care home Archives - Page 2 of 9

January Can Be the Loneliest Month for Older People

Posted on 1 January 2020 by dukadmin

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

Posted on 1 January 2020 by dukadmin

‘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

Posted on 16 December 2019 by dukadmin

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.

Christmas at Sherborne House & Santa’s Little Helpers

Posted on 9 December 2019 by dukadmin

Last week, the staff at Sherborne House put their Christmas suits on and dressed as Elves to raise money for individuals affected by Dementia.

Dementia affects over 850,000 people in the UK, which is set to increase to over one million by 2025. We take great pride in providing the best possible quality of care for some of those people affected, ensuring that their environment is comfortable and accommodating to their needs.

This Christmas, the staff at Sherborne House are raising money with a raffle to contribute to the residents’ fund. Read more about our Dementia Care here.

Tackling Loneliness this Christmas with Wiltshire Farm Foods

Posted on 27 November 2019 by dukadmin

For Christmas 2019, Altogether Care is again teaming up with Wiltshire Farm Foods to bring some Christmas Day cheer to elderly people across Dorset and South Somerset.

As a family-run care business for over 30 years, you really get to know the communities you serve. This means, when it comes to Christmas, we are only too aware that many older people could be faced with a very lonely prospect. For many, Christmas is a time when they see no one and feel very much alone.

According to Age UK, over 870,000 people over 65 won’t see or hear from anybody for days over the festive period. Many people will feel lonelier at Christmas than at any other time of the year. This is not exactly the Christmas spirit that everyone envisions over Christmas.

Determined to make sure that old people in our community who live on their own see at least one smiling face on Christmas Day, Altogether Care has, once again, partnered with Wiltshire Farm Foods. Working together, we will provide 120 free Christmas dinners to elderly people across Dorset and South Somerset.

This year our team will be distributing meals on Christmas Day, kindly donated by Wiltshire Farm Foods. Just as important as the meals, our care staff will spend time with each person. We will also be setting up Facetime and Skype so that clients can talk to their relatives on the day. Everyone will be provided with a delicious Christmas pudding and cracker to pull.

As ever, we are incredibly grateful to Wiltshire Farm Foods for their generosity. And to our dedicated team who give up their time because they know that older people on their own probably need us more than ever at Christmas.

Care is much more than a business for us. We see our role as supporting vulnerable people in a community that we are part of, at Christmas and all year round. For more information, please call 01305 766 099 and ask for Dawn or Rachel.

Self-Funding Care – What You Need to Know

Posted on 31 October 2019 by dukadmin

If you live in England and have more than £23,250 in savings, you will probably have to pay for at least some of your care. The value of your property may also be taken into consideration if you opt for residential care rather than care in your own home.

As care costs can be significant, it’s no surprise that self-funding is one of the things we get asked about most often. Care at home will cost at least £20 per hour and residential care over £600 per week.

The reality for most people is that care costs are hard to avoid, and some level of self-funding is inevitable. But there are exceptions and it always pays to know the facts so you can plan effectively. The Money Advice Service has plenty of information on their website.

Exceptions and Benefits

Social care is intended to help with tasks that are part of normal living rather than healthcare needs for a disability or complex medical condition. Continuing healthcare requirements could potentially be covered by NHS funding. Unfortunately, there are no clear definitions of what conditions are included and getting the NHS to pay for healthcare costs can be difficult.

To access NHS support, you will need to ask your GP or social services department to arrange a care needs assessment.

You may be able to claim benefits to meet some of your care costs. If you are over 65 and have a long-term illness or disability, you can claim Attendance Allowance towards the cost of care at home. This may not cover the whole cost of your care but will help to reduce the burden.

If you have an illness or disability caused by work, you can claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and possibly a Constant Attendance Allowance on top of this if you need daily care.

Property

The value of your property isn’t relevant if you are planning to receive care in your own home. If you decide on residential care, it will be counted unless your partner continues to live in it.

