Archive for the ‘TCC News’ Category
25 Feb
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
One condition that can mean a person develops complex care needs is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). What is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy? Muscular dystrophy is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of conditions, all of which have certain common features. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, or DMD is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. It mainly […]
Categories: TCC News
22 Jan
Can Spinal Cord Injuries Affect the Brain?
Spinal cord injuries (SCI) classically affect function – movement, control and sensation – of all parts of the body which use the nerves at and below the level of injury. This means that, although the brain’s communication with some parts of the body may be permanently and partially or completely obstructed, there is not necessarily […]
Categories: TCC News
11 Jan
An Association for All: TCC becomes the Spinal Injuries Association first Trusted Care Partner
Total Community Care (TCC) is delighted to announce that it has joined the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) network of partners, as their first Trusted Care Partner. SIA is an organisation that we know very well, having worked together for many years. This new partnership is another vital step towards the achievement of SIA’s aim to […]
Categories: TCC News
24 Dec
Huntington’s Disease
Huntington’s Disease, sometimes called Huntington’s Chorea or just Huntington’s, is a genetic disorder which affects the brain. The name ‘Huntington’s Chorea’ describes the kind of involuntary fidgety movements people with Huntington’s disease experience. Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease, which means that it causes gradual degradation to the nerve processes of the brain. Huntington’s causes […]
Categories: TCC News
02 Dec
Ironing out the cancer nursing challenges during Covid-19 webinar
Yesterday (December 1st) I attended a webinar about the cancer nursing challenges during Covid -19. It was very informative. It was interesting to hear about staff too scared to come to work, even experienced staff, due to the Covid-19. And to think, the Royal Marsden hospital did not have enough PPE supplies. The ever-changing rules […]
Categories: TCC News
20 Nov
How Spinal Cord Injuries Affect Your Health
The scope of impact a spinal cord injury (SCI) has on the body can be incredibly widespread and varied, affecting almost all of the functions and processes of the body below the level of the injury. The physical effects and the events leading to the SCI can also have a significant psychosocial impact on both […]
Categories: TCC News
04 Nov
What is Autonomic Dysreflexia?
Autonomic dysreflexia[i] (AD) is also known as autonomic hyperreflexia. It describes a situation where the body exhibits an exaggerated reflex response to a problem or stimulus. A person with a high spinal cord injury is likely to be unable to consciously sense and respond to a damaging or irritating stimulus. The body’s unconscious systems – […]
Categories: TCC News
30 Sep
What Is Complex Care?
The term ‘complex care’ encompasses a range of needs requiring ongoing essential specialist support. In the past, people with complex needs were confined to formal care settings and their care was highly medicalised. People with complex needs have one or more conditions which mean they are dependent on specially trained carers. ‘Complex’ means they may […]
Categories: TCC News
09 Sep
Dedicated Care Manager for each package of care
Do you manage a care package that is taking up a huge amount of your time? Total Community Care can help you with this. Included in our costings is a dedicated Care Manager for each individual care package. This means you have one simple and easy point of contact who can help deal with any […]
Categories: TCC News
09 Sep
How the care package is sustained in the event of carer sickness
Our care teams and rotas are set up to be sustainable and self-sufficient. Contingency planning is in place from the outset, with sufficient staff being recruited to ensure the care provision is robust and sustainable regardless of circumstances such as sickness and annual leave. The aim of this individualised approach with robust sickness policy and […]
Categories: TCC News
09 Sep
Specialist training from a dedicated Clinical Nurse
Total Community Care’s (TCC) training is delivered by a clinical nurse with appropriate experience in the client’s diagnosis and health care needs. All support worker staff complete key competency training specifically related to meeting the client’s needs. This is underpinned by clinical supervision and observation of care delivery. Specialist trainers are also employed by TCC. […]
Categories: TCC News
09 Sep
Specialist neurological care and support in times of a pandemic
In less than six months the world has changed in so many ways with the arrival of Covid-19. I wonder whether in future we will talk of life pre and post virus times? One thing that is absolutely certain is care and support have had to change to reflect these times. Many clients went into […]
Categories: TCC News
02 Sep
Managing Complex Care Needs at Home
Complex care can encompass all or any of a range of support services, including physical, social, and emotional support with normal daily activities. These kinds of medical and social needs can arise due to traumatic injury, degenerative illness, or congenital conditions – some people’s care needs can also fluctuate with time and aren’t always predictable. […]
Categories: TCC News
30 Jul
Spinal Injury without Radiographic Abnormalities
Sometimes, traditional imaging with x-ray or CT scan does not find a clear physical cause for the spinal cord injury symptoms the patient is experiencing – no injuries to the vertebrae or other obvious physical damage around the spine. This is known as ‘spinal injury without radiographic abnormalities’, or ‘SCIWORA’. Sometimes the terms ‘neuroimaging’ or […]
Categories: TCC News
24 Jun
Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Common Questions
The effects of a spinal cord injury (SCI) can last a lifetime and vary hugely from one person to another and between injuries. The impact an SCI has on a person’s life and health depends on the extent of the damage and the area of the spine affected. An SCI can have a spectrum of […]
Categories: TCC News
03 Jun
What are the differences between complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries?
