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A Warm Welcome from Altogether Care

Altogether Care Teams with the Warm Welcome Campaign to offer comfort to those in need

The weather is cold and Altogether Care are pleased to announce that we have opened up our office hubs in collaboration with the Warm Welcome Spaces campaign.

During the worst cost-of-living crisis in 70 years, the Warm Welcome Campaign emerged as a collective response to build a movement for a fairer and friendlier society by supporting warm and welcoming spaces in every community in the UK.

Join Us

Altogether Care is happy to be able to offer a Warm Welcome Space at our Care at Home offices across the South-West. Pop into our offices for a hot drink, soup, and a cake. Mostly importantly, why not call in for a chat? We have 14 offices in total from Southampton to Exeter.

Poverty can compound isolation and loneliness and prevent people from connecting with others. The dark evenings and cold winter months can be challenging for everyone, especially those who feel lonely and isolated, and anyone who can’t afford to keep heat their homes or get enough to eat.

By working together, Warm Welcome and Altogether Care will ensure everyone has somewhere warm and friendly to go. No one should be left to get through winter alone.

Over 14.4 million people live in poverty in the UK and over 7 million people experience chronic loneliness. Let’s work to bring people together.

 

How to Delay the Onset of Dementia – Alzheimer’s Month 2023

Dementia is increasingly something more people are having to learn how to live with, affecting individuals and caregivers alike. The theme of Alzheimer’s Month 2023 attempts to underline the notion that dementia doesn’t necessarily have to be an inevitable consequence of ageing.

The ‘Never too early, never too late‘ campaign aims to make us all more aware of factors that increase our risk so we can take steps to delay the onset of dementia. By being aware of these factors, individuals can take proactive measures to postpone the onset of dementia and potentially mitigate its occurrence.

Risk reduction strategies apply to us all, including people who’ve already received a diagnosis.

Dementia Risk Factors

Common factors that increase the risk of dementia include: a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of social interactions, obesity and high blood pressure. It’s evident that many of these factors are interlinked. Click here to find out more about the research behind dementia risk factors and prevention methods.

An active social life, physical exercise and a good diet are the building blocks of good mental and physical well-being. Altogether Care puts a lot of emphasis on these factors in all of our care homes, and not just for people receiving specialist dementia care.

Find out more about Dementia Care in our Care Homes.

There have been two new drugs in the last year that appear to slow down memory and thinking decline in people living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Results released in July 2023 for one of the drugs, Donanemab, showed that it works better the earlier it is given.

Today is the Best Time to Change how You Live

One major point behind the campaign is that whatever lifestyle you’ve lived up till now, you can still make a change to a healthier way of living. It could make a significant difference to your risk of developing severe Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

And if you or a loved one have been diagnosed with dementia, there’s plenty you can do, whether you opt for residential care or care in your own home.

At Altogether Care, we view residential dementia care as a way of providing people with an environment where they are supported to be more active, engaged and healthy. It’s about delaying the onset of symptoms, not solely managing them.

If you’d like to talk to someone about Alzheimer’s or dementia care, give Altogether Care a call, visit our website, or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk.

Experience the Joy of the Outdoors: Steepleton Manor Care Home Residents Embrace the Benefits of Getting Out Together in the Fresh Air

Residents from Steepleton Manor Care Home had a wonderful day out. They went on a special adventure with the help and support of an amazing local charity – Cycling Without Age in Weymouth. They rode together in a trishaw bike to enjoy the beautiful weather we’re having and the fresh air.

Lisa Mathews, our activities coordinator, joined the residents on their exciting 14-mile journey. Volunteers from Cycling Without Age made sure that each resident had a chance to enjoy this invigorating experience as they felt the wind in their hair and a sense of freedom during the ride.

The experience started by the beautiful seafront in Weymouth, passing along the seafront and the busy harbour then following the Rodwell trail to Ferrybridge. The residents had the chance to see the beauty of nature and enjoy the peaceful sights and sounds around us.

We cycled through Radipole Park and eventually returned to where we started at Lodmoor. The residents’ smiles showed how much they had connected with the world around them and experienced the simple joys that we often overlook, like the sounds of nature and the sight of flowers. It was clear that getting out in the fresh air had a profound impact on them. They slept well that night.

