| Person centred care | |
Person centred care is the main influence on philosophy and the ethos within CIC Older People Services. This philosophy provides a frame of reference for care and service delivery to meet the needs of Service Users - regardless of their ability. For people with neurological disorders and illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and other dementias, this influence extends to ensuring appropriate training for staff and defines the very essence of that and how support staff utilise their skills, knowledge and experience in supporting them.
To read about how Julie Cowen and the team at CIC's Charlotte Grange Senior Care home work to provide person centred care, click here. | |
| Innovative methods | | Provision of social and therapeutic activity/leisure programmes afford individual Service Users the opportunity for stimulation and to maintain existing social skills and networks. Reminiscence and resolution therapy is incorporated into activity programmes, as a recognised way to increase positive self-esteem and involvement. The use of massage, light therapy and multi-sensory stimulation environments are offered as interventions for low mood, restlessness and sleep disturbances often associated with dementia. Alternative and complimentary therapies have also been used to promote general well-being and some CIC services have piloted limited use of herbal remedies as an alternative to conventional medicines. These have been particularly popular with relatives and families who are interested in recent research and developments. | |
| | | Specialist links | | All CIC Policies and Procedures are underpinned by evidence-based practice, and links have been established with recognised academia centres. Service User advisory and representative bodies, such as the Huntington's Disease Society and Regional Dementia Services Development Centres are also involved in contributing to the on-going development of services.
CIC recognises the value of multi-agency working - in particular with regard to advocacy groups. CIC endeavours to promote an approach of advocacy - utilising opportunities to enable service users voices to be heard and recognised.
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| Care mapping | | Interventions, such as Dementia Care Mapping are actively promoted, which aim to increase the functioning of Service Users. CIC fundamentally believes that the more a Service User is encouraged to participate with care delivery, the better the outcome for both Service User and relative, and also staff as care givers. This, in conjunction with a range of socially orientated, age and ethnicity appropriate activities, will enhance relationships and communication between staff, and Service Users. | |
| Individualised care plans | | Each Service User will have an individualised plan of care, based on detailed needs assessment, which will be regularly evaluated according to the individuals changing needs. The Care Plan will reflect 'quality of life' enhancing issues, such as promotion of independence and the right to take risks, and respecting personal belief systems, as well as how physical/mental health issues will be addressed. In addition assessment tools are used to evaluate key 'risk' factors - such as tissue viability; nutritional assessment; moving and handling and falls. With specific regard to the Service User with dementia, assessments are used to monitor cognitive and social functioning.
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