Specialised Dementia Training at Park Manor
8th December 2015
Parkmanor Nursing Home is comprised of three separate floors, one of which is devoted to the care of people living with dementia. Claire Black, our Nurse Manager, and her expertly trained staff, work tirelessly to ensure that their residents living with dementia are well cared for and get the support and reassurance they need.
Claire Black has been working with dementia care for over sixteen years. In 2015 she attended a train the trainer course run by the University of Sterling. This has enabled her to provide specialised, dementia centred, coaching for her staff. Claire has also formed links with the Alzheimer’s Society, who have visited the home and provided further training and information for staff and the relatives of our dementia residents.
Dementia Training Parkmanor staff receive specialised training to give them, not only the theoretical background to dementia, but an insight into what is involved for both the resident and their relatives. The training programme gives them the knowledge and understanding to recognise the many different types of dementia, the skills to communicate and affectively deliver person centred care. At Parkmanor, our staff are trained to use a range of therapies to reduce anxiety and stimulate residents living with dementia. Our activities therapist ensures that residents have the opportunity to get involved in activities such as doll therapy, music therapy, cinema days and tea parties and these events are held on a regular basis. A recent addition to the training programme is staff simulation training. Staff are required to ‘walk a day in the shoes’ of a resident which gives them a rare insight into a day in the life of someone living in care. This form or training is hugely beneficial to both staff and residents. It allows the staff to see how essential they are to the resident’s quality of life and importance of putting the residents’ personal needs at the centre of their care.
At Parkmanor we encourage the relatives of our residents to get involved in the training programme. They are fundamental to the care provided to their loved ones. Relatives are encouraged to bring in memories, or share stories about their loved ones with staff and the relatives themselves. Using memory stimulation can aid in relaxing residents, and improving their mood and engagement with staff and relatives. Through the information provided by the relatives, our staff are able to connect with our residents on a personal level and get an understanding of how the illness has affected them.
Fundamentally, our training is focused on giving our staff a clear understanding of dementia, and how they can make a difference in the lives of our residents. At the Macklin Care Homes we take an innovate approach to the care of people living with dementia and to the training of our staff. We really believe that, through this, we can help make a difference in the lives of our residents.