Care-Talk-Issue-38

The Voice of Excellence in Social Care
Let's talk
social care!
Issue 38 - December
2014 & January 2015
£2.50
Focus on
partnerships
PLUS: The hallmarks of partnership Embrace the changes that 2015 brings
Dementia discussion map’ Let’s talk co-production and tongue-twisters
l
l

A HENRY STEWART MARKET BRIEFING
This year’s essential briefing will cover:
• Current market trends in property values and
opportunities for growth
• What funding is available, for what purposes and
on what terms
• Making the most of existing buildings and limited capital to increase
value and fundability
• The impact of CQC inspections and the Care Act on your business in 2015
For all those involved in the ownership, operation, valuation, funding, sale and
purchase of care and nursing homes, assisted living property, domiciliary care
businesses and third age housing.
To book your place online and for the full agenda, visit:
www.henrystewartconferences.com/nursinghomes2015
Nursing Homes,
Care Homes, Assisted Living,
Domiciliary Care Services
and Third Age Housing
Le Meridien Hotel, London W1
Wednesday, 11 February 2015 Care Talk
Readers are
eligible for a
10% discount
Use discount code
CT10

Inside Issue 38
Care Talk is a trading name
of Care Comm LLP.
21 Regent Street
Nottingham NG1 5BS
T: 0115 959 6134
F: 0115 959 6148
Care Talk contacts
Editorial: Lisa Carr editorial@caretalk.co.uk
Advertising: Kim Simpson advertising@caretalk.co.uk
Graphic Designer: Tanya Goldthorpe
General: info@caretalk.co.uk
Journalists: Julie Griffiths, Debra Mehta
Tell us your news,
views and
suggestions!
Email editorial@caretalk.co.uk
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Care-Talk
Contributors
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this
magazine. Do keep your articles, news and views coming.
08 24 50
David Foster
Deputy Director
of Nursing and
Midwifery Advisor
Department of
Health
Janet Crampton
Consultant
2020 commissioning
Samantha Cox
Trainee Solicitor
Ridouts
Gail Bessent
Senior activity co-
ordinator
Bupa’s Heathbrook
House
Sharon Allen
Chief executive officer
Skills for Care and
the National Skills
Academy for Social
Care
Jane Ashcroft CBE
Chief executive
Anchor
Gemma de Gouveia
Pr and marketing
officer
C2L Care to Learn
Amy Kerti
Admiral Nurse
Bupa
Paul Patarou
Divisional manager
Health & Social Care
Division
Access Group
Peter Salisbury
Communications
manager
BILD
Mark Thomas
Managing director
Care Management
2000
Des Kelly OBE
Executive director
National Care Forum
Michael Turner
Co-production
support manager
Social Care Institute
for Excellence
News
05 Guest Editor
06 Newsround
08 Why we care about the Great British
Care Awards
09 ‘Thank you’ treat for dedicated care
workers
10 Let’s learn from the life
histories of our older generations
10 Bupa maps out support for those
with a recent diagnosis of dementia
Opinion
12 The hallmarks of partnership
Stories
14 My Gran is back!
15 Putting people first for at
Bupa’s Healthbrook House
16 Reuniting mothers with learning
disabilities
Good Care Week
18 Good Care Week 27 April 2015
Chat
20 Care Talk competition
21 360 opinion: How can we break
down barriers with health?
22 Planet Janet
23 This is your life
24 Care creatures
25 Voice Over
26 Mrs MacBlog
Celebrate
27 And the winner is...
28 Wall of Fame
30 The 2014 Regional Great British
Care Awards
Showcase
32 Care Talk on the road
Learn
34 One of the main changes I have
seen in my time in social care is a
much greater emphasis on partner
ship working.
35 Let’s talk co-production and tongue-
twisters
Special
38 Supporting a person with learning
disabilities who has dementia
40 Revalidation
41 Care to Learn, the story so far
42 A day in the life of Charlotte
McGimpsey
44 Trition Showers
45 The Travel Time Conundrum
46 How an affordable nurse
call system can help.
Business
48 Farrer unveils plans to broaden
SureCare service offer
49 Business round-up
51 Home is where the heart is for
elderly City West customers
52 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

Welcome to our combined December
and January issue of Care Talk.
Christmas is of course looming and as
ever I am unprepared. I am utterly in
awe of care workers who tell me they
have all their shopping and Christmas
preparations done with weeks to go.
With care work being such a demanding
job, both in time and energy, I never
cease to be utterly impressed.
For some older and vulnerable people
the pressures at Christmas can be real
and heartbreaking, especially for those
living in their own homes. This time of
year can only greater emphasise the
unavoidable loneliness and isolation. In
my experience, all frontline care staff
again go above and beyond, working in
partnership with health professionals,
families and informal carers, to ensure
these feelings are minimised.
The theme of this month’s issue also
focuses on partnerships. Des Kelly’s
article on page 12 The hallmarks of
partnership revisits insights from the
past and reflects on their contemporary
relevance in social care. The Social Care
Institute for Excellence’s article on page
35 looks at partnerships through co-
production and the success of user lead
involvement in our sector.
Assistive technology is a key factor in
user lead involvement. Our guest editor,
Mark Thomas from Care Management
2000, looks at bringing homecare and
technology closer and whilst embracing
the changes that the new year will
bring. See his article on page 5 for more
details.
And as the festive season
commences, the 2014
regional Great British Care
Awards season comes to
a close. What an honour
and a privilege it was to
meet so many dedicated
and committed social care professionals
– and what better way to pay tribute
to them than through these wonderful
awards? While we in the awards team
are pleased to have our weekends back,
there is a sense of sadness that it is all
over. However, the finals will soon be
upon us, and March next year will bring
together
the winners of the nine regions to further
shine at the judging days for the national
finals.
We do hope you enjoy this issue and
thank you for supporting Care Talk. And
please keep your wonderful stories, news
and suggestions coming.
Wishing you a very happy Christmas and
a most joyous and peaceful new year.
Editor’s Note
Lisa
Circulation list
Has this month’s Care Talk been read by all your staff?
Use our easy circulation list to be sure!
Job
Chief executive
Managing director
Registered manager
Supervisor
Care staff
Ancillary staff
Service users
Families
Read?

www.caretalk.co.uk I 07
GUEST EDITOR
Mark Thomas is managing director of Care Management 2000
Embrace the changes that
2015 brings
As someone who has worked for
a number of homecare providers
I know that legal and statutory
inspection changes inevitably
create extra work. My passion has
always been to bring homecare
and technology closer - driving
innovations that make homecare
delivery safer and more efficient.
Caring for care workers
Making sure care workers get a fair deal
is something the Government, the Care
Quality Commission (CQC) and many
industry stakeholders are passionate
about. providers will need to be more
accountable and ensure at the very
least they are paying in accordance
with national minimum wage and other
statutory regulations. Using scheduling
and monitoring data can help you
establish whether your care workers
are being appropriately remunerated
for their visits and time spent travelling.
Not doing the calculations will not be an
acceptable defence and providers need
to prepare themselves for extra scrutiny.
Evidencing your service
As CQC continue to roll-out their new
inspections, providers need robust
systems and procedures in place to
evidence the thirteen fundamental
standards. How well a Provider
complies impacts upon the eventual
published rating they receive.
There are many areas where technology
can assist. For example an automated
scheduling tool not only saves time
but helps ensure the service is safe,
with care visits being allocated to
staff holding appropriate skills and
availability. CQC want to see that
rotas are organised and correct, so a
good scheduling system will factor in
appropriate travel time between calls
as well as automatically optimise staff
schedules.
CQC will be looking to see that
continuity of care and missed calls are
being managed. This is one of the most
tangible benefits of electronic care
monitoring, empowering providers with
real-time data so they can take action if
visits start to run late or get missed.
Maintaining the
relationship with self-
funders
As councils calculate the costs of
implementing the Care Act funding
reforms, there are inevitably questions
being asked about what will happen to
self-funders when they reach the cap
on care costs? As a provider you may
have concerns over your long term
relationship with self-funders.
I’ve recently led some innovative
research and data modelling using
actual self-funder data, and the
results were extremely surprising. In
a typical leafy (affluent) suburban
Borough Council only 3% of current
self-funders are expected to reach the
cap. Furthermore, we found that for
these elderly homecare users, they
will become eligible for state funding
support in approximately eight years.
This is significant news for providers as
it means you should continue to ‘own’
the relationship with your self-funding
clients. CM2000 will help you do this
by working with councils to ensure
electronic care monitoring records can
be submitted to the self-funder’s care
account as robust auditable evidence.
Managing homecare provision is a
tough business – so let technology take
some of the strain. Make it your new
year’s resolution to see how technology
can support the crucial work being
done by your office and field-based
staff.
Mark Thomas, managing director,
Care Management 2000

