In May, there a number of events across the country for care services to find out more about Nourish and why using a digital social care records platform is beneficial to your care delivery. The events are ICS focused, for care services in specific areas to find out about what funding is available in their region. Nourish will be attending the events listed below to give insight into relevant topics, demonstrations of our platform and answer any questions you may have about making the switch to digital care planning. 

We are working in partnership with Integrated Care Systems to support you with accessing funding and to make your transition from paper to digital as smooth and easy as possible. 

To give all care services in Surrey more information about digitalising care records and funding available, Surrey Heartlands ICS are hosting the event ‘Surrey Heartlands: Digitisation of Social Care Event’ on Wednesday 24th May, 9am – 5pm at the Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SG. 

Sign up to the event here 

Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICS have organised a Digital Social Care Marketplace event to give care services in Herefordshire and Worcestershire the opportunity to find out more information about digitalising care records and funding available. The event will be held in The Kindle Centre, Belmont Road, Hereford HR2 7JE on Thursday 25th May between 10am – 2pm.  

Sign up to the event here 

To give all care services in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire more information about digitalising care records and funding available, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS are hosting an event on Friday 26th May, 11am – 3pm, at the John Godber Centre, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire.  

Care providers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are invited to drop in throughout the day to meet digital care planning platforms and discuss the funding available.  

Sign up to the event here

Can’t see an event in your area? Get in touch today to find out how Nourish can assist you with accessing funding and move from paper-based care planning to digital care planning. 

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How to access funding for digitalising care records

As a care provider, it can be difficult to keep track of all the information about the people you support and the care that they receive. Paper-based records can be lost or damaged, and it can be time consuming to sort through them to find the information that you need. That’s where digital care planning software comes in. By using a digital care plan software to manage your records, you can gain better oversight into your care service, improve your efficiency, and provide better care for the people you support. 

Using a digital platform provides you with a centralised care management system to manage and access the people you support’s records, care plans, medication records, and other critical information in one place. This allows for real-time oversight of what is happening in your service, as care staff can record updates on care plans and health status at the point of care. Additionally, a digital platform can provide you with insights and reports on your service’s performance, such as tracking medication administration and completion of care plans. By having this oversight, you can identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions about how to allocate resources and improve care delivery.  

One of the biggest benefits of using a care planning software is that you can access the information you need anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re in the office, on the go, or working from home, you can log into the platform and access the records you need. This can be especially helpful if you have multiple locations or if you have staff who work remotely. 

Managing paper-based records can be time consuming and prone to errors. With a digital platform, you can streamline your workflow and reduce the time it takes to manage records. You can quickly input and update information, generate reports, and track progress. This can help you save time and resources and improve the quality of care you provide. 

By using digital care planning, you can ensure that your staff have the information they need to provide the best possible care. They can access information of those supported quickly and easily, and they can input information in real-time. This can help to ensure that all staff are on the same page and are providing consistent care. A digital platform can also send alerts and warnings for a variety of circumstances, for example when medication has not been administered or when a care plan needs reviewing, this ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. 

A digital social care records platform can help you to stay compliant with regulatory requirements. You can track compliance in real-time and generate reports as needed. This can help you to avoid penalties and ensure that you’re providing high-quality care that meets regulatory standards. 

Keeping paper-based records secure can be a challenge. Records can be lost or stolen and must be kept in a locked room. With a digital platform, you can ensure that your records are secure and protected while recording care on the go. You can control access to the platform and track who has uploaded the records. Our industry-leading device management ensures that Nourish is only accessed on authorised devices, giving you that extra layer of security.  

If you’re looking for a way to improve your care service, a digital social care records platform can be a great solution. It can help you to gain better oversight into your service, improve your efficiency, and provide better care to the people you support. With the right platform, you can streamline your workflow, improve compliance, and enhance security. 

Book a personalised demo with our team to find out how going digital can give you better oversight into your care service 

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The Coronation of King Charles presents many opportunities for activities for the people you support from arts and crafts to enjoying tasty traditional food.  

