Special guests help Southampton care home launch namaste care hub

A care home in Southampton has opened the doors to its new namaste hub which will provide specialist care for those living with advanced dementia.

The team at Care UK’s Carpathia Grange, on Southampton Road, welcomed New Forest District Council Chairman, Councillor Neville Penman to cut the ribbon to officially open the namaste hub while local choir, The Jingle Ladies sang to mark the occasion. 

The special new space within the home has been specifically designed for those living with more advanced dementia to receive person-centred Namaste Care in a calm environment.  

‘Namaste’ is a Hindu greeting meaning ‘to honour the spirit within’, reflecting the person-centred approach at the heart of this scheme. Namaste Care seeks to engage people via their senses and emotions, and especially through the power of touch.  

Team members have undergone rigorous training in order to host Namaste Care sessions. Activities such as hand and foot massage, music therapy, themed sensory and movement sessions, or simply chatting to encourage reminiscence all take place in the relaxing setting created within the namaste hub. 

Namaste Care can help calm people living with dementia, as they enjoy soft music in a relaxing atmosphere to help reduce any feelings of agitation. It can also increase team member fulfilment, helping them connect and communicate with residents through touch even when verbal communication is difficult. 

Pooja Dhoot, Home Manager at Carpathia Grange, said: “Since we introduced the Namaste Care programme, team members have worked incredibly hard to become Namaste Care Practitioners and now deliver sessions for small groups of residents four times a week – with some wonderful results for those living with dementia.  

“Feedback from residents has been incredibly positive, as we have recently extended the sessions out to those with less advanced dementia and other care needs. There is nothing like spending quality, dedicated, and uninterrupted time together and so having this space set aside for quiet one-to-one interaction is invaluable.  

“We were thrilled to welcome the New Forest District Council Chairman, Councillor Neville Penman to help us officially open the namaste care hub and provide him with a look into what this space can do to improve the wellbeing of residents.”

Carpathia Grange is a three-storey care home which provides residential, dementia and nursing care. The home features 62 en-suite bedrooms and has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.