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Spot the Animals on Cleeve Link Vans

As an alternative to the fairly common ‘How am I driving?’ stickers on vehicles, Cleeve Link vans have an added small animal next to the registration plate. The aim is to make identification of the drivers simpler without the need to write down the registration number.

Therefore anyone can phone up Cleeve Link if they have something to say and reference the relevant van by animal type. The animals range from dogs to rhinos – look closely and see how many you can spot.

Caring comes first at Cleeve Link

Cleeve Link community care service recently had to battle against the snow and ice in order to reach the elderly who are in need. They provide an important service around Gloucestershire, helping people with domestic chores and delivering meals to their homes, and couldn’t let the weather stop them from getting to those who need it.

Cleeve Link manager, Elaine Leroux said, “In the morning alone, a team of 160 carers visit over 700 clients in the area. They depend on us and so we do everything we can to reach them whatever the weather.” This included hiring extra 4x4 vehicles from Tim Fry Land Rovers Ltd in order to drive through the snow. All available staff at Cleeve Hill Nursing Home helped to drive around the area; from chefs to accountants.

Elaine added, “A call for milk from the Forest of Dean was met in less than two hours by diverting one of the Cleeve Link drivers. For some clients our staff are the only people they see all day so the service we offer is of vital importance to them.”

Sheltered/Retirement Housing at Marina Court

Cleeve Link now offers Home Care services to the residents of Marina Court, an ExtraCare Housing development off Bredon Road, Tewksbury. Cleeve Link is working with Tewkesbury Borough Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust and Hanover Housing Association to provide the 75 one and two bedroom apartments and bungalows with access to appropriate on site support.

The team provides care in the home for those residents that require additional support to remain living independently. Cleeve Link Registered Manager, Sharon While, says, Marina Court is a wonderful environment in which to live independently and the Cleeve Link service enhances this by providing residents with extra help when they need it.

The service offers a wide range of support all provided by qualified and fully trained care staff. Jan Screen is our on-site Supervisor and there will be at least one carer on duty at Marina Court throughout the day and one carer who will be resident on-site and on call throughout the night.

Care can include assistance with washing and dressing in the mornings, lunchtime and evening visits along with prompting medication and other daily care activities.

A domestic service including cleaning, laundry, shopping and dog walking is also available. Assistance with travel to hospital and doctors appointments in a specialist vehicle can be provided, with accompanying carer should the resident require it. Care can be from 30 minutes to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Sharon adds, All our care programmes are different to suit the individual. Some of our clients opt for domestic help whereas others need personal care.

Cleeve Link also recognises that it is important to provide support for family carers, such as the husband or wife. Constant caring can take its toll on the carer so respite care gives family members a well deserved break. This service is also available at Marina Court and could be as little as a few hours off or, in the event of illness, both the carer and the cared-for receiving some extra help. Either way, the intention is to combine the enjoyment and independence of living at home with the reassurance that Cleeve Link will provide support where it is needed.

For further information contact Jan Screen, Care Coordinator on 01684 273693

Swine Flu contingency plan

We have implemented a contingency plan so that the business can deal with the effects of Swine Flu.

Training Coordinator, Sue Farrell says, “Our biggest worry is that 15% of our carers could be sick at any given time for up to a week. We have overcome this by retraining our ancillary staff to work as carers. It is vital that every carer has participated in our in-house course on infection control so they know the best procedures to protect themselves and their clients.

In addition, specially trained teams are being established to provide the extra care to those clients who find that they need more care during this period. We are encouraging our clients to talk to us at the earliest moment so we can get extra help in place immediately.”

Project Leonardo da Vinci

Cleeve Hill Nursing Home perched high up on Cleeve Hill has begun the first phase of its Project Leonardo da Vinci initiative.

The project which is funded by the European Union is designed to forge partnerships, exchange best practice and develop the skills of vocational learners. The first batch of 6 Students is being shown how things are done here whilst undertaking English Lessons and Care training. Those enjoying the experience will be offered the opportunity to work at the Nursing Home or within the rapidly expanding CleeveLink Home Care business.

