Major refurbishment at Sherborne House – nursing care now available

We are delighted to announce that a major refurbishment at Sherborne House has been completed which will accommodate a brand new nursing care wing alongside dedicated dementia care. The new nursing care wing extension will mean that Sherborne House increases its capacity to 38 bedrooms, with spacious living areas allowing residents access to landscaped gardens.

Admissions are now being taken for the new wing which opens on the 1st May 2017.

For more information please contact us on 01935 423210 or visit the Sherborne House website.

Testimonial letter

We recently received a testimonial letter from the family of one of our Sherborne House residents who recently passed away – we are so happy to hear that our staff made such a difference to Doris’ life. Thank you to the family of Doris Britton for such kind words.

On behalf of the family of Doris Britton, We would like to express our gratification to Sherborne House Care Home, Yeovil. Once we as a family accepted that Mum/Nan was unable to return home after a long stay in Hospital, we were able to see the positives to this environment and how this Care Home could meet the individual needs of our beloved Mum/Nan.

The professional Care started at the assessment stage, where the Care Home took time to consider if their environment was the most appropriate to meet Mum/Nan’s needs.

Thankfully for us, this Care Home was felt to be a suitable match.

Mum/Nan transferred to Sherborne House Care Home and on her arrival the staff had already supported in preparing her room, making sure this was a welcoming place for her to spend time, a room which could be described as Home from Home.

Sadly for us, Mum/Nan quickly became unwell, meaning she was classed as End of Life. This proving to be a sad time for the family, however, this time was made more bearable with the care and support we as a Family witnessed for our Mum/Nan and also for us as her Family.

During this time, Family spent time within the home 24/7. All family members were made to feel comfortable and welcomed. A bedroom was provided for us to allow us a space to rest, sleep and gather our thoughts, this room was available for the duration of the time Family were at Mum/ Nan’s bedside. This amounted to 7 days in total. During this time refreshments were frequently offered and provided.

Mum/Nan received excellent personal care and all elements were documented in the appropriate way. This resulting in Mum/Nan being comfortable and having her personal care needs met.

What quickly became apparent was the knowledge all staff have in regards to all aspects of the care sector. Whenever questions were asked, the responses were always clearly explained, leaving us with an understanding of the situation.

The atmosphere within this home is very welcoming and this is down to the staff being able to work effectively as a team. Staff members support each other and embrace their roles showing a passion for their jobs.

Care staff knew when to report concerns to the Nurse in Charge and Mum/Nan was promptly seen, the situation assessed and dealt with effectively at all times.
The Manager, Caroline showed us she is hands on in providing the care, as well as effectively managing the Home.

Nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff, they all frequently went above and beyond and often asking how we as a Family are coping and feeling.
The Home registered Mum/Nan with an excellent compassionate GP, Dr Steven Wood and made contact with the Vicar to visit. Pets were also welcomed.

Staff members sat with Mum/Nan to ensure she was not alone and all said Goodbye to her, even shedding a tear, as they saw Mum/Nan as part of their extended family.

Sherborne House Care Home recommended AJ Wakely &Sons (Sherborne) as the Funeral Director. We would like to thank them for the Care and Love they have shown to Mum/Nan and the Family. They are a very professional company with compassion and empathy.

Finally, we as a family would like to thank everyone at Sherborne House Care Home for the love, support and Care our wonderful Mum/Nan received and for how you made us feel welcomed and valued throughout this difficult time.

Your love, support, and compassion throughout was very much appreciated and always will be.

-The Family of Doris Britton.

Valentine’s Wine and Cheese

Here at Altogether Care, we believe that regular group activity is the key to maintaining wellbeing and peace of mind, which is why we create weekly task-based activities that involve the celebration of national holidays. This ensures that residents regularly feel included in group tasks where they can interact with others, providing residents with something different to do and encouraging an active mind.

Earlier this month, residents at Sherborne House celebrated St. Valentine’s Day where a selection of wine and cheeses were available for residents to enjoy– in moderation!

Photo: Residents Ruby and Amy (pictured) made the most of the occasion.

The joy of youth!

