Showing posts with label nursing home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing home. Show all posts
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
How to pay for your care.
The argument rages on between the political parties about how social care will be paid for in the future. But this does not alter the fact that today somebody is looking for a care home and that they need to pay for it. I have put together a simple ten step guide to make sure that you don't forget any of the important points. You can also request a free detailed guide from this page, that will give you more specific information.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
The best care homes in England.
Finding the best care homes in England is a difficult and daunting task. However, as a result of a competition that http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/ began in July 2009, that encouraged residents, relatives, visitors and professionals who visit homes, to vote and leave personal recommendations about the homes that they believe are doing a wonderful job - I have this week presented awards to four care homes.
These homes won their awards because members of the public think they are the best care homes in England. Having visited them, I think they may be right - but judge for yourself.
The overall winner of the award and the winner of the Midlands region was Morton Grange in Alfreton Derbyshire http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5313-morton-grange.php
The winner of the North was Red Rocks Nursing Home in the Wirral, http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-6465-red-rocks-nursing-home.php
The winner of the South West was Chatsworth in Plymouth http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5401-chatsworth.php
and the winner of the South East was St Vincent on the Isle of Wight. http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5950-st-vincent.php
With each of these homes you can see a video that really shows you how the Manager and staff feel about their residents - take a look, it's worth it.
These homes won their awards because members of the public think they are the best care homes in England. Having visited them, I think they may be right - but judge for yourself.
The overall winner of the award and the winner of the Midlands region was Morton Grange in Alfreton Derbyshire http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5313-morton-grange.php
The winner of the North was Red Rocks Nursing Home in the Wirral, http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-6465-red-rocks-nursing-home.php
The winner of the South West was Chatsworth in Plymouth http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5401-chatsworth.php
and the winner of the South East was St Vincent on the Isle of Wight. http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/care-home-5950-st-vincent.php
With each of these homes you can see a video that really shows you how the Manager and staff feel about their residents - take a look, it's worth it.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Checklist: what to take when you move into a care home.
The first thing you need to know is that everything needs to be labelled - absolutely everything. Losing clothes or somebody else wearing your relatives clothes can be a big problem.
-Underwear.
Most care homes suggest you take in enough underwear for several weeks, bear in mind space will be limited. A word about tights, they are difficult to get on and off if you are a little unsteady on your feet, consider pop socks.
-Everyday clothing.
Again think about how much space is available, the type of clothes your relative would normally wear and feel comfortable in and the general style of the other residents. Being over or under dressed can be embarrassing and make it difficult to fit in.
Care homes tend to be warm for us, but chilly if you are sitting for long periods, consider layers of various thicknesses - cardigans are always useful and easy to get on and off, enabling your relative to do dress without having to ask for help.
-Accessories.
Shoes should be comfortable as they are likely to be worn most of the time when your relative is not in their room. Outdoor shoes and boots are unlikely to be used and take up a lot of space - perhaps store them on your relatives behalf. Other accessories, for example scarves should also be considered if they tend to form part of your relatives usual dressing habits.
- Jewellery.
Precious items for your relative should be taken into the home. However, valuable items may need to be considered separately. Have a word with the Matron or Manager and see what their policy is.
-Toiletries.
Clearly this is a personal issue, but you will need to take in all of the normal day to day toiletries. It is probably worth having a look in your relatives bathroom to make sure you know what brands they like - when you have been using Colgate toothpaste all of your life it's a bit much to be asked to switch to Macleans! It is also likely that you will be buying replacement toiletries, so it's quite useful to know what the brands are.
Keep an eye on how much space there is for potions and lotions and consider a wash bag that you can hang next to the sink with everything in it.
-Towels and Robes.
If you want your relative to use their own towels then its time to sew on more labels. Dressing gowns and slippers are a must.
-Furniture.
How big the room is will be the governing factor here. Familiar items of furniture, tables, favourite chairs and cushions and paintings are all really important and will help your relative to feel at home. Do not underestimate the importance of photos as their link with the past and the present reinforce who we are and our sense of identity.
-Television.
If space permits and I hope it does, then a TV in your room can be a godsend - you will need a TV licence though, this can be transferred from the old house, but don't forget to keep an eye on when it runs out.
-Radio.
A radio or music centre might be important to your relative, particularly if they have failing eyesight. Ask how they would normally spend their evenings and try to recreate that.
-Clock.
Knowing when somebody is going to call or it is time to go to lunch can be worrying if you don't know what the time is. Make sure the clock is large enough to tell the time - particularly if the numerals on a wrist watch are too small.
