Tag: quality of life

Cancer drug delivery evaluation shows “better quality of life”

Beatson drug delivery study shows patient benefits

A new service evaluation on the use of intrathecal drug delivery (ITDD) by the Interventional Cancer Pain team at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre has shown patients having a better quality of life by being able to spend more time being cared for in the community.  

As well as this, the pump devices mean patients are on a lower dose of opioid painkillers, which reduces cognitive impairment.  

Dr Alison Mitchell led the work which has been published in the journal Palliative Medicine.  

The ITDD service offered by the Beatson WoSCC is the only one in Scotland and it is hoped the findings of this study will support the use of ITDD further afield.  

Dr Mitchell, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, said: “We have been using ITDD since 2007 and this research confirms the benefits that it has for patients who have significant pain due to a variety of cancers.  

“It’s an appropriate method of pain relief for a small percentage of patients and makes a real difference to their quality of life.” 

The devices use an implanted catheter in the lumbar area of the spine which allows delivery of anaesthetic and painkilling medication from a pump which sits just below the ribcage.  

After the device is implanted, patients return every two weeks to have the medication reservoir refilled.  

Dr Mitchell explained: “As the medication is delivered directly to the spinal cord, the local anaesthetic administered by the device acts like a dental anaesthetic by numbing pain nerves directly and we try to ensure it does not impair motor function in the way a dental anaesthetic would affect your face muscles.  

“The morphine delivered by the pumps relieves the pain associated with cancers and means patients can reduce their oral morphine use and patients with pumps are on a much lower overall morphine dosage.  

“This means they are better able to spend quality time with their families as they don’t experience the cognitive impairment that morphine usage can cause.”  

Patients requiring pain relief in the lower half of the body are assessed by a multidisciplinary team made up of palliative medicine, physiotherapy and psychiatric specialists and a decision can be made on how appropriate this method of pain relief would be for them.  

Dr Mitchell added: “The team takes a holistic approach to how we help people manage pain in a palliative setting.  

“Patients put forward for this face a life that is limited by cancer but this allows them to have an added quality of life with less time spend in a clinical setting.” 

Care home residents take a trip down memory lane

Valuable memory enhancing skills combat frustration for Edinburgh residents

WORKSHOPS to assist residents with memory skills have been introduced as the latest feature at a care home in Edinburgh.

With memory retention and recall being one of the leading causes of distress for the elderly, Cramond Residence has started offering memory sessions to help relieve these frustrations especially for residents with impaired cognitive function, those living with dementia and recurring memory decline.

To encourage engagement, the home’s lifestyle team keep group sizes small and use a variety of techniques incorporating visual elements such as playing cards, dominoes, flipcharts and photographs.

Lifestyle coordinator at Cramond Residence, Garylee Rushforth, said: “It was a natural next step for Cramond Residence to start providing these beneficial sessions to the residents.

“An impaired ability to recall information and events can lead to severe confusion, disorientation and a dissociation from a person’s own sense of self which is why we felt that it was so important that we fully engage with cognitive activities that can help to strengthen memory processes.

“In these sessions, we teach residents how to actively recall information in the short-term. Flashcards are used to display information and then the coordinators work with residents to teach them verbalised, visual and auditory recall skills related to this information.

“Processing the information given in a variety of mediums provides residents with multiple avenues to recall short term information easier. Carrying these out regularly will expand the memory bank and reduce time needed during the recall process.”

Cramond Residence’s team of lifestyle coordinators have created an exciting and varied programme of activities and workshops, all with the aim of providing its residents with a sense of independence and fun, as well a valuable life skills. 

Garylee continued: “The memory sessions have been a great hit and we have received some fantastic feedback from residents so far and it’s a delight to help residents on this journey and see their individual progress.

“We engage with residents that attend outside of the sessions and test their memory skills on the go and have witnessed a greater ability to recall conversations and instructions in other workshops too which is brilliant to see.”

Cramond Residence, launched in 2018, has provided small-group living for up to 74 residents in nine luxuriously-appointed accommodation with the highest quality of care.

The highly-trained team organises exciting activities and excursions for their residents and offer specialised and individually tailored care in respite, recuperation and dementia care provision.

The medication and care provided is based on a detailed personal care plan, which is continually assessed and revised by health care professionals and other experts to ensure that the best possible care is being delivered.

The luxury home will continue to channel its efforts into improving the quality of life for its residents by introducing more innovative workshops and ideas.

To find out more about Cramond Residence, call 0131 341 4037 or visit:

https://cramondresidence.co.uk/

Staying Inn: pub set up in care home

With COVID restrictions easing, a care home in Giffnock has opened its very own pub, bringing joy to the residents and the staff.

The team at Eastwood Court Care Home, on the outskirts of Glasgow, worked with an occupational therapist to look at ways of improving residents’ quality of life and provide a sense of purpose for those living in the facility.

The ‘Staying Inn’ pub opened in April and the bar has proven to be a huge success, with residents enjoying the odd sweet sherry, a quick half or even just some sparking water, improving both the mental and physical health of the bar’s patrons along the way.

Fiona Gibson, Care Home Liaison Occupational Therapist at East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said that since working with the home ​to increase resident engagement, they have been able to reduce patients’ medication, stress and distress in residents with dementia and increase their food and fluid intake.

She said: “The opening day was brilliant and one of the staff said it was the best day they had experienced since COVID and lockdown. Residents can put their nice clothes on, have a drink, enjoy a pub quiz and during things like the Euros or the Platinum Jubilee, we had the bunting up.