Decorate your care service with Union Jack bunting, tablecloths and offer handheld flags. Play classic British songs throughout the years or use a pre-set playlist on Spotify.  

Serve a buffet with traditional food such as coronation chicken, Pimm’s or a non-alcoholic alternative and Victoria sponge cake.  

Using these royal portrait frames, organise a painting session with the people you support. Can they paint a royal portrait of themselves, a friend or King Charles himself?  

Can the people you support remember the Queen’s coronation or did they celebrate any Jubilees over their lifetime? Here are some facts about the Queen’s coronation, how much of it will be similar to today? 

Many newspapers are likely to have a royal special segment for the coronation with photos of King Charles throughout his life. Using these and other available material online, go through King Charles’ life history. How many significant events or styles can the people you support remember? 

Using card, cut and decorate a crown each with the people you support. If they were a royal, what would their crown look like? Alternatively, you can purchase already made crowns and decorate those with various crafting items.  

What advice do the people you support have for the King? Or what would they do if they were a ruling monarch for the day?  

Don’t forget to log all of the activities the people you support participate in on Nourish and upload photos of them having fun.  

Find out more about how Nourish can support you to showcase activity participation in the care notes of the people you support by booking a personalised demo today. 

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Move More Month

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Oral Health Month

In 2017, the Public Health Outcomes Framework reported that 220,160 emergency hospital admissions were related to falls in the over 65 age group. A fall can have enormous repercussions to someone’s life, affecting their mobility, independence and health. Utilising Nourish and making some key changes can minimise the risk of a fall within your care service.  

Some types of medication, number of prescribed medications and combination of medications can increase the risk of falls. Having the oversight via an eMAR solution alongside other care records/information gives the ability to monitor, manage and evaluate a person’s medications with a view to reducing falls risks and associated complications. Being able to monitor this medication and provide visibility of symptoms among your team can increase awareness and reduce the risk of falls. Regular medication reviews assist in ensuring side effects and symptoms are monitored. Nourish integrates with various eMARs, allowing you and your team to see what medication the people you support use.  

Staying hydrated and drinking enough fluid is important. Drinking consistently throughout the day, rather than attempting to hit the desired fluid intake in the latter half of the day, will decrease the risk of other health complications. This can include urine infections which can cause delirium and increased confusion, increasing the likelihood of a fall. Desired fluid intake and MUST scores are incorporated in Nourish, allowing you to keep an eye on the hydration and nutrition of the people you support.  

According to the NHS, exercise can decrease the risk of a fall, particularly strength and balance training. Strength and balance training can involve activities as simple as walking or dancing. Tai Chi is another exercise that can prevent falls as it emphasises on movement, balance and coordination. Activities can be logged in the Nourish app as can the level of participation and enjoyment. This will allow you to see how and if exercise has made any improvements to a person’s mobility. 

Appointments can be logged on the Nourish app and can be viewed as part of the daily care plan of the people you support, giving greater visibility for your care team. Seeing the podiatrist to check that nails are not overgrown or suffering any ailment that may make walking difficult. Also on footwear, you can add into the daily care plan a requirement that checks the people you support are wearing suitable and well-fitting footwear. Regular check-ups with the opticians will check the people you support are wearing the appropriate eyewear for their needs. You can also add a note into the care plan that gives your care team the ability to easily view who wears glasses.  

It may be useful to identify a Falls Champion for your service. Some local NHS trusts and councils hold training for Falls Champions. Champions are advocates for prevention and management of falls. They can ensure that staff are following fall management protocols. Champions can analyse data to see how and why falls are happening and implement measures to prevent this. Champions additionally ensure risk assessments are being followed for those at greater risk of a fall e.g. the use of sensor mats or alarm pendants.  

Nourish integrates with various eMAR solutions, pain management apps, eRedBag and GP Connect, encouraging interoperability in healthcare. We are always looking to integrate with businesses who can improve the lives of the people we support.  

