Care Home Open Day 2015 success

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The latest statistics demonstrate that the 2015 Care Home Open Day (CHOD) was the largest ever event and caused a stir across Twitter with over 4000 care homes across the globe participating. There were over 800 more care homes joining in for 2015 compared to previous years, demonstrating the success, usefulness and value in such an event – a great success for the care home industry.

The purpose of CHOD is for people to learn more about the care homes in their communities and for the care home staff to demonstrate the fantastic work that they do. The theme for the 20  15 CHOD was ‘The Arts’ and ‘Valuing Staff’ – this theme really engaged the local community and visitors were welcomed into Sussex Grange for afternoon tea and cake.

The 2016 CHOD is scheduled for Friday 17th June 2016 and gives care homes the opportunity to make links with local communities and share the positive aspects to care homes. The Sussex Grange team are looking forward to taking part in next year’s CHOD and welcoming new visitors to our home.

For more information about the care at Sussex Grange, both residential and in the community, please speak to Tom directly.

Care Home Open Day 2015Care Home Open Day 2015

Care Home Open Day 2015

Developing dementia-friendly communities

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In recent news developments, a number of leading health organisations and charities have collaborated to produce a ‘Code of practice’ for the purpose of making England’s towns and cities dementia-friendly.

The concept of dementia-friendly communities allows people suffering with dementia to continue to live within their local communities with the appropriate care and personnel to safeguard them. This is key development in care in the community and across local communities to ensure appropriate methods are in place to keep dementia patients are safe.

Anne Hayes, head of market development for governance at BSI, hopes that communities will take advantage of the new guidance available, saying: “The aim of dementia-friendly communities is to improve the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers wherever they live. In local communities small changes are making a real difference, but these need to be rolled out on a wider scale. Following guidance such as PAS 1365 is a key step towards improving understanding and providing help to those who need it most.”

Some of the key areas that local communities need to focus on include:

  • Establishing effective local structures
  • Identifying responsible community leaders
  • Raising awareness among key local organisations and businesses
  • Ensuring adults with dementia feel they have a voice

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, comments: “Life does not end when dementia begins. A dementia-friendly community is one in which people with dementia are empowered, and feel confident knowing they can contribute and participate in activities that are meaningful to them. This guidance will help more communities realise their ambition of becoming dementia-friendly. Awareness and local support are essential to allow those with the condition to continue to enjoy life, through activities as everyday as visiting the local shop or using the local leisure facilities.”

Source: http://www.carehome.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1569882/guidance-published-on-establishing

Sussex Grange Summer Fete raises over £1,000 for local charities

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At our recent summer fete the team at Sussex Grange, and our fantastic visitors raised over £1000 for St Wilfrid’s Hospice in Chichester and Alzheimer’s Society.

Held in our gardens, we had over 200 visitors all contributing to our fantastic causes. Along some of the stalls were cake sales, book stalls, bouncy castles, alpacas, bric-a-brac and a teddy tombola. The biggest success was the raffle and the afternoon tea stall! Lots of cakes, drinks and strawberries with cream were purchased, which can all be credited to the weather – it was a glorious Saturday.

The raffle alone generated £200 of the total funds for the charities and we had some great prizes kindly donated by local businesses.

Another successful Summer Garden Fete at Sussex Grange – we are already looking forward to the same again next year – we just need to pre-order the same weather please!