ISSUE 1 2018
IN THIS EDITION
• Services to Older People spotlight • Making ‘Friends’ at Queens Bay • Me and My Job: Linda Kelly
• Balmedie House at 80 • Focus on...Philanthropy • Caring Across Scotland
WOW at Whinnieknowe Playing the generation game in Nairn OUR SERVICE AREAS
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Children and Family Counselling and Support Criminal Justice Homeless People
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Learning Disabilities Mental Health Older People Substance Misuse
www.crossreach.org.uk
DID YOU KNOW? An estimated 90,000 people have dementia in Scotland. Around 3,200 of these people are under the age of 65. (Alzheimer Scotland figures)
FEATURES Dancing Queen
News SCOTLAND
94 year old Marie Duthie is still dancing and took part in a project to bring older and younger dancers together. Page 4 Balmedie at 80
Balmedie House near Aberdeen recently celebrated its 80th anniversary with a number of special events.
CrossReach Week in September saw the Moderator of the General Assembly Rt. Rev. Dr. Derek Browning visit services in Edinburgh, Kilmarnock, Alloa and Perth. He described CrossReach’s work as ‘inspirational’ and said he wanted to particularly highlight the great practices that CrossReach does in providing safe places for people with mental health problems to get appropriate care and support.
HAMILTON
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Over 70 people who use our Learning Disabilities services plus staff attended the annual National Forum which was held in Hamilton in November. The day, which is planned by service users, featured guest speakers, workshops and the inter-service boccia competition won this year by Eskmills!
Me and My Job
Linda Kelly is Dementia Development and Support Officer. She explains how people with dementia can have a good quality of life. Page 11
ARDROSSAN Congratulations to Rev. David Gordon who celebrated his 90th birthday with a visit to the Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow. David, who has been a resident at South Beach House in Ardrossan since 2003, was a minister in Port Glasgow for many years and also an industrial chaplain at Lithgow’s Shipyard and attended many ship launches.
Editorial As you will read above the estimated number of people with dementia in Scotland is currently 90,000. According to official Scottish Government figures in 2012 that number was 41,947 – which means that in just five years we have seen the figure more than double. Why is that? Well, on page 11 Linda Kelly gives one possible answer, citing better diagnosis of the illness and the fact that changes in strategy mean that dementia is now a priority; standards of care state that ‘people with dementia have a right to a timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia’. It’s certainly the case that a much larger percentage of those coming into CrossReach’s care homes for older people now have a degree of dementia. The experience of the illness is subjective and unique to each individual. Effectively tackling the symptoms of dementia requires a co-ordinated range of health and social care interventions, and of course there are dozens of different types and levels of dementia. One thing however is a common denominator – they will each need a personally tailored care plan and the support of trained, qualified and committed staff, and that’s exactly what they receive in our homes. CrossReach was the first care provider in Scotland to open a specialist care home for those with dementia, and I’m pleased to say we continue to be at the forefront of caring for those with dementia today. If you would like to comment on anything in this edition, please e-mail me at: hugh.brown@crossreach.org.uk
Hugh Brown, Editor
Published three times a year by CrossReach. Please feel free to use any material or articles contained in this magazine, with an appropriate credit. CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh. EH15 2SR. Telephone: 0131 657 2000, Fax: 0131 657 5000, Email: news@crossreach.org.uk
Social Care Council
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Operating as CrossReach Scottish Charity number: SC011353
www.crossreach.org.uk
New Beginnings residents together with children from their local communities has on the lives of both, stretching the imagination and broadening horizons. Looking to the horizon has been a feature of my own first few months in post as we have continued to consider how best to understand a complex social care environment and how to ensure we remain fit for purpose so that people who come to us for support can depend on CrossReach being there for them and others in the future.
CEO Viv Dickenson writes about the challenges and opportunities facing CrossReach in 2018…
“To continue to be there for those who need us we need to ensure that the lifeblood of the services, our staff, is in plentiful supply.”
