Comment homecare ENVIRONMENT Editor


Susannah Millen susannahmillen@stepcomms.com


Online Sales Executive


Peter Moon petermoon@stepcomms.com


Journal Administration Katy Cockle katycockle@stepcomms.com


Design


Steven Dillon Publisher


Geoff King geoffking@stepcomms.com


Publishing Director


Trevor Moon trevormoon@stepcomms.com


Individualised care that is fit for the future


Working on a magazine that serves the elderly residential care sector, I am drawn to news of how other countries delivery the best possible personalised care. Although arguably improving, the UK care home sector still doesn’t have the most positive image unless you can afford to pay for the highest quality private care. I also know from my own experience that elderly care is viewed very differently and much more positively in other parts of the world. In this issue, Sonia Parol’s article in particular caught my attention. She says: “It concerns me that in the UK we no longer challenge the rules and considered norms. We have focused on creating safe and attractive environments, but still within the same standard concept of a nursing home. In other words, we are just wrapping the same concept in nicer material.” Could we be learning more and changing things faster in elderly care, I wonder?


We often still see a cluster of bedrooms with one lounge, a quiet lounge and a dining room


THE CARE HOME ENVIRONMENT


is published in January, March, May, July, September and November by Step Communications Ltd, Step House, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DR, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1892 779999 Fax: +44 (0)1892 616177 Email: info@thecarehomeenvironment.com Web: www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


As we begin to embrace the positive benefits of providing intergenerational care and offering fun activities and pastimes to keep residents entertained, things are changing, but are we doing enough?


© 2019 Step Communications Ltd Single copy: £12.00 per issue. Annual journal subscription: UK £96.00 Overseas: £120.00


ISSN NO. 2398-3280


The Publisher is unable to take any responsibility for views expressed by contributors. Editorial views are not necessarily shared by the journal. Readers are expressly advised that while the contents of this publication are believed to be accurate, correct and complete, no reliance should be placed upon its contents as being applicable to any particular circumstances.


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“We often still see a cluster of bedrooms with one lounge, a quiet lounge and a dining room. We might add a shop or a hairdressers, but they are only available to the residents and only accessible via an internal lift; residents don’t have to put a coat on, they don’t have to walk far and they don’t see anyone other than carers or fellow residents,” says Parol. “We are still worried about their interaction with other people, we want to keep them safe and in a completely risk free environment. When you stop to consider it, this is about as far from a ‘normal’ environment as possible,” she adds. So, what’s the answer? Having studied care provided in Copenhagen and the Netherlands, Parol believes in the benefits that can come from social connection and multigenerational living. She believes that not only are shared and social spaces important for physical and mental health and wellbeing, but they will also be considered a necessity for the next generation of senior citizens who want to continue to have an active part in society.


Part of the problem is of course cultural. Within the senior living sector, care and dementia care present the biggest challenges for connected living, yet examples in Copenhagen and the Netherlands show just what can be achieved.


Susannah Millen • Editor susannahmillen@stepcomms.com


January 2019 • www.thecarehomeenvironment.com


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