This inspiring story reminds us that everyone deserves the chance to enjoy the outdoors, regardless of their age or circumstances. Exercise and fresh air are beneficial for everyone, enriching lives and creating a stronger sense of community.

Getting together really supported individuals to feel part of a group, and combat the feelings of loneliness and isolation.

So, let’s ask someone to step outside with us, take a deep breath, and embrace the many benefits that nature offers and feel more fulfilled and less lonely.

Honouring Our Diverse Workforce Through Food

Food is one of the things that unite us all, no matter where we come from or what we do. It is a universal language that speaks to our senses and our souls. That’s why, at Altogether Care, we celebrate our diverse workforce through food.

Recently, we had the pleasure of sharing a meal with Jinson Jose, one of our mental health first aiders based in Sherbourne House, Yeovil. Jinson comes from South India and has made his home in Yeovil, where he enjoys cooking dishes that remind him of home.

Jinson’s favourite dish is Fish Molly, a creamy curry that’s packed with protein and bursting with flavour. It’s a classic South Indian dish that’s not as well-known in the UK, where North Indian cuisine is more popular.

During our meal, Jinson shared his passion for cooking and how he loves to cook with his family back in India. He’s brought that tradition to Yeovil and shares his love of cooking with his colleagues at Altogether Care.

The smell of fresh ginger, garlic, peppercorns and turmeric filled the air as Jibin, our resident chef at Yeovil care home, prepared the Fish Molly in the kitchen. Colleagues from the care home couldn’t resist the aroma and came to join us for a taste.

Jinson shared that many of the ingredients used are grown locally in his home town in South India and food and spices such as peppercorns are picked fresh and dried outside in the sunshine.

It was heart-warming to see how food can bring people together, even in the workplace. We captured some photos to share our experience with you.

If you’d like to try making Fish Molly at home, we’ve included the recipe and instructions below. It’s a tasty, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare dish that’s sure to become a new favourite in your household.

We believe that celebrating our diverse workforce through food is a great way to promote inclusivity and respect for different cultures. We encourage everyone to embrace the richness of our differences and come together over a shared love of food.

Ingredients:

  • 500 grams fish fillets (any firm white fish like kingfish, salmon, tilapia, or cod)
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup thin coconut milk (optional)
  • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
  • 2 green chilies, split lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper /powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2-3 tablespoons oil (preferably coconut oil)
  • Curry leaves
  • Salt to taste

For tempering (optional):

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2-3 dry red chilies
  • Curry leaves

Instructions:

1.            Clean the fish fillets and cut them into medium-sized pieces. Marinate the fish pieces with a pinch of turmeric powder and salt. Keep them aside for 10-15 minutes.

2.            Heat oil in a deep pan or kadai over medium heat. Add fennel seeds and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

3.            Add the sliced onions and green chilies. Cook until the onions turn golden brown.

4.            Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.

5.            Lower the heat and add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and black pepper powder. Mix well and cook for a minute.

6.            Pour in the thin coconut milk (optional) and bring it to a gentle boil. Add salt to taste.

7.            Carefully add the marinated fish pieces to the pan. Gently stir to coat the fish with the spice mixture. Be careful not to break the fish pieces.

8.            Cover the pan and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Be sure not to overcook the fish.

9.            Once the fish is cooked, pour in the thick coconut milk and give it a gentle stir. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on low heat.

10.          In a separate small pan, heat coconut oil for tempering (optional). Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chilies and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until the leaves turn crispy. Pour this tempering over the fish curry.

11.          Remove from heat and garnish with some fresh curry leaves.

Your Fish Molly is ready to be served! Serve it hot with steamed rice, appam (rice pancakes) or bread. Enjoy your meal!

How do You Know when Dementia Care is Needed?

As we get older it’s not unusual to become a little less sharp mentally or even a bit forgetful.

At what point should you become concerned that a loved one is developing dementia and might need specialist care? And if care is needed, what should you look for?