It might be that selling your property to pay for residential care is a sensible choice. But there are alternatives if you’re not yet ready to make that step or if you want to remain at home. Equity release will provide a lump sum in return for a share of your home. Your council may also have a deferred payment scheme where they fund your care and recover the cost from the proceeds when your home is eventually sold or from your estate.

Arranging Care

If you are paying for your own care, you can choose a care provider you prefer and deal with them directly. It still makes sense to have a care needs assessment so that you know what type and level of care you need to buy and whether any financial support is available. The council might, for example, pay for equipment or modifications to your home to make it easier for you to live in.

If you think you are eligible for council or NHS funded care, arranging a care needs assessment will be the first step.

In some areas you can ask social services to arrange care with an approved provider and bill you for the cost, but not all areas offer this.

If you are funding your own care and you think that your savings will go below the £23,250 threshold, you should contact your social services department three months beforehand. They can then arrange a new financial assessment. They will not back-date their financial support if you claim after your savings have gone below the threshold.

Self-funding care can be a complex area, the team at Altogether Care are always happy to answer any questions you might have. Just give us a call on 01305 206140 or visit our Contact page.

Apetito – Food and Drink for People With Dementia

Posted on 2 October 2019 by dukadmin

Apetito has been established since 1928; they employ their own in-house dietitian and registered nutritionist to create and ensure that all meals are not only delicious but that they also meet the nutritional standards required by the British Dietetic Association (BDA), the National Association of Care Catering and the Hospital Food Standards Panel. In 2016, Apetito won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation for the second time for our texture-modified meals for people who have difficulty swallowing or chewing.

Altogether Care recognises that good nutrition and providing an enjoyable dining experience are central to promoting good health and well-being among our residents, values we hold dear at Sherborne House.

In September, Sherborne House held a food tasting afternoon delivered by Apetito. The afternoon was a resounding success with residents, family members and staff enjoying an array of mouth-watering dishes; with cleared plates all round.

Following on from this successful afternoon with everyone having the opportunity to fire questions fielded by a team of staff from Apetito; the question was asked whether Sherborne House should adopt Apetito? The decision by all was a resounding yes.

So, what does this mean for our residents?

We can now offer our residents a choice of over 200 delicious meals and desserts, so there’s something for everyone, with a wide range of meals tailored to every taste, dietary and cultural requirement.

For residents who have dementia, we acknowledge that the enjoyment of their meal starts with the eyes, with every mealtime a highly sensory experience, the visual aspect is essential.

We wanted to make a difference for all of our residents but faced our biggest challenge was the presentation and taste of our texture modified meals for residents with swallowing difficulties. Typically, these meals were shapeless, somewhat tasteless, not to mention visually unpalatable. We are now delighted that the meals we now provide are visually appealing; with clean plates all around proving the success of the new recognisable shaped foods.

Most importantly, using Apetito means that all of our meals meet Care Quality Commission (CQC) and National Association of Care Catering (NACC) standards and are in line with the British Dietetic Association (BDA) guidelines. The meals carry the optimal nutritional value, all while catering for dietary requirements and conditions such as dysphagia.

One Thing You Should Always Look for When Choosing a Care Home

Posted on 16 September 2019 by dukadmin

If you had to choose a care home, what would you look for? You might look at the quality of the accommodation, staff training, food or maybe even the CQC inspection report.

If your biggest concerns were maintaining emotional and physical wellbeing, good mental health and being less at risk of developing dementia you’d probably want to take a very close look at the activity programme.

There’s a growing body of evidence that staying physically and mentally active is vitally important in later life. The benefits of a full activity programme include better mobility, self-esteem, confidence, independence and companionship.

New research reported by Psychology Today suggests that maintaining high levels of social interaction may also make people more resilient when it comes to the risks of cognitive decline and developing dementia.

At the most basic level activities make life more fun. They are a way to make friends, learn new skills, see new places and interact with other people.

Activity programmes in care homes are not just a way of filling time and preventing residents from getting bored. They are also part of the care people receive because they make such a meaningful contribution to maintaining levels of health and wellbeing.

