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"A strong, vibrant community built by dedicated volunteers and staff, supporting people to live well with dementia"

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
the MBE for volunteer groups
awarded 2 June 2018
TIBBS DEMENTIA FOUNDATION

Registered Charity No. 1166596
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NEWSLETTER : 2nd June 2019

Hi everyone,

It's good to welcome Margaret- Anne back from her holiday and it looks like she's returned on form and with vigour as she's written another great blog. Please take a few moments to read this. 

Thanks to everyone who came along and supported the new allotment project this week. We planted out tomatoes, beans and cucumbers, and enjoyed a lovely sunny morning together weeding, digging and planting. We meet every Thursday from 10.30am- 12.15pm everyone welcome, why not pop down and see how we're getting on.

With best wishes

Sarah Russell, CEO

Margaret- Anne's blog 42: Changing cultures

In case anybody wondered I’ve been away on holiday in Portugal and so I haven’t written a blog for some time. I had a wonderful relaxing time but I’m sorry I missed all the things that have been going on while I was away – I had no control over the timing. Anyway I’m now back refreshed and relaxed.

I recently read an article by Teepa Snow in her online journal for May 19th. You can read it for yourself at www.TeepaSnow.com – following the links to “Changing a culture of care; It takes Movement”.

I’d really like to share it with you as what she has to say really resonates with me personally. It is an idea which has been around for about thirty years. I first heard of it from Professor Tom Kitwood with whom I worked in 1998 – the last year of his life.

He used to talk about the ‘old culture’ and the ‘new culture’ of dementia care. He adopted the idea of applying the philosophy of “person centred care” to people with dementia and I am pretty sure he was the first person to do so. His intention was to create a ‘new culture of dementia care’. In his terms the ‘old culture’ was based on what he called Malignant Social Psychology. By this he meant that people with dementia  were treated as non persons – excluded from social groups and treated in ways which were totally dehumanising. These attitudes in turn sprang from the stigma and the fear and the deep ignorance about dementia which was the prevailing view in society at that time. This was reinforced by the nihilistic view of the medical profession which saw dementia simply as a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease for which there was no cure and precious little available to treat the symptoms.  

I remember having a conversation with him in which I expressed my frustration about  the slow rate of change and he told me that we were working to change a culture and that would take at least thirty years! It is like trying to turn an oil tanker round. It takes a long time, it can’t happen quickly, said Tom. Well it’s now thirty years later now and it is beginning to look as if that old oil tanker is finally starting to move.

Teepa Snow points out that we now have what she describes as “ a developing counter-culture led by people living with dementia in early states of changed ability and their friends and family”. Thirty years ago I don’t think we ever anticipated that this would be possible.

These people are “standing up and  asking that the existing culture become more aware, that their continued abilities, their still present capacities, and their rights to be self-determining be recognized, unless or until it is proved otherwise”. She points out that there are wide variations around a response to diagnosis and the way people behave when the damage is still fairly limited. She points out that “we are not actually aware of dementia in ourselves or others until the symptoms become apparent…. Even after the symptoms are apparent to some people they are hidden from others.” Some people, as we know, as in denial – a psychological mechanism which we use to protect ourselves. But others are unable to recognise that there is anything wrong because of the damage to the pre-frontal cortex. Teepa Snow says that is called “Anosognosia”. Interesting I think. I hadn’t heard that before.

Basically Teepa Snow is saying that there is a movement developing to change the culture  and that her organisation “Positive Approach to Care” is part of that movement. They try not to put people into categories based on their losses but rather “ try to attempt to understand what they are trying to share, do or communicate….We believe that the person is using the abilities that they are able to use in that moment. Abilities may be visual, verbal or sensorimotor in nature”. Yes! I think that is so good. She believes that any boundary between people not having dementia and people who are living with dementia is artificial. She is advocating for an inclusive culture where we, who do not yet have dementia “develop our own abilities to provide the support we are able and help the person and others find support in other ways when we are not able.”

