Social media strategy – How to

Social media is important, especially within social care where good care neews appears to be in short supply.  Successful marketing types get it.  Just look at the great campaigns out there at the moment.  One of my favorites is the Jewish Care – Pearls of wisdom campaign they have launched via Youtube ( you can see it here http://youtu.be/Wxjn5gXcZN8).  There are plenty of articles and research that detail how important social media is and many others talking about how unprepared a lot of business’s are to handle it.  However, few articles focus on the gap – the space between knowing social media is important and being able to successfully leverage it.  The best and worst thing about social media, its easy.  Anyone can pick it up and have a go.  If you do, make sure you do it properly.  It can be a great way to increase the community awareness of your care provision and to generate valuable feedback in reference to your offering.

It is important that when we look at any of these technologies that we do so with an open mind and pay particular attention to the basics.  Before social media popped up, we had real 1-to-1 conversations and afterwards it’s just 1-to-many. So…  let’s just look at it as another tool to communicate with our audience, not a silver bullet, and manage it in a similar way that we would the rest of the tools in our arsenal.”  For providers of social care to effectively use social media they need to follow some key steps to build a successful formula to follow.

Steps to Building a Social Media Strategy

  1. Start with the end in mind and define the objectives/goals/target: What are the business objectives and what role does social media play in helping accomplish those goals? Once defined, what are the specific objectives and goals for the social media program? Do you want to increase your reputation? is it occupancy growth? In addition, how do you measure the impact the social media program has on leads and revenue?
  2. Define the Social Media Strategy:  Given the now clearly defined target and the goals, what choices will you make regarding the channels, content, and categories you will focus on?  What will be the balance between original content and curated content selected from other sources?   The categories you have chosen provide the goalpost for the content you will create or source.  As an example: A care operator could target the local community and social groups and decide to focus on two of the biggest channels (Twitter, Facebook) with 50% original content and 50% curated content in a number of categories (Community Leaders, Gardening Trends, Local Schools, Community Care Support, and Social Care Advice).
  3. Develop your Content Plan: Now that you have the strategic plan framed up, determine the specific tactics regarding the content.  How many messages will you send per channel per day?  What time of the day will you send them and how are these day parts broken down?  What is the frequency per category?  What is the mix between curated and original content?  How does an organisation develop original content that can interest an audience?

    “One best practice is to develop an editorial calendar weeks or even months in advance that coincides with important corporate events,”

  4. Execute it: Who will lead and who will participate in the implementation?  Do you staff it with your own team internally or outsource it?  What is the tone and voice of the campaign?  How can you humanise the message and your provision as the messenger?
  5. Measure and Enhance:  There are several articles out there dedicated to the topic of measurement.  Essentially, the closer you link intermediate metrics (e.g. postings, linkedin groups, retweets, etc.) to top and bottom line measures (revenue and profit), the better the metrics. This is of course quite difficult from a  social care perspective, however, there are four broad categories of behavior that you can measure:
  •     Activity – i.e. the number of posts by channel and by category (i.e facebook/community advice)
  •     Engagement – i.e. the ability of the activity to get followers engaged (likes, comments, retweets)
  •     Conversion – i.e. driving traffic to the website, generating leads (look at your websites analytics)
  •     Performance – i.e. increase in enquiries

Once you determine how the program is performing, you can tinker and improve it.  The challenges that a lot of media marketeers struggle with include aligning social media programs with the broader business strategies, developing the content, and monitoring / measuring performance.  This doesn’t seem unique at all.  These challenges are similar to the challenges that marketing pioneers faced during the early years of TV.  This is of course the whole point “Understand the nuanced difference, advantages and weaknesses of social media and then approach it from a strategic perspective the same way you would other tools. There are clear differences that will need to be considered but at a strategic level, it’s simply one more tool for you to use to shout about what you do and how good you are at doing it, but as a two way conversation.”

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Free CQC Provider Compliance Assessment Online Toolkit

Imagine being able to collate and manage all of the required CQC Provider Compliance Assessments in one easy to use and accessible location.  Currently you do this by downloading various word docs from the CQC website and storing them locally, i knew there had to be a better way.

PCA ImageI wanted to develop a PCA Toolkit for our Care Management Software platform Coolcare3.  As it is only one tiny part of what Coolcare3 is capable of, and after seeing so many PCA Toolkit products for sale at crazy prices, I approached the Chairman with my idea and we decided to begin a community interest product in the form of a completely free online CQC Provider Compliance Assessment platform.

The platform allows any provider who finds themselves with the un-yeilding desire to complete one of the Care Quality Commissions Provider Compliance Assessments, the chance to do so completely free online.  This community interest project aims to give a little back to the sector that we earn our collective livings from.  Alongside the Essential Standards and the CQC’s very good online resources and with support from ECCA, Ceretas, Ideal Care Homes and Huddersfield University, I was in a fortunate position to have a huge amount of knowledge at my disposal.

So what is it all about?  For those with short attention spans just click here:  www.cqccompliance.org and the rest should be pretty straight forward.  For the rest of my discerning readers, I shall attempt to explain further to you both.

If you are unsure what a CQC PCA is then have no fear!  You have landed on the wrong page, simply go back to Google and retype your search phrase correctly, or you can click this link; Guidance on the PCA for providers

The aim of the CQC Provider Compliance Assessment Toolkit is to allow a provider of services to go through their chosen outcome from the list of all 16 key essential standards, and enter relevant evidence or action plans where required.  Once finished, the outcome is stored under your login for later access (and archived if updated with a newer version) and available to email or print in readiness for an inspection, internal provision improvement or to send to the CQC as required.

The idea is simple, if you are in a position to explain to a visiting inspector that you have found something in your provision you feel is a Red Flag and that you have identified it, got it down to a Yellow Flag and even better, pending the completion of your Action Plan a Green Flag!  Then you have a lot more chance of gaining support from the inspector as well as being able to improve the quality of care you offer to those under your care whilst at the same time being able to confidently show the various steps you took to achieve the result.

