memory matters sw newsletter july2011 (2)
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Hello Everyone, Thank you for your feedback from the last newsletter and thanks to those who have attended workshops and training sessions. Your feedback has been invaluable. You have told us, and we have seen that you are enthusiastic and motivated to lead meaningful activities, groups and assessment in your places of work but that the fundamentals have to be right e.g. staffing levels. We continue to help you find solutions and you continue to enthuse, motivate and spur us on. Enjoy the read! Laura and Kate
Memory Matters News
Issue 2
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Issue 2
July 2011
Ward based Cognitive Stimulation TherapyWard based Cognitive Stimulation TherapyWard based Cognitive Stimulation TherapyWard based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy is a new project that we are working on here at Memory Matters. The idea behind this project is to enable hospital wards to use the Cognitive Stimulation model to provide appropriate meaningful activity within a ward environment. It has been well received in Somerset where staff will be looking at implementing CST within nurse protected time on the ward. The use of CST on wards was audited in Sussex in 2009; the findings were that the sessions not only improved the wellbeing of patients but also enabled the staff to make a more accurate and thorough assessment of activity needs in a fun and enjoyable way. ( You can read about this at nice.org.uk nice.org.uk nice.org.uk nice.org.uk Go to the ‘ Putting guid-‘ Putting guid-‘ Putting guid-‘ Putting guid-ance into practice ’ ance into practice ’ ance into practice ’ ance into practice ’ tab, click on ‘ shared learning ’ ‘ shared learning ’ ‘ shared learning ’ ‘ shared learning ’ and search for CSTCSTCSTCST) We are also in the process of developing an activity passport based on the CST themes. The information that the ward staff receive following the Memory Matters training enables them to record activity successes in a brief yet informative document that can travel with the person to their next placement or home. We feel the passport will help to ensure that people living with dementia will have more opportunities to engage successfully in new environments and that it will support staff with the planning of appropriate cognitively stimulating activity. For more
information contact : [email protected]@[email protected]@memorymatterssw.co.uk
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The last Activity Co-ordinators Network Meeting
was hosted by Vanetta, activity co-ordinator at The
Grove, Charlestown. Here are some of the activities
that we shared:
There has been some great work going on with
maps. Ingrid (AC from Beaumont house, Bodmin)
has been working on using orientation within the
home in a subtle and implicit way, as set out in the
principles of Cognitive Stimulation. She has hung a
map in an accessible area and has printed out
amusing sayings about travel that she has displayed
around the map. The map has helped to orientate
residents to place and has stimulated some great
discussion on travel and places of interest. Ingrid
intends to use reminiscence to plot peoples favourite
places and travels using wool.
Vanetta (AC from the Grange) has also been using a
wall mounted map to plot one resident’s son’s Navy
travels using wool.
Ian (AC from North
Hill House, St Aus-
tell) has been having
fun making ‘pet
rocks’ with the resi-
dents there. They
sold like ‘hot rocks’ at
the summer fete!
We talked a lot about environment, particularly for
people with dementia. It is so important that people
living with dementia in care homes have the
opportunity for cognitive stimulation and relaxation.
Ingrid has purchased a set of framed pictures
specifically selected to be accessible and relevant to
people with dementia. They are a hit with residents.
Pictures should be hung at 4ft from the ground to
ensure they are the right eye level. Visit
www.picturestoshare.co.uk and check out their
wonderful books too.
Ingrid has also been working with residents to create
signs to personalise doors. She recommended
printing out pictures that are meaningful and recog-
nisable to the resident to accompany their name and
frame it. She recommends A4 ‘snap frames’. We
found these: www.snap-frames.net
Emily (AC from Castle Hill House, Bodmin)
talked about the sun/ wind catchers she
had made with residents there. These
make a great activity, and serve as visual
stimulation when hung outside windows.
Instructions coming soon on our blog.
www.memorymatterssw.co.uk
If you would like to come to the next
AC meeting details are opposite.
For more information on anything
mentioned in the newsletter contact either:
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Activity Co-ordinators
Big Thank You to Jo You may have noticed that Jo Hague is missing form the front page picture!
With much deliberation Jo decided to step down as Director for Memory Matters South West. She has many
commitments including her great work as dementia lead for Outlook South West and her dedication to the
Lostwithiel Memory Cafe which she continues to run with Laura and the great team of Lostwithiel Rotary
volunteers. (Jo and Laura recently received a ‘Community Service Award’ in recognition of creating and
maintaining the Lostwithiel Memory Cafe and being the inspiration for its success.)
We want to say a great big “thank you” to Jo for all her hard work in our first year and wish her every success
in all that she does.
Jo will continue to be called upon as a consultant and trainer for Memory Matters and we value her input
greatly.
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We were lucky
enough to have re-
ceived a small grant
from Cornwall Council
to update our website.