• For our list of job opportunities, please visit: www.crossreach.org.uk/vacancies
Happy New Year and thank you for picking up this edition of CrossReach News which spotlights the work of our services to Older People. As I read through the stories I was reminded of one of the presentations at the Scottish Care Conference in November 2017 where we were told that, for many older people, coming into contact with services or being admitted to care homes could be the beginning of a new chapter of their lives, where opportunities to make friends and try out different activities abounded, and as a result people could become less isolated, healthier and happier. New beginnings in unexpected places - what better sentiment to start this New Year. 2018 has been officially named ‘Year of Young People’. CrossReach will be joining with other parts of the Church of Scotland to mark this in a number of different ways and is looking forward to the opportunity to showcase the personalities, talents and achievements of some of our own young people and celebrate the contribution that they can make to communities. It is particularly heartening to read of the impact that bringing some of our older
There are many challenges, but a particular area of focus for us currently is recruitment. As I have been out and about in services talking to staff and service users I have been in total awe of the breadth and depth of work done and the quality of care offered by our talented groups of staff and volunteers. The work is done quietly, uncomplainingly and with genuine heart and many members of staff have expressed real satisfaction with the work that they do and the relationships they have made both with colleagues and with service users and their relatives and carers. To continue to be there for those who need us we need to ensure that the lifeblood of the services, our staff, is in plentiful supply. And so as we enter a new year I wonder if you or those around you may be looking for a new opportunity to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of others. We offer training support and development opportunities, and would be very pleased to hear from you. Our recruitment webpage is detailed below, have a look and think about how you or others could join the ranks of those who ‘dare to care’. We know that working for us is not an option for everyone but 2018 will hold many opportunities to get involved with our work in many different ways. Thank you for your continued support, and for all the new beginnings you make possible.
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Services to Older People
Dancing Queen
Martha Graham is quoted as saying: “Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion” and this could not be more true of Marie Duthie, a resident in Morlich House, Edinburgh. Taking lessons from the age of three, she has always danced from her heart and after she left school she toured with the acclaimed Ganjou Brothers and Juanita. She and her friend formed an act known as ‘The Raymond Sisters’ and the duo toured the UK, including playing Edinburgh’s Empire Theatre.
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Trained in ballet, tap and acrobatics and having a fine singing voice, the talented Marie never lost her love of dance and performing. Although she hung up her professional shoes in 1946, she continued to dance. In the 1960s she choreographed the annual Mothers Fellowship shows at her then local church and in the 1970s became a Scottish country dancing teacher. It’s been said that life’s a dance and taking this view, Marie has passionately danced her way through her life as a wife, mother and grandmother. Her enthusiasm and passion for Scottish country dancing was infectious and her husband, who previously didn’t dance, was said to have taken to it ‘with great gusto’.
94 year-old Marie is now widowed and macular degeneration has taken its toll on her eyesight. Before Marie moved to Morlich House in June 2016, one of her daughters saw an appeal for Variety performers who had danced on the stage of the old Empire Theatre (now the Festival Theatre) in the ForgetMe-Not newsletter published by Paul Hudson. Marie was keen to find out more. Following a meeting with Paul and choreographer Janice Parker at the Festival Theatre, she discovered their idea was to bring older and younger dancers together so that they could learn from each other. Marie was captivated by the concept and agreed to take part. Funded by the Life Changes Trust Dementia programme, Janice worked for a year with Marie and two other dancers who had also performed at the Empire Theatre. As time went by, Marie’s feet tapped and danced with increasing confidence and her joy, enthusiasm and good humour was described as being inspirational. The outcome was ‘An Audience With…’ a 3-day production in the Empire Rooms at the Festival Theatre and the line-up included two dancers in their twenties. The entire project was filmed and a DVD and book will be released this spring.
At the time of the show, Marie was recovering from surgery meaning she was unable to perform live, so footage was used of her teaching younger dancers tap dancing. Her son and two daughters are very proud of her achievements. When asked about the impact the project has had on her mother, daughter Morna said: “Physically, the dancing has kept my mother in good shape. Mentally, the social stimulation, the laughter, the music, the attention and the feeling she can still contribute something have all added to her sense of self-worth. Apart from having her weekly visits to the Festival Theatre, Mum also goes to the Good Neighbour Club once a week, and she has her bi-monthly singing group at Inverleith. All these activities contribute to Mum’s physical and mental wellbeing. The move to Morlich has made a huge positive difference to Mum’s quality of life. She has help when needed, is eating properly again, and isn’t lonely or anxious anymore. In other words, because of the care and support she receives at Morlich, she has the ability and energy to participate in all these external activities.” Marie is truly a ‘dancing queen’!