Every individual is different. We all have our own views and attitudes about residential care. And in every case there are different levels of support available from family members and friends. This makes it more or less impossible to set a universal benchmark for when somebody will need specialist residential dementia care.

When Should You be Concerned?

Concerns usually arise when dementia starts affecting everyday life. For example, a relative finds it difficult to complete familiar tasks like cooking or washing, gets confused about time and place or persistently misplaces items by leaving them in illogical places.

None of these automatically mean it’s time for specialist residential care. But it does mean there are care needs that need to be properly assessed. This will give you and your relative a clearer picture of the care options available.

Each case is different and everyone should, as far as is possible, make their own decisions about the care they need. The situation is more acute and sensitive if somebody can no longer care for themselves or live safely in their own home.

Choosing a Dementia Care Home

If residential dementia care is the best option, your local council will give you a list of suitable homes. Checking

online reviews and CQC inspection reports is a helpful place to start but won’t necessarily tell you what will be the best choice for a particular person.

We could give you a list of objective criteria to help you choose a home, but sometimes it comes down to the home that ‘feels right’. This could be about the standard of the accommodation and the range of activities on offer.

Or, it might just be about the staff and how interested they seem in learning about your relative (their personal history, likes and dislikes, for example) and meeting their individual needs.

Visit the homes on the shortlist, take as long as you need to make the right decision, and involve your relative as much as possible.

Dementia Care at Sherborne House

Sherborne House in Yeovil specialises in dementia care. The care we offer is professional and compassionate and very much centred around the needs of each individual. Our team aims to balance care and personal safety with wellbeing, independence and quality of life.

If you’d like to discuss dementia care needs in general or take a look around Sherborne House please get in touch.

Reflecting on our Progress Towards Gender Equality on International Women’s Day 2023

Altogether Care has a strong commitment to promoting gender equality and encouraging internal promotions. The care sector is often a female-dominated field due to a number of reasons.

It’s encouraging to know that 75% of Altogether Care managers are internal promotions, and that at Altogether Care we are proud to have such a strong team of women in crucial roles throughout the business. We value diversity and take proactive steps to promote gender equality in the workplace.

Promoting gender equality is not only the right thing to do, but it also has tangible benefits for businesses, including increased productivity, improved employee engagement and retention, and enhanced reputation and brand image. By creating a workplace culture that values diversity and inclusivity, ATC is not only creating a positive work environment for employees, but also positioning itself for long-term success and growth.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day and the theme of equality, it’s important to continue to promote gender equality and to advocate for women’s rights and empowerment both in the workplace and in society more broadly.

Gender equality is an important issue that affects not only individual women, but also the wider community and society as a whole. By promoting gender equality in the workplace, ATC is setting an example for other companies and contributing to a more equal and just society. It’s important to continue to monitor and address any gender imbalances within the company, and to ensure that women are given equal opportunities to advance and succeed in their careers. By doing so, ATC can help to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture that benefits everyone.

International Women’s Day is an important opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made towards gender equality, while also recognising the ongoing challenges and work that still needs to be done. By continuing to prioritise gender equality and inclusion, ATC can help to create a more equitable and just society for all.

Steepleton Manor Care Home Celebrates Valentine’s Day

Steepleton Manor’s 2023 Valentine’s Day was absolutely full of love and fun was had by all in attendance.

The residents and staff spent some time working on arts and crafts to create some things for display and to gift to one another. They decorated the activity room with hearts made out of red tissue papers and pink card and wrapping paper that had all been laminated to last.

One of our residents made a card for her husband who has dementia, who was delighted to receive a homemade card from his wife as he hadn’t received one in a long time. It was a special moment as he recognised what the card his wife had made was and what it was for on such a special day. Another resident also made a card for his partner who came to visit that day. She was also very happy receiving a Valentine’s Day card from someone so special.

The residents enjoyed a chocolate fountain with plenty of skewers of fruit, marshmallows, biscuits, and small pieces of cake. The residents particularly enjoyed getting hands on with the task by helping staff to break up all the chocolate. Plenty of mess was made and fun was had by all.

The day ended with everyone in high spirits and delighted to have had such an action packed day of love and chocolate.

