Care UK named finalists in four categories at the Dementia Care Awards

Care UK teams are delighted to have been shortlisted in four categories for the 2024 Dementia Care Awards.

The Dementia Care Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in dementia services. These awards not only honour the hard work and dedication of those in the field, but also serve as a platform for sharing best practices and innovative approaches. The awards seek to inspire others to adopt a person-centred approach to dementia care and foster a culture of continuous improvement within the dementia care community.

Hannah Collins, Lifestyle Lead at Care UK’s Ferndown Manor, is shortlisted in the Activity Co-ordinator of the Year category. Since joining the home in 2021, Hannah has provided the residents with nothing but joy, focusing heavily on Care UK’s ‘Wishing Tree’ initiative to make residents’ dreams come true.  Hannah prioritises day trips for residents during the week, trying to make these as frequent as possible, so that they remain a steadfast part of the local community. Hannah said: “Going on these trips and days out with residents is an amazing opportunity to see who they really are, and to watch their personalities shine. This is my favourite part of my role, being lucky enough to experience the happiness they feel when being out and enjoying the world.”

Anna Sudak, Head Chef at Care UK’s Montfort Manor in Ashford, is shortlisted for The Creative Nutrition Award. Anna’s greatest achievement in the past year, and something that caught the judge’s eye, is her work around improving the home’s offering to residents living with dysphagia. Residents who require a Level 4 and above modified diet are now offered the same choices as other residents. Their meals are prepared and piped to taste and look like the unmodified versions, improving not just dietary intake but also the overall dining experience for residents living with dysphagia. To do this, Anna put herself on a modified diet for three days, she said: “By the end I was emotionally drained, but it gave me the insight to be creative with modified diets and to encourage my colleagues to do the same.”

Zoe Ezeh, Head Chef at Ellesmere House in London, is also shortlisted for The Creative Nutrition Award. The judges were impressed by Zoe’s dedication to the home’s 65 residents, who are from diverse backgrounds, meaning a variety of cuisines – from Indian to Japanese and Mexican to Thai – are incorporated into the menu.

Care UK has been shortlisted for The Dementia Friendly Business Award, with the judges impressed by the focus on initiatives and campaigns to support those living with dementia. This includes the dedication to catering and dining, with the ‘Dining with Dignity’ initiative, and the advice hub for this year’s ‘The Big Dementia Conversation’. The accompanying dementia guide was a huge success and saw more than 2,000 people visit the Care UK website for advice, guiding families and loved ones through different stages of dementia.

The ceremony will be held, and winners announced, on Thursday 17^th June at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

If you’d like to dedicate yourself to a career in care and join our amazing colleagues, you can view our current vacancies here - https://www.careuk.com/careers