Prince George Duke of Kent Court celebrates Dementia Accreditation Award

Above: (From left to right) Carer Hayley Bethel, Home Manager Nina Stephens with The Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Dr David Barrington Jefferys and his wife Ann-Marie, and student carer Poppy Rainsbury officially opens ‘Evergreen’ Dementia House at Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst.

Staff at Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst, Kent, has recently received an EMBRACE Dementia Accreditation for outstanding support, care and attention dedicated to residents living with dementia and their loved ones.

Prince George Duke of Kent Court is the second Home to receive the dementia accreditation, with Zetland Court in Bournemouth as the first Home to receive it last year; and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Court, in Berkshire as the third Home to receive it recently.

Nina Stephens, Prince George Duke of Kent Court’s Home Manager, says:

We are delighted to be awarded with the dementia accreditation. We wouldn’t have obtained this accreditation without the continuous support from our team of staff. They run our dementia house with absolute dedication, making sure that our residents have meaningful experiences at every stage of life.

The accreditation was revealed by The Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Dr David Barrington Jeff­erys, in an official ceremony. He says:

Securing Dementia accreditation for the Home is a great achievement and it was most impressive to see what this means to both the staff and to the residents.

He added:

It was a privilege to talk with the residents and to hear from the wonderful staff their initiatives and plans to further improve the care they are offering. Also, how they are driving care forward and sharing innovations with other care homes and providers in Bromley and beyond. This visit was yet another example of how Bromley is leading in the development of care for the elderly and especially those living alongside dementia.

The Mayor of Bromley, Councillor Dr David Barrington Jefferys greets residents Pauline and Rob at Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst.

The Dementia Accreditation has been created by Anne Child, RMBI Care Co.’s Pharmacy and Dementia Specialist Lead. Anne has received an MBE for her services to dementia and is a special advisor to the Care Quality Commission. Together with Lucy Tupenny, RMBI Care Co.’s Assistant Director of Quality and Governance, they aim to raise and maintain high standards of dementia care using a suite of dementia modules to support care staff. Some of the modules have also been externally accredited by the CPD Certification Service.

Anne mentions:

The accreditation process has been a great opportunity for us to evaluate what we do to support our residents who are living with dementia. We have found our residents have found a new lease of life during this culture and environment change and we have created strong emotional connections with them.

In 2022, Prince George Duke of Kent Court invested £250,000 to enhance the environment for people living with dementia. The area has an open lounge and a dining room, creating a central point for residents to go to for socialising, relaxing or to enjoy different activities.

Other spaces that have been created include a country kitchen, sensory zone, technology zone and an ‘outside inside’ area. The ‘outside inside’ area is designed to bring the ‘outdoors indoors’, from the wall décor to the furniture and the friendly pets.

Resident Sheila enjoying the sensory light equipment in the dementia house at RMBI Care Co. Home Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst.

To keep enhancing their services, the staff at the Home organise social gatherings and activities for people living with dementia, families and friends in the local area. One example is an intergenerational partnership with a local parents and toddlers group where they come and visit the residents. This helps to increase wellbeing and reduce loneliness and depression.

Resident Jean at RMBI Home Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst is delighted to meet and hold baby Polly.

Another intergenerational partnership is with a group of talented dance students from the local community. The dance students visit the Home to give a variety of dance performances including Bollywood, tap, modern and Spanish flamenco. The residents are always happy to join in and learn the dances moves, which helps to stimulate social interaction, along with enhancing their mood.

[Summary: Staff at Prince George Duke of Kent Court, in Chislehurst, Kent, has recently received an EMBRACE Dementia Accreditation.]