Havelock Place Wins Northern Building Accolade

We are delighted to announce that Havelock Place, developed by Northumberland Estates  and The Shadbolt Group to provide a specialist dementia housing development has been recognised with an LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Regional Award for Best Purpose Built Accommodation in the North.

Recognition

The award recognises purpose-built accommodation for specific residential groups such as; student accommodation, care homes, staff accommodation at hospitals, sheltered housing and boarding houses and was given in recognition of the scheme that incorporates high quality care and tailored support for customers whilst maximising independence.

Age UK North Tyneside was influential in the design and build at Havelock Place which provides 28 apartments for a mix of individuals and couples and a further two bungalows, specially designed to accommodate up to twelve individuals who may present more complex needs.

Dawn McNally, Chief Executive of Age UK North Tyneside said “We are extremely proud of Havelock Place especially as we were instrumental in influencing its design and build. The team at Northumberland Estates and Shadbolts welcomed our input and understood our desire and determination to offer the very best in specialist accommodation for those living with dementia or cognitive impairment. This ensures that they will continue to make more of life”.

Customers has access to a variety of high-standard communal areas which accommodate both social and private leisure activities and have access to our own  EveryDay Care & Support staff who have received specialist and ongoing dementia training.

The scheme is unique to North Tyneside as it focuses on supporting those with dementia. Customers hold their own tenancy to maximise their financial independence and care and support is tailored to individual need providing them with a home for life.

David Straughan, Development Director at Northumberland Estates said: “The feedback we have received about Havelock Place has been very positive and we are immensely proud that the development is making a real difference to people’s lives. The project’s success was down to all stakeholders working successfully in partnership to achieve a shared vision and this award is testament to that.”

Care teams given an insight into life with dementia

At EveryDay Care & Support, we believe that extensive training around dementia is essential. We have developed our own internal training with Admiral Nurses to cover dementia, delirium and depression. However, we also recognise that external training is important too.

Our care teams are also provided with an immersive ‘Virtual Dementia Tour‘. This puts the carer in the shoes of those living with dementia.

 The Virtual Dementia Tour is delivered by Training 2 Care UK Ltd, the only licenced provider in the country. The training is delivered in 7 languages and 20 countries. 

Staff have their senses and movements restricted and are deliberately made to feel confused as part of the experience.

The aim is to give our staff the best chance possible of understanding what people living with dementia are facing every day. This supports their families and carers to continue in their caring and supportive role.

How our team felt

Viv Kirby, Care at Home Manager, said, “The purpose of the training is to put the carers in the position of somebody living with dementia to experience, potentially, what they are experiencing, which will give them an insight into how the way we care has an impact on them.

“Everyone has found it really beneficial, a real eye-opener into the impact of things which we would do with people on a daily basis – preparing food, our approach and how we talk to people.

“I did the training myself and I found it amazing.”

Ashleigh McDine, Wellbeing Centre Manager, said: “I had insoles in my shoes which were really uncomfortable, headphones on with sirens and music going off and I could barely see anything out of the glasses I wore.

“It was hard to go through but a good insight into how the everyday lives of people living with dementia might be.

“It was an eye-opening experience and it will definitely change the way I work and hopefully help to change the lives of the people we work with for the better.”

Maureen Rankin, a Personal Support Assistant at Crossgates in Wallsend, added: “It really brought home how the people we support might be feeling.

“For parts of it I was absolutely terrified but it was definitely worth it. I will do my job better because of it.”

Access our specialist Dementia services

To chat to someone about our specialist dementia care available in North Tyneside and Newcastle, call 0191 287 7028 or click here.

Our three Wellbeing Centres in North Tyneside provide respite for carers and a social, safe and engaging environment for those living with dementia. You can find out more about our Wellbeing Centres here.

Age UK North Tyneside’s Admiral Nurses also offer specialist support through the Dementia Connections Service.

Join our team

We are recruiting experienced care staff for our dementia services in both North Tyneside and Newcastle. Call 0191 287 7011 or click here to view our current vacancies.

Transferable Skills

Have you considered a career in social care but felt that you lacked the relevant experience?

