Woodlands Care Centre’s Lifestyle Lead, Sarah has reached a significant milestone in her career by completing the specialist training in D.O.V.E.S (Development through Observation, Validation, Enrichment, and sharing of Knowledge with others). Launched in 2023, Dementia DOVES is an integral part of RCH Care Home’s commitment to the continual development of dementia care within our homes, aiming to enhance knowledge and understanding of Dementia among our caregivers.
The comprehensive training covered a range of crucial topics, including working with friends and family, enhancing the dining experience, understanding different dementias, promoting Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in dementia care, managing challenging behaviours, and implementing person-centred planning and approaches.
As Life Lead at the Nursing, Residential Dementia and Nursing Dementia home in Cambridge, Sarah’s role has seamlessly become her lifestyle, driven by a genuine desire to learn and provide enriching experiences for residents. The D.O.V.E.S Dementia Training certificate adds another layer to Sarah’s expertise, enabling her to expand and enhance her support for cherished residents.
Having been an integral part of the RCH family for 15 years, Sarah’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Her passion for enriching the lives of residents shines through in everything she does, creating a deep connection that goes beyond daily planning and activities. For Sarah, this is not just a role; it’s a source of great joy, resonating well with both residents and her team.
We’re delighted to say that residents are already experiencing the positive outcomes of this training program, empowering individuals like Sarah and other team members to deliver the necessary and tailored care to meet their specific needs.
Here is what Sarah had to say about the experience: ‘There is just so much to learn and take in and I’m so glad I did this course as it’s been an eye-opener. All of the different topics were absolutely brilliant. I think the working with family’s topic was an eye-opener because unless you’ve been through it then you really wouldn’t understand what the relatives go through. I have gained so much knowledge and I want to pass this down to the care staff in my home and of course, the Lifestyle department so they will have a much better understanding than I have. This isn’t just a job, well for me it isn’t and I have learned that if you think working in the care sector is just a job then this really isn’t for you. I’m a lot more vigilant when walking around the home and making sure my residents lead their best lives while they are here. I’ve even taken it home with me and will speak about it to my daughter (who’s 26) who is also in the care sector, so yes, it has impacted my role as a lifestyle lead and my home life.’