Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association

The Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association

This year’s Guernsey Property and Construction Awards benefited the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association, with a total of £2,460 being raised for the local charity through the raffle on the evening. We found out why the fundraising was so important for the organisation and how the money will be used.

THOSE BENEFITING ARE WELCOME TO DONATE IF THEY CAN BUT THERE IS NO PAYMENT NECESSARY AS WE WANT EVERYONE WHO NEEDS THE SERVICE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT.

The Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association was formed in the summer of 2009. Its core services include social activity, education, support and respite care at home.

The services the charity offers from its centre at Delancey in St Sampson’s include weekly social afternoons on a Monday for those suffering from dementia, a weekly carers support group with specialist talks on a Wednesday and monthly lunches for anyone touched by dementia.

The breadth of services offered by the charity meant that last year Julie Thompson became its first salaried manager. Since taking on the role she has seen the charity expand the scope of its role even further.

“We have a lot of activities going on, which are all designed to benefit those with dementia in some way. We have recently started running golf sessions which have worked really well. The carers can get some respite, but those playing also benefit through the companionship and perhaps the memories of playing golf in the past,” said Julie.

“We also run gardening activities in conjunction with GROW as gardening has been show to stimulate dementia sufferers. Being outdoors is always a positive, and we often find that people remember things from many years ago when they are involved in an activity like that. On top of all that, we have a choir starting in April as dementia patients are known to love singing.”

The money raised by the awards will be used in areas such as the sitting service the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association offers. It gives much-needed respite to carers who are looking after people with dementia. They are generally allocated three hours per week during which one of the 16 sitters employed by the charity will take over their responsibilities. “Last year we provided 2,500 hours of sitting,” said Julie. “That comes at a cost – a total of around £24,000 in 2019, and that’s on top of our other running costs. But we have always been determined that the sitting service will be provided free of charge. Those benefiting are welcome to donate if they can but there is no payment necessary as we want everyone who needs the service to be able to access it.”

For Julie, that access is vital as she understands the importance of the respite for people caring for those with dementia.

“When you are looking after somebody with dementia 24 hours a day, seven days a week it is a huge stress. People with dementia often lose track of day and night and may often have disturbed sleep. That in itself can lead carers to having burnout so they need all the support they can get.”

Unfortunately, at the moment the charity can’t provide as much respite as it would like. In January this year alone they received 14 referrals for the sitting service. Of those, they were able to provide eight of those carers with some support, with the others having to join a waiting list.

With demand outstripping supply, the charity says that it is always very grateful for help from the community, whether that is through fundraising, volunteering or even more practical help. A recent donation of time from an electrician who wanted to help, saw them able to rewire their centre and complete crucial electrical testing. Now they are keen to paint the centre and would welcome some practical support from anybody in the industry who might be able to help.

For more information about the work of the Guernsey Alzheimer’s Association and volunteering opportunities visit www.alzheimers.gg

Keeping it personal

Sandra Robinson opened her namesake business just over three years ago, but she had amassed plenty of experience working in the industry prior to that. Now her Glategny Esplanade showroom proudly bears her name and brand as she aims to provide quality products with a personal touch. We spoke to her to find out more about her background and business.

It’s 25 years since Sandra first started her career in kitchen and bedroom design. During that time she has seen the industry evolve as lifestyles, tastes and even technology have affected what people are looking for in their homes.

For Sandra, what hasn’t changed is the importance of paying attention to what her customers want and offering a personal service that is tailored to them.

“When a client comes in for the first time, the most important thing is to listen to them. I need to understand how they want to live in their space. The demands on a home differ from family to family so I want to know how the space will be used and then my job is to advise them as to what is available which will suit that.”

Over the past few decades, Sandra has seen a major shift in how people use their homes, which has had to be reflected in how designers approach their role. “When I first started in the industry, people went into the kitchen and cooked and then came out into the dining room or living room to eat with the family. Now everyone aspires to open plan, free flowing space.

‘That has certainly affected the importance of how a kitchen looks as it is much more of a public space than it used to be. The design aspect is crucial and it’s made my role much more creative and actually more rewarding.”

While Sandra brings her invaluable experience and passion to designing every room she approaches, she is also always receptive to input from clients.

“Now that clients can easily go on websites such as Houzz and Pinterest, I find that they often have much stronger ideas and aspirations for the space they want to create. I love to work with them to make sure we design something that works perfectly for the homeowner.”

While design is crucial, so are the products that Sandra can offer her customers. With quality ranges such as Masterclass, English Hardwood and Leicht along with bespoke bedroom and study furniture from BA Components, she feels she has something to suit every home, whether the owners are looking for a traditional or contemporary look in their kitchen or bedroom.

“When I started the business it was really important to me to find the right suppliers to work with. There are a lot of brands out there, but I knew there was a certain level of quality I wanted to sustain and I think the choices I made have worked out very well for myself and for my clients.”

Once clients have finalised their design and furniture, that doesn’t signal the end of Sandra’s involvement. She appreciates the importance of providing excellent service through to the end of a project.

“I know that often a kitchen refit, for example, is part of a bigger project and can often be quite a stressful time. We ensure that we have excellent fitters who I have every confidence in, and we do our very best to guide our clients through the process until they are completely happy with the end result. We aim to leave every client delighted not only with their new kitchen or bedroom, but with the service they received from us through the whole experience.”

EXPERT ADVICE

Sandra shares her top tips for kitchen design.

1. Concentrate on the design first – think carefully about the layout. 2. Look around for inspiration – use online resources as well as other people’s kitchens. 3. Decide what you do like and eliminate things that you don’t as it will evolve and you’ll end up coming back to what you do want. 4. Think about the practicalities of the design – the wow factor matters, but you also need to make sure you have space for your rubbish bin and recycling. 5. Create a wish list and start from there.

Items can be stripped out if they are beyond the budget but at least you know what your ideal starting point is.