CARE PROVIDERS
Bluebird Care launches
online campaign to stamp
out ageism
Homecare providers, Bluebird Care has
launched an online campaign aimed at tackling
ageism. Stamp Out Ageism uses social media to
highlight incidents of ageism, and draw attention
to discrimination against people of all ages in the
UK.
Using a combination of Twitter, postcards and
email, people across the country will be able to
share their experiences of age discrimination,
raising awareness of how common ageism is. By
cataloguing people’s experiences of ageism –
however major or minor – Bluebird Care will help
to show that ageism is a serious problem in this
country, and help to stamp it out.
Britain has one of the worst records in Europe
on age discrimination, with nearly 40% of people
questioned claiming to have been given a lack of
respect because of their age.
Stamp Out Ageism will help people to highlight
the discrimination they face on a daily basis,
bringing the attention of a wider audience to the
very serious problems of ageism.
Bluebird Care is encouraging everyone who has
experienced ageism to send in their stories and
share their experiences to show that this is a
widespread problem that needs to be stopped.
People will be able to share their experiences by
tweeting @StampOutAgeism, emailing ageism@
bluebirdcare.co.uk or by filling out a postcard and
sending it to Bluebird Care, which the team will
then share online.
Bluebird Care will use its network of almost
200 offices across the country to help local
people share their everyday experiences of
ageism by encouraging them to get online, and
providing postcards where they can highlight age
discrimination.
06 I www.caretalk.co.uk
NHS
New laws for more open
and safe NHS care come
into force (Source:
Department of Health)
Duty of Candour and Fit and Proper Person’s Test
will help improve patient safety, transparency and
leadership in the NHS.
The two new laws has come into force. The
Duty of Candour places a legal duty on hospital,
community and mental health trusts to inform and
apologise to patients if there have been mistakes in
their care that have led to significant harm.
The introduction of the Duty of Candour is an
important step in ensuring a more honest and
open culture in the NHS, particularly when
things go wrong. It is a major milestone in the
government’s response to the Francis report into
Mid Staffordshire, which called for a more open
culture in the NHS. It forms part of a wider package
of measures designed to support this.
The Fit and Proper Person’s Test will help to
ensure strong and safe leadership in healthcare
organisations. Under the new regulations, all NHS
board members will be required to undergo the
Test before they are appointed. This will include
an assessment of their character and a robust
consideration of whether the person has the right
qualifications, skills and experience for the role.
The Care Quality Com-mission (CQC) will check
during their inspections that providers have strong
systems in place to carry out these checks before
an appointment is made.
The Fit and Proper Person requirement came into
force for NHS healthcare bodies yesterday. It is
intended to be extended to all other registered
provid-ers, such as care homes, in April 2015.
The CQC has published guidance for NHS
organisations to help them meet the requirements
of these new regulations.
For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/
government/news/new-laws-for-more-open-and-
safe-nhs-care-come-into-force
NEWSROUND
@StampOutAgeism
ageism@bluebirdcare.co.uk
Help us
Tweet:
Email:
LEARNING DISABILITIES
Winterbourne View report
urges care closer to home
(Source: BBC News)
A report says that people with learning disabilities
in England are being kept in hospitals far from
home for too long.
The review, written by Sir Stephen Bubb,
recommends introducing a charter of rights and
more com-munity facilities for people with learning
disabilities and calls for some “inappropriate” in-
patient facilities to be closed. The report comes
after abuse was exposed at Winterbourne View
care home in Bristol in 2011.
For more information visit http://www.bbc.
co.uk/news/uk-30195857
New innovative video from
Danshell
Danshell, a provider of learning disability and
mental health services in the UK, has produced
an innovative animated video to enhance
communication with people who may be
considering using its services.
The care provider prides itself on utilising different
ways of communicating with all key stakeholders,
including commissioners, carers, families and
service users.
The simple, but effective animation explains what
happens when an individual enters a Danshell
service. It is designed to inform and reassure
service users and outlines the company’s
commitment to providing high-quality care
designed to meet the needs of the individual.
The animation can be viewed at http://www.
danshell.co.uk/

NEWSROUND
SECTOR BODIES
Autumn Statement: George
Osborne announces £2bn
to save NHS (Source: The
Telegraph)
George Osborne is to announce an extra £2 billion
for the NHS in an attempt to avert a crisis in
hospitals and modernise the health care system.
The Chancellor will use his Autumn Statement to
MPs to announce the extra funding, which will
help support the day-to-day work of doctors and
nurses struggling to cope under the increasing
pressure from the ageing population.
Mr Osborne will say that Britain’s strong economic
growth means he can afford to spend the extra
money, which he describes as a “down-payment”
to secure the future of the NHS. He will also
suggest the Conservatives may be ready to
commit billions more to help modernise and
transform the NHS over the next Parliament if in
power after the general election in May.
However, the head of the respected Institute for
Fiscal Studies warned that protecting the NHS for
the next five years would force “staggeringly big”
budget cuts elsewhere, with schools, pensions
and benefits all in line for “dramatic” reductions in
the years ahead.
For more information visit http://www.
telegraph.co.uk/health/nhs/11263192/Autumn-
Statement-George-Osborne-announces-2bn-
to-save-NHS.html
Intimacy in care homes
– call for greater
awareness (Source:
Alzheimer’s Society)
The Alzheimer’s Society wants greater training
and awareness among care home staff when
it comes to sex and relationships: Sex and
dementia
The charity says that staff caring for people with
de-mentia are having to tackle sensitive and
often difficult situations on a daily basis, and
that all care homes should have a specific sex
and intimacy policy in place.
alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/news_article.
php?newsID=2248
Striking the right balance
with CCTV in care homes?
(Source: National Care
Forum)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has agreed
in principle to publish information for providers,
as well as for people who use services and their
loved ones, about the use of covert or overt
surveillance to monitor care.
Over the last year, CQC sought views from
people who use services, carers, providers, staff
and other partners about this important subject.
CQC’s Board members have approved the
information to be included in the final documents
but have asked that the information for the public
be written in a more accessible way. With this
approval, CQC will publish the information shortly.
Andrea Sutcliffe, Chief Inspector of Adult Social
Care at the CQC, said:
“We know that exploring the potential use of
hidden and public cameras in care homes and
other care settings is a really sensitive issue – and
one that pro-vokes a huge range of debate and
opinion. … The information we will publish for
providers makes clear the issues we expect them
to take into account – for example, consulting with
people using the services and staff – if they are
considering installing hidden or public cameras. I
hope the information we will publish for the public
will help them make the right decisions in difficult
circumstances and I look forward to making sure
that this information is written in a way that is
most useful for them. I am clear that any form of
surveillance cannot be seen as the only way to
ensure people are receiving safe, high-quality
and compassionate care. We need enough staff,
properly trained and supported who really care to
ensure people get the services they have every
right to expect.”
Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said:
“Cameras have helped to expose terrible cruelty
and neglectful care and I welcome this new
information. Decisions about using surveillance
are extremely dif-ficult – there is always a
balance to be struck between protecting people
and respecting their right to privacy – but this
information will help families to make the right
choice for them. We are committed to preventing
poor care from happening in the first place and
have introduced tougher standards for inspecting
care services as well as measures to shut down
those that aren’t up to scratch.”
nationalcareforum.org.uk/viewNews.
asp?news_ID=2280&sector_id
DEMENTIA
‘Cash for diagnoses’
dementia scheme
is dropped (Source:
Telegraph)
The NHS is to drop a controversial “cash for
diagnoses” scheme which pays GPs £55 for
every extra patient diagnosed with dementia.
Simon Stevens, NHS Chief Executive, said the
initiative, which met a backlash from doctors
and patients, will end in April - the Government
deadline for a tar-get to improve diagnosis rates.
telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11256059/
Cash-for-diagnoses-dementia-scheme-is-
dropped.html
World Dementia Council
to prioritise care and
risk reduction while
welcoming new member
living with dementia
(Source: World Dementia
Council)
The World Dementia Council is to welcome a new
member who is living with dementia. The decision
follows the Council’s third meeting, where they
heard a moving address from Hilary Doxford, who
was diagnosed with dementia two years ago and
explained how her life has been affected.
The Council considered that this kind of personal
in-sight would enhance its reflection of the
experiences and needs of those living with
dementia.
At the meeting in London, the Council also added
two further priority areas to its work: care and
risk reduction. The WDC’s work on care is being
supported by the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development and World Health
Organisation which are developing a framework
exploring how international collaboration could
improve dementia care, looking at sharing best
practice, and metrics for measuring progress.
The Council’s new fifth priority is whether lifestyle
changes can reduce the risk of developing
dementia. Following a presentation by Harry
Johns, WDC member and President and CEO
of Alzheimer’s Association, members concluded
that the evidence strongly suggests cognitive
decline at the population level can potentially
be affected by behaviour changes acting on
cardiovascular risk factors.
For more information visit http://
dementiachallenge.dh.gov.uk/category/wdc/

We live in a world that’s full of opportunities
to sponsor any multitude of events and
good causes and finding one that aligns
with your principles and what you set out to
achieve is vitally important. This is why it’s
a great privilege for Access Group to be
sponsoring the Great British Care Awards
(GBCA); for us it’s a perfect fit. It’s a sector
that we’ve been working closely with for
many years, and most recently with the
formalisation of our experience under a
new Health and Social Care Division, and
our acquisition of CareBlox which provides
software to care homes, we decided to
partner with GBCA to further cement our
commitment to the industry.
“It’s a great privilege
for Access Group to be
sponsoring the Great British
Care Awards”
As business software providers for
domiciliary, supported living, nursing and
residential care, we’ve built up a track
record of offering integration solutions that
reach across the whole organisation from
planning and scheduling rotas to finance,
payroll and business intelligence tools.
With development teams dedicated to each
of the different elements of the business
solution, we’re continuously improving and
extending our portfolio to meet the changing
needs of the sector. Most importantly
we understand every facet of a care
organisation.
Indeed, we’ve seen first-hand how those
within the sector have been able to improve
efficiencies where it matters most. Our aim
is to help reduce and automate repetitive
processes within the organisation wherever
possible so that less time is spent on
administration and more time is spent on
delivering high quality care to those that
need it, when they need it. Considering
there is an increasing expectation for the
sector to do more with less, if technology
can support and help in the delivery of
more consistent, relevant care then this
stands to benefit everyone. By providing the
right tools to help organisations run more
smoothly it’s our intention to help relieve
some of the pressures that face the sector.
And for us, this is why the health and social
care sector is so important because we
believe we can make a real difference in our
own small way. Furthermore, as sponsors
of the awards we have an opportunity to be
involved in something incredibly special as
part of the judging process. With so many
worthwhile entries it’s clear to see just how
devoted people are to the sector and the
effort and commitment they place on the
work they do and the people they care for
each day and night.
“As sponsors of the awards
we have an opportunity to
be involved in something
incredibly special as part of
the judging process”
From the regional events to the national
finals, they each offer up an opportunity
for us all to celebrate excellence. By
recognising the hard work and dedication
of everyone in the industry from volunteer
carers and front line care staff right through
to those who administer and manage the
organisation, we can pay tribute to those
who often quietly provide a vital lifeline for
the care receiver. It is truly eye opening and
a reminder of what matters most in life –
people.
Working within Access’ dedicated Health
and Social Division it’s been a privilege to
see the passion and commitment displayed
by these incredible individuals; they truly
are a credit to their industry. These awards
give recognition to those who are really
making a difference to people’s lives.
It’s for that reason that we’re delighted to
endorse the awards, be a part of this great
community, and we’re proud to celebrate
alongside them.
Paul Patarou, divisional manager, Health &
Social Care Division, Access Group
NEWS - SECTOR
Why we care about the Great
British Care Awards
Steve Sawyer,
divisional
director, PSS
& HSC, Access