“More than that, when loved ones come to visit, they can visit ​a place that has some meaning for residents and not just be in a room with a bed. 

“They can choose if they want a beer, or a wee sherry or some chips and pub grub. Living life to the fullest doesn’t end because you’re in a care home and what we know is that when we can provide an occupation focused service for people, the ​overall mental health and wellbeing outcomes for residents improve. Everything that occupies your time is so important to your continued wellbeing and prevention of mental and physical health decline.”

Fiona worked with the Elizabeth Casson Trust to secure a grant to establish the bar, with donations from local businesses helping to kit it out, creating a purposeful space that residents value and enjoy.

Eastwood Court’s Activity Co-ordinator, Catherine McAllister, said: “We have regular pub quizzes, domino and musical afternoons, as well as the odd darts tournament. We’ve made mocktails and held a “forget-me-not” fundraiser in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

Catherine and activity co-ordinator colleagues, Lesley Brown and Jennifer Duffy, worked hard to bring the bar to life.

She added: “We have a TV in our bar which allows residents to an alternative programme to our lounge, offering choice.  The Staying Inn provides a relaxing and calm environment for our residents.

It’s a perfect environment for everyone, with a wide choice of drinks to choose from our dementia friendly menu, which are served with snacks. Our residents are really enjoying our new pub and we hope they will continue to do so.”

Fiona also paid tribute to the care home staff. She added: “The team have brought the Staying Inn to life, working really hard to turn it into a reality and with our guidance and support, it really is a place that brings joy to everyone who uses it.”

The bar brings additional health benefits, combatting loneliness and isolation and, in some cases, bringing a renewed sense of purpose.

Emma Walker, Lead Occupational Therapist for Mental Health and Recovery Services in East Renfrewhire added: “It’s about improving quality of life and making sure people are functioning and engaging at their best.

“When you are in a care home, people’s functions can deteriorate quite quickly because other people are doing things for them, which can mean people lose all sense of purpose. That can lead to an increase in stress and distress and it can become a vicious cycle where physical and mental health decline.

“We’re trying to reverse some of that through tailored, holistic interventions to help people to reach their potential, even if that’s just basic things like getting their own shoes on to go to our wee pub.

“One resident was telling me about what she liked when going to the pub and her favourite tipple was a wee Babycham mixed with all sorts. There’s a lot of life to be had in a care home, no-one is calling last orders yet!”

Pictured: Residents and staff enjoy some time together at the Staying Inn pub.

House of Hearing: Over 60% of people can’t remember ever having had their hearing checked

Research commissioned by audiology experts at House of Hearing has revealed that even though the majority of Scots believe hearing is important to having a happy and healthy life, over 60% don’t remember ever having it checked.  

The research, which surveyed 209 people in Scotland between 26 and 27 July, including 28% from Edinburgh and the Lothians, asked the public how important hearing was for a happy and healthy life on a scale of 1-10.  

Over 70% gave it a score of 8 or higher, and just over a third (37%) responded with the highest value (10). Despite this, the survey found that 67% of people don’t remember having their hearing checked, while only 15% reported having it checked in the last 2-5 years.  

Additionally, when asked if they have noticed more problems with their hearing during the pandemic, 77% responded that they had noticed no further changes.  

Senior Audiologist Stuart Lyness, House of Hearing, said: “These results demonstrate that while people know how important hearing is to have a happy and fulfilled life, there seems to be hesitation when it comes to proactive care.  

“It’s great to see that so many people haven’t noticed a difference during the pandemic, but without regularly getting your hearing checked, you will never be 100% sure. Given this, we always recommend getting your hearing tested every 2 years, increasing this to every year after 70 years of age to ensure you aren’t missing out on any aspect of your life.”  

House of Hearing has been providing specialist hearing care for over 50 years, with free comprehensive hearing tests available at its new clinic on Melville Crescent.  

The new clinic is fully equipped to provide patients with access to the highest quality audiological facilities. The most comprehensive hearing tests and aural care is available in dedicated soundproof consulting rooms with fully qualified Audiologists using the latest equipment.   

House of Hearing also recently launched a new private ENT service, the first of its kind in Scotland, at its new clinic in Glasgow. This clinic will also be the first private clinic in Scotland solely dedicated to providing specialist ENT, Audiology and Aural Care Services, in partnership with local ENT consultants, Clyde Consulting Rooms.  

House of Hearing, Edinburgh Amber Brown

Melanie Jackson, Clinical Lead and Head of Nursing at House of Hearing said: “Ultimately, we want to drive home the message that many people will experience some form of hearing loss throughout their lives, but for most people, this doesn’t have to affect their quality of life.

“We also know the pandemic has likely led to an increase in self-management of issues such as excess ear wax. These should always be managed by a professional as otherwise you run the risk pushing the wax further into the ear or damaging the eardrum.  

“At House of Hearing, our specialists are all registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and members of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists (BSHAA) to ensure the best care for every patient. We would encourage everyone to consider visiting for either a consultation to assess their wax removal requirements or a free hearing health assessment.”  

House of Hearing is the only ENT nurse-led wax removal team in Scotland and their clinic in Edinburgh is the only wax removal service in the country registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

The Glasgow clinic is also expected to be registered in the coming weeks.  

For more information, visit https://www.houseofhearing.co.uk/