Dignity Costs?

“It is truly appalling that we have reached a stage that requires an investigation to improve Dignity in Care for older people,”

Says Lawrence Tomlinson; one of the country’s top 10 most influential leaders within the healthcare industry and Chairman of Ideal Care Homes

“I give my full support to the investigation and would love to see it have an impact nationwide ensuring the elderly are afforded the basic human rights that the rest of us would expect. 

Sadly, I am doubtful that without a full overhaul of the system, putting quality at the heart of care structures, that this investigation will have full effect. 

Whilst price continues to play the fundamental role in commissioning, costs of staff and training will remain an issue for many providers.

A strong national fee structure that rewards quality would ensure that these sickening abuses are fully dis-incentivised and providers focus on what matters - the quality of care the residents receive.

At present, the less providers do, the more profit they make, leading to a reduction in the quality in the provision of care available. 

 It is time to start encouraging a race to the top and change the culture of squeezed margins and under-resourced care. 

 Unless we act now, hospitals will continue to fill whilst the system clogs up and we will witness a continued deterioration in care quality as staff are increasingly pressured to deal with growing demand.

We need a local commissioning structure that follows simple but strong national guidelines on quality payments above a set local base fee. 

Within this framework, allowance can be made for local variation through weighting of fees, whilst also awarding increases to this base fee based on quality and the provision of care. 

Quality of service can then be monitored by the Local Authority purchasers and homes not meeting the required quality outcomes will not be awarded contracts. 

Homes need to run efficiently to high quality standards, this is people’s lives we are investing in, quality is key.”

Greenacres Care Home Make a Wish on National Dignity Day

Wednesday February 1^st was National Dignity Day, a day that gives everyone the opportunity to uphold people’s rights to dignity and provide a truly memorable day for people receiving care.

Staff at Greenacres Care Home in Meltham, embraced National Dignity Day with a day of activities,

Care home Manager Tracey Nash commented

“National Dignity Day for us is all about making the day extra special for our residents.  We wanted to remind our residents of memories from the past, enjoy the present and to wish good things for the future”

To incorporate all these things together Staff at Greenacres bought the “old pub” into the home; creating an old fashioned pub atmosphere and environment using old pictures, memorabilia, hosting dominoes games, darts matches and of course serving good old British pub food.  Residents were reminded of their tipples from the past including Cherry Bee, Baby Sham and Snowballs.

The party really began to start when Belinda led a good old fashioned sing song accompanied by residents and staff belting out classics such as roll out the barrel, Daisy Daisy and It’s a long way to Tipperary,

During the day residents were invited to make a personal wish and invited residents to post their wishes on a wish board.  Many wishes were residents wishing their friends at Greenacres good health and happiness, love to be sent to anyone who had any troubles, as well as a wish for Guinness to be served at their events and the Greenacres pub to open all the time.

One resident only had to wait 2 weeks to wait for his wish to come true; Michael Morris  wished for a visit from the Guide Dogs for the Blind and his wish came true on Thursday 16th February.  Margaret Kenworthy who is a puppy walker for the guide dogs came to meet Michael and introduce him to  Fonda a beautiful 11 month old golden retriever to Greenacres.

CORRIE & WILD AT HEART STARS VISIT DE BROOK LODGE, HURST PARK COURT & BRINNINGTON HALL

Saturday 18^th February saw De Brook Lodge, Hurst Park Court and Brinnington Hall Care Homes transform into the Roys Rolls and the Rovers Return for the day to welcome Alan Halsall (Tyrone Dobbs from Coronation Street ) and his wife Lucy-Jo Hudson (Rosie from Wild at Heart) who visited the homes and spent time meeting the residents, their families and members of the local communities.

To mark the visit and make the guests feel at home, staff served up a, café breakfasts, lunchtime buffet, with their own take on Betty’s Hot Pot, and afternoon teas.  A signed souvenir 50 years of Coronation Street book was also on offer as the star raffle prize at each home

Alan Halsall said “It has been a pleasure for Lucy Jo and I to visit these fantastic care homes.  Dementia is a story line running through Coronation Street at the moment and it has been great to be able to see that high quality care is available and that these homes are great places to live in”.