How does it work:

It is very simple really, you click register on the portals homepage and fill in the relevant information about yourselves and click register.  Once you have registered you can log in add your provider details and carryout your own PCA from the list of the 16 key outcomes and the other 12 outcomes, it is pertinent to note that its extremely unlikely an inspector would ask for your PCA for Outcome 27- Regulation 14: Notifications: notice of absence but we have added all of the outcomes so that you as a CQC Regulated provider can implement a process of continual improvement by using these as the foundation.

On logging in you will very quickly gauge the  measure of the portal, its simplicity is apparent by the three buttons:

  • Complete an Outcome
  • My PCA
  • My Details

 

To carryout a free online CQC Provider Compliance Assessment you click on the button “Complete an Outcome”.  This then presents you with a drop down list of your facility or facilities to choose from and then another drop down list of the 16 Key outcomes and 12 other outcomes for you to choose the relevant one to carryout.  Once the Key Outcome has been selected, simply click begin to carryout the assessment.

The system allows you to supply the evidence to meet the relevant outcome selected, and should you feel you are anything other than green, then the system will make you carryout an action plan to ensure you get back on track.

You can save your progress at any time and come back later or click the next button and carry on through your chosen outcome.  When you finish, the system will collate all your work and generate a PDF for you to keep for your own records or send to the CQC.

It is worthy of note that at any time you can click on the My PCA button and edit any of your Outcomes whether complete or only partially complete.  You will also find all the various revisions of your differing CQC PCA’s here for review.

Now, no system is able to fix a fundamentally flawed operational/management practice, but for those of you who are on the ball, it can greatly help you to analyse your competency when compared to the 16 Key Outcomes & justify the effort you take in providing a quality service to the CQC as and when required.

The overall progress graph allows you immediately to see the facilities compliance level based on the evidence you have provided.  Bare in mind that an inspector may have very different views to you so you are not necessary predicting what they would find.  The idea is you can use the CQC Compliance portal as a basis for continual improvement.   At the very least you can approach your own “fake” (for want of a better word), inspection with honesty and clarity and with out the pressure of the CQC awaiting your Outcome PCA.

–> incoming advert alert!  This free portal is based on a tiny part of the Coolcare Care Management Software platform and when combined with the rest of the suite can add real value to the efficient operation of a residential care facility.  Naturally this toolkit can be used by many providers and not just those targeted by LNT Software so I hope you get your sleeves rolled up and dive straight in.

As always, I greatly appreciate any constructive feedback from you so please let me know your thoughts on the CQC PCA Online Toolkit and what we can do to improve it by dropping me a line on 0113 385 3853.

Tony

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The piracy of politics

The potential for a website that is akin to Trip Advisor for use within the social care arena has sparked numerous debates across the country.  This is not so much to discuss that, but rather to review an independent company that has setup one such service.  The Goodcareguide.co.uk (or GCG) is a website that allows a member of the public to register an account and leave feedback about a service they or a member of their family have used, primarily based around the following services:

  • Care Homes
  • Home Care
  • Nursery & Group Childcare
  • Nanny  & Childcare Agencies

The owners (My Family Care Ltd) are well versed in this type of directory with past successes including myfamilycare and the rather clever emergencychildcare both are online tools that aim to alleviate the strain of care in one way or another.

It is extremely simple to go to the site and find a service near you and view the Trip Advisor style rating.  As the site is new it will be a while before a lot of the services are rated of course however the team at GCG do provide a link through to the CQC’s latest online inspection report, which is a nice little touch.  Please remember there are a lot more people out there that like to moan rather than praise and like Trip Advisor, always use these services as a starting point for research rather than an ultimate decision maker.  It is generally much easier for example, to go to a care home for a walk around and get your own opinion than it is to nip off to Crete to check if the hotel is good before your holiday!

Registration

Having set myself up like any member of the public would (as a reviewer of a service). The following has been quickly fixed by the sites development team now so i have struck it out: I did come across one worrying issue that is common on a new website setup that I am sure will be resolved.  When one registers they populate a host of personal data about themselves.  Naturally the GCG want to protect your confidential information so this is encrypted using a secure certificate (also known as an SSL Certificate).  This is what provides the padlock in your browser when, for example, you make an online purchase or log in to your online banking.  The issue I found when I was registering and logging in to the site was that the security certificate did not match the site it was for?  My browser brought up these security warnings.

I am sure this will be resolved when the site is finished and for me as a techie can see why they would appear given the amount if little gremlins that appear when putting these things live.  This could be unsettling for an inexperienced internet browser though and hopefully will get resolved soon.

The registration was simple – just fill in a form and tick the usage and privacy policy boxes.  The system sends you a confirmation email which you must action and that’s it you are registered.

On logging in the site allows you to search for the service you have in mind and very quickly shows you the information for that home in a very clear format.

 

 

I am keen to see just how easy it is to review a service (either positively or negatively) and the processes in place for quality control so will have a go at reviewing a care home i know quite well.

The process is easy its very point and click, write a little about your experience and select how many stars you wish to apply to the review.  There is a tick box at the bottom you have to click to ensure you are not just posting willy nilly:

I confirm this is an honest review and I agree with the terms & conditions as well as the privacy policy

And that is it, my review is now live immediately for the world to view. It is shown on the homepage  under the Latest Posts section and updated if you were to browse that home as well.

Incidentally as this was a fake review I have now deleted it although curiously it has not removed the rating which has stayed at 5 Stars – some free bonus info for all operators until it is fixed there!

From the view of a service provider!

Having looked at the site from the view of a member of the public I am keen to now do so as if I were an provider.  Again very simple to do, and this time when i click on the signup button the security certificate works, but now i find a darker side to the site.

 

Care providers can subscribe to Good Care Guide to enhance their basic listing. An annual subscription fee of £60 (ie just £5 a month) provides the following benefits to care providers:

  • You can build your profile on the site by adding key information, photographs and logo, and thereby attract more users
  • You will get an immediate e-alert to reviews of your service
  • You can respond to comments about your service
  • You can have disputed comments removed while they are investigated
  • You can promote Good Care Guide to your users to attract more comments

So to clarify, i can log in and write a comment praising or disparaging a service for free.  But as an operator I have to pay £5 a month per home for the privilege of responding to a comment.  This to me is little more than Piracy.