Robert Flexer, Nursing Home and CleeveLink Managing Director, explained why there is a need for European Carers. "For many years we have struggled to fill the increasing demand for care staff from within the local community and the wider UK workforce. This project not only provides a solution for staffing levels but offers us highly trained individuals who are qualified above and beyond the UK government requirements. These students have an impressive amount of knowledge."

This is certainly true. The first batch of 6 students has just come from a Care College in Poland and a further 36 students are scheduled to arrive over the coming year. These students have all embarked on 2 and 3 year courses where they will graduate with professional qualifications. Before arriving here, they will have undertaken 60 hours of intensive English lessons and they will receive a further 45 hours here at the Nursing Home's in-house language school. They are all encouraged to speak only English in and around the Home whilst they are furthering their practical care experience.

Robert continued, "I am only too aware of the topical discussions about EU workers in the UK but we must find a way to source professionally qualified and trained care staff to meet the needs of our aging population. In the long term, it is time for key people in the education community to reappraise the needs of the care industry so that we can attract local school leavers into the profession by offering full time similar in depth vocational training which will improve the professional status of the care worker. If we can combine this with better rates of pay then we stand a good chance of evolving a fully skilled local workforce offering the quality of service which our senior citizens rightly expect us to provide."

Help for the Elderly, at Home in Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh

It is a combination that we all hope we can achieve - old age and independence - and the government is keen to help this in order to reduce the heavy costs of residential care. Most of us won't be running marathons in our senior years but we may not be ready to give up the ghost either. Sometimes, a little assistance is needed and Cleeve Link Ltd, in line with NHS and Social Services' initiatives, has extended its well established home care service to cover Stow-on-the-Wold and Moreton-in-Marsh.

Cleeve Link responds to the increasing demand for care in the home in Stow, Moreton and the surrounding areas. Cleeve Link manager, Elaine Leroux says, "Cleeve Link has expanded throughout Gloucestershire for 3 years now and recently we started to receive enquiries from Stow and Moreton residents asking whether there is an alternative to living in a care home. We now have numerous clients in the area to whom we provide a personal service.";

Cleeve Link offers a wide range of help provided by qualified and fully trained care staff. They can assist with washing and dressing in the mornings, lunch time visits and help with going to bed. A domestic service including laundry and shopping is also available. Care can be from 30 minutes to 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Elaine adds, "All our care programmes are different to suit the individual. Some of our clients opt for domestic help twice a week, some need daily personal care and increasingly many opt for a 24 hour live-in carer to attend to all needs, enabling the client to stay in the comfort of their own home."

Choosing Carers

By welcoming a carer into their home, clients can keep a high level of independence by working together as a team. It is essential that a close bond is made especially where a carer and client live together. The Cleeve Link team takes care to consider clients' needs and personal preferences when choosing a carer or team of carers and always encourages open and honest communication.

Elaine continued, "In order to maintain the excellent quality of care we are renowned for, steps are taken to ensure that we recruit the highest standard of nurses and personal assistants. The carer is carefully chosen based on their past history with us, their qualifications plus their references, which will have been checked by us as well as the Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB). Once this selection process has been successfully completed, a training programme is undertaken which lasts until we are satisfied the carer is capable of taking on the assignment. During the training period, the carer will undergo evaluation testing to check proficiency levels and to start the process of carefully matching the carer's qualifications, temperament and personal attributes with the client's needs to ensure a successful relationship."

Respite Care

Cleeve Link also recognises that it is important to provide support for the family carers, such as the husband or wife. Constant caring can take its toll on the family carer and the initiative acknowledges this by offering respite care so that the carer can take a break.This could be as little as a few hours off or, in the event of illness, both the carer and the cared-for, can be looked after in Cleeve Hill Nursing Home until they feel they are well enough to go home. Either way, the intention is to combine the enjoyment and independence of living at home with the reassurance that Cleeve Link will provide whatever help is needed.

Cleeve Link Limited

Cleeve Link Ltd and Cleeve Hill Healthcare Ltd, are small family businesses operated by Mr and Mrs Flexer. A copy of the most recent inspection report is freely available on request and either the owners, or senior members of staff, are always on hand to address any concerns or to discuss any aspect of care. Mr Flexer comments, "Please don't hesitate to call us if you would like to discuss our home care or live-in care service. We are here to help."