Care at Our Centres
Our Commitment to your care
Introduction
At Vitalise we provide short breaks for most levels of care. We aim to identify personalised packages of care that meet individual needs and requirements. In order to achieve this we carry out pre-assessments with our nurses on the telephone with you. This gives us the opportunity to identify and address any worries or concerns you may have about your care. This is the time to discuss how we can meet your needs and an opportunity for you to decide if we are right for you.
Last updated November 2011
- Who we provide for
- A wealth of experience
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- Level of care
- The service we provide
- The care we provide at our Centres
- Non-care related services provided at our Centres
- Unfortunately there are some things we do not provide
- In relation to your care provision we do not provide
- In relation to the non-care aspects of a break we do not provide
- What you need to bring with you
- Alzheimer’s Breaks
- Features of our Alzheimer’s Breaks
- Frequently asked questions
Who we provide for
We are committed to providing the best care for your needs so that you can enjoy a relaxing and fulfilling break at a Vitalise Centre. As a short break provider specialising in providing for both adults with physical disabilities and adults with dementia we may not be suitable for all people so please ensure you read the following carefully. If this information raises any queries for you please contact us for a personal discussion.
Please see the separate section titled Alzheimer’s breaks for details of the care provision on those specific weeks.
Unfortunately we do not accept bookings from people with the following primary health needs:
a) Mental health difficulties, including personality disorders
b) Learning difficulties
c) Severe, uncontrolled epilepsy
d) Persons totally bed dependent
No guest will be excluded on the grounds of ethnic origin, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation or culture.
Please be aware that most of our guests enjoy an increased level of activity on a Vitalise break compared to their home life. This may mean they are in their wheelchairs longer, unable to be hoisted on to the toilet whilst out of the Centre and stay up later at night.We advise guests that there is the potential for skin care issues to arise due to this increased activity, however we encourage guests to take an informed decision about how active they wish to be and we will be guided by you within the parameters of safety. Sometimes care routines change to accommodate our Guest activities; this is always done in consultation with the Guest.
A wealth of experience
We have been providing care services for nearly 50 years and have cared for many thousands of guests, so you can rest assured you’ll be in safe hands. The information here details the care we provide however if you do have any questions or concerns please call us on 0303 303 0145.
We also welcome anyone who would like to visit a Centre and see what we do first hand or discuss your requirements with a Registered Nurse.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Vitalise Jubilee Lodge, Vitalise Netley Waterside House, Vitalise Sandpipers are all registered with CQC.
Level of care
- Guests do not have one-to-one care constantly but our experienced nursing and care staff are on call to provide assistance 24 hours a day
- The level of your care will be ascertained prior to your stay by completing a pre- assessment and care plan. This will be confirmed on the day of arrival and can take some time due to the level of detail it requires to ensure we provide you with the care you require
- We will also require a medical certificate from your doctor before you arrive
- If you use a hoist to transfer, you need to be aware that we can only use our own slings as these are inspected every 6 months and certified by LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations). If you have a specialist sling you wish to use you will need to bring an up to date (6 months) LOLER certificate with you.
- Guests accustomed to a timed daily routine may find that we can’t guarantee the timing of assistance to match your routine at home, but we will try our best to ensure your needs are met as closely as possible to your routine
- Whilst out on trips it is not always practical to be able to provide normal hoisting support for toileting and therefore a number of our guests choose to use pads. If this is relevant to your care you will be asked in advance if you understand the risks involved and whether you wish to participate in the trips
- We can, if you chose administer your medications. If you chose to self-medicate you will be provided with a locked bedroom area to store your medicines. A risk assessment will be completed on your arrival to ensure your safety and the safety of other guests. We respectfully request that you only bring enough medication for your length of stay as this reduces risk.
- If you use personalised equipment at home, e.g. a Zimmer frame, you will have to bring it with you. We do not have spares at the Centre’s.
In addition to the nursing and care staff at our Centre’s we have volunteers who provide support and companionship, enabling our guests to enjoy excursions to some of the best events and locations in the country.
