Low (Poor) Standard of Care v The Potential for Excellence

Low Standard of Care v The Potential for Excellence

Recently there have been a number of cases in the news regarding the Low Standard of Care.

Winterbourne View

 

·         'Inadequate' Carlisle care home put in special measures

·         Brighton hospital trust 'unsafe' and 'poorly led'

Volunteer Recruitment

 

The Edith Ellen Foundation are currently looking to recruit volunteers for the following roles:

All roles are part-time voluntary, and unpaid but the individual reward is unimaginable.

What do Volunteers Receive? 

Volunteers gain from their experience in many ways, such as the following:

What care skills do you need to work in home care?

10 qualities of a good carer

What care skills do you need to work in home care?

Not everyone is cut out and has the care skills needed for a career in domiciliary/home care. A good carer requires special qualities – some of which can’t be learned or earned but are naturally part of an individual’s personality. In this blog post we explore the ten most important qualities of a good carer.

So how many do you possess – and what should you look out for when sourcing private home care?

1 – How to become a carer: Patience

If you are looking at how to become a carer, patience is of course key when dealing with patients and service users with diminished capabilities. Sometimes they may be slower at moving about or explaining what they need. They may also be difficult or frustrated, prone to taking that out on their carer. Remaining calm and patient no matter how stressful the task at hand may be is truly a skill and is incredibly important, as anger or irritability can affect a carer’s ability to do their job and can of course upset patients.

2 – Care skills: A cheery demeanour

A smile is sometimes more powerful than a thousand words. A carer might be the only person an individual comes into contact with during their day, so if they are pleasant, friendly and personable this could make a real difference and demonstrated core care skills. A cheerful demeanour also puts patients at ease and helps them to feel comfortable – and this is especially important if a carer is dealing with personal care requirements.

Food and Nutrition

We, here at the Edith Ellen HQ are very excited and pleased to announce that from Monday, 5th September 2016 our Guest Blogger, Chef Dave.

Chef Dave, will be posting Seasonal Menu's which will be rich in Nutrition, Low Carb, packed full of vitamins and enjoyable for all.

 

Chef Dave will also be posting favourite recipes with a little bit of pizazz!

 

If you would like a particularly favourite recipe to also be featured, please contact us on office@edithellenfoundation.org

Alzheimer’s & Dementia Books for Caregivers

Caregivers need comfort too — and few people know this fact better than the family members of someone with Alzheimer’s.

Caring for someone with dementia poses unique challenges, but it can be difficult to figure out where to turn to ask about senior care options or how to cope with difficult behavior. So we’ve researched a range of top books on the subject of caregiving for Alzheimer’s, and our final list consists of seven that come highly recommended by professionals as well as garnering top ratings from readers and reviewers.

Nearly all of these titles have been recommended by both the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institute on Aging:

1. The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People With Alzheimer’s Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life

by Nancy L. Mace and Peter V. Rabins. 4th ed. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006

Considered the “bible” for families caring for a loved one with AD, this book features practical advice and plenty of examples covering all aspects of care, including emotional issues of caring, financial details, and day-to-day coping with dementia behaviors. Also includes information about nursing homes and other types of residential living.

Communication and "The Empty Shell"

Sadly, dementia does indeed transform people into shadows of their former selves, but those living with dementia are far from “empty shells.” Yes, the shell may become more and more difficult to open. Some days it might not open at all. But never forget that there is a beautiful, unvarnished pearl within.

Understanding how to “open the shell” gives us opportunities to meaningfully connect with our dementia-afflicted loved one — even if only for a fleeting moment. Just as the right tools and a lot of technique is required to shuck an oyster, there is technique and artistry involved with communicating or connecting emotionally with a loved one who has dementia.

Here are 10 tips on how to effectively communicate with someone who has moderate to severe dementia.

"We rise by lifting others." ~ Robert Ingersoll

So let's take a look at a few ways that one might help lift someone else up:

Exercise tips for older people

 Exercise is crucial in maintaining health and wellbeing for older people. However, mobility-related or cognitive conditions can make it difficult to establish a regular exercise regime.

