Hollins Park nursing home wins Care UK award

Home news

Dec 02, 2011

The team at Hollins Park nursing home, Macclesfield, has won a care award for its dedication to helping residents live happy, active and fulfilled lives.

Care UK, which runs 88 residential homes across England and Scotland, awarded the staff at the 48-bed home in Victoria Road the prestigious Inspiring Activity Based Care Award for their commitment to helping residents stay happy, active and fulfilled.

Activity Based Care (ABC) is a philosophy, devised by Care UK, that takes the emphasis away from caring as 'doing for' towards a more creative, adaptable and beneficial 'doing with' approach. Each resident is supported to succeed with extra help during a huge range of daily tasks, often reflecting their own life history or work experiences, from maintaining a flower garden to helping with jobs they would normally do in their own home.

Judges were impressed that, at Hollins Park, everyone, including the maintenance, catering and administrative staff as well care staff get involved in creating stimulating and life enhancing activities.

Frances Gibson, Care UK’s Director of Clinical Governance said: “It’s clear each member of staff plays a part in making every day a brighter day for the home’s residents. Truly seeing the interests and potential of individuals is what makes this a great team."

Manager Tamara Simmons said: “I have a great team. Not only do they try and help residents maintain their existing skills and independence but they also introduce new ones.

“During one of our successful garden clubs, we had the opportunity to record pictures of the club’s work to see how the garden developed. One of our residents became interested in taking pictures of the progress for himself and so the activity coordinator guided him in the use of a digital SLR camera. This was the beginning of our camera club and we have held several more meetings.

“Sadly the gentleman has since passed away, but the club will go on. The sense of achievement for someone who finds it difficult to use a television remote control to be able to operate a camera and see instant results in the form of a photograph should not be underestimated.”

Activities like this stimulate a variety of senses and offers rewarding challenges. It gives opportunities for social interaction, aids mental dexterity and memory, and helps to improve fine motor skills and balance as well as building confidence which contributes to keeping residents as independent as possible.