The biggest free care show of spring is nearly here! Join us at Health Plus Care: The Residential and Home Care Show at ExCeL London on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th April.  

Pick up useful tips for your service, listen to thought provoking debates and discover new solutions to help improve the care and support you provide. Nourish Care will be on-hand at stand D22 to show you our digital care planning platform and answer any questions you may have about going digital and what funding is available for you to digitalise your care records. 

As well as being on stand D22, Nourish are participating in a number of talks across both days. 

Wednesday 26th April | 11.00am – 11.30am | Technology Theatre 

Nourish Care will present the journey of ‘Joe’, a young man with learning disabilities, walking through the current and future impact of the transformative adoption of digital care records. Join Nourish as we talk through the holistic transition away from paper to a digital platform and how this can impact your entire care service and the people you support. 

Wednesday 26th April | 15:30pm – 16:15pm | People & Business Theatre 

The VIVALDI Social Care Study‘s mission is to improve the quality of life for people living, visiting, and working in care homes, while also reducing the risk of infections and avoiding hospital admissions. They endeavour to achieve this through the study that utilises existing data, with minimal input required from care home providers.   

With Nourish CEO, Nuno Almeida part of the panel, on day one of the show, the VIVALDI study will be officially launched at 3:30pm in the People & Business Theatre followed by drinks and canapes in The Outstanding Society Learning Lounge where care services can sign up to be part of the study.    

Thursday 27th April | 11.30am – 12pm | The Outstanding Society Learning Lounge  

Join The Outstanding Society and Nourish as we discuss falls management in care services. In 2017, the Public Health Outcomes Framework reported that 220,160 emergency hospital admissions were related to a fall in the over 65 age group. A fall can have enormous repercussions to someone’s life, affecting their mobility, independence and health. 

Meet the Nourish team on stand D22 of Health Plus Care so we can show you our digital care records platform and answer any questions you may have about going digital. We look forward to seeing you there! 

If you are unable to attend The Residential & Home Care Show, book a free personalised demo with us today.  

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Move More Month in April is an annual celebration that encourages individuals to move more and sit less in their daily lives. Encouraging moving more in care services is important because of the positive impact on health and wellbeing, particularly for older people in care who are susceptible to health conditions such as contractures.   

There are many ways care services can participate in Move More Month. 

Encourage staff and residents to get moving by organising a step challenge. Participants can track their steps or distance and compete against each other or work together towards a shared goal suitable for the people you support. This can be a great way to build camaraderie, competitiveness and promote physical activity.  

There are many available exercise classes that specialise in hosting for care services from ballet to yoga to tai chi and will often have a free trial for the first session. Even using a singer can encourage dancing from the people you support. Exercise class participation doesn’t have to include full body movement, smaller movements such as clapping and foot tapping all bring their own benefits.  

Walking groups are a simple and effective way to encourage moving more. Set up designated walking routes around the service or nearby community and invite the people you support to join in. Depending on the location of the walking route, perhaps set up a treasure hunt or nature spotting sheet to give the walk purpose. Walking groups can be a great opportunity to socialize, enjoy the outdoors and nature, and improve physical health. 

In addition to formal exercise, there are other activities and hobbies that encourage movement such as balloon tennis, gardening, giant parachute, hoopla or boules to encourage movement. These activities can promote movement and socialization while providing a fun and engaging way to stay active.  

Participating in Move More Month can have significant benefits for the people you support. By promoting physical activity and movement, care services can improve overall health and wellbeing, reduce the risk of injury, build a sense of community and camaraderie and have fun. By using digital care planning software such as Nourish, you are able to record a person’s likes and dislikes, mobility and log what activities they have engaged with including pictures. 

Download our latest monthly activity planner here and sign up to our newsletter to receive future activity planners here. 

To find out how Nourish can help you record and evidence activities in your care service, book a personalised demo today. 