Our care homes have activity coordinators who carefully plan programmes that include art classes, live music, exercise, dance, gardening and crafts. There are also regular organised trips to nearby locations and events. We aim to provide something for everyone, whatever their level of ability, and many activities are organised in response to residents’ suggestions.

For many residents, being in care makes it easier to access activities so they can enjoy more social interaction, stimulation and enjoyment in their later years.

There are many factors to weigh up when choosing a care home, we’d suggest that the variety of activities on offer should be fairly near the top of the list. You can contact us here to find out more information.

How Will You Use the CQC Ratings When You Search for a Care Home?

Posted on 5 September 2019 by dukadmin

Choosing a care home or a home care provider is a big decision. Anything that helps people make a better choice for themselves or for an elderly relative should be welcomed.

In theory, the ratings issued following inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) ought to be a useful, or even definitive, guide. In our experience, people do pay a lot of attention to ratings, particularly if poor ratings are picked up by the local press. A CQC judgement of inadequate can effectively put a care provider out of business.

But how well do most people understand where the ratings come from, what they mean or how reliable they are? It can be quite complicated as we explained in a recent article about what CQC ratings for care providers mean.

A central problem is that the CQC has developed into a large, cumbersome organisation. The complexity of the inspection regime, with over 600 regulations and CQC expecting 100% compliance for each is getting close to micromanagement. But this is hard to sustain in an organisation that struggles to recruit enough qualified inspectors and only visits most providers every couple of years.

How Accurate Are CQC Ratings?

CQC ratings and reports reflect a snapshot of how an inspection team interpreted what they saw on a specific day. Is this a realistic and accurate picture of what happens on a normal day when inspectors aren’t around? Are some providers simply better at preparing for inspections than others?

Some high-profile cases of neglect and abuse have, in fact, happened at homes that had been rated ‘good’. Similarly, you could probably find many perfectly contented residents in the more than one-in-eight care homes that have never had an overall rating of good. And several homes that are rated as inadequate had previously been rated as good.

So, does all of this mean that CQC ratings have no value? Not necessarily. They are still the result of an independent person who has followed an inspection process. Overall, they will tend to identify homes that are better run and where residents are better cared for.

There’s a strong argument that there are other important considerations for people choosing a care home. The best advice is to see the home for yourself during a normal day. Talk to the staff, try to get a sense of the atmosphere and ask yourself whether it’s somewhere that you or your family member would be happy to live.

Visitors are always welcome at all of our care homes. If you’d like to see for yourself how we work, you can contact us here to arrange a visit and find out more information.

Which Elderly Care Option is the Right One?

Posted on 25 July 2019 by dukadmin

Like it or not, care is something more of us will have to think about. People are living longer and more of us will develop medical conditions that mean we will need help to cope with everyday life to some degree.

Of course, there are plenty of excuses to put it off. These include fears over the potential cost or simply not wanting to accept that time is taking its toll and we need a bit of help. But it’s a reality that may have to be faced and there are probably many more care options than you realise.

Many chose to receive care at home. This can include help with simple tasks such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, washing or dressing. It can make life in your own home easier to manage and give you more time to do things you enjoy. For people with more acute medical needs there are further options to help you stay in your own home including live-in care.

Assisted Living

Assisted living is also a possibility. Typically, people have their own apartment in a home that has round the clock care support available if needed. The advantages are that these homes are designed specifically for people with greater mobility and focus on providing a more convenient and social environment for those that may want to take away the hassle and cost of running their own home.

Residential Care

Residential care is also not always what people imagine. Many residents in our care homes live active, fulfilling and enjoyable lives and are always guaranteed company and something to do. Being within a residential care setting also means that somebody is keeping an eye on your health and nursing or dementia care can be introduced when needed.

Respite Care

Respite care is used for a short period to give carers and the cared-for a break and a change of scene. And sometimes home care or residential care is provided temporarily to help recovery from injury or illness.

How & When do I Need to Choose?

Choosing the best option will depend on each individual and their needs. The first stage is usually to have a care assessment carried out by social services. You might also have a care assessment if you are discharged from hospital.