Summary

I love the idea of the site, I love the simple execution albeit a few areas need tidying/securing.  But to basically strong arm a provider into paying to respond to potential negative comments or at worse slander!  With the only protection being a tickbox stating you agree to a policy – that i do not like.  I registered with a hotmail address and ticked away – there would be no accountability for me if i logged in from multiple fake addresses and said disparaging things about my competition in the area.  Yes I have chosen the negative view but in an already financially squeezed sector I feel you have to look at it from all sides.

Good providers do have nothing to fear from guides like this, but that’s an opinion based on living in nirvana. Ultimately I think it is a shame this was not done as maybe community interest project or something similar that allows providers the openness and freedom of the reviewers.  I hope as the service grows the GCG consider this as an option.  For me the public have clearly been asking for this type of service – its how we execute it to be fair on both sides that has now become an issue.

 

After posting this article I was quite impressed by the creators of the site (Sapnagroup) as they very very quickly sent me this message and fixed the security issue on the behalf of their client the GCG:

We are the developers of the Good Care Guide. Thanks for pointing out the problem with the SSL certificate on your blog. An SSL certificate can only be set up for one domain, in our case http://www.goodcareguide.co.uk. You accessed the website on http://goodcareguide.co.uk (without the www.) and this lead to the error. We should have set up a redirect for http://goodcareguide.co.uk to http://www.goodcareguide.co.uk to avoid this kind of error message but missed it. We do apologise to any users who came across the issues. This has now been fixed.

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Person Centered Care = VIPS

It is said that there is no such thing as a free lunch, well maybe there is?   Person Centred Care (PCC) sees service users as equal partners in planning, developing and assessing care to make sure it is most appropriate for their needs.  It involves putting service users and their families at the heart of all decisions.

The term ‘person centered care’ has been widely used, misused and for me particularly, ill defined.  It is used frequently in the aims and objectives for adult social care services and provision, although in practice what lies behind the rhetoric can be questionable.

The work of Professor Dawn Brooker who heads up the Association for Dementia Studies at Worcester University helps clarify this and much more.  Professor Brooker has been working with a Community Interest Company (equip 4 change) that has received funding from the NHS West Midlands to take the chrysalis of Professor Brooker’s work, a work which clearly defines the essential elements of person centered care (VIPS) and has successfully turned it into an online medium that anyone can use to reflect on and improve the way they not only look at, but look after those with dementia.

Before I continue to review this new service, it is pertinent to explain some of the details.  Professor Dawn Brooker explains the four key elements of Person Centred Care that comprise the VIPS model:

PCC = V + I + P + S
Where
V = Values people
I = Treat people as Individuals
P = Perspective of service user
S = Supportive social psychology

To explain it is easier to directly quote Professor Brooker’s book; “This equation does not give pre-eminence of any element over another – they are all contributory.  Of course, the acronym VIPS also stands for Very Important Person which is an easier way of defining the outcome of Person Centered Care for people with dementia”.

With an emphasis on practical application, Person Centred Dementia Care provides care organisations with clear, accessible guidelines on how to put the VIPS model into operation for effective care that is `fit for VIPs’.  In Professor Brookers book, Part 2 of the book comprises the VIPS organisational reflection tool, which care providers can use to assess how well they think they are doing at providing person centred care.  This toolkit has now been translated for online use.  The book however should be essential reading for practitioners working with people with dementia at all levels.

Those of you that know me will be aware that I do not and never have worked with anyone suffering with dementia.  My role puts me in front of care home operators and I help them achieve efficiency through best practice in the use of Care Software.  Being able to see the link from the work of academia and linking it to practical use in industry is where my skills lay, why then have I reviewed this toolkit – because it is a simply brilliant translation of someones work into a useful and publicly accessible tool that I feel everyone should know about.  If one operator carried out one simple assessment and honestly thought what they could do to make things better, well that for me is job done.

As mentioned above the website http://carefitforvips.co.uk embodies the work of Professor Dawn Brooker’s VIPS framework.  On opening the site you very quickly understand what the site is for and its design makes it extremely easy to navigate.

The good stuff however, comes when you register and log in.  Now you get quick and simple access to carryout any assessment in the VIPS arsenal.

The idea is that you take the time to truly reflect on how you operate and care for those residents suffering with dementia.  Once you have completed any of the assessments and evaluated yourself, you have the opportunity to then begin an Improvement Cycle.

The Improvement Cycle follows the again simple “Plan -> Do -> Study -> Act ” methodology.  Based on your answer, the  Outcomes to Assess show in darker shades indicating that you Strongly Agree with a statement (all good) or a paler shade as you slide down the scale and Strongly disagree (maybe take some further time to relect on how you could improve).

As most of you reading this will be a lot more qualified in Dementia practice than me, I will not go into the many facets of the assessments as you will find them self explanatory.  Professor Brooker’s publication has made us as a software house really look at the other research based tools we automatically add into our care management suite, and this has now become part of that range.  You will note that the site is still in Beta stage, I am assured all you’re assessments will be kept as they transition into the finished article, which is anytime soon.  Register yourself on the site and give your constructive feedback.

Considering this is totally FREE! I may be being unduly harsh here.  There are a few things I can say about this fantastic tool – yes it is a great transition from Dawns work into this web based platform but it is missing some fundamentals:

  1. Once you have done an assessment and carried out your plan, there is no guidance as to what you could possibly do to improve. That said under every assessment there are resources that would help you investigate further (YouTube clips & relevant publications etc).
  2. The differing assessments are not currently archived as you create a new one (meaning you cannot look back as you progress).
  3. Not really fundamental but you cannot cross compare/analyse how differing people in the same organisation assess the same elements.  For me this would be a great way of looking at all my colleague’s assessments and discussing the differences.

The points above have been fed back to the team at Equip 4 Change, the Community Interest Company who put this together, unfortunately they have now depleted their funding to take the project even further, so if you know of anyone who can help grow this project do get in touch with them.

As a completely free resource for operators who specialise in Dementia Care it is a fantastic tool to put into action the ethos of Person Centered Care in utilising the clarity of the VIPS system.  It gives operators the opportunity to truly reflect on the care they give.  I believe it has the potential to really grow and become a great asset to the social care industry.