Residents at Sherborne House Care home made the most of a visit from a younger member of the community recently when 6 year old Emme Else joined in a painting session. Emme had some free time and wanted to share it with the 24 residents in Yeovil.

Sheila Bundy (pictured) was thrilled to spend time with Emme who brought a smile to the faces of each resident.

Caroline Sharp from Sherborne House said, ‘Emme specifically wanted to spend time here at Sherborne House and her cheerful personality made us all smile’.

Photo: Sheila Bundy (Sherborne House resident) with Emme.

Drumming up some fun

Residents at Steepleton Manor enjoyed a noisy afternoon when they took part in a Rhythm and Drumming Workshop with local musician and singer, Magdalena Atkinson.

Residents had the opportunity to try out a variety of different drums and listened to Magdalena sing whilst she danced to different songs with various rhythms.  Everyone clapped along in time and enjoyed creating their own music by singing and using a drum.

Rachel Lewis from Steepleton Manor said, ‘The drumming and rhythm session was a great success and our residents are all hoping that Magdalena will return soon’.

Photo: Resident David Mahoney, 84, with Magdalena Atkinson

Burns Night at the Manor

Residents enjoyed celebrating Burns night at Steepleton Manor Care Home with ‘Highland’ games, haggis hurling, shortbread and scotch pancakes.

Residents dressed up for the occasion and took part in a Burns Night quiz and word search. Scottish music ensured everyone could enjoy a Highland fling dance and the night ended with singing Auld Lang Syne.

Rachel Lewis from Steepleton Manor said, ‘Everyone enjoyed lots of games, music, dancing, laughter and fine Scottish food’.

Photo: Emily Burr with resident David Mahoney

Sowing seeds for springtime

Residents and staff enjoyed some indoor gardening this month when they sowed trays of seeds to add to the gardens at Steepleton Manor later this year.

Rachel Lewis, Activities Co-ordinator said, ‘We all enjoyed having green fingers and getting our hands dirty. The seeds will no doubt grow quickly in our warm home! One of our residents had spent many hours in his own garden, so was delighted to be able to sow seeds in the comfort of his chair’.

Look who dropped in for lunch…

Residents at Steepleton Manor Care Home had two surprise lunch guests when Alpacas Jimmy and Oliver dropped in to visit at the 29 bedroomed care home. 80 year old resident John Redhead shared a special greeting with Jimmy, who lives at Alpaca Adventure in Shaftesbury with 28 other Alpacas and their owner Wendy Williams.

Alpaca’s main diet is grass but they also enjoy hay and dried food which is specially prepared for them. They originate from South America and the average sized Alpaca stands around 4ft tall to the top of its back.

Both Jimmy and Oliver often visit care homes and other local community members so regularly enjoy a pat or a cuddle. Residents fed the Alpacas who also visited the rooms of residents who were unable to join the group in the lounge.

Rachel Lewis from Steepleton Manor said, ‘It was a delight for the Alpacas to visit some residents who were in bed and then see a bright smile come to their faces’.

Loneliness: And how it can be minimised within the elderly

Loneliness is a feeling that many people will experience at least once in their lives, whether
it’s from being isolated at school, moving to university, becoming a stay at home parent, having mobility issues, bereavement or retiring. The feeling for many cannot be described easily, it is not only emotional but it can also affect overall physical and mental health.
Our outlook on life can also be affected, which then makes for a vicious circle, becoming ever more socially isolated and lonely.

The group to be most affected by loneliness is often older people; a mixture of retirement, loss of a partner, difficulties with independence & mobility and not living close to their family can make loneliness a sad inevitability. Research from Age UK indicates 200,000 older people in the UK have not had a conversation with friends or family for a month and 3.9 million agree their television is their main form of company. So what can be done to beat loneliness before it strikes?

Social activity

Social activity is important in all walks of life – it gives us the opportunity to talk, engage in hobbies and get out and about. Loneliness is often associated with social isolation so part of beating this issue can be found in the engagement with social activities. Dancing clubs, art and book groups, charity volunteering and befriending programmes are a great way to maintaining wellbeing whilst being social.

