The Western Health and Social Care Trust social work team setup a group for both patients with memory impairment and their carers. Their role was to be a support network in reducing social isolation, provide support and building rapport with patients.
A Dementia Social Café was set up. Staff worked in partnership with a community café run by adults with learning disabilities.
This shows how a small group of people can plant a seed for something to grow in the community. During one of the weekly reminiscence sessions, the theme of summer holidays and train trips came up in conversation. One patient discussed the possibility of changing one of the weekly café sessions to taking a train trip to some of the places they previously enjoyed visiting. It was discussed within the group as a collective and all agreed this would be something they would like to explore.
The combination of group leadership and the focus of transforming this idea into action, created a partnership where the principles of participation, empowerment and collective decision making assisted equality of opportunity. Through discussions, it was agreed to offer the next event to other members of the community.
Community leadership was evident in the planning and organising stages. The use of networking and enhancing partnerships were vital aspects in enabling access to resources, funding and awareness of local systems currently in place. In networking, this identified existing partnerships and developed partnerships with the local council in conjunction with their positive ageing month. Translink got involved, as part of their smart pass initiative in aiding the concept of sustainability.
The co-design approach lent itself to the process of creativity. The use of co-production as a model enabled promoted social justice, where focus on the individuals and carers’ human rights to enjoy a good quality of life. By promoting equality by providing space where their voices were heard and their views and opinions contributed to decision making. Empowerment was evident through their active participation in developing the group.
The overall feedback and evaluations from patients was to continue running this initiative regularly. The feedback from community partners was positive and not only recognised locally but also regionally by the Department for Infrastructure, BBC Sunday Morning live, local News, local newspapers and radio as a successful initiative. In evaluating this event, it has had a high impact and low cost. It highlights the creativity and innovative ways in tackling social and health inequalities.
In measuring outcomes, in reducing social isolation and loneliness; reflecting on a positive story of one patient. She was experiencing social isolation and loneliness as an impact of Covid-19 and recently was bereaved on the passing of her husband.
Initially she was reluctant to leave her home, but through engagement with the Social Work team, she slowly built a rapport and trust over a number of weeks. She was invited to attend the Chat-Tea event. This resulted in her making new connections and friendships with the group who now have exchanged numbers and who meet on a weekly basis.
This is just one story on the positive impact of the Chat-Tea Train, from conversations with other attendees has also expressed the positive outcomes of attending the Chat Tea Train and how it has had a positive impact on individuals and encouraged individuals to attend other community opportunities in the local area.
This initiative was a process of empowering individuals in working collaboratively in addressing the health needs of the wider community.
This group have planned to continue with this successful event and to run every quarter. Our numbers continue to grow for these events with 110 +attending our last open event in April 2024.
