August 2013The Home Care Specialists

Dementia Specialist Jayne Vale shares her top tips

• Our customers speak for themselves • Carers of the Month • Plus much more...

WeCARE

February 2014/March 2014

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The Home Care Specialists

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Message from Tim Lee, CEO

Keeping our customers living at home is at the heart of what we do at Helping Hands.

Advancements in medical and health technology are enabling people to live longer, but as people age or illnesses progress they will often reach a point where they need some help with Daily or Weekly routines. This may include meal preparation, housework and shopping, reminders to take medication or assistance to visit the Doctor. The resulting companionship provided by our Carers enables our customers to feel safe and independent remaining in the home that they have often lived in for many years.

In order to enable our customers to stay in their homes for as long as possible, we are continuing to expand our service across the country so that we are able to provide from one hours help a day to full living on help.

We have been providing Live-in Care across the country with our network of managers for well over

15 years. We are now looking to supplement this offer of full time support with “hourly” care also.

This type of service also has as its heart the objective of helping customers to stay at home, with the help of a Carer. In this instance the Carer stays for a specific length of time with a customer to maybe help in the mornings or the evenings or to provide a sitting service for the main family or Helping Hands Live-in Carer.

Our customers can now take a journey with Helping Hands either increasing or reducing the help we offer them as their care needs change. We have seen many examples where a customer’s needs have grown or reduced and we have adapted the service we provide to them accordingly.

Whether care needs increase or decrease we are all here to make a difference for our customers.

CONGRATULATIONS TO...LIUBOV FODOR“We have received some fantastic feedback regarding Liubov and the care that she provides. Each customer that Liubov has supported has requested for her to return. She is a true professional and is a wonderful representative for the Helping Hands brand and values.”

Well done, Liubov!

Selina Forrest, Local Care Services Manager - Surrey

CONGRATULATIONS TO...DOMINIKA PRADZINSKA“Dominika has been with her customer since August of 2013. Dominika really understands how important it is that she fits in with her customer’s household and lifestyle. She is always on hand when support is needed, but never forgets that her customer is her own person and needs her own space and privacy. She truly appreciates the difference live-in care can make to a person’s life, and at all times demonstrates commitment, flexibility, and above all, kindness.

Dominika truly embraces all of the Helping Hands values and is a real asset to the company, who I am certain will continue to shine in the future. Well Done and Thank You, Dominka.”

Well done, Dominika!

Jenna Coakes, Local Care Services Manager - West Midlands

Our Carers of the Month….Every month each Local Care Services Manager nominates their own Carer of the month. The winners each receive a certificate together with a £20 voucher to spend! The winners for this month are:

Helping Hands Star Awards

CONGRATULATIONS TO...SHARON WAKE“I have had the pleasure of working with Sharon since she first joined Helping Hands and she has had her fair share of trials and tribulations in some of her placements but she has faced them all with the same level of professionalism , she embodies the Helping Hands values and consistently goes the extra mile.”

Well done, Sharon!

Alison Taylor, Local Care Services Manager - East Midlands

CONGRATULATIONS TO...JOELLE BARBIER HAEGLE“The reason I nominate Joelle is due to her proactive, team player approach and her fantastic attitude since joining Helping Hands late 2013. Joelle launched herself into hourly care whilst waiting for a placement with live-in, which she took as a challenge but a very valuable experience. She has helped with covering packages and has recently been supporting a customer who has very sensitive needs. The family have praised her highly.”

Well done, Joelle!

Julie-Anne Rose, Local Care Services Manager – Devon and Cornwall

CONGRATULATIONS TO...CEZARY WASOWSKI“Cezary is an outstanding Carer, or helper as I like to put it (makes me feel younger). He is endlessly kind and patient. He has told me that he loves to help his customer do what they cannot do for themselves. He makes the whole business fun. I just love to see him every day.”- Compliment from customer.

Well done, Cezary!

Monica Whitehurst, Local Care Services Manager - Warwickshire

CONGRATULATIONS TO...LUKE THOMAS“Luke has completely transformed his customer’s life. Every time Clare visits or calls, his customer is laughing and smiling. Luke has established a lovely and strong relationship with his customer. The feedback from the family is very positive. Luke has accompanied his customer to all appointments. He also recognised when his customer’s behaviour changed and documented this, resulting in an appointment with the hospital which was ultimately life changing. He also works within the community and has even learnt how to rescue a donkey from a tidal surge! Luke has gone above and beyond in every way to support his customer. Luke’s customer has repaid him by teaching him how to knit a Snood!”

Well done, Luke!

Clare Turner, Local Care Services Manager – East Anglia

CONGRATULATIONS TO...LISSETT BELL“This month, I would like to nominate Lissett Bell as Carer of the Month. Lissett is an absolute star of the Central team and the South West region. Lissett never fails to see the positive side of all experiences as a Carer. The key to Lisette’s skills and abilities is that she empathises with the customer’s needs and also the other members involved in that individual’s care. Lissett understands why people behave the way they do, especially in times of crisis and when their loved ones are unwell.”

Well done, Lissett!

