Role Vacancy- Admiral Nurse
Age UK North Tyneside, in partnership with Dementia UK, is seeking to appoint an Admiral Nurse to work in its well established and successful dementia service, Dementia Connections.
Admiral Nurse
Hours: Part time: 29 hours/week
Salary: £29,443- £37,341 pa (full time)
They are offering an experienced dementia nurse the opportunity to develop practice within a community setting and to build upon experience of working in a specialist field. The successful applicant will work within their established Dementia Connections service across the North Tyneside area.
The position will provide specialist nursing assessment, evidenced based intervention, advice and support for family, carers and supporters of people with dementia, and people with dementia during the caring career/dementia journey and following bereavement.
Qualifications & Experience
The successful applicant will hold a registered nursing qualification with appropriate post registration experience in mental health care and dementia. Clinical experience of working with people with dementia and their carers in different settings is essential.
Continuing Professional and Practice Development
You will be supported by Dementia UK through regular Clinical Supervision, and Continuing Professional and Practice Development to maintain excellent standards and specialist skills in dementia care.
Interviews are planned for Monday 1st March, 2021
Further information and an application pack can be obtained from HRTeam@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk
Age UK North Tyneside is proud to carry the ‘positive about disabled people’ symbol due to our commitments regarding recruitment, training, retention, consultation and disability awareness. They recruit the most suitable individuals for each vacancy regardless of sex, sexuality, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, gender, marital status, social or economic background or caring responsibilities.
Closing date for applications: 12 noon 17th February, 2021
Only those candidates who have been shortlisted will be contacted.
Registered Charity No. 1049527
https://ageuk.livevacancies.co.uk/#/
Staff Vaccine Update
This week we vaccinated another 129 staff and volunteers at North Tyneside General Hospital. A fantastic achievement and so gratefully received by all those involved. The whole process was extremely well organised which reminded us how lucky we are here in North Tyneside to have two “outstanding” NHS Trusts in Northumbria HealthCare Foundation Trust and Newcastle City Hospitals Foundation Trust.
Public Health Advice
Our colleagues in Public Health have reminded us this week that whilst the majority of us have been vaccinated we must continue to uphold all other key controls such as wearing PPE, socially distancing etc.
Covid-19 Update
- Our daily statistics remain strong with staff absence increasing by 1% to 7% this week, we have 3 staff absent with C-19 and 6 staff in isolation, which includes all 6 staff who are medically shielding.
- Our customers, thankfully, remain safe and well, we have no customers reported with C-19. No-one showing symptoms and no recorded deaths from C-19.
- 268 staff, out of 301, have now had their vaccination
- 48 of our front line volunteers have also now had the vaccine too.
- The Senior Leadership Team this week have asked all Managers to update Risk Assessments to reflect the vaccination programme and to identify any additional controls measures required
- The Senior Leadership Team have also agreed this week to extend the isolation period from 10 days to 14 days, we feel this is necessary to reflect the new variant of the virus and, it also reflects good practice.
As always we will endeavour to keep all of our stakeholders informed of updates relating to care and service provision.
Should you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Team
Tel: 0191 2877028
Buy Local
Now more than ever, it’s important that we stay safe, stay local and stay connected while buying local. That’s the vision of Buy Local, a website created by the three local business chambers in North Tyneside; Whitley Bay, North Shields and Wallsend, with the help of Newcastle Building Society.
Buy Local provides a directory of businesses operating in North Tyneside. This lets residents, business owners, and visitors have a simple method of knowing what services are available to them.
Buy Local is not just a facility for businesses to raise their profile and for others to find them. It also provides information dedicated to the broader aspects and attractions of town centres and high streets. This includes details of events, heritage sites, parks, walks and other items of interest to the community.
Nominate a local business
Buy Local are celebrating businesses that have made a commitment to serve their local community over lockdown. You can get involved by nominating a North Tyneside business that you feel is a Local Lockdown Hero. If you know a local business that is stepping up during this difficult time, email talk@buylocalnorthtyneside.co.uk.