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Music Therapy: the power of music in care

Oral Health Month

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Easter is here and bringing with it plenty of opportunities to make it memorable for the people you support.  

Decorating Easter bonnets does not have to be limited to the school classroom. Why not hold an Easter bonnet competition for the people you support. If you have a connection with a local school, you could host their Easter bonnet parade or invite a class of children to make bonnets with the people you support. This activity is both reminiscent of childhood pastimes and a booster of self-esteem, a stress reliever and just plain fun! Community connections are essential for those living in a care setting as it reduces social isolation and maintains interests and relationships with the wider community.  

Create centrepieces for Sunday lunch on Easter Sunday with the people you support by painting wooden, ceramic, or polystyrene eggs to sit in nests on the tables. Or arrange vases of daffodils with spring-coloured ribbons. You could even decorate the shared dining areas with bunting, cutlery, and placemats. This would be considered activities of daily living and goes a long way to promote independence and enjoyment, particularly for those who were keen homemakers.  

A tradition first started in 1898, sending Easter cards with messages of Christianity is still important to some members of the church. Sending a handmade card is an easy, simple way to make someone’s day and for some, a longstanding tradition they had perhaps lost. But the cards do not have to be religious, they can simply be messages of well wishing. 

Nest cakes and Easter biscuits are a traditional homemade treat alongside Easter eggs. As we come out of the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, activities involving food can be reintroduced into your care setting. However, if this still feels too soon or there are other challenges in traditional baking, there are alternatives to actual baking you can try. Decorating pre-made biscuits or cakes or decorating chocolate eggs with icing and melted chocolate are fun and delicious alternatives. This method is not only more COVID-friendly but also provides the opportunity for 1:1 attention. 

If any of the people you support follow Christianity, you could invite a local church to host an Easter service or visit a church for a service. Enabling the people you support to continue activities in the wider community that are important to them is integral to wellbeing. Ensure you cater to all religious holidays observed in April, including Passover for Jehovah’s Witnesses and Ramadan for Islam. 

If the people you support and your colleagues have children amongst their friends and family, why not host a family fun day. You could hold an Easter egg hunt, arts and crafts stations, an egg and spoon race and if the weather is nice, a BBQ or a picnic. Ensure you take lots of photos (with permission) and use the photos for reminiscence activities in the future. Facilitating and encouraging close relationships will not only benefit the people you support but their family and friends as well.  

Don’t forget to tag @NourishCare on social media if you use any of our activity ideas! 

To receive our monthly activities planner, sign up to our newsletter in the footer below.

Using music is a simple and yet incredibly powerful and effective tool which can be easily deployed and offers numerous benefits to those living in care services. 

Regardless of a diagnosis, listening to music releases endorphins which can reduce anxiety, depression and agitation and also improves attention and concentration, cognition, memory, speech and non-verbal communication skills. Music can be a great distraction and distress reducer. 

Music can be an easy way to get conversations started to increase social interaction. Finding the same love for an artist or genre can help start friendships and reduce social isolation. The beauty of music is that it allows individuals to bond over childhood memories of the songs that were sung to them by their parents and the songs they’ve gone on to sing to their own children and grandchildren.  

Music is a form of therapy regularly used by Speech and Language Therapists. For those who struggle with aphasia, a type of therapy called Melodic Intonation Therapy is sometimes used in sessions. Aphasia is when a person has difficulties with language or speech after experiencing an injury, such as a stroke, that has damaged the left side of the brain. Melodic Intonation Therapy engages the undamaged right side of the brain that is capable of language to improve speech and helps to improve language by using intonation.  

For those living with dementia, music can be an extremely powerful tool.  

Musical memory is stored in a different part of the brain and is a form of implicit memory. Implicit memory is part of our long-term memory, where skills are stored and remembered unconsciously. Explicit memory is the long-term memory where we have to consciously recall information such as a maths equation or a fact. For example, if you were to be asked to type a sentence, you would likely be able to type it without thinking but if you were asked to name five letters in the top row of a qwerty keyboard, it would be a harder task. The former comes under implicit memory while the latter is explicit memory.  

