The leading supporters for the care sector's biggest fundraising event have been confirmed for 2020. Specialist care provider, CareTech plc, and independent grant-making foundation, the CareTech Foundation, will once again be headline partners for the event. CareTech plc and the CareTech Foundation have supported the Ball as Headline Partners from the event’s inception.  Their combined support represents a £30,000 contribution to the Ball.
 
The Care Sector Fundraising Ball, which this year raised a staggering £200,000 for charities in the care sector, was first established in 2018. Since then, it has raised a total £345,000 for charities in the care sector. Organisers are confident that next year’s Ball will build on the success of previous years, and the beneficiaries for the 2020 event will be the Care Workers’ Charity and Alzheimer’s Society. 

Bluebird Care, the UK’s largest homecare provider, has ranked 16th on the prestigious Elite Franchise Top 100 for 2020.

Elite Franchise is the definitive publication for the franchising sector, and each year, they produce a list of the top 100 UK franchises. The core criteria used to determine the rank of a franchise include; longevity, financial performance, network size, contribution to the industry and communities, support, innovation and future plans.

Bluebird Care was established in 2006 and their network is comprised of over 200 franchises. Each region has its own dedicated Business Development Manager and Quality Manager, as well as the network’s Franchise Support Centre. The Staff Guide App, created by Bluebird Care, also acts as a manual for franchises, offering in-app training and guidance.

Harrogate Neighbours cut fall assistance times from 6 hours to 15 minutes thanks to emergency lifting chair.

Harrogate-based Yorkshire Care Equipment have supplied local charity, Harrogate Neighbours, with a Raizer emergency lifting chair.  The specialist lifting device is now regularly used by the team across their domiciliary care services and at The Cuttings, their extra care housing facility. Residents live independently in private apartments with a care team on-site 24/7 to provide assistance if needed.

In the past, the care team had struggled to safely help residents back up quickly. They didn’t have the appropriate equipment to allow a carer to lift someone back to their feet on their own. So, they had to rely on waiting for ambulance call outs.

Calling All Care & Dementia Home Groups, Managers and Regional Support Teams: How To Help & Support Your Activity Coordinators by Gillian Hesketh of Happy Days Dementia Activities & Design

Imagine your favourite hobby or pastime. Consider the equipment you need it. Gym kit? Running shoes? Music Scores? Football boots? Books? Gardening gloves, trowel, spade? Tool box? Canvas, Paintbrushes? Where do you store it all?

On behalf of Activity Coordinators and Life Style Facilitators, I’d like to say to care home groups, managers and regional support teams simply this: ‘Please consider the provision of storage and preparation space for these enthusiastic and dedicated social care teams. During interior design visits to care and dementia homes, I have seen activity materials, games and jigsaws tumbling from bookcases, stacked high up, squashed into corners of tea rooms and stacked on the floor. Lack of space appears to be the culprit.

Following news shared earlier this month, Runwood Homes are delighted to continue their string of strong CQC inspection outcomes, with three more positive inspection reports and ratings published this November.
 
Evelyn May House in Landon Hills, Essex, maintained the achievement of Good in all 5 key lines of enquiry (KLOE) in the CQC report, to be published imminently, having last been inspected in April 2017.
The latest CQC rating for Longview care home on Canvey Island, Essex, was published on 6 November, seeing the home sustaining its favourable rating, achieving Good in all 5 KLOEs.  The previous review was in February 2017.

According to Age UK, more than 3.8m people in England over the age of 75 live alone, with 40% saying that the television is their main source of company.
 
Add to this figure the fact that 7% of older people are in contact with family, friends or neighbours less than once a week and it paints a bleak picture for older people over the forthcoming festive period.
 
Hayden Knight, CEO at Orchard Care Homes, is taking a positive stance in the fight to combat loneliness at Christmas by encouraging care organisations to follow in his company’s footsteps and invite older people living on their own to join in the fun at one of the Orchard’s portfolio.

 Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, recently held its Employee Achievement Awards 2019.  The annual awards event celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of Borough Care employees.  
Borough Care staff were nominated for awards in nine categories.  The ‘Team of the Year’ title was won by the Night Care team at Bamford Close in Cale Green. Great communication and an excellent working relationship with each other ensures the team works together to carry out their roles in a responsible and caring way.  Shepley House in Hazel Grove was awarded ‘Care Home of the Year’.  The number of compliments from residents’ families, along with colleagues, made Shepley House the stand out home.  Everyone working at Shepley House shares the same goals in providing the highest standard of care to residents.

Following 32 years of success in the residential care industry as the owner and CEO of Runwood Homes, Gordon Sanders and his family have ventured into the premium, private-pay market, under a new brand and company name, Sanders Senior Living; with an aim to be best in class in the luxury care home sector.
 
With a strong background overseeing and implementing care home designs and builds, and with a renowned business success in providing quality care provisions, cemented throughout his professional years, Gordon Sanders’ ambitious vision to drive forward opportunities identified within the healthcare industry, has now become an exciting reality.

The Cosyfeet Occupational Therapy Award 2020 is now open for entries. This £1000 award will be presented to an OT student or qualified OT planning a special project that will develop their professional knowledge and skills while benefitting others. 

Applications are invited for projects including voluntary work, placements, research or other initiatives. The winning entry will demonstrate how the entrant’s chosen project is of value to their clients whilst advancing their own professional development. This award is designed to assist with costs associated with the applicant’s selected project, which could include expenses for equipment, travel or living. Projects may take place in the UK or abroad.

The Mayor of Poole, Cllr Marion Le Poidevin, officiated at the grand opening of Oakdale care home, joined by members of the community and local healthcare professionals.
 
Guests were given the opportunity to take a tour of the new purpose-built 84-bed, residential, nursing and dementia care home based in Kingsmill Road. Key features of the home were unveiled, such as the tranquil spa room for residents and the bistro which is the real heart of the home, providing residents with the chance to catch up with visiting friends and relatives over a cup of tea and a slice of homemade cake.

The team at Benmor say they have recently been touched by the remarkable fundraising efforts of a gentleman raising money to purchase an Aurum+ bed for Oakhaven Hospice in Lymington. 
The fundraising was inspired by his own experience of spending quality time with his late wife at the hospice, with the hope of making a difference to future patients and their loved ones.
When care staff organised for a larger bed to be installed in the room, the couple were greatly appreciative of being able to watch films together and listen to music. The bed even had some space for their beloved guinea pigs.   

Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, is offering volunteering opportunities to young people through its links with The Challenge, which created and developed the HeadStart volunteering programme.  

HeadStart connects young people between the ages of 16 and 19 to local volunteering opportunities, with the aim of up-skilling and empowering them for further education and employment.
HeadStart volunteers have been busy planning fundraising events for Borough Care’s resident amenity fund, which provides the little extras that make life more colourful for residents.  The first HeadStart project with Borough Care took place at its Wellcroft home in Gatley.  

Care2Connect, the West Sussex homecare provider, has announced that three of its care team have been shortlisted for the Great British Care Awards. As a result of the nominations Julie Storey, Care Manager, Leanne Luxford, Care Worker and Lily Martin, Care Co-Ordinator have been invited to the regional finals which take place in Brighton next month.
Julie Storey has been shortlisted for the Home Care Registered Manager Award. This award recognises those individuals who demonstrate a high level of expertise together with exceptional skills in managing the complex business of running a care agency, whilst developing person-centred care and supporting staff to meet the ever changing needs of clients.
Lily Martin has been shortlisted for the Home Care Coordinator award which recognises the knowledge and skill needed to co-ordinate a care team in an effective and efficient way, motivating and supporting staff whilst ensuring the clients remains at the heart of the service.

Shaping the future of care - with a wide range of services, Care Vision offers a spectrum of solutions that will bring all your care home needs under one roof.
Only a care home manager knows just how complex and challenging care management is.
Care Vision has been built on the principle, that simplifying means unifying: the many types of tasks and departments that share space under your one roof should also share one integrated system. From E-mar to food prep, housekeeping, health & safety, HR and family visits.
Care Vision is designed to save time whilst meeting and going beyond CQC requirements.