award winning care - Meridian Healthcare

WINTER 2013 ISSUE
Meridian Healthcare’s news from around the Group
Meridian Healthcare:
award winning care
Fantastic fundraising
Dementia Activities
Acacia Premiere opening
Your news…
If you would like us to tell your
story in the next edition of
OneLife, please get in touch
with the editorial team.
OneLife is published by
MERIDIAN HEALTHCARE LTD
Enterprise House
Grange Road South
Hyde
Cheshire
SK14 5NU
Tel: 0161 368 9099
Fax: 0161 368 0058
Email:
[email protected]
Tessa Matthews
Natalie Tzitzas
Welcome to
OneLife
Welcome to our winter 2013
edition of OneLife
We were delighted to have BBC
Look North’s Harry Gration to
officially open Acacia Court in
Leeds as a Premiere home at the
end of November. It is our fourth
home to join the Premiere group
of care centres. Acacia Court has
long been the most sought after
care home in the area and has
a lovely community feel, with
residents actively involved in many
aspects of our service.
In March, White Rose House
will receive a Premiere makeover
and join the others in not only
providing exceptional care but
a superior approach to quality
– both in service and
environment.
Further to this we were successful
in our bid for a share of a £50
million fund set up by the
Department of Health to create
pioneering care environments
designed for the needs of people
with dementia.
We were awarded £1 million for
specific projects within Tameside
and Knowsley. The projects met
strict criteria from the DoH and
aim to improve the quality of life
and independence of those with
dementia in our care.
Finally I would like to
congratulate Debbie
Thomson, one of our
Operations Managers,
who celebrated her 30
years long service with
Meridian in August.
I am proud to announce
that Tameside
Metropolitan Borough
Council has recognised our
high standards by awarding
Enhanced Status to our
Like any organisation
homes in Tameside under
we rely on the expertise
Debbie Thomson and commitment
their Approved Care Home
scheme. This demonstrates
of our staff and it’s
that the home has gone the extra
wonderful that 40% of our staff
mile to provide the best service
have been with us for over five
they can and we are proud that
years.
all Meridian’s homes in Tameside
Susan Firth
have been selected for approval by
the council.
Managing Director
Denby Dale
Building work has started on The Denby
Dale care home, which will open in
autumn 2014. The new addition to our
Premiere range will meet demand for
modern luxurious care facilities in the
area. For more information and updates
visit: www.meridiancare.co.uk/denbydale
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Proud to
Announce
Westwood Lodge
Yew Trees
Greatwood House
Roby House
Fazakerley House
Holme Lea
Limecroft
The Great North West Care Awards
Excellent news from around the group…
Winners!
The Great North West Care
Awards were held in October
and we had four members of
staff shortlisted as finalists.
Coordinator. Anne Cowgill from
Roby House was shortlisted
for the Care Centre Manager
award, and finally Karen King,
the administrator at Westwood
Lodge, for the Ancillary Worker
Award. Well done!
Holme Lea in Stalybridge
welcomes Philip Daniels into
the post of Manager; Philip has
worked in the care sector for
Movers & shakers
Lisa Alexander
Lisa Alexander, a night care
assistsant at Yew Trees, was
shortlisted in the Care Worker
category for her compassion
and dedication to a resident in
a time of need. Tina Parker at
Greatwood House, whose drive,
motivation and passion for the
job have endeared her to both
the residents and their families
was nominated for Best Activity
We would like to welcome Daniel
Turner as a new Operations
Manager. He started his new role
in September and was previoulsy
the manager at Fazakerley
House. Patricia Jamieson has
been appointed as Manager
of Fazakerley House in Prescot.
Philip Daniels
9 years. During August, Lynn
Hanson was confirmed as Care
Centre Manager of Limecroft in
Oldham. Limecroft is a specialist
dementia care service that
Meridian manages on behalf of
Oldham Council.
And finally, following the
retirement of Pam Seddon, Alison
Leighton takes over as Manager
of Sunnyside in Droylsden.
Lynn Hanson
www.meridiancare.co.uk
We’d like to wish them all well in
their new positions.
Community and fundraising
v
Homes from around the
group have been getting
out into the
community
and raising
money for
good causes.
Many homes took part
in the World’s Biggest
Coffee Morning event,
which is Macmillan
Cancer Support’s
biggest fundraising
event. Sandon House
in Mossley joined
forces with Elizabeth Way Funeral Services and their local
Church to hold a coffee morning. Staff baked buns and
cakes for the event which was attended by people from the
local community as well as residents from Sandon House.
They raised over £700 for the
charity.
Lisa Ollerenshaw at our Head Office
took part in ‘Go Sober for October’
to raise money for Macmillan Cancer
Support, to help improve the lives
of people affected by cancer. She
endured a full month with not one
drop of alcohol and raised £165.
