Brunelcare’s Glastonbury Care Home has been fortunate enough to have no confirmed cases of Coronavirus at the home since the very start of the outbreak. The Care Home, located in Somerset, followed strict Government guidelines and are thankful for a COVID free care home. 

Covid-19 brought some unexpected challenges to the care sector in 2020, with managers and owners having to make difficult choices when it came to purchasing. At the same time as budgets were being squeezed, it has never been more important to keep care homes at the cutting edge of hygiene to protect our most frail and vulnerable population.

The care sector is in a time of technological future change, and while there is a degree of uncertainty as to what the future holds, the opportunities are also exciting. 

During 2019, there were approximately 11.6 million people aged 65+ in the UK. This figure is set to rise by 2.4 million over the next ten years. The fact is people are living longer and, in time, this will put a strain on the care sector. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world as we know it and organisations across all sectors are having to adapt, finding new ways to deliver services whilst ensuring staff and customer safety. For those working in the care sector, the current situation has highlighted long standing issues driving the need for change forward. It is imperative the sector remains resilient at a time when the public needs high-quality nursing and care to vulnerable people more than ever.
 

Families from across Brunelcare, a Bristol charity supporting older people in the South West for nearly 80-years, have grouped together to create a Crowdfunding page for the charity in a bid to help them raise a massive £10,000 for wellbeing equipment and classes for its residents. 

As new research from the Mental Health Foundation reveals that feelings of loneliness in UK adults has jumped from one in ten (10%)  before the COVID-19 pandemic to one in four (24%) following lockdown, Alcove, a leading care technology provider, is calling on the government to urgently prioritise technology as part of the UK’s social care provision, in an effort to tackle digital isolation and loneliness in vulnerable residents, and support the care system as it faces unprecedented demand.
 

Walking charity Paths for All has been awarded £50,000 to expand its award-winning Care About Walking project with care homes in Perth and Kinross.
 
Partnering with the University of Stirling’s Faculty of Social Sciences, the two-year Digging Deeper research grant, from the Life Changes Trust, will look at the integration of physical activity into the culture of care homes.
 

Alicia Darrington is 24 years old, she recently started work as a temporary Care Assistant at Bluebird Care West Berkshire. Alicia started as a Care Assistant after she had worked in a ski resort for a season earlier this year. This job was cut short when the Covid-19 pandemic forced ski resorts to shut for tourists. Alicia found herself unemployed and in need of a job.
 

Residents at Sunrise of Winchester have been unable to see their family since the UK lockdown in mid-March. Up until now, they had been making the most of technology to stay in contact with their loved ones.

The team at Sunrise of Winchester knew that residents and their families were desperate to see each other in person, but they had to ensure maximum protection. Families Reunite With Socially Distanced ‘Gazebo Greeting’ hub, where families have been invited to pre-book slots to visit their loved ones at a safe social distance.

The Maria Mallaband Care Group (MMCG), one of the UK’s largest independent care providers, has confirmed the continuation of its relationship with commercial laundry provider Miele Professional, through its approved partner, JTM Service Ltd, to design on-premise laundry planning facilities for its new care homes.

The team at Sunrise of Esher have tried to ensure residents are entertained, happy and positive throughout the UK lockdown, especially as they are unable to host many of their regular events and activities.

Residents at the care home share their lockdown highlights. They have been playing socially distanced active games, including giant charades and badminton. They have also enjoyed seed sewing, watching their tomatoes, sunflowers, and sweet peas grow.

People in the UK are incredibly proud of their NHS – particularly in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
 
British appreciation of their health service is the highest in Europe, with many having a far greater appreciation for the work of doctors and nurses than before the pandemic.
 

Home care provider, Bluebird Care, has recently launched its #SafeAtHome campaign to raise awareness of and celebrate its live-in care provision that has been a great option for so many customers and their families.
 
Across the network of nearly 200 franchise owners, Bluebird Care’s teams offer a wide range of services to include prescription and shopping collection to ensure more vulnerable people can stay inside. In addition, they offer a full live-in care service where a suitably matched Care Assistant lives in the customer’s home.  
 

As the cost of living in retirement soars, almost a quarter (22%) of UK adults say they will go back to living under one roof with their parents – or have already done so, according to new research from wealth manager, Charles Stanley. These decisions are driven by a desire to avoid retirement/care home costs, as well as to ensure that their parents are not on their own.  The options being planned include:
 

This week marks World Continence Week – an annual campaign aiming to raise awareness for continence related issues.
 
Continence issues are a significant health problem in the UK and is more common than people might think. In fact, adult incontinence products are the fastest-growing retail disposable hygiene category.