Care workers from Westminster Homecare in Leicester
were treated to afternoon tea to thank them for the
fantastic work they do looking after vulnerable members
of the community.
The tea was funded by care monitoring specialist
CM2000. As part of the company’s 15 year birthday
celebrations, users of their CallConfirmLive! system were
invited to enter a competition.
David Bushby, branch manager for Westminster
Homecare, Leicester City branch, was thrilled to win on
behalf of his team. He said “Our staff work so hard and
the nature of community care means they don’t get many
opportunities to see their colleagues. The afternoon tea
was great for teambuilding and a tremendous boost to
morale.”
Mark Kennion, CM2000’s commercial director, added
“We are delighted that so many care workers were able
to take time out of their busy day to enjoy this reward. It
was very humbling to hear first-hand about the heroic
work that happens every day to ensure people can
remain safely in their own home.”
The event was such a great success that CM2000 hope
to make it an annual competition.
NEWS - SECTOR
‘Thank you’ treat for
dedicated care workers

NEWS - SECTOR
In October 2014, Anchor launched our Life
Histories campaign aimed at tackling what
is fast becoming a worrying disconnect
between generations.
Although many of us have fond memories
of listening to our grandparents’ tales of
days gone by as we were growing up, sadly
it seems that children today are missing
out on that valuable experience. Recently,
Anchor conducted a study among children.
A third of those questioned said they didn’t
know what their grandparents had done for
a job and 37% had no idea where they grew
up.
“A third of those children
questioned said they
didn’t know what their
grandparents had done for
a job and 37% had no idea
where they grew up.”
And, when we surveyed older people at the
same time, we found that nearly half (47%)
of older people now think that younger
people are simply not interested in what
they have to say.
This is why we launched our Life Histories
campaign, backed by children’s TV
legend Bernard Cribbins. Life Histories is
a nationwide schools initiative aimed at
helping primary school-aged children learn
about older people’s lives. We created
teaching packs suited to the new curriculum
(suitable for years five and six) which we
shared with 15,000 head teachers.
The initiative was inspired by Anchor’s
approach of asking about an older person’s
past when they come into our care homes.
Compiling life stories in our homes helps us
see beyond any illnesses or health problems
and focus on the uniqueness of the
individual to plan and deliver personalised
care which honours their preferences.
Good care is built on good relationships
so the more we know about the person the
better the relationships will be. For example,
I remember learning about a resident who
had been a postman all his life. So it was
no surprise that he continued to be an early
riser when he moved to one of our care
homes. It’s that understanding that helps
ensure, wherever possible, older people in
care homes continue to live the lives they
choose.
Taking the time to listen to and learn from
the memories and experiences of older
generations shouldn’t just be left to care
homes. By encouraging schools to do the
same we’re hoping to create connections
across the generations, as well as combat
loneliness and isolation, which are growing
issues for our ageing society.
Our research found that 14% of older
people say they never see family members
who are children, and 68% of older people
don’t have any regular contact with young
people outside of their family. Yet 92% of
older people agree that spending time with
younger people could help those who
“Taking the time to listen to
and learn from the memories
and experiences of older
generations shouldn’t just be
left to care homes”
are lonely. This is why reconnecting the
generations is so important, and we at
Anchor believe we all have a part to play.
Great relationships and mutual
understanding are good for all generations.
By helping school children to understand
more about an older person’s experiences,
an older person’s story becomes an
enjoyable way to learn based on practice
rather than theory.
We hope that the initiative will prove popular
all over England. We all like to think we’re
listened to so perhaps it’s time to open our
eyes (and ears) to more of the older people
living around us.
To download the Life Histories Guide go to
www.anchor.org.uk/lifehistories
Let’s learn from the life
histories of our older generations
before we drift apart
Jane Ashcroft CBE, chief
executive of Anchor
Bernard Cribbins, supporter of
Life Histories

NEWS - SECTOR
Bupa maps out support for those
with a recent diagnosis of dementia
By Amy Kerti, Bupa Admiral Nurse
As a Bupa Admiral Nurse, I work closely
with people who have dementia every
day, and so it’s very helpful to have a
new tool to support and guide patients
who have recently been diagnosed with
the condition. Bupa Admiral Nurses are
specialist dementia care nurses accredited
by Dementia UK, who operate out of our
care homes. Bupa directly cares for around
14, 000 people with dementia in the UK,
leading with the philosophy ‘person first,
dementia second’.
“The map depicts a
seascape in order to
articulate some of the
moments, emotions, and
experiences that someone
living with dementia might go
through.”
At the National Dementia Congress, Bupa
launched a new ‘dementia discussion
map’, a visual tool that uses a seascape
to visualise and frame moments, emotions
and questions for people in the difficult
period that follows a diagnosis. The map
depicts a seascape complete with a marina,
boats, beaches and rocky waters in order to
articulate some of the moments, emotions,
and experiences that someone living with
dementia might go through. Using the
map helps me to cover areas such as the
diagnosis itself, working through feelings,
dealing with relationships, finding advice
and support, and planning for the future.
We talk through a wide range of topics, from
support and social services to concerns
about feeling out of control and having
a sense of foreboding. It’s important to
acknowledge that there will be good and
bad days, as well as considering the best
ways to keep healthy and enjoy life.
It can be an incredibly difficult time for
both the person diagnosed and their
family, which is why it’s so invaluable to
have something visual to support us as we
discuss important advice and information.
The map has been developed through
in-depth working sessions with Bupa’s
dementia ambassadors – a group of expert
practitioners from across our care homes –
and Bupa Admiral Nurses.
When testing the map, we conducted a
number of focus groups with people with
dementia and we found that the order of the
map could vary depending on the person
we were speaking to; we jumped back
and forth from different areas according to
where the conversation led us. It became
clear that it was most helpful to use the
map as a guideline and starting point
for conversations, and to let it take its
natural course. For example, we found
that one member of the group was feeling
particularly uncomfortable that family
members were managing their finances.
We used this as an opportunity for them
to communicate on paper to their relatives
that they would get peace of mind from
seeing receipts. The map provides a very
effective way of alleviating anxieties by
prompting questions that people may not
have considered.
Similarly, the use of an activity log
alongside the discussion map to encourage
conversation within group sessions and
share tips and experiences proved very
useful. It’s a great way for those dealing
with a recent diagnosis to find support from
others who understand what they’re going
through. One man had begun to print off
a daily itinerary to keep track of his routine
and retain his independence, which could
be a useful idea for others to follow.
Bupa is now working on a second map,
which addresses the more advanced
stages of dementia and is tailored towards
the family and carers of the person with the
condition. This is due to be ready by the
end of 2015 and will be another great way
to harness the wealth of information and
advice that is available, and to help families,
as well as individuals, to navigate their way
through the implications of dementia.

Sometimes it’s interesting to revisit
insights from the past and reflect on
their contemporary relevance. I know
it doesn’t always work this way but
there are occasions when what has
been said already actually become
the definitive statement on a topic.
I have been rereading an excellent
paper on understanding partnership by
sociologist Keith White (of the inspiring
community Mill Grove which is also his
home and family) published almost 15
years ago. I found it influential when I
first read it. In the paper he identifies
four hallmarks of poor partnership
(colonisation; conflict; co-existence;
contract) and four hallmarks of genuine
partnership (respect; reciprocity;
realism; risk-taking). In this short piece
I only have the space to consider
the genuine partnership hallmarks
but I would suggest the original
paper is essential reading for anyone
interested in gaining a good, rounded
understanding of partnership working.
Let’s look at Keith White’s comments on
genuine partnership.
Respect – “is the only possible starting
point for partnership” and at whatever
level. Seeing a person, or party, as they
really are and not as you would want
them to be is the essence of respect.
It is a two-way process because as
he points out “one-way respect is a
contradiction in terms”.
Reciprocity follows on from respect.
As a genuine partnership is a two-
way process which involves shared
responsibilities and shared power.
Partnership is thus about equality. The
nature of the exchange demonstrates
the reciprocal aspect of the relationship.
“As with quality in care
relationships are crucial”
Realism – “true partnership
necessitates the accurate and realistic
appraisal of the challenges, tasks
and resources.” It’s about honesty
and truthfulness underpinning the
way partners work together. Without
transparency and openness it is not
possible to have genuine partnership.
Knowing the differences and any
constraints will be vital if a partnership is
to succeed.
Risk-taking builds on realism and trust.
Partnership working demands that
risks are taken. For this reason Keith
White states that risk-taking is perhaps
the most difficult element of genuine
partnership. Effective partnership
working requires both parties to take
a chance, and therefore risk failure,
which is increasingly difficult to do. The
context of care service provision and
a tendency to be risk-averse obviously
complicates matters.
So what can we learn from this
typology? As with quality in care
relationships are crucial. The best
relationships are characterised by
trust and loyalty… and they take
time to develop as experience of
the partnership working is also a
crucial attribute to success. The best
partnerships therefore get better with
time as relationships are influenced by
the process of working together.
Now here’s the thing: although
Keith White’s paper ‘Towards an
Understanding of Partnership’ was
written in 2000 it draws extensively on
work he did in preparation for a speech
delivered at a conference in 1984! I
was there and I can still remember how
illuminating the ideas seemed and how
useful they were to making sense of
working in a residential care settings for
older people. I think the lessons are just
as powerful and have stood the test of
time. What do you think?
Des Kelly
Executive director
National Care Forum
p Des Kelly, executive director,
National Care Forum
The
hallmarks of
partnership
“The best relationships are characterised by
trust and loyalty”
OPINION
OPINION

