FEATURE Focus On The Positives
Ken Deary, MD of Right at Home UK, outlines the developments within the private care sector over the past year and the impact further social change is set to have on the industry.
Aſter repeatedly dominating the news in the last 12 months, care was one of the biggest talking points of the recent general election. Whilst many headlines focused on the challenges of funding care for future older generations, I feel it is important to also consider the positives that have arisen and concentrate on how they can help to drive up standards across the sector.
In the private care arena, we’ve seen huge growth in demand as more and more people realise they have an option to access a top quality care service. The Right at Home business model is built around putting the client first in everything we do. Our mantra is simply to give people the quality of care we would want for our own loved ones.
Given the dire funding challenges that social services are facing, we anticipate there to be a big movement towards private social care in the next year, and we’re confident this could help to alleviate the situation. At Right at Home, our UK directors and local business owners have been working hard to promote joined-up thinking so care providers can work with the NHS and other healthcare agencies to promote positive outcomes and delay admission to hospital.
Sadly, in the social services market this last year there have been some really distressing news reports and investigations, as the financial pressures imposed upon government social services took their toll on the vulnerable people who rely on them. Providers trying to deliver safe and effective services on behalf of local authorities are facing huge challenges and we have already seen some big care companies pulling out of local
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authority contracts, no longer able to operate at the rates councils pay. I’m sure there will be further occurrences of this until more realistic funding agreements are reached.
One shocking statistic released in the last year is that the biggest killer of the next generation is not going to be cancer or dementia but loneliness, which is perhaps not quite as surprising as you’d think. Services used by elderly people, such as community centres, libraries and Meals on Wheels, have gone by the wayside in many places, resulting in a really damaging effect on people at risk of social isolation. This is an area where companies who deliver self-funded care can make a real difference to people experiencing social isolation and loneliness by maintaining longer visit times and matching clients to consistent carers to help build meaningful friendships and increase client enjoyment.
Dementia is another highly-publicised issue and, at Right at Home, we notice the positive impact that person-centred homecare can have on families who are living with dementia. In the last year, we have piloted and developed a Cognitive Support Programme, giving carers who specialise in dementia the opportunity to develop into highly-trained practitioners who provide tailored support in key lifestyle areas.
With a lack of funding, there has been a staffing shortage across the sector and we’ve had to develop creative and intelligent strategies to reach the kind of people we know would make excellent carers. We’ve also launched an ongoing PR campaign to restore value into the profession, by recognising and rewarding the impact
facing huge challenges.”
that our care teams have in helping vulnerable people to achieve and enjoy independence and dignity.
Another big discussion topic at care shows this year has been technology – specifically ways in which care providers can increase their efficiency. At Right at Home, we are really excited about embracing digital care plan technology and we’ve got franchise owners queueing up to help with our ‘paperless office’ pilot scheme. Streamlining this soſtware with the scheduling and training apps already in use will really revolutionise their operational output.
In the private sector, we are able to offer fair wages and invest in our employees but, while government-funded care providers are being forced to operate within such tight financial margins, they will continue to struggle to attract staff. It is right that social care funding should remain at the top of the political agenda and everyone within the care sector must continue to campaign for the rights of vulnerable people to receive the care they deserve.
www.rightathomeuk.co.uk www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
deliver safe and effective services on behalf of local authorities are
“Providers trying to
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