Based on the care assessment an individual care plan will be developed. This must consider your preferences and allow you to make choices for yourself. This is a good time to understand all of your options and talk them through with family and friends.

Paying for Care

Unless you have very little in the way of savings or assets or your care is the result of a medical diagnosis your care will not be free in England. You can find information about the costs of care here.

The team at Altogether Care will also be happy to advise you. Our information on funding care may be helpful. And you are always welcome to visit one of our care homes to see for yourself what supported living in a caring environment looks like.

What Could the Care Home of the Future Look Like?

Posted on 19 June 2019 by dukadmin

As the population continues to age there’s little doubt that, in future, more people will need or opt for residential care. Meanwhile, the amount of public funding available to pay for care seems unlikely to grow in real terms. Alongside all of this we have the continued development of new technologies designed to save effort and improve productivity.

Many have speculated on what these trends mean for the care home of the future. The only thing we can say for certain is that whatever is being predicted, the reality will probably prove to be rather different.

Will care home residents really be patting robotic pets while robotic helpers clean their rooms, serve their meals and dispense their medication? Surely the value of technology and innovation is in supporting, rather than replacing the human elements of care.

Here are a few of the technological advances that we see playing a role in the care home of the future.

Assistive Technology

Various types of assistive technology are being developed that could improve safety, wellbeing and quality of life for people who need care. Ambient monitoring systems have the capacity to monitor movement, temperature, falls and spills and other data that indicate health and activity levels. This can all provide useful data to complement observations by care staff to ensure that everyone gets the most appropriate care and can live as independently as possible.

What is unquestionable is that people are becoming more focused on the quality of care and the opportunities offered to live fuller and more active lives.

Robotics

It also seems likely that robotic aids of various kinds could help people enjoy greater freedom of movement and maintain more of their physical capabilities. Similarly, augmented reality is proving its worth in providing immersive reminiscence experiences for people with dementia. And robotic pets can indeed help dementia sufferers cope with the stress their condition can cause. We have recently introduced an electronic interactive cat at Sherborne House. The cat demands attention, but this is in no short supply, the interaction and care from residents has been surprising for us and beneficial for residents.

Mobile Technology

Where technology is already helping is in the organisation, delivery and monitoring of care tasks. Within our care homes and or care at home service we are already using mobile technology that is helping to eliminate paperwork and manual effort from many aspects of what we do. Everything from patient care, to medication, incident reporting and food safety can be streamlined and better organised through technology.

A good care home of the future may look different from a care home of today. It will use different technologies. But what won’t change is the personal relationships and interactions that good care has always and will always depend on. To arrange a visit to one of our care homes to find out more information, contact us today on 01305 300161.

Care Home Open Day 2019 at Altogether Care

Posted on 12 June 2019 by dukadmin

Altogether Care will be taking part in National Care Home Open Day on 28th June.

The nationwide open day event is a chance to celebrate all the different people, cultures and relationships in local areas, and show the community that care homes are friendly, happy and exciting places to be.

All of our care homes – Sherborne House in Yeovil, Steepleton Manor near Dorchester, and Weymouth Care Home will open their doors on Friday 28th June with an array of activities, information and events available.

See below the itineraries for each of our care homes.

Weymouth Care Home

Live music will start at 12pm, followed by high tea in the garden from 1pm.
We will also have an Art Gallery which will showcase all of our residents work.
There will be garden games for all ages, from hook a duck to ring toss.
Refreshments will be available, we will have fresh candy floss and a small sweet selection.
Find out more here.

Sherborne House

Coffee morning & cake tasting with the Yeovil Ukulele ladies in attendance will start at 11am.
Elvis will be in the building from 2pm to 3pm! Which will raise the heart beat and the spirits and have staff dancing along.
Visiting birds of prey with afternoon tea from 3pm to 4pm. Everyone will be able to handle and stroke the gorgeous array of birds.
Find out more here.