Mark Greaves, Managing Director of Ideal Care Homes also attended the visits and said “It has been a great boost for the homes for Alan and Lucy Jo to take time out of their busy schedules to come and visit us.  Everyone has really enjoyed meeting them but no one thinks Tyrone’s engagement is a good idea!”

Worshipful Mayor of Gedling ‘Heralds’ Landmark Stage of New Care Home

The Worshipful Mayor of Gedling, Councillor Patricia Andrews today visited the site of the new Coppice Lodge Care Home, as LNT Construction completed the Landmark stage of “topping out” the purpose built facility.

The Worshipful Mayor was joined by her Escort and Husband Mr Bruce Andrews.

The purpose built modern facility has been designed and is being constructed by LNT Construction on the site of the Old Maid Marion Public House on Coppice Road.

On its completion the 64 Bed Care Home will provide the borough an entirely new approach to older care provision.  The home will be run by Ideal Care Homes sister company to LNT Construction.  Ideal Care Homes has an established track record in delivering first-class services for older people, offering the highest quality of personalised care in a contemporary and relaxed setting at an affordable price for all.

With the construction of the roof complete, the signs of the facilities on offer were clearly beginning to take shape.  On completion the luxurious home from home facility will provide residential and specialist dementia care 64 older people with 100% en-suite accommodation, landscaped sensory gardens and its own hairdressing salon.

During the tour of the site, the Madam Mayor commented

“This is a care home which is clearly going to deliver high quality care.  The development of this home clearly shows a step forward in care provision we are used to. Ideal Care homes and LNT Construction are clearly focussing on the humanity of the service and the residents who will live here, gone are the days of seeing 20 residents in a room staring at a television.

The investment this development is bringing to the area is marvellous. The fact the LNT Construction and Ideal Care Homes value becoming part of the local community is very clear, employing local labour to assist with the construction and fitting out, and the 50 new jobs that will be created for local people to run the home is fantastic.”

We are already reserving our rooms here”

The 64 bed care home is due to open early July 2012 and will hold both a professional and public open day for key Local Authority workers and services and for the public to view the facilities available and reserve rooms. 

LNT Group Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson is serious about changing the way social care operates in the UK.   To do this; Ideal Care Homes have taken a stand and abolished third party top-up fees, ensuring highest quality of care for all, regardless of financial wealth and circumstances and welcome both private and local authority funded”

The Portfolio of Care Homes designed by LNT construction are designed and developed to be fit-for-purpose and future-proof with every thought given to the well-being of the people who choose to live with them. 

Ideal Care Homes professional staff are all dedicated carers who promote independence and personal choice.  Specialising in modern forms of personalised care, promoting independence of residents while providing efficient and professional care that suits their particular health needs.

Ideal Care homes currently have 30 operating homes with plans to open further homes across the North and Midlands in 2012/13. LNT Construction and Ideal Care Homes are part of the LNT Group owned by Mr Lawrence Tomlinson.

DEPUTY MAYOR RETURNS TO HARDEN HALL TO WELCOME FIRST RESIDENT

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Graham Wilkes returned to new Care Home Harden Hall just 2 weeks after attending the official opening of the home, to personally welcome their first resident.

92 year old Louis Cross is the first resident to move into the area’s most modern care facility.

This week the Deputy Mayor Councillor Graham Wilkes joined staff at Walsall’s newest care home Harden Hall to welcome its first resident Mrs Louis Cross into her new home. 

Mrs Cross shared cup of tea with, Ideal Care Homes’ Managing Director, Mark Greaves and Councillor Graham Wilkes being presented with a bouquet of flowers by the Deputy Mayor.

Deputy Mayor Councillor Graham Wilkes, attended Harden Hall professional open day earlier this month and was so impressed by the facilities and staff requested that he came back to join Managing Director Mark Greaves to welcome their first resident.

Mrs Cross was born in Walsall.  Starting work at the age of 14, during the war Mrs Cross made buckles for soldier’s uniforms.  Mrs Cross worked at the Samuel Wilkes Factory in Bloxwich for 31 years, before continuing to work at Elliot’s in Walsall until she was 73 years of age.

Mrs Cross has 3 children, 7 grandchildren, 11 grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren

Louis has settled in very quickly to her new home and her family are very pleased and relieved.

