Virtus Group Newsletter March 2026
Welcome back to our Virtus Care Group Newsletter for our March edition.
March has been another busy and positive month across our teams. We’ve been out in the community delivering dementia-focused talks, helping to raise awareness and share practical guidance with local families. Alongside this, we’ve had some really constructive and encouraging meetings with local organisations, strengthening the partnerships that help us better support our communities.
It’s also been a month of celebration, with teams coming together to recognise achievements and milestones, as well as sharing some truly meaningful client stories that remind us why the work we do matters so much. We’ve continued to build momentum behind our Later Life; Better Informed campaign, ensuring more people feel informed, supported, and confident when navigating later life.
As spring continues to unfold and the days grow brighter, there’s a real sense of renewal in the air — thank you, as always, for being part of everything we do and for the difference you help us make every day.
Developing Excellence - Our Care Skills Academy
At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to delivering the highest standard of care, and our Care Skills Academy plays a vital role in making that possible. Designed to support both new and experienced Care Professionals, the Academy provides the knowledge, confidence and practical skills needed to deliver truly outstanding, relationship-led care.
Through a combination of structured learning, hands-on experience and ongoing support, our Care Professionals are equipped to meet the diverse needs of the people we support. From communication skills and person-centred approaches to real-life scenarios, the training is practical and meaningful, ensuring it can be applied directly in the home. A key part of this is our City & Guilds accredited dementia training, giving our team a recognised qualification they can carry forward throughout their careers, while strengthening the specialist support we provide to clients living with dementia.
What makes our Care Skills Academy particularly special is its flexibility and accessibility. We understand the challenges of working across rural and wide-reaching communities, which is why much of our training is delivered in ways that work for our teams — including support out in the field. This ensures learning is accessible, relevant, and directly linked to the environments our Care Professionals work in every day.
The Academy is about continuous development as much as it is about initial training. By investing in our people and supporting their growth, we build confident, compassionate teams who feel valued in their roles — ensuring we continue to raise the standard of care and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we support.
Meet Enid - One Client’s Home Instead Journey
“Enid, my aunt, had previously led a very independent life. She had lots of hobbies and friends. However, during COVID she had to isolate and this cut off all routines. Enid became increasingly confused, unsure when to complete tasks and when to eat meals. Initially, our major concern was her medication and ensuring that she was eating properly. She had no relatives who lived nearby and therefore had little support, and did not leave the house except for medical appointments. Our biggest concern was how we could support Enid when we lived so far away. Was she safe to stay at home? How could we best support her to stay independent? It was the distance that was difficult. I did not know Enid very well before becoming her power of attorney. When she initially called me to say she couldn’t cope by herself and could I take over the organisation of her life and finance, I was totally overwhelmed. Enid’s dementia meant that there were a lot of gaps in my knowledge of her life that I had to become involved in, for example medical conditions, money, coordination of the household.
I hoped that Home Instead would be a regular check in for Enid, ensuring that she was taking her medication and letting me know if they spotted any problems. Very early on I realised that the CarePro’s were proactive and professional. Enid seemed happy with handing over the control of parts of her life to them.
Home Instead have enabled me to resume a normal relationship with my Aunt, rather than acting as just her carer. I don’t have to worry about the small details and know that everything is covered. I have excellent communication so I still know what is going on. Enid was very happy to stay at home. I was lucky that she realised that she wasn’t able to cope and so was open to help. I met most of the care team and they have all been lovely and knowledgeable, going out of their way to make Enid’s life easier. There have been a number of changes of staff in the office but I have always known who to contact and all requests have been acted on immediately. Jemma and Susan have been the people I have had most dealings with. Both completely helpful, reliable and able to compensate from me not being local.
I have nothing but praise for Home Instead. No request has been too much and they have been very flexible and accommodating. The Care Pros have acted with care and sensitivity, genuinely trying to make my Aunt’s quality of life better, such as taking her to the supermarket when she has forgotten what type of food she likes, and I never had any concerns. They have provided the care that a family member living nearby would want to give, always with a smile. They have been trustworthy and caring. I would thoroughly recommend them to someone else.”
