Award-winning Edinburgh charity Hearts & Minds has today received an award of £15,360 from the National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All Scotland to enable the charity to develop their Elderflower Programme for people living with dementia in Alloa.
Sean Donnelly, CEO, Hearts & Minds commented:“We are delighted that our Elderflower programme has been awarded funding from the National Lottery.
“This crucial support will enable Hearts & Minds to create personalised interactions specifically designed for individuals living with dementia in Clackmannan.
“We understand the importance of fostering positive human connections for those affected by dementia, and our aim is to provide them with meaningful, engaging, and often uplifting experiences that significantly contribute to their well-being and overall quality of life.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the National Lottery for this award, which will allow us to extend our reach and impact to even more individuals this year.”
The National Lottery Community Fund, Scotland Chair, Kate Still said: “Every day National Lottery funding is changing the lives of thousands of people in communities across Scotland for the better.
“This project delivered by Hearts & Minds Limited, is a great example of community activity in action, showing just what can be achieved when people come together for a common cause or to help others.
“National Lottery players can be proud to know that the money they raise is helping to support this vital work which is making a real difference to so many.”
Hearts & Minds would like to thank The National Lottery Community Fund, for this award made possible by National Lottery players.
The Elderflowers are professional performers selected for their empathy, compassion, respect, and playfulness and are trained in clowning techniques including improvisation, music, slapstick, celebrating mistakes and rhythm.
They are also trained how to use their clowning skills in healthcare environments for older people living with dementia and other associated cognitive difficulties, who might be feeling anxious, isolated, confused, or frustrated, have sensory decline, and a loss of confidence and self-esteem.
The Elderflowers currently visit Findlay House, Edinburgh and Borders General Hospital and with this funding will return to Clackmannan.
Pain monitoring technology helps gives residents a voice
TWO FAMILY-run Edinburgh care homes are at the leading-edge of artificial intelligence (AI) – having implemented new technology that assesses tiny changes in expressions to understand residents’ pain and comfort levels.
One of Scotland’s top rated care home groups, Elder Homes Ltd has adopted PainChek’s technology across its two care homes in Edinburgh to assist staff in assessing pain levels for its 90+ residents.
PainChek uses AI facial recognition to analyse facial expressions from a smart device’s camera. It detects pain indicators like grimaces and winces and guides caregivers through observing other pain behaviours like vocalisations and movements resulting in an overall pain score to help monitor the effectiveness of pain management over time.
The app aims to improve the quality of life for those with cognitive difficulties who may struggle to communicate their discomfort, such as people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Residents and staff at Elder Homes have been using the app since July 2022, which has resulted in better pain detection and treatment, reduced reliance on pain medication as well as more accurate treatment plans.
Cheryl Henderson, Education and Dementia Coordinator at Elder Homes has been spearheading the implementation of PainChek, while ensuring relevant members of staff are trained to care for residents diagnosed with dementia.
Commenting on the success of PainChek, she said: “Treating our residents with dignity is one of our key aims. We want to ensure all residents feel at home, whilst receiving the highest standard of care.
“Using this technology, and other technologies across our homes has been extremely rewarding. We’re excited to see how the use of technology continues to develop and the benefits it can bring to care home residents across Scotland.”
The care home also utilises other innovative technologies including electronic medication system which assist in monitoring medication given to residents, and electronic charting.
PainChek is currently being used in 18 care homes across Scotland, as well as forming a pillar of the Care Inspectorate’s Quality Improvement Plan which sees a further 15 care homes trialling the tech.
PainChek’s Head of Business Development UK&I Tandeep Gill said: “Our latest figures reflect the value and impact of the PainChek technology in UK care homes and worldwide.
“Reaching over three million pain assessments is a real milestone for us – each one brings more objectivity and consistency to evaluating pain, whilst making a difference to care home residents and enhancing their quality of life.
“We’re delighted to see staff at Elder Homes leading the way in adopting PainChek and embracing innovation to improve pain assessment and deliver person-centered care.