Your local care provider
EveryDay Care & Support, are now listed on the Buy Local as a local care provider. We are continuing to operate throughout the local and national lockdowns. To ensure all staff and customers are safe, we have introduced new measures and procedures.
Thanks to our new measures, EveryDay Care & Support have capacity to take on new customers in our Living and Homecare services. To find out more, call us on 0191 287 7028.
One of our customers recently gave our Living service a 10/10 rating and said “The service is smashing. Michele is fabulous. I would recommend it all day long. It’s really nice to see someone, I look forward to her visits. They give me social interaction and human connection which is awesome and priceless right now. Michele does what I can’t do. In my opinion, you’re all faultless, you’re all the forgotten, unsung heroes but I very much appreciate what you do. Thank you.”
Another customer said this of our Homecare service; “The service has been responsive & valuable especially during lockdown & restrictions to support my grandma both practically & emotionally. This, in turn, support our family as a whole.”
Support local businesses
To find out more about which local business are still open, visit buylocalnorthtyneside.co.uk. If you need extra help and support during these trying times, call Age UK North Tyneside on 0191 280 8484 Option 1. Their Information and Advice team are there to help you with everything from pensions and financial support, to leisure and social activities. Or, if you just want someone to talk to, ask about their befriending service.
Ask for ANI Scheme | Domestic Abuse
There is no age limit on domestic abuse. Age UK have been campaigning for data to be collected on all victims and survivors of domestic abuse, whatever their age. The Office for National Statistics has listened and will now start collecting this data on those aged 75+. This change means that older people will finally be included in conversations about domestic abuse.
This change comes at the perfect time. As of 14 January 2021, people experiencing domestic abuse will be able to access much-needed support from thousands of pharmacies across the UK. The government has teamed up with independent pharmacies and Boots to launch a domestic abuse Ask for ANI codeword scheme.
Ask for ANI
The Ask for ANI scheme allows those at risk or suffering from abuse to discreetly signal that they need help and access support. By asking for ANI, a trained pharmacy worker will offer a private space where they can understand if the victim needs to speak to the police or would like help to access support services such as a national or local domestic abuse helplines.
As an essential retailer based on high streets across the country, and with specifically trained staff, pharmacies can provide a safe space for people to sound an alarm if they are isolated at home with their abuser and unable to get help in another way.
Support from the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister committed to launch this scheme at the Hidden Harms summit last year in recognition of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the ability of victims to reach out for help and support. The scheme was initially proposed by survivors as something that would have helped them.
The scheme will be initially available through the 2,300 Boots stores across the UK as well as 255 independent pharmacies. There will be an on-going sign-up process open to all pharmacies.
At EveryDay Care & Support, our customers are our highest priority. We want to ensure all of our customers are safe and protected at all times. If you have any safeguarding concerns, you can report them to North Tyneside council by visiting My Care North Tyneside. You can also contact Age UK North Tyneside to find out more about the Ask for ANI scheme, or for any other support and advice.
Dry January 2021
We’re halfway through January already! Many of our team are taking part in Dry January. If you’re joining them, there are some of the changes you may have noticed already.
Week 1 without alcohol
One week away from alcohol gives you a better sleeping pattern. You should have noticed that you are sleeping better. When you drink alcohol, you typically fall straight into a deep sleep, missing the important rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. While you are supposed to have between six and seven cycles of REM sleep a night, you typically only have one or two when you’ve been drinking.
Better sleep comes with many benefits. You will be more productive and your ability to control your emotions and behaviour will also improve.
You should feel more hydrated. When you drink alcohol, you lose around four times as much liquid as what you actually drank. Dehydration can cause headaches, as your organs take water from the brain due to their own water loss. Therefore, giving up alcohol for even one week can help you keep well hydrated, which is in turn beneficial for your brain. Your mood and concentration levels stabilise, and you will be less likely to suffer from headaches. You should also have more energy throughout the day.
