26

Oct

Residents put their green fingers to the test with ‘The Garden Project’

Our residents and staff created a sensory garden and they are now quite literally enjoying the fruits of their labour.

Our 74-bedroom residential and nursing home has always enjoyed the benefits of the countryside, being on the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border, but now we’ve taken this to the next level, growing our own produce via ‘The Garden Project’, which began in March.

Our activities lead, Sally-Ann Davis explains; “We started The Garden Project because we wanted to encourage our residents to make the most of our gardens that overlook the neighbouring fields and the beautiful views. Being outside in nature can be very calming and lift people’s mood. We also wanted it to be a working space where we could grow herbs and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

“A lot of our residents love to garden, so this ongoing project is perfect for them and we’re now at the point where we’re putting the home-grown mint on the new potatoes at lunch and raspberries on our cakes for afternoon tea. It’s a big success and it’s certainly a talking point at mealtimes!”

Our residents Alfred Hudson, 87, and Leonard Redman, 85, are both keen gardeners and they are among those who have been enjoying the benefits of the project.

“It’s good to do the jobs properly,” Alfred says, “I’ve been sorting the onions and preparing the soil. There’s always more to do.”

“The garden is fantastic!” says Leonard, who has been planting and pruning, “it’s kept us all busy and it’s very colourful.”

The Garden Project was thoughtfully designed by Sally-Ann for those living with dementia and contains raised planters for easier access, strong-smelling plants and herbs, such as lavender, mint and thyme, and other sensory elements such as wind chimes.

She explains how, as a multisensory activity, gardening can be powerful and therapeutic for individuals living with dementia, benefitting cognitive function, emotional well-being and physical health.

“Gardening can help our residents to stay active and to feel empowered as they nurture the plants.” She says. “It can be very mindful especially with the textures and the smells, like the smell of the soil for example.

“It can evoke memories in our residents that may otherwise be hard for them to reach and it’s lovely to see them having conversations about the gardens they had before and the best way to do things. It’s also been very helpful because I’ve never grown anything prior to this, so they are teaching me how it’s done!”

Our care home manager, Dania Meadows says, “Setting up The Garden Project has been a labour of love and a joint effort across the home. Now it’s in full swing we love that our residents feel such a sense of accomplishment.”

As a very sociable project it’s been brilliant for our active residents who love to garden and it’s also perfect for our residents who just love to sit and enjoy the sensory elements. It’s a place everyone can use when family and friends come to visit because it’s so private and peaceful. We’ve even had family members joining in and bringing plants and ornaments for it.

“Whether our residents created it, enjoy maintaining it, sitting in it or simply eating the produce from it, we’re very proud of our garden and what our residents have achieved and we’re delighted it brings them so much happiness in so many different ways.

 

 

