OLDER PEOPLE’S CHAMPIONS AWARD CLANMIL DEMENTIA HOUSING SCHEMES

Esther was speaking at the Innovation and Good Practice Awards run by erosh, the national consortium for older people’s housing and support providers, where Clanmil was named among the winners for the Record, Recall, Relive project which is currently running at its Mullan Mews and Sydenham Court supported housing schemes.

The project involves the schemes, which Clanmil manages in partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, teaming up with Northern Visions, a multi-media arts centre, and Flaxart Studios contemporary artists to deliver activities that stimulate memories, increase well-being, address social isolation and help the tenants to live meaningful, active lives and contribute to their community through engagement with the arts.

The award was presented at a ceremony in London by Esther Rantzen who is piloting a helpline for older people, The SilverLine.

Announcing the winners Esther said: “For the first time at 71 I found myself living alone. I have plenty of people to do something with but nobody to do nothing with. I found when I wrote about loneliness I was inundated with responses but there is still a stigma attached to it and it is difficult to admit to.”

Esther praised the work of the winning entries, which showcase examples of organisations working creatively to overcome the challenges of providing quality housing and support for older people in a testing economic climate.

Rebecca Mollart, erosh director of policy and member of the judging panel, said: “It was fantastic to see so many of our members enter the awards. All the entries demonstrated that, in spite of the changes and challenges faced by older people’s housing and support providers, there is still the commitment to continuous improvement and positive practice.

“The winners highlight the excellent work by erosh members to overcome these challenges to make sure older people’s housing and support needs are met in the best way.”

Clare McCarty, Chief Executive of Clanmil was delighted to receive the award.  Clare said: “What we aim to deliver at Mullan Mews and Sydenham Court in partnership with the Belfast Trust is an active and rewarding lifestyle for those who live there.  Initiatives like the Record, Recall, Relive project help us to achieve this.

“There is a growing body of evidence that engagement with the arts can improve quality of life for older people and our tenants have a noticeable sense of well being during and after each project session.”

Clare continued; “Supported living in the community offers an alternative to residential care for people with dementia that focuses on maintaining quality of life and Mullan Mews and Sydenham Court are excellent examples of partnership working between Clanmil, Belfast Trust and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s Supporting People Programme.”

Mullan Mews and Sydenham Court are supported housing schemes providing specialised accommodation and support for 55 older people with dementia, enabling them to maintain a high level of  independence and social inclusion.  The physical design of the scheme, and the support provided, compensates for the disability caused by dementia and promotes an active and rewarding lifestyle for the tenants.

ENDS

Media enquiries to Christine Ashfield at Clanmil Housing on 028 9087 6000, 075 951 18122 or [email protected]

Notes to Editors:

1. Clanmil Housing is one of Northern Ireland’s leading housing associations and currently owns and manages over 2300 homes throughout Northern Ireland including family homes, homes for single people, independent living schemes for older people, housing with care for frail older people and supported housing for older people with dementia.  Clanmil aims to provide high quality homes at the lowest possible economic rent for everyone in housing need.
2. The tenants in Mullen Mews are clients of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust whose staff provide the care, support and expertise required to help people with dementia lead meaningful and independent lives in the community.
3. Project activities delivered by Northern Visions focus on reminiscence therapy and uses digital and mobile technologies to deliver a fully participative artistic experience for the tenants. The project sets new standards by giving people with dementia and allied professionals ways of seeing beyond a diagnosis. Throughout the project the participants’ engagement in a range of art forms is captured on film.
4. Project activities delivered by Flaxart increase access to the arts for tenants through diverse cultural opportunities. Visits to galleries and museums develop interest and stimulate dialogue. People who have difficulty communicating verbally, acquire new skills to express themselves through creating music, art and dance.  An integral part of the project is a video blog (axis-forolderpeople.blogspot.com) which helps raise public awareness of the programme and stimulates interaction.