Further Reading:

Professor Dawn Brooker’s book is available on Amazon and is an excellent resource to have alongside anyone’s own VIPS system whether paper based or using the tool described above.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Person-Centred-Dementia-Care-Services

I also found this old presentation from the Professors days at Bradford University that some may find interesting.

What is Person Centred Care for people living with dementia?

As always every day is a school day so please let me have your feedback.

If you wish to learn more about Professor Dawn Brooker and the work of the Association for Dementia Studies please look here:

http://ihsc.worc.ac.uk/dementia/dawn.html

 

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Assistive technology – devices to help with everyday living

Its not often that i find an article that I would report on my own Blog, however I came across this factsheet on the http://alzheimers.org.uk website.  Dementia makes day-to-day life more difficult. Little things like mislaying keys, forgetting to turn off the taps or leaving the gas unlit can prove frustrating or even create hazards. This factsheet looks at technological developments that can help make life easier for people with dementia and their carers in certain situations. It also suggests the steps to take if you think that you, or someone you are caring for, could benefit from some of these devices.

What is assistive technology?

The term ‘assistive technology’ refers to ‘any device or system that allows an individual to perform a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increases the ease and safety with which the task can be performed’ (Royal Commission on Long Term Care, 1999). This includes equipment and devices to help people who have problems with:

  • speaking
  • hearing
  • eyesight
  • moving about
  • getting out and about
  • memory
  • cognition (thought processes and understanding)
  • daily living activities, such as dressing and preparing meals
  • socialising.

Assistive technology ranges from very simple tools, such as calendar clocks and touch lamps, to high-tech solutions such as satellite navigation systems to help find someone who has gone missing.

What are the benefits?

Assistive technology can:

  • promote independence and autonomy, both for the person with dementia and those around them
  • help manage potential risks in and around the home
  • reduce early entry into care homes and hospitals
  • facilitate memory and recall
  • reduce the stress on carers, improving their quality of life, and that of the person with dementia.

What technology is available?

There are many different technologies that can be adapted to the needs of someone with dementia. This factsheet mostly focuses on electronic devices but simpler equipment, such as tap turners, are also assistive technology devices.

Memory aids

  • Reminder messages − when a person enters or leaves their home, a personal voice prompt recording can remind them to pick up their keys or lock the front door, for example. The messages can be recorded so that the voice is of someone they know, such as a family member. Messages can also be recorded to remind the person of their daily appointments, to tell them not to go out at night, or to provide reassurance, such as ‘Go back to bed, Mum − it’s night time.’ Door reminders can remind people not to trust bogus callers. This can be useful as people with dementia can be vulnerable to burglary.
  • Clocks and calendars − automatic calendar clocks can be helpful for people who forget which day it is. Try to find one that shows the date and day of the week too. Clocks that show whether it is evening or morning can help prevent disorientation, particularly in the light summer evenings.
  • Medication aids − Dossette boxes are simple boxes for pills, with compartments for particular days of the week and times of day. They help people remember to take their medication at the right time. Simple versions are available from the local chemist. Automatic pill dispensers are also available. When the medication needs to be taken, the dispenser beeps and a small opening allows access to the particular pill at the right time.
  • Locator devices − these devices can be attached with a key ring or Velcro to items that are often mislaid. If a person wants to find a particular item, they press a colour-coded button on a radio transmitter and the device with the corresponding colour will beep until the item is picked up. (The only snag is that the transmitter itself may be mislaid, however fixing it to the wall or keeping it in a particular place should help to prevent this from happening.)
  • Aids for reminiscence and leisure − multimedia software is available to evoke memories and stimulate conversation, by showing photographs or films about how life used to be, and playing music that is familiar to the person. Talking photo albums (where a message can be recorded for each photograph) can also be useful reminiscence aids.

Telecare

The name ‘telecare’ refers to devices that continuously, automatically and remotely monitor real-time emergencies and lifestyle changes over time to manage the risks associated with living alone. Sensors around the home can be linked via a telephone line to a nominated person or call centre. The system monitors a person’s activities and, if a problem occurs, triggers an alarm to a relative, keyholder or call centre. Sensors can be used to detect a range of situations that could indicate a potential hazard, including:

  • Floods − sensors can be fitted on skirting boards or floors in the kitchen or bathroom. If the taps have been left running and cause a flood, the system will shut off the water and raise the alarm. Specially designed plugs can also be used to prevent floods from taps that have been left running.
  • Extreme temperatures − sensors will send a warning signal if the temperature is very low, very high, or if there is a rapid rise in temperature. This can be useful in the kitchen, for example to detect a pan that has boiled dry, and can also detect if the temperature in a room is low enough to pose a risk of hypothermia.
  • Gas − sensors detect if someone forgets to turn the gas off, and a device will automatically shut off the gas and raise the alarm.
  • Falls − sensors worn on the hip can detect the impact of a person falling.
  • Absence from a bed or chair − if a person gets up and doesn’t return within a pre-set time, or if they don’t get up in the morning, a bed or chair occupancy system can raise an alarm.
  • Getting up in the night − bed occupancy sensors or pressure-mat sensors placed by the bed can be used to activate an alarm when the person gets up in the night, to alert someone to help them get to the toilet. Similarly, lights with movement sensors can be fitted to switch on if a person gets out of bed or enters a room.
  • Leaving the home − the system may be set up to trigger a response if the front door is opened, perhaps during specified times − for example, at night, or if a person does not return within a specified time. Door systems such as these use passive infra-red (PIR) or door contacts, and can help to reduce risk and retain the person’s independence.

AT Dementia is an organisation that provides information about telecare support and also produces a self-assessment guide that can help people identify which assistive technologies may be of use to them (see ‘Useful organisations’ section below).

Devices to enable safer walking

Tracking devices use satellite technology to help trace someone who has gone missing. A person’s location can be viewed on a computer or mobile phone. Most devices have the facility for the person carrying the device to press a panic button if they get lost. A mobile phone with location finder technology could also be considered instead of a stand-alone tracking device. When purchasing a device to enable safer walking it is important to consider how reliable it is, for example whether it works when the person is indoors, and how often the device will need charging.

Research suggests that tracking devices give both people with dementia and carers an enhanced sense of independence and help carers feel more reassured.