Not only does exercise have many short-term mood-boosting effects, it also helps protect against muscle deterioration, and can build self-esteem by enabling people to feel active and involved. Older people can exercise in their own homes, or join up with a group for additional social interaction.  

Safety considerations

Nutrition in Older People

Key points

• In the UK, life expectancy has doubled over the last 200 years and now around 16% of the population is aged over 65 years. 

• General nutrient requirements and healthy eating guidelines apply to older people. However, energy requirements fall with advancing age due to a decrease in basal metabolic rate and often decreased levels of physical activity.

• The ability to synthesise vitamin D by the skin decreases with age. Older people are therefore recommended to take a supplement

Protecting Our Vulnerable and Elderly Against Abuse

Everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. Abuse can take many forms, from disrespect to causing someone mental or physical pain. It is never acceptable. There is action you can take to protect yourself and help available if you need it.

What is abuse?

Abuse is when someone causes us harm or distress. It may be a single or repeated act or it could be a failure to take appropriate action.

There are five common types of abuse:

• financial – for example, someone taking your money or valuables without your permission, or pressurising you to change your will or to spend your money in a way you don’t want to
• physical – including hitting or slapping you, not giving you the right medication, restraining you in an inappropriate way, making a room too hot or cold
• psychological – this could involve someone calling you names, threatening you, humiliating, blaming or controlling you
• sexual – touching or looking at you inappropriately, assaulting you or making you undress or look at sexual images
• neglect – when a carer fails to meet your basic needs so you are hungry, in pain or cold

The importance of maintaining good hydration in older people

Knowing the importance of maintaining good hydration in older people

Being well-nourished and well-hydrated is a core component of maintaining good health. But while there is a growing emphasis on tackling malnutrition and improving nutritional care, there is a danger that hydration is being overlooked.

Good hydration enhances feelings of wellbeing, reduces the use of medication and helps prevent illness. For most adults, dehydration is a problem with a quick fix. However for older adults, dehydration is the most common cause of fluid and electrolyte imbalance and one that can have devastating long-term effects

Therefore ensuring good practice in hydration care is key to improving quality of life and maintaining older people’s health. It is well documented that many older people continue to suffer from preventable dehydration, even though it can be easily avoided by ensuring individuals have enough to drink. Despite this apparently simple and cost-effective preventative measure, dehydration is still a major problem for older people in care homes, hospitals and in their own homes within the community.

Risks of dehydration 

If mild dehydration is not recognised or is left uncorrected, the effects can be serious and rapid.  Common consequences of dehydration include confusion, falls, pressure ulcers and UTIs. Dehydration can deteriorate rapidly and lead to unnecessary invasive clinical interventions and long-term outcomes that can result in the loss of independence, dignity and death.

Chronic dehydration also develops over time, which is why detailed, structured, standardised and regular assessments are needed.

Almost two thirds of savers who raided pension funds have no plans for care

PENSION savers are plundering their retirement pots without planning ahead for the cost of any care they might need in old age

Three out of five people aged 55 or over who have taken money out of their savings

Three out of five people aged 55 or over who have taken money out of their savings under new pension freedoms have no idea how they would pay any care home bills or for help at home, according to research from Citizens Advice published today.

Just 16 per cent have budgeted for care costs they may face as they grow older while 23 per cent plan to use equity release or sell their homes.

Of those who have no plan, one in 10 is relying on

Whistleblowers being 'blacklisted by NHS' as staff records state they were 'dismissed' even after being cleared at tribunal

Despite legislation being in place to protect an employee who whistleblows, those who do are still being persecuted by their employer.  An article in the Telegraph on the 20th August 2016 details "blacklisted" NHS employees who did whistleblow.

It's as though 12 years on from The BUPA 7 nothing has been learnt.

When Maha Yassaie began to suspect that a colleague was taking money from drug companies to prescribe a certain product and that a GP had obtained controlled drugs to attempt suicide she naturally raised the alarm.

