Stepping Out

Stepping Out Blog

The Silent Assassin: How Vascular Dementia Stole a Father and Husband Away

By Kaya Ismail No CommentsPosted in BlogTags:

Guest Post by: Philip Hall

Right now, Dementia is in the news more often than not, and for very good reason.

Because this condition, disease, call it what you like, is proving to be the largest social care dilemma for quite some time.

For years, I simply thought it was a problem that other people had to deal with, there was no way that our family would ever have to face up to this awful set of circumstances.

And then, something happened that threatened to tear my whole family apart.

My father was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia.

I’m not going to write a tear jerking account of how a once proud and highly intelligent man was reduced to a shuffling wreck within two short years, what would be the point?

Neither do I care to share the utter heartbreak that I felt when I visited him in a mental health hospital after flying my own family back from our new life overseas.

“But I implore any of you to seek medical advice the very minute that you suspect one of your loved ones is showing signs of Dementia.”

You see, I really do hope that none of you ever have to go through the living hell that Dementia can bring to your family door, and I mean that most sincerely.

But I implore any of you to seek medical advice the very minute that you suspect one of your loved ones is showing signs of dementia.

You can find a list of symptoms on most health care websites, so I’ll not list them here.

My biggest regret, and one that I will probably take to the grave, is that now I think about it, I am certain that Dad was showing these signs a long time before he really went downhill.

Could we have prevented his dementia from taking away his dignity, his soul, his personality?

Probably not, but we may have been able to find treatment that slowed this God awful disease from taking him away so bloody fast.

And I for one, would have avoided having some pretty fiery arguments with a man who seemed to be getting stubborn and ignorant to facts way before a ‘normal’ person should have done.

So please, please, please, don’t let this happen to someone you love, because there really is no way back.

Phil Hall is the son of a Dementia sufferer and is doing his best to keep it together. Please feel free to read about his exploits here and here.

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Recent Study: Looking after Horses Could Lessen Alzheimer’s Symptoms

By Adem Mustafa No CommentsPosted in Blog

Ohio State University have released a new study that suggests an activity that could reduce the Alzheimer’s condition – and that activity is caring for horses.

The technical term for the activity is ‘Equine Therapy’ and it involves interaction with horses. It is normally used to treat those suffering from depression, autism and cerebral palsy, however researchers have found that this method could also work for those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.

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Alzheimer’s disease affects more than 35 million people in the world and has many symptoms, the main ones being memory loss, mood changes and anxiety.

Although finding a cure to the disease is the top priority, it is also important to find ways to ease the suffering of those who have been diagnosed, and that is exactly what Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, an associate professor at Ohio State and co-author of this study wants to do.

Our focus is on the ‘now.’ What can we do to make them feel better and enjoy themselves right now? Even if they don’t remember it later, how can we help in this moment?” she says.

Equine therapy research and results

16 patients with Alzheimer’s were assessed, and all of them had previously participated in some type of activity-based experiment that attempts to manage the disease.

For this study, eight of the patients continued with their usual activities, while the remaining eight took part in equine therapy at a farm once a week for one month. During the equine therapy the patients were instructed to feed the horses, as well as groom, bathe and walk them.

The researchers monitored the patients’ behaviour during all of the activities and were able to determine how often a participant resisted, fidgeted, became angry or upset. A score of zero signified that the patients never engaged in these behaviours, while a score of four meant the patients frequently displayed such behaviours.

The researchers found that the patients who participated in the equine therapy scored an average of one point lower than those who continued with their usual activities.

The researchers also noticed that for patients with less severe Alzheimer’s, equine therapy led to an increase in cortisol levels. They were surprised to find that some patients who took part in equine therapy showed increased physical activity, and this increased with every session.

Overall, the researchers concluded that those who participated in the equine therapy benefitted from their sessions and as such there is a potentially feasible strategy for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease to partake in the therapy.

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Looking for a Career in Social Care? Stepping Out Are Hiring!

By Kaya Ismail No CommentsPosted in BlogTags:

Passionate about helping young people to achieve their potential?

Do you think you can empower people to make positive life changes?

Stepping out is a specialist service provider of training, education, care and support services for young people and adults with complex needs. We continually strive to be innovative and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people using our services.

Career in Social Care

Career in Social Care

The company owns and operates specialist accommodation provisions throughout Luton, London and Hertfordshire, we also provide personalised care packages to clients within their own homes.

We have recently opened a new provision and are particularly looking for male staff who can comfortably work in the Watford area of Hertfordshire.  We need individuals who enjoy working with young people; commitment and a flexible attitude are essential. The role entails supporting young males only aged between 16-18.  In line with section 7 (2) of SDA.

We are seeking to recruit care / support / youth workers.

Stepping Out are Searching for Applicants Who:

  • Have a minimum NVQ/QCF Level 2 in Health & Social Care and/ or equivalent qualifications and/ or experience.

  • Have experience in working with or are willing to work with clients who display challenging behaviour.

  • Are punctual and flexible, willing to work varied shifts including weekends and bank holidays.

  • Can work well in a team environment and are capable of working alone when necessary.

  • Have good communication skills.

  • Are experienced in report writing and able to effectively use IT packages i.e. Google packages, Microsoft Word

  • Have a clean DBS / CRB check.  (Please note that a new check will need to be carried out before commencement of work).

  • Can work in the Hertfordshire, mainly Watford but are flexible to work in other areas.

Working with the Latest Technology

Furthermore, working for Stepping Out means you get to use the latest technology and software.

  • The ability to communicate via email, sms, mms, video call, instant message, telephone.
  • The ability to receive live support whilst working on documents.
  • Secure shared calendars accessible via mobile devices like laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets and any other internet connected device.
  • Access to our secure cloud based shared network enabling our staff to obtain relevant information about a client, an event, appointment etc. from anywhere in the world.

With several options for accessing their information while on the go, our employees can be productive even when they’re not at their desks. We now benefit from over-the-air mobile access on BlackBerry devices, the iPhone, Windows Mobile, Android and many less powerful phones.

We took teamwork to a new level.  Our employees can now share, collaborate and innovate in real-time, with no editing conflicts or review delays. Improving workflow and increasing productivity and interaction, all in a reliable, intuitive application suite. Our technology  is designed to work consistently and beautifully on any web-enabled device, from desktop to smartphone to tablet and beyond.

Please send your CV to jobs@stepping-out.org

Further information about our company can be found at www.stepping-out.org.

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If you do not receive a reply within four weeks of sending in your application please assume you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in our organisation.

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