Suzannah Cook, Local Care Services Manager – Somerset and Wiltshire

CONGRATULATIONS TO...EVA DUDASOVA“Eva has been a tower of strength over the last 3 weeks, caring for my father who has been extremely poorly over this Christmas period. I would like to nominate Eva as Carer of the Month as she really has been exceptional.

She is very patient, calm and capable and has been very kind and helpful to my father. She has done everything for him in the most professional and competent way, and is very good natured and positive.” - Compliment from daughter of customer

Well done, Eva!

Wendy Duckworth, Local Care Services Manager - Wales

CONGRATULATIONS TO...MARIA LUISA HORTA“Maria has worked tirelessly with her customers GP and other healthcare professionals to finally get a diagnosis of Dementia confirmed, with her customers son living in America he had not seen the significant deterioration in his Mother and had it not been for Maria I have no doubt that his Mother would have declined far more significantly .Marias customer borders on agoraphobia and therefore getting out with her customer is near to impossible so Maria is ‘trapped’ but she still ensures that she always puts her customer first and is always looking for ways to try to engage and motivate her so that she remains as mobile as possible .Whilst not physically demanding the psychological demands of the placement would see many Carers give up trying but this is something that Maria would never do.”

Well done, Maria!

Alison Taylor, Local Care Services Manager - East Midlands

CONGRATULATIONS TO...BEV BEZUIDENHOUDT“Bev has been supporting her customer since September. A very independent and active man, Bev has been very mindful not to take this away from him. She has worked very hard to build up trust and a good relationship, and it is clear for all to see what a great relationship they do have. Over the months, Bev has really learnt to understand her customer’s needs as well as his wants. She works tirelessly to ensure he has the support that works for him, always keeping in mind that whilst he does have Dementia, he should still always have choice and be able to live the life he wishes to. The most notable thing about Bev is that she really does not realise what an amazing Carer she is.

Thank you for everything that you do; you really do embrace the value ‘Focus on People’ and deliver ‘Excellence Every Time’.

Well done, Bev!

Jenna Coakes, Local Care Services Manager – West Midlands

Our Dementia Carers of the Month….Every month each Local Care Services Manager nominates their own Dementia Carer of the month. The winners each receive a certificate together with a £20 voucher to spend! The winners for this month are:

CONGRATULATIONS TO...MARTINA LENDOWSKY“Martina is consistent, caring, and professional. She is always willing to care for any customer and rise to any challenge. Every where she goes, we receive excellent feedback from the families, and they all want to keep her.

Recently, she has been with a couple of customers who have passed away in their own homes. She has not only been a great support to her customer, but also to family and friends during difficult and challenging circumstances. She is extremely worthy of this recognition.”

Well done, Martina!

Georgina Early, Local Care Services Manager - Kent

CONGRATULATIONS TO...ANNA WEREL“Anna has shown flexibility with her care approach and has acted swiftly on any presenting changes. Anna has worked hard with new customer, helping him to manage his early Dementia, whilst maintaining his independence. She has also helped him to keep regular contact with his wife, who is in a nursing home. Anna has helped her customer to accept care within his home and has worked well with family members.”

Well done, Anna!

Julie-Anne Rose, Local Care Services Manager – Devon and Cornwall

CONGRATULATIONS TO...NOELINE BIKWA“I would like to nominate Neoline for my Dementia Carer of the Month. On times that I have visited Neoline and discussed her attitude to care, I have been just so impressed by her compassionate perspective and engagement with her customer. Neoline has always spoken with passion about treating individuals as special and unique and seeing their abilities, rather than what they cannot do. Noeline, thank you for all your hard work - it does not go unnoticed, and I often use you as an example of the quality of Dementia experts that we have at Helping Hands. I would trust you with any of my customers, and I feel very lucky that you are in my area!”

Well done, Neoline!

Suzannah Cook, Local Care Services Manager – Somerset and Wiltshire

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME.”“

BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” MAHATMA GANDHI

“

FAMOUS ENGLISH EXPRESSION

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE

The Home Care Specialists

In May, Jack will be completing a charity SKYDIVE and is aiming to raise a staggering £10,000 for Dementia UK! Visit ‘www.Justgiving.Com/jack-halsall2014’ to make a donation

Jack Halsall, one of your fellow Carers, is taking a giant leap for people living with Dementia...literally!

Carer/Customer confidentialityIt is important not to discuss customers you cared for with other customers you are caring for. This makes the customer you are telling not trust you, as they feel like when you leave them, you will be discussing them on your next placement.”

- Live-in Carer

“

The Home Care Specialists

In May, Jack will be completing a charity SKYDIVE and is aiming to raise a staggering £10,000 for Dementia UK! Visit ‘www.Justgiving.Com/jack-halsall2014’ to make a donation

Jack Halsall, one of your fellow Carers, is taking a giant leap for people living with Dementia...literally!

Dear Jayne

Living in the past My customer is often talking to herself. She sometimes speaks to a dog. When I ask her, she can never remember what she has been talking about. She also calls her daughter a different name, and the daughter gets very upset as she feels her mum does not recognise her. She likes to wash in the kitchen sink, and when she wants to go to the toilet, she goes into the garden and then looks at me confused.

