Presented as gold and silver awards, they represent an important step towards bringing recognition in line with the NHS workforce and recognise the extraordinary commitment of the adult social care workforce.

Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Professor Deborah Study said:

The pandemic has shone a light on the exemplary efforts of our dedicated social care workforce, and I am committed to ensuring we recognise the selfless hard work they do day in and day out.

The social care workforce more than ever continues to demonstrate unwavering compassion, professionalism and dedication. Not only during the pandemic but every year.

I am extremely proud to present these awards to colleagues in social care which reflect those for colleagues in the NHS.

These individual awards recognise exceptional practice and care and rightly give recognition, acknowledgement and appreciation that those individuals deserve.

Professor Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse For Adult Social Care, joined our virtual weekly senior team meeting as a guest speaker before announcing the awards committee’s decision to honour Romaine with their Gold award. Romaine had no idea until Professor Sturdy asked me to present Romaine with her beautiful badge – it had been hard keeping a secret from Romaine but her reaction was priceless.

Professor Sturdy shared a fascinating update on social care, her aspirations for her new role, and spotlighted a keen interest in the learning disability sector. She also recognised the challenges faced by our team and all in social care throughout the pandemic.

It was an honour for us all to be joined by Deborah, and absolutely wonderful to share Romaine’s special moment of receiving this well deserved award.

— Jane Montrose, Managing Director

Details can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-award-to-recognise-exceptional-practice-in-adult-social-care-workforce

Linking Hearts told us:

“Allow me to introduce Linking Hearts Therapy Horses:

Mr Kelloggs is a 29” tall miniature horse who is fully trained to visit people who may not normally have the opportunity to interact with a horse.

Our mission is to bring joy to those who most need it. To help enhance, nurture and heal the spirit of those who face extraordinary challenges every day. Interacting with miniature horses provides physical, mental and emotional wellbeing as they offer a source of joy and unconditional love for all that encounter them.”

We agree and can’t wait to welcome this adorable little horse back to our services very soon. — Jane Montrose, Managing Director.

Photographs have been shared with kind permission of all shown.

We are delighted to announce our recent CQC inspection report for Corner Cottage has been rated “Good” in all 5 key areas. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication our team there has put into keeping people safe and well looked after during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our team at Corner Cottage, led by Sally and Bob, have gone over and above to ensure they are leading by example and supporting the whole home to thrive.
The CQC visit took place on the 28th April 2021. Some of the comments represented in the report are..
Throughout the inspection we observed positive interactions between staff and people. Staff showed genuine warmth and compassion when supporting people. Staff knew people well; they knew what was important to them, their likes and dislikes and respected their wishes. This enabled staff to support people in ways they preferred. The service took a person-centred approach to care and support. Staff were respectful about the people they supported and had completed training on equality and diversity. People’s care plans and support records set out aspects of their characteristics, beliefs and preferences to ensure their equality and diversity were respected.
People were supported and encouraged to express their views about how they received their care. A member of staff told us, “It is so lovely here, everything is for the residents, it’s all about them, it’s fantastic. [Person] chooses who they want to support them with their care and their wishes are always respected.” People, family members, staff and health care professionals were all involved in decisions regarding ongoing care and support. Staff supported people to make choices affecting their daily care and support. Support plans considered people’s disabilities, age, gender, relationships, religion and cultural needs. There were weekly house meetings where people were given the opportunity to share information that was important to them and put forward their views, preferences and ideas. Staff offered people encouragement and support to make decisions they may find difficult. Staff respected people’s choices and their rights to do what they wished.

Registered manager, Sally, said of the report, ‘My team have all worked very hard over the last twelve months, during this very difficult time in the world, and this wonderful outcome reflects the amount of effort and dedication we have all put in.’

Thank you so much to the wider team, families and individuals all involved with Corner Cottage to make it such a wonderful place to live.
You can see the full CQC report here:
https://api.cqc.org.uk/public/v1/reports/55983b59-4d07-4b95-b3a7-60ab673fa8d4?20210609120000
Romaine LawsonDirector of Operations

Thank you, as always, to Julia and all at John’s Campaign.

Started in 2011 by the New Forest National Park Authority and New Forest District Council, PEDALL (previously called New Forest Inclusive Cycling) provides inclusive cycling in and around the beautiful New Forest and aims to make cycling available to anyone no matter what challenges they may face.

