Friendly Homecare

We’re very excited to announce that we have been recognised as one of the Top 20 Care Providers in London!

Thank you to all of the individuals using our service, and to our wonderful team of carers.

Friendly Homecare has been rated 10/10 based on reviews by the individuals using the service (and their families/representatives). It makes it so much more meaningful.

We always strive to provide the best care possible and this rating is testimony to the team’s empathetic approach. Thank you to all who have submitted reviews.

Outcome following our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Thanks to everyone who provided feedback about us to them.

Another great review of the service. Our carers do tend to go the extra mile to ensure that the individuals we support are comfortable; and yes, some of us do have extra talents! 😄

With , you always need a flexible and open-minded approach, especially so in situations where the individual requiring support, does not recognise the need for it.

Everyone is different - so it’s vital to invest TIME in getting to know them. This helps hugely with developing person-centred care plans and gaining their TRUST.

This week is Shingles Awareness Week.

Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus. 90% of adults raised in the UK have had chickenpox, although not everyone may recall having it. If you have had chickenpox then you are at risk of developing shingles.
Your immune system gets weaker with age, which may be one of the reasons shingles risk and severity increases as we get older and tends to be more common in people aged over 70.

Shingles is characterised by a painful rash, usually affecting one side of the body.

The severity of the symptoms of shingles can range from mild to severe and can be very unpleasant for some.

Most people recover but it is estimated that 15-20% of people in their 70’s can go on to develop chronic nerve pain called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Shingles complications could affect your daily routine and activities.

For more information about shingles, visit https://www.understandingshingles.co.uk/

does not always mean receiving support with personal care or other tasks related to a medical need. In addition to these, we also offer companionship support. We can accompany you to:

✅ appointments (medical or non-medical)
✅ go out shopping
✅ walks in the park
✅ a cafe or restaurant
✅ art galleries, cinemas, museums, theatres
✅ any other place of interest

The aim is to support you to continue enjoying the activities that you love to do. This is beneficial for both mental and physical

Companionship support can also mean simply popping round once or twice a week for a chat over a cuppa ☕️
Quite often, family carers request this support from us so that they can go out and have some respite - from a few hours, to all day.

Wishing everyone a great year ahead - especially colleagues.

Wishing everyone a very .

Thank you to all our care support workers and all colleagues working through the holidays.

It’s been a very emotional day, bidding farewell to HM Queen Elizabeth II.

We want to say a big ‘Thank You’ to our support workers and all colleagues who have been working today to continue providing essential care services.

As the UK is currently experiencing another , here are a few tips to and during the hot weather:

✅Have plenty of cool drinks and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.

✅Avoid going out during the hottest part of the day (11am -3pm).

✅Walk in the shade, apply sunscreen regularly and wear a wide brimmed hat.

✅Close curtains and windows on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler. Remember it may be cooler inside than outside.

✅Eat light meals with a higher proportion of vegetables. Try to eat more cold food, particularly salads and fruit, which contain water.

✅Look out for others who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated e.g. older people, those with underlying health conditions (those who live alone are at greater risk) and pets / animals.

Community-based staff are at particular risk of as they travel around in the hot weather to provide care support - so thank you to all colleagues; but huge thanks to other as well e.g. bus drivers.

With record high temperatures at the moment, we want to say a huge THANK YOU to our care workers who are braving this heatwave to continue providing support for our clients.

Please do check on your elderly and/or vulnerable neighbours to make sure they are ok.

Congratulations to Her Majesty, for 70 years of steadfast and service. Truly inspirational and outstanding dedication to country and duty.

God Save the Queen!

Whatever you’re doing, have a great .

A big to our wonderful team who will be working through the celebrations.

This week is and the focus this year is on diagnosis.

According to the Alzheimer's Society, diagnosis rates have fallen to a five-year low. They are therefore encouraging people to approach them for guidance and support if they suspect that they or anyone they know, may have some form of .

Find out more 👉🏽 https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/dementia-action-week

Dementia Action Week Dementia Action Week is Alzheimer's Society's biggest and longest running awareness campaign. Each year, we work with individuals and organisations across the UK to encourage people to ‘act on dementia’. This year’s campaign will run from 16-22 May and the theme is diagnosis.

This week is and the theme this year focuses on .