But after reporting these and other concerns about her colleagues the former chief pharmacist at Berkshire West Primary Care Trust was dismissed from her post.
To her dismay Lady Yassaie was told by an internal inquiry that she was “too honest” to work for the NHS.

It should therefore have been a moment of vindication when she was awarded

Discombobulate

It is very easy to become pained and discombobulated when looking for the right Service Provider: Residential or Nursing for your loved one.  There really isn't a price you can place on peace of mind and that it our unique selling point.

There are a lot of ways to locate local services to you or in a particular search area such as:

The CQC Search 

or

The Care UK Search

However, only by visiting a Provider can you actually get an understanding of the Service and level of service they provide.

The Edith Ellen Foundation can help you. 

If you weren't sure about the impact/cost of poverty on health then have a look at this

Make a Dementia-Friendly House

VIDEO - HOME IMPROVEMENT:

It is important that people living with dementia have the best quality of life possible in their homes. See simple changes that create a more dementia-friendly environment, enhancing emotional well-being and independence.


Inexpensive and simple changes to a house can make it so much more dementia-friendly. See this video for good ideas from the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Below the video are Amazon links to helpful items described in this film clip.

  

Make a dementia-friendly house with help from Amazon.com

Family Day at our Pilot Provider

It has been a busy few weeks at Edith Ellen HQ, with planning the Family Day at our Pilot Provider.  And today was the day all that hard work paid off.

The day got of to a good start with a number of our team supporting the Foundation and the Provider

Our very own Founder, Kate, was also busy representing the Services we offer and the support we provide to the Families and Service Users

Volunteering boosts mental health and wellbeing in later life

Choosing to volunteer later in life can improve a person’s wellbeing and support good mental health, research has revealed. 

The study conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton and the University of Birmingham has been published in the BMJ Open online and found that the effects of volunteering before the age of 40 did not apply, suggesting that volunteering can have a stronger, more positive effect at certain points in life. 

The results of the study further highlighted the need to encourage middle aged and older people to participate in volunteering activities. 

‘Inadequate’ care home failed to refer abuse allegations to council

CQC rates Carrwood House in Sheffield ‘inadequate’ for second time in six months but the care home’s bosses say they will challenge findings

Carrwood House in Sheffield was rated 'inadequate' in four out of the five inspection criteria

Carrwood House boast that it is a privately run care home situated in Sheffield . Here at Carrwood House you will find a warm welcome and comfortable surroundings. We pride ourselves on the standard of care. We place the rights of our service users at the forefront of our philosophy of care. We seek to advance these rights in all aspects of the services we provide and encourage our service users to exercise their rights to the full.

Carrwood House is

“unacceptable failings”

Autism service at centre of police investigation to be shut down

The National Autistic Society has announced plans to close Mendip House in Somerset after a CQC inspection found “unacceptable failings”

A care home for adults with autism that is being investigated by police will be shut down.

Mendip House in Somerset is the subject of an ongoing police investigation surrounding the welfare of its six residents, which was triggered following a CQC inspection in May this year.

The National Autistic Society, which owns the home, announced its closure on Monday.

The charity’s director, Jane Harris, said the home had “failed badly” to ensure residents were safe and the deteriorating standards at Mendip House should have been picked up sooner.

‘Adversely affected’

Food Ideas for those who have Dementia/Alzheimers

As we are all very much aware, nutrition is big news within our Dementia Care and Alzheimers Care settings.

But what everyone forgets (or maybe takes the easy option to), is that Nutrition is just as important in a toddler as it is in a person with Dementia.

So I've compiled a few ideas, that are nutritional and fun.  So not a complete menu but just remembering that meal times don't have to be just Liver and Onions!

I appreciate that you'll likely read this an say "Finger Food! what are they on about?" but believe me it really is a viable idea.

People with Dementia and Alzheimers start to feel like they are lacking in capacity, meals become a chore and stressful, with a lack of appetite why can't we go back to basics and have fun with food?  For many this isn't an option, but being able to pick up and feed themselves is a preferable method of achieving nutrition on their own terms.