No two spinal cord injuries are exactly alike. The amount of feeling and function a person retains after a spinal cord injury (SCI) depends on the nature and extent of the injury. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves extending from the brain down the backbone. Pairs of nerves branch off from the spinal […]
Categories: TCC News
15 May
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day
I was an extremely busy teacher for many years, and had an active social life, including going to the gym, dancing, seeing friends, and completely taking my life for granted. In the blink of an eye my life changed forever in March 2008! My husband and I had been travelling back from Cornwall , after […]
Categories: TCC News
28 Feb
Corona Virus – COVID-19
There is quite rightly a national and indeed global concern relating to the potential impact of Corona Virus. The situation is fast changing but I thought it might be useful to make the governmental advice as of 27th February. Inevitably there has been a great deal of misinformation. The most frequent question I have received […]
Categories: TCC News
02 Jan
Sarah’s New Year Blog
Happy New Year everybody! So I am getting married this May (sounds scary saying that)! So I thought I would write a bit about my experience with relationships and how I felt about relationships, being paralysed since I was 18 months old, my struggles, and how I feel now. Growing up paralysed from the neck […]
Categories: TCC News
18 Nov
Moving and Handling Update
Maureen Harriott, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and I attended a moving and handling update last week. The day gave us opportunities to meet other attendees from differing work areas, gain an update/review of legislation, and share experiences of challenges for our clients, patients or service users. In addition, relooking at cost saving in relation to equipment […]
Categories: TCC News
01 Nov
Happy Birthday TCC!
Today marks our 13th Birthday! 🎉🎂 We would like to say a big thank you to all who have contributed to TCC over the past 13 years, and we hope you will continue to be part of the TCC story. Happy Birthday Everyone! Chris, Reg and Debbie – TCC Directors
Categories: TCC News
25 Jul
Tracheostomy Course
Two day Tracheostomy Course at Northwick Park Hospital attended by Eileen Lynn and Claudine Needham, Trainers at TCC. We travelled to Northwick Park Hospital to take part in the MDT Tracheostomy study days, the first day covering the fundamentals of Tracheostomy care, and the second day Advanced Skills for Tracheostomy care. The course directors were […]
Categories: TCC News
24 Jul
A day at the seaside with Colin!
