Gracewell Blog

How Gracewell Healthcare Are Ensuring Residents Are Protected This Winter

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 17:39:00 EST

Over the past six months, Gracewell Healthcare has focused tirelessly on protecting the safety of our residents and team members from Covid-19. To the credit of our care homes, we have been successful at mitigating the impact of this virus on our care homes through the heroic efforts displayed by our team members as well as residents and relatives.

However, with cases again on the rise across the UK, we’re continuing to keep in place our rigorous infection prevention control measures to ensure our care homes are safe this winter. Here, we discuss some of the measures we have put in place to ensure the safety and prosperity of everyone at Gracewell.

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our residents and team members

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, our Procurement Team has worked hard to ensure that we have continued to have access to adequate levels of PPE for each and every one of our care homes. As a marker of their success, we now have hubs within each region which hold reserve stock of at least a month’s worth of supplies. In addition, we are continuing to supply PPE to our staff for when they are outside their care home to reduce the likelihood of contracting the virus within their local communities. We’ve also gone one step further to ensure that, if needed, our minibuses can be used to take our staff to and from work to avoid the additional risk of using public transport.

Research by University College London has also indicated that care homes with a higher resident-to-staff ratio may be more susceptible to developing Covid-19 outbreaks. At Gracewell, we’re fortunate that our care homes are relatively small in size and have a high staff-to-resident ratio. As such, we’re confident that each of our care homes are in a strong position to continue enforcing strict and effective infection prevention controls which have so far been successfully implemented.

As well as looking after the physical health of residents, we are continuing to prioritise their social and emotional wellbeing. Indeed, when possible, our care homes are taking advantage of both outdoor areas and large indoor areas, so that they can facilitate regular socially distanced activities, entertainment and hobbies.

Visits to our care homes

In March 2020, we took the difficult decision to suspend all family visits to our care homes, unless under exceptional circumstances. Since then, we have eased this policy in line with government guidance, with some visits now possible under strict social distancing guidelines. These visits are guided by our framework which stipulates that there must be no infections in the home and that the infection rates in the area where the home is situated are within safe parameters. If it is safe to visit, all visitors go through a screening process which includes checking their temperatures. They’re also equipped with and advised on how to properly wear PPE and are then escorted through the building. This balanced approach has been a success, and we’ll continue to allow these to take place as long as it is safe.

In addition, we have now developed a framework for visitors to be awarded an “enhanced visitor status” through our ‘Meaningful Contact’ model. This enhanced visitor protocol identifies mechanisms that would allow relatives to visit their loved ones in a safe, controlled, and managed way where there is a clinical need. Each protocol is then personalised to the needs of both the resident and relative, with the needs, risks, training requirements and potential outcomes identified and taken into consideration.

These measures, along with many others, have been the driving force behind our successful management of Covid-19 over the last six months. Looking ahead to the winter, we’re confident in our ability to continue this success with the support of all our team members, residents and relatives.

To see our latest updates relating to Covid-19, our visitor guide and more, click here: https://www.gracewell.co.uk/latest-updates

Gracewell Healthcare Named Winners at Employee Benefits Awards

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 10:57:00 EST

Gracewell Healthcare has been named as the winners of the ‘Most Motivational Benefits’ award at this year’s Employee Benefits Awards.

The win marks the second time Gracewell has had success at the Employee Benefits Awards after first winning the award in 2017.

The care provider secured the prize in recognition for their annual Heart & Soul Awards which show appreciation to their team members who go above and beyond for the care provider’s residents. These awards culminate at a summer event where selected winners are invited to attend a glittering ceremony with their Manager or Regional Director. Launched in 2006, the Heart and Soul awards have grown over the last fourteen years to recognise over 900 outstanding team members.

Gracewell offer their team members an extensive range of rewards as part of their strategy to reinforce and motivate behaviours that reflect the company’s core values. These include the ‘Summer of Gracewell’ recognition programmes, the ‘Long Term Service Awards’, and a company-wide MasterChef competition where chefs from Gracewell care homes compete for the prestigious title.

The Employee Benefits Awards were also impressed by Gracewell’s increased team member engagement over the last eight years. The care provider’s annual Employee Engagement Survey, called ‘Your Voice Counts’, recorded an engagement score of 90% in 2019, up from 22% in 2012. What’s more, 80% of Gracewell team members have registered with the Your Voice recognition app, where employees can access information on prizes and rewards, against the industry average of under 50%.

