Dignity Action Day - 25th Feb 2010
Date: 24/02/2010
Care UK staff and the people we care for and support are working together to help to promote the Department of Health’s Dignity Action Day on Thursday 25th February.
Dignity Action Day gives everyone the opportunity to contribute to upholding people's rights to dignity and to provide a truly memorable day for people receiving care. By doing this, we can help to ensure a great number of people are living more fulfilled lives.
Care UK staff up and down the country have been working hard to make sure as many people as possible are aware of Dignity Action Day:
The team at St. Vincent’s House in London have become ‘ambassador’s of dignity’ which means every staff member will ensure that a dignified and respectful service is carried of for the residents in every situation.
Staff at the Tyne and Wear Community Care Branch are holding a special event for the people we care for and support, their relatives and other carers to share their views on what dignity means to them.
Some carers are nominated Dignity Champions, and they encourage people to speak out about what they expect from their carers, and where improvements can be made. A Dignity Champion is anyone who respects the rights and wished of others, and treats the people we care for in a way that they wish to be treated.
Everyone who attends the event will be asked to become a Dignity Champion and to write in a ‘Dignity in Care Challenge Book’ for people to write a pledge on how they can help people live a more dignified and respectful life.
Lisa Roberts, Care Manager at Tyne and Wear said: “We are passionate about dignity in care and want to highlight the great service we run. But we also want to allow for any suggestions and personal experiences to be heard. A service user with learning disabilities, the parents of a brother and sister who we care for and a person who receives home care will be speaking at the event about what dignity means to them.”
Staff at Woodside Resource Centre in Middlesborough have organised a special Great Britain themed dignity awareness event. The people we care for and support, relatives and service users will be able to interact with staff and reminisce about their life and celebrate the dignified care we offer.
The Mitchell House team in Poole will be putting up display stands to raise awareness about dignity in care, and also have an Italian themed day. This is supported by friends and relatives of the residents.
Care managers, district nurses, community visitors including local community police and the head of safeguarding at the local council will be attending.
Diana Wiltshire, Home Manager at Mitchell House said: “Dignity is very important for every one of our residents. At Mitchell House we believe and train our staff with the ethos that ‘this home is our residents’ home’.
The home prides itself as being somewhere where people have choices about every aspect of their care. Every one of our residents is seen as an individual and we see the person, not the dementia. We offer them a service which is tailored to their choices and is personal to them.
We listen to our service users requests and talk to their relatives on a regular basis to ensure that we are meeting their needs.”
Macclesfield’s Hollins Park nursing home staff will be showcasing the Department of Health’s ‘With Respect’ DVD and talk about dignity and respect with residents, staff, relatives and visitor.
Paisley Court in Liverpool will be celebrating dignity in care with a display stand, and encouraging staff and relatives to make pledges about how they will help people to live a more dignified life.
The staff at Barlborough NHS Treatment Centre near Chesterfield will be displaying information for patients and staff in ward areas. Staff have also been asked to suggest a ‘Dignity declaration/pledge’ for the hospital.
At Pinetum Care Home in Chester, staff have created a display in the foyer to raise awareness have invited relatives to drop in for a coffee and a cake to show their support.
