This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district, kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare. 

Here’s a message from the Vida Healthcare team.

Vida Healthcare has provided specialist care for adults suffering with dementia since 2014. With over 300 beds across three state-of-the-art Harrogate homes, the team places people’s needs at the forefront of its values and ensures those living with this life-changing condition still have a voice in society.

Losing your memory robs of you of your former life, but Vida Healthcare wants those people to know they still have a purpose.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said:

“We’re delighted to be supporting the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal in aid of Dementia Forward.

“It is such an amazing local charity supporting people living with dementia.

“Our vision aligns with Dementia Forward; dementia is such a widespread national – even global – issue, but Vida and Dementia Forward are focused on improving the lifestyle and well-being of those living with dementia at all stages of that journey.

“We both hold out a helping hand.”

The team designs and develops the homes to offer the highest quality of dementia care. All three homes are rated ‘outstanding’ and Vida provides constant support for those people who need more care than they can give themselves.

It support residents with activities outside of the home including access to local groups and events, meeting family and friends and catering to spiritual needs.

Vida Hall in Starbeck was the first of Vida’s care homes.

Bernadette Mossman, healthcare director at Vida Healthcare, added:

“It’s very close to our hearts to be able to help support Dementia Forward.

“We have the exact same approach and attitudes towards someone living with dementia – we look at the person first.

“People living with dementia can experience such significant loneliness and their families also need someone to hold their hand during their journey to know they’re not alone.

“What Dementia Forward does so well is support people to live well in the community and they do it absolutely beautifully.”

Both Vida Healthcare and Dementia Forward work tirelessly to improve the lives of those living with this progressive condition and support those watching their loved one slip away.

Vida Hall.

Bernadette added:

“Dementia Forward allows that person to stay with their family, be involved in the community and, when or if the time comes that they need additional support, they help them begin that journey too – Vida also plays a part in that.

“Some may need to come here for a period of respite – maybe longer — but want to be there to reach out to that person and say ‘come and see us’ so we can be a part of the decision-making process.

“If we can help in any way to make that journey as easy as possible, then it is our honour to be a part of it.”

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and tired and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, a family member or a friend may be in need of Dementia Forward or Vida Healthcare’s help too.

Let’s not forget those who need our help this Christmas.

Marina Godwin has spoke of heartbreak and anguish for her family in Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin, who has lived in England for eight years, works as a care team leader at Vida Grange care home in Pannal.

The 38-year-old said she is “frightened” for her parents, sister, brother-in-law and extended family in the country.

Most of her family live near the town of Myrhorod in the Poltava region in central Ukraine. Myrhorod is home to a military base and has been heavily bombed.

Mrs Godwin said her family are safe but their proximity to the areas being bombed is a huge concern. She said:

“I’m incredibly terrified for my family. They just don’t know what to do. my sister said they can’t eat, of course when you’re worried and anxious of course you can’t eat.

“They have tried to get to my grandma nearby but can’t, there are just no forms of transport.”

Marina Godwin

Her sister lives further north in Kharkiv which borders with Russia. Mrs Godwin said her and her husband are sleeping on the floor in fear of missiles getting through the windows of their home.

Mrs Godwin said a shortage of fuel, cash and transport means many people are struggling to escape to safety. She’s heard from friends that there are hundreds of people attempting to find refuge in Western Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin and her husband Brian used to live in Harrogate and now live in North Leeds.

The 38-year-old has called on western leaders to act,. She appealed for them to help her home country:

“It’s difficult to imagine this can happen in the 21st century in the middle of Europe.

“I know the UK, US and many European countries have put sanctions in place. I think it would be good to supply Ukraine with better weapons, maybe European countries could help to fight but at the same time i understand it’s a dangerous situation globally and could trigger a global war.”

Mrs Godwin is also studying to be a mental health nurse at Leeds Beckett University, she said she feels “helpless” that all she can offer is support over the phone.

She hasn’t been home since July 2019 due to the pandemic, but is hopeful to be able to visit her family this year.

Read more:

• Ripon man with family in Ukraine speaks of ‘deeply troubling’ times
• Knaresborough woman who refused to wear face mask unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules

The invasion has worsened overnight with Russian forces now occupying Chernobyl and continuing to perform missile strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine.

When watching President Putin’s interviews on TV, Mrs Godwin said:

“Why would someone want to find a ridiculous excuse to invade a neighbour country? I know there are reasons but it doesn’t justify a war.

“There should not be any single person killed, the war should not be happening, In my opinion there is always room for negotiation.”

She has also called on Western leaders to aid those trying to escape to safety in nearby countries by making immigration rules simpler.

Despite her desperate concern for her family, Mrs Godwin is also hopeful for the future:

“Life will go on, it will definitely go on.”

Pupils from a Harrogate infant and junior school have written letters to people in care homes to help combat loneliness.

Saltergate Schools partnered with Vida Healthcare to send the letters to care workers and residents in its two Harrogate homes.

Its initiative was a part of Loneliness Awareness Week, which began on Monday and aims to tackle the stigma around loneliness by getting people to talk about their feelings.

