We are actively recruiting.

Whilst we are taking all government advice and ensuring our staff and service users, families and community are as safe as they can be with all possible measures in place, we have also got to make sure we have ample staff to work with us whilst those who cannot – who are maybe self isolating or showing symptoms. Therefore, we are strongly recruiting for the domiciliary care department, the care homes and nanny department. All have availability now, in the medium term and potentially also long term.

Please email ellie@everycarenannies.co.uk with a CV, and an idea of hours you are available.

CORONA VIRUS UPDATE – March 8th 2020.

Hello Everyone,

With the situation changing almost by the hour in relation to Corona Virus, I feel it is vital to  appraise you of our position and what we are currently doing to try and keep everyone in our care safe.  We know that we are responsible  for the care of the most vulnerable  group in the community and we therefore ask that you  understand and support our actions which we believe are for the overall safely of everyone.

We are all in uncharted territory and no one has complete, definitive knowledge  as to the future trajectory of the  epidemic. All we can do is rely on our 40 years of rigorous infection control measures and put as many safeguards as possible in place. 

WE DO NOT HAVE ANY INCIDENCE OF CORONA VIRUS IN THE HOMES AT PRESENT.

For weeks we have been preparing for this situation. All our staff have had gloves and sanitizers supplied by us to use outside of work. They have been given a raft of instructions about using these resources, socializing, using public transport, using cash, sanitizing mobile phones,  social distancng  and  of course  instructions on meticulous handwashing and  how to  a report  any concerns.  We have barred from workplace any staff returning  from foreign holidays  for 14 days and will be paying them whilst they are in self isolation. This is because  any flying carries a  risk both from air crew, the planes themselves, other passengers and  airports.    Our service users are only as safe as the people they come into contact with.

We now know that there are at least 2 confirmed cases in Cardiff. You may think this is insignificant but we all need to remember that  those two people may have been infectious for at least a week prior to diagnosis, maybe even longer. During that time they may have been to supermarkets, banks, resturants,  pubs, the cinema etc. No one can be certain that they have not come into contact with this virus indirectly already.

The government is advocating a staged approach. “Contain” being the first and “Delaying the spread” the second.  Within the care home setting we need to be effective at stage ONE  because to slow the spread  if it were to get inside the home will likely be well nigh impossible with our client group. 

For this reason we are taking what may seem to be some drastic measures immediately. 

We have  asked all but ESSENTIAL visitors to stay away. We have set up an I pad for each home and  you will be able to talk with your relatives by  calling using facetime as follows

Tydraw Lodge      tydraw37@gmail.com

Wentworth Lodge      wentworthlodge7@gmail.com

The I pad will be sanitized  between uses and kept in the  lounge or dining room.

I know this isn’t ideal but in the circumstances we consider it to be the best option.  If you need other forms of visual contact please let  us know and we will try and accommodate them.  It may be that you  will consider purchasing an individual smart device for your relative. 

Doctors and health care professionals will be asked to enter at the rear, go straight to a dedicated  zone,  put on a mask  and sanitize their hands under our supervision.  This is because we can not be certain  that  health professionals are not carrying the  virus themselves. They are high risk  for obvious reasons.

We are obviously  being  super rigorous with  sanitizing  surfaces and  ensuring regular hand washing of  both staff and service users hands.  We have ordered 4 machines to clean the air in circulation though how effective these will be is somewhat uncertain. We have also asked staff to remove outdoor shoes  at the door and have a pair of indoor ones in the homes to avoid bringing the virus in on their feet.  

If you have any other ideas that may help us please let us know.

If anyone has a spare push bike they can lend us we need a few. This is to  enable staff to avoid public transport which will be a major source of infection.

We will give you quick updates by text if things change of course.

We understand that these restrictions will cause  sacrifice and  inconvenience  but  we  trust that you will see the  long term benefits. “This too will pass”. We just need to ensure that  we are not left with devastation in the wake. 

With  kindest regards

Very sincerely

Mary Cottrell 

Responsible Individual.

Corona Virus – Precautions we are taking to protect residents

Due to the recent global outbreak of the Corona Virus, we have taken a number of precautionary steps to limit the amount of contact our vulnerable residents have with families, visitors and professionals. We thank you for your understanding.

Effective immediately, we are asking all staff to change in to specially provided footwear within our homes. We have made it known to visiting professionals of all disciplines to enter the premises via the rear of the building where extra sanitary measures can take place. We are asking families and visitors to please conduct visits via skype if they feel they may have been in contact with anyone from an affected country or area in the UK. For those who have recently returned from abroad, we ask that you please resist visiting until you are confident you are infection free. This is advised as being 14 days. All employees from the two separate homes are being timetabled only at one home so there is no danger of any cross infection should it enter one of the homes, and employees such as myself, the Registered Individual and other office employees are working remotely.

Our Care Assistants are well versed in these procedures, so please do not be offended if you are refused entry.

 

Our Care Home – a wonderful place to live.

The Lodges Care homes new rooms availableI have just read in a popular newspaper, the tragic account of how an elderly man killed his beloved wife of over 60 years as an act of mercy because of their fear of living in a care home.

But should we really fear living in a care home?

I have owned and run two care homes for over 35 years.  They have been places of immense comfort, joy, peace, pleasure and laughter.  Places where emotional and physical needs are met and those and their loved ones who are no longer capable of caring for themselves are enabled to continue their lives with dignity and hope.

It’s a bit like hospitals. We all fear them, but should we?  After all, these are the places that restore our health. Yes, there may be some temporary discomfort both emotionally and  physically in a hospital  but surely those who have dedicated their lives to making us better  are in truth not those we should fear.

The truth is, its not the “Care Home” we really do fear. I believe it is something much deeper. The “Care Home” is what we focus on and say we don’t want, but really what we are saying is “we don’t want to get old, be incapacitated, incontinent or confused and have to depend on others to care for us”. Somehow those things make us, in our minds, less of a person than we were, a worthless and helpless individual.  But that is not true. Whatever our age or abilities we have value, we are loved and have a history to share. Most of all, we have the remaining “Days of our Lives” to live to the full.

The Lodges residential Care Home - Roath ParkOur care homes are wonderful places to live in.  They are secure and warm. The beds are comfy and those who make their home with us enjoy the privacy of their own private bed / sitting rooms often with en suite facilities. If a person gets lonely there are people to talk to both other residents and staff.   There is music and laughter. There is always a choice of appetizing home cooked food that appears on the dining table like clockwork no matter how inclement the weather!! You can be assisted with every aspect of personal care by well trained and chatty care assistants.  What is more residents see the same staff regularly who really do care and get to know the individual preferences of all our residents.

I really hope that you will come and visit our homes and see for yourself that things in our homes are not quite as you might imagine.

I feel so sad that the fear of being in a care home actually contributed recently to an untimely and tragic death and hope that others are able to find a care home that provides the care that everyone deserves.