Winter 2016/17

Deerhurst Newsletter

Inside this issue:

Manager update

Outstanding CQC

Rating

Hen Power

Parlours of Wonder

Plus much more!

A Happy New Year to everyone who lives here, those who work here and all the

many others who support us in so many different ways. Hopefully, ‘fingers crossed’,

2017 will become yet another fantastic year; one to match the one we have

experienced in 2016! To ‘kick-off’ the New Year’s celebrations, we held a huge party on Friday 27th

January to celebrate the following four colossal 2016 successes; the awards of:

Level-1 Kite Mark Award for Outstanding Dementia Care (Sept-16)

Lesley was recognised as ‘The National Inspiring Leader in Dementia Care’ at the National Dementia Care Awards held in Brighton (Nov-16)

Accreditation application completed for the Gold Standard Framework in End of Life care

Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Deerhurst as “Outstanding” (Dec-16)

All these achievements reflect the commitment and efforts of the countless people who contribute to Deerhurst’s accomplishments (residents, relatives, staff, volunteers, as well as visiting entertainers and other activity providers). Within Deerhurst, we frequently talk about the Deerhurst ‘family’, and we witness evidence (on a daily basis) of the “family’s” incredible contributions to Deerhurst life.

Our Christmas festivities deserve a special mention! First of all the catering staff served-up a splendid dinner on Christmas Day. However, the annual appearance of Father Christmas was like something out of a Walt Disney film. Yet, I’m not sure how many care homes can boast of three Father Christmases helping to ensure that everyone was given their gifts (and a kiss too, if they were lucky!).

Congratulations to Mike Evans and his volunteers (and all those who came to support the Christmas Table Top event, as customers). The volunteers raised over £1,300 - WOW!

Many of you have said how much you enjoyed the Christmas Pantomime as well as concerts and Carol Services. During the festive calendar we had something different every day. Before I forget, a special thanks to the Carmel Church Choir and St. Stephen’s School for entertaining us.

I must not forget to mention we have had new additions to the family. Six sturdy and impressive hens moved in to Deerhurst, so a special welcome and happy new year to Henrietta, Angelica, Gertrude, Blossom, Matilda and Abigail.

2017 will see lots of events and adventures so watch this space for more information including a new Reminiscence programme.

Once again, a Happy New Year to the Deerhurst family. Lesley Hobbs, Deerhurst Manager

Manager update…

Autumn leaves were falling and the fireworks were going up, yes Deerhurst’s firework display took place, a brilliant show under the guidance of Alex and Tina. We heard that Lesley had been awarded the National award for Dementia Care. Very well done Lesley! You deserve it and I was very happy to be asked to provide a testimonial! I hear that the egg production has now gone up to six! Keep clucking young chickens! The annual Remembrance Day service was held, which was well attended. December was memorable for me as it involved me spending time in hospital unable to get out of bed for two weeks as I recovered from a life threatening infection. I was so relieved to return to Deerhurst to the welcoming committee of around 15 staff cheering as I was brought home by ambulance. Then Lesley told me off for giving them a scare!

Christmas spirit could be felt all around the home, with Nong doing her annual Christmas decorations. How wonderful they looked, she has such hidden talents! Father Christmas also made an appearance and we all had lovely presents from the staff and volunteers.

A wonderful dinner was provided on Christmas day, thanks to the wonderful kitchen staff. With Christmas over, things were back to normal with visits from various artists, not forgetting Steve Garrity’s 80th birthday. Wonderful music was provided, not just by Kat but also Steve’s son Mark and granddaughter who sang especially for us, a memorable occasion.

Roving reporter update

We have lots to look forward to in 2017 and I wish you all a Very Happy New Year!

From Alan B

25 Deerhurst staff benefitted from working with Hamilton House in Bristol. The Wellbeing Community Coordinator - Nealey Conquest, offered three free training sessions to staff on simple massage techniques which the staff found both interesting and relaxing (as they practiced their new skills on each other!). The residents can now benefit from spontaneous hand and foot massages and staff feel that they have learned a new skill – a win win for everyone!

A big thank you to Nealey and her team for involving us in this great community project.

Staff recently benefitted from a session of reflexology. We have now arranged this as session for 3 – 6 of our residents to sample this relaxing and therapeutic technique.

This was another Bristol City Council initiative (like the massage sessions), to try and involve care homes in community projects to improve the wellbeing of people living in care.

Massage

Reflexology

We are very pleased to welcome to Deerhurst six of our very own beautiful hens: Hettie, Gertie, Blossom, Matilda, Abigail and Angelica. This is all part of a project that we have commenced with Hen Power and Equal Arts.

Our Fun Facilitator from Hen Power is Tanith who spends every Monday morning doing fabulous hen-related creative activities from pottery hens to feather artwork to cooking hen shaped biscuits and singing hen related songs! Amazing! Just how many fun things can be hen related?!?