“By achieving positive outcomes for care home residents and the care staff involved in the Care Inspectorate trial, we hope to gain the opportunity for a broader government-funded rollout across Scotland.”
Founded in Australia in 2016, PainChek is the world’s first regulatory cleared medical device for the assessment of pain, enabling best-practice pain management for people living with pain in any environment, from those who cannot reliably self-report their pain, to those who can, and for those whose ability to self-report their pain fluctuates.
Cluny Lodge was recently awarded top marks in a recent Care Inspectorate inspection for supporting its resident’s wellbeing.
The two Morningside care homes are currently home to 90 residents, who come from a range of backgrounds, all of which receive 24-hour care who according to the Care Inspectorate are receiving the best care possible.
Driven by a personal need for exceptional later in life care, Loren and Julie Hufstetler established the family-run Elder Homes in 1984. For almost 40 years, Elder Homes has provided individualised support and compassionate service to seniors requiring assistance with daily living.
Community engagement funding to ensure groups are heard
Third sector organisations are being awarded new funding to help ensure as many voices as possible are contributing to the design of the National Care Service.
The funding will facilitate contributions from minority ethnic communities, LGBTI people, children and young people and those with experience of homelessness or the justice system.
Organisations will each receive £5,000 to encourage the communities they work with to have their say on how future community healthcare and social work services should look.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “As we build a National Care Service that best fits the needs of everyone in Scotland, we need to hear from people directly.
“The new National Care Service will set the standards and guidance to support the design and delivery of community healthcare and social work services locally.
“The complexities of getting this right should not be underestimated. People with experience of the current system, whether receiving health and care support or delivering it, are the experts. We need to hear those voices – and those of groups who are often overlooked.
“We know that minority ethnic communities, LGBTI people, children and young people and those with experience of homelessness or the justice system are under-represented in our co-design work to date. We also know that people affected by dementia are a key group we want to hear more from and we will benefit from partnering with an organisation with expertise in this area.
“I am confident the funding to support co-design activity with seldom heard communities will help us shape a system we can all benefit from and be proud of.”
The partner organisations are:
LGBT Health and Wellbeing
Minority Ethnic Carers of People Project (MECOPP)
The Simon Community
Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of offenders (SACRO)
New Head of Lifestyle to strengthen residents’ experiences at care home
ONE of Scotland’s leading care facilities has announced the appointment of a new specialist that will further improve its high-quality dementia services.
Elaine Vallance has been promoted to Head of Lifestyle at Cramond Residence, bringing more than six years of expert care knowledge to the home’s lifestyle team.
Elaine, who joined Cramond Residence 15 months ago, will organise a wide range of activities designed to bring meaningful socialisation to residents – a major factor in treating dementia patients.
She said: “I’m passionate about delivering the best possible quality of care to our residents during their golden years.
“I love spending time with our residents, and I am lucky to now head up an incredible team who always give their best to ensure that the standard of care we deliver is second to none.
“When you come away from an activity that residents have enjoyed and you see a smile on their faces, it’s hugely rewarding and motivating. I’m really excited and thankful to be given this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the team to bring forward more fantastic activities for our residents.”
Cramond Residence strives to ensure that those living with dementia live a fulfilled life. The home offers a dedicated dementia floor, specially designed for those living with the condition to allow them to live a richer and more satisfying life with specialist facilities and trained staff on hand to provide support and relief.
Dementia training sits at the top of the care home’s agenda with 90% of their staff being provided with vital dementia training.
Elaine added: “We have already had a series of fantastic events for residents such as a trip on the trams to Newhaven, as well as a sports day which was popular with the residents.
“In the future I have plans to create a sensory room for our residents living with dementia, this will provide a stimulating environment with huge mental benefits.
“I will continue channelling all my energies and passion into delivering what Cramond Residence is all about, delivering top quality care to those who stay with us.”
Client Liaison Manager, Christian Daraio said: “Elaine has a wonderfully kind and nurturing personality which the residents love.