The answer below say it all:“Sometimes we need to travel in time in order to understand another person’s reality.”When the person living with Dementia has problems with their memory, they may be living in the past. To help them with this, we need to know as much as we can about their life history. We can learn this through communicating with them and their family. We need to ask lots of questions to the family and also get lots of photos out so that the customer can explain these to us.

So looking at the scenario, let’s examine each action individually:

• The dog that she is speaking to is a dog from her past, so we need to ask her what it looks like and how big is it, look through the photos, and see if there is a dog in them. Always remember that if you are helping a husband and wife, then it may be that it was before they met, so the spouse may not remember the dog. The same goes for the family members.

• The customer will talk to herself as we all do, and she is not aware that she needs to hide this. Take sitting at a desk in an office job for example - we will talk to the computer or to ourselves all the time. But when anyone asks us what we are doing, we laugh about it. With short-term memory, she may even forget that she has done it, so don’t worry about this and don’t make a big thing about it.

Jayne’s advice and support for those caring for someone living with Dementia

• She calls the daughter by a different name - this is because the daughter looks like someone in her past. Normally, this will be another family member, so again the photos are very important. We need to reassure the daughter that she is looking at her and thinking: ‘I know I love her, but I don’t know who she is.’ So what she is doing is trying to make sense of it – she will look at the daughter, trying to find a similarity of someone she can remember, and this is where the name has come from. What we can do to help with this is to do a family tree with pictures on and let her keep this beside her.

• Washing in the kitchen sink is very common, as years ago, this is where they would have washed as we didn’t have a bathroom. Also think about your own history - I bet you have a photo of you in the kitchen sink when you where little!!! Going outside for the toilet is also common as toilets were usually outside at the bottom of the garden, so we need to think about this and show them where the bathroom is or put a sign up for them.

Celebrating carers that have completed the Dementia training online in December/January:

East • Dolores Dominguez • Ana Avillez • Sonia Maria Reis• Ann Werel • Pauline Lawrence

South East • Marion Wilcox • Rebecca Rijsdijk • Doris Addo-Yobo• Karen Hawke • Stephanie Walker

Central • Noeline Bikwa • Dominika Kominikova• Sherrie Price• Urszula Malinoska • Marianne Badenhorst• Marlene Buwalda • Dominika Pradzinska

North • Bozena Kluska • Fiona Jenkinson• Jozef Luzak

Dementia Training Day: a message from

Tim Lee, CEO

It’s the little things that matter …..I’ve said many times that it’s the little things we do that make a world of difference for our customers.

I want to share with you how Karen Byng, one of our Hourly Carers, has worked with one of our Dementia customers and the great progress they have made so far.

Karen recently attended our Dementia Training Day, and following this session, she called Jayne Vale, our Dementia Specialist, to ask for help with one of her customer’s routines as she had been reluctant to wash, change her clothes or do any housework.

Jayne suggested different approaches that may help, and Karen has been gently encouraging her customer to do more for herself. When Karen recently managed to help her customer to wash her hands, this was such a breakthrough and made her very happy.

Motivated by the progress being made by her customer, Karen continued with her encouragement, and over the next few days, she managed to get the lady to dust some ornaments. While she was doing this, Karen asked her if she could just dust the sill for her … before

she knew it, she had polished the whole lounge. The biggest reward for Karen from this was hearing her customer say: “isn’t my house looking nice.”

We have spoken with the customer’s niece, who is delighted with all that Karen has achieved. She said, “Karen has a special way that helps the customer to trust her and they have built up a fabulous relationship.”

A week after the initial call, Jayne received another call from Karen. She was so excited, and when she had calmed down, she told Jayne that her customer had a wash and that she had changed her clothes and her bed. Karen was so happy.

I have spoken with Karen, and she said the Dementia training she received and the guidance given by Jayne had given her a better understanding of how to approach these things with her customer. She also shared with me that there had been another breakthrough, as her customer had now washed her own face!

It makes us all very proud that the little things each of our Carers do for our customers make a huge difference to their lives.

Eastern area Regional Manager, Karen Jackson supports the EDC Essex Dementia group

Jayne’s Tips that helped Karen Byng to help her customer:1. Don’t immediately offer to do things for your customer when you arrive in their home. Take time to sit and chat with them, to get to know them, and more importantly to help them get to know you. This will build up the trust they have in you, and over time, they will then let you assist them.2. Involve your customer in the support you are providing. Don’t do things for them; help them to do things for themselves. Personal pride can be a great motivator.3. Gradually build on the little things. Even little things can increase a person’s self-esteem, and we all know that little things can grow into big things, like dusting a whole room.4. Make daily tasks enjoyable. Use the customer’s favourite toiletries and make sure they have a nice towel available. Karen and her customer have named the household objects so that ‘Molly Mop’ does all the cleaning in the house.5. Don’t worry if the whole task is not completed in the first visit, or the second or the third… Patience is the key.

The Home Care Specialists

Pick up the phone today and refer a friend...If you know someone who would be a great Helping Hands Carer, then refer them today.

