6000th Champion

A nursing home manager from Kent has become our 6000^th Dignity Champion.

Maggie Candy, who manages Sundridge Court Care Home in Bromley, (part of the Caring Homes Group) signed up as a dignity champion after entering the local Bromley PCT Dignity Challenge competition.

Maggie and her team at the nursing home decided to fully embrace the Dignity in Care philosophy and improve their current practice.

At team meetings, it was identified that although lots of paperwork was held concerning everything about the clients, it was sometimes hard to see beyond their illness or disability. To holistically care for them, more information was needed about their pasts than was held in the current documentation. By gaining this extra information, it was thought that communication and interactions would improve, especially in relation to dementia clients.

To embrace this change, "Team Sundridge" asked themselves the question "What would WE like people to know about us if it was us coming into care?"
So in the words from the musical Oliver, the team decided to invite clients to "Consider themselves at Home, Consider themselves, one of (our) family!"
The team have set about offering the dignity and choices you personally would expect as a family member. Family values will also be suggested to care staff as part of their induction at Sundridge Court.

The team are now working on a project called "Always Be Remembered", which looks at the clients past and what their preferences are today. This exciting project will be introduced to clients in a "Welcome pack", which includes a welcome letter, a photo sheet containing information regarding who's who within the home, and simple paperwork about the clients past. Part of this pack will also include a metal star, wish list and wish passport, the idea being that clients indicate what they wish for.
Whatever the client wishes for will be put into their "Wish Passport" and then this will be stamped when completed. The passport will be kept in their activity folders so that both staff and relatives can freely access and contribute to it. The metal star will be displayed in the communal area to indicate completion!

Caring Homes are actively supporting our work, and have indicated that this project will be introduced nationally as part of its commitment to championing "Dignity in Care" throughout its services.

"This project aims to be beneficial to all, by being of interest to all clients, relatives and staff, and by making a real difference to the delivery of services that we all aspire to. Therefore, what we hope to get out of championing for dignity is real staff awareness of what this really means, and what they can do to help. Every staff member is asked to contribute ideas for what changes they would like to see within our home, which would directly improve standards and choice for our clients. As Home Manager, I know that we are all able to embrace change and look forward to both questioning and changing practices!"
Maggie Candy (Manager RN)

'My life Story' booklets

These booklets are designed to gather information on each resident placing emphasis ontheir past, enabling staff to always treat each person as an individual. The book concentrates on childhood years, family history, relationships with relatives and memories. The book identifies choices each person has made throughout their life, what activities they enjoyed and their most important achievements. The book also has space to add in photographs of loved ones & key milestones in their lives. The books are designed to draw out information from each individual to help identify what shaped them to become the person they are today. They assist in creating a relationship between staff & resident that is appropriate to the individual. Where possible these books are completed by the resident, where this is not possible relatives & staff will complete on behalf of the resident.

Wish Passports-

Wish passports are designed to provide residents with the opportunity to express their wishes when they move into the home. These wishes maybe some thing that matters to a resident on a daily basis such as watching football or it may be an idea that requires planning on behalf of the staff to ensure their wishes are achieved. At the visit, you will help in delivering the wish of resident Mabel Ball whose wish is to drink champagne. The Caring Homes Group is planning to hold a 'wishathon' week in November for national care home week, where it is hoped over 100 wishes will be obtained.