-Telephone.
Keeping in touch without having to go via the Managers office can be important. Mobile phones are often either too small or too technological to be of use. Sometimes there is a telephone point in the room in which case you can use a land line. However, there is a new phone that has been developed that takes a sim card, looks like a normal phone, doesn't need any wiring and most importantly, if the handset isn't replaced it recognises that nobody is talking and hangs up for you - enabling the next call to get through, it's new so email me at debbie.harris@best-care-home.co.uk if you would like more information.
-Books.
Check your relatives bedside table for any current books they are reading and do bear in mind that books are like old friends, there may be others that they would wish to take - however many times they have read them. Don't forget newspapers.
-Calendar.
Keeping track of time and marking birthdays and special events on a calendar, along with perhaps a supply of cards and stamps might be useful. Ask the Manager or Matron what the postal arrangements are.
-Phone numbers.
Don't forget the address book with all of the telephone numbers of friends.
-Paperwork.
Decide where the paperwork will be kept, either with your relative in a secure cupboard or depending upon their level of awareness with a relative.
Look around your relatives home - in particular the places where they spend a lot of time; their favourite chair, in bed, on the porch - what items surround them, it is these that are most likely to be missed. Try and take as many into their new home as your can.
I welcome any suggestions that will improve this checklist.
-Underwear.
Most care homes suggest you take in enough underwear for several weeks, bear in mind space will be limited. A word about tights, they are difficult to get on and off if you are a little unsteady on your feet, consider pop socks.
-Everyday clothing.
Again think about how much space is available, the type of clothes your relative would normally wear and feel comfortable in and the general style of the other residents. Being over or under dressed can be embarrassing and make it difficult to fit in.
Care homes tend to be warm for us, but chilly if you are sitting for long periods, consider layers of various thicknesses - cardigans are always useful and easy to get on and off, enabling your relative to do dress without having to ask for help.
-Accessories.
Shoes should be comfortable as they are likely to be worn most of the time when your relative is not in their room. Outdoor shoes and boots are unlikely to be used and take up a lot of space - perhaps store them on your relatives behalf. Other accessories, for example scarves should also be considered if they tend to form part of your relatives usual dressing habits.
- Jewellery.
Precious items for your relative should be taken into the home. However, valuable items may need to be considered separately. Have a word with the Matron or Manager and see what their policy is.
-Toiletries.
Clearly this is a personal issue, but you will need to take in all of the normal day to day toiletries. It is probably worth having a look in your relatives bathroom to make sure you know what brands they like - when you have been using Colgate toothpaste all of your life it's a bit much to be asked to switch to Macleans! It is also likely that you will be buying replacement toiletries, so it's quite useful to know what the brands are.
Keep an eye on how much space there is for potions and lotions and consider a wash bag that you can hang next to the sink with everything in it.
-Towels and Robes.
If you want your relative to use their own towels then its time to sew on more labels. Dressing gowns and slippers are a must.
-Furniture.
How big the room is will be the governing factor here. Familiar items of furniture, tables, favourite chairs and cushions and paintings are all really important and will help your relative to feel at home. Do not underestimate the importance of photos as their link with the past and the present reinforce who we are and our sense of identity.
-Television.
If space permits and I hope it does, then a TV in your room can be a godsend - you will need a TV licence though, this can be transferred from the old house, but don't forget to keep an eye on when it runs out.
-Radio.
A radio or music centre might be important to your relative, particularly if they have failing eyesight. Ask how they would normally spend their evenings and try to recreate that.
-Clock.
Knowing when somebody is going to call or it is time to go to lunch can be worrying if you don't know what the time is. Make sure the clock is large enough to tell the time - particularly if the numerals on a wrist watch are too small.
-Telephone.
Keeping in touch without having to go via the Managers office can be important. Mobile phones are often either too small or too technological to be of use. Sometimes there is a telephone point in the room in which case you can use a land line. However, there is a new phone that has been developed that takes a sim card, looks like a normal phone, doesn't need any wiring and most importantly, if the handset isn't replaced it recognises that nobody is talking and hangs up for you - enabling the next call to get through, it's new so email me at debbie.harris@best-care-home.co.uk if you would like more information.
-Books.
Check your relatives bedside table for any current books they are reading and do bear in mind that books are like old friends, there may be others that they would wish to take - however many times they have read them. Don't forget newspapers.
-Calendar.
Keeping track of time and marking birthdays and special events on a calendar, along with perhaps a supply of cards and stamps might be useful. Ask the Manager or Matron what the postal arrangements are.
