1 Newsletter

Newsletter

Spring Issue 4 2 Newsletter

Contents

Maria’s welcome 3

Staff News 4

Fosse House: Outstanding in Responsive 4 Congratulations Sue! 4 Awards 5

Resident News 10

Resident Christmas Party 10 Commemorating the WW1 Centenary 12 National Older Persons’ Week 14 All aboard! A Steam Train trip through the 15 countryside Meresworth Day Care Centre relaunches! 16

Research 18

Quantum’s Germ Busters reduce hospital 18 admissions Improving quality of life through music 19 Improving Care Across the Social Care Sector 19

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Welcome all,

And a very belated Happy New Year! Quantum Care have had an exciting few months, with plenty of projects and news to update you on as we spring into the new season. In this edition, we celebrate a series of successful events, including the launch of our first ever Community Christmas lunch, where we invited the local elderly community in for a free festive lunch to help combat loneliness. It was a fantastic occasion and a moving end to a very exciting year. Many thanks to everyone who helped make this happen! I will also be updating you on some exciting new opportunities, including the musical research project Quantum Care are taking part in with Hertfordshire-based charity ‘Music for My Mind’. This study is exploring whether we can improve the quality of life through music for those living with dementia. Finally, we will be taking the opportunity to recognise those members of staff from across the organisation, who exemplify Quantum Care’s values of innovation, providing the highest quality care and putting residents at the heart of all we do. I hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter. If you would like any more information on Quantum Care, the developments discussed in this edition, or any other aspect of our work, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me directly on: [email protected].

Thank you, Maria Ball Chief Executive Quantum Care

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Staff News

Fosse House: Outstanding in Responsive We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Fosse House have received an ‘Outstanding’ rating for being a ‘Responsive’ service in their Care Quality Commission inspection report. Inspectors awarded the home with the well-deserved rating in recognition of the “outstanding experiences” on offer for people living at Fosse House. The inspector noted that the staff team worked “tirelessly to provide people with excellent opportunities to enjoy personalised activities and outings as well as experience new things that they had only ever dreamt of previously.” We were overwhelmed by the positive comments made by residents to the inspectorate, with one describing their experiences at the home as “a holiday.” On behalf of everyone at Quantum Care, thank you Team Fosse House for your amazing work.

Congratulations Sue!

A huge congratulations to our Head of Learning and Dementia Development, Sue Harrison, who was recognised by leading care magazine Care Home Professional as one of their 2018 Leaders in Care. Sue was named as one of the country’s leading Innovators in Care for her work to make a positive difference to residents and staff. Sue’s positive attitude, commitment, and her unrivalled expertise has seen her drive forward Quantum Care’s own brand of person centred care - the Rhythm of Life initiative. Rhythm of Life focuses on recognising, nurturing and celebrating an individual’s strengths so that their lives are full and enriched. Under Sue’s guidance Rhythm of Life runs through each and every element of life in our homes, and our residents receive a truly person centred service.

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Awards

The end of 2018 saw Quantum Care pick up several nominations for national care sector awards. We are so proud of each and every person who was shortlisted and would like to thank everyone for their part in making sure Quantum Care continues to deliver the high-quality care our residents deserve.

National Care Awards - finalists Maria Ball – Faces of the Vibrant • Zoe Hiscox, Fosse House Economy Registered Home Manager 2018 Congratulations to Maria • Maureen Bonney, Elmhurst Ball, Quantum Care’s Chief Lifetime Achievement in Care 2018 Executive, who was selected • Cemal Ahmed, Belmont View as one of the new faces Care Apprentice 2018 of the ‘Vibrant Economy’ campaign led by legal firm National Dementia Awards - finalists Grant Thornton UK. • Quantum Care Silver Wishes Campaign The ‘Faces’ campaign celebrates individuals Outstanding Arts & Creativity in Dementia who exemplify the Vibrant Economy Care 2018 movement by developing an economy that enables people, organisations and communities to thrive. East of England Awards - finalists • Zoe Hiscox, Fosse House Registered Manager • Claire Harrington, Fourfields Care Newcomer

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Staff News

National Association of Care Catering Awards Congratulations to the Willow Court Catering Team who were announced as Runners Up in the National Association of Care Catering Awards in October. Judges praised the team for creating an outstanding ‘fine dining’ experience for their residents and families who all love the creative and delicious meals on offer. With a menu fit for a Michelin star restaurant, residents were treated to a three-course-meal, with Halloumi Courgettes, Herb Cake with a Sweet Chilli Sauce, Duck with Blood Orange Grazed Plumb Mash and a White Chocolate Raspberry Crème Brûlée, as just some of the options for residents to enjoy. Willow Court’s efforts exemplify Quantum Care’s firm belief that care home catering should not simply be about providing nutrition, but also providing enjoyment. This was echoed by the National Association of Care Catering, who praised the team’s “fine dining” when they were announced as runners up in the NACC awards. We understand that food and socialising go hand-in-hand, and by providing delicious restaurant quality meals for our residents, and their loved ones, we can also improve a resident’s mood, activity level and overall wellbeing.

