Understanding Dementia Workshop Returns For St Albans Good Neighbours Scheme
Last week, Caring Homes’ dedicated dementia trainer Chris Elsley, was invited by popular demand to deliver an exclusive Dementia Awareness workshop at The Orchard.
Dementia Awareness Training for the Local Community
Caring Homes’ dementia trainer, Chris, is fully committed to training and educating the Caring Homes teams, travelling around the group’s 21 care homes to deliver interactive sessions. She is also keen to share knowledge and encourage a greater understanding of dementia amongst local communities through specially curated workshops. The Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans has strong ties with many groups and organisations in the area, including the St Albans Good Neighbours Scheme, and last May, some of the scheme’s volunteers were included in an ‘Understanding Dementia’ workshop led by Chris. They were so impressed, they asked whether another evening could be arranged.
On Tuesday 3rd February, The Orchard hosted an exclusive ‘Understanding Dementia’ workshop for the St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme. The turnout was fantastic, with around 20 attendees, and the group was joined by residents, Jean and Paul, who always find these sessions interesting and interactive and enjoy getting involved.
Positive Response to Informative and Practical Session
At the workshop, Chris guided the group through key topics, including the different types of dementia, early signs and symptoms, effective communication strategies, and the importance of creating a supportive environment. Living with dementia was also brought to life more practically, as attendees took part in activities designed to go some way towards recreating how dementia can manifest itself physically.
The feedback afterwards was extremely positive. Jane C remarked, “Throughout my working life I have attended training about older people and dementia, but this presentation—with its practical exercises—was by far the best session. I came away feeling much more positive about dementia and that it doesn’t have to be a life-limiting diagnosis.”
Jane B added, “We all came away better informed, having learnt something new—even those of us who had previously attended similar events. One volunteer, who has nursing and elderly care experience, was full of praise for the interesting presentation and the knowledge that was shared with us. We hope we can continue to work together to ensure our community can live well with appropriate support when needed”.
Refreshments Made an Impression!
Refreshments were provided on the evening, including a variety of fresh sandwiches, smoked salmon canapés, cheese and biscuits, and fruit kebabs, all beautifully prepared by the home’s wonderful kitchen team. Workshop attendee Bill gave the team his feedback on both aspects of the evening, commenting, “Many thanks for arranging the dementia training evening and for your generous hospitality. I feel much better informed about the subject now. I should have checked what ‘refreshments’ meant and not eaten beforehand!”
Strong Bond Between The Orchard and the St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme
The team at The Orchard was delighted that the St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme found the workshop so useful, especially as it does incredible work itself supporting the local St Albans community. They help residents with lifts to medical and social appointments, shopping, odd jobs around the home or garden, and provide befriending support for those who may be feeling lonely. They also organise social events for volunteers, such as coffee mornings and tea parties, offering opportunities for volunteers to connect, share experiences, and take part in informal training and discussions. The scheme currently has around 140 volunteers, each bringing their own experience, skills and enthusiasm and they welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Customer Relations Manager, Natalie Collard, was pleased that the evening had been such a success, adding, “We work very closely with the St Albans Good Neighbour Scheme, who regularly visit our home for community events, and it was lovely to further strengthen this relationship through such an engaging and informative session – especially as they had found it so useful the first time around”.
Discover The Orchard Nursing Home in St Albans
The Orchard Nursing Home, a modern and comfortable care home based in St Albans is beautifully furnished and offers residential, nursing and dementia care. Our location makes us convenient for family and friends who are visiting the home, and we’re perfectly located for a host of different outings across Hertfordshire.
For more information about The Orchard Nursing Home, please visit our dedicated page for more information. You can also find information on our other care homes by exploring our site. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out more.