Because music falls into the implicit memory category and the part of the brain that stores musical memories isn’t affected until much later on in the disease, the ability to remember music often stays long after other aspects. Music has the ability to assist those with dementia in connecting with memories of the past but also helps to express feelings and ideas, encourage physical exercise, increase social interaction and even reduce distress.  

It is widely believed that hearing is the last sense to go at the end of life. Music has the ability to provide peace and comfort not only to the person at the end of their life but their family members. Studies show that music has the power to reduce anxiety, agitation and pain for the person at the end of their life, their family and the staff providing care.  

To ensure that end of life care continues to be person-centred, every Nourish care plan has a section on end of life to find out and record the person’s wishes and ensure the end of their life is as peaceful as possible.  

There are many resources available to enable listening to music in care services from Music 4 Dementia radio to classic radios or headphones for those who are hard of hearing. 

Using Nourish as your digital social care records platform means you are able to record any and all activities that take place with the people you support. You can record the people you support’s favourite songs and genre in Nourish. The Nourish app also includes a picture taking feature so you can visually document the activity as it happens. The Family Portal also allows family members of the people you are supporting to see what their loved one has been up to and what they’ve enjoyed doing.  

Find out why now is exactly the right time to make the switch– and it’s more than just the March 2025 digital deadline.

With the government set digital deadline of March 2025 now less than a year away, the deadline requires at least 80% of care providers to be using a digital platform for their care records, so now more than ever it is crucial to begin the switch to digital care planning.

For care providers still using paper-based care records, there is funding available to provide a helping hand with starting the journey to digital care records. Taking a care provider from paper to digital may seem a daunting and expensive task but with the ICS funding taking the brunt of the year one cost, there is no better time to make the switch to digital. The funding has been distributed to the 42 ICS’ across England for them to allocate the funding to adult social care providers to support them with adopting digital care records. CQC registered care providers can apply for grant funding from their local ICS which typically will pay for 50% of their annual licence fee for a DSCR. While there is no deadline for funding, there is a risk of the funding pot running out before every care provider has a chance to apply for funding, so now is the time for action. 

Nourish is a market leader for supporting services on their digital transformation journey. We have a dedicated ICS team that works with each funding ICS programme lead and we can help you to navigate the process of applying for NHSE ICS funding.

Continuing with paper care plans comes with risks. With paper care plans, paperwork can go missing meaning vital information about the people you support could be lost, reducing the effectiveness of the care they receive. Paper care plans also make sharing information among the care teams trickier and time consuming and can mean essential information can be missed if not handed over correctly and efficiently.

Using paper for care plans and to record care can make it more challenging to analyse the care delivered and spot trends in the behaviour or health of the people you support. With multiple staff members and records on paper, spotting a link in the notes is harder to do. By using digital, you are able to use the reporting and dashboard functionality and see trends in the care notes, enabling you and your care teams to take action.

CQC’s new strategy outlined in 2021 discusses the impact technology has on making rapid improvements in health and social care. The strategy lays out CQC’s plans to encourage innovation and a digital way of working throughout care services. As CQC and the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledge the impact technology has on care services and the outcomes of the people they support, there may come a time where not using digital may affect the CQC rating care services receive.

Using a digital care planning platform allows for more accurate on the go recording of care, transforming your care plans into detailed and accurate accounts of the care delivered to the people you support. Recording notes on the go saves time and ensures that every single member of the care team has the most up to date information in the palm of their hands.

If you have multiple locations across your care service, using a digital platform gives you a full overview of every single location in your service without having to visit each one. If the locations are based around the country, time is instantly saved. There are many more benefits of going digital which you can read about here.