So Carers, to recommend a friend, call: 0808 180 1123 or email: recruitment@helpinghands.co.uk

* For every friend that officially starts. Monies will be paid directly into your bank account on the next payday

EARN £100!

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Doug and BozenaThis is a card that Douglas made for Julie Perry with some help from Bo. Douglas wrote me this lovely poem which I wanted to share with you all...

May the festive season be in peace and fulfilled, And the sausage rolls and mince pies are well filled.The turkey tender, the Christmas pud – Will be really fruity and flaming good

Robert Bulgalski and Bernard Bulgalski“Hope you all had a good Christmas. All the best for 2014!”

June and HelenaEnjoying their Christmas together.

Getting to know our Carers and Customers

The Home Care Specialists

Pick up the phone today and refer a friend...If you know someone who would be a great Helping Hands Carer, then refer them today.

So Carers, to recommend a friend, call: 0808 180 1123 or email: recruitment@helpinghands.co.uk

* For every friend that officially starts. Monies will be paid directly into your bank account on the next payday

EARN £100!

Call us today0808 180 1123

Betty is one of our young adult customers. An outgoing and chatty lady, she loves shopping and socialising with friends. Betty loves learning new things, such as cooking and drawing. She used to live in Walsall, but moved to Hexham many years ago. She previously lived in Oaklands care home, but she wasn’t happy and wanted to be more independent. They arranged for her to get her own house in April 2012. She loves being independent and is getting more confident. Here’s an insight into Betty’s life and how Helping Hands has enabled her to be independent and do the things she enjoys doing with her permanent Carer, Lauren.

3rd December 2013 – I am very excited today; Julie and Amanda are visiting from Helping Hands and are taking me out for lunch. Lauren, my permanent Carer, is also returning today, and Jan is leaving to go home and spend Christmas with her family. I had a lovely lunch, a cheeky glass of shandy, and a big pudding - I don’t know if I will be able to eat my tea. I gave Julie and Amanda a picture that I had painted for the office, and they told me that they would send me a photo of them with Tina at the office once they had put the painting up. I went shopping for a while with Lauren in the afternoon and then went home to relax. It has been a busy day.

4th December 2013 – It’s swimming today. I love going swimming, and Lauren goes with me to watch. I can swim under the water now and sometimes have a good splash about. My instructor is great and we have fun. This afternoon we went shopping again. It’s my favourite thing to

do, especially at Christmas, and I bought the last of my Christmas presents and bought myself a coat, a pair of trousers and a jumper. Today was a good day.

5th December 2013 – Today was day centre day. I got up early, and Lauren and I prepared a stew and put it in the slow cooker - it would be ready for when we got back from day centre. I made something special at Minerva and have included a photo of this. When we got home, we ate our stew, which was delicious.

6th December 2013 – I went to get weighed today. I have been trying to lose weight as I have bad knees which cause me a lot of pain. This year I have lost 3st 4lb, and I am very pleased with myself. Lauren has taught me how to eat healthily, and I am enjoying learning how to cook things. I still like chocolate though, but I don’t eat as much as I used to - it’s just a special treat. Lauren took me into town and bought me a gingerbread latte for doing so well and

A week in the life of Helping Hands Customer Betty Beard

losing so much weight. I am really happy and proud of myself. While we were out, I also bought some new trainers. In the evening, my friend visited me. I made him a cup of tea and we had a lovely chat.

7th December 2013 – Lauren and I had a fun day today - we laughed and danced and sang along to the Christmas carols and songs on my cd player. At 5 o’clock, we went to the carol service at the church, and I lit a candle for my Nana and had some mulled wine and mince pies with the carol singers.

8th December 2013 – I had a lazy Sunday morning, and in the afternoon, I went to visit some friends where I used to live before I had my own home. I came home around 6pm after a busy afternoon.

9th December 2013 – Day centre day today. I made something special again and then went shopping for some goodies. I had a small whisky in the evening and felt a little tipsy - went to bed and slept all night.

10th December 2013 – Another day at the day centre. They were putting on an exhibition of art work that we have all made, so I painted some pictures for the exhibition. Lauren came with me, and we went home and made a lovely shepherd’s pie for tea.

Christmas CraftsWinnersi i

First Place goes to...Customer: Rose SmallcombeCarer: Marta Bus

Second Place goes to...Customer: Pat FerrisCarer: Eszter Kacso

Third Place goes to...Customer: Ruth CoombeCarer: Zelly Bayu

Supporting customers living with a spinal injury

Our first spinal injury customer in 1999

By Tim Lee, CEO

Back in 1989, Helping Hands was a traditional Home Care agency providing support mainly to the elderly members in our local communities.

Over the years, it became clear to us that some of our elderly customers wanted or needed full-time support and the reassurance of having a Live-in Carer with them most of the time. They chose this rather than going into a residential home. They wanted to stay at home, maintain their independence, and have the support and companionship of someone living with them.

As our confidence in providing our Live-in Care service grew, we saw opportunities to facilitate younger adults, including those with Spinal Injuries, to retain their independence and live independently.