Tips for Promoting Positive Mental Wellbeing for Care Home Residents

Depression and loneliness are common among the elderly and have only been worsened by the pandemic and following lockdowns.

Almost half a million people live in care homes in the UK and approximately 70% of all care
home residents have dementia or severe memory problems.

Here are the ways we support the mental wellbeing of residents in our care homes:

Is now the Right Time to Consider Respite Care for Your Loved One?

Following the distressing and turbulent times that Covid-19 brought to the UK, with its associated lockdowns and the trauma that it brought with it, this country now seems to be returning to something approaching normality. 

Care homes are operating more or less normally, and the options for care for your loved ones have increased exponentially. Is now the right time to consider residential care for your older relatives? 

Is a care home the best option?

Your relative might be having increasing difficulty with everyday tasks like washing, cooking or dressing themselves and taking their medication. They might be worried about falling, with no one around to help them. And they can get increasingly stressed by the little things in life.

Moving into a care home can give the elderly a new approach to life – they can meet new people with shared life experiences, and they can make new friends. Because there are highly-trained staff on hand at all times, the worries about being on their own melt away. They are fed and washed and entertained and properly looked after.    

Depending on the level of care needed, their every need will be taken into account, and if they need extra nursing or dementia care, that can be arranged. 

Respite care

It may be that it’s too soon for you to start thinking about full-time residential care. In which case, respite care might be a more suitable option.

Respite care can be for a short time, such as only a few hours every week, or can be overnight, or a weekend. 

Even though many people take a great deal of pleasure in providing care to their loved ones so that they can remain at home, the financial, physical and emotional consequences can be overwhelming without some support, such as respite. 

To be most effective, you should consider respite services much earlier than you might think you will need them. Respite is best if you use it before you become exhausted, and isolated by your responsibilities. 

Altogether Care is committed to providing your loved ones with the highest possible standards of care, and is vigilant about the possible return of variants of the Covid-19 virus, se we take every possible precaution to keep residents and staff as safe as possible.

If you’d like to explore care options available for yourself or an elderly relative, give Altogether Care a call, visit our website, or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk.

Weymouth Care Home Residents and Staff Sea Life Centre Sensory Day

Resident’s and Staff at our Weymouth Care Home recently went out to the Weymouth Sea life Centre for their Sensory Day.

They loved seeing all the variety of sea creatures, such as the seals and being in the underwater tunnel where they could see sharks, sting rays, turtles and more. They thoroughly enjoyed choosing their own gifts from the gift shop. The residents and staff cannot wait to do this again soon.

The purpose of our Sea Life sensory day was so that everyone could experience not only a different environment, but different senses such as: sounds (running water, noises from penguins, music), smells (the penguin enclosure, the smell of the food that was there), sight (different sea creatures, bubbles, lights).

Each week our sensory days look at different things which affect different senses. Previous sensory days focusing on touch at Weymouth Care Home have included orbeeze and slime. For sound we have used instruments, and for sight we have used sensory lights. We also use our magic table if they are doing a bubble pop game, we also have our bubble machine on and music in the background.

Sensory days are incredibly important for those who need activities adapted, or who struggle to partake in group activities as it helps keep their brains stimulated, it gives them new opportunities to experience their senses.

We have found that by doing sensory days it has had a positive impact on all residents who have taken part, and it’s nice doing activities that all abilities can partake in.

Is Now the Right Time to Move Into a Care Home?

Moving into a care home is a big step. Ideally, you’ll want to take some time over the decision so that you’re well prepared for the adjustment. It’s then much more likely to be a successful transition.

In current times, with high Covid rates across the country, moving into a care home can seem like an even bigger step. But should you worry?

After almost two years of learning to live with the virus, care homes are among the safest places you can be. Anybody who isn’t fully vaccinated is not permitted into our homes, this includes staff, tradespeople and even delivery drivers.

We are also inspected by the Care Quality Commission and local councils and must demonstrate that we have robust infection prevention and control measures in place.

There are other reasons why you could benefit from moving into a care home. Isolation and loneliness increased during the pandemic. In a care home you always have company and the opportunity to take part in a pre planned activities programme including bus trips to local beauty spots or local tea rooms.

