March 2010 - Welcome to The Priory
This Month's Topics
"My Amego" Update
Activities Update
Profile of Caroline Millen – Team Leader
Dear Friend
Welcome to the Priory newsletter keeping you fully up to date with news and events.
"My Amego" Update
The "My Amego" system has been in place at the Priory for well over a year now and is proving very beneficial to our residents and carers.
The resident’s movements are monitored throughout the day and night by way of a small pendant device, so at any one time the carers are aware of the resident’s movements throughout the home. This enables residents to become more independent and staff less intrusive as carers always know where the residents are.
By monitoring remotely carers are able to spend more time with residents on a one to one basis providing individual care and taking more time to sit and generally have a chat. In some cases medication can be reduced to encourage residents to become more active, as their environment is continually monitored and the carers know they are safe.
The increased independence of our residents has led to some changes in the way the home runs. For example, as residents are now more active in the afternoon, Corrine our Activity Leader and Anita have changed their working hours, and are now working later shift patterns and weekends to ensure that their role provides maximum stimulation to our residents at more appropriate times.
In addition we are working on re-enabling residents who wish to partake in day to day tasks such as tidying books, helping with the tea trolley, washing up the salt and pepper pots or folding napkins. By helping with these daily tasks residents achieve a sense of purpose and worth and feel they are making a contribution.
All of our residents have specific needs and we are always trying to think of new ways to stimulate those residents who don’t join in with group sessions. For some, we are building up scrap books containing letters, drawings, old coins anything that is relevant and important to them. One of our resident’s has become increasingly anxious and unsettled and we have found that doll therapy has helped to calm her. We are now investing in a sewing machine to make dolls clothes and other items as an extra activity for our residents.
Activities Update
Our activities programme continues to provide a full calendar of events over the forthcoming months. Some of the highlights over the last few months include our celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger where our residents enjoyed chicken chow mein for lunch. Corrine and the residents enjoyed discovering what animals they were in the Chinese calendar.
During the Olympics a medal chart was set up to record the number of medals each country had won. The residents then took time each day to discuss which countries they had travelled and the places that they had previously worked.
Corrine has been busy putting together a schedule of activities for the forthcoming months, for further information please contact Corrine who will be happy to provide you with full details. Some of the highlights will include a trip to see the lambs at Capel farm and a Tea Dance at the local village hall which has been arranged by local businesses for the community.
If you require further information relating to any of the above topics please contact me by following this link.
Lorraine Cousins
Manager
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Profile of Caroline Millen – Team Leader
Caroline has over 12 years experience of working within the care sector and holds NVQ 1 and 2 qualifications and is working towards achieving NVQ Level 3.
Caroline has worked in a number of residential homes over the years, but was looking for a position closer to home. Whilst searching the internet for jobs she came across an advert for The Priory. After making the initial call Caroline was invited to attend an interview that very day and was soon offered the position as Carer and joined the team at The Priory in May 2008.
Within 6 months it was clear that Caroline was able to take on a more senior position and was promoted to Team Leader. In her new role Caroline is responsible for assisting the more junior carers and dealing with any queries they may have, ensuring that the appropriate numbers of staff, carers and domestic are working the correct shifts. Caroline assists with the medicines and is the first port of call for GP’s and District Nurses who visit the home. At the end of each shift Caroline conducts a detailed handover to the Manager to ensure continuity of care.
“It is important to get to know all of the residents on an individual basis in order that I can update families when they visit our home. I find my work extremely rewarding and knowing that I am helping residents on a daily basis makes my job worthwhile. It is always nice to be shown appreciation by the families for the care we provide.”
Caroline is keen to progress her training and has recently successfully completed two in house training courses run by West Kent College on Dementia Care and Medicatio.
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