As with other technologies, there are ethical issues to consider if a person is unable to give their informed consent to carrying (or wearing) this sort of device. For more discussion of these issues, see Alzheimer’s Society’s position statement on Safer walking technology.

Other things to consider are what items the person should carry with them in case they get lost − for example, personal information and contact details of someone who can help them.

Devices to oversee daily activity

It is possible to install sensors to monitor a person’s activity in their own home over a period of time. This can sometimes help relatives or community services get a better idea of a person’s activity during the day and night. A system such as this can allay fears that the person with dementia is not coping well, and may help those around them to step back and not take over unless it is absolutely necessary.

Other aids

Other problems associated with dementia include mobility problems, incontinence and difficulties with sight or hearing. For information about mobility aids, continence devices and pressure relief mattresses, see our factsheet on Equipment to help with disability (429).

Finding the right solution

People react differently to different products. For example, one person might find it helpful to have a recorded message that plays when they open the front door, reminding them to take their keys, while another person might find this confusing. Some people may also be wary of trying new things or find it difficult to learn new skills. Choosing the right device is therefore not always an easy task. If an assessment is carried out it must be detailed and person-centred so that the solution will suit the individual and their situation. It is also important to emphasise that assistive technology can be effective only when combined with good care.

Many devices can be bought independently, but before doing so it is advisable to contact the person’s occupational therapist or GP, or the local authority social services department. Even if they can’t offer the products, the person with dementia may be eligible for a proper assessment, help in finding the best product or financial assistance.

Alzheimer’s Society sells a range of assistive technology products through our online shop at alzheimers.org.uk/shop

Helpful tips

  • Aim to find solutions that can be integrated into the person’s normal routine with minimum disruption.
  • Involve the person in decisions about which product or solution to use, and take their opinions on board.
  • There is a higher chance of success if you can introduce assistive technology when the dementia is still at an early stage, so that the person can gradually get used to the new way of doing things.
  • Simple ideas such as a diary or noticeboard can provide a reminder of appointments, important phone numbers and things to do.
  • Deciding on a permanent place to keep important items such as keys and labelling cupboards or rooms may help the person with dementia to remember where things are.

Ethical considerations

Technologies should enhance and enable independence but they do have the potential to produce less positive outcomes. For example, if a device is misused it may replace human contact with the person with dementia, or restrict rather than enhance their freedom of movement. Some people might even find that the very presence of the equipment reminds them about their memory problems, which can cause distress.

Importantly, no one should be forced into using technology if it is not right for them. The person with dementia must be involved in the decision making and their consent sought and given, where possible.

Where this is not possible, it is vital that people making the decisions have the person’s best interests at heart. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) provides a legal framework to support decision-making in cases where a person does not have the capacity to make their own informed decisions (see factsheet 460, Mental Capacity Act 2005).

For details of Alzheimer’s Society services in your area, visit alzheimers.org.uk/localinfo
For information about a wide range of dementia-related topics, visit alzheimers.org.uk/factsheets

Useful organisations

Assist UK

1 Portland Street
Manchester M1 3BE
T 0161 238 8776
E general.info@assist-uk.org
W www.assist-uk.org

Provides a network of centres throughout the UK that aim to improve disabled and older people’s access, reliable information and advice about products, and equipment for easier living.

AT Dementia

Trent Dementia Services Development Centre
9 Newarke Street
Leicester LE1 5SN
T 0116 257 5017
E info@trentdsdc.org.uk
W www.atdementia.org.uk

A web-based information resource on assistive technologies (including telecare) for people with dementia. In addition to general information the website contains a database of products that may be appropriate for people with dementia.

Disabled Living Foundation

380-384 Harrow Road
London W9 2HU
T 0845 130 9177 (helpline 10am-4pm weekdays)
E info@dlf.org.uk
W www.dlf.org.uk

Charity that provides information about finding simple solutions, such as mobility aids.

Foundation for Assistive Technology (FAST)

302 Tower Bridge Business Centre
46-48 East Smithfield
London E1W 1AW
T 0300 330 1430
E info@fastuk.org
W www.fastuk.org

Charity that works with the assistive technology community to get well-designed, useful inventions on to the market faster. Provides an online database of assistive technology research, events and contacts.

ThisCaringHome.org

W www.thiscaringhome.org

US-based website with extensive advice on home safety and technology used to support people living with dementia at home.

Reference

Royal Commission on Long Term Care (1999) With respect to old age: long term care − rights and responsibilities. London: The Stationery Office.

Factsheet 437

Last reviewed: August 2011
Next review due: August 2013

Reviewed by: Professor Gail Mountain, Professor of Health Services Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield and Mr Stephen Wey, Senior Lecturer, York St John University, York.

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The CQC website – A quick review

Having been asked to write a review on the new CQC website, here you will find my thoughts as I guide you through the steps I undertook.  The article has been written in a “take you through it” style and as a colleague pointed out, if I had more time I could have written less.

In order to simplify both the public and providers access to information the CQC (Care Quality Commision) have spent £200k plus on redeveloping their website located at http://www.cqc.org.uk.  Not totally sure the cost is relevant but lets take a look.  At first glance you can quickly identify the area you wish to look at thanks to 5 well placed tabs.  For the purpose of this exercise we shall concentrate on the Care homes sector.

There is a lot of space wasted at the top of the page with three information bars above a huge banner.  I can understand the large navigation bar however as space is a premium more could have been done to make it even simpler to navigate – lots of scrolling up and down required.

 

To assess the site lets set a few criteria to search on:

  1. Find information about a care home we are looking to use for Mum
  2. Make a complaint or whistle blow
  3. Rate a care home
  4. Make a suggestion for improvement
  5. Find a downloadable document to browse at our leisure – lets choose the “Provider Compliance Assessment” to search for.

So I think you will agree there is nothing that should be too hard there.  Our journey begins.

1.  Find information about a care home we are looking to use for Mum

Let’s find information about a care home with nursing in the town of Weymouth in Dorset.  From the home page, lets select the “care homes” button and instantly we are presented with a search box.  In here we put in the town of Weymouth and click search.

We quickly found the home on the first page.  Thumbs up CQC.  You can immediately see 3 ticks representing minimum compliance and 2 crosses where improvements are required (there is no other type of compliance – a home simply complies or not) .

