Cramond Residence strengthens management team
Edinburgh’s newest and finest care home, Cramond Residence strengthens its management as it appoints Chris Morrice as care manager. A Registered Nurse from Edinburgh with over 10 years’ healthcare experience – five of which have been spent specialising in care sector management – Chris will work closely with the team to ensure residents have a smooth transition into life at Cramond. Joining the Walker Group from a similar role with a care provider, Chris was recognised for his excellent skills in training and staff development. He will work closely with general manager Eileen Gray to design and manage the care services and will be responsible for shaping the way in which care is delivered by training and supporting staff to the very highest of standards. Chris said: “It is an honour to be working with such a well-established company on this very exciting new home. “I’m passionate about providing high quality care and sensitive to the needs of others – qualities which I believe will be hugely valuable in this new role to ensure the wishes of our residents and their loved ones are heard and adhered to. “I strive to be a positive role model and my focus is now on ensuring we recruit and train the right calibre of staff and support them to deliver the excellent standard of care which will become synonymous with Cramond Residence.” Welcoming Chris to the team, Graeme Kelly, director at Walker Healthcare, said: “Chris’s sense of compassion and ability to build meaningful relationships means he is a perfect fit for this role at Cramond Residence. “He is an expert in care management and will be invaluable in recruiting and training employees to ensure our residents settle into life here as easily and comfortably as possible.” Cramond Residence is a purpose-built care home finished to an exceptional standard and will be managed exclusively by Walker Healthcare. It is due to open later this year.
Elderly share fond memories for Storytelling Week
A MONK, an army truck and a cruise were among the plotlines to elderly care home residents’ lives – shared for National Storytelling Week. The residents at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, in Peterlee, County Durham, shared stories from their pasts to mark the event. They created short books for others to read, with photos and words on some of their favourite memories. Among them was 81-year-old Rose Ann Fenbow, a mother-of-two who grew up in Seaham. She told fellow residents about the time she was on a night out with friends when she was younger and later driven home in an army truck. Fellow resident 84-year-old Gladys Matthews, a mother of three who worked at the Bishop Auckland Town Hall, told the story of a trip to Durham with husband Chris. They offered a lift to what they believed to be a student dressed as a monk for a university RAG week activity. They later found out the young man was an ordained monk called Peter. Another resident, 82-year-old Joyce Lewis, recounted a cruise with husband Morris for their 50th wedding anniversary. The mother-of-two from Wingate explained the various countries they visited and what they did there. Lynn Chapman, home manager at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, said: “National Storytelling Week is a great opportunity to get the residents talking about their pasts. “Everyone enjoys reminiscing and it has a profound impact on the residents when they think about fond memories and share them with others. “That’s what National Storytelling Week is all about – sharing life experiences, listening to others’ stories and recounting old times.” This year is the 18th annual National Storytelling Week, promoted by The Society For Storytelling to encourage the old tradition of oral storytelling. Bannatyne Lodge Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net. Photo captions: 1 – National Storytelling Week at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home saw resident Rose Ann Fenbow shared her story of being driven home in an army truck after a night on the town when she was younger. 2 – Bannatyne Lodge Care Home residents (from left) Joyce Lewis and Gladys Matthews share some of their favourite memories for National Storytelling Week, including meeting an ordained monk and a 50th wedding anniversary cruise.
In their own words: Elderly people reveal what stops them visiting the dentist
First hand accounts from elderly people have revealed what is really getting in the way of them making regular visits to the dentist. In a series of focus groups involving people over 65 years old, researchers discovered exactly what barriers they face when it comes to looking after their teeth1. The most common major barriers which were identified included anxiety, poor general health, cost and the physical aspect of being unable to travel to a dentist. Many of those interviewed described that as they aged they found brushing their teeth difficult due to forgetfulness, with one respondent said: “You become shaky and have bad sight, you don’t care in the same way as you get older.” Complications regarding access and ill health were also major issues identified. A participant added: “You have to book transport or ask someone to drive. It gets complicated with everything…there are a lot of factors to take into account.” While another said: “I’ve been so ill that I haven’t got around to it”. Others revealed they were still affected by dental anxiety, as one person confessed: “I’ve been scared of the dentist my whole life, I was ready to faint I was petrified”. Cost was also a major barrier identified by many, as another claimed: “I can’t afford to go to the dentist. I have pain sometimes and have had for several months, but it’s so expensive.” While others were more dismissive of dental care altogether: “If you’re going to die soon, you don’t want to spend more money on it,” a group member added. Some of those questioned even said they did not see any benefits of maintaining oral health in their old age, indicating that ‘appearance doesn’t matter.’ But it was mentioned by a few people that they did receive help from carers but also said that they often lacked time to do so. With poor oral health being closely linked with increased frailty in old age, as well as other potentially life-threatening health problems such as pneumonia, diabetes and heart disease, the UK’s leading oral health charity, the Oral Health Foundation, is looking to draw attention to the importance of oral health for elderly people. Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said; “One way which would help to overcome many of the barriers identified is for dental professionals, with the support of local authorities, to provide services in care homes and in local community centres to make services more accessible and appealing. “Dental professionals also have a key role in raising awareness of elderly people’s oral health needs; amongst their profession, with their patients and with other caregivers who can then help provide effective support. “I would also like to see better provision and greater support for local authorities who will then be able to provide effective information and education for elderly people in care homes and the community as well as for carers and family members who look after them, to emphasize the importance of good oral health in the elderly. “By using this combined approach, it would help overcome many of the barriers identified by those who are in need of help. “It is upsetting to hear many of these accounts, as our teeth and oral health has such a profound impact on many other aspects of our lives, not just physically but emotionally too. “We know expect to keep our natural teeth our entire lives, something unheard of even a few decades ago, with the correct care and support there is no reason why this cannot be true for most of us. “Addressing elderly people’s oral health care is a very important, yet often overlooked aspect, which I believe there should be much more of a focus on as it has the potential to improve the quality of life of a huge amount of people.” The Oral Health Foundation offers a dedicated Dental Helpline where anybody can get the help and advice they need about their oral health. This free, impartial and expert service is available 9am until 5pm Monday until Friday. You can telephone 01788 5398 780 or email helpline@dentalhealth.org.
