Blog Post
Manager • 6 November 2020
Festive Fun & Lockdown Visits
Welcome to the Manager's Blog! This is the place where you can get updates and information about how everyone at Palm Court is doing, especially now that we are in a National Lockdown until 2nd December. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you also want to share any news.
What an incredible year it has already been - I cannot believe that Christmas is not so far away and there's nothing quite like a good old Halloween party to get into the festive spirit!
Even though it was a very different picture last year with friends and relatives dancing in between having some lovely food, this year's party was a lot of fun too - with an impressive spread for all the residents and staff.
A big thank you to our Activities Co-Ordinator Cheron (pictured right with Engagement Team Leader Roxana) for organising such a great party. Hope you all had a Happy Halloween and enjoyed Bonfire Night.
L-R: Roxana & Cheron, Party Food, Joyce, Halloween display, more food!
Now that we are in a National Lockdown and the UK Government has updated its guidance on visiting arrangements in care homes, we want to reassure you that we are working on a new Visiting Policy to make it possible for residents to safely receive visitors during this period of national restrictions and will be sending out details very soon about our new Visitor Pod and when we can start accepting bookings.
As you know, we made the decision to go into an early second Lockdown on 24th September as a precaution to safeguard the residents as we monitored updates on the rising COVID-19 cases in the UK.
My staff and I continue to do everything we can to protect our Well-Being Community of service users, taking guidance from DHSC, Public Health England, CQC newsletters & working closely with the local council.
The Home has also adopted QCS - Quality Compliance System to manage our policies and procedures, which also has a COVID-19 hub that ensures all our policies are kept up to date with current Government guidelines.
We are also using the QCS COVID-19 Visitor Tracker which asks visitors to complete an online questionnaire by scanning a QR Code using their mobile phones in order to determine if they are cleared to enter the premises.
For now, only GPs and other health professionals are required to use the tracker upon arrival. Once cleared to enter, visitors must wear full PPE and have their temperatures checked. All staff returning from being off-sick or on Annual Leave must use the QCS Covid-19 tracker.
Click here
to view just an example of the poster currently displayed on the front doors of the Main Entrance and Staff Entrance.
I am pleased to officially announce that Andy Norman has been appointed as our first Deputy Manager. Some of you may have already spoken to Andy and got to know him a little bit over the phone. Andy is a Registered Nurse with more than 35 years experience in the Healthcare Sector and also oversees Staff Training and Development at Palm Court.
Andy is also our Designated Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Lead to monitor the IPC measures in place in the home and to ensure any updates are communicated to all staff, carrying out any necessary mirco-training sessions. Andy is in charge of all the COVID-19 tests for staff (weekly) and residents (monthly), and has specialist training in administering flu vaccinations.
We continue to keep a relaxed and sociable atmosphere as much as possible, whilst observing 2m social distancing between residents. Our daily activities continue to take place indoors and during good weather, in the gardens and courtyard. Please feel free to suggest ideas or send any material that you think our residents will enjoy (that can be easily disinfected after use).
Please continue to book video calls via Zoom, FaceTime or What's App and we can arrange a quiet space in the home or in the rooms for the call.
It was also Enid's birthday on 30th October - she celebrated her 86th and was given a bouquet of flowers ..and a kiss from her husband Henry, who is also one of our residents here at Palm Court.
Since the start of the Pandemic until now, we have not had any symptoms, confirmed cases or deaths due to COVID-19. I am very proud of my team and the way they have worked and supported me - and each other.
I would like to thank my team and the Provider for coming together as one big family during these unprecedented times. If I am the Captain of the ship, then the staff are my sailors and I have full faith that we can weather any storm.
A big thank you to all the relatives who have been incredibly understanding and supportive – I am so aware that it is difficult not being able to spend time with your loved ones at Palm Court but rest assured - they are comfortable, safe and in good spirits and will hopefully be able to facilitate visits very soon.
Best wishes,
Shaina