The standard 5 areas assessed for compliance are:

  1. Standards of treating people with respect and involving them in their care
  2. Standards of providing care, treatment & support which meets people’s needs
  3. Standards of caring for people safely & protecting them from harm 
  4. Standards of staffing 
  5. Standards of management

These improvements will be of varying degrees of seriousness and the CQC can act accordingly, if a home is non compliant it is within the powers of the CQC to let them correct the areas whilst still operating if they are deemed not serious enough for closure.  It is good to see straight away that the home we had in mind for dear old Mum is now questionable.  Even more so as the improvements required for compliance are stated to be from the last inspection in May 2011 – the crosses though have instantly made me concerned about placing a loved one here for care.

If we click on the home name we are taken further into the site.  Interestingly we can now expand the areas that have the crosses and ticks against them.  Looking at the list we can now see 6 standards – one new one has appeared that was not on the previous page?  we can drill down on the two black crosses and read about the failings in these areas.  And there is a useful key at the bottom now that explains further what the symbols mean.  Two crosses – so the black cross is the ‘not so bad but enough to turn me off using the home’ – the red ones are ‘the ones to keep an eye on’!

Now we are still interested in this sixth tick, again, why is it not on the previous page? – let’s expand it and see what information we have here –

6.    Additional standards of management

Now we can see that the home is under the control of an acting manager, and that the acting manager in NOT registered with the CQC.  Outcome 24 has surprisingly been met despite this and the CQC do not find this an area for concern so the standard is presented a green tick.

Now we are going to look at the further information available to us about this standard.  We can clearly see the link “See our inspector’s full report about this standard from 19th May 2011” lets click it and see where it takes us.

Straight away we can see it’s meeting the standard as before, but this time it has a little more “evidence” from the inspector.  We can see the acting manager has been in post for six months and as yet has not had the opportunity to fill in the paperwork to the CQC?  Homes across the country are rejoicing as they seemingly can pass this standard without a registered manager.

Now we are feeling a little more aware of the site so we go back to one of the black crosses and expand it, again lets click on further information.  Wow – formal substantiated allegations of abuse…. Some strong language here but a pass is a pass.  Well so far its not looking good, We might have to find another home for poor old Mum.

A point to note is the right hand side of the page – it clearly shows this home is part of a larger company and it lists other services run by this larger company, great if you wanted to cross reference the homes to get an idea of the corporate culture towards complying to these standards.  I myself see this as a positive improvement, if it was there before I have to say I never noticed.

Now looking at the top of the page we can quickly see two other tabs.

The middle tab lets us view the inspector’s assessments and some comments from people visiting the home.  It’s the third tab that’s interesting though.  Named “Please tell us your experience”, effectively it’s a form but with areas for free text.  Straight away we can see that if you have urgent concerns there is a number you can call – that’s good.  You can also write positive or negative things in the form with an urgent concerns field and the option to let the CQC know if you intend to make a formal complaint too.

Whilst this clearly answers my question 2 stated at the beginning of this exercise I do wonder if this is too far into the website and a little cumbersome to get to and in a position only users of a service would find it?  All in all though so far I have to admit it has been simple to use and clear – even if we have had to scroll up and down a lot.

2.  Make a complaint or whistleblow

Now let’s say we have been working for a care home for the last year and found some practice that is abusive to the residents.  We wish to report this as the manager clearly takes no notice of us.  Back at the home page again.

Lets start by just typing the word complaint in the search box on the homepage, the search worked very fast and lots of links here but not really anything relevant at first glance.  Now just as I was about to click off (I’m an impatient browser) I see the last link ”how to complain about a health or social care service” could that be of use?  Lets look.  Well here we are presented with a pdf to download.  Lets do so and after flicking through to chapter 4 we find that they recommend that we complain to the home in question.  As I mentioned in my scenario that’s a no go, so reading on.  Ok, it would seem we have to complain to social services and we can get the details from the minefield that is direct.gov.uk.  A different result to my findings in my first point above.  I have to say I am a little disappointed in this result.  If there was a quick way to complain or whistle blow at the touch of a button even if it made us choose the home as part of the process and we ended up at the same form we found earlier on in the homes section it would have been better.  Do we really feel comfortable enough to write to the social services?  What if someone found out we complained?  I think you get my point.  Half good, half bad here – I find the water a bit muddy.

Now I’m feeling foolish – the 5 tabs I highlighted at the beginning – to the right is one called “Your Experience “– I never really noticed it with the black background before.

Straight away it has a complaints section, it’s tailored for every sector so lets choose the easy reading and scroll down, it appears that the CQC do not deal with individual complaints, so again we are redirected to the Social Services?  One would think the very form you can fill in on the third tab of the actual care home section could be sent to both the CQC and the Social Services for further investigation or analysis live by email?  I feel I should look into it more as i’m not quite happy with that response.

So sorry CQC it’s a thumbs down for me.

3.  Rate a care home

Back to the home page and this time we wish to give feedback on a fantastic home we know about in Leeds.

This is short and sweet – we now can quickly find the home and on the third tab “please tell us your experience”  we find the same form we identified in criteria 1.

 

 

In the form you can write some free text about your experience and leave a positive comment.  We can do so anonymously or leave your details and it’s very clear and easy to use.  I feel I’m starting to get the hang of this web lark.

 

 

4.  Make a suggestion or improvement

Now it’s surprisingly simple to let the CQC know what you think of the new site.  The banners I blatantly moaned about in the beginning of this article now glare at me in a shade of  yellow as they smugly point out in blue writing on a yellow background “What do you think? Please let us know”

A simple form is shown on clicking the link.  3 little questions,

  1. Was there anything you couldn’t find?
  2. Is there anything you think we should improve?
  3. Are there any things you really like?

It could not be easier to let the CQC know what you feel about the site – a big thumbs up.

5.  Find a downloadable document to browse at my leisure – we randomly chose “Provider Compliance Assessment”

Ok there’s a big search box crying to be used so lets give that a try.  Lets type in “Provider Compliance Assessment” a little slower this time but  we get a page of results and bingo – first on the list, well done CQC.  We will pretend this never worked as otherwise it will be far too short a read.