Stamford Court team
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Sunnyside team
The team at Stamford Court in Stalybridge organised a
‘Great Pink Bake Off’ inviting friends and families into
the home for a coffee morning to raise money to help
beat cancer.
Tina Parker from
Greatwood House took
part in The Walk of Hope; a
walk through the grounds
of Tatton Park to honour
the courage of loved ones
battling cancer and those who have lost the fight. Tina
raised £400 for The Christie.
Staff at Sunnyside in Droylsden joined in the Memory Walk for the Alzheimer’s Society
raising £250 to provide vital support to people
living with dementia and help research to find a
cure for the future.
Meridian is also sponsoring the East Manchester
Community Boat Project’s accessible canal boat
‘Community Spirit’. Located in Portland Basin,
the narrow boat provides days out on the canal
network for groups.
The narrow boat provides free days out on the
canal network for children and adults who may
be disabled or disadvantaged.
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Stan isn’t brassed off!
The Mossley area has a very strong tradition of brass band music and Stanley Ashworth,
who lives at Sandon House in Mossley, started announcing bands when he was in his
teens. His role involved leading bands in competitions,
carrying a banner or board with the band’s name
chalked on it, and he carried on doing this into his 70’s.
The job was originally offered to Stan’s father, but he
passed the honour onto his son. Stan loved doing it as it
was his chance to stand out in the crowd, and he never
missed a year of announcing the bands at the Mossley
Whit Band Contest. “I used to have to wear my best suit
and bow tie and look smart,” says Stan.
This year’s contest included emotional scenes in Top
Mossley as the crowd chanted Stan’s name. This was
the first time in 67 years that 82-year-old Stan has been
unable to play a very active role in the band contests.
Stanley Ashworth
The crowd applauded as Stan was presented with
a Tameside Council tie by the new Civic Mayor, Cllr Joe Kitchen, in recognition of his
services to the event.
There have been articles about
Stan in the local paper and he
received an award for over 60
years’ service with the band and
a certificate of achievement from
Tameside Council in recognition
of his services to the Whit Friday
Band Contest. Stan also travelled
abroad with the band to enter
competitions and has special
memories of his trips to Germany
and Switzerland.
Stanley and band
www.meridiancare.co.uk
It is the dedication of people like Stan that will ensure that Whit Friday continues in the
communities of Tameside and Saddleworth year in, year out.
The traditions are still strong in
Mossley, with the Whit Walks
taking place in the morning
and the brass band contests
in the afternoon. Stan still
enjoys the yearly band contest
and loves telling people about
the great memories he has of
working with the band. “I like
to look at my photographs,
they remind me of the past
and the time spent with my
friends. Now I like to relax in
Stanley leads the famous Black Dyke band
the home, watch football every
now and then in the pub or go for a walk to the square as there’s lots of people I know
around here.”
The band played on
Traditional brass bands have played an important
cultural role in working-class British communities for
centuries. Hundreds of towns and villages set up their
own brass bands, as well as numerous companies and
brass band contests became popular.
Every year on Whit Friday, following the Whit Walks,
the well-known Whit Friday Band Contests take place
in Mossley and the surrounding towns and the villages
of Saddleworth.
Bands from all over the country, and some from
abroad, tour the area in coaches, visiting as many
contests as
they can,
Stanley leads the band
hoping to
win one of
the cash prizes awarded for various categories.
Mossley is a town rich in history and tradition
and was once at the very heart of the
industrial revolution. To encourage workers
to forget the conditions and harshness of the
times, mill owners advocated temperance and
Mossley
music. In 1841, the Mossley Temperance Band
was formed. The Mossley Band has been based in Mossley for over 150 years, and still
provides a regular programme of concerts, contests, marches and private functions.
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Clare
An exceptional lady
In September 2013
Greatwood House in
Denton suffered the loss
of much loved resident
Clare Eades.
An exceptional lady, Clare
lived at the home for 13
years, she was adored by
staff and residents alike and
was very much part of the
community there.
An outgoing and friendly
person, Clare went out of
her way to introduce herself
Clare, the birthday girl
www.meridiancare.co.uk
to new residents and make them feel at home. She informed residents of the daily
activities and organised the weekly games of prize bingo, as well as being involved in
the residents’ meetings, writing up the discussion topics and foreword for the meetings.
Clare was a regular reporter for the Denton Community News and wrote about life at
Greatwood House. Speaking about where she found her inspiration, she used to say,
“It’s right in front of me! This is my home with a capital H.O.M.E.”
In 2004 Clare officially
opened the new wing at
the home and she has also
been the face of Meridian
in brochures and on adverts,
having always been willing to
have her photo taken.
Clare remembered Greatwood House being built
when she was a resident in Haughton Green. She
thought it was nice that there was a place nearby
that local people could go to when the time comes
and not have to move away.
