Both Cramlington House and West Farm Care Centre recently celebrated Dignity Day, a national awareness day to encourage the care sector to recognise dignity and the importance it holds in care.
It was an amazing day, that focused on understanding dignity in care, positive action and how it translates to practical care programmes.
We want to thank the fab efforts from all those involved including staff, residents and visitors including Linda Gallon, a Care Consultant for Craig Healthcare, who delivered some great training on dignity at both homes in a format that encouraged active discussion and practical and reflective practice as well as theory. The training was designed to educate everyone on the role dignity plays in every day care, whatever the situation and whatever the hour, and included an interactive dignity role play activity, with staff as residents being treated with and without dignity.
Both care homes held coffee mornings, ‘Wore Red for Dignity’, played Dignity Bingo and got involved with dignity quizzes. There were visual displays including red heart rosettes symbolising dignity, handouts available to everyone including a Best Practice Guide, comic pictures prompting people to think, respond and act and pocket size dignity cards and dignity quizzes to take away. A dignity tree encouraged people to contribute what they felt was good or bad and made suggestions on how things could be changed.
What’s more, there were lots of deliciously themed dignity treats including cakes and some musical entertainment to round the day off nicely. Such a great day for such a great cause!
Commenting on the success of the day, our General Manager, Loraine Brunton said: “Dignity is absolutely a fundamental part of residential care. Whoever the resident is, whatever their background, situation or circumstance, it goes without saying that every single resident should be treated with the utmost dignity, respect and compassionate. Our Dignity Day was focused on educating everyone – from staff, relatives and visitors – about person centred care, with dignity at the heart of each care initiative and activity. I want to say thank you to all those involved, with a special mention to Emma Jones who was baking until 3am (!) so that everyone could enjoy some specially themed dignity cakes and bite sized treats. Emma also organised the information documents that everyone received and the notice boards that focused on the role dignity plays in care – we couldn’t have done it without her!”