So from the homepage we click the second tab – Care homes.   Realisation hits as we now realise that we won’t find anything here as its for those looking to use a service.  Back to the homepage and this time we select from the main CQC banner – “For organisations we regulate”.

Straight away, notice the “Blow the whistle banner” I feel a little foolish again now but why could I not find this earlier?

Under this there is a popular downloads section and a popular pages section.  We can clearly see legislation listed and reading down past notifications we find Compliance.  Clearly listed under compliance is “Provider Compliance Assessment” and clicking this takes me to an area where we can download all 16 files, brilliant and not to shabby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

To sum up:

It’s always easier to criticise and find fault, but I have to say I found what I was looking for quickly with only a few annoyances.  Yes there are things that can be improved and I am sure in time they will be.  To be fair to the CQC – love them or hate them, no matter what time or money they spent on refurbishing the website I feel they have taken on board feedback and what they have done is a definite improvement. For me it does show they are listening and albeit slow, progress is being made.

Yes you cannot grade a home and 5 ticks seems a bit lame as information to give to someone making a decision on where to place a loved one, and there is still no real quality differential but ignore the politics of the CQC for a moment and I think you will have to say that all in all they have done a good job in relatively short period of time, in a time where the sector has seen the most turmoil for decades.

You will note I have only used the care home sector as my guinea pig but as always I appreciate any feedback or your own comments and experiences with the new CQC website.   After all, every day is a school day…

Night all – @tonyupward

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Social Media within Social Care

There are many methods and tools a social care provider can use to increase their internal communications capabilities, many tools to help recruit better staff and tools to increase the professional profile of the thought leaders within your business.  Anyone can make use of the differing tools below but coupled with a strategy they can prove very valuable to your business.  If you however, believe that Twitter is for announcing your wonderful news and Facebook is for showing how pretty your facilities are and that LinkedIn is merely a site used to promote ones CV then you have a long journey ahead.  For the rest of you discerning readers – please read on.

I have broken down this Social Media strategy into a number of parts.

The first part is a presentation that defines social media and its wide ranging impact in the business world.  It is hoped that this will be of use

From here on you will find guides that aim to direct you to get the most from Social Media Platforms such as FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  I shall update these as we go.

LinkedIn is one of the great ways to generate free, organic, traffic to your content and increase your professional profile.

“But, isn’t LinkedIn just a site to post my resume when I am looking for a job?”

Although LinkedIn is great for job seekers, it is much much more than that.  Individuals and companies are achieving more professional goals than imaginable on LinkedIn.  For example, LinkedIn can help you:

  • Advertise your care home or agency
  • Increase your professional reputation
  • Find new clients, employees or professional contacts
  • Generate leads or promote community events
  • Receive funding for your company
  • Obtain sponsorships
  • Advertise your professional events
  • Get national and local press coverage

Achieving these goals on LinkedIn does not come naturally.  You have to work the system on LinkedIn and experiment with different methods.   I have plagiarised some of the best ways to achieve your goals from around the web.  Here are the top 10 ways to drive traffic to your profile and sites using LinkedIn:

1.  Complete Your Profile:

Like most things in life – unfortunately you get out what you put in, so if LinkedIn does not work for you then you need to allow a bit more time to update and maintain your links.  If your profile is weak people will lose interest quickly and may never click on your website links.

If you want people to read your profile and click on your websites then make your profile concise, compelling and value driven throughout.  Complete your profile 100%, add a great picture of yourself, and take the entire process very seriously.  The more complete and compelling your profile is, the more people will read and visit links you have posted.

This advice goes beyond driving traffic to your blog.  If someone were to Google your name (which most people do when they are researching you) your LinkedIn profile is one of the first things that pop up.  Google your own name and check out what position your LinkedIn profile shows up.  You must make your profile compelling.

Do Not make your profile an online CV – show what you have achieved and how that best places you to assist others, make it the start of a conversation.

2.  Increase Your Connections:

The more RELEVANT connections you have, the more people will have access to your profile.  Every time you take an action on LinkedIn (i.e. update your profile, join a group, recommend someone, RSVP to an event, etc… this shows up on the home page of your 1st degree connections).  If you only have 100 connections, this limits the amount of potential clicks on your profile and website links per day. Constantly be updating and adding new connections but only those relevant and not just any drive by linkers.

3.  Customize Your Website Links:

When you first create your profile your website links will look like this:

However this is not a “call to action” and you are missing potential traffic because of it.  No one actually cares what your site is unless it is relevant to them or solves a problem.  Instead, customise your website links to attract more clicks and drive more traffic to your blog.  For example I would insert this into the websites section:

The second image is more compelling and explains exactly what the viewer will see on the next page when they click on each link.  In order to change your websites with a custom headline, click on the “edit” button next to one of the websites. View the image below for further details:

4.  Answer Questions:

This is a great way to drive traffic to your blog.  The more questions you answer, the better the chances are of that person asking the question to click on your site or group to learn more about you.  Become the industry expert, not only will that one person be more interested in learning more about you, but also others answering that question.  Additionally, when someone rates your answer as “The Best” of the mix, it will improve your thought  leadership status. It moves you up the rankings as a “featured expert” in the category you answered in.  When you are a featured expert people become more aware of your profile, and the chance they will click on your link to learn more about what you have to offer improves.

5.  Update Status:

For you Twitter lovers out there, this should be an easy step to take.  LinkedIn also has a status update feature that is a lot like Twitter, only it gives you 148 characters to work with instead of 140.  Why is it so important to constantly update your status?  Because it is the first thing that pops up the home profile for all of your connections.  Check out your home page on LinkedIn and you will see a few status updates of those you’re connected to.  If your smart, then include some compelling copy with a call to action and a link back to your site or blog (something I do that drives traffic to mine).

6.  Join Niche Groups:

Whatever your blog is about, there is an audience of people on LinkedIn that share interest with.  To make it easy to find these people click on the “Group Search” tab and type in some key words that relate to your blog.

Some of these niche groups have thousands of members who are actively involved in connect with other members.  If you are not in the groups where your audience for your blog is hanging out, then you are missing out on the opportunity for new readers, and organic traffic to your site.  Join as many groups as you can after doing a key word search that relates to your industry.

