It has been a busy start to the year with many things on the go around our rest homes.

While we haven’t had the best summer weather wise, our residents have still been enjoying the summer months with Christmas festivities, barbeques outside and van trips out to the beach among other destinations. It always makes everyone feel a bit brighter when we can open the doors and enjoy our outdoor areas a little more.

We have been getting underway with projects to improve our clinical care and building projects to improve the environment at our homes. You will read more about these projects through the newsletter.

I wish you and your whānau a great year ahead!

Andrew Sheard, Managing Director

Building Projects

My name is Adam Crow. I am Dementia Care NZ’s Construction Project Manager. My role is to plan and organise our construction projects. I work with architects and engineers to agree on designs, and organise tradespeople and materials. I monitor each project through to completion and gaining compliance. The wellbeing, comfort and safety of our residents and team members is a priority throughout this process.

Dementia Care NZ is currently undertaking large refurbishments of several homes. We are looking forward to bright, fresh homes which are warm and comfortable for our residents.

Millvale House Napier

Large scale renovations of the entire home are taking place, both inside and outside. We are creating more user friendly spaces to give our residents greater comfort and many of the bedrooms are being made larger. The work is being carried out in 2 stages. We are well through work on the first wing and it is expected to be completed by mid 2025. We will then begin working on the second wing which we are expecting will be complete before the end of 2025.

Millvale House Levin

A wing at Millvale House Levin was unfortunately badly affected by a fire which occurred early last year. We have been involved in a complex process working with our  insurers and designers with the aim of creating lovely new spaces for our residents. We are looking forward to building kitchenettes into our redesigned lounge spaces. Residents will be able to have use of these spaces and may be involved in everyday homely activities if they wish, like washing dishes or wiping down the bench. These kitchenettes really become the hub of our homes. We are planning to get underway with this shortly.

Admatha Dementia Care

Admatha Dementia Care in Christchurch is also currently beginning a major upgrade. The interior of the building is being entirely refurbished to make spaces more practical. A new small 10 bed home will also be built at this time.

Adam Crow, Construction Project Manager

Projects to help our residents feel comfortable and cared for

At all of our homes, we are always striving to improve the care and well-being of our residents. One of the ways we do this is through our clinical projects - important initiatives that help us provide the best possible care. These projects focus on a range of areas, from improving comfort and managing health conditions to enhancing the overall quality of life for our residents. Two areas we have been focusing on recently are tissue viability and pain management - both of which are important in helping our residents lead more comfortable and healthier lives.

Tissue Viability

Tissue viability simply refers to the health of the skin and underlying tissues. As we age, our skin becomes more fragile, making it more prone to wounds, ulcers, and pressure sores. These can be painful and difficult to heal. Our team is dedicated to preventing and managing these issues by using the latest treatments and strategies to keep the skin and tissues in the best condition possible. This helps to avoid complications and promotes quicker, healthier healing when issues arise.

Pain Management

Pain can be a common challenge for older adults especially in people with dementia, whether from chronic conditions, injuries, or daily discomfort. Managing pain effectively is a key part of our approach to care. We know how important it is for our residents to feel comfortable, so we’re working hard to provide personalised pain management plans. This includes everything from medication to physical therapy and alternative non-pharmacological treatments to ensure our residents are as pain-free as possible.

Ongoing Projects and Care Plans

Our clinical team is working together to create comprehensive care guides that focus on both tissue viability and pain management. We’ve been developing new strategies for:

• Early detection of tissue damage to prevent further complications.
• Pain management plans that are personalised to each patient’s needs, aiming for minimal discomfort during treatment.
• Education for staff on the evidenced based techniques in wound care and pain relief, ensuring that everyone involved in resident care is equipped with the best resources.
• Innovative dressings and treatments for wounds to promote faster healing.

At the end of the day, our goal is simple: we want every resident to feel comfortable, cared for, and valued. By improving tissue health and managing pain, we are helping our residents live more fulfilling lives. We are committed to making their time here as comfortable and joyful as possible.

Urmee Dean, National Clinical and Quality Lead

Pillars – Supporting positive futures for whānau of people serving a sentence

Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou is a charity that actively supports the tamariki and whānau of people in prison or those serving a community-based sentence.

Every year we donate to Pillars and ask the businesses we work with if they are able to contribute.

These contributions make such a difference to the families of people in prison. Children of people in prison are 10 times more likely to go to prison without intervention. The Pillars programme helps to reverse this trend.

Pillars social workers provide advocacy, education, resources, and support. Some examples include housing, work and income and linking whānau into other supports such as counselling and rehabilitative programmes.

Once a family has received social work support, Mentoring Coordinators match the tamariki with a trusted adult from a community of volunteers. These volunteers are trained and supported by Mentoring Coordinators and are well prepared to provide the tamariki with experiences and opportunities outside of their horizons. 

Pillars is also looking for mentors in Auckland and Christchurch. This is a hugely rewarding way to contribute to a young persons life and give back to the community.

If you would like further information on the Pillars programme, please visit their website.

Jim Haines, Director DCNZ

The importance of feeling part of a bigger team

With all of our staff located in different parts of the country, we are always trying to make them feel part of a larger team. To this end we arrange training days for specific staff either virtually or in person. 

In March all of our Clinical Managers are coming to Christchurch to meet for our development days. This is an opportunity to get to know each other a little better, to share experiences and update their knowledge and skills in specific clinical areas. We will have sessions from invited external speakers, and also the Clinical Managers themselves will present topics to each other. This group are the leaders in each of our facilities and the knowledge and experiences they both bring and take away from these development days are extremely valuable. 

Another group of staff that we bring together, albeit virtually, are the Diversional Therapists and activities staff from each facility. Every month we hold a meeting for these staff, which is a time to share what activities have occurred at each facility and discuss their plans for the coming month. It is a great forum for sharing ideas, particularly activities that have worked well. Throughout the year we have special occasions; resident birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Anzac Day, Waitangi Day for example. At our meetings we are able to share and plan for these occasions. 

Simon Hamley, National Mental Health Nurse/ Training Coordinator

Magic moments from our homes

While I was watering the vegetables in the garden, one of the residents approached me and said, "Do you want to borrow my hat? It’s too hot." I smiled and said, "It's alright," but she insisted and placed her hat on my head, smiling. We both laughed together.

One of the residents was overjoyed to touch and pet the weighted dog when he was first introduced. She gave the dog the name Chubby since it reminds her of her previous pet. It's incredible how having a therapy dog around has helped her relive her past experiences.

I brought some roses from home today; they have a very strong beautiful perfume. As I carried them to the table in the lounge, a resident remarked how beautiful they were, so I held them up to her nose and she closed her eyes and inhaled in the scent. It seemed it brought back a special memory for her. I also shared with the other residents and encouraged them to have a smell, which they loved.