#GladtoCare Awareness Week launches to virtually open doors to care homes whilst showcasing the amazing efforts of the care industry during the coronavirus pandemic
An awareness week celebrating the care sector’s contribution to society, whilst providing members of the public with the opportunity to virtually step inside care homes, is due to be launched in July.
Taking place from 6th – 12th July 2020, the #GladtoCare Awareness Week, which has been launched by two leading care industry operators, Person Centred Software and Autumna, will highlight all the incredible happenings that have taken place, and continue to take place, in care homes around the country particularly during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking of the initiative, Heidi Thomas, Head of Marketing at Person Centred Software, which is spearheading the campaign, says: “The care sector has been through a difficult time during this pandemic, but what hasn’t been reported is all of the wonderful activities that have still happened during lockdown to keep residents safe, happy and stimulated. #GladtoCare Awareness Week was created to showcase all of these amazing stories, which we hope that by sharing will restore consumer confidence in the industry.”
In addition to sharing uplifting stories from across the care industry, the awareness week has been designed to inform and educate members of the public who may currently be seeking care for their relatives.
The public will be able to take advantage of the #GladtoCare “Showcase Saturday” on Saturday 12th July, which will give care providers the opportunity to open their homes to the public with virtual show-arounds. With in-person tours currently restricted in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this will serve as a fantastic opportunity for consumers who may currently be seeking care for loved ones to remotely step inside and take a look around some of their local homes.
Showcasing the efforts of the caring community, #GladtoCare Awareness Week is currently inviting care providers and care workers to register and join in the week-long event, which is intended to become an annual event.
So far, over 55 care providers and carers from across the UK have registered their involvement in the campaign since its launch last week and have shared heartfelt reasons why they are ‘#GladtoCare’, as well as examples of milestone moments that have made them feel particularly proud to be caregivers.
Examples include Wellington Vale Care Home, who has said they were especially proud and #GladtoCare for their resident WWII Veterans, widowers & other residents that lived through the war on VE75 Day this year. The home organised a Spitfire flypast to commemorate the occasion, and were delighted when the Spitfire dipped its wing in honour of their 102-year-old resident, Tom (pictured top and in the video below), who fought in WWII. The magnificent moment brought the residents and community together, with the community even deciding to give Tom his own 1-minute clap for being their hero, whilst he wore his badges with pride in the garden.
Priscilla Wakefield House chose to hold a remembrance and thank you party to honour and express gratitude to all care staff for their dedication and commitment during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, whilst Balhousie Luncarty care home created a time capsule and invited the local community to add to it their experiences of life – the good and the bad – during the coronavirus crisis. It is hoped that, when discovered in many years, future generations will be able to learn about how the community prevailed through a global pandemic.
Care home group CHD Living highlighted various experience wishes that they have fulfilled for residents in the last year that have made them particularly #GladtoCare, including a day of wheelchair ice skating at the Guildford Spectrum for nearly 30 residents including some with brain injuries and amputations.
#GladtoCare Awareness Week will also see the launch of a new online guide designed to provide the public with the information and guidance they require to make an informed decision to best suit their relatives’ needs when seeking care for a loved one. Developed by Debbie Harris, the driving force behind Autumna – the UK’s most detailed directory of care services for the elderly – the guide will be accessible via www.autumna.co.uk.
Debbie will also be hosting a webinar on Wednesday 8th July 2020, further advising consumers on what to look for and what questions to ask when choosing a care facility for a loved one.
Discussing #GladtoCare Awareness Week, Debbie says: “Coronavirus is likely to have changed the way consumers search for care going forward, putting an increased focus on the videos and stories shared by carers within each home. These have the potential to provide much better insight into a care home than the usual 1-hour visit that was the norm pre-COVID, so we hope consumers will embrace this change, without obviously overlooking the need to have the relevant information about care, pricing, availability, staffing etc, which is readily available from Autumna”.
For more information on #GladtoCare Awareness Week and its itinerary, and to read some of the fantastic stories from carers, please visit www.gladtocare.com.
To keep up-to-date with the events of #GladtoCare Awareness Week, please follow the #GladtoCare social channels:
https://twitter.com/gladtocare
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gladtocare/
https://www.facebook.com/gladtocare/
https://www.instagram.com/gladtocare/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfrGGsJau5MkHqituoiqTQ
