I have been asked on a number of occasions what is the meaning/story behind Living 4 Moments? The name was picked carefully after getting ideas from friends and family. When I originally set up the company it was designed to support care and health professionals in listening and enabling their clients/patients to have special moments. This remit has widened to increase accessibility in all settings. I explain why below.
The Name ‘Living 4 Moments’
The reason why I started Living 4 Moments was because I experienced two different Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors, who said something very similar and positive to me. Their comments had a long lasting impact and made me realise I needed to follow this up to share my skills of creating those magical moments for individuals living with dementia, disabilities, frailty with age or any other health conditions. Living 4 Moments’ name came from the desire to create the special moments that make living worthwhile.
Making Connections
I loved making connections with individuals, especially ones where staff labelled people as “difficult” or “challenging”. These labels can be extremely harmful. I felt strongly that many were just communicating their frustration at being overlooked and/or their boredom. My personal experiences with a severe/profound hearing loss, where I have often been overlooked, have enabled me to understand and be patient with different individuals who want their voices heard and wishes met.
Moments to Live For
I create “special moments” with individuals by supporting managers and staff to listen and observe their residents and families in order to find those meaningful connections. Including families is essential because they will know a lot of background that staff won’t know.
One of my most memorable experiences was with a nonverbal person living with dementia whom the staff called “challenging”. I listened and observed the individual, staff and family interactions and took notice of any information that they shared. I observed and noticed pictures and books in the room which I then followed up by further questions. With these clues, I learned that she used to race cars. This led me to make a suggestion to the family. I asked them to bring her an Xbox/Wii with a racing game. When they did this the moment was magical. Her posture and demeanor changed instantly. She loved playing and interacting with her family in this way. This is the meaning of Living 4 Moments and is just one example from many of how we can connect even to those who may struggle with their communication.
Change of Direction
The start of Living 4 Moments as a business happened to coincide with the start of the pandemic. Therefore, I was not able to do as much work as planned with care homes because they started closing their doors. In order to survive, the business created a new arm, which enabled me to deliver quality training, which had the effect of changing professional practices.
The business objective of creating special moments is still being met, but in a different way. I found I loved training and the impact it has on delegates who can then make changes in their workplaces. ‘Empowering Choices’ was one of my first courses, which influenced carers and managers who participated to avoid being patronising and risk averse, enabling clients to make choices that mattered to them including ones with risks. This course is still much needed because of the growth of risk aversion in health and social care over the last few years.
My facilitation skills have been rated “outstanding” by delegates. Since February I have been accredited for quality through the Train the Trainer course by Taye Training. I am also in the process of getting our courses endorsed by Skills for Care. I facilitate on behalf of other providers on topics such as Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Mental Capacity Act, and Sensory Loss.
Our Courses
Through Living 4 Moments, I provide a range of courses based on my personal and professional experiences and expertise. These courses include:
- Dementia Awareness (for professionals and family members),
- Mental Capacity Act ( Basic and Advanced),
- Sensory Loss,
- Deaf Awareness,
- and our newest course Learning Disability and Hearing Loss.
This new course Learning Disability and Hearing Loss was researched and created together with a learning disability champion, Nicola Simpson of Montgomery Simpson Care, who attended my Deaf Awareness training course. She made me aware of some facts which we then explored together. The course is aimed at both families and professionals.
Living 4 Moments has several strands – Consultancy, Coaching, Training and Speaking. Get in touch to find out more.
Leave a Reply