If you would like to share your or your loved ones’ home instead journey – we’d love to hear from you on eve.maceynorris@homeinstead.co.uk
Supporting Independence at Home – Our Live-In Care Service
At Home Instead, we understand that many families want to keep their loved ones safe, comfortable, and independent in their own homes for as long as possible. That’s why we offer a Live-In Care service, tailored to meet the individual needs of each client.
Our Live-In Care can be arranged on a long-term basis for ongoing support, or temporarily as respite care, giving family carers a break without the need for a care home. This means your loved one can continue to live in familiar surroundings, maintain routines, and receive one-to-one care that is personalised, compassionate, and consistent.
Our trained Care Professionals provide support with daily tasks, companionship, medication prompts, and specialist care where needed — including dementia care — ensuring every day is safe, fulfilling, and comfortable. Because our carers live in with the client, continuity of care is guaranteed, allowing strong relationships to form and giving families peace of mind.
Whether it’s for ongoing support or a short-term respite, our Live-In Care service is designed to make life easier for families, while ensuring clients can remain independent, supported, and valued in the comfort of their own home.
Celebrating Our Key Players of the Year
Each year, we celebrate the dedication, skill, and commitment of our teams through our Key Players of the Year awards. These awards are a way to recognise individuals who go above and beyond, not only delivering outstanding care but also inspiring their colleagues and making a real difference in their communities.
And now… the drum roll, please! We are thrilled to announce our 2025 Key Players of the Year, whose hard work, professionalism, and compassion have truly stood out. Congratulations to all our winners — your commitment and impact make us incredibly proud, and you set the standard for excellence across our offices.
We must add a huge thank you and well done to all of you – it’s had to choose one winner sometimes as you all work so hard and so do much for our clients and teams every day . We are lucky to call you all our team and are grateful for all you do!
As a thank you to you all, we are currently planning a summer part at each of our offices, so keep your eyes peeled for when we annopuce more details!
Bringing Communities Together; Highlights This Month
Techy Tea Party at Cricklade Jenner Hall
We had a wonderful time hosting our Techy Tea Party at Cricklade Jenner Hall, welcoming anyone in the local community to bring along their devices — phones, tablets, laptops — and enjoy tea, cake, and great company. Guests were able to pop over to our friendly volunteers for guidance and support with their tech, making it a relaxed, helpful, and social event. The session was very well attended, with a fantastic spirit and atmosphere throughout, and it was lovely to see people connecting, learning, and enjoying themselves.
Easter-Themed Painting Workshop at Faringdon Café
We were delighted to host an Easter-themed Painting Workshop at Faringdon Café, completely free for older members of the community. Guests enjoyed hot drinks, friendly company, and the chance to get creative as Home Instead Care Professional, Rachael, guided them step by step through the painting activity. The session was full of laughter and creativity, and everyone went home with their own beautiful Easter-themed canvas to keep — a lovely reminder of a fun, social, and uplifting morning.
Cat’s Dementia Talk
We were delighted to be invited by Anna Chaplain Julie to deliver a dementia awareness talk at All Saints Church in Faringdon. Julie, who supports many older people in her role, connected with us through our Faringdon Friendship and Memories Café — one of our Home Instead Charities companionship cafés — making this a natural extension of the community relationships we’re so passionate about building.
The talk covered dementia as an umbrella term, challenged common myths and stigma, and shared practical advice drawn from our experience supporting families — including communication approaches, the importance of inclusion, recognising carer burnout, and when to seek additional help. We also signposted local support and introduced our Vale of White Horse WOW Guide. The session finished with a workshop-style discussion, where attendees explored how they could become a more dementia-friendly church community. Feedback was very positive, with many sharing that the session was both helpful and reassuring.
If your group or organisation would benefit from a similar session, we’d love to hear from you — we can tailor our talks to ensure they are relevant, practical, and valuable for your audience.