Assessing Gracewell, the Employee Benefits Awards judges said “it was evident that this organisation really values recognition and there are many points across the year where recognition is put in the spotlight, including award ceremonies and recognition channels.”

They added, “a pandemic has not stopped these special celebrations and finding alternatives to the annual Company Heart & Soul Awards ceremony, with each Gracewell home creating their own unique Heart & Soul Awards for awe-inspiring team members in 2020.”

Speaking of their success, Ally Fisk, Head of Human Resources at Gracewell, said:

“Winning this prestigious award for a second time is a tribute to our commitment to rewarding team members who go above and beyond with industry-leading prizes and awards.

“We listen to each and every one of our team members because we understand how important rewards are for keeping them motivated to provide excellent care for our residents. Looking ahead, this recognition will spur us on to continue prioritising and adapting how we reward our exceptional team members.”

For more information about Gracewell click here: www.gracewell.co.uk

Celebrations at Gracewell of Newbury for Resident’s 95th Birthday and the Care Home’s 4th Anniversary

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 13:40:00 EST

On 18^th and 19^th October, Gracewell of Newbury hosted celebrations for Pam Yeomans’s 95^th birthday. Pam’s birthday coincided with the care home’s 4^th anniversary, so residents and team members had a busy day celebrating.

Pam Yeomans moved to Gracewell of Newbury in 2017, she was born in Bath and married a farmer. She used to enjoy getting up early to milk the cows and feed the chickens and the pigs. Pam has two children, five granddaughters and one great grandson.

At Gracewell of Newbury, Pam loves to help out with gardening and setting up decorations for events, parties and activities. She loves colouring, exercising, flower arranging, jigsaws, baking and ladies chit chat club. Pam said:

“I love living at Gracewell of Newbury because we are all together like a family and I feel loved.”

The celebrations for Pam’s birthday were combined with the home’s 4^th Anniversary, the residents and team members gathered for a socially distanced party. Two cakes were made by the in-house dining team, and the anniversary cake was cut by Audrey, the resident who has lived at Gracewell of Newbury the longest.

Audrey Hibberd is 91 and she moved to the Memory Care Neighbourhood at Gracewell of Newbury in October 2016 with her late husband Vernon. She moved to Gracewell of Newbury to be closer to her daughter, and she enjoys singalong activities, watching musicals, and time outside.

The celebrations were loved by all residents and team members, and the team members that had been at the care home since it opened were gifted flowers to say thank you for their years of dedication.

Sandra Vilaca is Activities Coordinator at Gracewell of Newbury, she has worked at the home since it opened in 2016. Sandra said:

“Working at Gracewell of Newbury has been the most rewarding and enriching experience in my 21 years of activities. We have all the resources, support and training provided so we can do the very best in our roles.

“I’m passionate and extremely dedicated to my job and I try to inspire those around me. Throughout the last four years, I have learnt a lot. At Gracewell of Newbury I feel loved, supported and respected by residents, families and colleagues.

“It was lovely to have so much to celebrate on one day, Pam had the loveliest birthday and we all had the best time celebrating our four years at this wonderful home.”

For more information about Gracewell of Newbury click here: www.gracewellnewbury.co.uk

85-Year-old Resident at Gracewell of Church Crookham Shares Their Covid-19 Story

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 16:50:00 EST

In April, Gracewell of Church Crookham witnessed an outbreak of Covid-19 which resulted in a number of residents isolating in a separate household. Here, Douglas Burridge, an 85-year-old resident at the care home, shares his story of being one of those residents who faced this period of isolation.

Humorously named “The Dorchester Quarantine Zone”, Douglas was one of the residents who spent four weeks living in Gracewell of Church Crookham’s Covid-19 household after showing symptoms of the virus.

While in this zone, all team members who cared for these residents wore full PPE and disposed of this equipment before leaving residents’ rooms. And, to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, disposable cups, plates and cutlery were used by these residents. Each of these residents’ bedrooms were also subject to an enhanced cleaning programme to protect the safety of team members and residents.

