Month: May 2016

Every time I play golf with a client I try and imagine what it must be like to play the game with dementia. Continuous problems with balance, co-ordination, concentration and memory must make golf …

Source: Inside The Mind Of A Person With Dementia

Every time I play golf with a client I try and imagine what it must be like to play the game with dementia.
Continuous problems with balance, co-ordination, concentration and memory must make golf virtually impossible to play.

Imagine an artificial weight on one side of your body that interferes with your natural balance, vision and spatial awareness .Imagine forgetting every few seconds where you’ve put your ball, your tee peg or your golf glove. Imagine the frustration, agitation and  upset this causes.

So how come my golf clients had 3 birdies in 9 holes in last week?

Well, during the past eight months I’ve spent time closely observing the behaviour and performance of my dementia clients as they’ve played golf with me. I’ve tried to put myself inside their minds to get a better understanding of the challenges they face when trying to play the game.

Gaining this intimate insight into my clients behaviour and how dementia has affected their physical and emotional wellbeing,  has allowed me to tailor the support and care to meet the specific needs of each individual.

Spending the time to personalise the support is the reason my clients are having such a great time playing golf – achieving so much – even with the handicap of dementia.

This is why they can score 3 birdies in 9 holes – and have so much fun doing it!!

 

 

 

Yesterday once again demonstrated what a positive contribution golf can make to the quality of life enjoyed by families living with dementia. Not only did our dementia clients play some fantastic g…

Source: Golf Days Out For Families Living With Dementia Proving Priceless

Yesterday once again demonstrated what a positive contribution golf can make to the quality of life enjoyed by families living with dementia.

Not only did our dementia clients play some fantastic golf, their carers enjoyed some priceless respite, allowing them to recharge their batteries and get ready to give their loved ones the care and support they need.

Seeing a team of three guys, all with different types of dementia, get three birdies in nine holes was the highlight of the day. Seeing them enjoy the sport, competition, camaraderie as well as hearing them reminisce about their favourite golfers and golfing memories was priceless.

Being able to hand them back to their loved ones energised, smiling and full of great memories of their day is what make our work priceless.

The sessions are unique as they combine physical, mental and social stimulation with priceless respite support for carers.

We’re always thrilled to see how much people living with dementia are capable of achieving when they’re given the right support to spark them back to life.

In Dementia Awareness Week we’re thrilled to be playing a part in raising awareness about this devastating disease and promoting the importance of combining person-centred care with much-needed respite for carers.

 

 

 

 

 

It came as no surprise that  Age UK announced today that there’s been a 40% increase in carers aged 80+. It’s also no surprise that they’re  desperate  for help and support as the…

Source: Elderly Carers On The Increase

As it’s National Carers Week I thought it would be good to remind you of some of the recent articles written on this page.

It came as no surprise that  Age UK announced today that there’s been a 40% increase in carers aged 80+. It’s also no surprise that they’re desperate for help and support as the demands of providing 24/7 care take there toll.

For those of you that read our blog this week about the importance of providing  “Combined Care Plans (CCP’s)” for our golden generation, you’ll realise that we’re already playing our part in addressing this social tragedy facing our golden generation.

Unpaid care, provided by people who should be enjoying their golden years, saves the state £5.9bn per year.

In a supposedly civilised society, expecting people in their 80’s to provide full-time, often complex care for their loved ones, without adequate support needs to end.

As our population continues to grow and age, it’s clear that the problem of caring for our golden generation will not go away.

Having support networks and services in place for our ageing population, like ours at Golf In Society, can help banish this growing social tragedy to the “Victorian Age” where it belongs.

Join us in providing and campaigning for the support our golden generation so richly deserve.

It will transform their lives – and yours too.

 

 

With our communities facing so many social time bombs, it can become overwhelming when you start to consider how to address them. We take the view that only by creating strong and eff…

Source: Working with us

As a caregiver I get an intimate insight into the challenges facing our ageing population. Each day I witness heroic gestures of love and support between couples who have spent a lifetime together.…

Source: Combined Care Plans For Our Golden Generation

 

As a dementia & Parkinson’s caregiver, I get an intimate insight into the challenges facing families living with chronic illness, especially later in life. Each day I witness heroic gestures of love, support and kindness between people who have spent a lifetime together.

It’s a genuine pleasure to be able to “step in and help out”, knowing your kindness and support is truly appreciated. For me it’s become increasingly apparent that the care I provide benefits the sufferer, the carer and the family network simultaneously.

It’s made me realise that the combination of health, social and respite care for whole families has got to be the way forward. Taking this holistic approach means that you can tailor the support to meet the needs of everyone requiring help.

If you take an example of an elderly lady living with dementia, cared for by her husband at home with their family living three hours away – it’s easy to identify a care plan for them all.

Firstly there’s the lady with dementia – tailoring a package of person-centred care that improves her health & wellbeing is crucial. This will depend on her “life story” and identifying the “positive memories” that trigger happiness and enjoyment.

Then there’s the need to support her husband who will find caring, no matter how devoted he is to his wife, challenging and stressful at times. A respite care package that provides relaxation and enjoyment for him is crucial – otherwise his health & wellbeing will deteriorate.

Getting this part of the care plan right at an early stage will result in the couple living a healthier, independent life for longer. It will also give the family “piece of mind” that their parents are receiving the right care and support in their local community.

A regular review of the care plan will ensure that any necessary changes can be made, ensuring it continues to deliver the best support for the whole family.

This combined approach to care has got to be the way forward.

Currently we are failing families due to the disparate, disjointed and complex health cares structures currently in place. The real tragedy is that we’re not listening to their cries for help because we don’t have the resources available to help them.

The sooner we accept this failure, the sooner we can start adopting person-centred care strategies that support the growing number of families living with these devastating diseases.

Combined Care Plans have got to be the way forward…..