The Comet
Sue Ryder Care Special Beds Appeal
People living with a degenerative neurological condition which affects their physical wellbeing will, over a period of time, require support with daily living.
Making a difference to the quality of life of a person who experiences such problems - having a comfortable bed to sleep in and a chair with specialist adaptations that will improve comfort and mobility during the day and enable them to move about and socialise - are the reasons for this appeal.
The new high tech beds need to be equipped with special electronic air flow mattresses (a range of products are used to suit individual needs). Pressure-relieving mattresses assist with maintaining skin integrity, helping with circulation and preventing problems that can occur when people are not able to move about independently. The beds also allow the person to choose their most comfortable position with touch controls that will raise and lower the bed head and foot, alter the height of the bed and tilt the bed to assure the optimal comfort position.
To minimise discomfort and to ensure residents at Stagenhoe can be moved safely by their carers, additional moving and handling aids such as glide sheets and swivel boards are needed. These aids assist greatly when helping a resident change position.
Imagine that you cannot wriggle your way out of an uncomfortable position in bed and somehow the sheets have managed to tangle themselves all around you - these additional aids assist with in situ moving, supporting both resident and carer safely.
Many residents require special seating to ensure maximum comfort and appropriate positioning to reduce complications of limited mobility when out of bed. The home works with a physiotherapist and other specialists to ensure the best possible range of care chairs for use during the day. These chairs usually need to be custom-made with moulded seating and support to accommodate the particular physical needs of individuals. These specialist chairs can be wheeled safely around the centre enabling residents to participate in recreational therapies and social activities should they choose.
So what does all this cost the charity?
To equip a bed costs something in the range of £1,500 to £2,000 and a care chair in the range of £1,900 to £2,500. In addition there are on-going maintenance costs of all the equipment.
Thanks to Comet readers, Sue Ryder Care have already installed eight new beds. The Comet's continuing support will allow the home to provide care chairs and re-equip the remainder of residents' rooms - so only another 40 beds to go!
Save Our Services Campaign
In 2007 Barbara Follett MP & Stevenage Borough Council teamed up with ‘The Comet' to launch the ‘Save Our Services' Campaign to ask the government and the health authorities to consolidate specialist and trauma services at Stevenage's Lister Hospital.
On October 1st, 2007 the public consultation into the centralisation of acute and emergency services at either Lister or the QEII ended, with more than 25,000 signatures petitioning in support of the Stevenage site.
Stevenage MP Barbara Follett presented 13,105 signatures to the East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), and MP for Hertfordshire North East Oliver Heald handed over more than 500 signatures which, added to The Comet's 12,092, took the total in support of Lister to 25,697.
Mr Heald said: "There has been a fantastic level of support for The Comet petition and I congratulate our local newspaper on all they have done to raise awareness of this vital consultation."