Innovation and Sustainability Allan Logan, Director of Services to Older People, outlines the challenges of being both innovative and sustainable… The last year has seen significant change for CrossReach in the area of Services to Older People. The embedding of an innovative strategy, focussed on the provision of a menu of flexible and holistic, high quality, sustainable services comes at a time of major challenge for the sector. We welcomed in 2017 the launch of Scotland’s latest National Dementia strategy and the continuing priority being placed on supporting people with dementia and their families in this country. Through Health and Social Care Integration doors are now beginning to open, in some areas of the country, on opportunities to progress our commitment to innovation. However, sadly, funding the true cost of care for our older citizens continues to remain a key issue for providers across the country. Being innovative and sustainable is a major challenge for providers as has been borne out by a recent Care Home market study for the sector. Supporting people to enjoy healthy fulfilling lives within their own communities necessitates the need for us to continue to be innovative, flexible and adaptive in responding to the needs of people who wish to use our services in future. That flexibility and innovation were highlighted by the excellent and imaginative staff group at Morlich House in Edinburgh, who were finalists in the Scottish Care Awards in the category of Care Home of the Year. A key focus for CrossReach in 2017 and one which will continue in 2018 (the ‘Year of Young People’) is that of intergenerational working. Beth Johnson, Founder of Generations Working Together, has said that: “intergenerational practice aims to bring people together in purposeful, mutually beneficial activities which promote greater understanding and respect between generations and contributes to building more cohesive communities. Intergenerational practice is inclusive, building on the positive
resources that younger and older have to offer each other and those around them.” Intergenerational working has been a key part of our focus in recent months with examples like ‘Wee Ones at Whinnieknowe’ or WOW for short! This partnership between Junior World, the Family Support Centre in Nairn, and CrossReach involved 6 residents and 70 children participating together in recreational activities. In Edinburgh, through support from NHS Lothian and Vision Mechanics, Queens Bay Lodge entered into a project with Primary 7 pupils of the local Newcraighall Primary School. The aim was to improve the health and well-being of older people in care homes, building relationships with local schools while developing the art and communication skills of the pupils to demonstrate the benefit of working together across the generations. The young people interviewed the residents and designed personal shields depicting main events in their lives. They also designed a storyboard and animated film narrating the life stories of residents leading to them coming to live together in Queen’s Bay Lodge (please see the article in this edition which has a link to view the film). In both of these projects, the benefits to the residents and young people was evident from the enjoyment shown over several weeks as youth and elderly mixed easily in each other’s company.
“A key focus for CrossReach in 2017 and one which will continue in 2018 (the ‘Year of Young People’) is that of intergenerational working” Early cross-Directorate work commenced in 2017 in the area of dementia and learning disability with progress being made in terms of research and knowledge. Our Heart for Art Project funded by the Life Changes Trust continues to expand and challenge the stigma surrounding a diagnosis of dementia with new art groups planned for 2018. The highlight of the year was an outstanding exhibition of artists’ works in the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh which was well attended and challenged many societal misconceptions around dementia. In a year of significant challenge, I would like to express on behalf of the Services to Older People team our appreciation to all operational and support staff for the positive impact they have on the lives of the people we support every day. We also give thanks for the support of Volunteers and Friends’ Groups across Scotland who give so willingly of their time and talents and who greatly enrich the services we offer in Christ’s name.
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The ‘WOW’ factor at Whinnieknowe “They’re happy children and so bright, it brings back memories of when I was a nanny”
Hugh Brown reports on a fascinating initiative which bridges the generations… We often hear about the wow factor, but in the case of Whinnieknowe care home in Nairn ‘WOW’ stands for ‘Wee Ones at Whinnieknowe’. The concept of ‘nonfamilial intergenerational interactions’ is centred around the simple idea that old and young can bring new energy, knowledge and enthusiasm to each others’ lives. In the last 20 years this concept has been increasingly picked up, particularly in America where more shared care facilities are being opened. This was seen on the recent Channel 4 documentary ‘Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds’.
