At Appleby Care Home, a part of Larchwood Care, we are thrilled to announce that they have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award in the Dementia Care Team category at the sixth annual Caring UK Awards!
Appleby Care Home has adopted an innovative approach to dementia care, making it stand out in its dedication to providing the best possible quality of life for residents living with dementia. The team, led by Clare Leonard, has gone above and beyond to ensure that each resident is treated as an individual and that their lives are made safe, comfortable, and fulfilling. Clare and her team are shining examples of person-centered care, and their commitment is at the heart of our nomination.
In a unique offering for the North Shields area, Appleby Care Home provides a specialised male unit designed to support those living with dementia who may benefit from a male-only setting. Many of the gentlemen who reside in this unit have worked in the local fishing industry, a defining aspect of their lives. To honor their backgrounds, the home manager and maintenance manager transformed the garden into a permanent seaside scene, complete with a boat, sea fishing equipment, lobster pots, and sand. This setting fosters reminiscence and provides a comforting and familiar environment.
Within the male unit, a bespoke bar area, lovingly crafted by the maintenance manager, allows residents to gather for afternoons filled with camaraderie, non-alcoholic beer, card games, and dominoes – just as they might have enjoyed following long days in the fishing trade.
But their commitment to providing specialised and thoughtful care doesn’t stop there. When one resident, a retired post lady living with dementia, was seeking comfort within the home, the team went to the local post office to source a post satchel. This small act of kindness provided her with a sense of reminiscence and comfort that helped her to settle.
These heartwarming moments, often referred to as “butterfly moments,” illustrate the deep sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that drives the entire dementia care team at Appleby. The team includes two official dementia champions, and we are led by Clare Leonard, the first care home manager in the UK to achieve an NIHR Greenshoots Award, enabling us to take part in the Greenshoots Principal Investigator Scheme. Currently, the home are conducting independent research on nutrition in dementia care, completing a trial with a nutrition support worker to explore how this impacts positive dementia care and behavior support.
Alison Boote, the Operations Director at Larchwood Care, expressed her pride in the team, remarking, “The nomination for Appleby demonstrates how Clare and her team go above and beyond to ensure that residents living with dementia have the very best quality of life. They are a brilliant example of person-centred care, treating each resident as an individual and taking time to find ways to make their lives safe, comfortable and fulfilling.”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to our journey, and we look forward to the awards ceremony, where the winners will be revealed at The Athena in Leicester on Thursday 7th December 2023. This ceremony is a time when the industry comes together to salute all that is great about the care sector.
Thank you for being a part of our story, and stay tuned for more updates as we continue to strive for excellence in dementia care.