-Phone numbers.
Don't forget the address book with all of the telephone numbers of friends.
-Paperwork.
Decide where the paperwork will be kept, either with your relative in a secure cupboard or depending upon their level of awareness with a relative.
Look around your relatives home - in particular the places where they spend a lot of time; their favourite chair, in bed, on the porch - what items surround them, it is these that are most likely to be missed. Try and take as many into their new home as your can.
I welcome any suggestions that will improve this checklist.
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Where are the Dignity Champions?
I became a Dignity Champion about a year ago and recently attended a meeting at the Department of Health about their Dignity in Care Campaign. Among the 15 or so who attended there was only one other person, other than myself, who did not actually work in a care environment.
I must say they were all articulate and passionate about trying to make their care environment more dignified - but I couldn't help thinking, where are the members of the public?
Surely it is the public who wants to safeguard the dignity of their relatives when they are in a residential or nursing home? It is also the public who often witnesses undignified or unacceptable behaviour by health care workers.
Being treated with dignity is in my view a basic human right and never more so than when the individual concerned is vulnerable. So why aren't the public getting involved in the Dignity Campaign?
I think the answer to that is quite simple - they don't know about it!
So I am on a mission to inform members of the public that they can become dignity champions and help to influence how their relatives are treated within care homes and any other care environment. I have even got my mum and dad involved as they are the reason I feel so passionately about this - check out http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/dignity.php if you would like to meet mum and dad and see how I am trying to encourage people to become Dignity Champions. Are you one?
I must say they were all articulate and passionate about trying to make their care environment more dignified - but I couldn't help thinking, where are the members of the public?
Surely it is the public who wants to safeguard the dignity of their relatives when they are in a residential or nursing home? It is also the public who often witnesses undignified or unacceptable behaviour by health care workers.
Being treated with dignity is in my view a basic human right and never more so than when the individual concerned is vulnerable. So why aren't the public getting involved in the Dignity Campaign?
I think the answer to that is quite simple - they don't know about it!
So I am on a mission to inform members of the public that they can become dignity champions and help to influence how their relatives are treated within care homes and any other care environment. I have even got my mum and dad involved as they are the reason I feel so passionately about this - check out http://www.best-care-home.co.uk/dignity.php if you would like to meet mum and dad and see how I am trying to encourage people to become Dignity Champions. Are you one?
Friday, 16 October 2009
Personal recommendations about care homes are rarer than hen's teeth and yet it seems to be that most people rely on the views of others when they choose a care home. I have even seen statistics that suggest one third of people only see one care home when making their choice - presumably through lack of information about the others.
If you don't have access to unbiased information it is easy to see how the first one you see could become the ultimate destination.
My ethos as I explained in my first blog, is that if you have a problem with an area of care try and find a solution. So I have set up www.best-care-home.co.uk. Initially I simply wanted to provide an online register of the best care homes, with a lot more information that simply a name, address and telephone number - so I encouraged lots of photos, links to CQC reports, videos (more of that later). Anything that will really give a prospective resident and their family a realistic and valuable insight into the home, before they visit it; and I made this free to the care home so that there were no barriers to providing information.
I also encouraged personal recommendations of the homes; and if I believed everything I read in the newspapers, I wasn't expecting to receive very many - how wrong could I be. I have received hundreds in a few months and they are moving and genuine and would really encourage me to visit that home.
So congratulations to the homes and the staff that have received these pesonal recommendations and thank you to the members of the public, residents, health visitors and everybody else that wanted to share their positive experiences with others.
If you don't have access to unbiased information it is easy to see how the first one you see could become the ultimate destination.
My ethos as I explained in my first blog, is that if you have a problem with an area of care try and find a solution. So I have set up www.best-care-home.co.uk. Initially I simply wanted to provide an online register of the best care homes, with a lot more information that simply a name, address and telephone number - so I encouraged lots of photos, links to CQC reports, videos (more of that later). Anything that will really give a prospective resident and their family a realistic and valuable insight into the home, before they visit it; and I made this free to the care home so that there were no barriers to providing information.
I also encouraged personal recommendations of the homes; and if I believed everything I read in the newspapers, I wasn't expecting to receive very many - how wrong could I be. I have received hundreds in a few months and they are moving and genuine and would really encourage me to visit that home.
So congratulations to the homes and the staff that have received these pesonal recommendations and thank you to the members of the public, residents, health visitors and everybody else that wanted to share their positive experiences with others.
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