I think that we in Tibbs Dementia are on exactly the same page as this. Through all our activities we are trying to put these principles into practice. We are very much part of this Movement which is now a global force and gaining in momentum. But the means we are using is different. We are very much community based. I have the impression that Teepa Snow is approaching these common goals using techniques which are very focused on teaching and supporting professional care workers and care partners through one off events such as conferences, online resources and webinars. Her internet presence is now large and influential.

We use a different technique. We are small and we are local. But we genuinely are a family made up of people with dementia, care partners, volunteers and staff. Because we strive always to be inclusive, roles will sometimes change. So sometimes you will see people with dementia are helping out at groups, some staff are initiating voluntary activities in addition to their contracted hours. Within groups, care partners are helping each other with practical suggestions as well as emotional support. Above all I feel that we try to ensure that people are genuinely respected and valued for who they are, as they are, whatever the state of their brain may be on that particular day. And this applies to all of us – whether we have dementia or not! There is no ‘Them’ and ‘Us’. There is only ‘Us’.

Changing a culture starts with personal change. Seeing things differently. This can be painful while we move through the transition but once we have really changed we will not be able to tolerate going back to the way we were. It’s exciting and important . Teepa Snow says she personally believes “dementia care will become one of the most important human rights stories of the 21st century”. I absolutely agree with her.

 

 
IN MEMORY
 
   'Little Bill Boutall'

For the best part of 10 years bill was a mainstay of Music 4 Memory, a founder member of 'The Elastic Band', an essential feature of the Christmas Extravaganza, a key participant in the Hear and Now projects and occasional park walker. 

We will have our own special and fond memories of Bill, whether it's 'the bird in the tree', 'Uncle Tom Cobley', 'the Three Spritual's', 'Healing River', ' 12 Day's of Christmas' his classic ' farmyard animals Good King Wenceslas' or my favourite , his often moving rendition of Vespers:

Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed, 
Droops on the little hands little gold head. 
Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! 
Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.


Thank you 'Little' Bill for bringing and sharing so much with us over the years, for keeping us all on track, for entertaining and teaching us so much. You leave behind such a great legacy of repertoire and you will long be celebrated.


 

 
UPCOMING EVENTS
 
 
 
Calling all Thespian's,Theatre Dames and Diva's 

We have the opportunity to work with professional Theatre company 'Haste' www.hastetheatre.com to enjoy a series of three drama workshops. These exciting workshops will take place at the Place Theatre on Bradgate Road, Bedford. Sessions will take place on Wednesday 12th June, 26th June and 3rd July from 10.30am- 1.00pm, including a refreshment break. 

These sessions are open to anyone with a dementia or memory or cognitive change and/ or their families. Spaces are limited and due to the nature of the sessions you should be able to commit to attending each of the three workshops.

This is a great opportunity to work alongside professional actors to develop your skills, to learn new means of expression as well as to have fun. Whether you've trodden the boards, stood in the limelight, received a standing ovation or not you'd be very welcome to come along and enjoy this special activity.

If you would like to book a place or want further information please get in touch with June June.kuria@tibbsdementia.co.uk

 
Carer's Week:
Following on from Dementia Action Week Carer's Week is coming up in June with a theme of 'Getting Carers Connected'

We've been invited back to Sainsbury's Fairfield Park, who were so supportive of us when we were their charity of the year last year.

We'll have an information stand during the day on Friday 14th June and Music 4 Memory has been invited to once again sing in the aisles, conga round the cucumbers, waltz around the walnuts, barn dance around the blackberries and sing amongst the strawberries.  We will meet at Sainsbury's from 10.00am ready to sing at 10.30am. We hope the minibus will be able to bring it's usual crew along and we can have fun together sharing our message of the importance and value of staying connected and being part of an understanding and welcoming community. 
Please come along and support us, please note this will take the place of our usual Friday morning Music 4 Memory session. 
If you can spare an hour to help man the information stand that would be wonderful. It's information rather fundraising so we won't be shaking tins. It would be great to have a team of people prepared to talk about their experience as a care partner and the benefits of being part of Tibbs.