We are recruiting for
Independent Living Assistants
Polkadot Care is currently looking to expand our team of valued
Independent Living Assistants across all our branches.
The role is to provide person centred support and care to the people who use the
service, meeting their individual needs whilst maximising independence, choice
and respecting their privacy and dignity. The role will support the Management
team in the day to day service delivery, ensuring that the support provided is
compliant with the CQC essential standards and any other legal requirements.
What Polkadot can offer you:
We are looking to recruit in the
following areas:
Free Uniform
Rewarding Vocation
Flexible hours
Location to suit
Fully supported programme of
learning
Opportunity to work for an
innovative provider of quality
care within a dedicated team of
professionals.
Continued professional
Development
Are you....
Responsible
Supportive
Caring attitude
Person Centred
Sensitive
Patient
Understanding
Personable
Flexible
Encouraging
Loughborough, Burton on Trent
Leeds, Nottingham and
Bridlington
Contact Gemma or send your CV to
the email below
01636 703386
gemma.degouveia@polkadotcare.co.uk
PolkadotCare, 18a Baldertongate, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1UF

STORIES
My Gran, Anges Thomas aged 95, was
diagnosed with dementia eleven years
ago. Despite her condition, throughout
the years she has managed to maintain
living within her own home with the
assistance of carers and support of her
family.
In March this year, after a fall at
home and a hospital stay, my Gran
was transferred to a rehabilitation
unit in Dumfries. You hear about the
realities that many families face within
elderly social care; I would never have
imagined it was soon to become our
reality too.
Her health was rapidly deteriorating; she
was confused, left in her bed, and her
nutritional needs were not taken care
of. As a family, we had to take matters
into our own hands. Each meal time we
would take turns to travel to feed her
by hand and try to get fluids into her
system.
“Now participating in
karaoke, three months
on and our Gran is most
certainly back!”
My Gran most certainly was ‘wiped
away’ and her needs were assessed
as end-of-life care. My family and I
became so concerned that we decided
to take immediate action to relocate
Gran as we did not want her to pass
away in her current environment.
My Gran was on the waiting list for
Charnwood Lodge, part of national
charity Community Integrated Care, so
my mother and I went to visit. From the
very first moment we entered the home,
we were made extremely welcome and
could sense a warm caring atmosphere.
After three traumatic months in the unit,
my Gran was transferred to Charnwood
Lodge in June this year. This was not
treated as a conclusion, but a new
chapter in my Gran’s life - and indeed
a very positive experience of the sector
for us all.
Upon arrival, the team identified that
Gran was in poor spirits and lacked
nutrition. It was a crucial time, but only
days after her transition to Charnwood
Lodge her health began to improve due
to the immense care and assistance
given to her every need from the carers.
From encouraging her to take small
amounts of food and water to making
sure she was always clean and tidy. As
a team, the staff worked to nurture these
improvements. Now participating in
karaoke activities and eating anything
she possibly can from the kitchen,
three months on and our Gran is most
certainly back!
My family and I are overwhelmed by
the exceptional service and standard of
care my Gran is receiving at Charnwood
Lodge. The staff are absolutely
excellent. They are very caring, have a
huge amount of empathy, attention and
sincere willingness towards the health
and well-being of our Gran and others in
Charnwood Lodge.
Our experience of the elderly social
care sector has most positively
changed, thank you Charnwood Lodge!
Clare Louise Carson, granddaughter
of Agnes Thomas.
My Gran is back!

Gail Bessent (below), senior
activity co-ordinator at
Bupa’s Heathbrook House in
Bromsgrove, Worcs, explains why
she decided to go beyond the
call of duty to help one resident’s
spirits soar...
Working with residents living by dementia,
their family and friends is a part of daily life
in my work as a senior activity co-ordinator
at Bupa’s Heathbrook House nursing home.
As anyone who works regularly with people
who have dementia will know, despite the
challenges, they all have a story to tell.
What’s more, as part of Bupa’s ‘Person
first...Dementia Second’ approach, we are
all encouraged to really get to know each
and every resident on a personal level.
“I wanted to unearth
Barney’s story to see if it
would help him rekindle
some memories.”
One such story came out of the blue when
chatting with the local vicar following
a service one day. He mentioned that
one of our residents, 92-year-old Barney
Job, had served in World War II and had
won a number of medals, including the
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). This story
resonated with me, as my own father served
in the RAF himself and I wanted to unearth
Barney’s story to see if it would help him
rekindle some memories.
After digging around, I discovered that
Barney had actually been a member of
the Royal Canadian Air Force and his
DFC medal was one of 247 awarded to
Canadians in the RAF during World War II
for “acts of valour, courage or devotion to
duty”. This was a great starting point, but I
wanted to find out more specific details that
might resonate with Barney.
Eventually, I discovered a book which told
Barney’s story and featured a photograph
of him alongside a pilot. When I showed
the photograph to Barney, he recognised
himself and the man next to him as ‘Jack’,
who it transpired was Barney’s pilot all those
years ago when he served as a navigator.
Intrigued and inspired by what I had
discovered, I pushed on. My aim became
to find Jack and reunite him and Barney in
whichever way I could.
Thinking it was a long shot, I emailed
the author of the book to ask if he could
help me to track down the man in the
photograph. To my amazement, the author
was able to put me in touch with Jack, now
in his 90s and still
living in Canada.
Following my detective
work, Barney and Jack
have reconnected
and are now in regular
correspondence. I’m
more than happy to
act as an intermediary,
reading aloud Jack’s
emails to Barney and
responding on his
behalf to keep Jack
updated on how he is
doing. Even though
Barney has quite
advanced dementia,
it’s heart-warming to
see him recognise
someone from over
half a century ago.
It’s moments like this
that make my job so
rewarding and they
reinforce why it is so
important to get to
know a person for who
they are and not just
care for someone with
a condition.
Douglas Job, Barney’s son, said:
“I’m so grateful to Gail and everyone
at Heathbrook House for going the
extra mile and taking the time and
effort to look into my father’s past.
His emotional tie with the Canadian
Air Force, and in particular Jack who
he almost died with, is so deep that
despite having dementia he always
reacts to Jack’s name.”
I will definitely continue to play detective
and explore all the stories behind Bupa’s
Heathbrook House. When I began looking
into Barney’s past, I never imagined that I
would be able to put him in touch with an
ex-comrade from wartime, I just wanted to
see if I could rekindle old memories. But
revealing such a hidden gem and bringing
together Barney and Jack once again after
all these years has been a real highlight for
me - it’s things like this that get me up in the
morning.
Putting people first for at
Bupa’s Healthbrook House
STORIES

STORIES
Mums with learning disabilities are being
reunited with their children thanks to a
council service in Gateshead. The mums,
who have had their children removed from
their care, are being helped by Shared
Lives, which is a service akin to fostering
for adults. One of the mums lives with her
husband but, from time to time, needs a
break from family life. She is able to take
a short break with a carer who helps her
recharge her batteries.
Another two mums live with approved carers
on a permanent basis. The carers help the
women develop parenting skills as well
as providing the emotional support that is
needed after the courts have removed their
children from them.
“The carers help the women
develop parenting skills
as well as providing the
emotional support”
Jennifer Neill, manager of Shared Lives,
says that it has been a traumatic and painful
journey for the mums who are now several
years into living with their carer.
“The children have ranged in age from a
newborn to a teenager. For the mum, no
matter what the age is, they want to nurture
and care for their children. It is very hard for
them,” she says.
The carers provide emotional support as
well as help in navigating a system that
can seem complicated and frightening to
a mum with learning disability. And they
make it less stressful by opening their home
for the supervised contact between mum
and children so that their meetings are in a
familiar and comfortable setting rather than
the clinical environment of a centre.
“It is very stressful for the mums because
they are being watched by social workers
all the time. Having it at home makes it a
much more positive arrangement,” explains
Jennifer. “Sometimes the children don’t
understand the reasons they have been
removed from their parent so there are
occasions when they get upset too.”
Carers, whom the mums trust, help by
providing guidance on how to manage the
contact sessions. For example, one of the
mums has two children with special needs
and rough play has always been the norm.
But the children become very excitable and
the mum finds it hard to calm them down
again. The carer has helped her to work out
a way of playing without behaviours getting
out of control.
The carers also help the mums with
practicalities such as finances and
budgeting.
“One mum became pregnant
while she was staying with
her Shared Lives carer”
“One of the mums believed that she could
survive on £35 a week even though she
couldn’t. We help her budget and plan
menus and find social activities that she
can do based on the money available”, says
Jennifer.
For another mum, whose children are older,
she is being helped to come to terms with
the prospect that her family may never live
with her again. Her eldest child is now a
teenager and planning a future that involves
living with friends rather than her mum.
“That’s very hard for the mum. But her carer
is helping her to think about finding a place
to live that her child could visit mum and
stay over,” says Jennifer.
Shared Lives provide training and support
to the carers who are often affected by the
issues facing the mums. One mum became
pregnant while she was staying with her
Shared Lives carer. After much thought and
discussion with her carer, the mum came
to the difficult decision that she would be
unable to care for her child.
“The Shared Lives carer was supporting the
mum to make the right decision, whatever
that was, but it was upsetting for both carer
and mum,” explains Jennifer.
But, she says, that although it is challenging
work, the service is a lifeline for the mums
with learning disability who might otherwise
find it difficult to cope and maintain a
relationship with their children.
“It can be very difficult but we are
supporting the mums to rebuild their lives
after a crisis.”
Reuniting mothers with
learning disabilities
Interested in finding out more?
Whether you are a potential carer, you know someone who might
benefit or feel you would benefit from the service yourself
call us for an informal chat.
Shared Lives Manager
Tel: 0191 433 3000
or find out more by visiting www.gateshead.gov.uk
Produced by Community Based Services, Gateshead Council
© April 2010
Community Based Services
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
Do you have time to share?
What is Shared Lives?
Information for paid carers
Shared Lives
Services for people with disabilities
SharedLives
Service
Services for vulnerable adults
Information for paid carers
Produced by Gateshead Council © December 2013

