Latest News from Everycare
Home care, also called domiciliary care, is when care staff travel to the homes of people in need of assistance. This is arranged through the local council or privately.
Home care is ideal for people who want to stay living in their own homes but would like some help with day-to-day living. These people can be older, disabled or managing an illness.
Everycare home care workers are always properly trained and DBS checked in order to maximise a person’s safety. A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check is run by the UK Government. It finds out whether the individual has any criminal conviction. The individual will be checked on whether they are banned from working with either vulnerable adults or children. Everycare West Kent requires a new, enhanced DBS check to be taken when hiring, to make sure it is up to date.
There are regulatory bodies in place that monitor and assess home care agencies to make sure that their performance is in line with the law and with good professional practice. The CQC (Care Quality Commission) visits agencies in England and conducts an in-depth assessments. Their reports and ratings can be found online.
Daily care visits typically last for 30 minutes to an hour and can occur several times a day. Alternatively, you can opt to have visits known as ‘sits’ or ‘sitting’. These are longer visits that last several hours at a time. These ‘sits’ allow the care professional to assist with daily tasks, housework, prepare meals and take the person out for day trips, shopping or to local amenities and amusements. They are also trained to administer medication. Those who have ‘sits’ will generally be cared for by a rotation of two to three care professionals who know them and their care plan inside out. This means that a deeper bond of friendship can be built, and carers will find it easier to personalise daily activities.
If you are interested in receiving home care or arranging it for a loved one, pleased call Everycare West Kent 0n 01892 536888
Everycare West Kent is delighted to announce it has been given a Top 20 homecare provider award for 2023. This is the second year in a row we have won the prestigious award from Home Care UK.
It is marvellous that all the hard work and dedication of our wonderful care professionals has been recognised. We look forward to providing all our incredible clients with the same support over the next 12 months.
The Everycare West Kent team were presented with their award recently at our Tunbridge Wells office.
First, the GP will try to rule out any underlying physical or mental causes of the symptoms – many of which can be treated – such as:
· depression
· anxiety
· vitamin deficiency
· diabetes
· hormonal conditions
· menopause
The GP will ask about the person’s symptoms, when they started, how they affect their daily life, and their family medical history.
It is a good idea to keep a record of symptoms for a few weeks to show the GP.
It is also helpful for a family member or friend to go to the appointment with the person so they can talk about any changes they have seen.
The GP is likely to carry out a short memory and concentration test. This may include:
· stating the day, date and year
· naming pictures of common objects, eg keys, kettle
· remembering and repeating a list of items
· completing a simple drawing, eg putting numbers on a clock face
The GP should also arrange blood tests, an ECG (a check of heart rhythm) and a head scan.
If other causes of the person’s symptoms are ruled out, the GP should refer them to a specialist memory clinic for more detailed assessments and further scans such as an MRI or CT scan to look for changes in the brain.
It may take several appointments and tests over a number of months to get a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease can be a relief for some people, as they have an explanation for what is happening to them and can access the support they need. For others, it can be upsetting and overwhelming
Seeing friends regularly lowers dementia risk, study suggests
Being socially active in your fifties and sixties lowers the risk of developing dementia in later life, according to new research.
Academics at University College London found that someone who saw friends almost daily at the age of 60 was 12 per cent less likely to develop dementia than someone who only saw one or two friends every couple of months.
Having an active social life “at any age may well have a similar impact on reducing dementia risk”, according to the researchers.
Socialising promotes the use of memory and language, which could help minimise the effect of dementia, according to Professor Gill Livingston, a senior author of the report.
She added: “People who are socially engaged are exercising cognitive skills such as memory and language, which may help them to develop cognitive reserve – while it may not stop their brains from changing, cognitive reserve could help people cope better with the effects of age and delay any symptoms of dementia.
Read more by visiting The Independent website.