We have Iteracy working as we
speak on a new look website that
will have lots more information for
activity co-ordinators, care staff and
carers. We have noticed that the
online forum doesn’t get posted on
as much as we had hoped however
it does have a large amount of
visitors and posts do get read.
Because of this we are going to
stop the forum but continue with
the blog so that you can log on and
read what’s going on without
feeling the need to post. We will be
moving it all over in the next couple
of months.
If you have any suggestions of
topics you would like us to blog
about let us know.
MY WORLD is a
project we began
working on at the
beginning of this
year. We wanted to
create an experience that would
help carers and nursing staff to
explore what it may feel like to
experience some of the symptoms
of dementia. By creating an
unfamiliar environment and
stepping learners through the
symptoms, we hope to promote
understanding of the perspective of
those living with dementia in care
homes. Sessions will be ready to
run from September 2011.
We continue to run fun, interactive
and cognitively stimulating groups
for people experiencing memory
loss. MEMORY MATTERS
GROUPS run regularly in care
homes around Cornwall and are
based on the principles of cognitive
stimulation therapy (CST). We also
run CST sessions in people’s own
homes.
ELEPHANT WORKSHOPS:
Coming soon! Workshops for
people who wish to be proactive
about maintaining a healthy brain.
These sessions are aimed at all
ages and are fun and energetic
sessions to teach how to keep
your brain in top condition. The
workshops also teach memory tips
and skills. Contact us for more
information on any of the above.
Next Activity Co-ordinator
Network Meeting
Monday 3rd October.
10 am
Castle Hill House, Bodmin.
Hosted by Emily
The network is for anyone who works therapeutically with peo-ple in care homes. Come and chat with others doing the same job and get ideas for activities.
Please let Laura know if you want to attend and whether you can offer a place to meet in your care home in the future.
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST)
Group Facilitation Workshop
14th September 2011
9am-4pm
£45 inc. lunch
Launceston.
Gain the skills to facilitate your own research based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy groups.
This valuable workshop will un-doubtedly change the way in which you work with those living with Dementia.
To book email [email protected]
What’s new?
Diary Dates
Expand your knowledge!
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Memory Matters South West CIC 34 Lakeview Close, Plymouth PL5 4LX T: 01208 871683 E: [email protected] Registered Company No: 7285140 Directors: Laura Michael RMN, Kate Smith RGN, Mike Stead
Memory Matters South West CIC are a not for profit company run by nurses who specialise in activities for People living with dementia.
A Chance to win an activity apron worth £20: Send us your favourite activity via e-mail and the one we consider to be the most ‘innovative and resourceful’ will win an activity apron for your place of work!
Designed for people with cognitive difficulties who like to keep their hands
busy. Bright colours, different textures and pocket treasures provide
stimulation, promote interaction and improve motor skills.
Our aprons are engaging for people who have dementia, have experienced
a stroke or have difficulties with cognition, (thinking and processing.) A
common symptom is sensory movement such as repetitive touch, scrunch-
ing of clothes, picking at items and rummaging. Our aprons help maintain
dignity. Pockets are available to fill with treasures.
E-mail; [email protected] by 1st October 2011
Carers’ Corner Workshop
Jo held two very successful workshops recently for
those involved in Memory Cafés in Cornwall.
The workshop covered support and coaching skills
to use with carers of those living with Dementia in
the community.
Jo introduced the model in which carers and those
living with dementia gain peer support by parting
ways for 45 minutes during the cafe. Carers gain
support from coaching while those living with
dementia can access Cognitive Stimulation Therapy.
Comments from attendees...
“I am taking away some useful ideas from this work-
shop”
“it’s given me a good model to start up a memory
café”
Recommended Websites:
www.forgetmenotbook.com
Is a great resource for anyone doing life story work.
We met with the team earlier this year and feel this is
a great forum to start building information and
collecting memories. It’s a brilliant tool for relatives
and staff to use to build a picture of your residents.
www.finerday.com
Developed by a care home nurse; This is a fantastic
site for those who are not ‘computer-minded’. It’s a
simple to use e-mail and communication platform for
anyone who wants to keep in touch with family in a
very simple way.
Don’t forget www.memorymatterssw.co.uk you can
follow us on twitter: #memorymatterssw and look us
up on facebook Win an Activity Apron !!
What will you do for D.A.D? Norm Mcna-mara is a regular poster on our forum
and is known by many people all round the world as a man who is determined to change the lot of people living with dementia. Having written books and poetry on his experience of living with
dementia he continues to inspire and touch us on a daily basis. Norm had a vision to set up a day that wasn’t about fund-raising and didn’t belong to any particular organisation but that brought all people together to raise awareness of dementia. Dementia Awareness Day is on Saturday 17th September and many people throughout the UK and the world will be marking the day.
We will be letting lanterns into the sky at dusk. Why not involve the people you work with in letting lanterns into the sky at dusk or lilac balloons at lunch-time to raise awareness of dementia. You can read Norm’s posts on our forum page or look out for him on facebook.