Some team members who had tested positive for the virus also went one step further to move into this quarantined zone to live with those residents who were self-isolating. By living in this secure zone, these team members were able to provide the much-needed high-quality care to vulnerable residents. These selfless acts also helped to prevent the virus from entering the wider care home by lowering the amount of team members travelling between the care home and Covid-19 zone.

And, to ensure that these residents continued to be active and stimulated, Gracewell of Church Crookham continued to provide these isolating residents with one-to-one activities. These activities helped to protect the emotional wellbeing of these residents by spending valuable time with others. For Douglas, this included playing chess, a great hobby of his, as well as reading history books and playing bridge.

Speaking of his experience in isolation, Douglas said:

“I felt Rotten! Having to isolate was tough but I fully accepted that it was something I had to do to stop the virus spreading through our home. I put my trust in Gracewell of Church Crookham and I was completely confident that they were doing the right thing for us. It was nice that I still got to play chess, even if it was at a distance.”

Since recovering from his Covid-19 symptoms, Douglas has gone on to regain an outstanding level of health. Indeed, he is currently embarking on a 1000km bike ride, equivalent of travelling from Lands’ End to John O’Groats, completing the journey one stretch at a time. This challenge is in aid of Step by Step, a youth homelessness charity working to prevent homelessness and empower young people.

Speaking of his decision to take part in this challenge, Douglas said:

“I got together with other residents as we wanted to do something to raise money for a local Charity. When we heard about Step by Step and the fantastic work they do with young adults, we knew that this was the charity we wanted to raise money for. We wanted to really challenge ourselves so we thought as a team what could we do and decided to ride from Lands’ End to John O’Groats which is around 1000km. It’s so nice to be helping people that have not had the best start in life.

“The rest of the team were intrigued when they found out I was the oldest in the team and done the most miles so far, this is why I have been made team captain! Since we started, I now cycle once or twice a day and I can feel myself getting fitter. I have more energy and have the buzz for cycling again.”

Now back to full health, Douglas says that Gracewell of Church Crookham is helping him to live his life to the fullest, with plenty of activities to get involved with on a daily basis. He added, “I like to stay fit from cycling, Tai Chi and Armchair exercises. I also stay on the ball mentally by getting involved with the quizzes, group crosswords, board games, poetry and lots more. The food is also amazing, it’s like eating in a restaurant 3 times a day.”

For more information about Gracewell of Church Crookham click here: www.gracewellchurchcrookham.co.uk

Gracewell of Salisbury Care Home Named as Finalist in Care Heroes Awards

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 12:46:00 EST

Gracewell of Salisbury care home has been named as a finalist in the ‘Team’ category at this year’s Care Heroes Awards.

The care home was shortlisted for the prestigious award, which is organised by Care Home Professional Magazine, in recognition of their heroic efforts to protect their residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Following the initial outbreak of the virus, the Gracewell of Salisbury team banded together to ensure that their residents continued to receive high quality care. This included taking on additional shifts when their fellow team members had to isolate at home after they or those within their households showed signs of the virus.

Taking on these additional responsibilities often led to sacrifices within their own lives, with many spending time away from their families. In one instance, one of the team’s Registered Nurses did not see their child for two months in order to reduce the risk of the virus spreading into the care home. Numerous other team members also chose to stay in hotels or move their children to live with relatives to insulate the care home from Covid-19.

After the ban of visits to care homes, the Gracewell of Salisbury team also purchased three iPads so residents could video call their families. This re-established meaningful contact between residents and their families and gave both the reassurance that was desperately needed during this troubling time.

Care Home Professional Magazine was also impressed by the care home’s activities team who ensured that contact was maintained with all residents at the care home. The team’s commitment to the emotional wellbeing of their residents proved vital in keeping spirits high by continuing to provide them with regular, personalised contact. This commitment also extended to other team members, such as those within the Housekeeping team, who volunteered to help organise activities within the care home.

After pulling through this challenging period, the Gracewell of Salisbury team now see each other as family, having worked together in this remarkable way.

Gracewell of Salisbury will discover if they have won the award during the Care Heroes Awards Week which will begin on 2^nd November, when a prestigious panel of judges will assess the finalists.