Knowing who can help

It can be difficult to get the ball rolling; knowing where to find clubs, the ability to access them and keeping the momentum going. But there are many organisations out there to help – British Red Cross run many local projects to help older people retain their independence and beat loneliness. Age UK is another great source of advice, guidance and local projects to help combat loneliness.

For those in care, accessing different clubs can be more difficult however, social activity can be promoted through clubs, entertainment and activities being brought to you. This is something that is seen at Altogether Care. Having an active social calendar within homes encourages social interaction, gives variance between the days and promotes wellbeing. Even if your loved one is coming to stay for a short period of respite care, we still encourage them to get involved with social activities which they may not get the chance to normally.

Nobody should feel alone when it can be so easily combatted.

Happy Birthday John Redhead

Steepleton Manor resident John Redhead celebrated his 80th birthday on 10th January.

He enjoyed a chocolate and strawberry birthday cake and was given a book. John, who loves to read, lived in Blackpool and taught English to overseas students after studying languages at university. Staff and residents joined John in celebrating his special birthday.

He has been a resident at Steepleton Manor for 17 months and was born in Middlesex.

Christmas Jumpers raise money for charity

The staff at Steepleton Manor Care Home were getting into the festive mood just before Christmas by wearing Christmas jumpers to raise money for charity. The selected charity was Dorchester-based People First.

This charity is centred around people with learning disabilities, supporting each other to speak up and lead change. People First believe that everyone has a right to independence, choice, safety, good health, friendships, relationships and transport. They run projects and work alongside people with learning disabilities to achieve good lives for all. They also produce information and training to help organisations work more effectively with people with learning disabilities.

Merry Christmas!

We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – our service will be running as normal throughout the festive season!

If you need to speak to someone throughout the Christmas period, please head to our contact page for all the information you’ll need: http://altogethercare.co.uk/contact-us/

Thank you for all your support
throughout 2016!

Nutrition: Its importance for older adults

Nutrition is important in any stage of life. We are encouraged from an early age to eat a varied diet in order to ‘grow big and strong’. But as we get older and our bodies begin changing again, re-evaluating how nutrition affects us is important – good nutrition makes a difference to our health, appearance and our overall mental wellbeing.

Clearly older adults have different nutritional needs and will have different struggles when it comes to their relationships with food.  As we age we may experience perceptual changes such as the loss or a lower impact of smell and taste – this can have a huge impact on our relationship with foods, our appetite and eventually our nutrition.

We may also experience bodily functional changes such as the loss of teeth, how our bodies react with food or becoming newly allergic to certain food – these changes can be embarrassing when eating in a social environment and may encourage some older adults to eat less or avoid meal times all together.

Circumstantial changes such as financial concerns, loss of a partner or personal safety concerns may also be experienced by some of us – and for those affected by this it can hit them worse with the stress affecting their appetite, interest in food and ultimately the amount of nutritious food that is consumed.

Age UK predict that over 1 million people over the age of 65 are either malnourished or at risk of malnourishment. For those receiving care, a person centred approach to help tackle this becomes key. Understanding an individual’s relationships and potential struggles with different food gives you the ability to craft a diet that can provide nutrition without causing potential difficulties.

This understanding, attention to detail and individual driven approach is what will really make the most impact on an older adult receiving care. To cater for individuals, promoting healthy wellbeing that suits their needs should be at the top of any care settings agenda.

Sherborne’s Christmas Elves raise money

Staff at Sherborne House Care Home in Yeovil raised almost £80 for The Alzheimer’s Society by dressing up as Christmas Elves for the day, on Thursday 8th December.

Caroline Sharp, Manager at Sherborne House said, ‘We are all in the Christmas spirit and our festive fun has raised £79.40 with donations still coming in. The residents and staff had a great time’.

Sherborne House is soon to expand its facilities and currently has 24 residents. The home provides residential care for local people with dementia.

Gwen celebrates her 102nd birthday

Weymouth Care Home resident Gwen Lloyd-worth celebrated a very special birthday on 28th November, reaching the impressive age of 102 years old.

Gwen, who has a daughter and a son, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren lived in Weymouth and in the past worked within the family business running skating at The Sidney Hall in Weymouth. Sadly her husband Stuart passed away several years ago.

