Health & Welfare

Mrs Allan is the designated Manager for the purpose of registration with the Care Commission.

The Centre is inspected annually by inspecting officers from the Care Commission. Aspects of the inspection include the way the Centre is run and the records that are kept, also the quality of buildings, decoration and furnishings, what facilities are on offer and the standard of care provided. This includes staffing levels and staff training, and the way you are treated by staff.

The Laurandy Centre was officially opened on 30^th August 1996 by Anderson Murray, MBE, JP, who along with other committee members was the driving force behind the development.

Funding for the running costs of the project comes from the Council and NHS.

PURPOSE AND AIMS OF DAY CARE
Day care services are offered to elderly people in the community in order to benefit themselves and their carers. We aim to provide a friendly flexible service to help enable people to live in their own homes wherever feasible and possible. Day care provided by The Braehead Charity Committee will also offer support and assistance with any enquiries about care issues through advice and inter-agency co-operation.

AIMS
To try and enable the individual to:

• Live a full life in the community with equal opportunity for privacy and dignity
• To help maintain self esteem and dignity and have respect for both
• To respond to the individual needs and wishes of the person attending
• Be in charge of their own lives and make their own decisions including decisions to take risks
• Have their cultural, ethnic, religious, sexual and emotional needs recognised and respected
• Be fully informed of the purpose of an assessment
• Have clear information about what is available and how things happen
• See what information is written about them and have this explained to them in a form of language they can understand
• Have a person to speak or act on their behalf if necessary
• Enjoy confidentiality in all their dealings with community care services
• Comment, challenge or complain about services or service delivery
  
  OBJECTIVES

• To give people the opportunity to learn/gain new experiences
• To promote their physical well being
• To encourage people to maintain their intellectual capacity and interest in the world around them, and to rediscover past skills and interests
• To offer people contact with others of different ages and backgrounds, providing stimulation and enabling the exchange of life experience and knowledge
• To help people with problems they may encounter by offering information and advice
• To provide regular relief for carers and to take account of their views and needs.
   

PRINCIPLES OF CARE
The Braehead Committee guarantee that all staff have a knowledge and understanding of the values required to provide a high standard of care at the Laurandy Centre.

The staff, under the supervision of the manager, will ensure that care practice will consider the privacy, dignity, independence, rights, choice and fulfilment of the people who attend.

LOCATION
The Centre is located at the Airport Industrial Estate in Wick, close to the Airport. This is a peaceful and private area.

HISTORY
The building was originally erected in 1938 and was of a Canadian pine hut construction. It was used in wartime as an educational base for air crew. Over the years it has had various purposes including a leather factory.

STATEMENT OF RIGHTS
It is your right as an individual to be informed about all aspects of being an attender at the Laurandy Centre. It is hoped that you find this information useful.

• To be sheltered, cared for and spoken to in a manner befitting your status as an adult, without the threat of any kind of abuse by staff or other persons.
• To be involved wherever possible, in decisions affecting your life.
• To manage your own financial affairs. Where support is requested, a receipt of all financial transactions you have authorised will be signed by yourself and staff.
• To exercise the full civic and legal rights of a citizen, including access to voting opportunities, and to be kept informed of and involved in issues that affect you.
• To have unhindered access to a mechanism to express personal feelings, criticisms and grievances, that will exclude access by the Manager if desired, without fear of reprisal or discrimination.
• To refuse medical treatment and medication and to be informed of the medical consequences of such a refusal.
• To receive assistance towards independence and self care at the maximum level possible in comfort and dignity.
• To receive all necessary assistance to be able to participate in and have access to all activities that the Centre has to offer including your own hobbies or activities of your choice.
• To form relationships.
• To know that your personal records are kept in confidence and are available only to those for whom the information is essential.
• To have access to personal records within current national regulations.
• To write, or have written, any letter without interception or interference by any member of staff.
• To enjoy privacy in counselling, treatment or care for personal needs, and to be provided with space for private communication with your family, friends, lawyer, clergymen, government representative or any other person. Persons not directly concerned in your care and treatment must have your permission to be present.
• To have adequate and nutritious meals appropriate to your needs and requests.
• To expect all staff, on being appointed, and thereafter through in service training, to have up to date knowledge about the process of ageing, and disabilities often associated with ageing.

As an attender at the Centre you will be a member of a small community. As such you will have obligations of conduct towards your fellow attenders and members of staff.

The above rights should not be regarded as in any way over-riding these obligations.

MORE ABOUT THE CENTRE AND WHAT WE DO
The Centre is for the use of elderly people in the community who require support during the day.

The Centre is registered to accommodate 30 people daily.

The entrance to the building is very accessible by means of a ramp. Within the building there are two lounges and a spacious dining room. They are tastefully decorated and carpeted. The lounges are finished to the highest standards.

To enable easy access to toilets, we have six toilets throughout the building. Two are spaciously designed to assist access for any person who may have a disability. All toilets are fitted with grab rails. Two of the toilet areas are fitted with showers where assistance may be offered to any attender who may require support with their personal hygiene needs.

People attending can arrive as early as 9.30 am and leave for home at 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday. However we do offer individual alternative arrival and departure times. The minibus is available with an escort on board to pick people up each day or alternatively other arrangements can be made.

On arrival tea and toast is available in the dining rooms. A choice of lunch menu is available each day and special dietary needs can be catered for. The cost of lunch is £3.25 which includes morning tea, as well as afternoon tea for the people who choose to remain. The food is cooked by Pulteney House kitchen staff and is of an excellent standard. There is a comments slip available for any information required to be relayed back to the kitchen. The cooks’ appreciate knowing if the menu is successful and will accommodate to suit personal requests.

Throughout the day a choice of activities will be on offer. There is the opportunity for privacy as well as a chat with the other attenders. Each person can choose how to spend their day. Although the building is a no smoking area, there is a designated small lounge where attenders can have a smoke if they wish.

Individual choice is always a priority. This can be difficult for staff assisting people in group activities. The staff will at all times attempt to meet individual support needs which will have been identified in an individual care plan. This plan will provide important information for staff which will be confidential. Each attender will be given a questionnaire which will assist the staff to incorporate personal requests and wishes into the plan. The care plan will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

Interested parties should contact Social Work Services – tel 01955 605040. A person is then allocated to visit to assess if our service at the centre would be a suitable support service for that person’s individual needs. This may or may not be the case. The person visiting may be a social worker or Mrs Allan, the Centre Manager. During this visit details in the form of documentation will be taken and kept in confidence. A prior visit to the Centre can be arranged with family, if required.

The staff at the Centre are all experienced carers. To compliment the staff group there are several dedicated volunteers who visit each week and assist us with their particular talents and skills. We regard this help as an invaluable support pool.

If you wish to give a donation to assist with the continued running of the Laurandy Centre or help in some way, please get in touch with Mrs Margaret Allan at the Laurandy Centre, telephone 01955606567. E.mail margaret.allan12@tiscali.co.uk

Leaving a Legacy to the Laurandy Day Care Centre

Latest News
Summer Fayre on Sunday 27th August 2006 raised almost £1100 despite the very wet weather.  the brass band and majorettes performed indoors.