Speaking of being shortlisted for the award, Scott Lindfield, General Manager of Gracewell of Salisbury, said:

“I am really pleased that the team have been recognised for their wonderful efforts in such challenging times. It highlights the care and compassion the team at Gracewell of Salisbury have and shows their dedication to provide the very best care in any circumstances”.

For more information about Gracewell of Salisbury click here: www.gracewellsalisbury.co.uk

Gracewell of Bookham Hosts Annual Heart and Soul Awards

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 08:51:00 EST

Gracewell of Bookham hosted their annual Heart and Soul Awards on Friday 16^th October. The Awards are part of a company-wide employee benefit scheme that helps to reward team members that go above and beyond to care for residents.

The event would normally take place at an external venue, organised by Gracewell Healthcare to celebrate team members from all the Gracewell homes. However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, Gracewell of Bookham hosted their own awards ceremony at the home, that residents and team members were able to attend.

The morning started with some delicate music from a local harpist, followed by champagne and canapes. The dedicated in-house dining team at Gracewell of Bookham also excelled with homemade tasty treats including mini Yorkshire puddings filled with roast beef and horseradish cream.

Awards were then presented to three very worthy winners by Gracewell’s Regional Director of Operations, Bev Cardosa, and the home’s General Manager, Harry Garston. The winners this year were Florence Adams, Leonard Bralostiteanu and Marta Bagnicka. The winners were decided by the whole team and residents based on their exceptional commitment, passion and dedication to their jobs throughout Covid-19.

Residents and team members then enjoyed some socially distanced dancing to soul and R&B music. Residents also posed for some lovely pictures on the red carpet in their best outfits.

A special lunch was served at 1pm, and the dining room was specially decorated in line with the ‘black and gold’ theme of the ceremony. Each resident was gifted a personalised slate coaster as a momentum for this special occasion.

Harry Garston, General Manager at Gracewell of Bookham, said:

“We had such a lovely time celebrating the annual ‘Heart and Soul’ Awards. It is a wonderful way to recognise our team and all the amazing things they do to care for others each and every day.

“Our residents enjoyed this little ceremony so much; it was a great way to safely get everyone together to celebrate our home.”

For more information about Gracewell of Bookham click here: www.gracewellbookham.co.uk

Getting to know Glenn Milton, Gracewell Healthcare’s new Head of Talent Acquisition

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 08:12:00 EST

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, Gracewell Healthcare has hired a new Head of Talent Acquisition, Glenn Milton.

Joining at an unprecedented time for the social care sector, we spoke to Glenn about his background in social care recruitment, his decision to join Gracewell, and the responsibilities in his new role.

With an esteemed background in social care recruitment, Glenn joined Gracewell in August 2020 after working for Care UK, one of the country’s largest care home providers. In this role, Glenn was responsible for sourcing and welcoming a huge volume of candidates into Care UK’s many care homes. He also saw his team grow from three team members to thirty five after nearly nine years with the business.

At Care UK, Glenn was also able to pursue another passion of his, talent development. Indeed, he was a passionate advocate for developing the skills of current employees, empowering them to grow and develop within the company.

Indicative of this drive, Glenn oversaw almost 40% of managers take on their roles following promotion from junior positions. Under his leadership, Care UK was also able to half the time span of the recruitment process for new candidates from over 60 days to just 27.

Speaking of his background in social care recruitment, Glenn said:

“Working in recruitment for care homes has meant that I’ve seen first-hand the remarkable difference that new team members can have on a home. It’s a hugely rewarding feeling to play a role in improving not only the lives of residents who benefit from great new team members, but of those candidates that go on to develop a brilliant and rewarding career in care.”

Following his success at Care UK, Glenn says he joined Gracewell after discovering the care provider’s innovative plan to reshape and restructure their entire Human Resources department. Led by Sharon Benson, who joined Gracewell in January 2020 as Senior Director of HR, the organisation is in the midst of transforming the department to deliver market leading candidate and colleague experiences. This includes detailing the profiles of each role to establish pathways for employee development within Gracewell, ensuring team members are able to grow and develop their careers at the organisation. This is helping Gracewell to become an employer of choice for outstanding candidates, enabling them to be a care provider of choice for potential residents. Glenn says that this commitment to becoming a market leader for team members and residents was the driving force behind his decision to join the company.