Specialist bikes are available with different seating positions, extra wheels and harnesses to provide support and stability. Led rides offer year-round sessions which are led by qualified teams offering traffic-free off-road cycling in the New Forest. What better way to see the New Forest than by bike, in the fresh pine-scented air, while improving fitness and enjoying that feel-good factor that comes with being outdoors amid stunning scenery.

We are grateful to have received kind permission to share with you this photo from one of the regular forest adventures of Summerwood.

“Access to gardens can enhance focus and attention, as well as reducing anxiety and boosting self-confidence. Additionally, the garden can be considered a dynamic environment offering diverse opportunities for learning.” –[‘Green Spaces – Outdoor Environments for Adults with Autism’ by Katie Gaudion and Chris McGinley.]

At Apple House care homes we know that our outdoor spaces are as vital as indoor space for those who reside at our services.  For many years we have actively encouraged residents to take ownership of their garden space, to use it in a way meaningful to them. Perhaps this year, even more than previously, we value our outdoor spaces, fresh air and the gentle exercise of gardening.

At Apple House care home, residents enjoy 100ft of garden and actively shop for plants, tend seasonal blooms, help with garden maintenance and enjoy sitting out with a cuppa to admire the results.  Redcroft, Little Amberwood and Summerwood care homes also rear and nurture their own hens, with Summerwood residents even designing and building a hen house.  Growing vegetables is the norm here: eating home grown organic veg and free range eggs is tremendously rewarding in itself as well as nutritiously beneficial.  

Results-based activities such as these also foster a sense of ownership and achievement.

Sensory gardens incorporate textures, actions and movement, sounds, smells, colour.  At Summerwood care home in Hampshire, our registered manager, John, and residents created a sensory garden that blends all of the above.  We also offer garden space that is restful and calming, without additional sensory stimulation.

All of our services now have log cabins in their grounds. Redcroft care home, in Bournemouth, has a fabulous activities cabin nestled beside the hen house. Instead of slicing a path through the lawn to reach it, residents and staff planted a sensory path including lavenders, herbs such as thyme, rosemary and mint. Imagine the scents released as fingertips brush along the heads of the blooms and leaves as you walk to and from the cabin which again is fragrant with the scent of pine wood.  Texture is as import as scent and so there are fleshy, course foliage and soft silken leaves and tickly grasses.

While seasons and nature will continually change garden space, it’s important to us that we facilitate enjoyment of what is a wonderful commodity all year round.  The cabin enables residents to connect with their garden and to feel part of their outdoor space even in the winter.

We are ready for Spring, are you?

In addition, you will find on our Covid-19 page our latest letter to families, friends and essential carers, again of today’s date.

Intergenerational learning and friendship has been proven to bring lasting and positive outcomes for all and, in these exceptional times of reduced community access, Apple House care homes greatly value a diverse means of retaining each home’s position in the heart of their communities.

Sharing art, stories and fun videos is enabling both the children of the nursery school and the team and residents of Summerwood to reach out and bring fun and joy to each other.

Here are some of the fabulous paintings sent to Summerwood recently [shared with the kind permission of the nursery school manager; school identity protected].

— Jane Montrose, Managing Director.

Washing clothes, using scissors and sweeping floors are some of the easier omens to sidestep.  According to Chinese superstition, doing any of these on Feb 12 – the day Chinese New Year falls in 2021 – will lead to bad luck for the entire coming year. But it isn’t all doom and gloom: 2021 is the Year of the Ox, an animal that  symbolises strength and determination. — The Telegraph, 9th February 2021.

At Redcroft care home in Bournemouth, Chinese New Year has been celebrated by residents and our team via an industrious and creative whole-wall work of art. Mandy Sinnick, assistant home manager, said, ‘Creative workshops have been planned through Redcroft’s own Learning Hub and house meetings. It has been great fun holding such meetings and we’ve seen great skill, creativity and input by everyone.

‘Nora Grant, support worker, took full use of this opportunity to showcase her formidable artistry skills to help create standalone pieces. With a little creativity and encouragement, everyone has found their own niche and rolled with it. With her calm and supportive approach, Nora’s help and guidance has been fabulous! It has been demonstrated that everyone, through their own artwork pieces, really does have an inner arty-crafty side. Well done, everyone, for an awesome Chinese New Year display…Let the planning begin for the next one!’ — Mandy Sinnick, Redcroft.

It has been well documented that chicken-keeping has physical, emotional, cognitive and social benefits and, during these long lockdown months, there is something wonderfully holistic and cathartic in being outside nurturing hens and being rewarded with their eggs.

We’ll update you on Hatching Day!