We offer full and ongoing training within our own, North Tyneside based training centre. However, you may already have skills which apply to professional care provision.

As a values-based employer, we want to hear from you if you know that you have the behaviours we’re looking for in our care professionals. By demonstrating the right skills and behaviours, our experienced care managers can see very quickly if you’ll fit into our existing teams.

As full training is provided, we consider your ability to bring professionalism, personality and a drive to deliver to your role. Our care professionals are kind, caring and empathetic. They think on their feet and know who to contact if they have any concerns about their customers or their role.

Personal qualities

Providing professional, quality care is all about people and relationships. We want team players who are real people persons. You will need to be approachable and dependable.

The care role requires patience, especially as some customers may be living with physical or cognitive impairments. The role can vary from supporting with shopping or domestic chores, offering friendship and companionship to supporting with personal care, medication prompts and more experienced care teams can support those living with dementia (with additional training).

Are you an organised person with the ability to prioritise your work? Do you have good timekeeping skills? Can you form relationships with customers and your team? If you can answer yes to these questions you could be about to begin your career in care with us in Newcastle or North Tyneside.

Recruitment roadshows

Why not pop into one of our recruitment roadshows, you’ll meet the team and you have the ability to ask any questions about the role on offer. No appointment is necessary.

Contact us now for advice about applying to join our amazing team, call 0191 287 7011

• Allerdale House, Newcastle – 15 June 10:00-13:00
• Fontburn Court, North Shields – 6 July 10:00-13:00
• Thomas Ferguson Court, North Shields – 3 August 10:00-13:00
• Weetslade Court, Seaton Burn – September
• Hodgson House, Newcastle – October

Delirium Awareness

Delirium is a common, serious but often treatable condition that starts suddenly in someone who is unwell. It’s much more common in older people, especially those who are living with dementia.

It is a worsening or change in a person’s mental state that can happen suddenly, over one to two days. The person may become confused, or be more confused than usual. Or they may become sleepy and drowsy.

It can be distressing to the person and those around them, especially when they don’t know what might be causing the changes.

Spotting the signs of delirium

Delirium may be the first sign that someone is becoming unwell. It is one of the most common early symptoms of coronavirus infection in people with dementia. If someone suddenly develops any of the symptoms below or is ‘not themselves’, speak to a nurse or doctor immediately. Family, friends and carers – including professional carers – are often best placed to recognise and describe changes because they know the person best. The person with delirium may be unaware of the changes and will often find it difficult to describe them.

A person with delirium may:

• be easily distracted
• be less aware of where they are or what time it is (disorientation)
• suddenly not be able to do something as well as normal (for example, walking or eating)
• be unable to speak clearly or follow a conversation
• have sudden swings in mood
• have hallucinations – seeing or hearing things, often frightening, that aren’t really there
• have delusions or become paranoid – strongly believing things that are not true, for example, that others are trying to physically harm them or have poisoned their food or drinks

Symptoms of delirium

Symptoms of delirium often fluctuate over the day. Healthcare professionals divide delirium into three types based on the other symptoms that someone has. These three types are hyperactive, hypoactive and mixed delirium. Among older people, including those with dementia, hypoactive and mixed delirium are most common.

Delirium is different from dementia

But they have similar symptoms, such as confusion, agitation and delusions. If a person has these symptoms, it can be hard for healthcare professionals who don’t know them to tell whether delirium or dementia is the cause.

When a person with dementia also gets delirium they will have symptoms from both conditions at once.

There are important differences between delirium and dementia. Delirium starts suddenly (over one to two days) and symptoms often also vary a lot over the day. In contrast, the symptoms of dementia come on slowly, over months or even years. So if changes or symptoms start suddenly, this suggests that the person has delirium.

Staff from Northumbria Healthcare have created a video to explain the dangers of a common, but often misunderstood medical condition which has been even more prevalent during the pandemic.

For advice and information regarding dementia contact Age UK North Tyneside’s Dementia Connections Team on 0191 287 7014.

For professional care and support for someone living with dementia or to access our wellbeing respite services call 0191 287 7028.