During a recent visit to see Colin I accompanied him, his wife (Margy) and team members Chrissy and Katie to Redcar. It was a beautiful day and a walk along the sea front was just what the doctor ordered. Colin chatted to passers-by and loved seeing the dogs on the beach, so much so that […]
Categories: TCC News
24 Jul
Outstanding Care Forum -10th July 2019 – Callywith College
On Wednesday 10th July myself and Julie Tailor (Operations Manager for the South) attended the Outstanding Care Forum event at Callywith College. Despite a few navigational issues on the way, we arrived in plenty of time to enjoy a coffee and biscuit in the café area, before being asked to go through to the lecture […]
Categories: TCC News
18 Jul
Jenny’s Journey
Thank you very much to Jenny, a TCC client, who came to our Planning Meeting on 17th July 2019 to tell us her journey. Jenny told her story right from 9 years ago when she had a life changing and devastating Road Traffic Accident which resulted in an ABI (Acquired Brain Injury), through to the […]
Categories: TCC News
17 May
Presentation of Innovative Mattress System by Medstrom Healthcare
Thank you very much to Debbie Newcombe of Medstrom Healthcare who came to our management meeting today to talk about, and demonstrate, their innovative alternative to air mattress systems; Dolphin Therapy. We all really enjoyed the presentation (and watching volunteers trial it! ) Dolphin Therapy is a reactive therapy mattress system which provides optimum pressure relief with increased […]
Categories: TCC News
10 Mar
Our Pregnancy News!
Our Pregnancy News I’ve been living with a Spinal Cord Injury for almost 8 years. At the start of my journey I only had one soul focus and that was to keep fighting to achieve my goal of walking again. I had little knowledge of what a SCI entailed, it was only when I started […]
Categories: TCC News
14 Feb
Information and Advice for Air Travel
Thank you very much to Tina, who moved on to pastures new last year, but sent this in for me to share with you all after seeing it on TV in January. It could certainly be of interest to some of you, especially on the back of a lot of negative articles relating to air […]
Categories: TCC News
10 Dec
The Joy and Pain of Exercising
As I endeavour to improve my health and fitness I thought I would share my journey with you all, and on the way maybe encourage a few of you to join in on this new quest of mine to get healthy and live a better life. As a certain age approaches, an age that I […]
Categories: TCC News
30 Nov
MASCIP Conference
MASCIP Conference The 20th MASCIP conference – Below the Belt: Issues of Bladder, bowel and sexual function took place on Thursday November 22nd at Loughborough University. As always TCC representation was high with Maureen, Sophia and Claudine all attending as delegates. Sophia and Claudine are pictured below! As a committee member I was tasked with […]
Categories: TCC News
04 Jul
The end of DoLs?
Earlier this week the government has taken the first steps to overhaul the controversial Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) with a revised scheme called the Liberty Protection Safeguards. Central to this is still the basic rights that individuals have including that of their liberty. The revised system intends to be simpler and cover all care […]
Categories: TCC News
19 Jun
Participants Required for UTI Research Study
TCC are proud sponsors of SMSR and we have closely followed their research projects. Ali Gibson who TCC co – sponsor has shared the information below (you can also find it yourself on SMSR Twitter feed @lifeafterpara The project on reducing frequency of and/or treating UTIs is of particular interest given the impact of UTI’s […]
Categories: TCC News
18 Jun
Continuing Health Care (CHC) Funding
For many of TCC’s clients Continuing Health Care (CHC) funding is a key component in paying for specialist services enabling them to live at home. There is a worrying climate in which the NHS has set a target of a 25% reduction in CHC funding over the next three years. In real terms that equates […]
Categories: TCC News
13 Jun
Joined up Thinking by Health and Social Care Bodies
As Trump and Jong – Un have some face to face dialogue after a period of many years I started to think; Wouldn’t it be great if the leaders of both health and social care bodies had positive talks also? So many individuals with complex needs, including clients of TCC, just want those needs met. […]
Categories: TCC News
08 Jun
Neuro Convention 2018
TCC exhibited alongside Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research at Neuro Convention 2018 this week at London Excel. The Show is Europe’s only Brain and Spine Trade Show, and features over 150 exhibitors alongside keynote speakers, seminars and live demonstrations. The show is split into four zones; Diagnostic Surgical Brain Stimulation Rehabilitation I took some time out from […]
Categories: TCC News
22 May
Employee Referral Scheme Bonus Period – Earn £500!
Calling all current employees! We are increasing the employee referral payment to £500 per referral for a bonus period! (usually £200) Any referrals received between 22nd May and 31st July will qualify for the bonus payment amount. All you need to do is ask your friend/colleague to call or email the office to request an […]
Categories: TCC News