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Quantum Care’s Awards 2018

Every day we hear new and inspiring accounts of how our staff team have gone above the call of duty to improve the lives of residents from across Quantum Care’s 26 homes. This is why we are proud to recognise the fantastic work carried out by our staff team through our annual in-house award ceremony. It is wonderful to be able to thank our staff for a job well-done and to encourage them to reach their full potential. This year, our award ceremony was held at Sopwell House in St. Albans.. Guests were treated to a champagne reception followed by a delicious three course meal. The ceremony was then hosted by Stewart Mynott, Director of Operations. Congratulations to all those nominated and to our wonderful winners:

COMMUNITY CARER OF THE YEAR CATERING TEAM ENGAGEMENT

Willow Court – Amos Tiso Richard Cox House Willow Court – Rachael Messers

LEADERSHIP HOUSEKEEPING TEAM SILVER WISHES AWARD

Dukeminster Court – Marta Carter Dukeminster Court Fosse House

LEARNING & SERVICE SUPPORTING HOMES DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT AWARD

Anson Court – Sue Humphreys Fosse House – Sue Paternoster Nathan Burton

RHYTHM OF LIFE OUTSTANDING ENGAGEMENT QUALITY AWARD DEMENTIA CARE

Pinewood Lodge Activity Team Elmhurst – Sunflower Unit Fosse House (Melanie Norman and Karen White)

CHANGING LIVES AWARD

Fosse House – Beth Hoskins

We extend our appreciation to our sponsors for helping make this event happen.

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Resident News Resident Christmas Party

Quantum Care ended 2018 in style with not one, but two Christmas parties to wrap up the year. Our resident Christmas party saw 300 residents, staff and their guests gather at Tewinbury Farm to enjoy a traditional Christmas lunch followed by entertainment and dancing. We would like to thank the children from Larwood School in , our very own Quantum Quavers Choir and St John’s school in Lemsford, who provided the entertainment for the afternoon, with some wonderful renditions of classic Christmas carols. And of course, to Father Christmas for popping along with some very special gifts for residents to take home.

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The Community Christmas Lunch Elsewhere, Jubilee Court opened its doors to the local elderly community in Hertfordshire for Quantum Care’s first ever Community Christmas Lunch. The event was an effort to address the very real problem of loneliness amongst the elderly, which often worsens during the festive period. Staff at Quantum Care arranged for elderly people to join residents for a free Christmas lunch, entertainment and a chat – hoping to foster friendships which would last beyond the festive period. Guests were treated to a two-course meal, which included a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings followed by Christmas Pudding or chocolate fudge cake for afters. All guests also went home with their own Christmas gift – making sure everyone had something to open on Christmas morning. We’d like to say a massive thank you to Tesco’s Head Office, who were kind enough to donate these gifts to help us spread some festive cheer. The event was a huge success, with some real and lasting friendships made. We are looking forward to organising more community events such as this in the future.

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Resident News

Commemorating the WW1 Centenary

To commemorate the WW1 Centenary, residents, staff and families at all Quantum Care homes said a special thank you to those who were either in active service or supported the war effort, each creating their own tribute to pay their respects. It was also an important opportunity to thank the residents who were involved in active service for their country in the many conflicts that have happened since that time. As part of the commemorations, Quantum Care held a competition where entries were judged by Maria Ball and relative Veteran Ernest Large who looked at visual impact, relevance, personal involvement and creativity of the poppy submissions. A huge congratulations to Willow Court and Fosse House for taking the crown, in what was a very tight competition! While the day was extremely emotional, the stories told brought the commemorations to life and served as an important reminder that, indeed, we must never forget.

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Resident News

National Older Persons’ Week

Late last year we joined Age UK Hertfordshire and Hertfordshire Independent Living Service to celebrate National Older Persons’ Week. The week, which launched on Saturday 29th September with an Older Persons’ event at Friendship House in Hatfield, saw us invite people from across the county to join us for a fun-packed day. There were arts and crafts as well as Zumba Gold and Oomph exercise demonstrations – specially adapted to be inclusive for those with low or reduced mobility. There was also specialist advice on hand from organisations such as the Money Advice Unit, Trading Standards, Samaritans and many more. To round off a wonderful day, guests also enjoyed a free raffle with lots of prizes and some delicious refreshments.

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All aboard! A Steam Train trip through the countryside

When we found out that a group of residents would love nothing more than an old- fashioned railway trip, we knew just the place to take them! Quantum Care residents and their guests from across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex were picked up for a surprise day out at the Epping Ongar Railway where they were treated to a cuppa at the station café, before boarding the beautiful Metropolitan 1 Steam Train for a trip through the stunning Essex countryside. After the train, the party disembarked and boarded a vintage bus headed for Epping where they had lunch out at a local Turkish restaurant. The day ended with one last trip on the bus before heading back to their care homes. One of our residents, Derek from Quantum Care’s Dunstable care home, was absolutely thrilled with his day out, saying “I grew up near to the railway and it has brought back many memories. I have had such a marvellous day today.” Thank you to everybody involved for making the day out such a success!

