In June 2019 the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published their review report, ‘Smiling Matters: Oral health care in care homes.’The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) had produced guidelines (NG48) recognising the importance of good oral care for adults in care homes. The aim is to maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment.The NICE guidelines include recommendations for care home managers, staff and people who use services and their carers, focusing on: Care home policies on oral health and providing people with support to access dental services Oral health assessment and mouth care …
By Andrew Wright, Art Psychotherapist, HCPC reg (UK) BAAT, Mindscape Art Therapy – [Senior Support Worker, Little Amberwood Care Home] What is Autism? Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects an individual’s behaviour and communication. People with autism may lack social awareness, emotional reciprocity and the ability to sustain conversations. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by severe and persistent deficits in social communication and interaction (American Psychiatric Association 2013). In the UK the Autism Act (2009) led to the government producing statutory guidelines for autism. With a clear pathway of diagnosis, where everyone has a right to an assessment. …
We would like to wish all of our teams, families and loved ones and our wider health and social services teams a very merry Christmas and holiday period. Our teams are working hard to ensure a safe and peaceful Christmas can and will be enjoyed for all the people we support. We have seen the introduction of Lateral Flow Device tests (LFD) and our staff are busy attending the webinars and training to ensure that these can be delivered in a timely manner. You can see more information regarding these tests here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-lateral-flow-testing-of-visitors-in-care-homes Our teams have gone over and above this …
“Wow! What a beautiful day we had last Friday to commemorate VE day. The bungalow had been decorated with bunting, streamers, and enough Union Jacks to jump out of a plane with! Pam had been busy making cupcakes with M, with Patience making cornflake cakes. Paul made the truly English egg sandwiches. Where was bob? I hear you ask. Bob was busy getting dressed in full Scottish attire! T and M enjoyed an afternoon tea, sat in the garden basking in the British sunshine, with chocolate cake, strawberry cupcakes and fizzy elderflower cordial. Once everybody’s tummies were full the afternoon …
It’s very easy to announce that a care home is family friendly, but what does that mean? Historically, care homes and nursing homes followed the hospital model of rigid visiting times. This in turn meant that families may not have been considered to be intrinsic in the planning of care pathways or, in fact, in the individual’s life inside a care environment. Today, things are changing for the better but there is always more work to be done. Apple House care homes embrace an ethos of inclusion. Families and loved ones have a hugely crucial role to play and, as …
Romaine Lawson, Director of Operations, has won the award for Lifetime Achievement in Care at the Hampshire Care Awards in Winchester last Friday! We couldn’t be more proud of Romaine who, after a career in the care sector spanning over 27 years, was presented with her award by TV news favourite, Fred Dinenage, at the glittering event. Romaine’s varied career began as a care assistant and continued through to managing learning disability satellite homes and founding a school for disadvantaged children in The Sacred Valley of Peru. Romaine joined Apple House in 2005. On receiving her award, Romaine said, “I’m …
We are thrilled to announce that Redcroft care home won the ‘Innovation In Care’ award at The Daily Echo’s Proud To Care Awards. Redcroft’s registered manager and team created an entire cookery book in Braille, as featured here on our blog. Working with an individual for whom cookery is a loved pastime, all of her favourite recipes are now fully accessible to her in her own Braille cook books! The Daily Echo said of the awards, “Now in their third year, The Daily Echo Proud to Care Awards are an amazing opportunity for our readers to tell us about all …
What is stress? At the most basic level, stress is our body’s response to pressures from a situation or life event. Some common features of things that can make us feel stress include experiencing something new or unexpected, something that threatens your feeling of self, or feeling you have little control over a situation. [Mental Health Foundation] In the following article, Jayne Jackson, registered manager at Apple House care home, writes an open and very insightful reflection on how stress plans can and do have a profoundly positive impact for a gentleman she supports: Our care plans are person centred and very individual to …
We are delighted to announce that our Redcroft care home team are finalists in The Daily Echo’s Proud to Care Awards in the Award for Innovation category. Here are some of our Redcroft team (absolutely love this photo!): Not only are we beyond proud of Redcroft, but we are equally proud of our very own Dawn from Apple House care home who is a finalist in the Proud To Care Awards category of Care Home Worker! Dawn gives 200% to the service, her colleagues and the people she supports and is so deserving of this wonderful recognition as an award …
Apple House care home residents have just returned from a fabulous holiday to the heart of Dorset, to its coast and countryside. From rambling steam engines to rugged coastline, the trip was simply spectacular. Accompanied by registered manager, Jayne, and deputy manager, Dawn, we are not sure who had more fun! Special mention goes to champion snooker player, M, bravo! Here are a few snapshots for which we have received kind permission to share. …
