News
VE Day Celebrations at The Cheriton Nursing Home
There’s nothing like a 1942 dodge weapons carrier, a Daimler dingo scout car or a 1941 Chevrolet gun tractor to transport the residents of The Cheriton Nursing Home back in time for an afternoon of reminiscing.
Cheriton Nursing Home’s Activity Co-ordinators invited the 4th Wiltshire Living History Group to display a selection of their military and civilian memorabilia including a 1943 ML James Nick motorcycle named the ‘Clockwork Mouse’.
Manager Jo Butler comments, “A 4th Wilts wife brought her incredible collection of household and personal memorabilia, including the Bakelite TV and radio, kitchen utensils, shoes and accessories, magazines and books. Also some original clothing – including the inevitable long johns.
After looking at this treasure trove of memories, residents and their families spent the day in the garden, enjoying a barbeque and home made puddings.
Jo continued, “It was an enjoyable but also incredibly emotional day. All residents responded to the period costumes and shared their stories both funny and poignant with the group members, staff and their families. Residents and war time veterans like Dennis Capel wore their medals. It is days like these that help to keep memories alive and ensure we all understand the hardships, pressures, laughs and friendships that evoke such personal and British strength.
To find out more about the 4th Wiltshire Living History Group visit http://www.4thwilts.co.uk/history.htm
The Cheriton Knows How to Celebrate a Royal Wedding in Style
Not to be deterred by some ominous looking weather, The Cheriton Nursing Home Activities team took the planned Royal Wedding Street Party indoors on Friday where residents, friends and family enjoyed the celebration.
Activites Co-ordinator, Amy Fisher comments, “We all had a wonderful time. Residents and staff dressed up in their finery as if they were going to the wedding too and Amy O Hara, our Head Chef, made a two tier wedding cake. Earlier in the week we had made celebration hats in preparation for the big day. The atmosphere really was one of excitement as we all gathered around the television to get a first glimpse of Prince William and Kate. Later on in the day our residents’ families came and all enjoyed the talent of local saxophonist Kevin Bird of Swindon and the grandchildren enjoyed having their faces painted.”
Next week The Cheriton Nursing Home will be celebrating VE Day.
It’s all change at The Cheriton Nursing Home
From left to right: Andy Hunt, The Cheriton Nursing Home Maintenance and Driver; Rachel Huntley, The Cheriton Nursing Home Activities Co-ordinator; Anthony Haynes, The Cheriton Nursing Home resident and Jo Butler, The Cheriton Nursing Home Manager.
Expanding its portfolio of elderly care services, the Cleeve Hill Healthcare group has taken over The Cheriton in Westlecot Road. The group, a family owned business with Cleeve Hill Nursing Home in Cheltenham, home care services across 5 counties and a nationwide live in care service; is well known for its exacting standards in care and the new management team has not wasted any time in starting a refurbishment project.
New luxury rooms are already available with plans to update and modernise key communal areas in the nursing home. The Cheriton’s newly appointed manager, Jo Butler comments, “The Cheriton needed some tender loving care. We’re bringing it in line with the rest of the Cleeve Hill Healthcare group’s standards. Our Swindon residents are already enjoying daily activities including outings in our new mini-bus and restaurant style food from á la carte menus which are cooked by our very passionate-about-food chef and kitchen team.
“Food and entertainment are important but our main objective is to offer a warm, welcoming and refreshing environment for both residents and their visiting families. We’ve created an open and safe place where standards are high and still improving.”
Rob Flexer, Group MD said, “We are now offering our one stop approach to care in Wiltshire including full time nursing care at The Cheriton plus a day care option, flexible respite caring for any individual or couple that might need a break (especially over the next few months), personal and domestic help within individuals’ own homes, á la carte meals-on-wheels hot straight from our kitchen and 24 hour live in services.”
Jo continues, “I am thrilled to be working in an environment that centres its approach on providing first class personal care for people in Swindon as the town means so much to me.” In her spare time Jo is part of the 4th Wiltshire’s WW2 living history group and continues with her fundraising projects for the British Legion and Help the Heroes.
Press Release from the Daily Telegraph 11th November 2010
Consider a long-term care annuity
Rather than sell the home and use the proceeds to pay care fees, find out whether the money should be used to buy an immediate needs annuity, which pays a fixed income for life.
This can provide some certainty for people moving into care, as they know their fees will be guaranteed to be paid for life; their money will not run out and they will not have to move into a local authority-run home later. There is also the reassurance that whatever is left from the sale of the home, once the annuity has been bought, can be left to the next generation.
The price depends on a person's age, health and gender when going into care – the longer the insurer expects them to live, the larger the upfront cost. An adviser should explain what an annuity would cost and should help find the best.
The downside is that if the person dies shortly after going into nursing care, this is likely to be more costly than simply paying fees direct. Most providers, however, allow you to buy "capital protection", which refunds part of the cost in such circumstances. There are a number of specialist providers that offer these annuities, including Partnership and Axa PPP.
Get advice
A spokesman for Age UK said: "Older people and their families often have to make a major life decision regarding care at very short notice, often following a crisis, such as a bad fall or stay in hospital." But as well as little financial help,"self-funders" often get little information or advice.
Chris Horlick, the managing director of long-term care at Partnership, a specialist insurer, said families are often sent away with a booklet, which "is mainly full of adverts for local homes". They are often not given clear or consistent advice on benefits, nor information on the various financial products that can help them meet care costs.
A specialist financial adviser should be able to provide advice on benefits, investment options and tax implications (selling an asset like a home can potentially trigger a CGT bill, for example, if the person is already in care).
What do you have to pay?
As a rule of thumb, a person who owns his or her home is likely to fail the local authority means test and be deemed a "self-funder". In England this threshold is £23,250 (in Wales it is £22,000 and in Scotland £22,750). In most cases this includes the value of any property owned.
But there are circumstances in which the family home is ignored: if you have a spouse or relative aged 60 or over still living in the home, it will not be included within the local authority's financial assessment. It should also be ignored if your care needs are classed as "temporary".
In addition, if your other assets, excluding the home, are less than £23,250, then you should not be charged for the first 12 weeks; those in this situation can request that a legal charge is put on their home rather than selling it upfront.
What benefits do you receive?
People who need nursing care (as opposed to "personal care") will receive a contribution towards these costs, regardless of their financial position. In England this is normally paid at £108 a week, with payments made direct to the nursing home. People in Scotland also receive payments towards "personal care costs" such as help with washing and dressing.