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Aware of the shared care practice in the USA, Sarah Butters, Activities Co-ordinator at Whinnieknowe, had the idea of inviting pre-school children into the home to spend time playing with the residents. So she tentatively reached out via a community Facebook page to see if parents would be interested in letting their children come along for playdates. Having an existing partnership with a local family centre, Junior World (Care and Learning Alliance Child Care), Whinnieknowe manager Lynda Wilson made an approach to Centre manager Jayne Macintosh who said she would be delighted to take this initiative forward. Jayne contacted the parents of the 150 children registered at the Family Centre
and received 70 consented responses. Sarah then approached the residents at Whinnieknowe to ask them if they would be interested. She showed them the Channel 4 documentary and six residents said they wanted to sign up. In addition, Sarah and Jayne undertook a specialist Intergenerational Training Course for trainers and practitioners and over the autumn months the practicalities of Health and Safety, policies, insurances and safeguarding were put in place. Then on 31st October, six little visitors arrived at Whinnieknowe and made an enormous impact on their new friends and for over an hour they took part in craft activities together. Chatting about the materials they were using and instructing each other on how to make the best pictures, it seemed that no sooner had they arrived then it was time to go. One of the residents, Ann Ellen,
said: “They’re happy children and so bright, it brings back fond memories of when I was a nanny. It’s good fun and I’m enjoying it.” Lynda Wilson says the public response to the idea of the project had been overwhelming: “We wanted to see our clients having the same response the older group had in the documentary, to combat loneliness, improve health and wellbeing. We also wanted to reach out to the local community and to be a catalyst for integration for all ages. The response so far has been fantastic to see. The interaction between the ages, the communication and the joy expressed, was what we hoped for and more. We know that this pilot project will go from strength to strength. In fact, everyone is already looking forward to future meetings of WOW.”
Services to Older People
New sensory garden at Cameron House You could be forgiven for thinking that 15th September was rather late in the year for the opening of the new dementia friendly sensory garden at Cameron House in Inverness - but if you were then told that the work only began in late June and nobody realistically anticipated it being completed until Spring 2018, then you begin to understand something of the pride that everybody involved feels about it. The ‘before and after’ pictures tell their own story – an area of the extensive grounds at Cameron House which had become rather overgrown was transformed. The idea of a sensory garden was proposed by the Acting Deputy Manager, sanctioned by the Senior Management Team and a focus group met to discuss designs and funding. Service Manager Pat Birse told CrossReach News: “The Friends’ of Cameron House quickly came on board and from there the project took wings. They managed the project financially as well as providing manual help and advice. Lizard Landscaping undertook the work but we had an enormous amount of help from many groups in our community and our
own service users enjoyed being involved as well. The result is outstanding! It’s a beautiful secured area with direct access from our dining room. The path is wide enough for two people or a person and a wheelchair to walk together while recesses with benches provide the opportunity for people to rest. The garden is surrounded by raised flower beds, vegetable patches and herb gardens – all accessible for our
doing a bit of tidying up or weeding, or just relaxing in it. The garden has served a further purpose in that some family members have chosen to place items in the garden as a means of remembering a loved one who is no longer with us.” And so it was with huge excitement that on a chilly but dry day in September, staff were joined by relatives, friends and Provost Helen Carmichael who officially opened the Cameron House Dementia Friendly Sensory Garden.
service users, and all stocked with nontoxic material. We even have a washing line, not forgetting our wooden carved bear! The garden has already proved to be a huge asset to our service Users. Some of them use the garden as an extension of the house, just wandering in and out,
Having a Heart for Art The ‘Heart for Art’ project keeps growing with 11 groups meeting across Scotland. Co-ordinator Laura McLeod reflects on another successful year… 6 exhibitions, 5 coffee mornings, 4 public talks, 8 groups a-making, hundreds of lives changed and thousands of people educated about dementia. It’s alright - the festive season is indeed over but we can’t help but reflect over the past year and what a success the Heart for Art project has been. Heart for Art is all about giving people with dementia the space and support to be creative. Many people believe they were rubbish at art at school or ‘can’t draw a straight line’. At Heart for Art we won’t ask you to! Joining together with people in their communities, our participants find friendship and acceptance. They don’t have
to worry about not being Picasso, or if they’ve forgotten whether they prefer tea of coffee. They are going through dementia together. Although each experience of dementia is unique to that person, that day, that very moment, they can relax and be comfortable knowing that the common thread they often struggle with is what unites them.
