Namaste Care Program

Because caring for our residents comes first...
Because we want to connect with our residents…
Because we want to make daily routine not just routine but a pleasant and calming experience…
Because we would like to help our residents manage pain or sensory loss…
Because as staff, we would like to enjoy what we do and have a feeling of job satisfaction…
Because this job can be difficult at times and we would like to explore ways how to connect with our residents and feel confident and needed…
Because we want families to have the opportunity to build a bond with their loved ones at their good days and not so good days…
Because we aim for both living and dying stage to be equally dignified…

What is Namaste Care Program?

Most people with advanced dementia in the UK live and die in care homes. In the later stages of dementia, people are profoundly physically and cognitively disabled; they are generally unable to engage in conventional activities and become marginalised.

The Namaste Care programme is a seven days a week care programme integrating compassionate nursing care with individualised, meaningful activities for people with advanced dementia at the end of their lives. Namaste Care seeks to engage people with advanced dementia through sensory input, especially touch, and to enrich their quality of life.

Ashton House is the first nursing home in West Sussex to have rolled out the Namaste Care program for for residents with advanced dementia.

The Study

Five care homes looking after people with dementia collaborated in an action research study. Care home staff received an introduction to Namaste Care which included role modelling. The Namaste Care programme was then implemented by each care home.

Quantitative and qualitative data were collected before, during and after the programme from residents, care staff, managers and relatives.

Results and Finding

Benefits for Residents:
Residents

Experienced overall reduction in the severity of neuro-psychiatric symptoms
Enjoyed different elements of the care programme, massage, music, food treats etc.
Were more alert, some were less agitated
Engaged more actively with others
Experienced a calm, relaxing approach to care

Benefits for care staff:
Care staff found that the Namaste Care programme

Was enjoyable and rewarding
Helped them connect and communicate with residents
Encouraged them to be creative and learn new skills
Fostered easier, closer relationships with relatives
Increased confidence and self-esteem

Benefits for relatives:
Families and friends

Perceived benefits for their relatives and welcomed Namaste
Experienced closer connection and communication with their family member
Expressed appreciation of the skill and commitment of care staff
Felt the atmosphere in the care homes became calmer and more homely
Some felt Namaste Care has a positive impact on their own quality of life.

Conclusion

Where there was strong leadership and good nursing and medical care, the Namaste Care programme improved the quality of life of residents with advanced dementia. The Namaste Care programme supported care homes to give more compassionate and dignified care to older people with advanced dementia at the end of life, and has potential to transform care throughout the sector.

Meeting the creator Joyce Simard

Our manager Bincy Mathew had the pleasure to meet the creator of Namaste care, Joyce Simard at the Celebration of Namaste Care event at University of Worcester Arena. Namaste Care is a multi-component daily intervention designed to improve the care experiences of people living with advanced dementia. Namaste Care seeks to engage people with advanced dementia through sensory input, especially touch, and to enrich their quality of life. A 3 years research program has been done and today we discussed the evaluation, the benefits and implementation of Namaste Care in UK care homes. The End-of-Life Namaste Care Program for People with Dementia is designed to give more compassionate and dignified care to older people with advanced dementia at the end of life.