Former members of the Armed Forces at Anchor care homes across England are benefitting from enhanced care and support, because so far this year 20 care homes have achieved the standards required for Veteran Friendly Framework (VFF) status.
Anchor’s Managing Director of Care Services Rob Martin paid tribute to the achievements by colleagues across the country in reaching the benchmark, an endorsement awarded by Star and Garter, the Royal British Legion and the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance.
Rob said: “The wonderful people working at our care homes have shown fantastic dedication, passion and commitment to carry out tremendous high-quality work to achieve the Veteran Friendly Framework status and our residents are beginning to see real benefits to having it.
“We are expecting more of our homes to successfully achieve VFF status in the coming months and I am looking forward to attending more celebration events as a result. It is great to see.”
Rob previously served with 40 Regiment in the Royal Artillery for almost seven years, where he developed many of the skills that he continues to apply today in a high-pressure role.
Kathryn Glass, Royal Star and Garter’s VFF Project Lead, said: “All the applications submitted by Anchor care homes have been of an exceptionally high standard and a testament to the high-quality person-centred care that their residents enjoy.
“I would like to thank all the Anchor colleagues for their commitment to achieving the framework and for being so welcoming to the VFF Team.
“The programme benefits both current and future residents, along with current and future colleagues at each location, who are able to access enhanced training and guidance to better engage with the unique military experiences that their residents and partners have lived through.”
The standards the homes have to meet to achieve VFF status include referencing Armed Forces status within care plans, addressing social isolation; and signposting to support services, such as their local Royal British Legion branch and other charities that provide support for veterans or partners of veterans.
The aim of the VFF is 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. It will help tackle loneliness and has the scope to deliver improved health and wellbeing outcomes for the 25,000 veterans living in care homes in England.