With humour, mutual encouragement and expertise from our tutors, the groups generate a huge body of work each session. However, one of the most crucial elements is giving this work an audience. In doing this, our participants can share their voice. They get to demonstrate that people with dementia can contribute something beautiful to this world. One of the participants in our Edinburgh group, Rosie, said: “This group is something good to come out of dementia.”
In the summer, our national exhibition at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh was a highlight. Filling the walls of the studio, the colours drew people in for a closer look. This was just one of the many opportunities to share about Heart for Art and the work was amazing at generating discussion and praise. “I wish there was something like this when mum/dad was here.” This was said at least five times every day of the exhibition. We know the impact Heart for Art makes to the lives of our participants and carers. We also know there are many more people in the coming year who would similarly benefit and we look forward to welcoming them through our doors.
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Services to Older People
Making‘Friends’ Balmedie at Laura Barnett tells the story of a remarkable new film in a joint production between young and old… Manager Helen Somerville and her team at Queens Bay Lodge residential home in Edinburgh are passionate about creating community-building opportunities for the older people who have chosen to live there. They proactively work to ensure every individual maintains connections with family and friends and has opportunities to build new and meaningful friendships with other people and organisations. Over the years, children and young people of all ages have taken part in a
variety of intergenerational projects in the home including an art exhibition. Recently another interesting project was completed, culminating in a celebration with family and friends of the participants (children and older adults). A successful application was made to Vision Mechanics, a project funded by NHS Lothian with the purpose of bringing old and young together through creative arts. Activities Co-ordinator Gwen Anderson approached Jan Paterson, Head Teacher of Newcraighall Primary School, to invite the Primary 7 class to work together on producing a film. When permissions and Health and Safety practicalities were put in place, the work began in earnest. The children met with members of the Vision Mechanics team and created their personal ‘story shields’. Next, they were invited to visit the participating residents of Queens Bay to help them create their story shields.
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The residents smiled as the children arrived, armed with notebooks, pencils and enthusiasm. Natural friendships developed with each child befriending one of the residents. As the shields took
shape, conversations flowed about likes, favourite things and life experiences. Staff and family members were amazed at the experiences and preferences shared by the residents, some of which they hadn’t previously known. The next step for the children was to take that bank of information and use it to create the film’s story board. The children created puppets to animate the story and the narrative was written. Then came the soundtrack. The residents and children recorded the various spoken parts and everyone sang ‘Ye cannae shove your Granny aff a bus’ and ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’. Lastly, a title had to be chosen and everyone agreed the best suggestion was ‘Friends’. The premiere at the end of October featured the film, a sing-a-long of the songs used on the soundtrack and reports about the positive
impact the project had on those involved. Afterwards dignitaries, guests and friends joined the artists for a celebration cake. Whilst the project may have finished its impact continues. Residents still talk about their life experiences and about the fun they had in helping to create the film. It’s easy to see why the school and Queens Bay are already developing new joint initiatives. We look forward to hearing all about them! You can see the film at: www.crossreach.org.uk/making-friends-0
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Guess the year - Shirley Bassey and Anthony Hopkins were born, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco was officially opened, and George VI was crowned king after his brother Edward abdicated to marry Mrs Simpson. It is of course 1937, and on 27th October that year Balmedie House near Aberdeen was opened by the Right Honourable Lord Polwarth with the express purpose that it would become ‘a place where lonely people are cared for’. The house was purchased from the Lumsden family for the grand sum of £2,000 and a further £3,000 was spent to make it fit for purpose. There was accommodation for 35 residents, sleeping in dormitories. The house used 10 tons of coal a month to keep it warm! In 1962 major renovations were undertaken to improve the living accommodation. To fund these improvements the board rate was raised from 12 shillings and sixpence to 15 shillings (or 75 pence) a week! Then in 1992 the house was closed for several months while further refurbishment took place, followed by another upgrade in 2006 when 32 en-suite bedrooms were created and a new wing was opened. Ann Reid, Service Manager for the past 6 years, told CrossReach News: “Balmedie has come a long way from its beginnings and much has changed - for
