Training for Care Home Services and ministry to elderly people

Training sessions for people involved in Care Home Ministry and anyone else who wishes to gain further understanding of and improve communication skills with elderly people, especially those affected by dementia.

All sessions take place at Chepstow Methodist Church, Albion Square, NP16 5DA on Saturday Mornings in October, 9.30 am – 12.30 pm.

Admission is Free, but contributions towards our costs would be welcomed.

Saturday 5 October ‘Basic Training’

Especially to equip people to take services in care homes – Deborah Strange and Jill Hussey

Basic training with a lot of practical stuff – forming a team, planning a service.  Much of it is given over to Care Home etiquette, types of homes, Code of Conduct for team visits, ways of meeting spiritual needs in Care Home settings.  Led jointly by Deborah Strange, of Chepstow Methodist Church and Jill Hussey of Chepstow Baptist Church.  Jill is a Registered Nurse, currently working at the Crick Care Home.  She has worked with elderly people in various settings for approximately 22 years and she has gained several extra qualifications, including a C&G qualification enabling her to assess carers to ensure they are capable of delivering a high standard of care.  Deborah has worked for the Methodist Homes for the Aged for five years and prior to that she worked for a Senior Citizen forum.  She had the original vision for, and pioneered Churches Together Services in Chepstow Care Homes, Nursing Homes and Day Care Centres about ten years ago.  It is a joy and very appropriate to be able to invite Deborah back to head up our very first training session.

Saturday 12 October ‘Pastoral Training’

Rev Brenda Dowie – Chaplain to Cheltenham General Hospital

I think this one is the most involved.  It includes Understanding Loss, the grief process, listening/empathizing, care for the dying including how to answer questions dying people ask.  The idea here is that some people who go into care homes may befriend residents and visit them regularly and one of the things teams aim to try and do is speak to every individual who attends the service.  Rev. Brenda Dowie, Chaplain to the Chelternham General Hospital, will be leading this one.  Previously Brenda was chaplain to a Bristol hospice and a Canon to Bristol Cathedral.

Saturday 19 October ‘Dementia Training’

Suzy Webster and Dr Rachel Norman

Types of dementia and causes, results of dementia, so what is left?  Meeting spiritual needs, practical points, points to remember when worshipping with people with dementia etc.  Involves some small group work.  Dr Rachel Norman of the Bridge Church is involved here, working in conjunction with Suzy Webster of Chepstow Methodist Church.  Suzy works for the Alzheimers Society, for whom she gives talks and leads a group called ‘Singing for the Brain’.  She has also trained some members of the Methodist Church, enabling them to go into a local  Day Care Centre, where they do craft work with people affected by dementia.  Rachel is a Registered Nurse with a Phd on whether the NHS caters for the needs of people with dementia.  She has trained members of her Church family and they very successfully hold monthly services or befriending sessions at St Anne’s EMI (Elderly Mentally Infirm) Home.

Saturday 26 October ‘Presentation skills’

Beth Butler

Much of this is group work, practicing speaking with clarity, slowly and at the correct volume.  Discusses people with hearing problems, reading aloud, how to engage residents and dealing with problems.  Beth Butler, of St Mary’s Church in Wales, Chepstow will facilitate this session, which she suggested  could be very helpful for people who sometimes speak in our Churches, such as Local Ministry Team members who may have had no training in projecting their voices in public speaking.  Beth taught English for 30 years and on her retirement she completed a Lampeter Theology Degree by distance learning, eventually becoming a tutor.  Subsequently she served on various committees of the Chepstow and regional U3As.  She was Vice Chairman on the National (UK) U3A committee for six years and she is currently Chair of the Chepstow U3A.  Beth is an accomplished public speaker who has been involved in Care Home Services and as an older person working with older people, she appreciates their needs.

If you intend to come to any or all of the above it would be very helpful, but not essential, if you would let us know to give us an idea of numbers.

To book a place, or for further information please contact:

Margaret Coombs (01291 629098) or [email protected]