“We are incredible lucky to have her on our team and I am really looking forward to seeing what fantastic opportunities she no doubt has in store for our residents in the future.”
Cramond residence is a purpose-built care home which opened in October 2018. It combines luxury, five-star accommodation with outstanding clinical standards.
Spread across three floors, Cramond Residence adopts a small group living philosophy. That means groups of eight rooms form distinct “houses”, where residents are encouraged to eat and socialise together.
To find out more information on Cramond Residence, visit:
It’s July: a year since we got the keys to the Heart, a year to celebrate!
Summer is well and truly with us, and of course summer often means there is less happening, as everyone takes advantage of the good weather and the school holidays. So things have gone a little quieter at the Heart too, but that doesn’t mean there’s no news at all.
We have splendid news on the childcare front.
Daddy Daycare Edinburgh are opening a new childcare service at the Heart in August. They are providing after-school care for Trinity and Victoria primary schools and will be providing holiday clubs for all school children starting in October.
They have an open afternoon on Tuesday 15th August so check out their website to find out more:
The Ecology Centre is running a seagrass seed survey on 8th July to investigate the reproductive state of the seagrass meadow on Burntisland Sands where participants can expect to further their seagrass knowledge and develop skills in ecological surveying. These events are limited to 12 people each, so register your space by visiting The Ecology Centre’s What’s On page.
For those of you who have been involved in the project so far, there will be a creative social event at the Royal Botanic Gardens on Sunday 9th July. Come along and meet others who have been taking part and create some Restoration Forth artwork together.
Where: The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh – Registration:Eventbrite
Contribute to Heart Events
We continually receive questions about what is happening at the Heart. Well, that may be one question that you can answer. Trustee Norma Johnston leads the community projects team and would like to hear from you. Get in touch with her and join her band of local volunteers who are brainstorming ideas and helping organise events. It’s your community hub, so have a say in what happens in it. Contact Norma at norma.johnston@heartofnewhaven.co.uk
Dementia-Friendly Tea & Blether
On Wednesday, 5th July we hosted a themed conversation over a cuppa to imagine and create the new Dementia Meeting Centre, set to open in The Heart.
Meeting Centres are local resources where people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and families can access friendly, community-based support designed around their needs. They provide a social space where people with dementia and their loved ones can meet others and participate in activities they enjoy, based on their interests.
The event was attended by a group of 12, including volunteers, HONC staff, people living with dementia, and family members. The chat focused on getting to know one another and interest was expressed in gardening, themed conversations with tea and cake, games like bingo, dominos, or walking football, music, dance, and arts activities.
We had some good laughs and enjoyed eating Lesley’s delicious, home-baked muffins. The suggestions from this will inform our next programme of dementia-friendly activities at The Heart.
We will meet again on Wednesday, 26th July, from 2 to 4 pm. If you have just received a diagnosis of dementia or are waiting for one, if you are a family member or a friend of a person living with dementia and would like to join, please get in touch!
We are also accepting donations to help purchase the games and art materials that would allow us to run our future dementia-friendly social activities. For any donations, expressions of interest, or questions, contact valeria.Lembo@heartofnewhaven.co.uk
Thank You Bright Green Environmental Solutions!
The Heart of Newhaven Community is incredibly grateful to Keirin Burns from BGE Solutions for the donation of 12 brilliant new chairs. They not only cater to the different access requirements of our visitors who attend our community activities but they are beautiful. We have already received positive feedback from those who have tried them out, and they find them very comfortable.
We would also like to extend ourgratitude to Fenella Kerr, a member of the Dementia Meeting Centre Advisory Group of The Heart of Newhaven, for connecting us with BGE Solutions.
With all the hot, sunny weather, our volunteer gardeners have been busy watering all the plant containers scattered about the grounds.
Here’s volunteer Judy Gray tending to some of the pots and lovely planters created by members of the Men’s Shed. You can order a planter for yourselves if you contact Men’s Shed in the Creel Building.