In March, there a number of events across the country for care services to find out more about Nourish and why using a digital social care records platform is beneficial to your care delivery. Some events are ICS focused, for care services in specific areas to find out about what funding is available in their region. Other events are open to all care services in all areas to find out more about the benefits of using a digital social care records platform. Nourish will be attending the events listed below to give insight into relevant topics, demonstrations of our platform and answer any questions you may have about digital transformation. 

The Adult Social Care Transformation Fund is supporting the Government aim of having all (but at least 80%) of CQC registered adult social care providers to use digital care records by March 2024. Registered care providers are now able to apply for grant funding from their local Integrated Care System (ICS) which will pay for 50% of their annual license fee for a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR) system such as Nourish. Find out more about the funding here. 

On Wednesday 1st March at the Hilton Northampton, we will be attending the Northamptonshire Registered Managers Conference. 

The sold out conference for registered managers in Northamptonshire gives managers a chance to network with other managers and share knowledge. The conference includes sessions from PainChek, Gabriella O’Keefe (ICB) and more, as well as a panel discussion.  

The East Midlands “Connecting Together” Care Home Celebration Event aims to bring together care services in the East Midlands to celebrate the fantastic work and share valuable learning between peers.  

On Thursday 2nd March, we will be attending the event at the Trent Vineyard Conference Centre by The East Midlands Patient Safety Collaborative. If you’re attending, pop by the Nourish stand to find out about our digital social care records platform and how we can help you access funding. 

On Friday 3rd March, Bradford Care Association have organised an online webinar to enable care providers in Bradford to find out more about Assured Suppliers and how Nourish can support you in making the switch to digital care planning.  

You’ll be able to find out more about the funding and how you can digitalise your care records. Our team can show you our platform, discuss what going digital means and outline all the benefits that come with going digital.     

Find out more and sign up the webinar here. 

Join Nourish CEO Nuno Almeida, Oli Johnson from Sona and Geraint Thomas from Guided Innovation for an in-depth discussion on how technologies can support frontline teams to deliver the best care possible.  Technology is becoming increasingly present in care settings as providers digitise, but many are missing out on an opportunity to make care-focused staff a central part of that transformation. They will also explore the growing importance of employee empowerment in modern care delivery.    

Held on Thursday 9th March, this webinar is open to all care providers who are interested in finding out more about the impact of technology on frontline teams.  

Find out more and sign up for the webinar here. 

To give all care services in the Derbyshire more information about the funding available, Joined Up Care Derbyshire are hosting the event ‘Introduction to Digital Social Care – Drop In Event’ on Thursday 9th March, 10am – 2.30pm, at the Post Mill Centre, in South Normanton.   

You’ll be able to find out more about the funding and how you can digitalise your care records. We will also be exhibiting, and our team can show you our platform, discuss what going digital means and outline all the benefits that come with going digital.     

Find out more and sign up for the event here.

On Monday 13th & Tuesday 14th March, we will be attending the National Care Forum Managers Conference in the Leonardo Hotel Hinckley Island.  

Hosted by NCF and Skills for Care, and in collaboration with ARC England, this sold out conference champions and supports the crucial role of managers in adult social care. It will bring together managers from across the country to share knowledge, ask questions and network with colleagues. The programme includes a mix of main plenary sessions and practical workshops, as well as panel discussions where managers will hear from others in similar roles.    

Find out more about the event here.

On Thursday 16th March, we will be attending the Care England Conference, held in the Church House Conference Centre in Westminster London. 

The conference will be of interest to all residential and domiciliary care providers, especially owners, directors and senior managers who support older people and those with dementia, learning disabilities and long term conditions. Non-Care England members are also welcome.

Find out more and register for the conference here.

Held in the NEC Birmingham on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd March, UK Care Week aims to bring together the care community and address the biggest challenges facing the care sector today.  

Nourish will attending on Stand F52 to answer any and all questions about digital transformation and the NHSE funding available.  

Find out more and register for the event here. 

If you’re unable to attend any events or would like to know more how Nourish can benefit your care service, book your free personalised demo today!