For starters – check out the Professional Bloggers Group.

7.  Post Comments In Groups:

Some larger groups are receiving hundreds of new discussion topics every few days (think of it as a forum).  People are sharing points of discussion, commenting and giving further feedback and suggestions on those comments.  Every time someone creates a new discussion topic, it shows up on the home profile of everyone in that group.  If there are 100,000 people in the group, then you are potentially getting the attention of 100,000 other individuals for your comment.

8.  Add RSS Feed to Groups:

Each group has a section that allows you to add a link to a website with the latest news you think is relevant to that group.  It also allows you to add your own RSS feed or website link so it will automatically update the group every time you post a new article on your blog.  This creates an automated flow of organic traffic that will show up on the home profile of everyone connected in the group.  Again, this gives you more opportunities for people to view your blog.

9.  Create a Group:

This may be one of the most powerful things you can do on LinkedIn.  Owning a group drives a lot of traffic to your site. When a new person joins your group, they see a brief description of the group, my name as the owner of the group, plus my website URL.  The more new members each week = additional traffic from new members alone.  That’s not even including the members who are actively engaging in the group, and clicking on my links.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/IT-in-residential-Dementia-EMI-3918723?gid=3918723&trk=hb_side_g

10.  Add the Blog Application to Your Profile:

This might be the most obvious suggestion, but I still see some of the top pro bloggers leaving this feature out.  This application posts the title and first paragraph for your most recent articles you have published on your LinkedIn profile.  It is a way to give viewers of your profile a sneak peak of what they will read on your blog.

Go to “applications” and download either the WordPress or Blog Link application and add your URL for your blog.

There is also a fantastic updated mobile LinkedIn app available on android and iPhone devices.  Remember with all Social Networking – its about the conversation and a conversation is TWO WAY.

I will be updating this with guides for Twitter and Facebook as i finally get everything together – i welcome your comments or indeed improvements and suggestions.

 

 

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Market your home or agency in film

This post is about film, having worked with video myself I have seen first hand the impact it can have on a business.  Be careful though, a poor production can have the opposite effect.  You can achieve great things without blowing the shareholders profits, it is now possible to have a professional video made of your your care home or agency for as little as £500.  Gone are the days where you would spend £1000 a minute on a production, with programs like Final Cut and large digital media and not forgetting modern High Definition cameras, prices have plummeted and now your business can take advantage of this. Care home cinema

If you could show everything a potential Service User or referring agency would want to know about your care home or service offering in 3 minutes, wouldn’t you?  Video marketing is a very powerful tool.  From supporting your care home or care groups values and goals to converting website visits to home visits, video can support a variety of business targets, not convinced? Here are a few stats:

  • Website visitors are 85% more likely to proceed to purchase if they’ve seen a video.
  • Google loves video – Properly optimised video increases the chance of a front page Google result by 53x (Forrester, January 2010).
  • Video will represent 90% of all web traffic by 2013 (Cisco) There’s no doubt that video is a major marketing booster.  So, how can you actually use video in your business?  Here are 5 ideas that can help support a variety of marketing and communications goals.

There’s no doubt that video is a major marketing booster and should not be ignored. So, how can you actually use video in your business?

Showcasing yourself
As care providers you sell a tangible product, show off and show it in a video.  Why not give a tour of what your facility is like from the inside? Photos are great, but actually seeing a home or staff in action can help your future residents feel a stronger sense of what your offering is like in the real world.  If your offering is domiciliary focused, then show your team in action.  The more information people have about you, the more likely they are to buy in – transparency is key.

Sharing a peek at your business in action
Given the press around social care in the UK, a behind the scenes look at your homes operations helps your visitors to feel a stronger sense of connection to your company.  People also value transparency.  By not being afraid to show what your business is like, you’re upping the trust factor.

Showcase your people and clients
You operate a care facility, so people are a major factor within your organisation.  Your future residents are always interested in seeing the people behind a home or domiciliary provider.  Whether you get members of your customer service team to answer common questions, or take your about us page to the next level by including videos of your staff rather than just photos, video can help your people come to life.  Similarly to showing the business in action, showing your people helps your customers feel a greater sense of personal connection to your business, which in turn encourages trust and loyalty.  If you can get your current service users to comment on film even better.

Show how to
Showing how to go about obtaining a place in your home or having a home carer can be a great help for those that find the process intimidating, and answering common questions via video makes it that much easier for your future service users.  Not only are you delivering a great customer experience, but you will reduce the demand on your customer support team and arm your client with the correct and up to date information.

Share your information, show off
Do you have impressive facilities?  A great company story?  Outstanding case studies from your residents?  Selling features and benefits make for perfect video content.  Think about the type of information that your sales team might use in a PowerPoint presentation.  Then make it into a video.  The sky really is the limit when it comes to video marketing.  Get creative and have fun with the process.  Your customers (and your bottom line) will thank you, but make sure you do not fall into the trap of a commercial yawn fest.  Show your future clients what you’re really about rather than some cheesy music and a dialogue about how great you are.  Get the staff buy in and if possible show some of the amazing stories that your service users have locked away just waiting to spill out.

Good luck and enjoy the experience,

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Why the iPad works in care

When you look at the tablet Market place there is plenty on offer yet the iPad is annihilating its competition, its easy to see why when you watch the advert below.

Not only do Apple get the beauty of a product we would all like right, they understand that the majority of buyers don’t buy technology- they buy things that make life easier and in are usable.

Apples products “just work” and are engineered so beautifully that straight out of the box you have a working product your granny could use. Look at the iPad 2 advert, it screams simplicity and just goes to show it is miles ahead of it’s windows and android competition.

So we have established the iPads place on the podium, but of what use could it be in a residential, nursing EMI setting. The easy thing to latch on to would be the fact you could sit with a resident and very quickly jump onto YouTube and watch some old clips relevant to the topic of conversation in progress. Another idea would be to simply Skype a residents family, letting them chat and see family that may not have the opportunity to visit very often.

The benefits of a simple system a carer or resident could use are endless. In a future post I shall document the many uses in care but in the mean time feel free to post your own experiences.

@tonyupward

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