NEWS from Abbey House, Albert Road, Bexhill, East Sussex

Latest News & Events from Abbey House

Nov 21: Local Authority care cuts effect "best interests" of elderly residents, says Lib Dem MP

The past six months have seen radical cuts to care budgets throughout the UK. The 'squeeze' of financial restraints imposed on local authorities have been felt up and down the country throughout the majority of public sector services; but today a Coalition spokesman has admitted that elderly people are suffering because of hundreds of millions of pounds being cut from nursing and care home budgets. In conversation with The Telegraph, Paul Burstow, the Liberal Democrat MP and care services minister, posed questions as to why councils continue to fail to pass on �2 billion of Government budget allocated to support vulnerable and disabled adults. The Telegraph have today quoted Mr Burstow of accusing dozens of authorities of "clearly" failing to act "in the best interests" of their residents. A number of councils are expected to be targeted with interventions to ensure that they "improve productivity" without sacrificing key services, he said. The minister's comments are being held as the first from a government spokesman to acknowledge the scale of the funding crisis and to accept that the money promised by the Chancellor last year has not reached the 'front line' of care services. Mr Burstow told The Telegraph that government reports indicate that councils in the UK have had to cut �200 million from their spending on social care in cash terms over the past 12 months. However, the minister has previously said that councillors have "no excuse" for cutting budgets for services such as care homes and helpers who assist with daily tasks. The charity-based organisation Age UK has warned that if the cuts continue and Local Authorities fail to develop the way they deliver care services, frail and elderly people will be at serious risk of being without the basic vital support they need. Plans for a 2012 White Paper have been lodged as part of the Coalition's defence and reformation of public services, and cross-party talks have been promised in an attempt to reach a consensus on the future of funding for elderly care.

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Apr 4: Quality Assurance for Care Homes: What is it? Why do we need it?

Quality, they say, is the mark of getting something right each and every time - the first time around. And, it is also fair to say, most of us involved in care will agree that using a residential care home service can be a daunting 'first time' experience for anyone. Hence the importance of Quality Assurance within any care service.

But what actually is Quality Assurance?

Well, to put it simply, Quality Assurance is the portfolio of shortcomings and successes for running a care service over a given period of time.

For example, in terms of residential care, these successes can be marked out by the Care Quality Commission's essential standards regulations. Therefore a way of delivering a Quality Assurance portfolio would be to address each standard regulation and exhibit the care service's capability of regulating and meeting that standard. This could be done Outcome by Outcome or, instead, in service areas such as Environment, Risk Management, Infection Control etc.

Many care homes choose to provide their Quality Assurance portfolio in these terms, and it certainly is an effective way of regulating the quality procedures of a service and delivering a quality guarantee.

But what is a quality guarantee, I hear you ask? Some services choose to deliver a guarantee with their service, such as: Our aim is to deliver a safe, personalised service designed to help promote independence and continued quality of life. Such a guarantee expresses the goals of the service as a whole; then, what follows, will be to explore and exhibit how this guarantee�is currently being delivered and how the service will seek any improvements. And this, in a nutshell, is the purpose of a Quality Assurance portfolio.

Why do we need Quality Assurance?

The basic principle of a Quality Assurance portfolio is that it allows those interested to see in plain black and white, in facts and figures, in qualitative and quantitative, the core aspects to that service. By exhibiting both the successes as well as the shortcomings of the care service, the onlooker is being shown how the service is�currently being�managed and maintained, and how it will seek improvements�for the areas it has highlighted in the oncoming future.

In layman's terms, what a good Quality Assurance portfolio gives us is honesty. We are able 'to see with our own eyes' the functionability of the service. And this, whether you are a care service inspector or a caring son and daughter, will provide the added security of knowing that your service is from a�care you can trust.

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Feb 21: Care Homes and Independent Living: Health of the Elderly and Physical Activity

In this ever changing era of technological advances and innovative health provisions, where does the traditional residential care home sector fit in? Like other supporting living facilities such as sheltered housing, home care and extra care villages, residential care homes are finding cause to modernise.

With digitalised care planning tools, interfacing technology and virtual social�networking for just your average residential service user,�care�homes�really do appear to be at the forefront of their field. However, a recent report suggests that good old fashion domestic chores could in fact be the new way forward.

In a report published earlier this year, the benefits of domestic engagement and physical activity for elderly people within their care setting are said to be paramount. Domestic chores and physical activities that take place within a communal setting are directly related to positive�mental health and well-being.

As more and more care home staff use care packages to appropriately risk assess residents, service users are supported side-by-side with carers to carry out chores and domestic duties that have long-loved memories and other associations linked to the activities themselves.

Not only are there stimulation and motivation aspects to having a more inclusive care home service, but the cerebral and physical stimulation can also support and enhance day-to-day concerns such as balance by�strengthening muscles, motor capabilities�and co-ordination, and therefore minimising potential risk�of falls.

Gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Wii, have also become a huge hit within the sector as people with particular physical frailties are given access to a range of physical activities that meet their personal levels of engagement.

At Angel Healthcare our staff are trained and encouraged to support�all our�residents to keep up those long loved hobbies, those important daily duties and that authentic feeling of home in an environment that is safe, sensitive and supporting. Take a look at our website�to find out more.

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