The Salisbury care home achieved Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) accreditation last August. It has now completed the framework’s Continuous Improvement review, just over a year later.
The VFF helps care providers support veterans living in care homes across England. The Royal British Legion, Royal Star & Garter and Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance run the framework together.
Caring Homes, which runs Laverstock Care Centre, is working towards VFF status across its homes. Each home is assessed separately, and two eligible homes are still awaiting accreditation confirmation.
Laverstock was one of the first Caring Homes homes to gain VFF status. Its work includes building links with veterans’ organisations and improving understanding of veterans’ needs.
Care home manager, Erin O’Shea (Image: Caring Homes)
Home manager Erin O’Shea said: “We were delighted to gain our Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) accreditation and a year on, we are proud to be improving, developing and continuing to offer tailored support to our veteran residents. We’ve been building relationships with local veterans’ groups, including the Salisbury branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL), and our Customer Relations Manager, Emma, and Clinical Lead, Cally, recently attended their monthly meeting. We then invited RBL committee members Denise and Susan to join us at Laverstock for ‘Fish & Chips Friday’.”
Clinical lead Cally is married to a veteran and is a member of the Salisbury and Wilton branch of the Royal Artillery Association. She represents Laverstock at branch meetings.
Staff and residents have also been preparing for Remembrance events. They created three poppy displays for the Care Home Remembrance Display competition. The displays focus on military weddings, Florence Nightingale and the Cenotaph. Residents have also made poppy wreaths.
Judging takes place on October 23. The team hopes to win.
Laverstock is selling poppies throughout October. Staff and residents will also help the Royal British Legion sell poppies at a local Tesco Extra store.
They will be there from 2pm to 4pm on October 29 and November 3.
Laverstock will host a Veterans Christmas Carvery on December 3. The event will bring veteran residents and local people together for Christmas.
The care centre said its links with local veterans’ groups remain central to its work. Recent activities have involved residents, staff, families and community organisations.
The framework helps Laverstock review its support and develop activities that recognise residents’ service histories and connections.
