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Matt Seex Editor mattseex@stepcomms.com


CARE HOME


ENVIRONMENT Editor Matt Seex


mattseex@stepcomms.com Business Manager


Mike Gammon


mikegammon@stepcomms.com Journal Administration


Katy Cockle


katycockle@stepcomms.com Design


Steven Dillon Publisher


Geoff King Publishing Dire


geoffking@stepcomms.com Publishing Director


Trevor Moon trevormoon@stepcomms.com


THE CARE HOME ENVIRONMENT is published monthly by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road,


HOME ENVIRONMEN


is published monthly by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road,


Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999


Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. +44 (0)1892 779999


Email: info@thecarehomeenvironment.com Web: www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


Dementia – misconceptions abound


Time for care worker boot camps?


Welcome to the May issue of The Care Home Environment.


New research commissioned by care In a recent speech at a Jobcentre in


home provider Care UK has laid bare many of the misconceptions and fears that people have about dementia. Almost two thirds of the 2,000 people questioned by OnePoll are afraid of developing dementia when they get older. More surprising is the revelation that 11 per cent started worrying about the condition in their 20s. Misconceptions about dementia abound – a fifth of adults wrongly believe that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are different names for the same thing, while 17 per cent believe that if a member of their family develops dementia, this means that they will, too. While fourteen per cent of those questioned think that people living with dementia cannot lead a meaningful life, over a third admitted that they actually know little about the condition. Even though there are (according


to Alzheimer’s Society) an estimated 900,000 people in the UK living with dementia (a number expected to rise to


ISSN NO. 2398-3280 The Publisher is unable to take any


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STEP COMMUNICATIONS


central London, the secretary of state for work and pensions Mel Stride hailed what he called a “huge opportunity” to fill job vacancies with domestic workers. As those in the social care sector know only too well, job vacancy rates were already through the roof before the government started tightening visa rules to restrict foreign labour. The move has already seen overseas health and care worker visa applications fall by 76 per cent in the first few months of this year. Described by the government as the “biggest ever drive to help businesses unlock British talent”, the reality seems rather underwhelming, consisting of an advertising campaign encouraging struggling employers to get in touch their local Jobcentre to fill any staffing gaps, while the government launches a new taskforce to ‘unleash the domestic labour supply’ with targeted skills ‘bootcamps’ for benefit claimants. “For too long we have relied on labour from abroad when there is great talent right here in the UK – I am determined to put that right,” said Stride in his speech. Response from social care leaders has


been predictably withering. Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green


Welcome to the June issue of The Care


1.6 million by 2040), Care UK’s research found that 72 per cent of adults have made no effort to learn about the condition. In response, Care UK has launched a new video guide which aims to debunk the myths surrounding dementia and provide support to families whose loved ones have been diagnosed with the condition. Suzanne Mumford, head of nursing,


care and dementia services at Care UK, said: “There are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to dementia, and what this means for the person living with it and their family. “In reality, dementia is a condition that


OBE said: “Today’s announcement of new ‘skills boot camps’ to boost domestic employment will offer little reassurance to care providers across England. When the government announced recent restrictions on legal migration, they were warned that without meaningful workforce reform, the care sector would struggle to fill its 152,000 vacancies. Today’s announcement is the latest short-term initiative that leaves the key issues of pay, terms and conditions, and meaningful career progression unaddressed. “Care work is a challenging, yet


can be managed to ensure those who live with it can continue to lead fulfilling, meaningful lives and can be supported to still do the things they love. That’s why we’ve launched our latest video guide, One step at a time. Featuring tips from our experts, but also testimonies of residents’ families, it is designed to help people navigate through the dementia journey, from dealing with the initial diagnosis to learning how to live well with dementia.” While the results of Care UK’s research


might be troubling, they are perhaps not all that surprising. The spectre of dementia – along with the prospect of old age itself – is something most of us push to the back of our minds. It is a scary thing to think about, and most of us would prefer not to do so. Yet it is only a matter of time before dementia affects somebody we love, or indeed us personally. Perhaps, then, we all need to be a little braver and find out more about a condition that is almost certain to come into our lives one day. I hope you enjoy the issue.


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extremely rewarding profession. Our staff are compassionate, patient and dedicated – values that can’t be instilled in a bootcamp. To truly fix the staffing crisis in social care, we need to create an environment that encourages and rewards people with the right values to join our sector and remain there for the long term. As it stands, that is simply not the case. Arming people with the skills a carer needs to get them through the door without addressing their values is a short- term solution to a long-term problem.” Unfortunately, with an election looming, short-term ‘solutions’ are, for now, probably the best we can hope for. I hope you enjoy the issue.


THE


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