A great training session about how to listen well, and sharing some great ideas about taking Christmas Services in Care Homes and Supported Housing.
One of Caraway’s aims is to enable a Christian presence in all Care Homes and Supported Housing Complexes over the forthcoming years. There are many faithful older men and women who are now unable to attend their local church, who really value this service, as we seek to continue offering the family values of compassionate care and prayerful involvement in individual lives.
At this training there were representatives from nine churches across Southampton and the surrounding area. Ros Simpson, a retired General Practitioner, led an interactive session about developing skills for active listening, including the special skills needed to listen and communicate with people who have dementia. The website www.gloriousopportunity.orgis a great resource for understanding more about dementia, with films and comment from Dr Jennifer Bute, a retired GP, who is living with dementia. The group then shared ideas for a Christmas Act of Worship sharing experiences from their own contexts, reflecting on sung worship, readings and visual aids. We again thought about what would be relevant for those who are both physically and cognitively frail, all of us commenting on the power of individual contact, conversation and prayer.
This training occurs twice a year at Highfield Church. If you want to join in contact us on caraway.soton@gmail.comor via the website. www.caraway.uk.comor indeed if you would like your own training session. We are here to help and advise.