Steepleton Manor

Join us for Gardening Club from 10:30am to 12pm.
Alpaca’s will visit Steepleton from 2pm to 3pm.
Alan Knott providing Dorset Folk music entertainment from 3pm to 4pm.
Art Club exhibition will be on throughout the day in the main hall.
Find out more here.

And much more – so, what are you waiting for? Come along and meet our residents and staff and to find out why we have been supporting the local community for over 30 years.

Respite Care – Time to Rest, Recharge and Rethink

Posted on 21 May 2019 by dukadmin

June 10-16, 2019 is National Carers Week. Organised by Carers UK, it recognises the contribution made by the 6.8m unpaid carers in the UK. Carers Week encourages them to become better connected and to take better care of their own health.

72% of unpaid carers reported that their mental health suffered as a result of stress, lack of sleep and financial concerns. 63% also said that their physical health had suffered as a consequence of their responsibilities. Many of these carers are delivering elderly care, sometimes alongside a regular job.

Being a carer takes its toll. It is frequently demanding, and it can be lonely. Many carers become socially isolated because they lack the time or energy to go out and meet people or because they worry about leaving the person they are caring for.

If this sounds like a familiar story, then respite care is worth considering.

Respite Care Gives Everyone a Break

A short spell of respite care in a care home can allow carers to get a break while being confident that their loved one is receiving round the clock personal or nursing care. They might take a short holiday or just enjoy a bit of space and time to recharge their energy. Relief from the anxiety of constantly looking out for the welfare of another person can reduce the mental strain and offer a chance to get some proper rest.

Respite care is also a valued service for people recovering from illness or perhaps adjusting to having reduced mobility or physical capabilities. Some use it for a few days while their home is being adapted to make it easier for them to live in, and some use it as an opportunity to sample life in a care home while they are assessing their options.

There are many reasons for using replacement or temporary care (as respite care is sometimes called). It might simply provide a bit of space to reassess care needs and make decisions about the future without being overwhelmed by day-to-day concerns.

Beautiful surroundings at Steepleton Manor provide a lovely environment for the period of respite care. Alternatively, our home in Weymouth provides a peaceful environment for residents, ideal for a few days or a week or two’s stay.

To find out more about how Altogether Care can help you and your loved one, contact us directly on 01305 300 161.

Why We Love to Hear Music in Our Care Homes

Posted on 10 May 2019 by dukadmin

Whatever our personal tastes might be it seems that music is good for all of us. Studies show that music can help reduce stress, improve cognitive performance and memory, and may even help reduce the experience of pain.

Because there appears to be a strong link between music and well-being, music should be an important feature of life in every care home. This means more than just leaving the radio or a CD on all day. There are many ways that music can be integrated imaginatively to enhance the experience of care home residents.

Music and Dementia

Taking part in musically-themed activities has been shown to be particularly beneficial for people with dementia. As well as improving mood and emotional wellbeing musical activities can reduce feelings of isolation and improve self-esteem.

Music can stimulate and energise people so they become more interested in activities happening around them. It can alleviate anxiety, agitation and depression by helping people to work through and process feelings.

Carefully chosen music can also help people to reminisce. This provides a comforting sense of familiarity and can evoke feelings from fond memories.

Recognising the benefits that music brings, Music for Dementia 2020 is a new campaign that aims to make live music available for all people with dementia by 2020.

Live Music in Care Homes

Live music is particularly beneficial. A recent research study (Live Music in Care) led by the University of Winchester and Live Music Now concluded, ‘live music should be essential in all UK care homes.’ The simple reasoning being that residents are encouraged to be more active and engaged and that live music sessions lift the mood of residents and also care staff.

Live music has always been a feature of the varied activity programmes in all of our care homes. We’ve seen for ourselves, the enjoyment and benefits it brings to our residents and we fully support the aims of Music for Dementia and Live Music in Care Homes.

Weymouth – A Care Home Near the Sea is a Wonderful Place to Be

Posted on 2 May 2019 by dukadmin

Thirty years ago, Weymouth became our first care home. As a family-run business, this will always make it a special place for us, once our family home, today it is where our Head Office is still based so we all still have a daily connection with the home, residents and staff. It’s also a special place for the many residents who have stayed with us over that time, and for their families who’ve had the peace of mind of seeing their loved ones well cared for.

