Maintaining Dignity In Care | Atkinsons Homes

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The Importance of Maintaining Dignity In Care

At Atkinson’s Care and Nursing homes, we understand that Dignity for our residents is paramount.

All of our Care and Nursing teams have been professionally trained in Dignity and Respect for quality person-centred caregiving. We assess each resident individually to establish their own preferences and choices, which are essential to our care planning around everyone’s unique requirements.

These are a few of the many ways our service promotes Dignity within our homes:

  • Involve Residents and families, to tailor their presences of care and support
  • Respect all personal space and possessions
  • Handle hygiene activities sensitively and discreetly
  • Understand how to detect pain and to respond with medical assistance
  • Promote social activities, which are meaningful to the individual
  • Let people make their own decisions which give them empowerment
  • Be available to always listen to how another may feel.

Get in touch

For a Complimentary Assessment of care and support needs, please contact our head office and they will arrange a call to suit you or your love one. the Registered Home manager will call you directly and discuss your care and support we can offer.

Health Under The Spotlight | Identifying Dementia

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Identifying Dementia – Changes in behaviour

All of our staff are fully trained in Identifying and understanding and Dementia.

There are certain changes in behaviour which can help in identifying dementia. A person may start to behave differently as their dementia progresses.

Many loved ones and friends can find dealing with this more difficult than adjusting to changes such as memory loss. Some common changes you may see include:

  • Restlessness – for example, pacing or fidgeting
  • Repetition – for example, asking the same questions, or repeating an action, over and over
  • Night-time waking, sleeplessness. Also known as ‘sundowning’ – is a term given for increased agitation or confusion in the late afternoon and early evening
  • Putting things in unusual places, and then forgetting where they are
  • Lack of inhibition, such as socially inappropriate behaviour in public. This is particularly common in the behavioural form of frontotemporal dementia
  • Suspicion – for example, the person thinking someone has taken something which belongs to them when they have actually mislaid it.

Get in touch

We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch for a free care needs assessment by contacting your nearest Atkinson’s home, or head office. We will guide you through the necessary steps for short or long term stays.

Resources:

Dementia UK

Kindness in the Sandhurst Community | Start small

Small Acts of Kindness in Sandhurst | COVID aware Kindness

Spreading joy can be done from anywhere.

During these difficult times, it’s easy to feel like your connection with the outside world has gotten smaller, but there are many ways to strengthen your sense of community while still practicing social distancing, and one way to start is with an act of kindness. Here are a few ideas on how you can spread Kindness in our little Sandhurst community:

  • Do local elderly neighbours need anything from the shop? It’s easy for many people to just walk or drive to the local shop to collect weekly food items, but spare a thought for some elderly people who may feel afraid and isolated during this time and may not have access to a car – why not, pop a card through there door, asking if there is anything they may need, you can put your phone number on the card, or ask them to put the card outside their door and list any items they may need.
  • Foster an animal – Since you’re spending more time at home, now could be a good time to help out fostering an animal. Local rescue homes offer many fostering plans which could be short-term to suit. The effects of having a pet around the home could not only be good fun but also elevate stress.
  • Make a Scrapbook for your Grandparents. Getting creative is a great way to stay active while you’re spending more time at home. Consider making a special scrapbook for your grandparents, go through old photo albums and repurpose some common household items to make the perfect reminiscence scrapbook for elderly members of your family.
  • Donate any extra food to your local foodbank
  • Start a cloth mask stand. Either for free or take donations and pass it on to the chosen charity.
  • Start a Fundraiser.
  • Leave reviews for your favourite local businesses! In the digital age, a good review is more appreciated than you may know.

The possibilities are only limited by your imagination. While these may seem small, kindness has a funny way of going further than you could ever imagine. You can never know how a small act can change someone’s day. Start today! Spread Kindness in the Sandhurst Community in your own way.

Get in touch

Got questions? We’d love to hear from you. OR if you have some more community kindness ideas, comment below!

