A scientist has published some useful advice on how to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and protect yourselves and care home residents from catching the disease.

Scientist James Robb (MD FCAP) was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego and one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses in the 1970s.

His tips are fairly self-explanatory but explain clearly why these precautions are needed – and his advice on stocking up on zinc lozenges has sparked a worldwide spike in sales of the product.

Care homes across the UK are being offered a vital line of communication that will enable families to stay updated about the care of elderly residents during coronavirus lockdown.
 
Leading care technology provider Person Centred Software is opening up its Relatives Gateway platform to all UK care homes free of charge to help them maintain communication with families during these unprecedented times.
 
Allowing secure social media style messages and photos to be shared between care home residents and their families, it will also give carers an efficient way to provide wellbeing updates to concerned loved ones.  

The NHS employs over 1.4 million people in the UK and the Social Care Sector hires a further 1.6 million people. An additional 65,000 retired doctors and nurses have been contacted by the Government, urging them to return to work. These are frontline, key staff that are working day and night to support and take care of our loved ones during this unprecedented time
Showing our support 
The Home Care Expo wanted to show support and appreciation to the health, care and support workers on the frontline during the COVID 19-Coronavirus pandemic by building an online community though the #YouAreHeroes Campaign. 
The aim of this campaign is to connect all those working in high-risk health, care and support roles including NHS workers, care providers and other health social care providers with the view to: 

On International Women’s Day 2020, Nirmala Singhvi, manager of Victoria House day centre for the elderly in Watford, received the Community Impact Award.
 
The award was presented by local organisation, One Vision Project, set up to create better everyday life for the people of Watford, and particularly supports the vulnerable, promote equality and address injustice.
 
Nirmala, known by all as Nimo, believes that she was nominated “as the local community thinks we are a really good day centre, in the heart of the community, making a difference to the lives of others,” she said.

Holmes Care Group has finalised a long-term partnership with Impact Healthcare REIT, in which nine of its properties in Scotland will be acquired by Impact Healthcare REIT and leased back to Holmes Care. This deal will see Impact provide a cash injection of £47.5m to Holmes Care Group, who will continue to operate all of the homes as before.

A care home in the London borough of Havering is to close after being rated Inadequate overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Alton House, in Hornchurch, was rated Inadequate for being safe and well-led. It was rated Requires Improvement for being caring, effective and responsive, following the inspection in January 2020. Alton House leadership has now made the decision to move all residents out of the service. They have been supported by the local authority commissioning team to ensure suitable alternative placements have been identified for people.

Alton House is a care home, providing accommodation and support for up to 23 older adults including people who may have a diagnosis of dementia. At the time CQC inspected, there were 15 people living at the service.

We know many of you were planning on visiting Naidex next week, so we wanted to let you know that the event has been postponed - please see statement below.

Naidex 2020 and All Co-Located Events Rescheduling Due to Coronavirus

The organiser of leading independent living show Naidex (17th-18th March 2020, NEC Birmingham), has been closely monitoring updates on the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus.

Like many large event organisers, the health and safety of our visitors, exhibitors and staff is always our number one priority.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out a two day unannounced inspection in January 2020 of Brunelcare’s Robinson House Care Home. The home achieved 'Good' in all five domains - Safe, Effective, Responsive, Caring and Well Led which in turn, gives an overall rating of 'Good'.

Brunelcare's Robinson House is a 70-bed home and has successfully maintained its 'Good' rating during this inspection. Robinson House was awarded a ‘Good’ overall in their previous inspection in July 2017. 

Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, is marking International Women’s Day (8 March) by celebrating the achievements of its female residents.    
Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, says: “At Borough Care, we believe the amazing things our female residents have achieved during their rich and interesting lives should be celebrated not forgotten. These ladies paved the way forward for today’s women. Although gender equality is still some way off, by drawing attention to the incredible, colourful lives our female residents have led we hope to raise awareness against bias and take action to promote equality.”

Castle Retirement Living, the team behind the new £30million Castle View retirement village in Windsor castleviewwindsor.co.uk/ is looking to replicate its retirement living model.
 
The envisaged future formula would blend purpose-built luxury apartments with excellent community facilities and be based in an urban area with all the benefits of connectivity, community, entertainment and activity.

The upcoming Social Care Challenge is a two and a half day sprint, aimed at University students as an opportunity to consider social care as a career pathway and come up with new ideas to address some of the biggest problems in social care.  Sprint Partners and supporters include Hallmark Care Homes, Home Instead, Walden Care, Royds Withy King, Quality Compliance Systems, Person Centred Software, Hilton Nursing Partners, Apetito, Greensleeves, Borough Care, WCS Care and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Mentors are senior executives in social care who spend the weekend supporting students with their ideas and offer insights that could help create the next big idea for social care.

Hallmark Care Homes, Home Instead and Quality Compliance systems join CIH as Sprint partners for a second year.

Ram Goyal, Managing Director from Hallmark Care Homes commented: “I am incredibly excited to be supporting this event and I cannot wait to see what ideas the students come up with. The care sector is facing a lot of challenges at the moment and there is an increasing need to come up with innovative ideas and technology to support the needs of residents.”

Around 100 jobs are being created in Newcastle this September due to the launch of Tyne Grange, Exemplar Health Care’s newest complex needs care home in the North East. 
Following a £3.1 million investment in a high-quality refurbishment of an existing care home, Tyne Grange will open later this year. The care home is preparing to recruit nurses, support workers, administrators, kitchen and domestic team members, and other staff.
Conveniently located on Grainger Park Road, near Newcastle City Centre and with transport links and amenities nearby, Tyne Grange will support 22 adults who live with complex mental and physical health conditions, including neuro-disabilities such as Huntington’s Disease, and brain injuries. 

With 71,429 cases in 25 countries and sadly 1,775 deaths so far in 4 countries - 1,772 in China and one each in Japan, the Philippines and France - the novel coronavirus outbreak currently constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.* There is now a free online course open for registration on “COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus” from experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a renowned institute of public health, available on FutureLearn.com, the leading social learning platform. 

Understanding and preventing the spread of Coronavirus

The online course is focussed on the outbreak of novel coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, and will cover what is known about the disease outbreak so far, what the practical implications for response are, how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and what is needed for the future. 

Miele research finds that allowing residents to do their own washing, as well as prioritising infection control, leads to happier lives.