Think about the calories saved even in week one! If you gave up drinking six 175 ml glasses of wine in week one, you saved around 960 calories. That’s equivalent to three burgers or five and a half bags of crisp. If you stopped consuming six pints of average strength lager in week one, you saved 1080 calories. That’s similar to six bags of crisps or five chocolate bars.
Week 2 without alcohol
After two weeks off alcohol, you should have continued to reap the benefits of better sleep and hydration. As alcohol is an irritant to the stomach lining, after a fortnight you should have also seen a reduction in symptoms such as reflux where the stomach acid burns your throat.
After a fortnight, you may also have noticed that you have lost weight as a result of giving up alcohol’s empty calories. By now those six 175ml glasses of wine per week would have saved you 1920 calories, and 2160 calories if you’d stopped drinking six pints of lager.
What can I look forward to?
In Week 3 without alcohol…
Your blood pressure should start to reduce. Reducing your blood pressure can be crucial as it can help to lessen the risk of health problems occurring in the future. As the calories in alcohol can cause you to gain weight, giving up alcohol can also help you to reduce your blood pressure as a result of the weight you can potentially lose. By this point, if you’d previously been drinking six 175ml glasses of wine a week, you would have lost 2880 calories over three weeks. And if you’d been drinking six pints of lager a week, you would have lost 3240 calories.
In Week 4 without alcohol…
You will see a positive impact on your skin due to you having better levels of hydration. As more water will have been absorbed rather than wasted, you are likely to have more hydrated-looking skin, as well as reduced dandruff and eczema. Removing alcohol from your diet for four weeks can also help to improve your liver function as your liver will start to shed excess fat. If your liver function is not too badly affected by alcohol, it can recover within 4-8 weeks. With the liver playing a part in over 500 vital processes, you also give your body a better chance of removing contaminants, converting food nutrients, storing minerals and vitamins.
By this point, your body is likely to have benefitted greatly from giving up alcohol. Better hydration and improved sleep will have increased your productivity and daily wellbeing. Your liver, stomach and skin will also have benefitted from not dealing with alcohol. You will also have reduced your calorie intake by 3840 for the month if you used to drink six glasses of 175ml wine a week, or 4320 calories over the month if you used to drink six pints of lager a week.
Our care teams have been working hard to stick to Dry January. We’ve also been encouraging them to hit their 10,000 steps a day to get 2021 off to a good start. We’ve also been supporting our customers to make healthy choices to improve their lifestyle this year. For more ways to improve your health, check out programmes such as HowFit or Winter Warmers & Workouts. With COVID-19 still affecting all of us, it’s more important than ever to invest in your health and wellbeing.
Covid 19 & Vaccine Roll Out Update
What a way to start this new year with a number of our frontline, key workers lining up today for their C19 vaccines. This has been a happy and emotional day for us all at EveryDay Care & Support.
Our daily statistics are incredible, staff absence is at 4%, and we have no staff absent from work with Covid 19. We have 7 staff in isolation which includes 6 staff who are medically shielding.
Our customers, thankfully, remain safe and well, and we have no customers reported with C19, no one showing symptoms and no recorded deaths from C19.
Those staff who support customers face to face now complete a home test weekly. They will report immediately if they are positive to their Line Manager . We can make then make arrangements for the service they provide to continue seamlessly. This is a key control to keep our staff and customers safe, a significant responsibility for us all.
The designated testing days are “Happy Wednesday” and “Happy Thursday”. So far we have had 1 staff member receive a positive test whilst showing no symptoms, this demonstrates the value of carrying out these tests every week. If we had not, then this staff member could have been spreading the virus without knowing whilst at work caring for our customers.
Our customers in Extra Care Housing will start this month to have their monthly C19 test, and to lighten the mood we will be encouraging customers to do their test with the staff on the “Happy Wednesday” and “Happy Thursday” of that month.