You also get three nourishing meals every day freshly prepared for. Your medications are taken care of, and there are always trained staff on hand to look after you 24 hours a day.

Moving Into a Care Home – Practical Steps

So, if moving into a care home sounds like a more reassuring and appealing prospect, what should you do next?

Always do your research. We try to offer as much information as possible to help people decide whether an Altogether Care home is the right choice for them.

Booking a short stay is a good way to sample life in one of our homes. This can also give family members who’ve been helping to care for you a bit of a break. However much information you have about life in a care home, there’s no substitute for trying it out and seeing whether it feels right – and whether moving into a care home is something you’re ready to do.

Once you’ve selected a care home, decide which clothes and other personal possessions you want to take with you. We encourage our residents to bring pictures, ornaments and items of furniture with them so that your room feels like home.

If you have any questions about moving into a care home or would like to arrange a visit to take a look around and see what life might be like, just get in touch on 01305 300 161 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk.

We’ve Just Seen Why Effective Healthcare Relies on Effective Social Care

The last few months have highlighted a few facts about our social care system. First, just how essential it is. Unless they are users of the care system or have a relative in care, most people probably don’t give social care much of a thought (other than as a service they might need sometime in the future).

Care workers and care providers haven’t been given the same recognition and credibility as staff working in the NHS. But COVID-19 threw a spotlight on the work the care system does. It highlighted just how interconnected health and care services are when it comes to meeting the needs of an ageing population.

Users want the care system and the provision they receive to be seamless. It’s pretty irrelevant to them whether they are in a health or a care setting. They just want to be reassured that their needs are being looked after.

Shared Goals

The NHS and the care sector have the same goals: caring for those in need in the best way possible. Completely integrated care allows people to move between settings without feeling that they are being transferred from one service to another. To achieve this, the status of the care sector and care workers has to be addressed.

During the peak of the pandemic, the care sector kept going in very difficult circumstances. The fact that hospitals weren’t overwhelmed owed much to the contribution of care providers. We have worked closely with local authorities and CCG’s throughout and continue to do so, in responding to the rapidly increasing demand for care as people went back home.

Many providers invested significantly in training, procedures and equipment – ensuring that infection control measures were in place and to make the risks as minimal as possible. Altogether Care made sure that any new residents coming into the care home were tested negative for COVID-19 from the beginning of the crisis and are continuing to ensure that new residents take tests, only accepting individuals who test negative.

The future will bring further challenges. There’s a very real risk of a second wave of COVID-19 infections this winter. We also have an ageing population and a service that is still underfunded and suffering from severe staff shortages. Brexit will not make the situation any easier.

The vital work carried out by the care sector is now prominent in the media and in the minds of politicians and the public. This is the time to address long-standing issues around integration of health and care services, funding, and the esteem of care workers compared to NHS staff. Ultimately, we are all working towards the same goals.

For more information, contact us today on 01305 300161 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk

Flexibility in Care: Later Life Care is a Journey, Not an Event

People often talk about ‘going into care’ or ‘receiving care’ as though these are single events or destinations. The reality is that everyone’s care journey is unique. At different times, an individual might need more or less care, or different types of care.

Care is sometimes needed for a short period to help somebody recover from illness or an operation. Often, it’s a progressive journey where needs gradually change with increasing levels of dependency.

Nobody can really predict how an individual’s care needs are likely to evolve, or at what rate. As a care provider an important part of what we do is to continually assess the support that our clients need and to adjust their care plans to suit. In most cases a formal annual review of the care plan is enough but sometimes it needs to be more frequent or is triggered by an event such as illness.

Flexibility is essential so that we can achieve the right balance between care support, wellbeing and maintaining independence. A good quality of life is every bit as important as looking after personal and healthcare needs.

Anticipating Change

Part of the process is to anticipate changes, particularly where care needs are likely to increase over time. This relies on getting to know clients really well. We can then build trust by demonstrating to clients and their families that decisions are always made in their best interests and reflect their wishes.

This relationship is critical in making the care planning process work effectively, in a way that consistently meets clients’ needs.