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Resident News Meresworth Day Care Centre relaunches! As many of our regular visitors to Quantum Care homes will already know, we don’t only offer residential services for people in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex, but we also operate a number of Day Care centres for local elderly people in Hertfordshire. Our Day Care centres offer members a place to meet with like-minded people to foster new friendships. We offer activities like quizzes, arts and crafts, and exercise clubs, and also provide specialist dementia care. For some of our members, many of whom live alone and have no close family, these centres are the highlight of their week and offer much needed care, conversation and support. For many carers the Day Care centres offer peace of mind that their loved one is being looked after while they are at work. This is why we were so delighted when Kier Construction Thames Valley offered to help us completely refurbish the Day Care facilities at Meresworth care home in Rickmansworth.

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Working alongside Quantum Care staff, the efforts of the contractors, who not only worked free of charge but who also provided some materials for free, the complete refurbishment was finished in record time – ensuring our Day Care members didn’t go without their much loved club for too long. We officially reopened the Centre in February, with regular Day Care members in attendance, and a champagne reception for guests. The ribbon was cut by Chair of Council, Cllr Williams, and a buffet lunch was laid on for all to enjoy. The wonderful impact this renovation will have is perhaps best summed up by the comments of one of our regular members, David Cook, 86, from Rickmansworth, who told us: “Without the Day Care Centre I wouldn’t get out much. I’m a chatty man, and like to meet new people, so coming to Meresworth has helped me make a really nice group of friends and I look forward to coming to see them every week.” Thank you to everyone, from the Quantum Care staff team, Kier Themes Valley and the contractors, who made this happen. We are so grateful. The refurbishment of the day care service comes after we also introduced a new health and wellbeing hub at Mountbatten Lodge in Hemel Hempstead. The Service is called the Wellness Centre Project and provides health and wellbeing support and advice, to enable people to live independently at home for longer. Members who attend the hub benefit from a dedicated Occupational Therapist on hand to provide personalised support, as well as visiting experts who help with practical things like buying new glasses or finding information about Meals on Wheels. These improvements are all part of Quantum Care’s goal to make sure no elderly person is left behind.

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Research

Quantum’s Germ Busters reduce hospital admissions

We are excited to announce that our Germ Busters initiative – designed to stop the dreaded winter flu in its tracks – has resulted in a reduction in hospital admissions. A resounding success! Each care home was visited by our new ‘Germ Busting Roadshow’ which aimed to educate not only staff, but residents and their loved ones, on how to avoid catching and spreading the flu virus. We worked on hygiene techniques, how to spot the signs of illness and what to do if you fall ill. We also held a competition where residents designed their own Infection Control posters and the home of the winning poster received a prize, all supported by a social media campaign where people could rate their favourite poster. Residents enjoyed the competitive element while also learning how to protect themselves against illness. We are already looking at fun new ways to improve upon this year’s results next winter.

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Improving quality of Improving Care life through music Across the Social Care Sector Quantum Care are taking part in a new research study in partnership with Hertfordshire-based charity ‘Music for My Mind’. As part of our continued work with our local and national Universities to help The aim of this study is to find out if improve the way we deliver care across listening to music from the past could the social care sector, we are delighted help improve the lives of those living with to announce a new research project dementia. The study is based on the idea with the University of Exeter Medical that everyone has a soundtrack to their School, in conjunction with the National lives and the power of music can bring Institute for Health Research. back treasured memories. The project will look at how the care Researchers from Music for My Mind are experienced by those living with working with residents and their loved dementia can be improved through the ones to develop a way to create and use of communication tools. The study deliver personalised music playlists. has already begun at Fosse House and Providence Court. Residents are asked to complete a short questionnaire about their background Being part of research projects such and musical interests during their as this helps to ensure that Quantum younger years. A playlist of 100 songs Care is at the forefront of positive is created based on these responses change across our whole sector. We and delivered to the residents through look forward to updating you about headphones. If the residents like the the results of the study and the positive songs being played, they become a part impact it will have on resident care. of their personalised playlist. To measure response to the music, residents wear a monitor on their wrist, like a watch, or on their headphones. These monitors can measure movement and the resident’s pulse as indicators of emotional responses to music. In addition, the music listening sessions are filmed to enable the researchers to study changes in facial expressions. Through this, they will be able to measure levels of wellbeing to see if the music can improve quality of life. For more information, visit www.musicformymind.com

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Contact Us

Quantum Care Ltd, 4 Silver Court Watchmead Welwyn Garden City AL7 1TS United Kingdom www.quantumcare.co.uk

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