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Diana@AtkinsonsHomes.com

Remaining Active with Dementia | Health Under The Spotlight

Remaining Active with Dementia

All of our Care and Nursing homes within the Atkinsons Private Nursing Home Group promote staying as active as possible. Having dementia doesn’t mean you have to stop living your life, just because you have moved into a Residential home We have many ways in which we will keep you active and staying independent, in touch with other people, and improve your overall quality of life. There are all sorts of activities that you can do in our homes, physical, mental social and creative. You may want to try out new activities or continue with ones you enjoy – we will try to adapt as much as possible during these Covid times which makes some activities harder to access.

  • Creating a scrapbook or photo album
  • Playing games or cards and doing word, number or jigsaw puzzles
  • Reading books, newspapers or magazines
  • Listening to audiobooks, the radio or music
  • Doing arts and crafts – for example, knitting, painting, singing, dancing, writing and poetry
  • Gardening, which could be inside or outside, example – tabletop gardening
  • Studying – for example, open university or Udemy. Any free (or paid) courses online or by postal

You may find that some activities take you longer than they did before. You may need to make changes to the way you do things or have some support to be able to do them. Atkinson Private Nursing Homes offer activities support to keep your quality of life as full as possible, making sure you can continue the hobbies you enjoy most, as well as undertaking new ones.

Get in touch

Please phone individual homes for more information or contact head office.

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Vlad@atkinsonshomes.com

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

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Bringing back the Art of Letter Writing | Atkinsons Private Nursing Homes

Letters used to be a staple of communication. Sending news, keeping war-separated lovers connected, sharing feelings and emotions, or a way to make a friend halfway around the world.

Letters recorded our thoughts and most importantly our history. During these COVID times, our Care and Nursing homes have many ways in which we can all stay connected mainly through technology, but a handwritten letter can sometimes mean so much.

This week Angela our Activities Coordinator at Fourways residential (Our residential home in the Atkinsons private nursing homes Group) home is carrying out one-to-one sessions with residents, to promote writing cards and letters to loved ones, she is on a mission to convince others that handwritten letters should and could make a comeback!

Here are some reasons why letters are so important!

  • Handwriting is personal There is nothing quite like the personal touch of a handwritten letter, the paper is chosen, the marks of the pen of someone’s choice. The time and personal thought which went into the. Effort.
  • Letter writing takes time and thoughtfulness A text or an email isn’t usually well thought out. It is merely a ‘quick’ answer reply, but letter writing takes time and reflection and is filled with thoughts, love and news.
  • They are worth saving – not easily deleted
  • A moment in time is frozen within a letter, we usually tuck them away in a memory box or in a draw, and can provide get comfort when found again as they contain the essence of the person in our memory.

What do you think? Do you like writing letters? Comment below!

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Support after a Stroke | Health Under The Spotlight

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At Atkinsons homes, we understand that families impacted by a loved one suffering a stroke can be drastic, to say the least. We understand this fact very well and we have over 40 years experience of supporting and caring for people. Our compassionate, reliable staff understand the post-stroke recovery process and have extensive experience in adapting care to specific needs.

A stroke usually affects one side of the brain. Movement and sensation for one side of the body are controlled by the opposite side of the brain. This means that if your stroke affected the left side of your brain, you will have problems with the right side of your body. If your stroke affected the right side of your brain, you will have problems with the left side of your body. Changes that may happen after a stroke on either side of the brain include the following:

  • Abnormal muscle tone. This is a nerve problem that can make your movements slow and jerky. There are different stages of muscle tone recovery.
  • Your arm, leg or joint may be limp and floppy
  • Your arm, leg or joint may move on its own when your muscle tone starts to return. It does not always do what your brain tells it to do.
  • Your arm, leg or joint begins to respond to your brain.

Recovering and living with a stroke places a high degree of emotional, mental and physical stress, not only for the survivor but also on family members as well. Our homes are dedicated to providing 24/7 assistance and inspiration throughout the day by doing the following; activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and toileting. Overseeing an exercise program prescribed by your physio or rehabilitation team. 

Individual rooms are adapted to each resident’s needs and can include special beds, mattress, hoists, moving aids, bath seats, cutlery and other aids as required. Each room has a nurse call system and fire system, and each home has carefully monitored security systems and procedures. Most residents are registered with the local GP surgery, with medication supplied by a local pharmacist and dispensed by our trained care staff.

