Maintaining well-being and trust between our staff, residents and clients
We’re delighted to kick off a new initiative to show the smiling faces of our staff behind their masks to help our residents and clients recognise their support and maintain positivity. Aptly named Birchwood Smiles, every team member will be wearing a lanyard around their neck, with a large picture of their smiling face on it. This will help them to engage with residents and clients, even when wearing full PPE.
So much of caring is about making a human connection and we wanted to remind our clients that there’s always a smiling face not far away. If you smile at someone, nine times out of ten you’ll get a smile back, and what’s important to remember is sometimes we’re the only people our clients see in a day.
For those who have dementia this is even more important. Continuity and routine are essential. A familiar face helps build rapport and trust. We want to create a positive, happy feeling for all clients. This simple gesture is already proving effective. Although there are hopes of a Covid-19 vaccine being rolled out soon and elderly people will be the first to receive it, we’re preparing for PPE being a normal part of daily life for some time to come.
We’ve adapted our services throughout the pandemic, locking down our residential home, Birchwood House, early in 2020 and introducing family visits in June, using a fully secure visiting area. Keeping clients’ spirits up throughout has been a priority, with organised activities including afternoon teas, a Harvest Hoedown, Halloween and Guy Fawkes celebrations for the elderly people.
Our Care Services team out on the road has adapted too, by significantly reducing staff interaction and making more use of video and telephone supervision.
We held our first virtual Care Awards in 2020, to keep morale high and to thank staff for their continued efforts. Some of the categories included “Going over and above” and “Best compliments from clients”.
It’s our team’s smiling faces that so often get mentioned by residents, clients and their families. So, everyone loved the idea of Birchwood Smiles and quickly got behind it, and we’ve been able to roll it out across all of our staff really quickly.
Other articles you may like
- Finding community at Christmas
As we’re wrapping up 2025, we’re getting ready for all the incoming festivities. A big turkey, carol singing, and strolling through the markets are just some of the ways we’ve been enjoying the season. - Helping loved ones celebrate autumn
Christmas may be creeping up on us, but we’re not done celebrating autumn yet! It’s truly such a special season, filled with cosy nights and feel-good food. We want to make sure our clients are able to make the most of what this season has to offer. There are so many indoor and outdoor activities to help get in the spirit, and we’re here to help you get involved. Whether it’s a walk or an activity, we can support you however works best! - World Mental Health Day: how can we support our loved ones?
There is no health without mental health. It’s something that impacts every day of our lives in how we think, feel, and act. And yet for years, it’s been placed under a stigma, and awareness of mental health has continually been scrutinised. - How can we help older people learn new technology?
Community-building can be changing. What once used to be a face-to-face connection is now expanding to more online settings; think FaceTime, virtual events, and Facebook groups. And with more than one in three people over 65 lacking the skills needed to use the internet, there’s a real danger that our older loved ones may be missing out on opportunities to connect with the world around them. Helping relatives learn new technology is not just a helpful thing to do, but is so important in combatting social isolation, and reducing loneliness. - Creating a dementia friendly home
Dementia can be scary, both for the person with a diagnosis, and for anyone affected by that diagnosis. It can be caused by a variety of diseases and injuries that affect the brain, bringing memory loss, cognitive decline, and a loss of identity. - Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community
Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community July is officially Good Care Month, which means it’s a time to celebrateContinue reading “Good Care Month: Why carers are essential to the community “ - Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture.
Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture. When it comes to protecting adults at risk, it is essential toContinue reading “Protecting adults at risk: a closed culture is a poor culture. “ - World Parkinson’s Day: What can we do to help?
Last month, Birchwood Care Services honoured Parkinson’s Awareness Month, specifically World Parkinson’s Day on April 11th. It was a time to recognise those who are impacted by the condition, and advocate for better support not just for individuals with Parkinson’s, but for their caregivers and loved ones. - Stress Awareness Month – managing caregiver stress
Stress Awareness Month – managing caregiver stress At Birchwood Care Services, we see firsthand the compassion, strength, and dedication our carers bring to their roles each day. Caring is more than a job, it’s a passion. But while carers are busy supporting others, it’s a little too easy for their wellbeing to slip down the priority list. This April, as we recognise Stress Awareness Month, we want to shine a light on something essential because carers need care too.