“Balmedie has come a long way from its beginnings and much has changed”
example, no more dormitories or coal fires! The level of care and support offered has increased and staff are qualified professionals who work to very high standards as evidenced by Care Inspectorate top grades of 6 across all areas. Yet much has also stayed the same; the glorious views from the house, the rabbits on the lawn and the distant sound of the sea. The practical outworking of Christian care and compassion continues through the commitment of everyone who works there, and the friendship and contentment found by those older people who live at Balmedie, plus the love of God which never changes but sustains us each day.” So how did the home mark its 80th birthday? “Our celebrations started back in August with a family barbeque, birthday balloons, cakes and a marquee, plus dancing on the lawn to Jack the entertainer. Then on our actual birthday, 27th October, we began with a thanksgiving service, a three-course meal, cake and refreshments, then dancing and singing which went on till late evening. I suppose we are a bit like the Queen by having two birthdays! Looking back, 2017 has brought many happy memories and the enthusiasm of the residents and the dedication of the staff has made me realise what is important in life. I can’t promise that I’ll be here for our 85th birthday, but knowing the staff it will be another day to remember.”
Philanthropy So many of us are generous and want to give money to worthy causes, but how do you go about choosing which charity to support? Here are a few simple tips: 1. It’s about YOU! Start with yourself. What do you care about? Do you have any direct or indirect experience of a need that a charity is meeting? Or an issue that a charity campaigns about? 2. Do your research carefully. a) If you are interested in a cause but don’t know which charities might be working in this field, then the websites of both the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and the Charity Commission for England and Wales (the Charity Commission) have useful drop-down filters to help you find out (click ‘advanced search’ on the Charity Commission’s website). b) With a few exceptions, a charity will be registered with OSCR and/or the Charity Commission with its own unique registration number and record. c) You will find lots of useful information about a particular charity on its OSCR or Charity Commission records page. Each Church of Scotland charge is a charity in its own right and has its own record. If you’re a member of a local church, why not have a look at yours? d) If the charity has its own website, take time to explore this thoroughly to get a flavour not only of the work that is done but also of the charity’s overall strategy, including mission and values. For CrossReach, our Mission and Values Statements can be accessed from the home page (currently under the ‘What we do’ tab). 3. Time for action! You’ve found a wonderful charity or you know a wonderful charity. Great! It’s your decision how you choose to support it– donate money, volunteer, campaign, pray. The charity should make it easy for you to do any or all of these things. If there isn’t a page or link on the website, you should be able to pick up the phone and talk directly or be put through to someone who can help you. 4. Your rights and interests. When you commit to support a charity, it’s likely that you will be sharing some personal information with that charity (for example, name and address). A charity should make it clear at the time you share that information exactly how it intends to store and use your data. For your security, data protection law is to be tightened this year and privacy information will become much more prominent in all charity communications. 5. Your expectations. You’ve done your bit; what should you expect from the charity in return? Well, at the very least you should receive an acknowledgement of your action; a thank you; a clear indication of what your action will do (e.g. how your gift of money will be spent or what your campaigning might achieve); updates of the work your action is supporting and the impact made. Many charities will do more than this but in all cases you should receive only what you would like to receive and how you would like to receive it. You should be able to change your preferences easily and at any time. If you follow these tips, then you will find that making an action in support of a charity and continuing that relationship will be the joy that it should be.
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News in brief
Prayer Points
CARING ACROSS SCOTLAND
For those who wish to pray, please consider
The Presbytery of Lewis has become the first ‘Presbytery Friend of CrossReach’. Following discussions around what this would mean for the members of the churches in the Presbytery and also for CrossReach, Rev. Dr. Ben Johnstone, Moderator of the Presbytery of Lewis and Calum Murray, CrossReach’s Director of Adult Care Services, met in Stornoway to formalise plans. Rev. Johnstone said: “The Presbytery of Lewis is delighted
• All the residents who live in CrossReach’s care homes for older people and the clients of our day care facilities. • Give thanks for 80 years of care and support for older people at Balmedie House and remember the current staff and residents. • Those with mental health issues and give thanks for people supported by CrossReach at Morven Day Services for the past 25 years. • The Heart for Art project as it continues to expand across Scotland, providing many people with dementia a new or renewed passion for art.