Hen Power is a national charitable organisation which creatively ‘hen-gages’ older people in arts activities

and hen-keeping to promote health and wellbeing and reduce isolation and loneliness.

Hen Power cultivates creativity in care settings at a time in life when most people are slowing down and not stepping into wellies or making masterpieces.

Following on from the Tangible

Memories project, we have been

working with Alive! again on another

exciting venture called Parlours of

Wonder.

This is a large joint initiative with

researchers from the Graduate School

of Education at the University of Bristol

and designers from Stand and Stare.

Through the use of technology and life

history work, large scale interactive

maps and other exciting reminiscence

boxes, Alive! have been collaborating

with our residents as well as gaining

community involvement from St.

Stephens School, St. Stephens Church

and other key stakeholders to create

our own Parlour of Wonder. Our boring

Training Room will become an exciting

room of wonder and be more

accessible, engaging and stimulating.

We will keep you updated on its

progress!

Hen Power!

Parlours of Wonder

Maddison

Willmott

Maddie, as she

likes to be called,

is a new member

of the younger

Carers. Having only recently joined

Deerhurst, she was born in 1998 and

has two sisters and one brother. Her

education was at Kings Oak Academy.

Coming here as an Apprentice, she

was soon employed full time. She has

a desire to help people and to feel

good about it. She would like to get to

know the people she looks after a little

bit more. One of her Past times was as

a cheer leader well she certainly helps

to cheer us on!

Laura Sanderson

Another young

Carer here at

Deerhurst is Laura

Sanderson who

was born in 1998

here in Kingswood. She has one

brother. Her schooling took her to St.

Stephens and then Mangotsfield

Secondary. She did courses at the City

of Bristol College and Filton College.

She hopes to go on to U.W.E. to take a

degree in nursing. She is interested in

playing all sports. Next year she plans

to take a cruise around the

Mediterranean. Should she win the

lottery, she would donate to various

charities, buy a house and look after

her family.

Grace Kenway

As one of our

younger Carers

who started here as

an Apprentice and

is now a very good

Carer. Born in Bristol in 1997 she has

one brother. She attended the John

Cabot Academy, Kingswood. On

leaving school she worked in a burger

bar. Her sporting activity was playing

football for 13 years. She became an

Apprentice three years ago because

she wanted to look after people as she

is a naturally a caring person. If she

won the lottery she would develop

Deerhurst into a village with shops and

a chippy! Her ultimate aim is to

become a midwife.

Leah Torrington

Leah was born in

Bristol in 1993, she

has two brothers.

She went to Gay

Elms school in

Bishopsworth and

then on to Bedminster Down school

before going to the City of Bristol

College to study

Young Carers and New

Starters at Deerhurst

Health and Child Care. Leah gained a

few years of experience in another

care home and then came to Deerhurst

in 2015 as a Senior Carer. At just 23,

she is our youngest Senior Carer! Leah

enjoys working at Deerhurst and says

the team are friendly. She has great

relationships with the people who live

here and their families. Leah went to

Cyprus for a holiday this year and

loved it.

Erin Taylor

Erin is a Bristol

girl and was born

in 1994. She has

a brother and a

sister. She went

to St. Stevens

school and then

on to Mangotsfield Secondary school.

On leaving school in 2011, at the age

of sweet 16, she became an

Apprentice here at Deerhurst in Health

and Social Care. Lesley tells me she

was a very shy girl who wouldn’t say

‘boo’ to a goose, but there is no

messing with Erin now as not only has

she a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, she

has a strong ethos of empowering

people. This is why Erin works mainly

with our Reablement guests, helping

them to get well and return home! They

claim there is no rest when Erin is

around! Some of her favourite holidays

have been to Tenerife and Disneyland

Paris.

Lilian Kaneza

Lilian is from

Tanzania and

was born there in

1974. She has

three brothers

and one sister.

Makongo High

school was her home school. She

came to England in 2001 to study and

attended Soundwell College. Whilst

there, she played football and

volleyball. On completing her studies

she went to St Mary's Hospital in

Clifton. She is not married and came to

Deerhurst in 2011.

Bud Budgaba

Bud is another of

Deerhurst's new

Carers. She

joined us towards

the end of last

year and is fitting

in very well. She

thoroughly enjoys work. Born in

Thailand and has 2brothers and a

sister ,on leaving school She trained as

an accountant and married her

husband a bricklayer then they moved

to England. She is always smiling and

very willing to do whatever is asked of

her.

Over the years, Brighton’s beaches,

Pier and Regency-style buildings have

welcomed numerous visits by

prominent politicians, sportspeople and

Royalty. Nonetheless – in Deerhurst’s

mind - the evening of the 3rd

November, 2016 should go down as

one of the town’s most notable

occasions.