Gwen puts her longevity down to healthy eating and at one time grew and ate her own fruit and vegetables and fresh herbs. She has enjoyed eating salad for lunch for many years and adored travelling, including a trip to Australia and a holiday via the Channel Tunnel. A keen dog lover, Gwen once bred Yorkshire Terriers whilst living in Yorkshire.

Born in Southampton in 1914, Gwen later moved to Weymouth where she spent the majority of her life with her family.  As a hobby, Gwen often enjoyed flower arranging and was a member of various local flower clubs.

She moved to Weymouth Care Home three years ago and now enjoys a wide variety of social activities with the other residents and staff.

Gwen’s daughter, Babs Masters said, ‘Mum has always enjoyed leading a healthy lifestyle eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. She also has a great sense of humour.  We are delighted that she continues to lead a fulfilling life at Weymouth Care Home. She really enjoyed her party and we are grateful to staff for making her day so special’.

Sherborne House tastes the world

Residents at Sherborne House Care Home in Yeovil, showed their support for Children in Need by participating in a fun-filled, adventurous eating challenge. All the residents involved enjoyed a wide variety of dishes from around the world.

The residents tasted nine different international dishes and enjoyed bobbing along to music by staff member, Tasha King.

Caroline Sharp, Manager at Sherborne House said, “We always like to find new ways of raising funds for charity and it’s important that residents get the most from each of these activities. Food is always popular and it’s been interesting for everyone to try new dishes that are not normally served on our menu.”

Sherborne House currently has 24 residents and will soon celebrate completion of an additional nine bedrooms to provide residential and nursing care for local people with dementia.

Caring for patients with Dementia at Sherborne House

It has been said many times that Dementia is one of the most heart breaking diseases for a person and their family to go through.  The disease is progressive meaning that that the structure and chemistry of the brain become increasingly damaged over time. So a person’s ability to remember, understand, communicate and reason gradually declines. Which means in many cases you lose the person you knew long before you actually lose the person you love.

The statistics that surround Dementia are both staggering and frightful, it is estimated that there are around 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. And sadly although many charities are working hard to find preventions, prolonging medications and cures – we simply aren’t there yet.

But this does not mean a person should be defined by the disease they are suffering, individual’s progress at different speeds, and should be treated exactly like that, as individuals. At the stage when more regular or more involved care is required there are many considerations needed to choosing the right care home to ensure a smooth move. Dementia sufferers can become confused more easily and when they are confused this can lead to anxiety or outbursts of unintentional aggression.  So communication, reassurance and person-centred care throughout the whole process is key.

At Altogether Care we see the person first not the illness.

Our Sherborne House has been furnished and decorated with dementia in mind, incorporating sensory touches and memory triggers that research has shown really benefits the cognitive process. Person-centred care is principle in our philosophy, believing that those living with Dementia who are well supported by a professional team giving them their time and energy are more likely to lead fulfilling lives for longer. Clinical care is supported with a healthy diet, using fresh ingredients and menus to suit all tastes and requirements and at times we will also call upon various alternative therapies such as; physiotherapy, reflexology Reiki and aroma-therapy to complement clients care needs.

To find out more on how Sherborne House could help you or your loved one visit our website or contact us directly on 01305 300 161/contact@altogethercare.co.uk.

Royal visit is special for Mara

Mara McGregor, a resident at Steepleton Manor Care Home took a trip to see the Queen in Dorchester yesterday which bought back special memories as Mara was once a familiar face within the Royal household.

Mara, 89, has been privileged to paint three portraits of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and two of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, as well as HRH Princess Anne and other members of the Royal family.

One of her pictures, a full size portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth was commissioned to hang in the Houses of Parliament in Sydney.

Mara McGregor was born in Malaysia in 1927, the only daughter of a rubber planter, and moved to South Africa when she was three, where she grew up under the influence of her father’s commercial art studios. Mara excelled at Art while at school but never thought of making it a career as she was interested in acting and singing. She later moved to East Africa to join her parents and while there, she met her husband Alan, an ex-Battle of Britain pilot. They came to England in 1950 and Alan re-joined the RAF in 1952. Sadly, Alan passed away in 1997.