Just remember

Dementia and nutrition

Many people living with dementia may experience a change in their relationship with food, eating and drinking. As dementia progresses, the behavioural, emotional and physical changes that occur can make eating and drinking more difficult.

Depending on the individual, these changes can result in dehydration, weight loss or weight gain.

As a carer, this can be upsetting and you may find it reassuring to understand how you can help the person you care for to eat and drink well.

There are some simple ways that you can help a person with dementia to enjoy meal times and get the best from their diet.

Carers UK has a partnership with social business Unforgettable, which was founded by a carer and aims to create a vibrant marketplace for products and services to help people to cope better with dementia. Some of these are designed to help with mealtimes, from dignified bibs and specially-adapted tableware to products to improve dental hygiene.

How can dementia affect diet and nutrition?

Alzheimer's drug that may slow condition hailed as 'glimmer of hope'

'The headway being made through research is starting to give a real sense of the possibility that we could one day stop dementia in its tracks'

A new drug appears to have slowed the deterioration of the brain caused by Alzheimer’s disease for the first time, offering what one expert said

Older people living in residential care require nutritional plans that cater to their changing physiology

Malnutrition is thought to affect 10% of people over 65 in the UK. The key to getting food and nutrition in care homes right is respecting the diversity of the residents and their care needs.  Our organisation provides guidance across our care homes in the UK, but it is crucial for individual homes to tailor their food and nutrition provision to the individual. With this in mind, here are some guidelines for how best to approach food and nutrition in care homes.

Talking from recent observations in both the NHS and Care, We find it concerning to find so many people being taken off eating normally because they have difficulties in swallowing food.

In the main we wonder if this might be more of a concern of staff fears and confidence when dealing with people when they see people choking if they are not taught the right skills in nursing and caring and understanding the body’s anatomy and physiology?

We also questions whether this is an easy option for doctors and nurses turn to soft and restricting foods and supplementary drinks and whether care really understanding the

Care home owner 'shocked and saddened' after resident dies swallowing bleach tablet

Sharing a post from Care Home UK

http://www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1577825/Care-home-owner-shocked-and-saddened-after-resident-dies-swallowing-bleach-tablet

An investigation is underway into the death of a man who swallowed a bleach tablet at his nursing home.

Balmoral Court Care Home in Byker, Newcastle Credit: Crown Court Group

Last year 400,000 people died from Dementia

Last year 400,000 people died from Dementia, and many people have been faced with similar circumstances where their loved ones had Mental Capacity and their families who were their legal guardians were unaware that they had DNA/CPR as someone else had made the decision that was their right. 

It opens the question as to whether MCA and DoLs goes far enough to protect the Best Interests of our Frail and Vulnerable people?This needs discussion and it it needs MHA and MCA Lawyers that understand this Law to be part of any Cross Party Group discussions.
Meanwhile please help to raise the profile of this concern by
by signing and Sharing this Petition. Thank You

https://www.change.org/p/prime-minister-of-england-public-inquest-in-to-the-death-of-mavis-banks-new-evidence-has-shown-conflict-of-interest

NICE - new resources to support implementation of the guideline on older people with social care needs and multiple long-term conditions

Government commits to high quality end of life care

The government has made 6 commitments to the public to end variations in end of life care across the health system by 2020. These are:

• honest discussions between care professionals and dying people
• dying people making informed choices about their care
• personalised care plans for all
• the discussion of personalised care plans with care professionals
• the involvement of family and carers in dying people’s care
• a main contact so dying people know who to contact at any time of day  
• The commitments are in response to an independent review of end of life care. Read more here

Behind Those Care Home Doors

Written by Adeline Dalley and available in paperback on Amazon, this is a must have book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/190930039X/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_asp_pLYdL.88RVX6T

How do you choose a care home for a relative or friend? 

The care home may look perfect in the brochure, but is that a true reflection of what it's like to live there? Can the manager's claims be trusted? Written by an insider who's worked in care for sixteen years, this book will show you how to tell if all is really as it seems. Are the home's residents looked upon as people, or just as money generators? 