Back in 1999, we started providing support to our first spinal injury customer, and since then, we have supported many more. Some customers we have assisted through their rehabilitation programme; others we continue to provide long-term care so that they are able to live independently, grow in confidence and maintain the lifestyle choices that they have made.

We support those with spinal injuries to further their studies at college

or university, to continue with employment, and to enjoy their chosen hobbies and activities. Sometimes, we help in the transition from being looked after by family carers, to living away from parents and having a carer live in.

As Helping Hands has grown, so has our knowledge in how best to support each customer in a way that truly meets their individual needs. Our Carers are able to support both the physical and emotional needs of those living with spinal injuries, and as our knowledge is continually enhanced, so is the training that we provide to those supporting our customers, so that we always provide the best care possible.

Helping Hands nursing-led support: committed to empowering people living with spinal cord injuries Here at Helping Hands, our Carers, management teams, office staff and healthcare specialists are proud to support people living with spinal cord injuries across the UK.

From initial enquiries and assessment, receiving care at home can be a truly life-changing but understandably daunting experience. Helping Hands, providing individualised care to those with spinal cord injuries, is committed to ensuring each care journey is consistently professional.During initial enquiries, Helping Hands’ Customer Liaison Team establishes how those living with spinal cord injuries are personally affected. Whether a spinal cord injury is caused by physical trauma or illness, each person is affected differently. Understanding the unique needs of each individual is integral to the provision of the person-centred care that Helping Hands provides.

Enquiring about Live-in CareSarah Burton, Helping Hands Customer Liaison Manager, explains, “When someone living with a spinal cord injury calls to make an enquiry about our services and arrange care, it is important to establish their individual circumstances.

“In order to make the transition to Helping Hands home care as smooth as possible and determine the level of care required, we firstly have to ascertain whether the person has a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury. We can then establish the extent to which the injury affects aspects of daily living,

what equipment the individual currently has in place, and how each individual manages with eating and drinking.”

Assessment Before arranging a care assessment for somebody living with a spinal cord injury, liaising with Doctors, Occupational Therapists and other healthcare professionals involved in each person’s care is essential. Medical background reports are an important part of this process and are central to Helping Hands’ nursing-led services. Sarah explains, “A medical report of how a spinal injury could affect someone’s health will allow us to implement specific procedures to ensure both customer and Carer safety. It is important to obtain this before meeting with customers to ensure we nominate the right Assessor to conduct the assessment. A misunderstanding of routines or equipment could prove dangerous to the customer or Carer.”

Spinal Cord Injury ExpertiseFundamental to the organisation of assessment and subsequent care packages is regular consultation with Helping Hands Senior Registered Nurse Specialist, Melanie Dawson. During every stage of the process, Melanie’s expertise in spinal cord injuries and complex care ensures that a professional nursing-led service is provided to all.

Acknowledging the importance of a flexible service designed around individual needs, Melanie says, “Helping Hands’ care assessments balance each customer’s bespoke care needs with their need for independence. We are especially innovative with moving and handling, understanding how important this is in promoting independent living.”

Carer Matching ProcessAnother important part of the care assessment phase for people living with spinal cord injuries is selecting an appropriate Carer. A carefully selected Carer ensures that Helping Hands’ commitment to exceptional person-centred care is upheld.

Case Study:Elis Elbing, who has worked as a Helping Hands Live-in Carer since 2009, was previously selected to support a younger lady with a spinal injury at level C4/C5 quadriplegia. A like-minded person thoroughly trained to deliver the lady’s complex care needs, Elis was the perfect choice, and it was a wonderful experience for both. “I supported a lady with a spinal cord injury for one and a half years,” Elis explains. “During that time, we established a very good relationship.”Helping the lady to maintain a care routine that suited her lifestyle, Elis provided support with all activities of daily living. As part of this, Elis received specialist training from Melanie Dawson to provide stoma and urostomy care for both bowel and bladder management. The lady was prone to periods of Autonomic Dysreflexia, a potentially life-threatening medical emergency that resulted in a dangerous increase in blood pressure. A specially trained Carer fully prepared to respond to the lady’s individual needs was therefore imperative. At the heart of the lady’s complex care needs, Elis offered support with her morning and night-time routine. In the mornings, Elis, under the lady’s direction, provided full support with her personal care routine. Alongside a second Carer, Elis helped the lady to transfer safely and comfortably using her ceiling track hoist. During the days, Elis and the lady enjoyed going out in her wheelchair accessible car. Elis says, “We enjoyed going out shopping, visiting coffee shops, and meeting up with her friends. We shared a lot of common interests, including academia.” Aware of the challenges faced by those living with spinal cord injuries, Elis provided care that enabled the lady to maintain her independence. Elis remarks, “I think that one of the main challenges faced by those living with spinal cord injuries is social exclusion.

“I think that it is important to help people maintain the roles that they previously held before their injury and to adopt new roles in society. I would like to see more people with spinal cord injuries out in the community, particularly in the workplace.”Providing support that respected her personal needs and desires, Elis’ care empowered the lady and ensured that the outcomes stipulated in her plan of support were achieved. Elis’ success was largely attributed to support from Melanie Dawson, her Care Manager, and Helping Hands’ award winning Training Team.

