We are committed to being innovative, respectful, dignified and compassionate, with professional integrity in every way.
Some Pennwood inspired activities have included:
- reviewing and reformatting our social history tool to reflect person centred care
- implementing an expanded lifestyle program supported by a qualified Allied Health teams including Occupational Therapist, Exercise Physiologists, Physiotherapists.
- strengthening our Falls Prevention Program and challenging resident mobility expectations
- promoting a can do culture and attitude that focuses on abilities rather than disabilities
- rewording our resident surveys to ask simply are you happy?
- allowing residents to lead the decision making on food, activities, daily programs and activities
- individualised and dynamic activities chosen by residents/clients to meet their social interests.
- creating meaningful activities and projects where residents and clients can contribute to community projects locally, nationally and internationally – like our Nepalese project.
- arranging Art, large and beautiful structures in the gardens
- implementation of the Cornell Depression Scale that considers observations and perceptions
- organising inter-generational activities and performances with the local pre- and primary schools
- adopting dogs, cats, ducks, birds, rabbits who provide in-room and communal pet therapy
- delivering palliative care with the support of local multi-disciplinary health providers
- exploring the feasibility of creating a café with kids playground on-site to make the home more family-friendly
What is a Dementia Friendly Environment?
After 2 years of implementing a real culture change and the person centred household model of care, Pennwood has seen a noticeable reduction in falls, physical restraint, extreme behaviours and the need for psychotropic medication.
The model, involves making physical, cultural and environmental changes within the organisation. The lifestyle team conducted an Environmental Audit for Dementia with Kirsty Bennett an Environmental Design Manager from the Dementia Training Centre and a local architect Tara Graham Cochrane (Designwell).
Dementia Care Matters – Sunflower Model
Personal Enjoyment
…a cohesive system of support that recognises the experience of the person with dementia and best provides assistance for the person to remain engaged in everyday life in a meaningful way
…active participant, not passive recipient…shift emphasis from condition to experience
…physical environment does not exist in a vacuum
