Highlighting Guild Care’s specialist dementia care during World Alzheimer’s Month

Guild Care’s nursing homes are still providing the care its residents living with dementia deserve.
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September is World Alzheimer’s Month, an annual campaign that raises awareness for and challenges stigmas surrounding dementia.

Over the month, local charity Guild Care has been sharing useful information surrounding the condition across its social media, as well as stories from its care homes and dementia services.

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Throughout the years, Guild Care has helped many people who face the challenges of dementia – both those living with the condition and their loved ones.

Kylea Reynolds, a Butterfly Home leader, says Guild Care staff truly careKylea Reynolds, a Butterfly Home leader, says Guild Care staff truly care
Kylea Reynolds, a Butterfly Home leader, says Guild Care staff truly care

Two of its nursing homes in Worthing, Linfield House and Haviland House, cater for those with dementia and before the pandemic, their community services provided a range of respite care, allowing carers some time away from their responsibilities.

Linfield House, as well as providing standard residential, nursing and respite care, includes an 11-bed dementia suite. Haviland House is a specialist dementia care home, purpose built to fulfil the needs of residents living with different stages of dementia.

All of Guild Care’s nursing homes have stayed open during the coronavirus pandemic, providing the love and care their precious residents deserve.

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These have been anxious times for everyone and making the decision to put a loved one into a care home can be difficult. However, Guild Care are safely accepting new admissions. It can do this due to its plentiful stock of PPE, continuous risk assessments, and the hard work of the incredible kind-hearted, professional care staff.

Haviland House is Guild Care’s specialist purpose-built dementia care home in WorthingHaviland House is Guild Care’s specialist purpose-built dementia care home in Worthing
Haviland House is Guild Care’s specialist purpose-built dementia care home in Worthing

Chris Walton-Turner, registered care home manager, gave his thoughts on what makes the nursing homes’ dementia care so special. He said: “We pride ourselves on working with the person, stepping into their world and approaching every individual with unconditional love and respect. Our prime goal is making sure that they feel both physically and emotionally safe, establishing trust.

“Deciding to move a loved one into a care home is one of the hardest decisions and often means a crisis point has been reached.  One of the greatest pleasures I take from my job is giving people their relationships back – to be the husband, wife, partner, son or daughter instead of their loved one’s carer.”

Staff from Haviland House, where its residents are referred to as family members, were also kind enough to share their thoughts on Guild Care’s dementia care.

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Charles Van Nimwegen, a health and wellbeing assistant, said: “It’s really stimulating to see the person you are supporting with a smile on their face and communicating with you. We treat everyone as if they are family. We really do get to know people so well here.”

Expanding on what qualities someone working with those living with dementia need, he said they need to ‘remember that although a person has dementia, they are still alive inside and if they can’t communicate, then just simple things like holding hands really does make all the difference’.

Kylea Reynolds, a Butterfly Home leader, said the best part of her job is ‘spending time getting to know people’s histories and who they used to be before dementia’.

She went on to say: “The staff truly care. They are dedicated to the family members and their happiness and safety.”

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If you would like to find out more about dementia care at Guild Care’s nursing homes, please call the friendly customer service team on 01903 327327.

• Talk is increasing of further lockdowns in the UK. What do you think of the situation? Join the Big Conversation and have your say on everything from healthcare to how the pandemic has affected you personally and how we make our communities stronger: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/bc-worthing

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