Yet, although he joins the organisation in a period of immense uncertainty for the social care sector, his ability and dedication to find great talent for the organisation remains steadfast.

In his role as Head of Talent Acquisition, Glenn is responsible for sourcing and welcoming outstanding candidates into Gracewell’s care homes. Speaking of the current recruitment environment, Glenn said:

“At this moment in time, the spotlight is on care homes and the social care sector. I want Gracewell to capitalise on this - showing our communities and homes to candidates as wonderful environments to work, a place to grow careers and improve the lives of others.”

Glenn is now working to ensure the processes for finding and hiring new team members is as effective and seamless as possible. As part of this, Glenn is spearheading innovative tools to attract excellent candidates on social media. This includes targeting advertisements to those users who, although may not be considering a career in care, are likely to hold the values and skills which are needed to succeed.

He has also been making use of the messaging tools available within these platforms to contact candidates directly. This has had the effect of opening up the accessibility of the application process, bringing his team closer to potential candidates.

Speaking of reaching quality candidates during the pandemic, Glenn said:

“Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the jobs market has changed dramatically. The increased exposure of care homes within the media has helped to boost applications from candidates without experience in the industry who are looking to move into care. I believe that while many of the skills needed to be successful in care can be taught, the core values of compassion, dedication and humanity, cannot. As such, it’s important that we use innovative tools to reach as many great potential candidates that we can, including those without experience in our sector.”

Furthermore, Glenn is also working closely with Gracewell’s Contact Centre to improve the experience of candidates who apply to roles and to help sift through applications for roles which receive a high level of responses.

Also, as part of tailoring the processes for interviewing and hiring new candidates due to social distancing measures, the team have had to organise all interviews with candidates via video calls. Glenn and his team are also exploring new ways to evolve this further, such as video screening apps to better deal with the higher volume of applications remotely.

As well as having his eyes on a second wave of Covid-19, Glenn’s introduction to Gracewell has been engrossing. His experience, drive and love of the job are sure to make his journey with the care provider successful. Summing up his experiences of the organisation so far, Glenn said:

“The environment at Gracewell is simply fantastic. We are always looking to be the leaders in all aspects of our business, from delivering outstanding care to our residents right through to providing the best possible experience for team members joining us for the first time. The future for Gracewell is bright, and I’m excited to play my part in this journey.”

To learn more about Gracewell, click here: www.gracewell.co.uk

Gracewell Healthcare Shortlisted For Prestigious Employee Benefits Awards

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:10:00 EST

Gracewell Healthcare have been shortlisted for the Best Pay and Bonus Strategy award at this year’s Employee Benefits Awards.

The care provider, who specialises in providing luxury and personalised care to their residents, were shortlisted for this award in recognition of their commitment to deliver industry-leading employee benefits and support.

The Employee Benefits Awards panel were impressed by Gracewell’s efforts to ensure pay rates are fairly aligned across the whole organisation and to recognise the contribution of each team member. Driven by a #AllInOneTeam work ethic, Gracewell has been able to reduce the gender pay gap over the last three years, reporting a significant decrease from 9.1% in 2017, to 6.7% in 2019, remarkably lower than the national average of 17.3%.

And, as part of the organisation’s commitment to their employees, Gracewell offers a ‘Company Living Wage’ of £9.10 as a minimum hourly rate for all team members and £9.20 per hour for those in care positions. This minimum rate, which is 5% – 6% higher than the Government UK Living Wage, does not affect any other benefits offered by the company.

As one of two finalists, Gracewell will discover if they have won this year’s award at an online virtual awards ceremony on 29^th October.

Gracewell has had further success after Alison Fisk, Head of HR and Suzanne Foody, Benefits and Reward Manager, secured their place in the Reward 300 for the third year running. The Reward 300 list is published yearly by Reward Strategy, a leading magazine for the payroll and reward sector.

Speaking of Sunrise and Gracewell’s recent successes, Suzanne Foody said:

“It is a fantastic feeling for the whole Gracewell team to be shortlisted at this year’s Employee Benefits Awards. For Alison and I, holding our place on the Reward 300 for the third year running has been a great personal and professional triumph.

“We are hugely committed to supporting all of our team members through our industry-leading levels of remuneration and support. Indeed, holding on to talented, compassionate and dedicated team members is vital to ensuring we continue to deliver the highest possible standard of care to our residents.”

