Resources for care home education programme, North Cumbria
The Care Home Education Support Service (CHESS) in Cumbria received funding for resources to support their training sessions in care homes.
CHESS was developed in 2005 and is part of the North Cumbria Older Adults Community Mental Health Team at CNTW. The service offers an education programme for care home staff to improve their understanding of, and ability to support, people with dementia or mental health needs.
In 2024, the service was granted funding from SHINE for resources to support the delivery of their training sessions, such as sight loss simulation glasses, a model brain and puzzles.
The items we ordered have already made such a difference in providing practical, hands on training within care homes to enable care staff to feel equipped to provide high-quality, meaningful input for those they care for.
Jenny ColecloughClinical Lead Occupational Therapist
The training provides practical techniques and information to help care staff support residents with personal care and engagement as well as providing an understanding of the specific needs of dementia and sensory changes. The aim is for residents to have an improved quality of life and for care home staff to be able to support residents more effectively themselves without the need for specialist support.