The event, held at Tenterden House Nursing Home in Lye Lane, was organised by Music in Hospitals (MiH), a national charity which provides professionally performed concerts to help improve the lives of those in care or with long-term illnesses.

As part of MiH’s specially designed ‘Musical Memories in Care Homes’ project, singer and guitarists Jim Dawson and Llew Osbourne performed to residents at the Bupa-run nursing home on Monday, May 14.

Heather Constance, home manager, said: “Music is such a huge part of everyday life, but a live performance really is very special.

“We love listening to music as it brings everyone together, lifts spirits and certainly gets toes tapping.

“Residents who may normally struggle with memories, such as those with dementia, suddenly find themselves recalling words and songs, so this performance was a real treat.”

The concert is one of a series being played across the region.

Steve Rowland-Jones, charity representative, said: “Our musicians are very good at getting listeners involved, whether it’s entertaining a large group or really tuning into individual needs.”

Source: Watford Observer

That was the warning from the Suffolk Association of Independent Care Homes (SAICP) as the county’s cabinet agreed to a modest increase in fees.

Hilary Gibbs from the SAICP told councillors at the cabinet meeting that privately-funded residents were effectively subsidising those whose fees were paid by the council.

She added: “That is not fair, and it is a situation that should not be allowed to happen.”

The cabinet agreed to increase the fees it pays to private care homes by 3% this year and 4% next year. That comes after a freeze in 2010/11 and a 4% cut in fees in 2011/12.

Mrs Gibbs told the meeting that members of her association had reluctantly accepted the proposed increases but were very concerned about the impact of the squeeze.

Speaking after the increase was approved unanimously by the cabinet, Mrs Gibbs said: “This will lead to some homes not being able to take county council-funded residents.

“The county is proposing a basic fee of £348 a week. In the homes I represent private residents pay £576 for that level of care. They are subsidising the council-funded residents because you have to have enough money to be able to provide a reasonable level of care.”

The cost of caring for residents with more serious conditions, especially those suffering from dementia, is higher and the council does pay more – but still not enough to cover all the costs.

During the meeting councillor with responsibility for adult and community services Colin Noble said that as guardians of the public purse, the county had a responsibility to council tax payers to get a good deal.

He said: “There has been some tough talking, but we have to make sure we pay no more than required to deliver caring services.”

Labour group leader Sandy Martin warned that a two-tier system of care could emerge: “We could have private residents enjoying good conditions while those who rely on the council could face a reincarnation of the workhouse!”

That comment provoked anger from Mr Noble: “That is a very silly comment,” he said. “We have to ensure the best for the people in our care.”

Care facts:

Suffolk County Council currently funds about 2,300 people in private residential homes.

The county has 476 residents in its own homes, which are due to be sold to Care UK.

The county currently pays for about 40% of the care home places in Suffolk.

Source: EADT 24

Pudsey care business Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home has been bought out of administration by rival Mosaic Care, safeguarding 25 jobs.

Dilip Dattani, William Duncan and Patrick Ellward of RSM Tenon were appointed joint administrators of Fezdene Ltd trading as Radcliffe Gardens Nursing Home on 6 October 2011.

The administrators sold the business to Mosaic Care, a Preston-based specialist care organisation, with all jobs at the nursing home secured as part of the deal.

“Securing the future of Radcliffe Gardens and the employment of the home’s experience team of staff is an exciting step for Mosaic Care Ltd,” said Mosaic Care managing director Claire Fryer.

“This development reinforces our commitment to the elderly care market as we continue to provide the quality care which residents are accustomed to.”

Dilip Dattani from RSM Tenon added: “We are delighted to announce the sale of Radcliffe Gardens and would like to thank all staff at the home for their continued efforts to ensure that the best interest of all residents remained paramount throughout this difficult period.”

Source: Insider News

The CQC website includes a map showing all of the reports published each week. This allows visitors to zoom in and see all the services in their area for which CQC have published reports on during that month.

A spreadsheet is also published at the end of each month showing all the hospitals, clinics, care homes, dental practices and other health and social care services CQC have published reports on.

The new feature can be found at www.cqc.org.uk

Source: CQC

The Rosary Nursing Home in Mayfield Drive, Durleigh, celebrated its summer garden party with a mouthwatering barbecue last week.

Activities leader Wendy Parkin told the Mercury: “We had an afternoon of fun where we kick-started the summer.”

Money raised at the event goes towards the residents’ activities fund, which pays for fun trips to the seaside and other places of interest chosen by the residents.