Health Needs Assessment
All staff are being encouraged by our Better Health At Work team to complete their Health Needs Assessment Survey. Through our work with the Better Health at Work initiative, we are committed to promoting positive health and wellbeing for all. To do this we consult with staff regularly to find out what issues are important to them regarding their health and wellbeing.
Customer Satisfaction Survey for EveryDay Care & Support 2019-2020
Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is defined as a measurement that determines how happy customers are with a company’s products, services, and capabilities.
Customer satisfaction information, including surveys and ratings, can help a company determine how to best improve or change its products and services and that’s exactly what EveryDay Care & Support does on an annual basis.
Regular Customer Service Evaluations
This in addition to on-going six and twelve month customer service reviews and the capture of regular feedback from customers as well as our own team and external partners.
Holistic & Innovate care provision
EveryDay Care & Support prides itself on its holistic and innovative care provision in North Tyneside and Newcastle. We never compromise on care provision and we deliver an empathetic and honest service to our customers, their carers and families.
Our annual customer satisfaction survey is provided to each and every customer regardless of which EveryDay Care & Support service they take advantage of. This includes Living, Wellbeing, Home Care and Extra Care.
The overall outcome of the Customer Satisfaction Survey questionnaire showed that:
- 84% of our customers feel our service is well led (slightly down from 85% in 2019)
- 97% of our customers feel our service is effective (up from 94% in 2019)
- 96% of our customers feel our service is responsive (up from 76% in 2019)
- 98% of our customers say our staff are caring (up from 96% in 2019)
- 96% of our customers feel the service we provide is safe (up from 91% in 2019)
We believe that there is always room for improvement and as a caring, supportive provider, one who constantly strives for excellence in what we do we’ll work on improving our outcomes in 2021.
The percentages are one thing but the feedback and the comments we received as part of the annual evaluation exercise assure us that our customers appreciate our provision and the care team who deliver their service.
With comments like these, we know we’re getting EveryDay Care & Support’s provision right!
Linskill Park Wellbeing Centre (supports families who are living with dementia)
“I firmly believe that without Janice and the staff at Linskill Park mum would have deteriorated a lot faster. They have been a great support to me as mum’s lone carer. I thank them all so much for everything. From the moment she is dropped off I know she is in the safest of hands and so happy attending. Excellent service, great staff, so happy to have mum going there. Thank you all!”
Rowan Croft Wellbeing Centre
“Dad is very independent in a lot of things, reluctant for help but manages really well. Peace of mind that he is within company, socialising and getting fed well. The staff keep him right with his iPhone which he uses a lot and we aren’t always on hand to help him with, so that is comforting. We know Dad isn’t always keen for activities or to join in with a lot of things going on but we know he is happy to go and enjoys his time spent.”
Cedar Grove Wellbeing Centre
“Very friendly and support me so well. Staff are amazing and make me feel safe. They respect my dignity at all times”
100% of our wellbeing centre customers said yes to 11 customer satisfaction survey questions.
EveryDay Living (provides support in and around the home, shopping, domestic chores and carer relief)
- 99% of our customers said they were happy with their service
- 96% of our customers felt the service met their needs
With these scores we’ll aim to meet 100% of our customer’s aspirations in 2021.
We provide care and support within extra care housing across Newcastle and North Tyneside.
Our customers said:
Here at Fontburn Court the safety & welfare of residents takes priority. It is, in my opinion, a first class operation and this is down to good care & practice procedures from the top level & within all departments.
The staff have gone the extra mile, I can’t fault them.
Always feel reassured Mum is well cared for and safe as always carers on site. We are all very happy with the care mum receives. She is settled and safe.
feel the care staff were amazing during COVID-19. They did a brilliant job through such stressful times.
I know Dad’s looked after well and has a great team of carers
Care At Home
Like all of our amazing care team the pandemic has created additional pressures especially for those working extremely hard to deliver community care at home. The team have been incredible throughout, and continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safe care of their customers.
Our customers said:
- Carers have been very good in these very difficult times.
- I have only one carer, she is excellent. Service delivery during COVID-19 is no different from normal times, except for PPE.