One helpful consideration when choosing a care provider is to think about how needs may change over time. Because relationships are important, it can be useful to look at the range of services the provider offers should they be needed in future.

Altogether Care is able to respond to changes in the level of dependency over time. All staff are well trained to manage any increase in requirements, including moving and handling, care planning and dementia awareness.

Our services range from help with personal care in your own home, through to nursing care to assist with dementia, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, strokes and much more. As needs change, we can support our clients through each stage of their care journey. They have the reassurance that they are always dealing with a team of people who understand them as individuals and can respond to whatever challenges arise.

To talk through our our services with a member of our team, contact us today on 01305 300161 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk.

Maintaining Health and Wellbeing: Why Care at Home May Be the Best Option

There is sometimes an assumption that having significant care needs automatically means residential care. But that needn’t be the case. There are plenty of options for receiving the care you need in your own home. For many people, care at home can even help them stay healthier for longer.

Good health and mental wellbeing are closely linked. And sometimes wellbeing comes from familiar surroundings and familiar routines. This can be particularly important for people with dementia. Being independent also helps people to feel more active and engaged, which also helps to keep them healthier for longer.

Living on Your Own

If you have a spouse, partner or family member living with you, staying in your home is easier. But even if you find yourself living alone it doesn’t mean that residential care is your only choice.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, people with dementia, ‘often feel happier if they can remain independent and in their own homes as long as possible.’ They list a few important factors for continuing to live contentedly in your own home:

  • Have a good support network of family, friends and care professionals.
  • Keep up with social activities and pastimes.
  • Make a point of calling people regularly and consider using a video calling service such as Skype.
  • Investigate local befriending groups.
  • Consider online forums and support groups if you don’t have friends or family you can talk to regularly.

The other important aspect of continuing to live a healthier and happier life in your own home is to find the right home care provider. Even if you need around the clock care to carry on living at home, it is possible to arrange this through a live-in care service. For many more people, it’s likely to be finding help with simpler tasks such as washing, dressing and housework.

Whatever the level of support you need, you should always be able to live at home if it’s where you feel happier and more independent. Talk to the team at Altogether Care and we’ll help you find the home care solution that works best for you. Contact 01305 206140 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk for more information.

Caring for a Loved One: How to Lift & Handle Safely and Properly

Being a caregiver is a demanding task. It is likely to be a role that you never asked for and maybe one that you never expected to have. It can be thankless, and it can sometimes feel like you are on your own.

Fortunately, there is help and support available from organisations such as Carers UK where you can find advice, guidance and online forums so you can share experiences and learn from other people in a similar situation.

As a family-run and socially responsible care business, Altogether Care also likes to support unpaid caregivers where we can with advice and occasional training courses.

Moving and Handling

One of the trickiest aspects of caregiving can be when you need to help somebody with restricted movement. Moving and handling comes with the risk of personal injury if you don’t do it correctly. You must also keep the dignity and self-respect of the person being moved in mind. Safe moving and handling are important aspects of the training that all our care staff go through.

Free Training Course

To help, we are offering free training to caregivers on how to move people safely. You’ll be provided with a certificate upon completing the course. It will take on Wednesday 18th March at 2pm and Thursday 26th March at 2pm.

The courses will be held at 13 Carlton Road North, Weymouth, DT4 7PY.

Booking is essential to secure your place. Please email ellief@altogethercare.co.uk or call 07881 802196 to book.

We’ll also give you free tea, coffee and cake. As well as the training you’ll have the chance to meet and talk to other caregivers.

Top Tips

If you can’t make the training here are a few moving and handling tips that will help:

  • Take account of the weight of the person. If you don’t think you’re strong enough don’t attempt it on your own.
  • Always get somebody to help if you can.
  • Make sure there are no obstacles or ‘slip and trip’ hazards.
  • Never lift above shoulder height
  • Space your feet to give you a firm and stable base.
  • Have a firm hold and keep any weight close to your body
  • Lift from the knees keeping your back straight
  • Lift as smoothly as possible

Obviously, it’s better to be shown how to do this than read about it. So, if you can, please come along to our free training session. We look forward to seeing you.