De-Cluttering
It may be summer, but some of our partners have been spring-cleaning. Some of them, notably the Men’s Shed and the History of Education Centre, will be holding a table top “sale” in the autumn when they will be offering up the gleanings from their tidying, but they are keen to start de-cluttering now, so get in touch with either of them and take the opportunity to pick up some excess tools, planters and other objects, old school scientific glassware perhaps suitable for vases or craftwork, or even illustrated books, all at bargain donation rates.
Get Creative
If you’re looking for something creative to do over the summer, then get in touch with our bookbinder Cass, who is running several workshops here at the Heart in July and August.
Choose from several different workshops – Bitesize Bookbinding: Exposed long stitch binding, Bitesize Bookbinding: Case binding, Botanical Bookbinding mini retreat, Bitesize Bookbinding: Japanese stab Binding and Screen Print & Bookbinding, a 2-day collaborative workshop with Lorna Brown of Ink on Mesh.
Finally, the next Leith folk club event is coming up on Tuesday 18 July, with young country singer Barbara Nesbitt swinging by as part of her UK tour.
The doors open at 7.30 for an 8pmstart. Advance booking isn’t usually necessary but it’s a good idea to drop a DM on the Leith Folk Club Facebook page to make sure they save you a seat.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and save the date: the 9th September will be our second AGM. What a year it’s been!
A new project by researchers in Edinburgh aims to identify combinations of existing drugs that could be used together to treat motor neuron disease (MND).
Led by Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Director of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, both at the University of Edinburgh, the £3.3 million project is funded by the medical research charity LifeArc, as part of an ongoing partnership between the charity and the UK DRI.
The partnership brings together the strengths of UK DRI’s research into discovery science with LifeArc’s translational expertise to take exciting lab discoveries forward and translate them into tangible benefits for patients.
MND is a life-limiting condition that causes progressive weakness of the muscles due to the degeneration of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. There is currently only one drug approved to treat the disease in the UK, riluzole, which has only a modest effect.
There is an urgent unmet need for effective therapies to treat MND. But the brain is complex, and targeting one biological pathway with a single drug might not be enough to slow down or stop the degeneration of motor neurons.
The new project seeks to drastically accelerate the development of new treatments by identifying existing drugs which target multiple disease mechanisms implicated in MND.
Typically, new drugs can take up to 15 years to progress through development and clinical trial stages, but with this approach, treatments could be tested in the clinic within four years.
Prof Siddharthan Chandran, Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and Director of the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research, both at the University of Edinburgh, said: “As has been shown for cancer therapy, using combinations of drugs that target different pathways might be our best chance of slowing or stopping the progression of MND.
“This innovative project is an important next step in identifying effective medicines for MND.”
In the first stage of the study, the researchers will prioritise the top drug candidates, using both laboratory-based tests on motor neurons grown in the lab from patient donated stem cells, and a machine-learning, artificial intelligence approach to review published scientific studies of MND.
Next, the top candidate drugs will be tested in pairs in combination in the stem cell models of MND, against different biological pathways known to be implicated in MND.
The ultimate goal is to seek regulatory approval to test the most promising and effective combinations of drugs in the Euan MacDonald Centre’s MND-SMART (Motor Neuron Disease – Systematic Multi-arm Adaptive Randomised Trial) trial.
This pioneering trial across 20 sites in the UK is designed to shorten the time it takes to find medicines that can slow or stop MND. Unlike typical clinical trials which test a single treatment, MND-SMART is testing several treatments at the same time. It is also an adaptive trial which means that new drugs can be added, and those proven ineffective can be dropped.
This new project complements another recently announced MND initiative, EXPERT-ALS, which aims to rapidly identify promising drug candidates in small scale trials, before definitive evaluation in Phase 3 platform trials such as MND-SMART.