To find out more about working at Gracewell, click here: https://www.gracewell.co.uk/about-us/careers.

Gracewell Healthcare Upskill Team Members with Paragon Skills

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 12:15:00 EST

Gracewell Healthcare have continued their commitment to develop the professional skills of team members in partnership with Paragon Skills, a leading UK Apprenticeship training provider.

The care provider, who pride themselves on delivering high-quality personalised care to residents, see supporting the development of their staff as central to the future growth of team members and of the organisation. Importantly, the benefits of their upskilled workforce are passed onto residents, ensuring they can deliver industry leading levels of care across each of their care homes.

With so many demands and pressures both externally and internally within the social care sector, Gracewell Healthcare endeavour to facilitate extensive, flexible and relevant training programmes for their team members.

Building on this commitment, Gracewell have partnered with Paragon Skills to offer vocational training courses through their Apprenticeship Levy funding. The Levy has put the control of apprenticeship funding in the hands of employers and has enabled Gracewell to invest in apprenticeship programmes to upskill their workforce. These on the job qualifications provide core and role specific individual pathways which combine a mix of theory and practical learning. In turn, these qualifications support team members to develop a deeper understanding of their key tasks and responsibilities, the importance of enhancing their skills, knowledge and behaviours, as well as leading and coaching others.

Speaking of the organisation’s commitment to nurturing the professional development of its team members, Dawn Buchanan-Hole, Learning and Development Manager at Gracewell, said:

“Our values and principles of service form the heart of our staff training, learning and development opportunities and we strongly believe these play a role in creating a sustainable positive workplace culture. Although it is important to recruit people with the right attitudes and beliefs which align to our organisation’s principles, we also know that it is vital for us to invest in the development of our team members and to create a culture of learning.

“Outcomes of our carefully designed development strategy help us improve the quality of our services provided to our residents and their families and ensures our organisation meets the relevant regulatory standards. This strategy also benefits our professional profile by sustaining and improving our brand and reputation.”

As well as contributing to better-quality services, it is well known that supporting the professional development of team members helps to improve the motivation and job satisfaction of employees. The same logic applies within the social care sector, and at Gracewell, training courses have been found to increase resilience in times of change, reduce staff turnover and decrease the costs of recruitment. As such, the use of apprenticeships allows the care providers to receive more value to their business than they put in.

Hasan Gocen, a Care Assistant at Gracewell of Fareham, also completed the L2 Lead Adult Care Worker training course. Hasan, who is hoping to go into the nursing profession, said that his apprenticeship will help him achieve his ambition of becoming a Senior Care Assistant. He added:

“The apprenticeship has highlighted my strengths which allowed me to apply the knowledge and skills I have learnt into my role. My confidence has also improved, and I am happy to share my knowledge with my team.”

“At Gracewell of Fareham, I care for residents with dementia and the apprenticeship has given me the knowledge and understanding to support them compassionately and with patience. The knowledge and skills from the course have also helped me ensure that the correct infection control policies and procedures have been followed during Covid-19 and I am proud to be part of a team that have had no cases of the virus.”

To learn more about Gracewell, click here: www.gracewell.co.uk

How Gracewell Healthcare is Safely Reintroducing Care Home Visits

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 15:11:00 EST

By Anna Selby, Regional Director of Operations and Head of the Covid-19 task force, at Gracewell Healthcare

Over the last six months, care homes and the social care sector have acted as one of the most challenging frontlines against Covid-19. And while most of our attention has rightly been paid to preventing the virus from entering these settings, the effect of these prevention measures is now becoming increasingly clear. Undeniably, the immensely effective action of limiting contact between care home residents and those from outside, including with their family members, has taken a toll on the health of all involved. Recognising the emotional and physical strain this lack of contact has had on residents, Gracewell Healthcare has begun implementing a series of ‘Safe Visits’ protocols to begin reintroducing safe visits into our care homes.

In March 2020, Gracewell took the difficult decision to suspend all visits from relatives and friends to our homes, unless under exceptional circumstances. This necessary step undoubtedly helped to reduce the spread of the virus and, in turn, save lives not just within our care homes, but outside, through reducing the possibility of community transmission. Although it was expected that this would cause a degree of concern among family members and residents, on balance, this measure was a just and appropriate decision.

