Newsletter

Caremark (Slough & South Bucks)

April - June 2014


We are very proud to announce that following our recent inspection in January, we passed!! We are fully
compliant in all aspects of the Inspection:-
We met all the standards!!
Treating people with respect and involving them in their care.
Providing care, treatment and support that meet peoples needs
Caring for people safely and protecting them from harm.
Staffing
Quality and suitability of Management
The whole inspection report is on our Website, so please feel free to read what our Inspector thought of us!
I would like to say a big Thank You to those carers who spent a long time talking with the Inspector in the
office or over the phone! I know that she put you through your paces but you all did brilliantly!


CARER OF THE QUARTER
JANUARY MARCH 2014



We are very happy to announce that our first ever winner for our Carer of the Quarter is DOROTHY
BROUGHAM.
Dorothy has been working with us since May 2013 and works 4 evenings a week, including a permanent Sunday
from 5.00pm.
Dorothy already has a full time job that she manages and also commits to working with us in the evening.
Dorothys attendance record is fantastic and her sickness record is remarkable. Dorothy is 100% committed to
her clients, never lets us or her clients down is always happy and cheery. Her clients compliment her on her
work and carers enjoy working with her.
Dorothy commented I was very surprised to hear that I had won. Its so nice to feel appreciated as I only
work part-time. Ill have fun spending my vouchers!!
Many Congratulations to Dorothy who receives 50.00 of Marks and Spencers Vouchers.




As we all know, as carers, each day is different and we all face different challenges. No matter how
prepared we may think we are - nothing can prepare us for a natural disaster such as a FLOOD!!!!
Datchet was severely hit by flooding after the water rose by over half a metre in 24 hours, blocking
roads and train tracks. Much of the nearby village of Wraysbury was under water too.
We had to evacuate two of our clients and get them to safety with the assistance of the Fire Brigade.
Meanwhile, our Care Workers continued to do absolutely fantastic work under very difficult
conditions, sometimes it felt like mission impossible. But nothing could stop our courageous Care
Workers, it was a normal day for them, doing what they do best - delivering a first class service to their
clients at all hours of the day and night through horrific conditions.
One Care Worker explained When I initially saw the raised water on the Sunday before the floods got
really bad, I thought, its only a little water, I can drive through
that and laughed. It wasnt until that evening as the water rose
and roads started getting blocked, thats when reality set in. I felt
scared! It was the not knowing, what was lurking ahead. But soon,
that negative feeling turned into positivity (fight the fear and do
it anyway.) My focus was prioritising my clients, the most
vulnerable in the community.
With the support I received from my colleagues and management
I was able to battle the floods and reach my clients.
With much thanks and appreciation to Gurdip, Rosie, Ruby, Bex and Manju



How would you

How would you feel how g



May obtain ?


How would you feel if people were talking about you to strangers? How would you feel if people obtained
your private and personal information?
YOU WOULDNT BE HAPPY!! SO WHY DO IT TO OTHERS!!!
Confidentiality is not about keeping secrets. Its about protecting an individuals right to privacy. You may
obtain private, personal information from your clients, their relatives or agencies as part of your work role. As
Care Workers we have a duty of care to keep personal information about clients private. Only to share
information about a client with those who have a right to know or when a person has given their permission to
disclose information about them.
All Care Workers should be familiar with Caremarks confidentiality policy that sets out the rules and
procedures on sharing information. All information relating to confidentiality is in the Caremark handbook.
You should take some time out to read this and make sure that you follow and practice the policy.
PLEASE DO NOT GOSSIP ABOUT CLIENTS TO OTHERS












Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175c/350f. Grease a tube
pan well. In a large mixing bowl, mix together
sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs and beat
thoroughly for a few minutes. Sift together
the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt and
add to the sugar mix. Pour the batter into the
tube pan and bake for approx 55 minutes,
check the cake is baked thoroughly you may
want to use a toothpick to check. Let cool and
frost with desired amount of cream cheese
frosting.
Thank you Maria Coutinho for the recipe!!!!

Ingredients
2 cup of flour
cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
4 eggs beaten at room temp
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cups of corn or
sunflower oil
Frosting:
1 Package
cream cheese
(room temp)
2 cups
confectioners
sugar
1 tsp vanilla


Johns is 84 and has Alzheimers which has progressed, he also had a stroke which affected his speech.
John became more and more locked into his own world. He lacked motivation, withdrew into himself, his
desire and ability to hold conversations and communicate stopped.
But all changed when his wife introduced him to a local sing song group, singing has unlocked Johns
communication block. Johns personality started to change, he became much as he was before. He is able to
hold conversations and is slowly able to learn things again. The singing has helped his slurred speech recovery
following his stroke.
Singing for the brain is a music programme for people with Dementia and their carers. People seem to enjoy
doing something jointly with other people and there is a lot of evidence that being socially engaged is good for
people with Dementia. Part of the brain that works with speech is different to the part that processes music,
allowing those who had lost their speech to still enjoy music.
Check out the online video for Singing for the brain at The Alzheimers Society.

Carer of the Quarter!!!



Who would you nominate as
Carer of the Quarter?
Complete the attached
nomination form. Post the
completed form into the
nomination box located in the
office.
NO LATER THAN
16
th
June 2014.




At Caremark we pride ourselves
on the quality of free on-going
training provided to all our
staff.
Please contact the office for
information on training to
enhance your potential!!!!
















Telephone Number: 01753 201 116
Email address: slough@caremark.co.uk
Web address: www. caremark.co.uk


Hopefully, you all enjoyed reading
the first issue of our Caremark
Newsletter sent out in January.
Thank you to the carers that have
made a contribution to this edition.
It would be great if you could make
any new contributions, as this is
your newsletter!!! Any suggestions
of things you would like as a regular
feature or any stories are always
welcomed and appreciated.


We are pleased to
confirm that we will be
holding Quarterly Team
Meetings.
The next one is in July.
There will always be an
agenda, which will follow
prior to the meeting.
You may want to speak
to your supervisor prior
to the meetings if you
would like to discuss
anything in particular.
Please refrain from using
names during the
meeting due to
confidentiality.

Caremark (Slough & South Bucks)
Address: Unit G1, Ground Floor,
Fairacres House, Dedworth Road,
Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 4LE

Telephone Number: 01753 201 116
Email address: slough@caremark.co.uk
Web address: www. caremark.co.uk

Mrs I M Windsor
Mrs E Richardson Windsor



Rebecca Bancroft
Debra Reeves

Karen Braggins

Maria Coutinho
Joanna Piskorska