- I think of them as friends and I am always pleased to see them. Could not manage without their kindness and help. The girls’ cheerfulness and help is something I look forward to each day.
- Time to talk is very important and appreciated along with the practical support.
- Very grateful for the service during lockdown as I wasn’t able to see family members.
- Service delivery continues to be to a high standard.
- The carers are cheerful, friendly, helpful and reliable
When asked the following, 100% of our care at home customers said YES
- Do you feel that your care worker(s) have good care knowledge?
- Do you feel that your care worker(s) are competent?
- Do you feel that your care worker(s) are confident and experienced to provide a good service for you?
- Do you feel that your care worker(s) promote your dignity and treats you with respect?
- Are you satisfied with you care worker(s)?
EveryDay Care & Support is different, ask us why.
Do you need care and support now or in the future and want to put your trust in a care provider who truly delivers a caring, empathetic service to others? Put your trust in EveryDay Care & Support. We will look not only to meet but surpass customer’s expectation.
We would be delighted to talk to you about your care requirements for yourself or loved one. We can do that by telephone, live chat on our website or remotely via Zoom, Teams, Messenger or Whatsapp video call.
Feedback
If you are an existing EveryDay Care & Support customer and you’d like to leave us a review please do so here:
https://www.homecare.co.uk/homecare/agency.cfm/id/65432181409
To read our most recent Care Quality Commission report take a look here :
https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2598190126
Coping with Caregiver Guilt
Throughout 2020 we all became aware of how it feels to miss important events. From birthday celebrations, to graduations, to funerals – the pandemic has forced us to support each other from a distance.
Caregivers are likely one of the most affected groups. Caregiver guilt is common during the best of times, but nothing could have prepared us for the additional challenges and heartache caused by the pandemic.
Pandemic-related issues
Older people have faced a huge emotional toll during the national lockdowns, particularly those living by themselves. As a result, family caregivers have been stretched as they struggle to be there for their loved ones, while also struggling to deal with the pandemic related issues in their own lives.
Popping to the supermarket now requires careful planning, a mask, and hand sanitiser. Helpers from outside the home now present a potential health risk. Even a trip to the GP can be anxiety inducing. All of the means additional work, stress, and potential guilt for family caregivers.
When you add in the fact that many services for older people have been forced to stop, it’s resulted in a potentially lonely winter for many people.
The additional feelings of guilt this creates for family caregivers, especially long-distance caregivers, can’t be understated. The stress they already shoulder, which can lead to anger and even resentment, has only been amplified by all of these new pandemic-related factors.
Origins of caregiver guilt
All too often, the guilt experienced by family caregivers is rooted in self-criticism and feelings of inadequacy. Guilt often occurs when the ideal choice you want to make, differs from the choice you actually made. You can feel like you have fallen short, or that you should have done more.
But, as flight attendants like to remind us, you must put on your own oxygen mask before trying to help others. Is essential that caregivers look after their own basic needs, if they don’t, they will not have the energy – both physical and emotional – to help their loved ones.
Alleviating caregiver guilt
So, what can family caregivers do to help address these feelings of guilt? Barry Jacobs, a clinical psychologist, family therapist and healthcare consultant, offers the following tips.
Don’t aim for guilt-free caregiving.
Feeling guilty is perfectly natural, however we mustn’t allow these feelings to take over and affect our daily lives. “That discrepancy between what you think you should do and what you’re willing and able to do may always cause some guilt,” Jacobs says. “Let’s accept that as a given, then, and work on tempering the feeling.”
Give up the fantasy of rescuing others.
When we see a loved one in need, we want to help them however we can. Unfortunately, as the pandemic has shown us, there’s not always anything we can do. “We owe our loved ones good effort, but perfect outcomes can be impossible,” notes Jacobs. “Hold yourself to realistic goals, not fantastic ones.”
Maintain balance.
