Poynder View (Kelso)
In January 2009, a new Community Resource Centre and Out Reach Service opened for people with Dementia, initially to be tested for 12 months. Located at Poynder View in Kelso Hospital, the Service covers the Kelso and Berwickshire areas and the Resource Centre is open Monday to Friday including up to 9pm on Mondays and Thursdays. Users are able to drop in and take part in a range of activities and groups have also been established in Duns, Eyemouth and Coldstream to enable easier access to the service. Carers are also able to access support and advice.
The Centre replaced the inpatient Dementia Ward in Kelso Hospital and the focus of the Outreach Service is to enable individuals to remain within their own community and maintain their independence for as long as possible. Support can be provided at home, in Community Hospitals, Care Homes or Nursing Homes and more people can now be supported in the early stages of dementia. The Service operates 7 days a week. In addition, the Poynder View team has also been able to provide support and training to other staff, for example in the Community Hospitals which will help to improve care for individuals if they are admitted to hospital.
Service Aims
The service aims to work with people and services in their own setting, whether that be home, Resource Centres, community hospitals, residential care or within a nursing home. The service aims to provide practical advice, guidance and support. The Resource Centre/ Outreach service supports early diagnosis and facilitate early intervention, assessment, treatment, stabilisation, group activities, social stimulation and carer support for individuals aiming to improve their quality of life whilst preventing unnecessary admission to hospital. This enables individuals to remain at home longer and/or prevent a move to an unfamiliar environment, which often exacerbates distress.
The service also provides:
- Assertive outreach into individuals own homes, residential care, nursing homes in Kelso and Duns. The service compliments and not replaces existing services and will work alongside carers and others who have significant links with the individual.
- Provides specialist advice to primary care, other day care provision, acute care and care homes.
- Provides specialist input into the care of people with behavioural, psychological, social and physical symptoms of dementia.
- Provides counselling and support to older people in the early stages of dementia at the point of diagnosis.
- Responds rapidly, carry out a brief assessment and involve carers and significant others in a pro-active care plan agreeing type of involvement, duration and goals.
- Provides training and support to others and act as specialist advisers to other professionals involved in a case.
Should an individual with dementia need access to hospital for physical health reasons, the service works closely with both Kelso and Duns community hospitals staff supporting the management of individuals within the in-patient setting and if necessary works alongside others to demonstrate hands on evidenced base practice in the management of challenging behaviour.
Service Goals
- To create a culture which embeds a shared belief in valuing and respecting older people.
- To work with people in communities and their own preferred setting.
- To progress whole system working between Mental Health Older Adults Team and community hospitals, social work and residential/nursing care homes.
- To support early diagnosis of people with dementia and facilitate early intervention, assessment, treatment and stabilisation.
- To prevent unnecessary admission into hospital.
- To provide training and support to others including family and carers.
Poynder View
Kelso Hospital
Inch Road
Kelso
TD5 7JP
01573 226760 General Tel.