The home is holding a fundraising car wash on Friday, May 25, between 10am and 4pm where proceeds will be split between the home and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Source: This is the West Country

The plans for 82 new retirement properties, orchard, spa and hydrotherapy pool and community care facilities were given the green light by Chiltern District Council’s planning committee on Thursday.

But building work won’t start until the project gets the seal of approval from the Secretary of State.

If the deal is ultimately signed and sealed, the facilities would be built on land formerly owned by the Epilepsy Society in Chalfont St Peter.

The Epilepsy Society sold the land the development would be built on last year, with money from the sale being ploughed back into improving their own care homes.

Meanwhile, the charity has launched a new ‘just diagnosed’ information pack, which answers questions people may have after being diagnosed with epilepsy.

It also contains a seizure diary, to record dates, times and types of seizures being experienced, as a way of helping the 87 people who are diagnosed with the condition in Britain each day.

Amanda Cleaver from the Epilepsy Society said: “The pack has been devised in such a way that people can get the information they want when they are ready.

“I’m sure this resource will be extremely useful for people living locally who have just been diagnosed with epilepsy and also helpful for their families, friends or carers. Epilepsy is unique to each individual, but Epilepsy Society is here to offer information and support to anyone who wants it.”

It will be available from Sunday May 20, the start of National Epilepsy Week, by calling 01494 601392 or by going to www.epilepsysociety.org.uk.

Source: Bucks Free Press

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) evaluates each care home on five broad areas: standards of treating people with respect and involving them in their care, standards of providing care, treatment and support which meets people’s needs, standards of caring for people safely and protecting them from harm, standards of staffing and standards of management.

It was found the New Grange care home, in Homefield Road, Elton Lodge, in Selden Road, Fernbank Residential Home, in Gratwicke Road, Baytrees Nursing Home, in Highfield Road, Grasmere Nursing Home, in Manor Road, the Victoria Grand, in Mill Road, Pentlands Nursing Home, in Mill Road, Camelot Nursing and Residential Home, in Tennyson Road, and York Lodge, in York Road, were not meeting the required standards in at least one area.

In particular, the New Grange care home has now been warned by the CQC it must make immediate improvements, after failing to enforce the recommendations set out by the CQC in its inspection in January.

Inspectors found the home could not demonstrate it had taken proper steps to ensure the needs of people living at the home were appropriately assessed, or that care was being planned or delivered in a way which met individual needs.

Inspectors also identified care plans did not always give appropriate guidance on how to deliver care in a way that supported both the individual and the staff. Care plans were also not always followed.

Response

In a statement, the home said: “The manager and staff of the New Grange place the well-being of residents as a priority, and work closely with our disciplinary partners, such as the CQC, to ensure the provision of care is of the highest standard.

“We show zero tolerance to any actions which may adversely affect service users, and this applies in this case.”

However, the majority of the care homes assured the Herald they have carried out the improvements set out by the CQC.

Elton Lodge failed four out of five of the areas in its inspection on April 20, but since then has gone to great lengths to see its improvement.

New manager Tracie Mines, who has been in her position for three weeks, said: “I knew there would be a lot of work to be done when I took this job, but I am glad I did.

“It is a beautiful home, and we have made sure we have put action plans into place to see all the improvements are made, and the CQC has said it is happy with these. We are not frightened of the CQC, we are glad they are there to help us.”

The owner of Baytrees nursing home said the home had received a perfect inspection but had only failed on the grounds the lift was not working that day.

Susan Miele said: “It was unfortunate the lift was not working that day. However, the inspector was satisfied with the rest of the home and we do not believe the care of the residents has been compromised in any way.”

Managers from Fernbank Residential Home, Grasmere Nursing Home, Victoria Grand, Pentlands Nursing Home and Camelot Nursing and Residential Home all assured the Herald the necessary action had been taken to fall in line with Government standards.

Many managers said the issues needed addressing were a matter of paperwork, and they felt the quality of care in their homes had not been affected.

Susan Munro, owner of Camelot Residential and Nursing Home, said: “We are well on the way to making sure all the recommendations are done.

“The main issue was the paperwork, and we have employed someone specifically to deal with it, as it is too much for carers to take on as well.”

Source: The Worthing Herald

http://www.worthingherald.co.uk/news/local/inspection-warnings-at-nine-worthing-care-homes-1-3838532

 

“It collided with a 6ft wooden fence, destroying it, but continued into the wall of West Villas Care Home.

“A resident had just got up to go to the toilet.

“The bed moved across the room. A breeze block landed on the bed close to where the man had been sitting.

“The defendant reversed out before fleeing the scene.”

