Dementia care through rose coloured spectacles

[JPG1]

Thanks Tina

I was born with a sugar butty in my mouth instead of a silver spoon and have always had to fight for what I wanted Must be the northern upbringing

Thanks Izzy

You were lucky to have sugar between the slices! But then again, the banana sandwich with a sprinkling of sugar fed a more than a few of a lot of us.

"We were so poor .... " as per a Monty Python sketch, and for those who have never known that one, here's a link to the script:

http://www.cmoore.com/funstuff/humor/mp.script.weweresopoor.php


If I might be bold enough to suggest that it's nothing to do with northern upbringing ................. it may just be all to do with upbringing.

Them what were brung up right (!!!) have always had to fight for whatever they achieved, let alone for whatever they quietly wanted. And the wanting may have come first; then quietly came the achievement, fired along the way by the wanting. Mostly. If you quietly wanted, you achieved.

North - South - East - West ........ it matters not where you were brung up (!), it's all to do with the way you were brung up.

Then along came the bankers ............... who destroyed more than many things. One of the things destroyed by those wonking bankers was the ability to look to the future, because all they were/are concerned about was/is the present.

And where does the 'older generation at risk' feature in those 'future presentationable spreadsheets' ?

The older generation at risk doesn't feature in their thinking.

 

[danny]

Hi Jancis , yes it has now become a reality.We are covering our overheads which is such a relief.

It has been the hardest twelve months of my life financially but we have got there.

You are quite right about developing a business model etc etc. Its not like the old days when I would ring up my bank manager and he would give me whatever I wanted without any documenting/ supportive evidence.
Even the smallest lottery grant fund want a great deal of paperwork etc.
My bank manager did tell me to go back to him in 3 months time, guess another few months won`t hurt.
We have another guest using your coins, he used to be a grocer

Take care.

 

[Skye]

I supose in reality we have created `Home `for a few hours, a place/moment in time where people feel happy,secure,loved and valued.Quite simple really

Angela, that says it all.

If you have achieved that, you have achieved what all of us would hope for our loved ones.

I hope you get your financial backing, you deserve it.

 

[danny]

JPG1, I have just nearly choked reading that script from Monty Python.

It is about upbringing,you are right. This last year or so has been so beneficial to my daughter and son.Until I started this venture things were pretty OK financially,they wanted for nothing.

Now,they understand the value of money and appreciate what they have so much more.My daughter is following in my footsteps and I am so proud of her,she has learnt so much about treating people with respect and dignity since this centre opened and has now ventured out into the community.She even shops at Ma%$%n now instead of Gucci

We also have placements starting for social work degree students in sept so a new generation can learn from this model.They won`t be able to sit down though cos we don`t have enough chairs!!!!!

 

[danny]

Thankyou Hazel

 

[JPG1]

We also have placements starting for social work degree students in sept so a new generation can learn from this model.They won`t be able to sit down though cos we don`t have enough chairs!!!!!

Could you not make it a requirement, that unless each attending 'social work degree student' can bring their own pogo stick, they may need to provide other means of support for the duration. Each to their own to provide their alternative means of support, but it might just sharpen their thinking.

In fact, Danny, you could turn that about to become the first "requirement of understanding" about what you are doing! Support. And if the body can't support the SW students, they may soon learn what it's all about. Especially if they have to think about their own support mechanisms. The physical support may come before the mental support, but ... ... ... it could just be a starting point, for those SW students.

If you could find an acceptable way to provide your own Conditions of Engagement, so that whoever is funding those SW students, knows and understands that, with a bit of meaningful energy from you, you aren't going to put up with the soft-cushioning (a.k.a. day out !), would that perhaps show that you 'mean serious engagement kind of engagement!!!?

 

[danny]

Does that mean that in return for supporting these placements I get a donation for some chairs

 

[JPG1]

No!!!!

Unless, of course, you asked up-front for financial support for these placements, which might have been possible. Before the advent of cuts!

You ask them all to bring their own support-mechanisms for the duration of however long the day lasts with you.

However, if that one fails at the first hurdle, you can then say "well, now you know what support is all about".

But then again .................. other points of view will be along later, no doubt!

 

[Soobee]

I like your thinking, JPG1.

The students turn up, there are no chairs. You don't even make reference to it until they mention it. Then you say "oh, are there no chairs? You'll need to ring someone to sort that out - I can't give you a number! Do you not have any pens or paper? You'll need to ring someone else to sort that out.

"This is an example of kind of hoops that carers have to jump through every day when they start caring and need equipment, help or support and it doesn't stop until well after the caring role is finished."

 

[JPG1]

Nice one, Soobee!!

I think we may be thinking along similar lines of support! Or even the lack of support.

No chairs, no pens, no papers, no carers, no telephone numbers provided for 'contact for support', no ...... nuffink!

The SW students arrive and are required to confront the problems. From the very moment they walk through 'The Door of Dementia'.

