Pioneering Dementia Care Awarded at Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group

Managers from the Stocks Hall Nursing & Care Group have recently won awards for their work with dementia sufferers.

Geraldine Ball, Manager of Stocks Hall Care Home in Ormskirk and Cher Bradley, Manager of Stocks Hall Homecare and Agency were honoured for their pioneering approach at leading their teams through the cultural change of dementia, learning new skills and putting them into practise to improve dementia care.

Esther Rantzen, founder of The Silver Line helpline for older people, presented the winners with a glass plinth and framed certificate at the Celebrating Good Care Conference held in Preston.  It was an inspirational event which, as the title suggests, celebrates good practice in care, and champions the importance of encouragement and training for all those involved in the caring professions.   Esther, 73, said: “It’s very important to celebrate best practice, because that way you get the best staff attracted to this crucial work.”

The awards were organised by the Lancashire Workforce Development Partnership, whose Lancashire County Council funded Dementia Initiative introduces care sector managers and their staff to new and innovative approaches to working with Alzheimer’s.  Geraldine Ball said “The courses were very informative and I learnt some new skills which I have put into practise and passed on information to the carers who have also found it beneficial.”

Janet Aspinall, chief executive of LWDP, said: “The awards are a testament to all the incredible hard work and commitment invested by the recipients in creating a significant difference in the quality of life for vulnerable people who need care.”

Both Geraldine and Cher are thrilled with their awards, Cher said “It has been a pleasure and a challenge undertaking this pilot but we have come away with some meaningful ways we can improve the experience of receiving care for someone living with dementia and that’s what made this really worthwhile.”