Trying to establish herself as an artist was not an easy task being a serving Officer’s wife as she was continually on the move. However, when stationed in Scotland, she painted a picture of Kenneth McKellar which was displayed in a House of Fraser store. As a result of this, Mara was asked to paint two grand-daughters of Lady Fraser of Allander and she was so delighted with them that it resulted in an introduction to Harrods who held a large exhibition for her from which several commissions resulted.

She was then commissioned to paint Black Rod for RAF Cranwell which led to her being commissioned to paint her first Royal portrait of HRH the Prince of Wales in 1970 while he was a student at the RAF College.  Her portrait of the Queen Mother took place in 1981. Her last royal portrait took place in 1997, which was of the Duchess of Kent.

Mara has lived at Steepleton Manor Care home for the last four years and has two daughters and a son. She lived in Hampshire for a large part of her life before coming to Dorset.

She has also painted various equine portraits including one of the 1981 Grand National winner ‘Aldaniti’ which she donated to an auction in aid of The Bob Champion Cancer Charity.  In 2004 Mara visited Kenya and produced two paintings, one of a cheetah with her cub and one of a lion cub.

Rachel Lewis from Steepleton Manor said, ‘Mara is a wonderful lady with a remarkable talent which has led her to meet many members of the Royal family. She was so happy to see the Queen visiting Dorchester yesterday even though she did not get chance to speak to her. All of her portraits are amazing’.

group-photo-to-see-queenmara-and-queen-mum

Sherborne House creates Spooky Pumpkin Carvings!

Residents at Sherborne House Care Home in Yeovil celebrated Hallows’ Eve on 31st October, by carving pumpkins into a range scary faces and spooky creatures. All the pumpkins looked fantastic lit up outside the home, getting everyone in the mood for autumn.

june-with-pumpkins-smallCaroline Sharp, Manager at Sherborne House said, ‘Our residents love to celebrate each special event of the year by taking part in activities including art and craft. They have made a grand job of their pumpkin carving’.

Sherborne House specialises in Dementia care and is currently home to 25 residents. It is owned
by Altogether Care.

The future of elder care and assisted living

It is always interesting reflecting on trend reports from earlier in the year. We recently came across an assisted living trend report put together at the start of 2016 by The Senior List. It’s interesting to see that although the nine predicted trends have not necessary taken over the industry you can begin to see changes happening towards some of these trends.

The most obvious advances in this industry and many others is the impact of technology on our lives. As listed in these trend predictions – the increase in using memory care therapy and technology automation in both care homes and elderly peoples own homes have been seen this year and will no doubt continue to be seen in the coming years.

Technology

Ever evolving and developing technology is allowing the older generations to stay at home independently with more ease and safety, for longer than ever before. With the introduction of technology such as the internet of things, older people are able to easily manage everything from re-stocking the fridge without leaving the house to health monitoring with wearable technology that can be monitored by family/friends or health professionals.

For those who are unfortunately no longer able to be independent due to deteriorating health conditions, technology is increasingly becoming a comforting therapy or even friend that can be available to them. In some cases it is simply the ability to Skype family/friends using a device to beat loneliness and encourage interaction. But increasingly the industry is developing new technologies to comfort health deterioration to improve mood and restore personality – especially for patients with Dementia.

New developments in therapy style technology are happening all the time – the industry and healthcare providers are increasing understanding the results of using this form of therapy and how this can help people suffering with this complex disease. Reminiscence therapy has been seen to improve mood, cognitive ability and wellbeing to those who are suffering from Dementia. This therapy is often in the form of digital life story books or memory boxes which include images, videos and music from their life. There is research going into this area all the time with recent research by Leeds Beckett University released showing that recording regular audio diaries can boost the confidence of people with dementia and help to reduce stigma.

With the most recent trend showing the divergence between need and resource, technology could also be the future to bridging that gap.

The future

This really is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the technical ability that can be brought to our lives. What will the future bring? Assisted living may well become the norm for ageing generations.  And devastating diseases such as Dementia could be softened or even progression slowed down thanks to therapy developments. Ageing is inevitable but if we can implement technologies to make it more comfortable that has got to be a positive for the future.

Some recent day to day activities