It's so very important to look after our mental health. After all, its a major part of maintaining our overall well-being. The Mental Health Foundation has published a great document which comprises some strategies for coping with . It's an informative read about how to take care of our own but also, how we can support others.

www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Check out our advert for May 2022 in the Teddington issue of TW Magazines (Page 67).

The May 2022 issues of Teddington and Twickenham are OUT NOW! The TW family has been as busy as ever delving into the community to bring you the news, views and stories that matter to you. And, as always, our mission is to shine a light on local businesses and celebrate all things local.

Catch up with all our May features in print, available free in our catchment area or at the following destinations in Twickenham and Teddington.

In Twickenham…
Twickenham Library
The Exchange
Eel Pie Records
Emporium
Strawberry Hill Golf Club
Crusader Travel
Squires Garden Centre
Civic Centre

In Teddington…
Teddington Library
Landmark Arts Centre
Shambles
Vida Therapy
Lensbury Club

Happy reading!

TW Magazines available in print or online at twmagazines.co.uk (link in bio).

To everyone celebrating Eid today, we wish you and your family a wonderful day creating memories.
workers who were observing Ramadan for the past month, have shown tremendous strength and dedication.

Eid Mubarak!

A very Happy Easter to everyone!

It’s always an absolute delight when we receive such positive feedback about the care provided by our staff. It’s very important to us that our staff have the right values as well as an empathetic approach.

Best wishes to everyone for a Happy New Year 2022!

Feedback is an excellent tool in determining service user (client/customer) satisfaction. You know you’re doing things right when you receive feedback like this! 🙂

Friendly Homecare, services to enable people stay independent High-quality homecare that encourages independence in your own home, providing a range of practical, personal, complex support services, assistance for older adults, people with learning and physical disabilities, mental health issues, dementia, palliative care needs, long-term conditions...

Remembrance Day is observed in commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honor the armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

Today we say thank you to all those in the armed forces who have served and to those who continue to serve to protect their nation.

Lest We Forget

So pleased to say that Friendly Homecare has been rated 10/10 based on reviews by our service users and their families/representatives. We always strive to provide the best care possible and this rating is testimony to the team’s commitment and empathetic approach. Thank you to everyone who has made this possible.

As we become older, exercise has been shown to prevent disease, lower the risk of falls, improve mental health and well-being, strengthen social ties, and improve cognitive function.

Meet Cicely and Alan, enjoying a stroll during the warm weather. Alan has dementia and Cicely has been supporting him for a number of years. Alan enjoys a walk down his road every day (except when the weather is bad). This helps him to maintain his mobility skills and independence; and of course, it’s a chance for him to say hello to the neighbours!

It’s Professional Care Workers’ Week: which highlights the contribution of the social care sector and to explore some of the issues faced by the workforce.

We’re so grateful for all of our care workers and everything they have done, and continue to do. Care workers regularly go above and beyond what is expected of them; however, this has been especially evident throughout the pandemic.

Age UK has presented its findings on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on older people’s physical and mental health.

They found that many older people staying at home to protect themselves from Covid-19, developed serious problems such as loss of function and pain from untreated medical conditions. The psychological impact of living with stress, uncertainty and isolation also led to increased loneliness, among other problems.

Key findings included:
· one in three respondents had less energy
· one in five felt less steady on their feet
· one in four older people were unable to walk as far as before

One in five older people agreed that since the start of lockdown they found it harder to remember things; and carers, families, and friends of people living with dementia told the survey that over the course of lockdown, they saw rapid deterioration in their loved one’s cognitive function, which affected memory, sleep, mood and behaviour.

www.ageuk.org.uk

Today is World Oral Health Day. Raising awareness of the importance of maintaing good oral health.

Campaign theme 2021-2023 | World Oral Health Day The theme for the next three years sends out a simple but powerful message: Be Proud Of Your Mouth. In other words, value and take care of it.

Happy Diwali to all celebrating!

Diwali 🪔, or the ‘festival of lights’ is the most important religious event in the Hindu calendar. It is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, symbolising the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”.

Little did we know at the start of 2020, just how much darkness, ignorance and uncertainty we would all be facing - on a global scale.

This year more than ever, we want to remember not only our immediate loved ones, but also all the many families who have lost their loved ones to this terrible virus. And most importantly, we will be praying for a safe, more tolerant and considerate return to our ‘post-Covid world’.

It’s always delightful to receive such positive feedback about our service.