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East Ayrshire Care Home Celebration Event

On Thursday 17 December, staff, managers and residents from East Ayrshire care homes took part in two virtual celebratory events organised by Val Allen (Independent Sector Lead East Ayrshire, Scottish Care), East Ayrshire HSCP and East Ayrshire Council Vibrant Communities. They also organised wellbeing gift bags to be sent to all care home staff in the area. This pack included a thank you poem, some mindful quotes, information on wellbeing support and hand-painted pebbles that were painted by local groups and schools.

The celebratory events started with an Intelligence Kindness zoom session for care home managers and staff. This session was led by Tommy Whitelaw (Carers Voice, Alliance Scotland) who thanked everyone in the care homes for all the amazing work that they do. During this session, Tommy spoke beautiful words, reminding staff of the importance of kindness and the need to be kind and take care of themselves. It was an emotional half-hour, with tears flowing amongst the audience and ended with a huge round of applause to everyone on the call.

East Ayrshire Council Vibrant Communities then hosted a live Facebook virtual Christmas Tea Dance in collaboration with Dumfries House, Cumnock. Tea dances have been a popular event at Dumfries House before the Covid-19 pandemic, to combat isolation and reduce loneliness in the community. The move to a virtual Christmas tea dance allowed care home residents to tune in from East Ayrshire and further afield.

Residents and staff from Torrance Lodge and Crossgate enjoyed cream teas from the Dumfries House Cook School. These care homes also took part in the festivities and were live-streamed during the event. Residents gathered, singing, dancing and clapping their hands to the entertainment. We were able to listen to residents reminisce about their times at previous Dumfries House’s tea dances as well.

This event was hosted by John Reid (Elvis Impersonator and East Ayrshire Council’s Wellbeing Development Officer – Older People) and Jim McMahon (Councillor for Cumnock & New Cumnock) who both performed a few songs.

Musical entertainers from across the nation were also featured, including Meredith McCrindle, Edward Reid, Christy Mac & Steve Bishop, Lee Aaron King, Marie King, Daddy Cool, John George, Jai McDowall, and Sarah Laing.

The audience also heard from some speakers such as Prince Charles, the First Minister and Shiona Johnston and Meghan Miller from Dumfries House.

These events were a much-needed festive cheer at a difficult time for our care homes. What a great way to lift spirits and express gratitude to all the care home staff during the festive period. Well done to everyone involved for making it such a successful day and huge thanks again to all the care home staff out there!

On the day, Val Allen, Independent Sector Lead for East Ayrshire, said:

“I’ve been immensely proud to support both the care homes and care at home in East Ayrshire as Independent Sector Lead.  It’s been an exceptionally difficult year for everyone in the care sector.  Providing support to services for me, has always been about supporting those who support others.  Each and every one of our staff have worked difficult and very long hours supporting the most vulnerable people in our communities and they need to be reminded to look after themselves.  Self-care is so important if they are to continue to do so. They need to know how much respect we all have for them and how much we value what they do, every single day.

When the rest of us are in bed having a long lie on a Sunday morning or enjoying opening our Christmas gifts – if Santa manages to get PPE to pay us a visit –  our social care staff will have already started their shift and ensuring others have a happy and well cared for day.  The team who put together the bags and hampers have worked long hours putting together the bags but they all did this to extend the beautiful hand of kindness to our care homes.  In difficult times, such as a pandemic we appreciate the wonderful relationships which we have in East Ayrshire and with partners such as Tommy Whitelaw.  As you heard me say earlier, I spent Christmas eve last year in a care home in East Ayrshire singing and dancing with Tommy, staff and residents.  Sadly we can’t do that this year but I can tell you I cant wait to do it again very soon.  For me, its been way too long since I was in care homes.  Today was the next best thing for me.”

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Printed Christmas Decorations at Randolph Hill

Randolph Hill has been using wall prints as Christmas decorations for health and safety reasons during the Covid-19 pandemic.  These are printed on clear vinyl, so can be attached to the walls removed easily and can be wiped down safely. The prints included a six-foot tree (see below). What a great way to celebrate Christmas whilst mitigating any risks of Coronavirus!

Examples of these prints can be viewed below.

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Staff Showcase from Tailor Maid Home Care

Tailor Home Care has created a ‘Staff Showcase’ to highlight their good news stories and to express their gratitude to the care workers who have displayed courage, compassion and dedication during this pandemic. 

Have a read below for some uplifting and positive accounts:

Staff Showcase
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Parkspring Staff Heroes

Here are a few of the Staff Hero caricature pictures created and designed by Lynn Bell (pictured left), who is a Night Shift Nurse at Parksprings Care Home. Lynn has been working on these amazing pictures since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Parksprings plans to use these pictures to create a ‘Staff Hero Wall of Fame’. Staff are delighted with these pictures and think that Lynn is a  hero for dedicating her time and talent to each and every one of them.

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Parksprings Heart Project

Residents and staff at Parksprings Care Home recently made up and delivered ‘High Tea Gift Boxes’ to local hospitals, police and fire stations to thank them for their help and support during the pandemic. 

Wishaw Hospital expressed their gratitude by sending Parksprings some hand-knitted hearts. Residents were able to pick 2 identical hearts of their choice, they get to keep one and send the other one to their loved ones or family.