Morlich House in Edinburgh was a finalist in the 2017 Scottish Care Awards in the ‘Care Home Service of the Year’ category. Sadly the home wasn’t a winner on the night but manager Glen Brady says it was an achievement just to be a finalist: “Everyone at Morlich House was delighted to be nominated for Care Home of the Year and were thrilled to be shortlisted into the final three. It reflected the good work of Morlich House and the devotion of all staff, which is enhanced by those who support us.”
• The Supporter Relations team as they plan a number of fundraising events and those who will take part in them. • Lewis Presbytery which has become the first in Scotland to pledge support as a ‘Presbytery Friend of CrossReach’. • The intergenerational work taking place at a number of our care homes for older people including Whinnieknowe and Queens Bay Lodge. If you would like to receive our free Prayer Diary three times a year, please call: 0131 657 2000, or download a PDF version from:
www.crossreach.org.uk
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Our Mission Statement In Christ’s name we seek to retain and regain the highest quality of life which each individual is capable of experiencing at any given time
CrossReach Morven Day Services in Kilmarnock recently celebrated its silver anniversary. In a role similar to that of our Heads of Service in the then Board of Social Responsibility, Bill Greer had long seen the need for a place where people who had mental health problems could be supported in an environment free from judgement and stigma. His commitment culminated in securing funds to establish and run the service. We were therefore delighted that Bill’s daughter and Counsellor for East Ayrshire Council, Maureen McKay, agreed to open the third CrossReach Morven Day Services Art Exhibition in October. It showcased arts and crafts created by the people supported by Morven who wanted to demonstrate that even when impacted with a mental health issue people can be productive and creative. They organised and ran the event with limited support from the staff team. Allan Marshall, Deputy Manager at Morven said: “This is our 25th year of service in East Ayrshire and we are proud to continue to provide a service which has supported so many people over those years.” Councillor McKay commented: “The exceptional work displayed here confirms my father’s vision that if people are given the opportunity to be creative it will improve their mental health.”
to pledge to become a Presbytery Friend of CrossReach. This pledge encourages all of our congregations to support – prayerfully and through fundraising – the wonderful work done, in the name of Jesus, by CrossReach nationally, including the exceptional services provided by the Lewis Street and Dochas projects here on the Isle of Lewis.” Accepting the pledge on behalf of CrossReach Calum Murray commented: “We are equally delighted to receive this warm endorsement of our work by the Presbytery of Lewis and look forward to working together in partnership with the congregations here in furtherance of our mission to support, in Christ’s name, those who find themselves in vulnerable circumstances right across Scotland.” Congratulations to former CrossReach Chief Executive Officer Peter Bailey who has been presented with a special recognition award by Scottish Care. Peter, who retired in May last year after 25 years’ service, was recognised for his ‘unique contribution to the care sector’. He said that the honour was a great honour and a huge surprise: “I was privileged to be involved in Social Care for the majority of my career and the contribution I have been able to make has been in large measure down to the fantastic support from colleagues and those dedicated individuals who have provided essential care and support over the years. The award is a much coveted reminder of a career in a sector which has given me much more than I have given it.”
