ENHANCED CARE GROUP of care homes offer dementia carers a much-needed break with short term respite care.

Respite care is absolutely essential for carers, to enable them to take a break to recharge their batteries or even, as we found, to attend to their own health issues.

Award winning care home, Fellingate and the newly opened, purpose built Wardley Gate care home both have beds allocated for dementia sufferers and people with other debilitating illnesses in the Gateshead area as well as Byker Hall Care Home in Byker.

A study released by the The Alzheimer’s Society in September revealed that 2,654 people in Gateshead suffer from the degenerative brain disease and 3,141 people in the Newcastle area.

The provisions that Enhanced Care Group has made for short term respite care has been welcomed by carers.

Derek Shaw, 82, of Byker, who cares for his wife Jane, 79, who has Alzheimer’s Disease, and books short term respite care at Byker Hall Care Home said:

“Being able to book some temporary short term respite care in advance and be guaranteed that a bed is available is a huge weight off my mind.”

“Being a carer for a dementia sufferer is a 24/7 responsibility and as much as I choose to be the principal carer for Jane, I would be no good for her if I didn’t look after myself as well.”

“Alzheimer’s is a condition where the carer has to develop the skills. With respite care you can go away and forget about the ironing, washing, cooking for a few days, recharge your batteries so that the quality of care I provide is what Jane deserves”

“Familiar surroundings and routine are very important for Alzheimer’s sufferers so knowing that Joan can go back to the same nursing home whenever I need a break is an important factor. I know that Jane is well cared for at Byker Hall and enjoys the home cooked meals and the carers treat her extremely well”

Anyone who would like to book a respite bed is advised to contact Enhanced Care Group on 0191 438 3150

An assessment will then be carried out to confirm eligibility.

Norovirus outbreaks hit six North East hospitals

According to a news article on ITV, health organisations in the North East are urging people suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea not to visit people in hospitals and care homes to limit the spread of norovirus.

Figures released by Public Health England show there were six hospital outbreaks in the North East in the last two weeks of November, all resulting in bed closures.

‘Norovirus – also known as the winter vomiting bug – is highly infectious and can spread rapidly in communities such as hospitals, care homes, sheltered housing accommodation and schools. That’s why it is so important not to visit family and friends – as well as staying away from your workplace – until you have been free of symptoms for 48 hours. Of course, if you are very ill you should seek medical help. Noroviruses cause a very unpleasant but generally short-lived illness from which healthy people usually recover without treatment. But it can cause more serious illness in the very young, elderly people and those with chronic illnesses.’

– Dr Deb Wilson, PHE North East

Bykerhall Care Home confirms that it does NOT have any residents suffering from the Norovirus but urges visitors to stay away if they are suffering any symptoms of the winter vomiting bug in order to avoid the possibility of contaminating our residents with this highly infectious bug.#

For further information about Norovirus symptoms and treatments see the NHS website