This is an amazing initiative that allows residents and loved ones to think of each other during this difficult time. Positive messages have started to arrive from some families.

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Parksprings Care Home – Thank You high tea boxes

Residents and staff at Parksprings wanted to say a huge thank you to local key workers for their help and support. They made up and delivered 100 high tea boxes to local hospitals, police and fire stations using food donated from local communities.

Pictures show Janette Wilson (81) and Anne Kerr (74) who helped coloured the rainbow picture which went on the front of the high tea boxes.

Pictures show Helen Stewart (80) and Frances Carson (81) holding the boxes which were ready to be delivered.

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Fife’s Health & Social Care Partnership shines a light on the care homes in Fife

To support Care Home Day 2020, Fife’s Health & Social Care Partnership wanted to shine a light on the wonderful care homes in Fife.

Care homes are communities within communities and every member of staff, every resident and families and friends all play a valuable role.  It really is an extended family. As an integral part of our communities, care homes provide high quality person-centred care to support the health and wellbeing of residents.

Cllr David Graham, Fife Council Spokesperson for Health said:

“Our care home staff really are amazing, and I would like to thank every care home worker for the commitment and passion they show in supporting residents and their families, not only through this pandemic but every day. Staff have come up with so many different ways of keeping residents entertained and families and friends have been very supportive of the care and attention that their families have received, and they continue to receive.”

Cllr Graham joined Fife’s Health & Social Care Director Nicky Connor and Divisional General Manager David Heaney at Ostlers House Care Home today in Kirkcaldy.

Caption: From left Cllr David Graham, Nicky Connor, John Cooper, Service Manager, FHSCP, David Heaney, Divisional General Manager, FHSCP and Ostlers House staff Kirsten Wilkie, Helen Oliver, Eddie Hepburn and Elaine Patrick. Kneeling is Elaine Siggers with the star of the show Ozzie the home’s therapet.

Nicky Connor, Director of Fife HSCP added: “It really was very humbling speaking to staff. They are an inspiring group of people and what they have done to keep families connected throughout this period whilst visiting was cancelled has been really innovative. Having the ability to use iPads to connect with families and friends has made a huge difference and residents adapted well to using Facetime. Visiting has now resumed, although this looks a little different with physical distancing measures and PPE now the norm. I can’t thank care home staff enough for their commitment to keeping their communities safe and well”.

Scottish Care’s Paul Dundas and Fiona Mckay, Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Commissioning. FHSCP also popped along to Bandrum Care Home in Saline to catch up with staff.

Fiona added: “We work closely with our independent care providers and relationships have been enhanced throughout the pandemic, supporting each other and working together has been key to everything we have achieved. The generosity also received from local organisations who have helped out during this crisis has been appreciated. This really is partnership working at its’ best”

Paul also added: “Care homes are an essential part of our communities and staff demonstrate their commitment and compassion every day, always putting those they care for at the heart of everything they do. Their dedication and professionalism are inspirational, and I can’t thank them enough.”

Photo from left: Fiona McKay, Paul Dundas, Rachel Payne (Bandrum), Jacquie Stringer, Service Manager and PPE Lead, FHSCP and Katerine Spence (Bandrum)

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Stand Together Glam Together donates to Scottish Care

Stand Together Glam Together was an online event that took place on 13th June to raise money for NHS Charities Together and Scottish Care during the Coronavirus pandemic.

This day saw a number of different creatives come together to share make-up and beauty tutorials, Q and A’s. Viewers were also able to take part in raffles to win wonderful prizes. 

Erin Culley, the founder of Stand Together Glam Together said: 

“2020 has been a year we will never forget since Covid-19 came and turned our lives upside down. It has put tremendous stress on the NHS and care sectors which are needing our help.  

With most of us being separated from our families and friends and feeling like we have watched everything we can on Netflix I knew I wanted to do something to help – so I created Stand Together Glam Together! This was a make up, hair and beauty event with an amazing range of industry professionals doing tutorials, demos and Q&As to help raise money for NHS Charities Together and Scottish Care.  

We know that lockdown has affected a lot of people’s mental health so we wanted this event to be something fun, entertaining as well as educational to help people through as well as raise as much money as possible for our chosen charities.”

The event was a huge success and raised a total of £1,410, of which £674 was gifted to Scottish Care. The team at Scottish Care are absolutely delighted with this. We would like to thank Erin and all the creatives and people involved in Stand Together Glam Together for their generosity and for considering the care sector during these difficult times.

We will put these funds towards Coronavirus responses, including the Tech Device Network, PPE, 1-1 support to care providers, webinars and any guidance.

You can follow Stand Together Glam Together on Instagram @StandTogether_GlamTogether, where you can watch tutorials and videos from the event.

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Friendship Through the Ages

The Indigo Childcare Group has been working on an intergenerational programme – ‘Friendship Through the Ages’. As part of this, they recently dropped off a selection of artwork from their children and families to Cartvale Care Home.

Residents and the care home manager, Jean were really appreciative of the children’s work. Photos below show residents holding up the artwork to their windows, smiling and waving.

A representative from the Indigo Childcare Group said: 

“At The Indigo Childcare Group, we recognise the huge benefits of Intergenerational interaction. We are looking forward to working with Scottish Care through our ‘Friendship Through the Ages’ programme to provide engaging, exciting opportunities for two age groups to come together and create friendships.”