Brownless, of Romaine Park, Hartlepool, was seen in the car at the petrol station on Easington Road, Hartlepool, at 5am.

The damaged car was later found abandoned on a footpath with a can of lager inside.

Two metal posts had to be installed at the home, which is owned by care company Voyage and cares for adults with learning and physical disabilities, amid fears the roof could collapse.

Brownless was arrested at around 10.40am on Christmas Eve but said he could not remember what happened.

It emerged in court that in 2009 Brownless also took his parents’ brand new Audi and crashed it.

Paul Cleasby, mitigating, said drinking too much because of a personal matter was to blame for Brownless’s offending.

Mr Cleasby said: “His record shows he is not someone who is always in and out of trouble.

“It’s fortunate for Mr Brownless that nobody was injured.

“The householder had gone to use the bathroom so happily he was not where he would otherwise have been.”

Judge Tony Briggs said sending Brownless to prison immediately would mean he would not get the help he needs from the Probation Service.

He added: “I have to weigh up the obvious fact this is serious and deserves prison with the long-term public good of you staying out of trouble.”

Commenting on the incident, Karen Harkin, operations director for Voyage Care, said: “The safety and wellbeing of the people we support is always our number one priority.

“Thankfully, none of the residents or staff at West Villas were injured as a result of the hit and run incident which occurred on Christmas Eve and we didn’t allow it to spoil our festive celebrations.

“Following the incident, the resident whose bedroom was damaged was moved to another room within the property. Work also began immediately on repairing the damage and within a month, the resident was able to return to his original room.”

Source: Hartlepool Mail

Care UK made it a special priority to ensure that residents and their relatives were not only consulted thoroughly and sensitively, but also took an active part in helping to design the new home – which has been named Colne View.

The new home, which is close to the centre of Halstead in Essex, has been specifically designed to ensure residents can enjoy the highest standards of comfort and facilities. It boasts a retro-themed room, library, coffee shop, hair and beauty salon and cinema, all based around its own indoor ‘village centre ’ which evokes a typical Essex village. This innovative central area will help residents to catch up with family and friends, whatever the weather.

The residents, who also chose individual décor for their new rooms, were very excited about the move. Bill Bolitho, the resident who has lived for the longest period of time at Halstead Lodge, was given the honour of locking up the old home for the very last time before travelling to his new home at Colne View.

Bill said: “I was overwhelmed. Everything is better, including the food, and everything seems very favourable.”

Heather Choat, who manages the new home in Colchester Road, said: “Everyone was very excited about the move and it went without a hitch. We did it over a period of three days to ensure no one was stressed and residents were also reassured by the fact that the Halstead Lodge team members moved to Colne View with them.”

“My team members are very excited about the move as the home has been purpose-built to ensure they can help residents lead an active life, keeping up their hobbies and interests. We know from Halstead Lodge that many of our residents enjoy gardening, while others just enjoy spending time in the garden, so we have constructed special gardens. Residents will enjoy patios with raised flowerbeds, lawned areas and a vegetable/herb garden that we hope will also provide some produce for our kitchen.”

Colne View will offer specialist residential and nursing care for up to 70 people .
they helped to design. Care UK made it a specnsulted thoroughly and sensitively, but also took an active part in helping to design the new home – which has been named Colne View. The new home, which is close to the centre of Halstead in Essex, has been specifically designed to ensure residents can enjoy the highest standards of comfort and facilities. It boasts a retro-themed room, library, coffee shop, hair and beauty salon and cinema, all based around its own indoor ‘village centre ’ which evokes a typical Essex village. This innovative central area will help residents to catch up with family and friends, whatever the weather. The residents, who also chose individual décor for their new rooms, were very excited about the move. Bill Bolitho, the resident who has lived for the longest period of time at Halstead Lodge, was given the honour of locking up the old home for the very last time before travelling to his new home at Colne View. Bill said: “I was overwhelmed. Everything is better, including the food, and everything seems very favourable.” Heather Choat, who manages the new home in Colchester Road, said: “Everyone was very excited about the move and it went without a hitch. We did it over a period of three days to ensure no one was stressed and residents were also reassured by the fact that the Halstead Lodge team members moved to Colne View with them.” “My team members are very excited about the move as the home has been purpose-built to ensure they can help residents lead an active life, keeping up their hobbies and interests. We know from Halstead Lodge that many of our residents enjoy gardening, while others just enjoy spending time in the garden, so we have constructed special gardens. Residents will enjoy patios with raised flowerbeds, lawned areas and a vegetable/herb garden that we hope will also provide some produce for our kitchen.” Colne View will offer specialist residential and nursing care for up to 70 people .