St Cuthbert’s Namaste Care Lead Nicola Kendall has been named as Namaste Care International ‘Champion for Hospices’. Nicola was approached by Rishi Jawahar, a director of Namaste Care International, along with Joyce Simard who is the creator of Namaste Care. In her new role as Champion she will help to work on Namaste care standards and training, as well as promoting dementia care in hospices across the UK.
Nicola has also released her second book ‘A Namaste Care Activity Book’ to support people caring for someone with advanced dementia. Early chapters give an overview of the approach, exploring the effects of sensory stimulation in improving quality of life. With contributions from professionals across the field, chapters describe ways to engage the different senses, including aromatherapy, food and memory and therapeutic use of lighting. These are followed by a selection of themed stories, with ideas for sensory activities to support each one. The book is available to purchase here. The picture below shows Nicola (left) with colleague Magda who contributed a chapter for the book.
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Nicole said:
“It’s been nearly 5 years since I set up the Namaste Care Project at St Cuthbert’s Hospice and I have learned so much in that time about the importance of relationships as families walk the dementia journey, often feeling isolated and unsure. Moments in time become even more precious, and how the person living with dementia experiences their final days is a legacy that is left behind with the family.
Namaste Care has brought some joy back into the lives of the people living with advanced dementia that we visit, through gentle, relaxing sensory activities and the companionship of our loving volunteers. From our feisty, Scottish nurse who loved to sing ‘Flower of Scotland’ with her volunteer, to our retired teacher who loves to have poetry read to him, every unique individual gives as much to us as we give to them when we spend time with them.
Namaste means ‘to honour the spirit within’ and that is exactly what happens when we share Namaste Care.”
Lead photo caption: Nicola (left) with colleague Magda Pasak who is a Physiotherapist at St Cuthbert’s. Magda helped to write a chapter was called ‘Encouraging movement and exercise as dementia progresses’ and it focussed on the importance of maintaining mobility and movement, with exercises and advice for carers to try.
All about Namaste Care – Meet Bev
Hello, my name is Beverley Cooke. I’m employed as a Namaste Support Worker in the Dementia Team at St Cuthbert’s Hospice. I work alongside my colleagues Nicola Kendal, Namaste Lead and Lisa Howarth, Admiral Nurse, as well as a wonderful group of volunteers.
(Pictured L-R Nicola, Lisa, Bev)
My job role is diverse and involves different settings, which includes supporting patients living at home, running a men’s gardening group called ‘The Potting Shed’ which is based at the Hospice and supporting volunteers with the Namaste project at University Hospital of North Durham on Ward 1.
My work entails providing sensory stimulation through individual and group activities to enhance the quality of life for the person living with dementia.
Namaste is also about showing compassion and empathy whilst forging good relationships and trust with the individual and their loved ones by embracing what is important to them.
It is about finding out what they like. What are their interests? What do they not like? What can I do to meet their needs?
The activities we promote can be adapted in many ways from having a hand or foot massage at a patient’s bedside or chair. Playing their favourite music and singing along to a favourite song. Placing their beloved pet on their knee or taking them to see newly hatched chickens in the garden. Reading poetry and books or making personalised cards and memories for loved ones. Planting seeds at a table and picking fruit and vegetables from our vegetable patch or simply sitting in the greenhouse surrounded by nature and good friends whilst enjoying a cup of tea and a biscuit.
It is a simple but winning formula of tapping into what that the patient enjoys and finds relaxing.
I feel the Namaste service is as unique as the individuals we serve.
The service also places me in a position to be able to monitor and feedback to the team any changes to the patient’s or carers health and individual circumstances; meaning as a team we can respond to changes as they occur in a timely manner.
My colleagues and volunteers are very forward thinking and always looking at ways to improve and develop the service and future projects.
I feel very lucky to work with such an inspirational team and look forward to the times ahead. If you would like to find out more about Namaste Care please click HERE.
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