ukqcs-new-care-standards-sep-14-v1-8-0.indd 1 07/11/2014 11:51

Celebrating the good care behind Great Britain
Good Care Week 2015 takes place 27 April 2015. Care providers and individuals from the sector are already demonstrating their commitment towards
Good Care Week with some fantastic examples of raising the profile of social care to their wider community.
The UK-wide annual awareness campaign, in association with Care Talk magazine, saw local initiatives
/Sector support
www.goodcareweek.co.uk
Good Care Week 27 April 2015
Care homes’ totaliser
tops £2,000 for
Children in Need
South Coast operator Colten Care has done its
bit for Children in Need by raising more than
£2,000.
Activities managers totted up the total following
sponsored events held in 16 individual homes
during the BBC’s annual fundraising appeal.
The home that raised the most in the group,
Avon Reach in Mudeford, Dorset, auctioned
gifts donated by residents, relatives and friends,
collecting £716.
Avon Reach Activities Organiser Sandra
Boulton said: “We allowed a couple of hours
for viewing and then invited bids on paper or in
person. People were very generous, often paying
over the odds.”
At Amberwood House in Ferndown, staff came
to work in their onesies while at Kingfishers in
New Milton, resident Jack Tolson was sponsored
to paint faces. His subjects included Senior Care
Assistant Fay Suenfa, waitress Lily John and
receptionist Lisa Jones.
Other homes saw fancy dress events, craft
sales and staff wearing pyjamas and polka dot
combinations inspired by official appeal mascot
Pudsey Bear. The full amount raised was
£2,063.38.
Amberwood House Activity Organiser Jan
Burns said: “Lots of our residents and colleagues
dressed up and really enjoyed themselves. It
was a great chance for everyone to join in and
support such a worthy cause.”
Get involved and champion
good care
Be a part of this groundbreaking initiative to raise awareness
of social care and ensure that this sector gets the respect and
appreciation it merits.
• Get your colleagues involved; care workers, managers
and providers. What could you do collectively to raise
the profile of social care in your local community?
Open days, encouraging volunteers and visits from
local schoolchildren are just some simple yet effective
initiatives.
• Get your service users and their families involved. Ask
them to support the campaign by providing testimonials
about their care provision.
• Write to your local MP about Good Care Week. Ask
them to help you raise the status of social care in your
community and formally support the campaign.
• Share your ideas with us for raising the profile of social
care locally so that colleagues throughout the sector can
emulate this in their own communities. We will feature
your examples, stories, comments and suggestions on the
Good Care Week website and in Care Talk magazine.
Sector demonstrates principles of Good Care Week

Celebrating the good care behind Great Britain
We will be publishing Good Care Week initiatives in every issue of Care Talk ... so why not make every week a Good Care Week?
Primary school children bloom
at Heathland Village
Yael Tam (8) and Michal Tam (7) seen here with one of the
Heathlands Village residents, Charlotte Tryger.
The girls were part of a birthday activity with other friends from
nearby Broughton Jewish Cassel Fox Primary School. They made
sunflowers and visited our home to present them and sing for
residents.
Mother of the two girls pictured, Shifra Tam said “The girls said
it was the best birthday party they’ve ever been to!!”
Care home residents go back
in time with history workshop
A Middlesbrough care home has welcomed a national self-help organisation for a
special history workshop aimed at leading residents in discussion.
The Gables were joined by the expert history group from the University of The
Third Age, who provided a stimulating session on Early Television, Post War Britain
and the Cambridge spies: Burgess and Maclean.
Residents at the home actively participated in the event and told stories and
reminisced about their past experiences during the discussions.
The session, which was led by Stephen Palczynski, was organised so that residents
could take part in a new experience and as part of The Gables continuous efforts to
outreach to groups and individuals within the local community.
The U3A is an organisation that provides opportunities to retired and semi-retired
people. They learn skills and share experiences together for enjoyment, rather than
to gain any qualifications. They run a number of events and activities in and around
Middlesbrough, including the history group.
Naaila Rehman, activities co-ordinator at The Gables, said: “We contacted the U3A
group as part of our ongoing work to involve residents in activities that are organised
outside the home. This enables us to develop strong links with the community and
provides our residents with a further sense of belonging.
“All of the residents at the home found the session led by the history group incredibly
interesting and enjoyed discussing their memories of the early television and their
post-war experiences.
“Events such as this allow our residents to actively discuss their past, keeping their
memory active and providing a platform for discussion and engagement.
“We were delighted with the session and hope that U3A will visit the home to host
other activities in the future.”
Abbeyfield Kent
celebrates Christmas
with residents at Annual
Lantern Parade
The Abbeyfield Kent Society, a charity that
provides housing and care for older people across
the county, celebrated Christmas with a seasonal
church service and lantern parade.
The Society’s Lantern Parade takes place each
December at the picturesque Friars in Aylesford
and provides residents of Abbeyfield Kent homes
with an opportunity to attend a seasonal service
with their close friends, family, staff and contacts
of the Society.
Each year, the festive celebration sees the
community of Kent coming together to celebrate
Christmas with a seasonal church service,
followed by a candlelit parade around the scenic
grounds as the sun sets.
After the collective parade, guests were invited
to warm up and indulge in a mince pie and hot
drink in the tearoom, whilst they socialised with
other guests and chatted about the event.
Gravesend’s Riverview Junior School choir sung
a range of upbeat and seasonal carols throughout
the service and one pupil presented a reading of
the Christmas Story.
Leon Steer, chief executive at The Abbeyfield
Kent Society said: “Aylesford Priory is a
wonderful venue for a Christmas event and it
provides a very special backdrop for our Lantern
Parade.
“It is very important for the Society that our
residents are able to enjoy a special Christmas
service, and we do all we can to ensure they are
afforded every opportunity. This year’s Lantern
Parade really was special, everyone at the

CHAT - CARE TALK COMPETITION
At Care Talk we love shouting
about what is good in social
care, challenging negative
media perceptions and raising
the profile of our sector
through good news stories and
examples of excellence.
It’s time to blow your own
trumpet!
Many of the articles we receive are sent
in by colleagues, managers, care home
and domiciliary care providers, service
users, friends and relatives ... but so
often the amazing stories of examples of
excellence and innovation are not told
by those who have carried them out ...
YOU!
We at Care Talk want to encourage and
motivate the frontline workforce (this
includes the gardener, the cook, the
housekeeper …) to raise the profile of
the sector by writing about your own
examples of good practice.
• How have you improved quality of
life for a service user?
• How do you help colleagues to
improve their good practice?
• How do you involve relatives in your
care home?
• Have you involved the local
community in any way?
• Have you had an idea that your
company has taken on board to
improve services?
Through Care Talk we can share your
examples of good practice with your
colleagues in the sector – a great way to
initiate joint working.
Each month Care Talk readers will
be invited to submit an article that
highlights particular areas of innovation
and good practice. Care Talk will
choose a winner every quarter to
receive a two-night stay in a luxury
hotel, including an evening meal,
courtesy of PJ Care and Specsavers.
Winners and photos of them enjoying
their prize treat will be featured in Care
Talk.
So don’t delay, get writing today!
Email us at editorial@caretalk.co.uk
Rules of competition
• Articles must be written by the
individual who features in the article
demonstrating good practice and
innovation.
• Word count is 600 words, plus
photos and an image of the
contributor.
• Copy deadline is the first day of the
month prior to publication; e.g. the
copy deadline for Febuary issue
would be 1 January.
• Winners will be chosen by a panel
of judges and announced quarterly.
• Winners will have a choice of UK
‘home’ or ‘away’ destination for their
weekend hotel stay.
• The prize must be used within 12
months of winning.
• There is no cash alternative.
Care Talk
readers
competition
Wanted – Good News
Stories from the Frontline
Sponsored by
specialised neurological care

The Charity - John McLachlan, manager, Scope
It’s a challenge. Unfortunately, I think it’s through forcing working
together because while we have health colleagues and social
care colleagues sitting in the same offices, they have their own
budgets, do their own thing and are never quite working together.
So it has to be through a direction of force through
a pooled budget or clear direction that an
individual’s needs must be met whether
from Health or Social Care. Social Care as
a profession has come on a lot and when
you have a good team working together
people recognise each others’ skills.
The care association
- Ann Taylor, chair,
Kent & Medway Care
Association
We’ve just really got to
persevere on a very local
level and prove to health that
social care can solve some of
their problems. If we look strategically
at things, make sure people are doing the
job on the ground, and working with health
colleagues that actually do the job every
day, and actually proving those very small
examples, we’ll break down those barriers.
How can we break down
barriers with health?
Innovation is critical in developing quality care provision and benefiting outcomes for service
users. Following the publication of the Commission for Residential Care report A vision for
care fit for the twenty-first century, we asked six care professionals, ‘What do you think the
significance of innovation will be for care providers, frontline staff and service users?’
Conclusion
• communication
• transparency
• robust infrastructures
• get things right at a local level
• breaking down cultural
barriers
The government - Glenn Mason, director of
people, communities and local government,
Department of Health
One of the greatest barriers is the cultural barrier, and two-
tribe approach of health and social care. It’s really
important that leaders of health and social
care come together, work together, and
share a common vision. Making sure that
common vision is transmitted through
the organisations, listening to their staff
teams in terms of what gets in the way
between social care and health is also
key.
The care manager
Karen Cooper,
manager,
Greensleeves
Communication! We need
to invite them to see what
goes on in a care setting,
invite them in to work with us
rather than a body that works
against us. Recognising
that there is a need for the
integration of both health
and social care, there should
be a natural progression -
not thinking that every time
someone goes from a care
home into the health service
that they’re going to be
difficult and not know how
to look after them. And it’s
about educating them in how
to look after older people.
The care provider - Ken
Waterhouse, managing director,
Homecare Preferred
It’s communication really. Quite often there tends
to be a blame culture in the healthcare service
when things go wrong. It’s about transparency
and when things go wrong, people should face
up to it and try to learn from mistakes because the
best organisations in the world make mistakes.
And it makes us bureaucratic which means we
spend a lot of time making sure everything is
documented, but at the same time, we need to be
delivering good care.