Dr Paul Wright, MND Translational Challenge Lead at LifeArc said:“Our involvement in this research is part of an ambitious long-term £100m funding programme we have launched to help tackle neurodegenerative conditions and find treatments where none currently exist.
“By working with UK DRI we are uncovering promising life science research, like Professor Siddharthan’s, that we can support with funding or by offering our scientific resources and expertise in translational research.
“Ultimately, our aim is to accelerate the process of finding medical breakthroughs that can prevent and stop these life-threatening diseases progressing.”
SUCCESS FOR MORNINGSIDE’s OPEN DOOR CAFE MUSIC PROJECT
Nine hard-working Scottish community groups have won up to £70,000 each of National Lottery funding in this year’s The People’s Projects. The vital funding was awarded after they won the public over with their plans to make a life-changing difference in their local communities.
The groups were among 95 worthwhile projects across the UK in the running to share over £4 million in National Lottery funding as part of this year’s The People’s Projects.
The People’s Projects sees The National Lottery Community Fund, ITV, UTV and the Sunday Mail (in Scotland) working together to give the public a unique say in how National Lottery funding should be invested in their local area.
One of the winners was The Open Door Edinburgh’s Music for Health and Wellbeing project.
The Morningside project will use the power of music – songs, sounds and rhythms – to improve the health and well-being of older people with dementia and other support needs. They will also provide a range of Daycare services that helps the elderly, and the most vulnerable in the community, to age well.
Since The People’s Projects started in 2005, it has awarded around £45 million to over 1,000 good causes, delivering vital grants to the heart of UK communities.
Kate Still, Scotland Chair, The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “The People’s Projects highlights the incredible work of inspiring community groups in Scotland and throughout the UK. We are proud to have given local people throughout the country a say in where over £4 million of vital National Lottery funding will go.
“We congratulate this year’s winners and look forward to seeing them make a life-changing difference in their communities.”
The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, distributes money raised by National Lottery players, who raise over £30 million each week across the UK for good causes.
Last year, it awarded over half a billion pounds (£579.8 million) of life-changing funding to communities across the UK, supporting over 14,500 projects. Over the last three years, its funding has reached every constituency and every local authority in the UK.
Improving the lives of people with dementia is at the heart of a new 10 year strategyannounced by the Scottish Government yesterday.
The strategy, Everyone’s Story, outlines a vision for dementia policy over the next decade and identifies a number of priorities which would improve the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers.
These include support pre and post diagnosis, actions to enable more people to live well in their communities, involving those affected in the design and delivery of their own support and access to care from a skilled and trauma-informed workforce when appropriate
The strategy commits to tackling stigma as a priority and aims to do this by making sure two-year delivery plans will be agreed to ensure progress is made. The first plan is to be published at the end of this year.
The strategy, launched during Dementia Awareness Week, is a joint publication by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “Dementia is a brain health condition which impacts at least 90,000 people across Scotland, as well as their families and their communities. This strategy sets out what we want to achieve and the difference we want to make to people’s lives.
“Diagnosis can bring significant mental health and wellbeing challenges that need to be acknowledged and addressed to ensure a person’s rights are upheld. That’s why the strategy was developed in collaboration with the National Dementia Lived Experience Panel. We want everyone affected to be involved in its delivery.”
COSLA Health and Social Care spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly said: “We welcome this strategy as it rightly challenges us to do more and go even further, to continue to improve the care and support for people living with dementia and their care partners.
“Delivering it will require us all to continue to work collaboratively in a positive and proactive manner, while respecting each other’s different experiences of dementia.”
LifeCare Edinburgh launches new dementia-friendly hairdressing service helping local older people “feel like themselves again”
COVID restrictions taught us all how much we value a visit to our local hairdresser to help us feel like ourselves, boost our self-esteem and to simply enjoy a chat and a catch-up with a friendly face.
Sadly, for people living with dementia this lockdown experience can be a permanent feature in life as visiting an everyday salon can be inaccessible, overwhelming, and without the right training, difficult for a hairdresser to deliver well.