Get in touch

For questions or more information regarding our Care & Support services –  we’d love to hear from you. 

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Vlad@atkinsonshomes.com

Multiple Sclerosis | Health Under The Spotlight

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Multiple Sclerosis known as MS is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your central nervous system by mistake. This attack damages myelin, the coating that protects nerve fibres in the brain spinal cord and eyes. The cause is unknown however it is believed that infection by a slow-moving virus or abnormalities with the immune system is related to the disease. A number of MS patients have little or no disability for many years after diagnosis.

Signs and Symptoms of MS can include:

  • Fatigue and weakness
  • The sensation of numbness, prickling or tingling
  • Coordination (tripping, dropping things)
  • Bladder and bowel dysfunction including incontinence
  • Muscle tightness or stiffness
  • Emotional, euphoria and depression
  • Abnormal reflexes, either absent or exaggerated
  • Impaired position sense
  • Impaired vision
  • Slurring of words
  • Tremor, uncoordinated movements
  • Pain, burning and itching

How we support you

We work very closely with other healthcare professionals and can make referrals through our GP for community nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists to provide tailored care for those we support. Our clinical governance is robust and uses comprehensive guidelines, tailored support plans and health action plans to ensure that staff know exactly how to support a person to have the highest possible quality of care.

Get in touch

For questions or more information regarding our Care & Support services, or even more specifically with Multiple Sclerosis in the care home setting – we’d love to hear from you. 

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Vlad@atkinsonshomes.com

Coronavirus update from our homes | 23/07/2021

Quick update:

Care home Coronavirus update

COVID-19 Update from Atkinson’s Private Nursing Homes . 23/07/2021

Updated COVID 19 Visitor Restrictions


Appointments must be booked in advance and are at designated times

  • Visits are for a maximum of 1 hour to facilitate appropriate cleaning between visits.
  • Up to 4 ‘designated visitors’ are able to visit daily.
  • A valid LFD test result, completed on the day of the visit, needs to be shown to the staff – text or email response.
  • All visitors must be free of any COVID symptoms and have their temperature checked.
  • To complete the visiting proforma.
  • Visits will predominantly take place in the most ventilated area of each respective home
  • Upon arrival, you will be asked to Sanitise your hands and be given a fresh, regulated mask which must be worn for the duration of the visit
  • Hugging & kissing is discouraged at this time
  • Once your visit is completed then please inform staff by ringing the call bell.
  • Prior to leaving remove your gloves and aprons (if worn), dispose of in the clinical waste bin and sanitise your hands.
  • Remove your mask, dispose of in the clinical waste, and sanitise your hands again.

In the event of any suspected or actual outbreak of COVID within the home restrictions on visiting will immediately be implemented and all relatives will be informed accordingly.

Communication channels remain open constantly using the following tools:

  • Main Telephone Numbers of all homes and Head Office remain open
  • Postal and hand-delivered Letters/cards
  • Emails and Skype 
  • Relatives Gateway
  • Facebook, we have an individual Facebook page for every home
  • Every home has portals in place
  • What’s App
  • Zoom & Messenger

Reducing the Risk from COVID-19

  • We closed our doors to all visitors at the start of the pandemic, as the situation escalated quickly across the nation. Any visitors, such as visiting health professionals, only enter the care home if it is necessary and if they have followed strict infection control procedures. This includes wearing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) and of course, making sure that good hand hygiene is always followed.
  • You will have seen the news about concerns relating to masks,  gloves and aprons. We want to assure you that we are following the correct procedures to make sure we protect you and our staff teams. We are keeping up to date with all the guidance and are making sure that our staff know how to use the correct equipment.
  • Any staff with symptoms, or staff who have been in contact with anyone with COVID-19,  are not coming to work and are following the government’s guidance on self-isolation. After a negative test is given, we will then do a personal test before a full return to work.
  • We do understand that not everyone will have the same symptoms of a persistent/new cough and temperature or loss of smell and taste, and our staff understand the need to look for other symptoms and act immediately.
  • Regular testing is taking place
  • We have put arrangements into place for people to keep in contact with your loved ones.    

We will of course continue to review and update changes.

