Guild Care chief executive explains Haviland House’s person-centred dementia care

It requires a loving, person-centred approach. It is for that reason that, with a little help, I want to talk about Haviland House.

Haviland House is one of our three care homes in the Worthing area. You can find it at the foot of the South Downs in Goring. It was purpose built six years ago to fulfil the needs of those living with different stages of dementia.

The home’s key focus is providing a truly person-centred approach to its residents, who are known affectionately by staff as ‘family members’. It is important that Haviland House feels like a real home, so we have created environments in which our residents are happy, independent and confident.

I am proud to say that Haviland House is rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission and ‘Outstanding’ for its responsiveness. Furthermore, in 2019, Eileen Garbutt, Haviland’s health and wellbeing co-ordinator, won the National Activity Providers Association’s Best Activity Co-ordinator award.

At the time, Eileen said: “I’m overwhelmed to have won this award and I’m thrilled to know my efforts are appreciated and to be recognised by NAPA is a huge honour.

“My family members mean the world to me and I sincerely believe I mean the world to them, too. I receive genuinely-felt love and laughter, tears and comfort and a tremendous feeling of wellbeing fortunes from all of them. Haviland House is the most wonderful family to be a member of.”

Last week, Eileen was kind enough to share her thoughts on why a person-centred approach is best.

She said: “It’s best because getting to understand the emotional and spiritual value of an individual is a very emotional and ‘human’ way to approach someone with any cognitive impairment. Their whole prior life experience should very much matter – and a person-centred approach can either assist a person to individually bloom where they are planted or let go of what they no longer want to bring them down.

“Feelings very much matter most and it is the good and meaningful feelings that we work with, to assist a person to live as best they can, no matter what stage of dementia they may be travelling on.”

We also asked Eileen how she and her colleagues have looked after family members’ wellbeing over this past difficult year.

She said: “One-to-one comfort and occupational stimulation whilst recently having to isolate in their rooms – and before that continuing with our small but distanced group sessions as well as external friends and relatives visiting when safe to do so in our specific visit hub. Whilst in lockdown, engaging family members in FaceTime and Skype calls with their loved ones.”

Finally, we asked Eileen what she and Haviland’s family members are looking forward to as normal life returns post-Covid.

She replied: “Live entertainment. Bigger art and craft sessions. Our choir getting together again and inviting other family members from other households again, as well as bringing back our pianist friend. Gardening groups in our inside Ashmount Garden Room, as well as garden groups outside when its warmer. Mini bus trips out to local hot-spots. And hugging – we miss that the most!”

If you would like to find out more about Haviland House, our website has a wealth of information, including an online virtual tour. Alternatively, our friendly customer service team are always happy to answer any queries. You can call them on 01903 327327.