Additional Resources

March 16th 2022 marks the fifth World Delirium Awareness Day. #WDAD2022

Community Christmas Cheer

We love it when the community comes together to give a little Christmas cheer. This year, Sophie Ritson has done just that.

Sophie, a teacher from Cramlington, is no stranger to helping others. Last year, she organised a Secret Santa campaign to spread some happiness across the borough. Families throughout North Tyneside and Northumberland got together to provide presents to EveryDay Care & Support customers.

This year, Sophie was inundated with messages from families who wanted to get involved again.

With the help of her sons, Joshua and Freddie, Sophie has rallied the community once again to provide almost three hundred presents to older adults across North Tyneside and Northumberland.

Group Chief Executive, Dawn McNally said, “The pandemic has continued to have a huge impact on older people’s social interaction. This simple act of kindness will mean so much.

“I’d like to thank Sophie and the rest of the community for this amazing donation. Now more than ever, no one should have no one. Building Neighbourhood Networks is so important and Sophie is helping us do that.”

To find out more about EveryDay Care & Support and the services we offer, call us on 0191 287 7028 or email enquiries@everydayuk.org.

Over 160 residents of Wellbeing Centres and Extra Care Schemes in the North Tyneside area are being treated to a festive feast thanks to Procter and Gamble (P&G) spreading a little Christmas cheer. P&G generously donated, from the on-site canteen a tasty main course of turkey with all the trimmings as well as a traditional Christmas Pudding dessert. The donation was part of the P&G Cobalt site’s Community Matters team Christmas events which has also raised hundreds of pounds for local charities. The first 78 meals were picked up and delivered on Friday 3^rd December, and a further 86 were delivered on Friday 10^th December.

Age UK North Tyneside runs many services for older people across the region, including social and exercise groups, information and advice and dementia support.

Vivienne Kirby, Care at Home Manager at EveryDay Care & Support, a social enterprise owned by Age UK North Tyneside said: “Can I sincerely thank Procter & Gamble again in 2021 for supplying a wonderful two course Christmas meal for our Age UK North Tyneside customers. The meals provided many people with an opportunity to gather together, in the Christmas spirit and of course to enjoy such a delicious lunch. We really appreciate Procter & Gamble thinking about Age UK North Tyneside customers once again this year and would like to thank the whole team for producing this wonderful meal for so many.”

Kerry Parker, Head of Professional Care at EveryDay Care & Support, said “Our lovely customers have thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas Lunch’s and for one lady at Crossgates, Sheila Burn, it was extra special as she worked for P&G in the office in her youth. I have shared a picture with her sons today and they were all delighted and said that it would mean a lot to her.”

Andy Sherwood, part of the Community Matters team at P&G, said: “We are happy to say this is the second year we have been able to partner with Age UK North Tyneside, to provide Christmas dinners for the local community. After another tough year for the employees and clients of Age UK North Tyneside hopefully this will have helped bring a little bit of early Christmas cheer!”

How to have a dementia-friendly Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! But not everyone feels that way. Christmas can be an overwhelming time for people living with dementia. These tips will help you have a dementia-friendly Christmas.

If you’re celebrating at home

Create somewhere quiet

We can all get overwhelmed now and then, people living with dementia are no different. Having an easily accessible quiet room where people can take breaks from the celebrations can be a great help. Make sure to check in throughout the day with anyone who needs additional support and let them know there is a quiet space available.

Making eating easy

Some symptoms of dementia cane make eating and drinking more difficult. Memory loss, difficulties identifying food and drinks, and sight loss can also make eating and drinking challenging.

Making sure you consider which foods are most likely to appeal most to your guests can be helpful. Easy to hold portions like finger foods are a good idea, and non-verbal communication like holding up a mug when offering a cup of tea can also be helpful.

Decorations and layout

It’s important to think about the layout of the home and the decorations you use. Festive decorations can be great at prompting conversation and reminisce, however try to make sure things don’t look too different as this can be disorienting. Make sure toilets are easily accessible and use signs where possible.

