Kingswood a safe haven
Kingswood Rest Homes are comfortable, compassionate and friendly homes for residents and those who provide their care.
Surrounded by beautiful gardens, Kingswood provide a caring, home-like environment where the older person can live with the dignity, honour and respect they deserve as senior members of our communities.
Kingswood provide safe havens for their residents, responding to their changing needs and continually measuring and improving the quality of their services to them.
There is support at all times by qualified staff who will provide the highest level of ongoing individualised care appropriate to the needs of each and every resident.
At Kingwood’s Matamata and Morrinsville Rest Homes, specialised care for people diagnosed with dementia is offered.
In Morrinsville, Kingswood also offer Rest Home Care and Assisted Living Facilities. Both rest homes also offer day and respite care.
Kingswood’s qualified nursing and caregiving staff are caring and experienced and undertake regular training and education.
Kingswood staff members believe in encouraging stimulating contact with people of all ages and the opportunity to be involved in therapeutic and challenging activities within the home and/or community.
Through the ‘‘Spark of Life’’ Philosophy, Kingswood will re-ignite the human spirit, boost selfesteem and bring joy to the lives of residents, ensuring that the Kingswood Rest Homes are a place where the staff love working, the residents love living and their families and friends love visiting.
Next month is World Alzheimer’s Month, with events taking place worldwide under the theme of Dementia: a journey of caring.
In the Waikato, awareness week collections are from September 16 to 21, and volunteers and support workers are needed to help reduce the stigma often associated with dementia.
The disease causes progressive damage to the brain. Alzheimer organisations have observed World Alzheimer’s Day since 1994.
In Waikato, Alzheimer’s Disease International’s seven staff, two of whom are part-time, care for an average of 450 people.
They cover the entire Waikato District Health Board region, with 12 carers support groups meeting monthly and operating as far afield as Whitianga and Taumarunui.
Alzheimer’s Waikato became insolvent in 2009, but staff stayed on as volunteers and it started up again in January 2010. Core services are running well, but there are additional projects needing funding or resources to get under way. Only 14 per cent of Alzheimer’s Waikato’s expenditure comes from a district health board contract – all other funding is from grants, the annual appeal, fundraising events, or donations and bequests.
The Waikato branch has two leased vehicles, and Waikato Honda continues its long-term support by loaning the group a car, complete with a filled tank, free, for a week each month when the support coordinator is in the Coromandel.
The organisation also has volunteers who help with fundraising, and others who assist the clients. Alzheimer’s Waikato is keen to train more of these volunteers – or there is an option to be paid through the Ministry of Health carer support programme.