Family caregivers often have additional responsibilities on top of being a carer. Whether it’s to their children, partner, or co-workers. All of these responsibilities can be draining. Jacobs explains: “While taking those breaks from caregiving may bring up feelings of guilt, they’re necessary for our own emotional health.” Remember as well: It’s okay to ask for help!
Tolerate ambivalence.
It’s okay to feel some ambivalence about your caregiving responsibilities. You are a human, and your feelings are valid. These emotions do not negate your love for your care recipient. “Having negative feelings is part of normal family life,” Jacobs reminds us. “In the years before old age and illness, our family members were probably sometimes irritable toward one another without so much self-condemnation. Caregiving doesn’t make us angels.”
Find other motivations.
It’s entirely normal to feel some resentment about your caregiving responsibilities, as well. It isn’t fair that your loved one is sick. You already have a full plate, and it can be frustrating to have even more tasks. But these feelings aren’t helpful and only increase feelings of bitterness. “It is far better for us to act on more noble impulses — wanting to provide care because it is important to us or pleases us,” Jacobs says.
All feelings are valid
Being a family caregiver is something to be proud of, however that doesn’t stop it from being stressful. It’s important to give yourself a break now and then, and to talk about your feelings. If you would like EveryDay Care & Support to help you care for a loved one, call us on 0191 287 7028 or email enquiries@everydayuk.org. Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to additional support to enable you to access respite services from our Wellbeing Centres. To check your entitlement, call 0191 280 8484 option 1.
There are also several additional services that may be able to help you. Age UK North Tyneside offer Carer Support Groups and North Tyneside Carers’ Centre have mindfulness and life coaching sessions to help cope with carer guilt. To find out more about these services, call Age UK North Tyneside on 0191 280 8484 option 1 or email enquiries@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk.
Secret Santas to bring festive joy to older people across the borough
Hundreds of ‘Secret Santas’ are helping to bring a little festive joy to lonely older people across North Tyneside.
Over the next few days, 330 boxes containing gifts and goodies are being delivered to EveryDay Care & Support’s wellbeing centres and extra care schemes.
According to research from North Tyneside Council, there are around 13,500 people over 65 in the borough who live alone and are at risk of isolation and loneliness.
Sophie’s Secret Santa
Teacher Sophie Ritson has organised the Secret Santa campaign to spread some happiness at the end of what has been a tough year for so many.
Sophie, 30, from Cramlington, said: “I saw a news story about a woman who was trying desperately to see her mum in a care home, and it got me thinking how lonely many older people will have been the past few months.
“Some of them won’t have seen anyone since March, and so thought doing a Secret Santa for them would be a good idea, to give them something to smile about.
“I put the idea on my Facebook page and asked if anybody would want to take part, and when I woke up the next morning I was inundated with people trying to help. The response has been overwhelming!
“I just think 2020 has been such a terrible year, and this will hopefully bring a little bit of light in what has been a dark time for so many people.”
Little Movers North Tyneside
Sophie previously worked with us in 2019, when she ran some inter-generational classes with her Little Movers children’s groups at two local wellbeing centres.
The boxes have been collected from drop-off points across North Tyneside over the past few weeks, and will be delivered by the charity’s staff in the run-up to Christmas.
Although the ‘Secret Santas’ were not given full names of recipients, they were provided with their likes and interests so each box could be personalised.
Thank You from Dawn
EveryDay Care & Support, Group Chief Executive Dawn McNally said: “Social interaction, especially for older people has been hugely impacted by the pandemic and this simple act of kindness will mean so much. We have been overwhelmed in 2020 by the kindness and generosity shown to others.
“I’d like to thank North Tyneside Little Movers and specifically Sophie Ritson and the families involved for their amazing donation of 200 Christmas gifts for older people in North Tyneside.
“Now more than ever, no one should have no one. These gifts of kindness will remind them that they are not forgotten.”
You can see some of the donated presents as well as the creation of the paintings here.
To find out more about EveryDay Care & Support and the services we offer, call us on 0191 287 7028 or email enquiries@everydayuk.org.