It was the time when Lesley Hobbs and

her escorts (Jan Little – Care Director,

the home’s Senior Management Team

together with some of Lesley’s family

and friends) “took over” the town. The

evening in question, marked the time

for the National Dementia Care Awards

to be announced. Following interviews

in London, Lesley was shortlisted –

with several others – for the award of

“Most Inspiring Leader in Dementia

Care”.

On the evening, hundreds packed into

the Brighton Centre for a three-course

dinner prior to hearing the event’s host

(Russell Grant) announce the winners

in the various categories.

Predictably, Lesley’s award category

was announced towards the very last

minute! (Sound familiar?). Late in the

evening, when the wine bottles were

empty, there was a hushed silence in

the hall. Eventually, Russell Grant took

leave from smiling at all and sundry,

and announced the name of the

winner. Lesley Hobbs!!!!!

Tumultuous applause erupted across

the hall. At Lesley’s table (seating her

10 escorts alongside her) the noise

was truly raucous, animated and

prolonged. (I should add that the more

reserved members of her escorts were

far less raucous).

Russell Grant – as many of you will

remember - is well known for his

interests in horoscopes and astrology.

As Lesley climbed up onto the stage,

he was heard to remark something like

“Let me help you, dear, you might fall”.

Fortunately, Lesley arrived on the

stage unscathed and accepted the

award: the next day she tumbled down

several steps and fell upon the beach.

Wrong day Mr Grant: get it right if

there’s a next time (so we can film it!).

Astrologer Russell Grant predicts

Deerhurst Manager downfall!

We aren’t born knowing how to communicate with a person with dementia—but we can learn. Improving your communication skills will help make caregiving less stressful and will likely improve the quality of your relationship with your loved one. Good communication skills will also enhance your ability to handle the difficult behavior you may encounter as you care for a person with a dementing illness.

1. Set a positive mood for interaction. Your attitude and body language communicate your feelings and thoughts stronger than your words. Set a positive mood by speaking to your loved one in a pleasant and respectful manner. Use facial expressions, tone of voice and physical touch to help convey your message and show your feelings of affection.

2. Get the person’s attention. Limit distractions and noise—turn off the radio or TV, close the curtains or shut the door, or move to quieter surroundings. Before speaking, make sure you have her attention; address her by name, identify yourself by name and relation, and use nonverbal cues and touch to help keep her focused. If she is seated, get down to her level and maintain eye contact.

3. State your message clearly. Use simple words and sentences. Speak

slowly, distinctly and in a reassuring tone. Refrain from raising your voice higher or louder; instead, pitch your voice lower. If she doesn’t understand the first time, use the same wording to repeat your message or question. If she still doesn’t understand, wait a few minutes and rephrase the question. Use the names of people and places instead of pronouns (he, she, they) or abbreviations.

4. Ask simple, answerable questions. Ask one question at a time; those with yes or no answers work best. Refrain from asking open-ended questions or giving too many choices. For example, ask, “Would you like to wear your white shirt or your blue shirt?” Better still, show her the choices—visual prompts and cues also help clarify your question and can guide her response.

5. Listen with your ears, eyes and heart. Be patient in waiting for your loved one’s reply. If she is struggling for an answer, it’s okay to suggest words. Watch for nonverbal cues and body language, and respond appropriately. Always strive to listen for the meaning and feelings that underlie the words.

6. Break down activities into a series of steps. This makes many tasks much more manageable. You can encourage your loved one to do what he can, gently remind him of steps he tends to forget, and assist with steps he’s no longer able to accomplish on his own. Using

Ten Tips for Communicating

with a Person with Dementia

visual cues, such as showing him with your hand where to place the dinner plate, can be very helpful.

7. When the going gets tough, distract and redirect. If your loved one becomes upset or agitated, try changing the subject or the environment. For example, ask him for help or suggest going for a walk. It is important to connect with the person on a feeling level, before you redirect. You might say, “I see you’re feeling sad—I’m sorry you’re upset. Let’s go get something to eat.”

8. Respond with affection and reassurance. People with dementia often feel confused, anxious and unsure of themselves. Further, they often get reality confused and may recall things that never really occurred. Avoid trying to convince them they are wrong. Stay focused on the feelings they are demonstrating (which are real) and respond with verbal and physical expressions of comfort, support and reassurance. Sometimes holding hands, touching, hugging and praise will get the person to respond when all else fails.

9. Remember the good old days. Remembering the past is often a soothing and affirming activity. Many people with dementia may not remember what happened 45 minutes ago, but they can clearly recall their lives 45 years earlier. Therefore, avoid asking questions that rely on short-term memory, such as asking the person what they had for lunch. Instead, try

asking general questions about the person’s distant past—this information is more likely to be retained.

10. Maintain your sense of humor. Use humor whenever possible, though not at the person's expense. People with dementia tend to retain their social skills and are usually delighted to laugh along with you.