Quartet of finalists for top dementia awards

Care UK has been shortlisted in four of the categories at the awards this year:

• Lucy Forman, who works at Colne View care home in Essex has reached the finals in the Best Dementia Carer category
• Katherine Matthews from Perry Manor care home in Worcester is up for Dementia Care Manager of the year
• Residents and the team at Broadwater Lodge in Godalming are hoping their on-site farm will pick up  Best Dementia Garden award
• With an artist in residence and an art studio, the team at Appleby House are quietly optimistic that they will win the  Best Dementia Care Home category.

Appleby House’s nomination for ‘Best Dementia Care Home’ is down to its focus on positive risk-taking, particularly for residents living with dementia, which allows residents to gain independence to ensure that they lead fulfilled lives. For instance, the team at Appleby House is currently working with an occupational therapy team and social services to enable a resident to walk to church on his own. There is also a vegetable and herb garden which residents tend to everyday, and services such as a unisex hair salon, ice cream parlour and even an art studio, which prove a popular way to spend the day.

Shona Bradbury, the home manager of Appleby House, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been nominated. Our ethos is to focus on what people can do, rather than what they can’t do, and strike a balance between freedom and safety, which helps residents remain independent and live with a purpose to their days.”

The farm and garden are open to the community, and the team regularly hosts schools, local Scout and Guide groups and nurseries. Residents will often be on hand to help on in the farm and freely wander the dementia-friendly winding paths, spending time with the children.

Angela Bookham, home manager at Broadwater Lodge, said of the farm: “The animals provide therapeutic benefits to the residents as well as encouraging them to enjoy the fresh air and be more active. What’s more, the farm sparks memories for lots of the residents, especially for one whose dad was a pig farmer.