Clare lived in Denton all her life. Clare’s husband Joe,
was a prisoner of war and came back from WWII in
a terrible state. They built their life together, ran a
shop in which Clare worked and had one daughter.
Clare was 104 when she passed away.
Marie McPherson, Manager at Greatwood House,
said, “Clare was a wonderful lady and will be missed
by all the residents and staff at Greatwood House.”
www.meridiancare.co.uk
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Take a look at our gallery to see what the staff and residents of our
care centres have been getting up to over the past few months…
Rock and Roll and Jive were the
order of the day at Kingsfield as
residents joined in, singing and
dancing along with the entertainer.
Residents at Fir Trees had some
furry and some not-so-furry
visitors.
Millbrook residents Philip and Harry have
been attending the football matches
at Hyde and met Hyde Football Club
Chairman and Mayor of Tameside, Mr
Joe Kitchen. Philip is wearing his Hyde
Football Club shirt.
Gina Stanley, a resident at Fazakerley House in
Prescot, is an inspiration to us all. Gina works every
Wednesday at The Hope Centre doing voluntary
work in the office.
As staff and
residents
at Hurst Hall in Ashton have friends
and family serving in Afghanistan they
decided to send some
festive cheer to the
British Armed Forces
serving overseas this
Christmas. They have
put together boxes
of treats to boost
morale amongst
those on overseas
duties.
Students from Fairfield High
School for Girls joined residents at
Greatwood House for reminiscence
and crafts sessions.
Dementia Activities
HARMONY is a dementia care programme introduced by Meridian Healthcare
to improve the quality of life for our residents with dementia.
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Keeping occupied and stimulated can improve quality of life for those with
dementia, as well as for the people around them. Activities can act as an
opportunity for fun and playfulness. They can also encourage independence,
social inclusion, communication or expression of feelings.
Helping with everyday tasks, playing games
and stimulating the senses are all ways we
can also encourage independence, social
inclusion, communication or expression of
feelings, as well as have fun!
HARMONY
Kingsfield Care Center in Ashton was recently
accredited as a HARMONY care centre.
HARMONY is a dementia care programme
introduced by Meridian Healthcare to improve the
quality of life for our residents with dementia.
A six month period is required to implement the
programme after which the home undergoes an
observation assessment carried out by Meridian’s
accreditation team. Successful completion and
implementation of the programme results in
becoming an accredited HARMONY care centre. You
will see a plaque on the wall to indicate that the
home is a HARMONY home.
More information on HARMONY visit
www.meridiancare.co.uk/harmony
www.meridiancare.co.uk
ACACIA COURT
A Premiere makeover has just
been completed at Acacia Court in
Pudsey, Leeds.
A party was held to celebrate the
stunning changes made to the
home and Harry Gration, one of the
main presenters on BBC Yorkshire’s
regional magazine programme ’Look
North,’ officially opened Acacia
Court as a Premiere home.
www.meridiancare.co.uk
Dear Meridian…
We would like to thank everyone who has sent letters, thank you cards or feedback
about the services provided at our care centres. It means a lot to know that the
care we give is appreciated and your feedback is extremely useful to ensure we can
continue to provide the highest standard of care for our residents.
Here, we share some recent letters and feedback with you:
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Feedback is always gratefully received. Send your
thoughts to your local care centre manager or to us at: OneLife, Enterprise House, Grange
Road South, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 5NU
email: [email protected]
Alternatively you can provide feedback via our website:
www.meridiancare.co.uk/feedback
Meridian Healthcare on Facebook
Our facebook page offers the latest Meridian
news and photographs as well as special
updates and information on our events.
Find us at:
www.facebook.com/MeridianHealthcare
www.meridiancare.co.uk
The Right
Stuff
We have a lot of caring and
compassionate people within
Meridian – we couldn’t do what we
do without them. Our Employee
and Team Recognition Scheme
helps to thank those who have been
recognised by residents, families,
visitors and their peers as being
particularly special.
Congratulations to
the latest winners
of the Meridian
Healthcare
Employee and Team
Recognition Award.
Jodie Jackson
Lauren Court in
Chester and Limecroft
in Oldham were joint
winners for the Team
Recognition Award
for July to September
2013, while Jodie
Jackson from Roby
Lodge won the
Individual Award.
Lauren Court
Jodie was praised for
going above and beyond her duties and one family
praised her saying, “we will never forget the very
special kindness and care afforded by Jodie who went
Limecroft
beyond her role and looked after mum as if she were
her own mother.”
Angela Webb from Westwood Lodge won the
individual employee merit award for nominations
between April to June 2013. Congratulations also
go to the staff at White Rose House in Holmfirth
who were delighted to receive the team award for
that period.
White Rose House
To nominate a care team or an individual please pick up a leaflet in any of our care
centres or fill out the form online. For more information about the Employee/Team
Recognition Award please visit our website: www.meridiancare.co.uk/nominate
www.meridiancare.co.uk