Regional SupportHeather Fenton, Regional Manager for the central region, says, “At management level, providing quality support to our Carers ensures the delivery of the high quality support that our customers need to remain at home.“There is always someone readily available to support our Carers, which is what sets our services apart. With an on-call system in operation and on-site specialists, we always ensure that our Carers and customers are receiving the specific support they need from the right person, twenty-four hours a day.”Although Helping Hands has grown extensively over 25 years, its ethos has remained the same. A foremost home care specialist, Helping Hands is wholly committed to providing leading complex-care services to people living with spinal cord injuries, making independent living and social inclusion possible.Commenting on the importance of putting people with spinal cord injuries at the centre, Melanie Dawson says, “Here at Helping Hands, we look at each individual case and understand each person’s requirements for leading an independent and fulfilling life. For those living with spinal cord injuries, the care that is provided should not be a barrier preventing them from fulfilling expectations for the future.”

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Our customer Simon Brain: Q&AHow did you feel when you first needed full-time care?It was a shock. Going from being so independent to relying on someone and putting your trust in them was difficult. In the beginning, I was instructed to stay in bed because of an unhealed pressure sore. I was advised to stay in hospital, but I just wanted to get home. Helping Hands came out to me, and I was able to return home with support from one of their Live-in Carers.For the first few years after my accident, I closed myself off and didn’t want to do anything as I was originally worried what other people would think. However, over time I started going out to different places and stopped worrying about what other people thought.

How do you feel when your Carers arrive?When a Carer first arrives, I am a little bit nervous about whether or not we will get on. I prefer Carers to be a similar age to me, as then we generally have a similar taste in music and films. My permanent Carer, Anna, is just great.

What does a typical day for you and Anna entail?We generally stick to the same morning routine. Anna supports me in the morning with my personal care routine. Then, in the afternoon, I spend my time studying web design and photography on the computer. Being a self-employed photographer is definitely an option for the future.

What advice would you give to someone who has just sustained a spinal cord injury?When I was in hospital, being around other people with spinal cord injuries and seeing how confident they were taught me to move forwards. To others in my position, I would say just to get back out there and start living your life. Before my accident, I was really active and into sports. I couldn’t see myself doing anything with computers, but you just have to work through it and try different things.

Would you recommend Helping Hands?Yes. You really can’t fault the Carers. The matching process is great and Anna is perfect in terms of personality and competence.

Looking back to an emotional rollercoasterBy Lisa Watkiss Helping Hands PA

When I was 17 and studying for my A Levels, my then boyfriend Dave was involved in an accident where his car broke down on a Motorway on his way to visit friends in Bristol. He was underneath the car at the side of the road trying to fix it when a lorry clipped the car and dragged him along underneath it for quite a distance before the driver realised what had happened.During an initial period of paralysis, he remained at Frenchay hospital in Bristol, but then when things started to look a little more hopeful, he was transferred to the Spinal Injuries Unit at a specialist spinal hospital in Oswestry. He then spent the next 8 months bed-ridden on the same ward, and I spent the time travelling to and from Oswestry, failing my A levels.For him, those months involved lots of operations, physio and being prodded by all sorts of consultants and specialists. For me and those close to him, what was more noticeable was the

change in his personality as a result of what had happened to him.

People not close to the person may see the physical changes that have taken place, but those close see the emotional changes too. Being told you might not walk again is probably one of the hardest things to hear, and it can have a dramatic effect on the way you view life.

Dave became very frustrated and angry with everyone, including himself for what he’d allowed to happen. Being so young, I struggled to cope with his constant mood swings and his anger with everything and everyone, and our relationship didn’t survive very long after he came home.The story does have a happy ending though. Dave returned home from Oswestry, and for some time set up a bedroom in his parents’ dining room. Through the dedication and support of Carers visiting him at home and his physio’s persistence, Dave did regain his mobility and learnt to walk again. Despite having several bits of metal in his body, he has led a pretty normal life, but like the majority of those effected by such a traumatic experience, his outlook on life was changed dramatically as a result.

Clare Turner Local Care Services Manager for East Anglia shares her story

I am the Local Care Services Manager for East Anglia, and while I don’t currently have a customer with a spinal injury, this time last year, my fiancé broke C7. This, as you know, is in the neck, and he was paralyzed for 2 weeks.

Following surgery to remove it and replace it with a steel scaf-fold and screws, it has been a long road of physio and support from Addenbrooke’s hospital and Stoke Mandiville spinal unit as an outpatient. Despite working in health and social care for 25 years, being a relative of someone who is told they have a 50/50 chance of never walking again is a heart stopping moment in time. He was lucky and has made a good recovery, but it has given me a very different outlook on life and also the work I do.

Our office staff share their stories...

Dear Helping Hands,For a long time, I have wanted to write to you about the outstanding qualities I find in Cezary. He is observant, intelligent and resourceful.