CHAT - PLANET JANET
My father always used to say that
Partnerships are the only ships that
don’t sail!
It’s a cynical view but borne out of
experience; he always used to say “It’ll
end in tears” because sooner or later,
despite people’s good intentions, the
partners begin to want different things
and their interests diverge.
To some extent he was referring to
formal, legal entities, where two or
more people or organisations come
together for a specific and usually
mutually beneficial purpose.
I prefer to make the distinction
between Partnerships, with a capital
‘P’, and partnering with a small ‘p’.
The first is a noun, just the name of
something and doesn’t really give
clues as to motivation or intent in
forming the Partnership. The second is
an active verb, indicating a continuous
way of parties working together in a
spirit of mutuality and support. For a
partnering arrangement to work, each
party to the agreement can aim for
their own positive outcome but only
through an equally positive outcome
for the other party(ies).
We’ve been hearing about the value
of working together for some time –
that the benefits of each party being
rewarded for working collaboratively
outweighs the challenges of each
learning to trust and respect the
others. There are many examples
of where organisations with similar
aims and values have come to work
together effectively and well – that
the sum of the whole is greater than
the sum of the parts, as it were – and
where their mutuality and equality
is embedded in all that they attempt
together.
And yet we work in a climate of
stringency and economy that mitigates
against more partnering relationships
– adversarial contracting, for instance,
in which every input and every output
is counted, measured, assessed and
evaluated, cannot in any sense be
construed as genuinely partnering
approach because there is no equality
in such a relationship. Dependency is
created but not equality or mutuality.
Even if no formal partnership exists,
the sense of everyone sitting down to
resolve problems and find innovative
ways of working together to find the
right solutions is appealing, but the
reality is often very different.
Where, for example, could any notion
of a zero-hours contract forced
because of stringent contractual
conditions ever be seen as beneficial
to worker, employer, commissioner
or, ultimately, the service user? How
can formal re-tendering processes
fit in with any ideas of a partnering
or co-productive approach, when
whole workforces may be scattered or
subject to re-employment by the next
incoming contractor, and what does
that do for morale and the quality of
service?
Many of you will be reading this and
nodding at a scenario you recognise,
perhaps one which has directly
affected you and the security of your
employment. You will know that in
such scenarios, it felt that no-one was
affording you much control over your
future or how much employment you
would get, where you’d work, who’s
company name was on your wage slip.
How valued and respected did you
feel during that process. I suspect, not
very.
But on a more positive note, the more
we are clear about the benefits of
working together in a more reciprocal
way – each party having pride in
their partners’ as well as their own
performance – the sooner we will
achieve that sense of knowing that
this is the route to better outcomes all
round.

We have been married for 53 years
but when my wife Dorothy became ill
and her quality of life was declining we
decided to move into residential care.
On arrival we were greeted by all staff
who were friendly and welcoming.
I did initially wonder if we had done the
right thing as we have lived in our house
since 1937. Since coming into care I
didn’t realize how many people suffer
from dementia. Dorothy and I like our
peace and quiet and we did find it hard
at the beginning.
At home we have a large garden which
I can no longer maintain. Dorothy does
now need twenty four hour care and I
want to be with her. I would not be able
to cope on my own if I returned home
and I would be worried if I fell again,
putting stress onto our son.
I am involved in Dorothy’s care, I help
her dress and walk with her to the toilet
as she becomes bit confused.
It didn’t take long to settle in. We have
a sitting room as we like to watch the
news and we can choose where to go
within the home. We are still able to go
out and attend church services, go to
the bank and be independent just like
we were at.
We feel more secure within Ashley Court
and less stress on the son knowing
where they are also less risk of falling.
Overall life is better now and we couldn’t
be happier. Thank you Ashley Court.
q David and Dorothy Linnet,
celebrating 53 years of marriage at
Ashley Court
CHAT - THIS IS YOUR LIFE
This is Your Life
David and Dorothy’s Story - Still
together after 53 years of marriage

Care creatures
CHAT - RESIDENT CAT
Care home introduce
‘henpower’ to benefit
residents
A Shropshire care provider has
welcomed some new residents to its
homes – a brood of chickens that are
helping to improve people’s health and
wellbeing.
Coverage Care has introduced a flock
of feathered friends at Barleyfields
House in Shrewsbury, and at Lightmoor
View, in Telford, to stimulate and
engage residents, especially those with
dementia.
The scheme is now being rolled
out across its other homes across
Shropshire.
The project started with the introduction
of a brood of Speckled Pekin chicks - a
miniature breed known for its friendly
disposition and love of being handled,
making it ideal for older people and those
with dementia.
Residents help to feed and look after
them and collect the eggs, which are
then used in the home’s kitchen.
At Lightmoor View, Coverage Care’s
home in Lightmoor which specialises
in dementia care, the chickens are part
of a dedicated outdoor area created for
residents. As well as the chicken coop,
there is a caravan in the grounds where
residents can ‘holiday’ and enjoy al
fresco refreshments under the awning.
The chickens are the latest animals to be
welcomed at Coverage Care homes in
the county. It already encourages families
to bring in their pets and also organises
visits from donkeys, ‘pat a dog’, guinea
pigs, and birds to interest the residents.
My challenge was nutrition
If the CQC inspected us today,
I could tell them the exact
nutritional content of every
single meal we serve
Passionate about care home food
challenge usHave you got a nutrition, cost, service or quality challenge?
Get in touch and we’ll help you solve it – GUARANTEED.
www.challengeapetito.co.uk/paul or call the team on 0800 542 2631
Paul Swithenbank
Founder Chairman and Chief Executive,
The Willows, Blackpool
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CHAT - VOICE OVER
What key things do you
practice for infection control?
Everyone has a role to play in the prevention and control of healthcare-
associated infection (HCAI). We asked a group home care managers, ‘ What key
things do you practice for infection control?’
Debra Mehta
Stephen Penketh
Affinity Supporting People
We have good training and a regular
checklist within our service, but the
main thing is to ensure that staff
have all the correct training and
equipment. If those two things are
key, then the majority of everything
else falls into place. We only have
three small services but they’re all
compliant with infection control.
Conclusion
• robust training
• correct equipment
• ongoing monitoring
• communicating with other health professionals
Rose Clews
Radis
Hand washing, training, monitoring and just
passing that message on to everyone in the
community. This makes a huge difference and
there’s lots of flyers and training through the
council and so we pass out the information
they send to key staff. We also send leaflets
out to our service users, so that if a staff
member doesn’t get the memo, then it’s there
in the book at the home. It’s drilling in the
importance of hand washing, wearing aprons
and gloves etc. We also provide hand gel.
Denise Coates
Nurse Plus UK Ltd
We do a lot of training in infection control and spot-
checking and supervisions to make sure people
understand the importance of wearing personal
protection equipment like gloves, aprons, correct
hand washing procedures etc. We also work with
other groups to make sure they understand the
importance of PPE even though it looks impersonal.
Some clients don’t understand the protection factor
of it and can think it’s a waste of time, but it works,
and once you explain it to them, they’re a lot more
accepting.
Cathy Dyer
Home Instead Senior Care
Controlling infection requires hand
washing, personal protection equipment,
constant training, supervision and just
ensuring the staff are fully aware. There’s
definitely an improvement with all this
in place compared to years ago before
standards came in. I’ve been here three
years and we’re training new staff right
the way through and we have no issues
at all with infection. It works.
Donna Stinton
Enara
Key things are good hygiene, following
instructions correctly and making sure there’s
no cross-infection. Hand washing and gloves
are vital. If you open food make sure you
cover it and put the date on it. Also making
sure you wear aprons, hair tied back, no
jewellery and nail varnish. And it all pays off.
We believe in hands-on training so we use the
torch after washing to demonstrate and this
enables staff to understand the different types
of germs and how they’re carried.
Lynn Rogers
Enara
Obviously hand washing, gloves,
aprons and ongoing training. We
tap into various local authorities
where they offer intensive training
on hygiene. We prioritise it: it’s
all about communicating with
hospitals and district nurses
especially with discharges
from hospitals because service
users come out and could have
infections, so we need to be
sure that the carers are trained adequately and have the right
protection in place. At the moment we’re seeing an increase in
live TB, so one of the biggest issues is ensuring our staff have
been inoculated because some of them may have come from
a country where the BCG vaccine was not available when they
were younger.