From 10th- 16th Carers in Bedfordshire will be running a range of events and activities  They note that 'This year’s theme “Getting Carers Connected” highlights the difficulties carers can face staying connected with their families and friends.

At Carers in Bedfordshire we work to help carers feel connected both to their local community and with other carers. To celebrate Carers Week we are running a number of events throughout the county.'

Look at their website http://carersinbeds.org,uk for more information. 


Ageing Well Exhibition:

The annual Ageing Well Exhibtion will take place on Wednesday 19th June from 10am- 3pm at the Corn Exchange. Always a great opportunity to gather information, advice, for informal chat's, coffee and a range of taster sessions. Just turn up on the day and come and visit us at the Tibbs Information Stand. 

 


Tibbs 4 Tea

Our next Tibbs 4 Tea adventure takes place on Thursday 20th June at 2pm. This month Dianne has organised a trip to Summerfields Miniature Railways in Haynes. It's just off the A600 postcode MK45 3BH.
Come along for a chance to look around, there's plenty to see, take a ride on the miniature railway and  of course enjoy tea and cake amongst friends. Please contact Dianne if you would like to attend as she needs to know numbers. Dianne's number is 07910 753622.

 

SUPPORT OUR CHARITY
Items can be obtained from any Tibbs service or event - or by contacting us direct.
Thank you for your support!
DIARY NEXT WEEK
*  We know that you love coming to our services & events but, for reasons including health & safety and insurance, please don’t arrive more than 10 minutes before the start time. Thank you  *
 
MON 3 JUNE 10.45-12.30 CST and Encompass  
  11.30-13.00 Walking Football  
  14.00-15.45 CST and Encompass  
  14.00-15.45 Music 4 Memory  
       
 TUE 4 JUNE 11.00-12.00
Swimming  
Kempston Pool
  12.30-13.45 Indoor Bowls Kempston Indoor Bowls Club 
       
  13.00-17.00 1-2-1 Music 4 Memory at home At Home
  14.00-16.00 Kempston drop in with carers wellbeing session Kempston East Methodist Church
       
 WED 5 JUNE      
   10.30-12.15 *Flitwick Cognitive Stimulation and carers support group  Flitwick Library 
  14.30-16.00 Music 4 Memory Potton Community Centre
  14.00-15.30 Clear Voices 1 and 2 
Dame Alice Court  
  evening course *Support 4 Memory Dame Alice Court
       
 THUR 6 JUNE 10.00-11.45  Music 4 Memory + Encompass Oakley Village Hall
  10.30-12.15 Allotment Group  Mile Road Allotments
  11.00-13.00 Activitea and Encompass self support group St Andrews Church
  14.00-15.45 Music 4 Memory Parish Room Queen's Park
       
       
 FRI 7 JUNE
10.00-11.45
 

Music 4 Memory
 

Community Centre Queen's Park
 
  14.30-16.00
 
CST and Encompass
 
St Andrews Church
 











 
14.15-15.30

14.30-16.00










 
Activitea and Encompass
 
Park Walk  










 
St Andrews Church

Bedford Park- Pavilion cafe










 
Please Note : Most of our services are open to all people with dementia and/or their families to just come along whenever you wish – although we would recommend you talk to us to check their suitability for you. However, services denoted with * are specialist courses with a fixed number of places, so please contact us in advance regarding joining these (and there may be a waiting list).
Click Here to Contact Us
Sarah Russell
Chief Executive Officer

Tibbs Dementia Foundation
5 Lansdowne Road, Bedford, MK40 2BY
Tel : 01234 – 210993
Email : contact@tibbsdementia.co.uk
Website : www.tibbsdementia.co.uk

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