09

Jun

Raising awareness of Young Onset Dementia for Dementia Action Week

Dementia Action Week took place 15th -21st May. This year’s theme was ‘Diagnosis’ and we ran a campaign on Facebook to help raise awareness of Young Onset Dementia.
Our posts were seen by over 80,000 people and for every share they got, Barrowhill Hall donated £1 to Dementia UK. We raised £250!
Young Onset Dementia affects an estimated 70,800 people in the UK and the symptoms occur under the age of 65. The symptoms can be different from those of dementia, which develop later in life, and may include changes in behaviour, language difficulties, and difficulty with co-ordination and movement.
To help people understand more about the condition we highlighted Ali’s story, one of our residents with young onset dementia, whose symptoms began in her mid 50s.
Ali, 61, is a resident here at Churnet Lodge, our specialist household for those living with Young Onset Dementia. Churnet Lodge is a specially designed building and the décor and design are suited to younger people. We understand that dementia can be a challenging condition and our highly trained staff offer the appropriate care for their specific needs. We provide Ali, and all our residents, with the best possible care and quality of life.
Ali’s daughter, Charlotte, says her family found the decision to move Ali into Churnet Lodge a very difficult one. “It was a huge decision for us all,” she says, “and not one we came to lightly.
“Barrowhill Hall have been very kind and welcoming. The grounds are absolutely stunning, and the home is light, spacious and airy, with quiet lounges that are very peaceful.
“Seeing Mum’s relationship with her care team is hugely rewarding and the bond they have with her is so special. Her face lights up when she sees one of her regular carers, Tracey, who knows Mum so well.
“She is so good and it’s so reassuring to have her as our go-to person. Tracey is one of several superstars and they are all so kind to us!”
We know Ali is an animal lover. She spent many years with Jack Russell terriers, guinea pigs and any other animals who needed her and she loves all the furry friends who regularly visit our home.
“It’s important to never forget the person that they were before this awful disease,” says Ali’s daughter Charlotte. “They are still the person you love and you’ll get glimpses of them even when the disease takes hold. Hold on tight to the good times amongst the more challenging ones.”
She describes Ali as a super mum of four who devoted herself to her children, a lovely wife to Jon and a great sister to her beloved Cathy.
“Dementia is a very complicated and confusing disease,” Charlotte explains. “Especially when, like Mum, it presents itself at such a young age. Mum was mid 50s when she started showing signs and it took us a long time to reach a diagnosis. It’s so difficult for loved ones to watch it unfold especially when you know there is no cure.”
Her family have been deeply affected but we’ve been here to help.
“It’s been a huge and devastating experience for us all,” Charlotte says, “but we’ve come together as a family and supported each other on this journey so far. The carers at Churnet Lodge are so kind to us whenever we arrive and provide us with real reassurance that all is well when we aren’t there in person.”
We would like to give a huge thank you to Ali, Charlotte and her family for helping to raise awareness about Young Onset Dementia.
09

Jun

“It means a lot to know the Prince I met is now King” says care home resident, Gillyann, 86  

 

(Gillyann’s story as seen in the Uttoxeter Echo and Burton Mail.)

 

The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was an exciting time for residents at a Rocester care home but for Gillyann Prince it brought back memories of a personal invitation from the then Prince of Wales.

 

Firm royalist, Gillyann, 86, from Barrowhill Hall residential and nursing home was invited with her husband to visit King Charles III in 1994 at his private residence in Highgrove, Gloucestershire.

 

His Majesty extended the invitation as a thank you to them both for letting him hunt on their land when they lived on a farm in Norbury. “It was a wonderful day.” she says, “and it means a lot to me to know the Prince I met is now the King.”

 

Gillyann watched the King’s Coronation in her room at Barrowhill Hall with her granddaughter, Victoria, festooned with Union Jacks, it echoed memories of the “excitement” of watching Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation as 16-year-old.

 

“I loved it!” she says, “I didn’t have a favourite part, I enjoyed watching the whole ceremony.”

 

Gillyann’s affection for the Royal Family began in her teens when she queued for more than six hours to pay her respects to King George VI.  She was one of the 305,806 people who went to Westminster Hall in 1952 for his lying.

Then 13 years later, she was thrilled to be invited to Buckingham Palace for the 50th anniversary of the Women’s Institute. The King wasn’t in attendance, but she did meet the Duchess of Gloucester.

 

Barrowhill Hall, a 74-bedroom home specializing in caring for those living with dementia and memory loss, went all out with their festivities to mark the Coronation. Staff, residents and their friends and families enjoyed decorations, themed games (such as ‘Pin the Diamond on the Crown’), an all-day buffet and Coronation cakes, and entertainment from singer Paulo who had everyone singing and dancing.

 

Care home manager, Dania Meadows, says, “The Coronation meant a lot to our residents. The staff worked so hard to make it really special for them and their families.

 

“We put a lot of effort into understanding our residents, their personal histories and what they love, so we knew Gillyann in particular loved the Royal family.  It was very exciting for us to know that one of our residents met King Charles in person. It’s incredible to be able to see a photograph of the exact moment.”

 

Activities lead, Sally-Ann Davis was amongst those who managed the arrangements. “We all came together as a team to make it an enjoyable event for our residents,” she says, “and it was worth it.

 

“Everyone’s eyes were glued to the television during the ceremony. The atmosphere was amazing and we were all in great spirits.”