The care homes, Vida Grange in Pannal and Vida Hall in Starbeck, were also decorated with butterflies crafted by the students.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, which specialises in caring for those with dementia, said:

“We are so pleased to have had the support this year from Saltergate Schools to make our staff and residents feel extra special. The butterflies look fantastic and our residents and staff have all been really touched by the handwritten letters.”

Studies have shown that people in care homes are twice as likely to feel lonely as those in the wider community.

Linda Mortimer, headteacher at Saltergate Schools, said:

“Loneliness Awareness Week was the perfect opportunity for us to give back to our local community and educate our children about loneliness.”

“Accepting that we all feel lonely sometimes is an important lesson and learning what we can do to help others and ourselves manage feelings of loneliness is critical.”

The Marmalade Trust hosts the annual Loneliness Awareness Week, which more than 20,000 charities got involved with last year.

Visit its website for information and support.

Care homes in the Harrogate district have installed visiting pods so residents can meet relatives safely.

Vida Healthcare has opened three ‘together again’ pods to enable visits to continue over winter. One is at Vida Hall in Starbeck and two are at Vida Grange in Pannal.

Current guidance allows for one designated visitor per pod. But if one relative cannot attend another person can visit instead using the pod.

Read more:

• Harrogate care home adopts door tech to save lives
• Care home visits to continue through lockdown

The pod enables Anne Thompson to see her husband, who has been at Vida Hall since 2015. She said:

“The staff at Vida have been wonderful in allowing us to keep up with the daily lives of our loved ones, however it’s been stressful not being able to visit in person.

“Seeing our loved ones is really important to us and it’s comforting to know that you’ve set up these pods to give us safe opportunities to come and visit.”

One of the pods at Vida Grange.

Bernadette Mossman, the healthcare director at Vida Healthcare, said:

“Visiting relatives in care homes is a fundamental need for families and residents. The pandemic has reduced our ability to be able to facilitate this much needed interaction.

“Our brand new ‘together again’ visiting pods are one example of innovations we’re implementing to ensure our residents can safely connect with their loved ones.”

Guidance on care home visits

Care home visits will continue in North Yorkshire despite the country entering a second national lockdown.

The county council restricted visits during October but advised homes they could relax the rules in November to allow one designated visitor for each resident.

Officials have said the measure will continue through lockdown, but homes that report an outbreak will have to restrict visits.

A care home in Harrogate has adopted new technology in the fight to save lives from coronavirus this winter.

Vida Grange, which is a specialist dementia home in Pannal, has installed alcohol gel-secreting door pads to limit the spread of coronavirus among staff and residents.

The pads are designed to kill germs on doors, which can help to protect people from coronavirus. They could be particularly useful in care homes, where many residents struggle to remember the importance of hand hygiene.

Yorkshire company Surfaceskins, which created the pads last year, has seen a global spike in interest in the pads. But this is the first home in the Harrogate district to introduce them.

Adam Walker, Surfaceskins inventor, with James Rycroft, the managing director of Vida Healthcare, at Vida Grange in Pannal today. They are seen holding the pads.

At an event today at Vida Grange to mark the deal, James Rycroft, the managing director of Vida Healthcare, which owns Vida Grange, described the pads as a “welcome addition to our armoury”, He added:

“Sometimes people forget to use the alcohol gel but you can’t escape the Surfaceskins.

“The coronavirus pandemic took the world by surprise so we are trying to do all we can to protect our residents and staff.”

Read more:

• Care home visits in district may be allowed after October
• Harrogate hospital prepares for winter with 100 coronavirus beds

Mr Rycroft said new technologies and strict procedures were helping to protect residents.

Some staff at the care home have tested positive for coronavirus in recent weeks but, so far, none have passed the virus on.

Adam Walker, one of the inventors of Surfaceskins and a Harrogate resident, said:

“This product does not clean your hands but it is designed to keep itself sterile. We still need people to use gel dispensers and wash their hands. However, if you do that and use a dirty door you could still infect yourself. The Surfaceskin helps clean hands stay clean. It is a vital missing link.”

Mr Walker added the product was not a knee-jerk reaction to coronavirus. He said he came up with the idea about 10 years ago.

Residents in two specialist dementia care homes in Harrogate have seen improvements in their health and wellbeing thanks to a new programme of stretching classes.

The initiative was launched by Vida Healthcare in its two Harrogate homes, Vida Hall and Vida Grange, and has proven successful since it began in June.

Research shows that staying active and incorporating movement into daily routines can significantly improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia. Charlotte Gibbs, wellbeing lead at Vida Hall, has seen the positive impact the classes have had on those involved. She said:

“Residents are keen to take part and they remember the time of the stretching classes and are able to memorise and maintain basic stretching routines. This is a significant milestone for many of our residents, especially those living in the later stages of dementia.”

Emma is currently a tutor in acting and movement at the Drama Studio London.

Read more: 

• Knaresborough yoga charity set to reopen thanks to desperate fundraiser
• Devastation for family run gym owners 

One resident who broke their shoulder three years ago has also increased their range of movement since taking part in the classes.

The classes are taught virtually by ex-West End star Emma Flett, who has appeared in shows including West Side Story and Goodnight Mr Tom. She said:

“Residents really enjoy the sessions and I can see improvements each week. This time gives both staff and residents the opportunity to do something different and strengthen their bond, which has been especially important during lockdown when loved ones haven’t been able to visit.”