Yet, for residents living with dementia or other cognitive illnesses, this was especially distressing as they were unable to comprehend the justification for the absence of contact with their loved ones. For many, a regular visit from their family and friends was a vital cornerstone in their daily lives and one which helped them stay contented, calm and reassured about their living environment. In some cases, residents who normally ate with members of their family had reduced appetites, while others began to show signs of social withdrawal. Equally, some family members of residents have also struggled with the anxieties of not being able to see their loved ones, despite their relative coping well under the strict guidance. At Gracewell, we understood these concerns and, after communicating closely with family members, began exploring ways in which visits could be safely organised.

Led by Jackie Pool, Director of Memory Care, and myself, we began to investigate whether an enhanced visitor status could be established for family members of those residents who were demonstrably distressed due to social distancing. Along with Natalie-Jane Macdonald, CEO of Gracewell, and Senior Director of Care and Quality, Annie Webber, we met with various family members to better understand their views and experiences in order to identify the nature of the intervention that would be required.

After understanding the pressing need to reintroduce visits, we developed a framework for a protocol based on our ‘Safe Choices’ model. This model, which was developed in consultation with relatives, has three core pillars:

‘Safe Start’ which supports new residents when they first move into one of our care homes,
‘Safe Visits’ which enables enhanced visiting where there is a clinical need, and
‘Safe Outings’ which facilitates residents to leave care homes where it is safe to do so.

Our ‘Safe Visits’ protocol identifies mechanisms that would allow relatives to visit their loved ones in a safe, controlled, and managed way. Each protocol is then personalised to the needs of both the resident and relative, with the needs, risks, training requirements and potential outcomes identified and taken into consideration.

For example, if a resident is experiencing weight loss issues, our protocol will allow for their relative to support activities which will help increase the consumption of food and drink. In addition, where possible, residents are also given the opportunity to agree to this protocol to seek the consent of all those involved. Once agreed and following the successful completion of training, the family member is accredited with an enhanced visitor status which safely waivers them from the current visitor restrictions.

These Safe Visits protocols are now being rolled out across our care homes, with numerous family members indicating an interest in joining the programme.

One of our care homes has been one of the first to engage with the Safe Visits protocol. Here, Alice Thomas*, a family member of a resident, had expressed to the home their own personal struggles with being unable to see their loved one in the same capacity and frequency as before the pandemic. Alice, who had visited the resident almost daily, also spoke of the toll this had taken on the mental state of herself as well as her relative.

In response, the home and Alice set in motion the Safe Visits protocol in order to alleviate the distress of their current separation. Using the protocol, we identified the needs, risks and possible outcomes which could be achieved from awarding Alice with an enhanced visitor status. For example, prior to the suspension of family visits, Alice would often visit the balcony in the home’s Memory Care Neighbourhood with her mother where they would plant and maintain flowers. This activity was a vital aspect of both of their daily lives and its absence was causing demonstrable distress among them both. In response, Alice’s personalised protocol identified this as a core activity that would be engaged in as part of her enhanced visitor status with a view that this would lead to an improved quality of life for Alice and her mother. It was also agreed that, subject to review, other activities would be gradually added under the Safe Choices model, with the agreement of the care home, Alice and her mother.

Speaking of her experience with the Safe Visits protocol, Alice said:

“It has been very hard for my mother and the rest of the family to be apart during Covid-19 and we have all been worried by the effect of this isolation on their wellbeing.

“However, the home has worked impressively with family members to understand the issues that lockdown has brought and has worked with us to develop a meaningful protocol that will help. I am looking forward to being able to spend more time with Mum, engaging in small activities which will make the world of difference to her. Hopefully this will mean that she once again starts to look forward to each day and that we can spend time talking and sharing experiences.”

Alice’s story is just one of many at Gracewell that reveal the importance of developing methods that enable residents and their families to see one another in these difficult times. And, as demonstrated by our Safe Visits protocol, it is indeed possible to protect the mental health of those we have a duty of care for, while minimising the risk of Covid-19 entering our care homes.

To see our latest updates on Covid-19, click here: www.gracewell.co.uk/latest-updates

*Names have been changed for the purposes of this article