The service we provide
The care we provide at our Centres
- Full Registered Nurse (RN) assessment of Activities of Daily Living on arrival, formulation of care plans, continuous evaluation and review by RN
- NVQ trained Healthcare Staff
- Assistance with washing / dressing
- Assistance with packing and unpacking
- Assistance with meals including via PEG
- Catering for special diets if previously informed
- Manage medical appliances – PEG / Catheters / Stoma / Tracheostomy at all Centre’s and Ventilators (at Netley only)
- Bowel care - suppositories / enemas
- Continence care – bladder washouts / catheters / pads
- Wound dressings – if all equipment provided
- Assist with moving and handling – weight permitting within the limits of our equipment and maintaining staff and Guest safety
- Administer medication – tablets / injections / ointments / inhalers / nebulisers – if all in original containers, sealed blisters and you need to ensure that you bring just enough for duration of stay and not more
- Provide a GP consultation if necessary – for acute episodes only
- Provide Oxygen – on completion of HOOF form (Home Oxygen Order Form) prior to arrival
- Air mattresses – if previously informed (charges may apply)
Non-care related services provided at our Centres
- Clean towels and linen as required
- Keep valuables / money in a central safe and keep records of deposits / withdrawals but not receipts
- Tea / coffee / soft drinks available all day
- 3 meals a day with a choice at each meal time
- Tea / coffee making facilities in rooms following completed risk assessment
- Evening entertainment – subject to availability
- Arrange transport from local rail and coach stations subject to vehicle and driver availability – we ask for a small donation
- Licensed bar
- Small souvenir shop
- Pay phone
- Charge electric wheelchair if charger provided
- Provide four excursions a week – vehicle and weather dependent
- Accessible grounds
- Guide dogs / assistance dogs allowed
- Visiting hairdresser facility once a week – subject to availability – charges apply
- Visiting Podiatrist/Chiropodist– subject to availability and booking – charges apply
- Provide carer / volunteer to manually propel wheelchair – power packs required but not to steer electric wheelchairs
Unfortunately there are some things we do not provide
In relation to your care provision we do not provide
- Provision of wheelchairs / walking frames
- Provision of any medication / ointments / creams / inhalers / washouts / bowel care items / pads /convenes
- Provision of syringe / needles
- Provision of PEG / Syringe driver pumps / suction machines / ventilators / humidifiers / suction catheters
- GP consultation for chronic conditions
- Care / support in dedicated smoking areas
- Take blood (for INR Tests)
- Nut free environment
- Cut finger / toe nails
- Medical referrals
- Physiotherapy
In relation to the non-care aspects of a break we do not provide
- Provision of chargers for phone / shaver / wheelchair
- Guarantee volunteer input
- Personal laundry – unless soiled with body fluids
- Electronic communication aids
- Signing staff
- Wheelchair repairs
- Lap strap for wheelchairs
- Transport from home (unless previously agreed)
- Ensuite rooms have showers not baths
- Cable / satellite TV
- Receipts for personal spending
- Provide sun protection / sun hats
- Individual excursions except by prior arrangement
- Provide power packs
- Toiletries
- Staff to exercise dogs
- Guarantee ground floor / specific view rooms
- Phones in rooms
What you need to bring with you
- Enough medication / injections / ointments / inhalers for duration of stay – (not entire stock) in original packaging. List of times taken
- Enough clothes / outdoor clothes / sun hat
- Enough incontinence pads / leg bags / night bags / stoma bags
- Spending money
- Wheelchair / mobile phone / shaver / toothbrush chargers
- Glasses / hearing aids / teeth
- Correct emergency contact numbers
- Power packs for manual wheelchairs (if required)
- Details of wheelchair contracts
- Lap belts
- Sunscreen
- Communication aids
- Spare catheters /continence aids
- Back up ventilator
Alzheimer’s Breaks
Our Alzheimer’s Breaks provide for guests with a principal diagnosis of Alzheimer’s/Dementia who can come with their usual carer. Carers need to be fit and well and not requiring care themselves.
These weeks are exclusively provided for guests with Alzheimer’s and carers with the objective to provide an interactive and social environment. Our staffs are trained to support guest needs.
Features of our Alzheimer’s Breaks
- The excursions and the entertainment are planned and appropriate to both guests and carers.
- Guests should have a care plan in place and will be risk assessed for wandering.
- Guests cannot be accepted where aggressive behavior is a regular symptom of their condition.
- Additional consideration is given on these weeks for securing chemicals, detergents, kitchen equipment, knives and any other potentially hazardous items
Frequently asked questions
If you have further questions or concerns please call us on 0303 303 0145 or view our Short Breaks FAQs