DIY students or sink.

DIY students and learn what it's all about.

 

[danny]

Message taken on board.

Believe me,these students will understand the meaning of support.I will even bring them on here so that you can tell them direct

 

[TinaT]

I'm such a tyrant! I would tell them at first meeting, "There are no chairs because you are not expected to have the time to sit down. You will get 'hands on experience' here and some quite hard work but you will reap the rewards of such a practical placement"

xxTinaT

 

[danny]

Well, is my story told, not quite.

We have almost reached capacity at our house, our lease has been extended until March next year. Our landlord wants to sell the property and sadly it is way out of our budget and can not cope with our increasing numbers of guests.

I have spent the last few months working tirelessly on financial projections , and learnt so much marketing jargon and investment readiness lingo I don`t know my USP from my ROI.

All I ever wanted to do was to give people with dementia a quality service and now it has moved so far at such a quick pace I feel I am on a runaway train.

Next week I have to go to London to pitch to a finance committee for an investment of almost a million pounds. I must confess to having a million butterflies in my stomach.

The investment is to purchase a permament site to develop our services and to use as a beacon of good practice to share with the rest of the country.

I also have been invited by two other PCT/Social Service Commissioners in other parts of the country who are interested in our model of care. With the introduction of personal budgets for people with dementia , the services we offer are so needed.

Our low level , free services are also growing at speed and I have been asked to write articles because one of the therapies we are using has been proven to keep cognitive abilities at a more or less constant score.

Our community ethos is working remarkably, I love my job, I love working with all our guests,I love training others, I just wish that someone else could go to London for me

If I mess up it wiil affect so many people.

Wish me luck.

 

[Izzy]

Wow Angela! I wish I could win the lottery and buy you your property. Wishing you the very best of luck for London. xx

 

[Goingitalone]

Wow, Angela!

You have come so far since that first post when you had everything set up and were trying to generate interest. You should be so proud of yourself.

We are so proud of you and we all secretly would love you to be in our part of the country.

All the very best in London. I have no doubt at all that you will achieve all that's required.

I hope you get that new site. It would be a crying shame if the project didn't keep moving forward.

People like you are so needed in society now.

What a model of excellence. Go Girl!!!!

 

[Jancis]

Angela,
You must be kidding? I don't believe I'm reading this latest post on your thread.
How absolutely amazing. You deserve an award for the stage you have reached now despite all the problems - problems which have been created by your success - that is a very positive story to tell to the investors (however awesome they might appear) they can't undermine your success.

And don't forget to tell them you've managed to achieve all this in a county that's half asleep most of the time (sea air from both sides of peninsular is notorious for making everyone 'too laid back' - forgive me for not being PC - but as I'm from a long lineage of Devonians have special dispensation to make such comment.) You of course are from a more energised part of the country and have brought inspiration to everyone involved with dementia care in Cornwall not forgetting an inspiration to all your friends on TP.

 

[sallyc]

Angela

You have achieved what so many of us can only dream about doing. Most of us love the idea of it, but know that we will never be in a position to do it. You have had that dream, and fought, and battled, and struggled....and made it work.

How I would love for us to live near you, and for Grandad to benefit from all the care you give.

I really hope that you get everything you need from your trip to London. It would be a crime for you not to be able to continue.

What you provide is what so many of us here can only dream of for our loved ones.

When you get there, just remember we're all there with you. Willing you on and working that special TP magic.

I'll be looking out for an update, until then I will have everything crossed for you.

 

[danny]

Thanks Izzy and Maggie. Gosh, it seems an eternity from when I first posted this thread.

Now we have changed the hearts and minds of the people that commission services we are away.Our house is always full of CPNs, social workers etc, they are always popping in for a coffee, bringing potential service users to see us, it is all about team work,supprting each other.They are just so glad that there are more services to offer people with personal budgets.

They can also see that the work we are doing here is supporting so many people in so many ways, it isn`t about money, it is about quality care and engaging the whole community.

 

[thatwoman]

Wow Angela!

I will be proud to say we knew you when you were at the start of this story! I hope it all goes as well as it should do in London: you are one determined lady, so I'm sure you will get what you need! I would have loved to live in your part of the country so you could have supported my family. Even just knowing that you were out there, doing what you do, has given me hope for the future! Thank you!

Keep sharing what you're doing. How have your social worker students coped with the experience? I imagine them having to overcome the obstacles of no chairs etc, and wonder if any have stayed the course! After all, there have been times when I would have run away if it had been an option!

Good luck. I feel very protective of your venture because I have followed your thread from the very beginning. One day I will be able to have a holiday in Cornwall, and then I will hope to come and see for myself.

Love and hugs,

Sue

 

[danny]

Sally, Jancis thanks so much.

I have mentioned this before, but I will say it again, it is thanks to TP that I have got through these two years. It is also thanks to being able to look into so many peoples lives and experiences that have shown me the way, and for that I will always be truly grateful for.