New Developments
Newsletter November 2009
Welcome to the Rodwell Farm newsletter keeping you fully up to date with news and events
Activity Update
Invitations to our Childrens’ Christmas Party on Saturday 19th December from 11.00am – 1.00pm have recently been sent out and I am pleased to say that the response so far has been excellent. The party is for relatives and friends children aged between 2 and 12. Childrens entertainer “Stripey Wipey” will be on hand to keep everyone amused and party lunch will be served, including the delights of jelly and ice-cream. So don’t delay with your RSVP’s or you could miss out on a real treat!
Our Christmas Party will be held on Sunday 6th December between 3.30pm – 5.30pm and the invitations have now been sent out. A buffet tea will be provided so I would be grateful if you could respond as soon as possible in order that we can arrange the catering.
As usual we have a full and varied activity programme planned for the forthcoming months, for full details an activity list is on display in the entrance hall.
Technology Update
As part of our ongoing commitment to Relationship Centred Care we have invested in an up to date computer system for the home. The SimplyUnite service has been developed specifically to benefit older people and people with disabilities. It is designed to improve levels of communication for families and friends and is based around a very easy to use e-mail service using a touchscreen to give instant access to messages, photos, videos and the internet.
The system is very user friendly to enable residents to use the touchscreen, work the giant keyboard and receive messages and pictures from their friends and families at the touch of a button. Family and friends will be able to maintain contact with their relatives in a quick and simple way. Receiving e-mails and texts from family and friends during the course of the day provides residents with vital links to what is happening out side the home.
If you would like to contact your relatives through the SimplyUnite service, please send me an e-mail and I will respond back to you via the system to provide you with an e-mail address.
Bringing in the Community
We understand that the home has a place within the local community and we therefore, seek to extend our contact with outside organisations and individuals. One example of this philosophy in practice, is our encouragement of work experience students from the local area. We regularly have work experience placements from Fullbrook School in New Haw and Brooklands College in Weybridge.
The youngsters who join us are planning a career in the care or medical sectors and visit Rodwell Farm to gain an insight into dealing with the elderly frail and those with memory loss.
Laura wins Surrey Care Award
The Surrey Care Association have recently launched their very own “Oscar” ceremony for the adult social care sector.
The Surrey Care Awards celebrate the dedication of people working in adult social care across the county and finalists are nominated by managers, colleagues and service users and their families. The awards will also help raise the profile of social care and highlight the employment opportunities within the sector.
There are 10 categories, ranging from Young Care Practitioner of the Year to Lifetime Dedication Awards.
More than 300 people attended the award ceremony at Denbies Vineyard in Dorking, where actress, director Amanda Waring presented the awards.
We are pleased to announce that our very own Laura Ratcliffe scooped the Young Care Practitioner of the Year Award for her work here at Rodwell.
Laura first worked here when she was 15, and after working in mental health for five years returned to Rodwell in January. She said “I was shocked and didn’t expect to receive the award but it is very nice to have won and for people to have recognised my work and nominated me.”