Dedicated care home provider recognised for veteran support
Specialist care providers We Care Group and Summit Care Group have moved a step closer to their aim of registering all care homes across the group with the Veteran Friendly Framework [VFF] by the end of the year, after securing Veteran Friendly Care Home status at a second location.
Swansea Terrace Care Home, in Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, has recently achieved the accreditation, following in the footsteps of Old Gates Care Home in Feniscowles, Blackburn. The initiative forms part of the groups’ ongoing support for the Armed Forces Covenant.
The VFF aims to better support the practical, emotional, and social needs of the Armed Forces community in residential care homes across England by providing training and resources to assess and improve the care they offer. The framework helps tackle loneliness and has the scope to deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for the 25,000 veterans living in care homes in England.
To achieve the Veteran Friendly status, all homes are required to meet eight standards. These include noting Armed Forces status within care plans; addressing social isolation; and signposting to support services, such as the local Royal British Legion branch and other charities that provide support for veterans and their partners.
Since achieving the status, residents at Old Gates have already felt the benefits. The home has forged links with local community groups including SSAFA, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust Veterans department, and The Royal British Legion, giving veterans at Old Gates the chance to meet others with a military background.
The Old Gates Veterans’ Breakfast Club has also created opportunities to reminisce and share memories, while the team has been educated on the unique needs of veterans and how their experiences can impact them later in life. Close liaison with GPs and the Armed Forces Champions at the local hospital trust also ensures veteran status is applied to all relevant medical records, opening up additional funding channels when specialist equipment is required.
The VFF is a collaboration between Armed Forces charities Royal Star & Garter and Royal British Legion, as well as the NHS Veterans’ Covenant Healthcare Alliance [VCHA]. Funding support is provided by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.
Bernie Suresparan, Founder and CEO of We Care Group and Summit Care Group, said: “We’re privileged to have so many residents across our homes who have either served in the armed forces, or have a partner who has done so. The connections we’ve built with the Armed Forces community are making a real difference to our residents, and it’s an honour to support those who served our country.
“Veterans and their partners have been through uniquely difficult experiences, and it’s important our teams have the training and guidance to better support them as they handle these complex memories and emotions. We’re aiming for every care home across We Care Group and Summit Care Group to be registered with the VFF this year to help us achieve this, and the outcomes we’ve seen at Old Gates and Swansea Terrace prove this is more than worthwhile.”
We Care Group is an award-winning care provider with a long-standing reputation for providing outstanding person-centred care to residents across the North and Northwest of England, helping residents to live with dignity, choice and independence. Summit Care Group is dedicated to delivering exceptional, person-centred care for residents across England, and strives to create environments where residents feel valued, respected and supported.
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