It has been announced in the press over recent days that a new drug to combat Alzheimers has been approved in America.  It is the first to be approved in over 20 years, and it is the only one on the market believed to slow down the disease.  The drug is manufactured by Biogen and will be marketed as “Adulem”.  It is claimed it reduces proteins in the brain which cause Alzheimers and reduces cognitive decline by 22%.  The drug is delivered by intravenous infusion and sites will be made available to do this throughout America.

The drug is not without its critics.  Some believe it is not effective, or not as effective as is claimed.  If it does prove ineffective the licence can be removed by the regulator.  A major worry is that elderly people spent $56,000 on a course of treatment only to find out it does not work.  However, others say it will lead to further research and improvements.

Independent Living Owner (Mark Booker) commented “we care for people with memory loss and it is a devastating illness.  Over the 10 years we have been been in the care sector their is no doubt the number of the people with the disease is growing – probably due to an ageing population.  Anything which gives people realistic hope must the welcomed.  Clearly the price of Adulem is high and it needs to come down if it is to be accessible to everyone who could benefit”.

The Leyland Rotary Club are holding their annual duck race this May Bank Holiday.  Given the COVID19 situation it is with a twist!  The duck race is not this year on the River Lostock but is a virtual online race which takes place over the entire Bank Holiday weekend.  It is starting on the 28th May and finishing on Bank Holiday Monday at noon.  The ducks can be tracked over this time to see who is winning, and who wins.  The ducks cost £2.50 each and all proceeds will go to St Catherines Hospice, Derian House, and Cancer UK (Leyland).

Independent Living owner (Mark Booker) commented “as a former member of Leyland Rotary Club I am delighted to endorse this event.  We have purchased a number of ducks.  I know how much effort goes into this event.  Along with the Leyland Festival and the Christmas Supermarket Collections it is a major annual fundraiser.  Please go on the Leyland Rotary Club website and support the duck race.”

We now have a timetable for opening up society and it seems in June 2021 we should have some normality back in our lives.  Whatever your age group we have all been hit by COVID19.  For many older people loneliness and isolation are a big issue and our carers visiting their home has provided a lifeline.  It really hit home to me last week when I spoke to a customer who is having to shield, he told me he had left his home just three times all year, and two of those times had been to get his COVID19 injection.  I think most of us would have suffered mental health problems coping with this.

However, my customer was positive and told me he had faced similar experiences when in the army.  He had used a IPAD extensively and had been able to do some gardening.  We had helped him and his wife by ensuring that rather than having 2-3 carers for the period of the pandemic we had been able to reduce it to just one person.

The whole COVID19 situation has shown the immense value of the care sector.  Our carers make sure someone has had human contact when the rules prevented families meeting for weeks on end.  Our customers have phoned the office regularly and it is clear they enjoy speaking with someone.

Let us hope when the COVID19 situation improves people will also remember those outside the NHS who also worked hard at this difficult time to help older and vulnerable people in the community get through this.

Today marks the beginning of the end of lockdown.  From today one person can visit a resident in a care home.  Having taken a former customer a Christmas present at a care home in late December I was able to wave through the window.  It brought it home to me just how upsetting it must be for relatives not able to visit their loved ones for months on end. Hopefully with the vaccinations and todays lifting of restrictions things will rapidly improve.

Care homes have had a very difficult time, and at the start of COVID19 they witnessed a high number of deaths where the virus spread uncontrollably throughout the care home.  Many staff have performed heroically, and in the national press we saw carers living in the premises to stop the spreading of COVID.  However, despite this Care Homes have generally had a negative press.

Coming down the tracks is rising costs for Care Homes.  We have seen the NHS offer staff a 1% pay raise.  Most care homes will face a wages rise of at least 2.2% when the minimum wage takes effect on the 1st April.  But perhaps of equal concern is the hidden costs, over the next 18 months what will happen to the price of: care insurance, PPE, uniforms, stationery, utility bills, computer equipment…….?

We expect better times ahead in care, but someone will have to pay for these and after the budget it is still unclear who this will be.

As a care company today’s big task was to phone around our customers and find out who has had a COVID19 jab.  This is required by the local authority, and presumably the government.  Encouraging most of our customers have had at least one jab.  The conversations at first were…. Who has had a jab, and who is still waiting?”  The conversation with our clients and their families has now moved onto “Whether you had the Astra Zeneca, or the Pfizer jab!”  and “Did you have any side effects?” I’m sure the next question will be “When are you having the second jab?”

What all this means of course is that the older groups the government targeted first for a vaccine appears to have worked well.  Our phone around suggested that most of our customers have already had at least one vaccination.  The main difficulty seems to have been people who are largely housebound because the Pfizer vaccine could not be used as it  needs to be stored at -70C, this led to worry as people they knew others who could get out and had better health got vaccinated before them.

After a short delay our carers have also been offered a vaccination.  We have all had to travel to the Preston Royal Hospital this week.  Whilst its a bit of a drive none of us have been too concerned because we know it is important to protect ourselves, and this in turn helps protects our customers through lower transmission.

For those who really want to know…. I had the Pfizer vaccine!

Back to work again after the Christmas and the New Year.  It is has been a strange and difficult Christmas- some people have sadly spent Christmas alone, or without the people they really wanted to spend it with.  Just before Christmas I dropped off a present to a former customer who resides in  care home.  Although I regularly telephoned the lady  it was the first time I had been to the care home since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place last March.  I found it quite upsetting just only being able to go to the window and wave – it brought it home to me just how difficult it has been for older people, and their next of kin.

