Care home activites


Adapting care home activity co-ordination to a pandemic


One of the lesser highlighted impacts of Covid-19 on care home has been the changing nature of activity provision. Here, National Activity Providers Association executive director Hilary Woodhead explains how the charity has adapted to challenging circumstances


In March last year, to be responsive to the needs of the sector amid the early stages of the Covid pandemic, we decided to digitise all National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) support services. We suspended all face-to-face training, audit and service reviews, conferences and support sessions and embarked on a period of transformation. In addition, we developed e-learning


training programmes, extended our distance learning qualification offer, launched a virtual support programme, and a series of webinars and online training days. We also extended our NAPA Helpline service to include a free phone line, email service and closed support group. Furthermore, all NAPA resources were


made available for digital download including our quarterly magazine. To top it off, we held our first online NAPA activity awards ceremony in October to celebrate excellence. This period of digital transformation


was informed by consultation with our members, supportive collaboration with sector partners and funded by NAPA membership fees, special grants, sponsorship, and fundraising income. Our fundraising strategy has depended entirely on digital events with online concerts and afternoon tea sessions in aid of the NAPA Helpline. For all the support we have received, we are most grateful. The services provided by NAPA are


developed in consultation with our members, and during the pandemic we endeavoured to work alongside our members to understand their experience and provide information and support that is appreciative and practical. We continue to be amazed by the creativity of our members and the many ways in which they have prioritised the wellbeing of the people they support. Through necessity, care settings have


found new ways of working that have required them to learn new skills and


embrace change. To help these efforts, we developed guidance for care settings to support the provision of activity on a one-to-one basis. The points listed below are NAPA’s


suggested ways of working. Although they are based on government guidance and best practice principles, they are not legal guidelines.


Ten tips for activity and engagement during the pandemic Encourage the whole staff team to be fully involved in an activity and engagement-based model of care, focussing on the importance of one to one connection, in accordance with the required Covid -19 restrictions. 1 Encourage activity and care teams to use existing care and support plans in order to develop individual engagement plans for each person in their care.


2 Ensure plans include opportunities for activities over a 24-hour period and should not always depend on the presence of a particular member of staff to initiate engagement.


3 Store the activity plan in the individual’s room, where possible.


February 2021 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


4 Identify a staff member to help maintain contact between individuals we support and their loved ones.


5 Encourage family contact through the means of technology - we encourage our members to contact NAPA for up to date advice on safe visits.


6 Enable the use of electronic devices to maintain contact between residents and their family and friends.


7 Properly discard or sanitise activity supplies according to the care home’s Infection control policy.


8 Ensure items are not shared between residents.


9 Activity and care staff should be enabled by care home managers to liaise with family members and or purchase necessary supplies for each resident’s room, in order to promote one-to-one engagement and activity.


10 As mentioned above, we have been able to significantly extend the NAPA Helpline service in order to provide detailed support to those working in care homes. The following case study demonstrates the level of help and support we have been able to provide by digitising our services.


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