For more information, please contact us on 01305 206140 or email contact@altogothercare.co.uk

Getting Into The Yoga Flow at Steepleton Manor

In our mission to aid health and wellbeing among residents in our care homes, we have introduced regular yoga classes , which offer a gentle by effective workout. The yoga sessions are designed for wheelchair users but anyone can join in on the fun!

Taught by Leah Miles, a Yoga Instructor based in Bridport, the classes are tailored to stimulate many of the muscles that are used in walking, to help build strength and support the immune system. The classes are also calming and relaxing, providing residents with a relaxing way to get exercise.

To find out more about Steepleton Manor care home, contact 01305 300161.

Bea and Peter enjoying a Yoga class with Leah at Steepleton Manor

Do you want to find out about the likely costs for living in a care home? Try our care calculator here.

2019 in Review: A Reflection from The Chairman

Having just bid farewell to the last decade and ushered into the next, I found myself musing over what Altogether Care LLP (ATC) had achieved in the last 10 years and what it might achieve in the next 10 years.

Looking back over the last decade, I derive great satisfaction from ATC’s organic growth, marked by the optimisation of our care home buildings, the rapid expansion of our Care at Home business and the significant increase in our neighbourhood customer base. This has enabled us to move up from a local business enterprise to a much larger regional enterprise that is now delivering the resources necessary for further expansion in the next decade.

Traditionally business logic would argue that the sole purpose of any business is to make a sensible profit to sustain its safe operation. While this is an important financial metric, ATC’s Board of Members judge it to be a narrow image of our business that constrains how we see our role in society. It is their view that while ATC must always strive for success in a business sense, it should not necessarily be expressed only in financial terms without any focus on the pastoral side of our care work and the well-being of our staff.

While it is uncertain what the UK’s future will look like outside the European Union, I have every confidence that our great nation will grasp the nettle and make Britain a powerhouse again. However, following Brexit, the government’s immigration policy will likely have a negative impact on the ability of the NHS and social care providers, such as ourselves, to recruit sufficient UK staff to replace EU staff upon whom we have become increasingly reliant.

With the above in mind, ATC needs to have an increasingly positive and progressive influence on the care sector over the next ten years. We must also recognise that we cannot grow the business without large numbers of good employees with a passion for care work and the right skill sets. Our business strategy must therefore be progressively shaped around the lives of our employees and service users and what makes their work and lives worth living. This will require a change in our thinking, remembering also that our care workers are both internal players and the company’s representatives in the community.

No doubt this will require more investment in our work force and society in general to help ATC build upon the institution that is its family business. To serve this purpose, the Board will, I am sure, wish to think beyond our business portfolio and make more room for investment in our employee’s empowerment, emotional engagement, values-based leadership, and related social contributions. In short, our employees, service users and society should not be an afterthought but must be placed at the core of our business plan.

In the next decade, I would expect ATC to continue to be a high-performing and growth minded business, which consistently meets services users’ needs and adds value by; providing satisfying jobs for our employees and by forging relationships with a network of suppliers and business partners, who can provide resources for improvement in such areas as, assistive technologies, innovation around service delivery and cost efficiencies wherever possible. Moreover, we should seek public approval for what ATC is and does by aligning our business objectives more closely with social values and reflecting this in our marketing approach.

In conclusion, only by thinking of ATC as a social institution, with strong family values, fantastic work culture, vibrant workplace environment and a as meritocracy offering a real chance for self-improvement and career success can we expect to attract and retain superior employees with a calling for care.

I firmly believe that in the immediate future ATC should place social logic alongside financial logic as a guiding principle for its market analysis, recruitment and retention, education, training, employment policy, and managerial decision making. This I feel will add another exciting dimension to our service that is significant, or more so, than commercial success alone.

It continues to be an immense pleasure for me to work with so many dedicated people who make a huge difference to the quality of older peoples’ lives.

Happy New Decade.

