National Care Home Open Day prepares to challenge misconceptions about care homes

The project to combat the misconceptions associated with care homes will take place on 21 June 2013.

National Care Home Open Day will be taking place throughout care homes on Friday and will see many care homes opening their doors to the general public to welcome them to see the work that goes on within the homes.

The National Care Home Open Day has been organised by care providers and associations who aim to make the event a success that sees care homes open their doors to the public on a national scale.

Care providers running the event include Anchor, BUPA, HC-one, Care Forum Wales and Scottish Care, as well as many other care associastions.

Former journalist and BBC broadcaster Joan Bakewell has become an ambassador for the event after being a long standing champion for the elderly and said: “It is a great opportunity for people to see the range of care services at the heart of their communities.

“Care homes, and most importantly the residents who live there, are an invaluable part of our communities. The National Care Home Open Day will help connect the residents and staff with their local communities.

“The National Care Home Open Day will be an important occasion where the whole nation should show its support for older people and for the care sector. It will also be a great opportunity to invite members of the local community to consider becoming a volunteer in their local care home.”

Norman Lamb, Minister of State for Care and Support, has supported the event and in a letter to the English Community Care Association said: “This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of dementia and the important role that care homes play in communities to support people with dementia, their families and carers. “I would be pleased to encourage my peers to support the initiative by asking them to visit their services in their local constituencies.”

So far over 2,000 care homes have pledged to take part in the open day, with many planning refreshments and entertainment for visitors.

As well as these planned events, care homes will carrying out their everyday duties in order to provide the public with a view of a normal day within the community of a care home.

Many key groups from within the social care sector have offered their support to the project, including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Alzheimer’s Society and the National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People (NAPA).

The Social Care Institute for Excellence’s chair Lord Michael Bichard has announced that senior members of staff from the institute will be attending care homes throughout the country during Friday to highlight the important services that care homes provide the community.

Lord Bichard said: "People who live in care homes are local residents, like everyone else in the community. Good care homes recognise that and ensure that their residents can continue to play an active role in their local community. And they create opportunities for other local residents to play a role in the life of the care home.

“SCIE is delighted to support National Care Home Open Day and we look forward to visiting homes across the country. We would encourage all care homes to get involved and take the opportunity to show what inspiring places they can be."

for more information visit: http://www.nationalcarehomeopenday.org.uk/