Me and My Job Linda Kelly has worked with CrossReach for 16 years and is currently Dementia Development & Research Officer… How did you start with CrossReach? I started volunteering with Adams House when I was 15 as I was doing my Queen’s Award with the Girls’ Brigade. I went on to study Building Services engineering, but I was drawn back to Adams House because I missed the job satisfaction. Why work for CrossReach? I was drawn to work for CrossReach through being in the Girls’ Brigade for 23 years. I did 2 hours a week helping with serving meals and loved the interaction. At that time I never really knew what dementia was, so I accepted the person as who they were. This helped me and made me want to know more. Tell us about your current job… My job entails many aspects, from training staff in best practice dementia care, to using and promoting excellent resources. The team take the staff on a journey to an enhanced level, which means I deliver masterclasses on stress and distressed behaviours, nutrition, pain and advance care planning. I also support 6 units, who receive a day a month for a dementia clinic. These clinics are used for bespoke
training for the service, supporting staff, and also liaising with families about their loved ones’ care. Another part of the task is reducing the stigma of dementia within the communities, which involves talks at conferences, churches, and attending groups with other agencies to share best practice. CrossReach was the first organisation to open a specialist dementia home wasn’t it? CrossReach was pioneering in terms of dementia care and opened its first specialist service Williamwood House in 1983. The success of this led to the development of others and currently we have 9 dementia care homes. Are we better at diagnosing dementia today? There have been a lot of changes in strategy in Scotland that now make dementia a priority; the standards of care state that ‘people with dementia have a right to a timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia’, so this has helped people receive the diagnosis. It’s a cruel illness because it takes people’s memories but they may still be quite active physically. How do staff deal with that? Although dementia is an illness that people think steals memories it’s important that we see the person and not assume that
they cannot remember. As staff it’s our responsibility to try and find strategies to help stimulate their memories. This can be done in many ways, for example ‘Playlist for Life’ can help with meaningful connections; life story work is also important so we know as much as we can about what is important to the person, and this may help them jog memories. There are physical initiatives like Oomph! (Our organisation makes people happy!) which most residents seem to love. If we find something that someone enjoys then the good feeling they have is sustained for a while after taking part in that activity. People with dementia can still have a good quality of life, can’t they? Absolutely! It’s important to remember that people in our services LIVE and live well with dementia. The quality of life the person living with dementia has is often increased when using the services we provide. This is due to the commitment, love and service that our staff provide. Do you miss working directly with residents? I do miss it, but I get satisfaction from knowing that the training and support I deliver is making a difference. I also get to see the residents when I run the dementia clinic.
I wish to support CrossReach by donating £................................. on a single monthly annual basis If single: Please post us a cheque (payable to CrossReach) or donate online at www.CrossReach.org.uk If monthly: I would like to make my donation on the 1st/15th (delete as appropriate) of each month starting: ........../........../................ If annually: I would like to make my donation on: ........../........../................ and each year thereafter Your account details Name of bank: ........................................................................................... Address of bank: ........................................................................................ ...................................................................... Postcode: ............................. Account number:........................................................................................ Sort code: ...................................................................................................
Your personal details Name (inc title): .......................................................................................... Home address: ............................................................................................. ................................................................... Postcode: .................................. Phone number: ............................................................................................ Email address: ..............................................................................................
To the manager (Bank/Building Society): Please pay Bank of Scotland, 38 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2YR on the date indicated above and thereafter until further notice the sum indicated above for the credit of CrossReach Account No 00227186, Sort Code 80-41-21 If you pay UK income tax, we can reclaim the tax you paid on the donations making them 25% even more valuable. Please complete the following declaration. Please treat
the above donation
all donations I have made in the past 4 years
all future donations I make to CrossReach (please tick all the boxes that apply*) as Gift Aid donations (unless I inform you otherwise). I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference. *We will assume all boxes if none are ticked.
Signature: .................................................................. Date: ...../...../........... Please let CrossReach know if you change your contact details or if your tax situation changes.
Please send this completed form to: Supporter Relations, CrossReach, Charis House, 47 Milton Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 2SR
01/18
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Not quite a leap into the unkown
Come and be part of Scotland’s BIGGEST running festival!
Skydive for CrossReach next summer!
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is now in its 16th year and takes place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May 2018. Starting in Edinburgh, the course heads out through East Lothian offering stunning views and an unforgettable experience.
https://tinyurl.com/ycxe6m7a Use code solsky10 for discounted jump of ÂŁ60.
CrossReach have free places for all races over the weekend. Places are very limited so why not secure yours today! Enter here: https://tinyurl.com/CrossReach-Marathon
Take a leap of faith off the Forth Bridge (supported by extensive gear and ropes!) Abseil off the Forth Bridge for CrossReach in 2018. Entries for this amazing experience are now open. For information e-mail: Rebecca.Tennant@CrossReach.org.uk
Forth Bridge abseil 2018