A note from our Owner, Rowen Atkinson:

As a provider of the homes, I am personally committed to ensuring that all homes are well stocked with all PPE equipment, and each home has a storage amount of barrier nursing for up to 3 months in the eventuality of a 3rd lockdown. I have the taken necessary steps to ensure our kitchen larders are fully over-stocked with supplies. I support every single member of the staffing team at every home and have made myself available to always support my Management team during this very difficult time. The decisions we are making now are extremely difficult, but ones that will save lives.

Get in touch

If you have any queries regarding the above please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re more than happy to provide any information you would like and aim to be continue operating as transparently as possible with residents, their loved ones and the rest of the Sandhurst community.

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: diana@atkinsonshomes.com

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How we use Assistive Technology in our Care Homes

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At Atkinsons Care and Nursing homes, we understand that there is a fine balance between using assistive technology and maintaining the human approach in care. Technology can be used in a variety of ways to help people with dementia in their daily living and this is known as “assistive technology” put simply, this kind of technology is any aid that can assist the frailest and most vulnerable members of society to live safely and live well in a care home environment. 

These are some examples of how we use Assistive Technology in our care homes:

Safety Living in our Care Homes

Assistive technology for people with dementia is designed to support security and safety, while providing a less intrusive living environment. For example, in our care settings we use motion sensor technology which is designed to alert staff when residents with a high risk of falling move away from their car or bed, in order to reduce the likelihood of falls and injuries. Safeguarding technology can be used to protect against fires, intruders, safe use of domestic appliances, and call bell alerts for individual bedrooms.

Everyday Living in our Care Homes

Assistive technologies can also be implemented to assist with a person’s daily needs. These gadgets may include temperature sensors for automatic climate control, lamp and light activation. All of our Care and Nursing homes use wireless tablet systems for care planning which monitor a person’s daily health conditions such as blood sugar, blood pressure and heart rate. This data is automatically transmitted to the appropriate health professionals, who can monitor vital signs and make appropriate decisions about necessary interventions.

Communication Technology in our Care Homes

Now more than ever in these Covid times, do we realise the importance of online communication, which keeps people connected in care and nursing homes to family and friends, which also reduces the risk of exposing vulnerable elderly groups to direct contact of potential cross-infection. All of our homes have been provided with digital portals which allow families to connect directly with loved ones. Of course this will never replace human contact but will reduce stress by residents staying connected with loved ones.

When considering the use of technology to help with dementia care, the personal needs and choices of the individual are critical. It is no use trying to mould an individual to fit in with a certain technology. The proposed technology must be able to support and suit the individual and their unique situation.

Get in touch

For questions or more information regarding our Dementia Care Services, Sandhurst, we’d love to hear from you. 

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Vlad@atkinsonshomes.com

Dementia Care Sandhurst | Specialised Environments

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Our Homes, based in Sandhurst, have so many benefits to support and care for people with Dementia, we have listed some ways in which we have achieved a high score in completing “The King’s Fund Dementia Assessment“, which is an assessment tool guide on Dementia studies by The University of Worcester, which reflects the latest research evidence, best practice and survey responses from those who have used the tools in practice.

Bedrooms

Each room within our Care and Nursing homes is designed with being private, cosy and a safe place which promotes a good night’s sleep. To assist our residents to find their way to their own room we have used ‘Memory framed Personalisation’ clear bright and colourful doors with professional guidance signs.

Toilets and bathrooms

By understanding that toilets and bathrooms need to be safe and easy places for a person with dementia to use. The right design and colour can help a person with dementia to maintain their independence and dignity for personal care. Our purpose-designed wet rooms and adapted baths offer extra peace of mind.

Lighting

All of our homes are bright and airy which makes the best possible use of natural daylight. We use effective lighting which is particularly important for people with dementia as it can help them make sense of their environment.

Gardens

Our gardens are designed to be both “wheelchair and Dementia-friendly” we have specialist adaptations, such as “grab rails” low-level ramps and low easy to access flower beds, which residents can enjoy attending too.

Get in touch

For questions or more information regarding our Dementia Care Services, Sandhurst, we’d love to hear from you. 

Tel: 01252 871751
Email: Vlad@atkinsonshomes.com