cruel care work practices. The really good Care Workers never get any press time. I have met lots of wonderful care staff who work with great dedication, compasssion and loving kindness with their clients. I'd like to celebrate these wonderful people who work in difficult conditions on low pay and without any recognition for the excellent work they do year in and year out. In the recent bad weather many of these workers were true heroines and heros ensuring that their clients received a service even if it meant walking through the snow for miles to get to a client's house. Lets think about Care Workers on Valentine's Day.

There are many volunteers who work in social care providing a huge range of services which are vital to supporting people lives and well being. From providing talking books for the visually impaired to hot dinners for homeless people there are many many people who give their time for love and compassion for those who are less fortunate. This pool of volunteers is getting smaller as fewer people are taking on volunteer roles and it often falls to older retired people to fill the gaps. Volunteers are also vital to our society and their work often goes unnoticed in our busy world. Lets think about all the volunteers amongst us on Valentine's Day.

So there is a lot of love in social care and it seems an ideal time on Valentine's Day to think about all the people who work in our field with love and dedication. I salute them all and wish them all a very Happy Valentine's Day!

For more information on carers please go to the SureCare website at http://www.surecarecarewarks.co.uk/

Dementia in the News this Week

2010-02-07T14:52:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of interest in dementia in the news this week. The Alzheimers Society started the debate with their report which says that dementia care is not getting enough funding and research into dementia falls far behind other high-profile illnesses - in fact £12 is spent on cancer research for every £1 which goes into dementia research. A lot of the media picked up on this story - on BBC IPlayer there were at least five radio programmess covering the story with many listeners calling in with their own harrowing stories of looking after someone with dementia - lack of support, information and delays in diagnosis. All were calling for more money to go into dementia research.

Another story which made the headlines was that the incidence of dementia has been underestimated and that there are around 821,884 people who have been diagnosed with dementia which is a big increase on the 700,000 previous estimates. 15,000 of these are under the age of 65. The total numbers of people who will be affected by dementia will reach 1m by 2021.

The cost of dementia care has also been reported in the press. The total cost to the economy of dementia is £23bn per year. Every dementia patient, according to researchers from the University of Oxford, costs the economy £27,647 - nearly fives times more than a cancer patient and eight times more than someone with heart disease. However, it is the costs met by carers and residential care, rather than the expenses of the NHS which really pushes up the burden of dementia. And to come a full circle, these costs bear no relation to the amount of money which is being put into funding the research into the treatment and prevention of dementia.

World famous author, Terry Pratchet kept dementia in the news too when he gave the David Dimbleby lecture on Tuesday evening, 2 February. His lecture was called Shaking Hands with Death explored how modern society needs to deal with terminally ill people and how they might have a good death. Sir Terry gave the introduction and his "stunt Terry" - aka Balack Adder actor Tony Robinson - read the lecture. He did an excellent job with passion and humour and you could tell that Terry heartily approved by his big beaming smile.

It's heartening to see the subject of dementia getting such a lot of attention in the media. For too long the word "dementia" has been whispered and not openly mentioned. It is said that dementia is where cancer was 50 years ago - but thanks to a number of high profile people living with dementia like Terry Prachett and the work of various dementia charities, it is now being openly recognised and debated and given media time. However, without more funding into research and treatment of dementia it still has the potential to be the timebomb which overwhelms the NHS.

Please visit our website at http://www.surecarewarks.co.uk/

A Busy Week!

2010-02-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

It's turned into a really busy and interesting week!

On Monday I was very pleased to welcome my new Care-Cordinator - Lynda . She joins SureCare with a wealth of experience in domiciliary care and is going to lead on the operational side of the business. Great to have her on board! We are going to be a formidable team! In the picture below, I'm on the left and Lynda is on the right.

On Tuesday, Lynda's second day we had our very successful "Time for a Cuppa" Day which was really well supported and raised £103 in total. It was a great opportunity for Lynda to meet some interesting people who work in our building as well as a number of our friends and colleagues in the 4Networking group to which I belong. Thanks to everyone who helped us by making cakes and made such generous donations to our chosen charity forDementia.

This week Lynda and I are putting together our recruitment packs and literature and looking at the best way to recruit care staff. We are looking forward to welcoming our first care support workers to the SureCare Warwickshire fold soon. Watch this space!!

For more information on SureCare Warwickshire please visit our website: www.surecarewarks.co.uk

Time for a Cuppa Day - Tuesday 2 February 2010

2010-01-31T10:46:00.000-08:00

forDementia is a charity that provides specialist Admiral Nurses to support people with dementia and their carers in their homes. A national fundraiser called Time for a cuppa day is being held on 2 February 2010 where cake and a cuppa is sold for £1 with all proceeds to forDementia projects. TV presenter, Fiona Phillips, whose father is currently living with dementia is endorsing this event.

SureCare Warwickshire is holding a Coffee Morning at their offices in Tatchbrook Park Leamington on 2 February to support this national event and everyone is invited to come along meet us and have a cuppa to raise money for this worthwhile charity. SureCare Warwickshire provides practical help and support to older people and specialises in the care of people with dementia and their carers. Here is our invite to this event:

Take Time Out on “Time for a Cuppa Day”

and Join:

Desiree & Lynda of SureCare

For a “Time for a Cuppa” event to help raise money in aid of Charity forDementia

EVENT: Coffee & Cake morning—Homemade Cake & a Cuppa for £1,

Times Crossword £2 - all proceeds to fordementia charity
DATE: Tuesday 2 February 2009

TIME 10.00 a.m.—12.00 p.m.

PLACE: The Meeting Room, Pure Offices,

3 Plato Close, Tachbrook Park, Leamington Spa, CV34 6WE

Please RSVP to: 01926 800159 or email: info@surecarewarks.co.uk

Introducing SureCare

2010-01-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

SureCare Warwickshire is a newly established domiciliary care service based in Leamington Spa offering the highest quality home care to older people in South Warwickshire enabling them to live at home independently, excercising choice and control in their lives. We can offer domestic, personal and social support. We specialise in the care of older people with dementia and we also support their carers by enabling them to have a break from their caring role and having some time for themselves.

My name is Desiree Lambert, and I am the director and registered manager of SureCare Warwickshire. I am writing this blog is to chart our progress in establishing our service, to record interesting information and news in the field of dementia care and to be able to communicate with a wider audience who have an interest in supporting older people and dementia home care. I look forward to hearing readers views too through feedback and comments and look forward to an exciting and interesting interactive blog space.

To find out more about SureCare please go to: www.surecarewarks.co.uk