I’m very put out!
I have a very favourite painting - a print actually – of a
place when my George and I used to love to visit. It was
too big for my little flat so they said it could go in the lounge
area, and I have enjoyed seeing it there every day. But
now they’ve just done redecorating and my picture has
disappeared. Where has it gone? No-one seems to know.
Much more to the point, no-one other than me seems to be
the least bit bothered.
It’s not the first time things have gone missing. I don’t say
that anyone is actually stealing things, its just that they don’t
take care of other people’s belongings.
Mrs Brown’s TV was taken off for repair. The firm said they
returned it the management team here, but it was never
to be seen again. Mr White is convinced that someone is
stealing his money but he does get a bit confused about
things. Betty Green said something about the staff selling
things on eBay (whatever that is) but I don’t know if she
really has grounds for saying that.
It’s just we’re all a generation that values our things. Some
people have had to work hard all their lives to get nice
things and its upsetting when they go missing. And even
if things haven’t got much value, except of the sentimental
kind, that doesn’t mean to say other people have no
responsibility for looking after them for us, does it?
I’d love to know what happened to my picture. Will I ever
see it again, I wonder?
CHAT - MRS MACBLOG
Mrs MAC LOG
Mrs MacBlog
Mrs Mac is now 92 years old. She has
lived in extra care accommodation for
more than 6 years and she has been
widowed for over 12 years. She gets 4
calls a day.
Challenge for care workers – discuss the
following issues.
1. Looking after people’s personal possessions is
important. They attach a lot of value in familiar things,
even if they aren’t valuable in a monetary sense. Do
you know of any situations where things have gone
missing mysteriously?
2. How important is it that you and your colleagues get
training in recording and monitoring people’s personal
effects? Does it help you to have procedures that
protect you from accusations of theft or disregard for
people’s possessions?
3. How would you deal with the upset caused to people
like Mrs Mac when things are damaged, go missing or
are stolen?
4. What can you do to make sure that more care is given
to personal items?

▲ Host Steve Walls with winner Emma Lewisand sponsor Mark Poland from National SkillsAcademy for Social Care
CELEBRATE
What the winner said…
Discovering I had been nominated by my team was an
emotional surprise! I have a genuine passion for what I do
which drives me to succeed, being lucky enough to have
a team that shares my passion and supports me to realize
my objectives makes me feel very fortunate.
What the judges said…
Emma demonstrated a clear understanding of Home Care
Services, being aware of staff and customers’ needs. The
judges were impressed with Emma’s passion and skills
especially maintaining a quality service and a gelled team
during major change from a small company to becoming
part of a larger company.
Emma Lewis, home care
registered manager award,
Mihomecare
Emma demonstrated a clear understanding of Home Care Services,
being aware of staff and customers’ needs. The judges were
impressed with Emma’s passion and skills especially maintaining
a quality service and a gelled team during major change from a
small company to becoming part of a larger company.
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• innovative Self Directed Support modules
• outcomes recording to ensure person-centred care delivery.
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CELEBRATE
17 October, 2014
Former Nuneaton soldier
short-listed for care award
Ryan Pleavin is a finalist in the West Midlands Great British Care
Awards for Best Newcomer
A former soldier from Nuneaton has been short-listed for a care
award after carving out a new career as a support worker for people
with learning disabilities and mental health needs.
The 32-year-old’s passion for his new role impressed the judges and
ensured his place as a finalist at the awards.
Giselle Parkin, Warwickshire service manager, said: “Ryan has shown
a huge amount of commitment and dedication to his new role. He is
not afraid of hard work and has developed very positive relationships
with both the people we support and his work colleagues.”
Ryan said: “Being a finalist in these awards is the icing on the cake
for what has been a big year for me in terms of my new career.
“I’m finding this new role both rewarding and interesting, everybody
is different and the same approach doesn’t work for everyone so I
have to be creative in my support for each person and think on my
feet.”
Courtesy of Coventry Telegraph
November, 2014
Concern Homecare feature
in film series
“This month, west London-based domiciliary care provider, Care
Concern Homecare Ltd, feature in a film series produced by the
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) for Social Care TV. The
series, entitled ‘Dignity in Care’, portrays dignity in practice and
examines four key factors that contribute to a caring and respectful
care experience: choice and control, privacy, social inclusion, and
communication.
Care Concern Homecare featured as an example of best practice
in illustrating how care services can be provided whilst maintaining
people’s dignity. Registered Manager, Catherine Gunnewicht,
explains further, “Dignity and respect are at the core of our work and
we were very proud to showcase our high standards of care in these
films.”
The films are useful tools for anyone involved in the delivery of care
to understand how people’s needs can be met with dignity and
respect.
SCIE works to improve the lives of people who use care services by
sharing knowledge about best practice. The films are available on
SCIE’s website (www.scie.org.uk).”
Courtesy of SCIE

CELEBRATE
4 November, 2014
Best Employer Award’ at
the Great North West Care
Awards 2014
Head of people at CLS Care Services, Phil Orton
A charitable organisation that operates care homes in Crewe and
Alsager is in the running for a regional honour.
CLS, which runs a number of care homes across the North West
including New Milton House in Alsager and The Elms in Crewe, has
been shortlisted for the ‘Best Employer Award’ at the Great North West
Care Awards 2014.
The group has been selected as a result of its success in
demonstrating strong leadership and performance management, as
well as its continuing commitment to investing in its staff.
CLS offers effective training to every member of staff, and all
employees are encouraged to develop their skills as a care industry
professional by pursuing relevant qualifications.
By investing early in the development of its staff, CLS is able to
consistently provide a high quality of care, as demonstrated in last
year’s independent Your Care Rating Customer Survey, which returned
an overall performance rating of nearly 90%. That result puts the group
comfortably ahead of the national average.
CLS Care Services managing director Robert Black said: “We are
delighted to have been selected as a finalist for this award. Our people
are key to our ability to provide excellent care, and that is what we
strive to accomplish.
“We have a happy and well-equipped workforce, and that is reflected
in the high demand for places in our homes, as well as the satisfaction
of our residents.”
Testament to CLS’s commitment to people development, its lead
locality trainer Penny Mottram has also been selected as a finalist in
the ‘Care Trainer Award’ category.
Nominated for her efforts to maintain and improve the quality of
training across all CLS homes, Penny has overseen increases in the
uptake of personal development training, and a sizeable reduction in
outstanding training events.
Phil Orton, head of people at CLS, commented: “Penny is not just
an exceptional trainer, but is a voice and motivator for excellent care
practice within the organisation.
“The quality of our staff is what makes CLS so successful. Over 67% of
our staff are qualified, and we are working towards achieving over 90%
in the near future.
“We are determined to make the quality of our workforce the
benchmark for the industry, and being so well represented at the Great
North West Care Awards is a sign that we are on the right track.”
Courtesy of Crew Chronicle
November 06, 2014
Choices Housing
Association lands
awards
Staff at a care provider are celebrating after landing two
prestigious awards.
Newcastle-based Choices Housing Association – a not-
for-profit housing and care organisation – landed two
regional awards from Great British Care.
Representatives from the provider attended a gala
evening in Solihull where they collected Care Employer
and Dignity in Care awards.
Managing Director Nigel Downs said: “I’m delighted
that Choices has been recognised for two such
prestigious awards, reiterating the value we place on
both our staff and service users.
“We currently employ over 380 people across
Staffordshire, but due to continued growth and
expansion, we will employ around 500 staff by the end
of 2015 across the whole region.”
Courtesy of Stoke Sentinel
Have you, your care home or agency had any local media coverage?
Send your Wall of Fame features to editorial@caretalk.co.uk

CELEBRATE
principle sponsor in association withThe regional 2014 Great British Care Awards
have now drawn to a close. This year we
were privileged to meet even more fantastic
heroes of social care.
Meet the winners
Great South West Care Awards
Old Passenger Shed, Bristol
17 October
Great West Midlands Care Awards
Motorcycle Museum, Solihull
17 October
Great Yorkshire and Humberside
Care Awards, National Railway
Museum, York , 31 October
Great North West Care Awards
Palace Hotel, Manchester
1 November
Great South East Care Awards
Hilton Hotel, Brighton
8 November
Great East of England Care
Awards, Peterborough Arena
14 November
Great London Care Awards
Grand Connaught Rooms
15 November
Great East Midlands Care Awards
East Midlands Conference Centre,
Nottingham, 21 November
Great North East Care Awards
Hilton Hotel, Newcastle
22 November

CELEBRATE
Not forgetting the runners
Great South West Care Awards
Old Passenger Shed, Bristol
17 October
Great West Midlands Care Awards
Motorcycle Museum, Solihull
17 October
Great Yorkshire and Humberside
Care Awards, National Railway
Museum, York , 31 October
Great North West Care Awards
Palace Hotel, Manchester
1 November
Great South East Care Awards
Hilton Hotel, Brighton
8 November
Great East of England Care
Awards, Peterborough Arena
14 November
Great London Care Awards
Grand Connaught Rooms
15 November
Great East Midlands Care Awards
East Midlands Conference Centre,
Nottingham, 21 November
Great North East Care Awards
Hilton Hotel, Newcastle
22 November
We look forward to seeing all the regional winners at the national finals of the
Great British Care Awards in April and May 2015 at the ICC in Birmingham
www.care-awards.co.uk

SHOWCASE
CareTalk
ontheroad
Nursing Homes, Care Homes, Assisted
Living, Domiciliary Care Services and Third
Age Housing
11 February 2015
Le Meridian, Picadilly
Care Talk has a packed agenda of
conferences and seminars ahead. We
are proud to be media partners and
supporters for some fantastic events,
listed right.