Brian Westlake

January Can Be the Loneliest Month for Older People

Research carried out by the Co-op revealed that for people of all ages, January is the month when they are most likely to experience loneliness. And it’s easy to see why: cold weather, short days and fewer opportunities to get out and meet people. ‘Blue Monday’ is the notorious 3rd Monday in January that is thought to be the most depressing of the year.

Now imagine how that feels for an older person living on their own. They may have been one of the more fortunate ones that had company and attention over Christmas. Then, once the New Year is in, everyone’s back to their normal routine and may be preoccupied with how to pay for the festivities just gone.

It’s easy to assume that we’ve done our bit by popping in to see an elderly relative or neighbour over the holiday period. And these visits are valued. It’s just that it’s hard if this is followed by weeks of seeing nobody.

Loneliness has a major impact on wellbeing, so how can wellbeing be improved in January?

In our care homes we ensure that people are kept occupied all year round with activities and are surrounded by people in a sociable environment. The question is, how this approach can be applied to people who receive care at home. It’s certainly much harder when it relies on busy people being able to find a few hours here and there in a busy life.

The reality is that people in residential care are less likely to experience loneliness and can enjoy better mental wellbeing as a result. There are activities such as puzzles, games, singing and visits arranged. Care homes can also look after other aspects that contribute to wellbeing such as eating a nutritious diet and taking regular exercise.

For many, a care home offers a more sociable environment compared to living at home, which can promote better health and wellbeing – in January and throughout the year.

Contact us at 01305 206 140 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk for more information about our services and care homes.

It’s Time for Unpaid Caregivers to Recharge their Batteries

‘Batteries not included’ used to be common wording on the packaging of Christmas gifts. Years ago, when shops were shut for the whole of the holiday period, this could cause problems. Partially discharged batteries were pulled out of torches, remote controls and who knows what else to extract the few final hours of energy from them. Toys could be played with and new gadgets used.

Being an unpaid caregiver at Christmas, whether you’re providing care for a family member or friend, can feel a lot like being one of those batteries. Your resources have been slowly drained over the year and you’re called on to give up one more burst of energy to hold everything together over the holiday. When it’s all over, you’re left feeling as flat as a bottle of fizz uncorked since Christmas Eve.

Burnout

Your batteries are not so easy to replace. January means back to normal, and back to the routine of daily unpaid care duties. Little wonder that December and January are the months when many caregivers experience burnout. That final burst over Christmas, when there is so much else to take care of on top of the care duties, took the last bit of energy.

It’s easy to convince yourself that everything will be fine once you’re back into the normal routine, but is it healthy? Everyone needs a break – carers more than anybody, especially if you work full-time alongside providing care for a loved one. But, of course, you’re responsible, and you’re taking care of somebody who is important to you. You can become trapped by feeling guilty if you take some time out.

Respite Care

It’s important to take some time out to look after yourself. After all, if your health fails, who will take over your caring duties in the longer term? Fortunately, you have options.

Respite care can be either residential or day care and is available at Altogether Care’s three Dorset care homes. It can allow you to take some time off to rest and look after yourself. It can also provide a welcome break from routine in a safe and caring environment for your loved one. A few days or a week can make all the difference and leave you feeling refreshed and recharged.

If you don’t wish to leave your loved one at all, Altogether Care’s Care at Home team are also on-hand to assist with your daily care duties, by lifting some of the work off from your shoulders when you need it most. Our Care at Home staff can help you with flexible day care assistance, getting out and about, help throughout the night or domestic support.

Contact us at 01305 206 140 or email contact@altogethercare.co.uk for more information about our services and care homes.

Christmas Jumper Day at Steepleton Manor

The staff and residents were getting into the Christmas spirit last week with Christmas jumpers worn all round! It isn’t Christmas without a Christmas jumper day at Steepleton Manor.

Steepleton Manor has been serving as a luxury retirement home for over 20 years, specialising in assisted living, nursing and elderly care.

Altogether Care provides a wide range of care services such as Care in Your Own Home, Dementia Care, Holiday Care, Day Care, Nursing Care and Assisted Living Care. Each of our care plans are specifically tailored to provide the right balance of supportive, friendly and professional care.

Find out more about Steepleton Manor by giving us a call today on 01305 300161.

Some recent day to day activities