FEATURE ARTICLES

The Care Home Environment editor Matt Seex visited Hallmark Luxury Care Homes’ Midford Manor in historic Bath, Somerset, to learn about the importance the award-winning provider places on forging strong, lasting links with the local community, and to take an in-depth tour of this stunning new home

This year will see the launch of WASHCO’s fourth Love Laundry Awards. WASHCO, a national supplier of commercial laundry equipment and service, created the awards in 2021 to celebrate the work that care home laundry teams had carried out during the pandemic. Emily Stoten, who created the awards, looks back at what they have learnt about the amazing laundry teams WASHCO works with.

Legionella monitoring is a critical aspect of safety and maintenance, with many residents falling into the classification of those most vulnerable to these potentially lethal bacteria. However, it is equally essential not to disrupt the lives of vulnerable residents. David Randlesome, Swiftclean’s national sales manager, Legionella services, explains what you need to do to comply with your legal duties

Mike Short, founder of CSI Market Intelligence, discusses current trends in care home openings and closures, and their likely impact on the sector over the next decade

This year marks a significant milestone for Boutique Care Homes – it has been five years since the small, family-run care provider opened its first home, The Burlington, in Shepperton, Surrey. Founder and managing director Ameet Kotecha looks back at Boutique’s journey so far

Natasha Smith, a senior associate at CooperBurnett LLP, provides an update on changes 
in employment law

As the population ages and staff shortages continue to bite, will robots be the future for the care home sector? Liam Mynes, healthcare segment manager at Tork manufacturer Essity, looks at various developments in this area and considers how robots – and technology in 
general – can make a positive contribution to the care home environment

With over forty years’ experience in care sector real estate, Lamont Johnson managing director & founding principal Grayson Taylor explains why, while other agents may come and go, Lamont Johnson is here to stay.

Belong Chester is the first care village in the UK to incorporate a fully integrated research nursery, where children and residents come together on a daily basis to have fun learning and playing together. 
Susan Goldsmith, chief operating officer at Belong, looks back at some of the highlights since opening and discusses the many benefits of an intergenerational approach

The Care Show London 2024 is making its inaugural appearance on 24/25 April at ExCeL London, following the success of its 
sister-show, Care Show Birmingham. Molly Benson, content lead at CloserStill Media, explains why Care Show London 
is the place to be.

Excessive noise in care settings can have a detrimental effect on residents’ health and wellbeing. Tim Dallinger of Social Care Consultants Ltd explains why care homes should be taking this issue seriously

Care providers need to take a proactive role in promoting best practices and equipping health and care workers with the latest guidelines and insights to infection prevention and control. Here, Blue Stream Academy’s Caitlin Wood discusses strategies to ensure that staff are well-trained to uphold crucial standards

When it comes to care home bathrooms, functionality has always been a primary concern. However, Tom Davies, sales director of retirement and care at inclusive solutions provider AKW, has noticed a recent shift in requirements driven by a growing demand for energy efficient solutions and a desire to create versatile spaces that meet a range of needs

Melissa Magee, company director and architect at Carless + Adams, discusses the sensitive issue of building on the green belt and how this sensitivity affects planning permission for new care homes, and explains why action is needed now to avoid greater problems in the future

Located in one of the wealthiest parts of London, Signature at Highgate may be the most expensive care home ever built in the UK. The Care Home Environment editor Matt Seex visited this brand new luxury home to meet with Wayne Pryce, Signature Senior Lifestyle’s group director of development & construction, to discuss the project in depth

UK Care Week returns to NEC Birmingham on 20/21 March. The Care Home Environment looks at what attendees can expect from the event this year

Richard Woodward, general manager of apetito’s care home division, looks at how care homes can navigate rising costs

Samantha Ward OBE, deputy CEO of Royal Voluntary Service, explains how volunteering in care home environments can enhance the care experience for residents and staff

Tim Bryars, care home lead at cloud accounting software business iplicit, looks at how technology can help care home decision makers navigate financial challenges

Designing gardens for care settings can be both challenging and highly rewarding, but how do we ensure that new outside spaces are still being used in the longer term? According to garden designers Debbie Carroll and Mark Rendell of Step Change Design, non-drawing design interventions might be the answer