LUCY IS HERE FOR YOU
ON YOUR RAINY DAY, WILL
YOU BE THERE ON HERS?All of us will call on Britain’s 1.8 million care workers at some point. They
are our largest workforce, but also one of the lowest paid. By fundraising or
donating just a little you can help The Care Workers’ Charity provide support
to care professionals going through tough times.
The rainy day fund for everyday heroes
www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk

Our most obvious partnership is with the
17000 plus employers who offer services
across the country. That relationship is
critical because our primary task is to
help them make sure their workforce can
access quality learning and development
opportunities from day one of services right
through to senior management roles.
But we can’t just talk about the importance
of partnership working; we have to make
sure we are totally committed to it. The
merger of Skills for Care and the National
Skills Academy for Social Care is one
prime example of the way bringing expertise
together helps us offer employers a one
stop shop for learning and development
support.
“Our direction of travel is
to widen our partnerships
beyond employers into
areas of community
development, housing,
transport and leisure”
So we might work in partnership with
employers on a strategic level when we
were refreshing the Recruitment and
Retention Strategy. It might be working with
employers to look at the benefits of signing
up for the Social Care Commitment. It might
be an employer signing up to be a member
of the National Skills Academy. Or it might
just be something simple like one of our
Locality Managers visiting an employer to
find out what they need from us.
The common theme is that we seek the
views of those on the frontline so the
products we develop are fit for purpose.
We don’t have a monopoly of good ideas so
partnerships really help us get it right.
Whilst we work closely in partnership with
employers and members, our direction
of travel is to widen our partnerships
beyond employers into areas of community
development, housing, transport and
leisure, all of which affect the adult social
care workforce, including unpaid carers.
All this is work is underpinned by the
Principles of Workforce Integration which
we developed to offer organisations some
ideas about how we can fully integrate
services. The reality is that people who
need care and support aren’t interested
which uniform a person wears or where that
service comes from as their only criteria is
do those services meet my needs.
“Another positive
development is the joint
work we have done with
the Housing Learning and
innovation Network”
Another positive development
is the joint work we have done
with the Housing Learning and
innovation Network looking at
how we can integrate care and
housing services as we know
where people live is critical. We
have also been looking at how
we can harness the huge array
of skills in every community
to link with care services and
we recently published Skills
around the Person to bring
what we have learnt from those
grassroots partnerships.
Our offer is now a single
solution for leadership, learning
and development of the adult
social care workforce at all
levels based about working
with others, and our leadership
and development programmes
illustrate this perfectly. Our
Leadership for Change
programme, delivered with
the Leadership Centre, Public
Health England, the NHS
Leadership Academy, and the
Virtual Staff College has offered
a programme across adults’ and children’s
services to create and develop leaders
using the Systems Leadership model.
The Leadership for Empowered and Healthy
Communities, in partnership with Think
Local, Act Personal, the Local Government
Association, ADASS, DH, and the NHS
Thames Valley and Wessex Leadership
Academy, has been widely acclaimed, and
we are about to release dates for the 2015
cohort.
People who need care and support rightly
demand services that give them maximum
choice and control - the sorts of effective
partnerships that we are involved with are
essential if we are to meet their aspirations.
Sharon Allen, chief executive officer,
Skills for Care
LEARN
One of the main changes I have seen in
my time in social care is a much greater
emphasis on partnership working.

Co-production has become one of the
buzz words in social care in the last few
years. Its place has now been cemented
with the Care Act 2014 guidance. This
loftily defines it as: “When an individual
influences the support and services
received, or when groups of people
get together to influence the way that
services are designed, commissioned
and delivered.”
In many ways it’s not a new idea. We’ve
had user involvement, participation,
patient and public involvement (PPI)
and engagement; these have all been
around for a while, and have had
varying degrees of success.
“Co-production is the
ambition to push these ideas
that bit further.”
What you get that’s new with co-
production is the ambition to push
these ideas that bit further. At my
organisation, the Social Care Institute
for Excellence (SCIE), we were known
for doing participation well and then
co-production emerged as the natural
next step. This was set out in our 2012
strategy, “Towards co-production: taking
participation to the next level.” You can
find it at www.tinyurl.com/copronl.
We at SCIE are focusing our work on
people who use services and carers,
with four key principles: Equality,
diversity, accessibility and reciprocity.
Some people rightly point out that
words like co-production and the
tongue-twisting “reciprocity” just add
to the existing walls of jargon around
social care and put us in real danger
of breaking our own principle of
accessibility.
But if co-production is going to be really
different to what we’ve done before,
using new words is an important way of
showing that. So let’s break down that
jargon. My colleague Cecilia Mercer has
recently written a blog about how she
understands co-production as a person
with learning difficulties. She writes that
reciprocity: “Means that everyone gets
something for doing something. This
could mean making new friends, being
listened to, being heard, and feeling
important.” Find it at www.tinyurl.com/
coprocm.
Making the language accessible is a
key part of making sure that new words
do not become jargon. The other key
thing to do is make sure the words
become real so that people see and
experience them; and not just a nice
word about something that never quite
happens in the real world. So if you’re
going to deliver real co-production,
rather than using the old approaches to
working with people who use services
and carers, using the right words
and doing the right things are both
important.
“Making the language
accessible is a key part of
making sure that new words
do not become jargon”
SCIE has a guide: ‘Co-production in
social care: what it is and how to do it.’
It advises that the starting point has to
be working out what you mean by co-
production at the start of any process.
Agreeing what you mean by reciprocity
will also help the process and will make
sure that everyone knows what they will
be achieving, and also what they are
getting out of the process; that’s another
important part of that process.
The guide includes ten practice
examples of how co-production works
with a range of different people in
different areas. One of these is a
scheme developed by Action for Carers
Surrey. They have worked with a user-
led organisation, the County Council
and health services (including GPs) to
use direct payments, to provide short
breaks for carers. This has been a true
partnership with everyone working
together as equals.
Co-production is often described as a
relationship or conversation. A great
way to get started, and to make it work,
is to pin down exactly what these new
words mean for you.
SCIE’s co-production resources are at
www.tinyurl.com/coproall
Michael Turner, co-production support
manager, the Social Care Institute for
Excellence
Top tips
LEARN
Let’s talk co-production
and tongue-twisters

Community Advent C
For more information contact combatisolatio
1. Say hello to
everyone you
meet today.
7. Ask to join a
neighbour on their
dog walk.
13. Hold a
Christmas Karaoke
night with your
friends.
19. Volunteer in
your community:
www.do-it.org.uk is
full of ideas!
20. Host a Christmas
Party! Music, food
and mingling!
21. Call someone
you’ve not spoken
to for a while.
14. Offer to help a
neighbour put their
decorations up.
15. Invite people
round for a festive
brew!
8. Find a new club
in your area and
join it.
9. Hand deliver
your Christmas
cards to your
neighbours.
2. Take part in our
#xmashatsnap for
#givingtuesday.
3. Attend our London
or Easingwold carol
service or ﬁnd one
near you.
hallelujah
Happy Winterval
Rocking
around the
Christmas
tree
Happy Winterval

Calendar
on@unitedresponse.org.uk
22. Be positive and
say ‘yes’ to things
you would usually
say no to.
23. Offer to carry
someone’s
shopping bags.
24. Wish
everyone you
meet a
16. Take a trip to
your local
Christmas market.
17. Make a
Christmas hamper
and deliver it to a
neighbour.
18. Get baking!
Deliver some
Christmas biscuits
to a friend.
10. Offer to sweep
a neighbour’s path.
11. Join a local
choir and go carol
singing.
12. Invite a
neighbour round
for a mince pie.
4. Offer someone
you meet some help.
5. Organise a group
to go and see your
town’s Christmas
lights.
6. Host a Christmas
ﬁlm night and catch
up with friends.
ELF

SPECIALIST SERVICES
As the life expectancy of people with a
learning disability increases, both they
and the individuals and organisations
that support them will need to know more
about dementia and the care and support
that people with dementia need. Whilst it
mostly affects people over 65, people with
a learning disability are at greater risk of
developing dementia at a younger age.
To meet the need for accessible information,
the British Institute of Learning Disabilities,
in partnership with the Alzheimer’s
Society, has launched two new factsheets
about dementia for people with learning
disabilities.
“People with a learning
disability are at greater risk
of developing dementia at a
younger age.”
The factsheets are in Easy Read format
and they use simple sentences and photo
illustrations in a clear, accessible layout,
making the topic of dementia as easy
to understand as possible. Members of
Our Way Self Advocacy in Kidderminster
were involved in creating them, and self
advocates from Grapevine in Coventry and
Building Bridges in Sandwell helped test
them.
The first factsheet, ‘What is dementia?’
looks at how dementia affects people.
The second, ‘Supporting a person with
dementia’, provides advice for someone
with learning disabilities who may have a
friend or relative with dementia. It covers
communication, coping with behaviour
changes, and supporting the person to
remain engaged and active.
The onset of dementia in people with
learning disabilities offers a challenge
to those who provide support. Aspire in
Herefordshire were one of the first to offer
specialized support for older people with
a learning disability with dementia. As part
of their dementia strategy, all Aspire staff
receive dementia training regardless of the
age of the person they support, ensuring
that they have an awareness of the signs to
look out for.
Gail Cooper is registered care home
manager at Aspire’s Markyes Close, a
specialist service for older people with
a learning disability in Ross-on-Wye.
“Because the conventional methods of
detecting dementia are less relevant -
asking who the prime minister is only
works if you were likely to have been
able to answer that question in the first
place - Aspire have developed dementia
assessment tools, a series of observations
based on behaviours, skills and awareness
that we carry out over time.”
“Aspire were one of the first
to offer specialized support
for older people with a
learning disability
with dementia.”
“Once a dementia diagnosis is confirmed,
the quality of support someone receives
is crucial” said Gail, “they’ll need more
support delivered by people trained
to give it and it really helps if this is
done by people who have known them
previously. Communication may become
more challenging so if they know the
person well that can help, it helps too if
they know something of their family and
place background, as this can make
all the difference in ‘rollback memory’
conversations around things like family
photos and reminiscences”.
Because someone with a learning disability
may not understand the consequences of
a diagnosis of dementia, explaining to them
what is happening in terms they understand
is important. Family and friends may also
need to support to understand the changes
taking place. “Sometimes a family member
can be upset if their relative doesn’t
recognise them”, says Gail, “we explain
what is happening, breaking down medical
concepts into simpler language, that whilst
they might not remember them that day,
“you are always in his heart””.
Useful links
• ‘Learning disabilities and dementia’ -
Alzheimer’s Society factsheet, http://bit.
ly/12x3WJt
• Download the Easy Read Dementia
Factsheets at www.bild.org.uk/
dementiafactsheets or order printed
copies on 0300 303 5933 or orders@
alzheimers.org.uk
• www.bild.org.uk/ageingwell has a lot of
dementia information and links to other
resources
Peter Salisbury
is BILD
communications
manager. BILD’s
Ageing Well project
promotes a better
understanding of
the needs of older
people with learning
disabilities.
Supporting a person with learning
disabilities who has dementia

The National
Learning Disabilities
Awards

Care-Talk-Issue-38

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