Will your mum be allowed something to drink in the evening, or will she be left thirsty just so that she won't need the lavatory in the night? This is a book for anyone with a relative or friend in residential care. It's also a book for current and future residents and the carers who look after them.

'Behind those care home doors' will show you what to really look for in a care home and how to check the standards of care provided and what to do if things go wrong. 

The author describes her front line experiences of abusive behaviours and harrowing standards of care, often from senior staff. She questions why carers who have the most contact with patients are frequently ignored when they raise concerns. 

Typical care home fees are equal to a staying in a good hotel with a private nurse and yet many homes are cutting staff to inappropriate levels. The author describes working in a care home with fees in excess of £900 per week and a menu promising smoked mackerel paté, homemade crusty bread and salad while the staff were obliged to serve muffin and chips, fish fingers and spaghetti hoops, out of date food, and mean portions. 

If you're contemplating working in a care home 'Behind those care home doors' will give you an insight and help you to decide whether care is the right career for you physically and emotionally. 

This book would also make valuable reading for care home managers and owners who may be finding the day to day pressures within their organisation are leading to decisions they know to be wrong.

Inspectors highlight 'deeply concerning' failings as Hebburn care home is placed in special measures

Windsor Care Home was criticised for 'isolating' residents and not safeguarding people in care from the risk of abuse 

Serious failings at a Tyneside care home have been laid bare in a damning report.

Windsor Care Home, in Hebburn, was criticised for not safeguarding residents from the risk of abuse, failing to manage medicines safely and leaving residents “isolated” during the delivery of their care.

GP gatekeeper role disabled at worst possible time for NHS, warn researchers

Quote - Social care cuts
She said: 'We have messed it up, taken away the GP and district nurse and social care at the very time that the elderly would need them most, when many 1920s baby boomers are still alive and now in their nineties.

'We cut the district nurse who could deal with ulcers and many other problems, and cut back on GPs. The DH got it wrong, and other UK countries have mimicked policy from England.'
Freezing social care at the same time had been a disaster for this group of patients, she added. 'We need social care people to go in and give them 15 hours a week - if not they go into A&E and end up in beds. The NHS is full of patients, but if you invested in GPs, district nurses and social care, a lot more could have stayed in their homes.'

Working on the assumption that the government would not increase overall NHS funding dramatically, the case for increasing the share spent on general practice was unavoidable, she argued.

'Assuming the budget is not going to go up we need to shift money into general practice - without that we are doomed. We need to control use of all these other health professionals, because at the moment the gatekeepers are disabled.

Erosion of funding for GPs and key related services over the past decade has undermined the profession's gatekeeper function at a time when it is needed more than ever because of the UK's ageing population, according to primary care academics.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding - The update

Under new legislation passed in 2015 Safeguarding now covers 10 Key components

This is the original 5 (pre 2015)

1.       Physical Abuse

2.       Sexual Abuse

3.       Financial or Material Abuse

4.       Psychological or Emotional Abuse

5.       Neglect or Acts of omission

The Additional components

6.       Self-neglect

7.       Domestic Violence or Abuse

8.       Modern Slavery

9.       Discriminatory Abuse

10.   ORGANISATIONAL**

** Organisational or institutional abuse is the mistreatment of people brought about by poor or inadequate care or support, or systematic poor practice that affects the whole care setting. It occurs when the individual's wishes and needs are sacrificed for the smooth running of a group, service or organisation.

Mental Capacity Act 2005 - Section 44 Ill-treatment or neglect

Section 44 - Mental Capacity Act 2005

Mental Capacity Act 2005 - Section 44 Ill-treatment or neglect 

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (The Act) introduced two new criminal offences:

• ill treatment and wilful neglect of a person who lacks capacity to make relevant decisions. These offences are known as Section 44 of the Act and applies to anyone caring for a person who lacks capacity – this includes;

- family carers, healthcare and social care staff in hospital or care homes and those providing care in a person’s home

- an attorney appointed under an LPA or an EPA, or

- a deputy appointed for the person by the court. 

