Denise’s Transformative Journey at Archers Court

Denise Sanderson recently celebrated her 3-month anniversary of living at Archers Court Nursing Care Home in Sunderland. We spoke to Denise and her daughter Diane about how both their lives have changed for the better in just 3 months.

 Archers Court is entirely made up of Reconnect communities. Reconnect is our innovative, specialist model of care created for people living with dementia. Our ethos is, as the name suggests, to help people reconnect with their lives - living life to the fullest and having a sense of purpose and contribution to their home. To make this possible, we train every colleague to the highest dementia care standards.

The people Reconnect supports are becoming less and less able to find permanent care, leaving many people in hospital for long periods of time, or living in homes that are unable to provide suitable care. Often, people coming to live in one of our Reconnect communities have experienced frequent distress, which may have been managed using medications. We believe everyone is entitled to a meaningful life. We focus on bringing pleasure to the people who live in our homes, while reducing the distress they may have experienced previously.

Denise, 83, is a devoted mother to two, grandmother to four and great-grandmother to five. She dedicated the majority of her life to working for the NHS and caring for her family. Her daughter Diane, describes her mum as always having a kind and caring nature: ‘She always cared for people, all throughout her life.’

Denise came to Archers Court after a number of failed care placements. She was removed from her previous care home under section 3 of the Mental Health Act for high levels of aggression and distress. Diane recalls, ‘It was completely unlike her. She was unsettled, didn’t have an appetite and was pretty much left to her own devices.’

Sharon Easterbrook-Smith, Home Manager at Archers Court recalls meeting Denise for the first time: ‘Denise was tearful, anxious and withdrawn when we first met her.

We worked with Denise, her family and our specialist team to create a personalised care plan focused around her background, likes and dislikes, passions and hobbies. We learnt a lot about her past, her career and family life, as well as her interests to help her feel safe and comfortable, and to tailor our care to her needs and preferences.’

Sharon continued, ‘From taking the time to get to know her we found just how caring she is, she likes to go around to our other residents and colleagues and check in to see how they are doing. She is very sociable and enjoys making new friends with both residents and colleagues. Everyone at Archers Court loves Denise!

Her daughter Diane told us that she always loved to cook and bake and hadn’t been able to since her dementia diagnosis, so we worked baking into her care plan and started with smaller steps, doing little bits for her and assisting where needed, but she happily does it all herself now! She makes a fantastic cake! She is very relaxed when baking or using her hands and she has even taught some of our colleagues how to make a quiche.’ Denise says she is slowly regaining her strength through activities like mixing the bowl or light kneading of dough.

Denise has fully embraced life at Archers Court, making the most of everything it has to offer. Her faith plays a central role in her life, and she can participate in church services and the choir every week if she wishes. While these activities may seem small, they help Denise stay connected to the lifestyle she once enjoyed. She’s also discovering new activities, such as armchair exercises and knitting.

Our Reconnect communities have been carefully designed to feel homely, welcoming and less ‘care home’. We’ve crafted interior and exterior spaces that feel normal, but with adaptations that support people to maintain their independence wherever possible.

You can expect to see things like laundry rooms, gardening and DIY rooms, games rooms, kitchens and comfortable lounges. We encourage people to use these spaces as and when they choose, just as they would have done in their own homes previously, to foster a sense of inclusion, choice and meaningful occupation.

Diane, who visits almost every day, says she can visibly see a difference in her mum in just 3 months of her living at Archers Court. ‘She’s much, much better now. The activity and care team keep her busy, so I think that has a lot to do with it… Mum was always a keep busy person and I think you need to keep your mind busy, so the activities help. There is always something happening.’

Jacqueline Smith, Deputy Manager, shared, 'Denise loves it here. She actively participates in activities and enjoys the entertainers we bring in. We've seen significant improvements in her since she joined us just three months ago.'

When we asked Denise about her favourite part of living at Archers Court, she said, 'The staff are lovely, and the food is very good.' Diane added, 'Yes, the food is wonderful! Mum has started gaining weight and can fit into all her clothes again. She’s really happy here.'

Diane says she now feels reassured knowing her mum is settled and cared for at Archers Court. ‘The staff are really focused on the residents, and they really do have their well-being in the front of their mind all the time. If you've got a parent who needs this sort of care, this (Archers Court) is just much better than most other homes I've seen. It's lovely.’

In just 90 days, Denise’s life has transformed for the better, all thanks to the truly individualised, person-centred care the incredible Reconnect team at Archers Court provide. Thank you to Denise and Diane for sharing your story with us.

Rated Good by CQC, Archers Court Care Home offers specialist dementia care through our innovative Reconnect communities. If you’re looking for a dementia-specialist care home with a highly-trained team in place, why not get in touch? Call 0161 653 5319 to speak to our friendly team!