Improving Day Care Experiences for Older People | Latest Newry News, Newry Sport and Newry Business for Newry City

Improving Day Care Experiences for Older People

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust recently hosted a workshop to focus on the experiences of older people using its day care services.

Service users, carers and Trust staff took part in the event along with representatives from the Health and Social Care Board, Public Health Agency and the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland Mr Eddie Lynch to share learning and to help to improve the service.

 

 

Findings of a recent ‘10,000 Voices’ survey undertaken with day care service users,  carers and  staff were shared at the event, highlighting their views, experiences and personal stories.

This was the first time that the 10,000 voices initiative has been used with day care services for older people.

The Southern Trust has centres for older people who need day time support in Portadown, Banbridge, Newry, Kilkeel, Clogher, Keady and Armagh.

 

 

Opening the workshop, Melanie McClements, Acting Director for Older People and Primary Care at the Southern Trust said, “Thankfully people are now living much longer and enjoying a much better quality of life.

“As far as possible we aim to support our older population to live as independently as they can for as long as they can and have a range of community services available to help older people to remain at home where they prefer.

“For older people who require additional support, for example those with physical disabilities, mental health issues, or rehabilitating from illness or injury, our day care centres offer a high quality day time opportunity.

 

 

She continued, “We were delighted that the 10,000 voices study shows just how much clients enjoy attending day care, participating in a wide range of mentally and physically stimulating activities. Staff get great satisfaction from their jobs and carers greatly appreciate the break, knowing that their loved one is enjoying the experience.

 “We want to work together to bring forward some of the suggestions from the survey – for example by developing more programmes likes ‘Brain Fit’ and ‘Moving More Often’ in day centres and with the introduction of ‘Community Connectors’ to signpost clients to other activities they can enjoy on the days that they aren’t in day care.

“We are keen to develop this principle of co-production through the 10,000 Voices model by empowering our service users and staff to work with us to improve the quality of our services and the experience of our service users,” Melanie added.

 

 

For more information 10, 000 Voices http://www.southerntrust.hscni.net/about/2776.htm

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Posted by on Oct 9 2017. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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