Mark Greaves, Managing Director of Ideal Care Homes said:

“It is a pleasure to welcome Mrs Cross to her new home.  We never under estimate what a big step it is moving into a new environment, but I know that Adam and his team of carers will go to every length to make sure the move for all our residents are as smooth as possible.”

“This is the first home Ideal Care Homes have opened in Walsall, since the public open day on Sunday 5^th February, there has been large public interest in Harden Hall, with a high number of rooms already being reserved.  This is a testament to Ideal Care Homes’ offer of affordable, quality care and also the demand for quality care in Walsall.”

Ideal Care Homes offer the highest quality of personalised care in a contemporary, relaxed home from home setting.  At an affordable price, welcoming both private and local authority residents with a no top up fee policy ensures provision of the highest quality of care for all regardless of wealth and circumstance.

COME DINE WITH HURST PARK COURT

Huyton Care Home, Hurst Park Court last week hosted ‘A Come Dine with Me’ style dinner party. 

The area’s newest Care Home invited residents and staff from neighbouring Birkenhead Court and Widnes Hall to join them for a 3 course dinner and entertainment.

The idea was the brainchild of Home Managers Lorraine Sharpe (Hurst Park Court), Jennie Wright (Widnes Hall) and Phil Ryan (Birkenhead Court), with the objective of welcoming the new home into the Ideal Family and allowing residents to socialise and meet each other and of course in true ‘Come Dine with Me’ style have a nosey around the new home

As their guests began to arrive at noon Hurts Park Court Manager Lorraine Sharpe commented;

“the objective of today’s dinner is simple; we want to provide both our residents and our guests a lovely afternoon and allow them to enjoy the warm and welcoming  Hurst Park experience.  Going out for dinner and meeting new people may seem to be a basic concept but for residents it shows that they are still able to go out for dinner, meet new people and feel they are still very much part of a bigger community than just what is within their 4 walls”

Guests were treated to an impressive lunch menu, created and served by Hurst Park Court chefs Debbie Cooper and Julie Edwards.  Although preparing and serving such a menu for over 60 residents, gests and staff is no mean feat, Debbie and Julie served up 100% home cooked restaurant quality food, receiving a standing ovation from the residents following the serving of the final course.  Spoilt with a choice for each course diners had the choice of;

Starter:

Leek and Potato Soup or Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet Chilli dip and Side Salad

Main:

Poached Salmon Fillets or Chicken in White Wine and Mushroom Sauce

With; New Potatoes, Broccoli and Baton Carrots

Dessert:

Lemon Drizzle Cake with Fresh Cream, or Cherry scones served with Jam & Cream followed by Cheese & Biscuits

As the Sherry, Baileys, wine and water flowed and dinner was cleared away, 17 year old singer Ian Murphy provided the after dinner entertainment singing a mix of past and present hits.  Residents and staff took to the floor dancing off their earlier feast.

As the taxi’s arrived to collect the tired but full and happy guests a smiling Lorraine said

“a great afternoon has been had by all, everything about today has been lovely.  Ian provided great entertainment and some of the dance moves demonstrated by residents and guests needed to be seen to be believed”

Visiting Managers Jennie Wright and Phil Ryan concluded;

“On behalf of Birkenhead Court and Widnes Hall we want to say a big thank you to Lorraine and her team at Hurst Park Court who worked so hard and hosted a great afternoon. 

You cannot underestimate the value of residents being able to come out for the afternoon, meet new faces and start to build friendships.  We look forward to hosting Hurst Park Court at our homes for another event in the near future”

Hurst Park Court in Longview Drive, Huyton opened officially in November 2011 and is operated by Ideal Care Homes.  Offering both residential and specialist Dementia Care Hurst Park Court has the facilities to provide a home for 41 local older.  The new, luxurious home from home facility boasts 100% en-suite bedrooms, landscaped gardens and a hairdressing salon and was the 24th home to be opened by Ideal Care Homes. 

The home was built by sister company LNT Construction, both part of the Leeds-based LNT Group owned by adult social care expert Lawrence Tomlinson.  The Yorkshire born entrepreneur is responsible for a new era in care by abolishing third party top-up fees to ensure the highest quality of care for all, regardless of financial wealth and circumstances.

After Dinner Dancing