We are excited to share the success of a recent collaboration with Health and Social Care students from Kingston College.
Home Manager of Deer Park View Michael Smith explained, “Last month, two different groups came to visit for the first time, as part of the support network we are trying to build. Monica Serrano, our Wellbeing Coordinator, has seen the benefits of these visits in the previous home she worked at. So, she reached out to local institutions to bring them to Deer Park View. We took the time to ensure all the students met with our residents and the benefits were clear to see!”
Monica was keen to tell us about the visits, “Two groups of students came on separate days to spend the morning with us. They got to see first-hand the interaction between my colleagues and the residents and how they spend quality time together. The students then spent time in pairs visiting our residents. This gave them a real taste of everyday life in this industry. Many of them were energised and grateful to see what our work is like. It was rewarding for the team here to participate in their learning journey too, and provide hands on experiences away from the classroom. “
Janaya Spiteri, Health and Social Care Lecturer at Kingston College highlighted why the field visits are so important; “As an educator, I’ve taken two different Health and Social Care groups for a trip as part of their industry work experience and both groups have mentioned they enjoyed visiting. Some are now interested in further developing their knowledge, skills and experience at this care home – in both voluntary and paid roles. Both groups also mentioned that it feels more welcoming and homely than previous care homes we’ve visited. Students commented on the fact that regardless of the job role everyone says hello and checks in – from cleaners to managers and all in between. The students are already asking me about more visits to see their ‘granfriends’ that they made there!”
The second group’s visit coincided with some local nursery children that had also come to visit, which we’ve not seen on our other visits, and it truly showed them the importance of intergenerational connections. It also helped them put theory into practice which is essential for real-life application of the curriculum. They’re now able to further understand human lifespan and development – the topic of future exams and meeting individuals’ needs and support and care- which will support their coursework.
Janaya said, “On behalf of the students, we would love to thank you so much to all the welcoming staff, Monica (Wellbeing coordinator) and Jackie (Receptionist) for making us welcome. For future students, I hope we can collaborate and keep connections moving forward – we will keep in touch, most definitely.”
We are looking forward to continued engagement with our local student and community, and supporting the next generation of care professionals.
Deer Park View Care Home provides residential, nursing and dementia care on a permanent and short stay basis. If you are looking for a care home and want to find out more about our home call us on freephone 0808 223 5422.