We know there are many considerations when people choose a care home. The first of these is to make sure that the home offers the range of care and services you are likely to need. Weymouth care home offers nursing care, holiday or respite care and assisted living.

Above all, a care home has to be inviting, both for potential residents looking for a suitable home and for families and friends when they come to visit. The first impression should always make you feel welcome and at home. Friendly staff and a good standard of both living and communal accommodation are important factors when you make your decision.

Family values still shape our care and the home from home atmosphere we cherish. Each resident has the opportunity to have favourite photos and keep-sakes as a reminder that they are an important part of their own family as well as ours.

Staying Active and Engaged

Our welcoming communal spaces and garden are all about encouraging residents to be as active and engaged as possible. And our location, not far from one of Dorset’s finest beaches and seafronts, is another incentive for people to get out in the fresh air.

Dorset also has a wealth of local places of interest for days out and visits, either on one of our organised trips or with your visitors. Because of our location our residents are never stuck for something to do or somewhere to go.

Weymouth has proved to be an excellent location for a care home. It’s a pleasant place to live with plenty to do. It’s also easy for visitors to get to. We work hard to make sure our home lives up to the rest of the experience. If you would like to find out more about Weymouth Care Home or even spend the day with us, please contact us.

A Time for Looking Forward, as Well as Back

Posted on 20 March 2019 by dukadmin

Older people living in care homes need a number of things to maintain their physical and mental well-being. The opportunity to take part in meaningful activities and to have family and friends still actively involved in their lives are crucial.

Wherever possible, a positive and forward-looking approach is particularly beneficial. Later life is a good time to try out new experiences and learn new skills. You have the time to try out activities you maybe always wanted to have a go at but were perhaps too busy to do in the past. It’s an important role for care homes to ensure that later years are as active and fulfilling as possible.

The Wishing Tree

One of the new features we’ve introduced into our care homes is the Wishing Tree. Our activity coordinators ask each of our residents what they would like to achieve over the next twelve months. Each ambition is written on a label and hung on the tree. We then work with our residents to help make their wishes become a reality.

The intention is for the tree to become a focus for residents and that their families will encourage them to come up with ideas that could help them reconnect with their past and recall significant memories and emotions.

Creative Minds

Our extensive activity programmes also include Creative Minds art classes. These are tailored for care residents and involve visits from tutors each month to take classes in a range of art forms.

As well as being fun, these classes boost self-confidence and esteem. Learning new skills helps to keep the mind healthy through cognitive stimulation and maintains and improves motor skills.

We aim to help all our residents to remain physically and mentally active, and to get the greatest number of positive experiences possible from their later years by continuing to look forward, not just back.

Red Nose Day at Steepleton Manor

Posted on 18 March 2019 by dukadmin

Staff at Steepleton Manor enjoyed dressing up for Red Nose Day on Friday 15th March to show their support for Comic Relief.

A New Home, Not a Care Home

Posted on 12 March 2019 by dukadmin

People have different ideas of what life in a care home is like. Some fear a loss of independence and having their individuality hidden in a corporate style institution. But is this what care home residents really experience?

Concerns possibly arise because of the way that many care homes are owned and operated. As The Guardian recently reported many care homes are in the hands of large companies that operate tens or hundreds of homes. These corporations are often owned by financial institutions that took on substantial levels of debt to buy into the market.

However, alongside the large corporate players, there are still many smaller care home businesses. These are often run as family businesses or charities. Altogether Care is a good example. We are family-owned and operate three care homes alongside our home care services.

Luxury Residential Care

Steepleton Manor is one of our homes and could be described as a luxury residential home. It’s as far removed as you could get from any image of a faceless corporate institution. The setting is idyllic – a former country house nestling in beautifully landscaped grounds. And while the home is large enough to have all the care and social facilities you could ever want, it’s also small enough for everyone to know everyone else and for each resident to feel like an individual.