Systematic Abuse

It is the reason The Edith Ellen Foundation started, to make a difference and prevent more reports like the following articles shocking systematic abuse in care.  This is a disgusting, heartbreaking article which demonstrates the need for a change in Care Standards and stronger legislation to prevent re-occurrences.

Shocking footage shows care workers abusing brain damaged patient while gloating "You won't beat us b*****d"

The carers within this article wouldn't even recognise the difference between Neglect and Abuse if it was written in glitter.

This is the kind of news that we need more of

Complaining without reprisal

We understand that ‪#‎CQC‬ are finally recognising that families are being treated unfairly when they complain about care providers and are moving to produce information guidance for all based on regulatory guidelines

 

 

The Kindness Audit

The Edith Ellen Foundation recognised that one of the biggest challenges faced by both nursing and caring services today is to bring about cultural changes to attitudes and to have the right staff doing the right job in the right way.

Many opportunities are lost that would make substantial changes to benefit people

-the Key elements missing

– The capacity to listen and to understand what people at the front line are really saying

The Foundation’s Kindness Audit, is an innovated National Standard which defines the quality of care across all holistic integrated care.

This will increase the expectations of care delivery and will lead to the creation of greater choice, and act as a guide for people and families to be able to decide the level of services required for their own individual needs, and for those of their families.

Holistic Kindness in Care

The concept of The Edith Ellen Foundation was based on seeking the delivery of a great individual personal care experience every time, from within a nursing and care culture where all are dedicated to exceptional skills in personal approaches to kindness, respect, compassion, listening and understanding.

The Edith Ellen Foundation sought a wide perspective of views on care, and listened to what people were telling us. We analysed all the relevant Statutory Care Legislation, Safeguarding Requirements, Guidelines and Reports, and researched a broad spectrum of documented nursing and care systems here in the UK and overseas. To be able to bring together a practical support and to provide a positive legacy for care today and for the future.

Signs and Symptoms for Dementia

Signs and Symptoms of Dementia

Though listed below are the Signs and Symptoms for Dementia, if you have any concern you would need to discuss them directly with your General Practitioner (GP) or Specialist.

So what is Dementia?

Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Memory loss is an example. Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia.

About Dementia

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. 

Edith Ellen Holistic Care Givers

Edith Ellen Carers

In care today it is not enough to simply rely on current systems of Legislation and Regulation to improve care, as they do little to address the many conflicts of interest that exist and merely promote systems that are not fit for purpose.

The heavy responsibilities and pressures in the assessment, training and provision for nursing and care services coupled with a consistent lack of support and recognition for those that do provide excellent care, has in many cases specifically reflected in staff attitudes. It has affected the culture of nursing and care, and is the main reason why we have seen many good carers forced to leave the care industry.

All in the care industry are struggling without the support they require from the timely connections to their own care systems and chains, the local community and all the necessary services and organisations that should all be proactively interacting with them to allow them to support the people they look after.

Sepsis

Sepsis

Recently Sepsis has been in the news, raising awareness for Joe Public and Medical Practitioners.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blood-poisoning/Pages/Introduction.aspx

http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/health/sepsis-kills-44000-people-year-8542009

Here we will aim to widen the knowledge of Sepsis 

sepsis

ˈsɛpsɪs

noun

Medicine

noun: sepsis

Training

The Edith Ellen Foundation Training Courses for Care Staff & Volunteers

We offer an extensive 2 day Induction course for our Volunteers and Carers which we source out to Homes within the Norfolk and Fenland Area.

We also assist those looking to retrain, rejoin or start their careers in Care and Nursing

A Sample of the Training we offer:

• Equality Act 2010

• Human Rights Act 1998

• Mental Capacity Act 2005 with updated Deprivation of Liberty

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Children

• Our Kindness Audit

• Information Governance (formerly Confidentiality)

Kindness in Care (video short)

Kindness in Care (video short)

Edith Ellen in the News

Norfolk woman sets up charity to improve culture of care

 

Kate Blake the Founder of The Edith Ellen Foundation

A Norfolk woman has pledged to help change the culture of care in residential homes by setting up a new charity to try and prevent abuse.