Active for Life Section
Active for Life
& National Minimum Care Standards
Activities and training available through Active for Life are all about meeting the needs of individuals for social contact, physical and mental stimulation, and being able to make choices about their own lives. These elements relate to Standards 12 and 14 of the National Minimum Standards for care homes for older people. In addition, many relatives and friends of people engaging in group and individual activities have found that the stimulation and enhanced mental well-being it brings to residents improves the quality of their relationships with visitors through a greater willingness to engage in discussion and a renewed interest in others. This relates to Standard 13. Participation in activities also relates to Standard Eight of the National Service Framework for Older People which states that ‘Any form of social, physical or mental activity is good for health and well-being” (NSF for Older People, pt 8.8).
Qualifications of the Tutor/Therapist
Sarah Housden is a freelance State Registered Occupational Therapist, with additional qualifications in Health and Social Care, Health Promotion and Reminiscence. She is a fully qualified Adult Education Tutor with several years experience of working with people in residential and nursing homes, as well as day care settings. Through Active for Life she aims to work for improvements in the quality of life experienced by older people in these settings.
Staff Training
While Active for Life is happy to provide group and individual activities to care homes and day centres for older people, the greatest investment managers and care home owners can make is in getting their staff trained to continue activities on a long term basis. A number of courses are available from Active for Life. A brief outline of course content for each of these is provided below:
Crafts for the less able
This six hour course looks at how craft activities can be designed and adapted to meet the needs of older people with disabilities, and will include a range of practical activities and examples. Consideration will be given to questions surrounding what is most important in craft activities – the process of taking part or the finished product? The content of this course is also applicable to people without physical or cognitive impairments.
Running Groups for Older People
This six hour course will provide care workers and activity organisers with the skills and understanding necessary for planning, managing and evaluating group work with older people. Consideration will be given to the role of the group leader, group dynamics and how to deal with challenging behaviour within the group setting. We shall also look at issues surrounding involving less able group members, and participants will be provided with a variety of ideas for activities to carry out in groups.
Reminiscence Techniques
This twelve hour course gives a basic understanding of reminiscence techniques suitable for anyone involved in working with older people. Course content will include:
Communication with people with dementia
This is a three hour course which links in with the courses on person-centred care and understanding challenging behaviour. Starting with an overview of why communication is important and how people communicate on an everyday level we shall go on to look at some of the communication difficulties which can arise in dementia, and consider how many of these can be overcome through looking at the meaning and feeling behind what is being said.
Person-centred care
This three hour course considers the meaning of the term ‘person-centred’ and how it relates to our work with older people in residential, nursing and day care settings. The importance of reflection and empathy will be examined, alongside well known person-centred methods of working such as Validation, Resolution and Reminiscence.
Understanding challenging behaviour
This six hour course links closely to the course on communicating with people with dementia, as well as that on person-centred care, and is best undertaken as a follow-up to these. The course will begin with an attempt to define ‘challenging behaviour’ and will be followed by developing an understanding of the person behind the behaviour by considering what it means to them. Working from the premise that unusual behaviours are understandable when seen from the frame of reference of the client, we shall then look at how such behaviours can be managed by meeting the needs of individuals.
Dementia awareness
This three hour course will look at the changes in the brain that take place in dementia and consider how this relates to the signs and symptoms of the illness as experienced by the client and others. We shall also look at the significance of other factors affecting the experience of dementia, and the place of the work of Tom Kitwood in maintaining quality of life for those affected by this condition.
Developing an activity programme
This three hour course will be useful for care workers, managers and activity organisers who wish to develop an activities programme in their residential, nursing or day care setting. As well as looking at the benefits of activity in later life, we shall consider ways of getting clients and other staff interested in taking part, and a wide variety of possible activities to include in your programme.
Life-story work
This three hour course will look at the benefits of carrying out life story work, and how the usefulness of this can be maintained throughout a person’s life through the use of life story books and boards. Practical consideration will be given to the best way of creating a life story book and alternative methods of recording memories.
Availability of Courses
These courses are available as in-house training to any organisation within the Norfolk area. The cost per hour is £35. In addition, courses can be run within the Norwich area for groups of individuals at a price of £20 per person for each three hour course (or section of a course). Please contact Sarah Housden at Sarah.Housden@tesco.net stating your contact details, which course(s) you are interested in and whether you would like to join a group of people from other organisations or would prefer in-house training.