As an example of his powers of observation, if anything happens to my skin, he’s onto it in a moment. Another important aspect of his power of observation is that he is very quick to notice a change for the worst in my mood. I have Bipolar disorder, which involves swings of mood between high and low. Lows are not fun, but highs are very dangerous, and they could land me in hospital if not nipped in the bud. I have some insight myself, but Carola has always been my principal monitor. Now she tells me that she reckons that Cezary notices even sooner than she does.

On the matter of his remarkable intelligence - this comes into its own very often. For instance, for ages we had been doing something in particular way, and then it became necessary to change to the opposite way. It was important to get this right, because otherwise the result would have been a minor disaster. Cezary said: “I’ve got to think about this.” I could almost see the little grey cells whirring until he solved the problem. He’s also very good at lateral thinking. Recently, I dropped onto the floor, the cap of a bottle. I asked Cezary whether he could kindly pick it up for me. He pointed me to a shelf behind me where there was a row of bottles with clean caps, and suggested we should use one of those!

On the matter of his resourcefulness - we had been at an outdoor concert, and we were returning by a different route from the way we came. Then we found ourselves in a flooded piece of ground. No one in my party could think how we were going to negotiate this problem, but Cezary found the way to do it.

On top of all these intellectual qualities, Cezary is an outstanding Carer, or helper as I like to put it (makes me feel younger). He is endlessly kind and patient. He has told me that he loves to help his customers do what they cannot do for themselves. He makes the whole business fun. I just love to see him every day.

Kind regardsHenry Beecham

Compliments for a Carer supporting a customer living with a Spinal Injury

Our office staff share their stories...

Earn £100

To refer someone call: 0808 180 9455 oremail: enquiries@helpinghands.co.uk*For every customer who officially starts. Monies will be paid directly into your bank accountTerms and Conditions apply.

Care to make a difference?Meet Shane Wright a customer of our Local Care Service

Manager, Alison Taylor. Shane has been receiving Live-in

support from Helping Hands for over 6 years, and it works

really well for him. Shane became a tretraplegic in 1995

after an industrial accident shattered his 5th and 6th

vvertebrae. Shane approached Helping Hands to provide him

with a Live-in Carer that could meet his expectations around

independent living. We introduced Steven, Shane's live in

support worker over 6 years ago and to this day they are still

very much a team. Sharing the same passion for football,

computer games and playing pool!

Shane sShane says “Having a Live-in Carer gives me great peace of

mind, especially during the night. Steven is great company,

we love to watch football even though we support

rival teams!”.

So, if you know someone like Shane who needs

someone lisomeone like you to care for them, then let us know. Not

only will you receive £100* but you will also be putting the

care of someone in the best possible hands...Helping Hands.

QCFsIoana Vlad

Katalin Csajka

Agnes Korhecz

James Stewart

Have all successfully completed their QCFs. Well done to you all!

Ingredient:100g soft butter100g caster sugar2 medium eggs100g self raising flour45ml jamSmall tub of fresh double cream (optional)Icing sugar (optional)

Equipment:Hand held or electric mixer18cm round sandwich cake tinsPallet knifeSieveMetal spoonCooling rack

Method:Cream the butter and sugar together using a mixer. When fluffy in texture and pale in colour, add eggs one at a time with 1 table spoon of sieved flour.Continue until eggs are mixed in.

Mrs Smiths Old Thyme RecipesVictoria Sponge Cake

Sieve the remaining flour into mixture and fold in gently using a metal spoon. This will ensure the air created by the mixer is not lost.

Grease tins with butter.Share the mixture equally between the two tins and smooth with a knife.

Place into a pre-heated oven at 180 C, 350 F or Gas mark 4.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.

Opening the oven may cause your risen cake to sink, due to loss of heat. Note- Insert the point of a sharp knife - if no mixture sticks to the knife, it’s cooked.

Once cooked, place on a cooling rack for 2-3 minutes to cool down.Gently loosen the edges of the cake from the tin using a pallet knife.

Turn upside down onto the cooling rack.When cooled, spread jam onto one side using the pallet knife.

Double cream can be whisked up and spread on top of jam (optional).

Sandwich together.Sprinkle with caster sugar or icing sugar.

Cut a slice and serve with your customer’s drink of choice.

HR email:HR@helpinghands.co.uk

(email address for all reference requests)

HR Department

HolidayREMINDER: You must book your holiday

through your line Manager/ Regional care services.

What Salary do we pay? Our Live-in Carers are paid between £450 - £550 per week with some variance above and below due to the complexity of needs of the particular customer.

What areas do we cover for Live-in Care?Our Live-in Care service covers the whole of England, Wales and the Channel Islands.

How long do you have to work for at one time?We provide both temporary and permanent placements. In a temporary placement the Carer will not be assigned an ongoing customer and the length of the placement may vary dependant on the customer’s needs. In a permanent placement the carer is assigned an on going customer and is required to be available for a minimum of 6 weeks at a time.

What sort of people do we care for?We care for anyone over the age of 18 with various different levels of care needs.

Are our Carers self employed?

Carers are employed by the company on a zero hours contract.