Cosy activities

Stay warm and plan some inclusive activities to do at home. Preparing a memory box can make a great festive gift. You could pick items from around the home such as photos, CDs, recipes, or pieces of jewellery. Anything that sparks conversation and happy memories!

You could also plan a day of reminiscing. Cook a loved one’s favourite childhood recipe or sweet treat, make a playlist of favourite songs, or watch old films.

If you’re heading out and about

Help a neighbour

Do you have a neighbour who might need a helping hand, or who can’t head out in the cold weather? If you’re making a trip to the local shop or post office why not ask if they need anything. Something as simple as picking up stamps, or taking letters to the post box can help someone stay connected to friends and family.

Volunteer your time

Many local events and organisations need help this time of year. Reach out to local care homes to ask if they need help writing Christmas cards to residents, or volunteer to help at a local event. You can find local many volunteering opportunities with Age UK North Tyneside.

Show your understanding

Be patient with strangers, remember that you don’t know their circumstances. Something as simple as acknowledging that some people may need longer to pay at tills, might become disorientated in shops and might become overwhelmed in public places can go a long way to helping someone feel safer when out and about.

Having patience and understanding and identifying situations where you can help can work wonders.

If you feel that you or your loved one would benefit from additional support, we offer both respite and day services and homecare. For dementia-specific support and advice, get in touch with the Age UK North Tyneside Dementia Connections team.

Managing the Home Care Circus

The Elders Council has recently produced with Digital Voice a video to capture the key messages from their work “Managing the Home Care Circus”. The animation accompanies their report which was published in January 2021 and is based on their investigation into the  experiences of older people and carers of home  care services.

The report describes an investigation about home care and what advice older people would give to others. It was carried out by and written for older people in Newcastle and beyond.

It gives an insight into the realities of securing good home care services that enable older adults to remain at home, but with some choice and independence.

The key messages:

1. Be proactive in asking for help
2. Plan ahead; get thinking about the future
3. Seek advice and get support
4. Get assessed and know how the system works
5. Find out about specific services and the costs involved
6. Sort out legal and financial matters

Need help? Why not call Age UK North Tyneside’s Information & Advice team on 0191 280 8484 Option 1 for more advice around benefits or social care provision.

Pilates with Jill

Since lockdown restrictions eased, our EveryDay Care & Support wellbeing and extra care customers have been able to participate in regular Pilates sessions delivered by Jill Milburn of Jillates.

What is Pilates?

Pilates was originally developed by German-born Joseph Pilates, who believed mental and physical health were closely connected. His Pilates method was influenced by Western forms of exercise, including gymnastics, boxing and Greco-Roman wrestling. It aims to strengthen the body in an even fashion, with a specific emphasis on core strength to improve general fitness and wellbeing.

Jillates with Jill

Jill, formerly an Assistant Head of Family & Community Learning at Cramlington Learning Village had always been involved in fitness and had enjoyed Pilates herself. On being made redundant she decided to revisit her first fitness love.

Having decided that she didn’t want to practise any other fitness technique she trained to deliver mat Pilates, Reformer (machine), children’s and women’s pelvic floor and menopause-related Pilates. She promotes meditation and holistic wellness.

All are closely linked with physical and mental wellbeing and in working with older customers the aim is to increase mobility, strength, resilience and balance. The goal is to ultimately reduce the instance of falls and to reduce hospital admissions whilst increasing confidence and with it, independence.

Jill said “I want to encourage our customers to continue to live their lives independently. That might mean being able to reach for a coat without losing balance or something as simple as putting on their own socks.

“I monitor their progress week on week and an aim achieved could literally be an increase in the numbers of sit to stands achieved.”

Our wellbeing and extra care customers enjoy participating in the Pilates classes. Not only because it improves their physical wellbeing but after a difficult 18 months because of Covid-19 it allows them to come together as a group.

Jill said “Being able to see customers enjoying themselves with each other, having a good laugh and seeing the obvious benefits of exercise is fantastic. These sessions energise them and promote mobility in a way that’s fun and interactive.”

Jillates exercise sessions are kindly funded by Sport England.