As I write, the Oxford vaccine is being rolled out today which is great news.   However, I don’t know about you but often the media do not help the situation – a few days ago the newspapers were full of stories that there wouldn’t be enough vaccine, then the companies came back and said there was!  The latest negativity is whether or now the vaccine will stop the so-called “South African Strain” of COVID.  However, it does seem there will be enough vaccine so lets hope that by Easter we are starting to see some positive results.

I do think that many more people in the future will consider taking home care.  Many people have appreciated the carers both providing them with practical help, and company when their relatives cannot visit due to COVID19 rules.

Hopefully by Easter we will all be able to visit friends and relatives in care homes (and elsewhere) safely!

Stay Safe

Despite COVID 19 having a huge impact on every day life as we know it, our services are still operating as normal as possible throughout the pandemic. The safety of all our clients and care staff remains of upmost importance, and this will not be changing at any point.

We have dealt with cases in which our services are limited due clients being at a higher risk than others, but also dealing with cases in which the need for our services have increased due to clients getting less general interaction with friends or family.
With an increased worry in elderly relatives being kept at care homes, despite the new rollout of the vaccine, many people are wary of the situation and are now turning to home care services instead.

We offer a great range of services, from bathing or making meals for clients, to overnight care and/or 24 hour care. We also have very strong experience helping with memory loss/dementia support and other illness orientated services.

It’s clear to note we are equipping all our staff with the required PPE to keep both themselves and the ones they are supporting safe, in order to keep providing our high quality services despite all the problems currently circulating across the country. We understand, especially now, how it’s difficult to anticipate the level of support you may need. That is why we offer a flexible service plan which means you can change your given plans to tailor for different needs.

Get in contact today and we will be sure to help in any way we can.

In the press at the moment is a great deal about professional footballers who head the ball and dementia.  Given the time lag between playing football in your 20s it was not obvious at the time that 40-50 years later you might get dementia.  In addition when you are playing competitive sport in your 20s these types of illnesses are things that happen “to someone else a long time in the future”.  However, it is becoming clear that a link between heading footballs and dementia does exist and many no need round the clock care.

The PFA (Professional Footballers Association) the union is under fire from families of former England internationals for not doing enough to support families or conduct research.  PFA Assistant Simon Barker denies this  stating a taskforce is in place, research is taking place and he talks to families who come forward.  The PFA has announced a Neurodegenerative Disease Working Group to drive the issue forward.  It has been found that footballers are 2-5 times more likely to die from degenerative brain diseases.

One thing being promoted is to reduce heading in training, and to consider temporary substitutions in games.  This will obviously result in changes to the laws of the game.  The PFA stated that is cares deeply about the issues and it has not abandoned families of former players.

Independent Living Owner (Mark Booker) commented “when I was younger I played football and the impact of heading the ball must have consequences.  This must be the case for those who made a living from football who headed 1000,s of times in their career.  These footballers will require support and care in their later years”

Relatives of dementia patients should be classed as key workers according to charities such as Dementia UK and the Alzheimers Society and people with dementia have been the hardest hit in the pandemic.  The are asking Health Secretary (Matt Hancock) to make visitors to care homes “key workers” so that they can be tested regularly.  There is a “hidden catastrophe” as care homes have been closed to visitors since March and some residents do not understand the situation due to their condition.

COVID-19 In Care Homes

Thousands have died in Care Homes during the COVID19 pandemic and others have been left isolated from their families and friends.  The charities praised care homes that have been innovative such as trying to organise virtual visits.  Relatives are frustrated that the rules are not clear and they are being interpreted differently across the country.  The Department of Health state they will issue guidance shortly on how we can carefully and safely allow visiting in care homes”.

Mark Booker (Independent Living) stated ” care homes are clearly a concern, people want to see their loved ones but of course no one wants to spread COVID19 to vulnerable people.  Care homes have probably had the brunt of COVID19 but its only recently their plight has made the headlines.”

If you have a loved one with dementia in need of some professional care in their home, please read our page about our dementia service and get in touch with our friendly team today.

Reading in the papers today the Prime Minister Boris Johnson has stated “too many” care homes did not properly follow the procedures during the COVID19 pandemic.  In response care home providers have said the comments by the Prime Minister are “neither accurate nor welcome”.

The Prime Minister did say care should be funded properly and support needs to be organised.  The National Care Forum (NCF) said he should turn up the dial on reform, and down on the blame”.  Vic Rayner speaking on behalf of the 120 members of the NCF said guidance came in “stops and starts – with organisations grappling with over 100 pieces of additional guidance much of which was not accompanied by an understanding of the operational implications of operating care services.” Mike Padgham operating care homes in North Yorkshire said Health England in February said is was very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home would become infected and that homes didn’t need to do anything differently.  It was many weeks later after most homes had already lockdown that the advice changed.”

Mark Booker (Owner, Independent Living) stated “in my opinion at the start of this care was the poor relation of the NHS.  This is probably because the public has great affection for the NHS whereas care is a silent and an under valued service.  In our experience Lancashire County have been helpful asking us daily how the service was coping , and providing some PPE.  However, government guidance has often come in the form of long emails rather than verbal communication.  I believe when COVID19 deaths in care homes rocketed the Government panicked and realised they had neglected this sector, but clearly they could not undo the damage.

In our experience the home care sector has not been hit like care homes probably because it is harder to spread infection but I do worry what support we would have received if things had been different.”