Independence is encouraged and supported. Residents can grow their own food in our kitchen garden and some even choose to cook for themselves in the Manor.

When residents come to Steepleton Manor we like to think of it as moving to a new home, rather than moving into residential care. The care you need is available, but the focus is on continuing a fulfilling and enjoyable life. Being smaller means that we know all of our residents as individuals and they know us too. This means we can work together so that everyone enjoys the best standards of care alongside the best possible quality of life. If you’d like to see what this looks like in reality we’d be happy to show you around Steepleton Manor and our other care homes.

Putting the Fun Back Into Food for People With Dementia

Posted on 25 February 2019 by dukadmin

For people with dementia, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can be difficult. People often feel less like eating for a number of reasons. Food might not taste the same as it used to, or sometimes it can be physically hard to eat because of pain or reduced motor skills and coordination. Depression is also common, meaning that meal times and food lose their appeal.

When communication becomes difficult, the only way to express the fact that food is too hot, too cold, hard to eat, or just doesn’t taste right may be to leave it. And not eating or eating the wrong things could make a condition worse. While there is no conclusive proof, there is a growing body of evidence to say that a healthy diet, low in salt and saturated fats, and high in antioxidants and Omega-3s can help slow the onset of dementia.

Dementia and Nutrition

There are many things that can be done to encourage people with dementia to eat and drink more and the Alzheimer’s Society has some excellent information on its website. We use many of these techniques at Sherborne House, which specialises in dementia care.

Overall, we aim to reconnect people with the enjoyment of food and eating. Partly this is through the design of the eating environment so that mealtimes are calm and as free of distractions as possible. We also encourage residents to engage with their food by preparing healthy sandwiches and fruit salads and by baking cakes. These are fun, social activities that help to associate food with positive emotions and thoughts, rather than being a source of anxiety or conflict.

The positive culture around eating not only stimulates appetites, it helps residents feel more confident and in control of their lives. Discussions about food can also stimulate reminiscence and maintain sensory abilities.

On the one hand eating and drinking can be a challenging aspect of dementia care, but they can also be therapeutic and encourage greater engagement with other people and enjoyment of life.

Why not come and see for yourself what life at Sherborne House is like? Contact us today on 01305 300 161 to arrange a visit.

Altogether Connect – Now You Can Take Advantage of Our Recruitment Expertise

Posted on 15 February 2019 by dukadmin

Running multiple care homes and care at home services across Dorset, South Somerset and Hampshire means we have a wealth of experience in recruiting staff for a wide range of roles. As well as our excellent care staff we also recruit commercial and domestic cleaners, handymen, chefs and nurses.

Our reputation for excellence is built on our people so we’ve become adept at finding and selecting people with the skills and personal attributes needed to succeed in a service environment.

Our staff resourcing process is highly developed and effective. So, we thought, why not share that expertise? Within the communities we work in there are countless businesses who need to recruit people with similar skills. These include hotels, pubs, restaurants, doctors’ surgeries, offices, schools and other care homes. Individual home owners also sometimes need cleaning and handyman services.

Introducing Altogether Connect

Altogether Connect is a new service to help a wide range of organisations find the staff they need. Now there is a simpler and cost-effective way to source temporary and permanent staff for the roles mentioned above. Our specialist recruitment team can help with everything from creating job descriptions and advertising through to pre-selection of candidates.

For smaller businesses, recruitment can eat up time that could be spent more productively elsewhere. It might not be something that you have been trained to do. And making poor recruitment decisions can be costly.

Altogether Connect takes the stress and uncertainty out of recruitment. Unlike a standard recruitment agency, we have first-hand experience of how people tend to perform once appointed. This gives us an additional insight into the individuals who are likely to be the best fit for your needs.

So, if you’re a hotel, pub, restaurant, school, surgery, or indeed a care home, and you’re looking for staff in Dorset, South Somerset and Hampshire, give the Altogether Care Connect team a call today on 01305 235 500. See how we can help save you time and the costs of making the wrong recruitment decisions.

Tag: care home