However, things are changing in the capital as local charity LifeCare has launched the city’s first dedicated dementia-friendly hairdressing service providing essential haircare services for people living with dementia and their unpaid carers.
LifeCare’s new ‘Forget-Me-Not’ hair service involves an experienced, caring and dementia-trained mobile hairdresser visiting people in their homes so that they can continue to experience the joy of a haircut.
The benefits of a hairdressing experience for a person living with dementia can be significant. Haircare helps people to maintain their appearance but also impacts how they feel, their personal identity, and their overall self-esteem.
For a person living with dementia, hairdressing can be a unique multi-sensory experience providing a valuable opportunity for touch and physical contact which is often missing outside of practical interactions.
Regular visits and time for conversation can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Feelings of self-worth and positive self-image are boosted and this increased confidence can mean people are more likely to be motivated to attend other activities and stay engaged with their community.
Evidence shows haircare services support reminiscence activities as scents and experiences involved can be incredibly evocative and personal appearance can relate to people’s life stories and relationships.
James Wells, Chief Executive of LifeCare said“It’s sad and unfair that people living with dementia struggle to access ordinary haircare services that many of us take for granted.
“The typical busy, hot and noisy hair salon environment can just be too overwhelming for some and a lack of understanding amongst hairdressers can make the experience really difficult for everyone. Mobility issues and transport concerns also create problems.
“At Lifecare, we have a proud 80-year history of providing essential care services for local older people, ensuring no-one is left alone or isolated and that everyone can continue to enjoy the joy in their lives. So, we’re absolutely delighted that we are now able to launch this dedicated service which will make an immediate positive and life-changing difference to our older clients and their carers.
“We are already hearing from clients how they “feel like themselves again” and “can’t wait for their next appointment”. I’m looking forward to hearing more of these stories as the service continues to grow.”
Audrey McDonald, LifeCare’s dementia-friendly hairdresser said: “It is an absolute pleasure to be helping to deliver this fantastic service. From my own personal experience, I understand how frustrating it can be for a person to be shut-out of these important pleasurable activities.
“Even a small trim can cheer a person up for the day. In just a few short weeks, I have already seen how much joy the service is bringing for local people.
“Together we are enjoying a giggle, a chat about old times and everyone is left feeling a million dollars.”
The charity relies on support from its funders to deliver all of its essential services. The Forget-Me-Not Salon has been made possible thanks to financial support from Age Scotland’s About Dementia project in partnership with the Scottish Government.
Head of Dementia at Age Scotland, Dr Kainde Manji said “We are excited to support LifeCare in their delivery of a dedicated haircare service for people with lived experience of dementia, and we recognise the importance of this type of community-based support in enabling ordinary activities that make a big difference to individual wellbeing.
“We know that increasing wellbeing and tackling social isolation can empower people with lived experience of dementia to take a more active role in their communities.”
The “Forget-Me-Not” hair service has been initially set up as pilot project offering the service to clients for free to ensure that it is accessible to all.
Are you interested in learning more about dementia and how to support those who are affected by it? Do you have dementia and have questions about what it all means? A new self-help book, “FAQs on Dementia” written by Tom Russ and Michael Huddleston comes out today!
To celebrate this exciting release, there will be a book launch event at Stockbridge library on Friday 5th May, from 3.30pm-4.30pm. The event will feature the authors, and some friends and colleagues with dementia. Representatives from Alzheimer Scotland, Brain Health Scotland, the NRS Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network will be there to share information.
The Golden Hare bookshop will be in attendance to sell the book, so you will have the chance to buy your own copy at the event.
Here’s an extract from the blurb:
Will my partner stop loving me now they have dementia?
Does my mum have to go into a home now?
Is dementia a terminal illness?
All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to understanding the nature, and impact, of dementia. Read at your leisure, or dip in and out when you most need the support or to shine a light on the issues and concerns that are making you uncomfortable or unhappy, and to bring them out of the shadows so you can understand and accept them.