How long will it take to start work after completing the training?We endeavour to get our Carers placed with a customer as soon after training as possible but this is dependant on how long it takes for the Carers to be made compliant with satisfactory references and a clear DBS. Placement will also depend on the customer requirements at the time. It is important for us to match Carers with customers so the Carer can build up a rapport with them and this is one of the reasons that may delay placement of a Carer.

How long does a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) take and how much does it cost?DBS varies depending on the particular candidate and their background. DBS can take anything from 2 days to 3 months and cannot be guaranteed in terms of time as each request is handled individually. The cost of the DBS is £50.

What qualifications can I gain? Carers can complete their QCF level 2 in Health and Social Care. Helping Hands employees complete different levels of QCF depending on their job role, with level 2 being relevant for the role of a care worker.

Recruitment FAQs

News

Ruby Corporate Partner...

We are proud to be a Ruby Corporate Partner of the Spinal Injuries Association during February!

Intranet name announcementAnd the WINNER is........Care2ShareDo you Care2Share? We hope so......because this is going to be the name of our new Intranet – the place where we can ‘share’ all of our ‘care’ stories, get help and questions answered.

An ideal name for us don’t you think!?

CONGRATULATIONS to Paul Harty who is our winner!

And a HUGE thank you to all that took part – not only in coming up with name ideas, but also those that voted. We had a fantastic response and it’s helped us start to become familiar with a new tool which is going to make communication easier.

There’s going to be lots more information to follow about Care2Share. This is your intranet – we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.

Central Region

Heather Fenton Regional Manager01789 767160 heather.fenton@helpinghands.co.uk

Jenna Coakes Local Care Services Manager - West Midlands 01789 767998 jenna.coakes@helpinghands.co.uk

Samantha Grabham Local Care Service Manager – Worcestershire01789 767960 samantha.grabham@helpinghands.co.uk

Monica Whitehurst Local Care Service Manager - Warwickshire 01789 767989 monica.whitehurst@helpinghands.co.uk

Julie-Ann Rose Local Care Services Manager – Devon and Cornwall 01579 550562julie-ann.rose@helpinghands.co.uk

Suzannah Cook Local Care Services Manager – Somerset and Wiltshire01225 433503suzannah.cook@helpinghands.co.uk

Sarah Peskett Assistant Care Manager 01789 767999 Weds & Thurs sarah.peskett@helpinghands.co.uk

Claire Casson Regional Support Assistant01789 767956claire.casson@helpinghands.co.uk

North Region

Julie Perry Regional Manager and Registered Manager 0113 3229151 julie.perry@helpinghands.co.uk

Fiona Small Local Care Services Manager - Cheshire01270 444108 fiona.small@helpinghands.co.uk

Alison Taylor Local Care Services Manager - East Midlands 0115 896 7889 alison.taylor@helpinghands.co.uk

Amanda Campbell Local Care Services Manager - North East 0113 887 8981 amanda.campbell@helpinghands.co.uk

Nazia Scott Local Care Services Manager – Manchester 01942 369930 nazia.scott@helpinghands.co.uk

Tina Waite Assistant Care Manager0113 3229153 tina.waite@helpinghands.co.uk

Jackie Dunbar Assistant Care Manager0113 3229154Jacqueline.dunbar@helpinghands.co.uk

Chelsea Allen Regional Support Assistant0113 3229150 Part Timechelsea.allen@helpinghands.co.uk

East Region

Karen Jackson Regional Manager01727 224171 karen.jackson@helpinghands.co.uk

Clare Turner Local Care Services Manager - East Anglia 01440 840465 clare.turner@helpinghands.co.uk

Linda Desborough Local Care Services Manager - North London & Essex 020 8150 7119

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR CARE MANAGER AND THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE, THEN PLEASE SPEAK TO ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CARE MANAGERS.

linda.desborough@helpinghands.co.uk

Angela Laurence Local Care Service Manager – Herefordshire 01727 229921 angela.laurence@helpinghands.co.uk

Bridie Williamson Local Care Services Manager - Oxfordshire Number TBC bridie.williamson@helpinghands.co.uk

Ian Clayfield Assistant Care Manager 01727 224173 ian.clayfield@helpinghands.co.uk

Kirsty Prendiville Assistant Care Manager 01727 224172kirsty.prendiville@helpinghands.co.uk

Dawn Mujuru Regional Support Administrator 01727 224174 dawn.mujuru@helpinghands.co.uk

South East Region

Julie Gillam Regional and Registered Manager 01372 231351julie.gillam@helpinghands.co.uk

Georgie Early Local Care Services Manager - Kent 01634 560757 georgie.early@helpinghands.co.uk

Sarah Goodwin Local Care Services Manager - Sussex and Surrey 01903 800038 sarah.goodwin@helpinghands.co.uk

Jo Bruen Local Care Services – Hampshire and Dorset 023 8001 9660jo.bruen@helpinghands.co.uk

Melissa McSorley Assistant Care Manager 01372 231353melissa.mcsorley@helpinghands.co.uk

Sam Kellali Regional Support Administrator01372 231355sam.kellali@helpinghands.co.uk

CONTACT INFORMATION