One place with the true meaning of person centred care-todays Friday inspiration...

I have lots to blog about this week but I want to do a little Friday inspiration...who knows it might become a regular spot!
This morning I visited Leuchie House in East Lothian. It offers respite care to younger adults with need of complex care and support and also re-ablement to empower the guests in thier lives as best they can going forward.Its certainly meeting a need but more than that its doing it with care and compassion. They trained their nurses in CBAS and one of the trainers of this model wrote this poem after a recent visit.

In One Place
In one evening I understood as much about care and compassion as I had learned in 40 years as a qualified  nurse.
In one place I saw the true courage of leadership facing huge challenges because the thing was worth doing.
In one personal choice I saw a human being self-actualise-he chose this time to go to be rather than be there at 6pm because  that was when hard-pressed social services would normally do this at home.
In one breath I saw a woman cross a threshold and become a whole person, valued, respected and dignified and not a disease in a wheelchair. 
In one question asked, I saw empowerment grow: " would you like broccoli as well as chicken on your next forkful?"
In one place a pressure sore ( brought from home) healed in 10 days and everyone celebrated. 
In one smile I saw real joy as a glass of wine was sipped through a straw.
In one place I saw how human beings ( who happen to have longterm conditions) could and should be treated, cared for and cared about.
In one place I was humbled and awestruck by the teamwork, commitment and dedication of staff and volunteers.
In one place I saw the true meaning of person centred care.
The Place is Leuchie House.
Janina Sweetenham,CBAS Trainer.

I too saw that care, compassion, commitment and innovation too in its approach. Its a charity and although the guests pay to stay that in no way covers the cost to provide care and support of this standard.They are constantly seeking funding like to many third sector organisations I meet on  daily basis. They are often the testers of the new, the innovators, the risk takers, the ones who eventually make the shift that happens...our challenge is to ensure funding streams empower those people to go on and use their success to inspire and help others do the same and not spend all their energies in finding the next £1. Are you listening and watching and most importantly- supporting them-all the public services out there? If you truly want to see change you really cant afford not to......

Reasons to be cheerful:
In spite of a week of bad asthma sustained with steroids and awful antibiotics( they are so large I had to check on the box for which end to put it it;-() ,I have been truly inspired. I will share the rest of my week with you soon. But right now I just need to put my feet up!