Another new home registered in Belfast

Great work team! Another new home registered - Cairnmartin in Ballygomartin Road, Belfast.

Good luck to Fiona Gray the home manager and Deborah Campbell the home manager at Bannview in Banbridge.

And to my team, thanks so much for your dedication, hard work and commitment over the past year. I really do appreciate and look forward to working with you on 2011.

Sharon Butler, managing director, Priory Care Homes

Angela's story - a journey from addiction to recovery

My miraculous journey from addiction to recovery and the programme at Hayes Grove Priory.


Mine is every alcoholics story……………..

I am so pleased to be given the opportunity to pass on my experience of addiction and my life today in recovery.

I feel I must start with what my life had become in respect of my alcoholism

I started drinking in my late teenage years and at that time I was drinking socially. My drinking gradually progressed over the years, and I realise now that I was drinking in a dependent way linked to life experiences that I was unable to manage.

This culminated in my chronic addictive behaviour in connection with alcohol. I became totally powerless over it. I can’t call my experience a life before I came into the Priory, I can only to refer to it as a lonely existence. As an honest person I became a dishonest shadow of myself – confused and isolated.

Before being admitted to the Priory I was not functioning at any level. I could manage to get out of bed daily but could not clean myself. I slept in my clothes, I was incontinent most of the time. I vomited every morning and had the shakes, my life was hell. My weight had plummeted, I had no appetite and felt very weak, physically and psychologically. My family were worried that I had alcoholic dementia due to my lack of memory. My daughter would cry, but I still could see nothing wrong with me. The alcohol nearly destroyed me and everything around me.

Eventually I became sick of being sick and having no power over the addiction. I asked my husband for help and remember saying “I’m sick of living in this hellhole”.

My first experience of Hayes Grove Priory was when I telephoned in May 2007. I arranged for a free assessment with an Addiction Therapist.

After the assessment I was admitted the same day for a detoxification, I felt numb, but knew, deep down that things would be alright. I felt I wanted to do something about my drinking. I do however remember some emotions, fear and apprehension. At that time my husband had also given me an ultimatum, stop drinking or the marriage is over.

The detoxification was horrendous mainly do to being so thin and weak. My family remained very concerned. The detoxification lasted around four days. Throughout my detox my experience of the medical team at Hayes Grove was how professional, kind, considerate and gentle they were. I did not feel judged. I felt very safe. In hindsight I now believe my strength both emotionally and physically started to improve at that point.
The Therapists had introduced themselves to me throughout the detox period. So after four days I felt strong enough to attempt to join the Addiction Programme. I attended all the sessions, and although foggy at times did grasp quiet early on the concept of recovery.

When I started to understand why I could not stop drinking and that I had an illness for me that was my turning point, and when I knew I would remain abstinent. The compulsion was lifted from me.

On week three of the programme I was introduced to Aftercare. I didn’t know what to expect but I trusted the Priory, and knew this would be part of my recovery for the next year or so. I was afraid of leaving the Priory cocoon, but now I knew I could still be connected to the Priory for another thirteen months which was invaluable as a continued support network.

After completing Aftercare I trained to become a Peer Supporter. I now help run the Aftercare Workshops weekly, which still gives me, in turn, support, and I now am privileged to see others grasp recovery. I find it joyous to see others get well, I understand their fears and can help to encourage them to attend weekly to maintain recovery.

The Priory encouraged me to attend the AA fellowship which adds another string to my bow of recovery.

I have remained abstinent since attending the programme, and have been well now for three and a half years.

To sum it all up – The Priory Hospital Hayes Grove Addiction Treatment Programme has saved my life, and has given me a new one.

Angela 2010.


( All the above are Angela’s own words )

Coping with workplace stress

Employees all over the country are feeling the pressure of job insecurity as the recession bites in the private sector and massive cuts are threatened at public sector organisations.

There are a number of telltale signs of workplace stress which include:

• Disrupted sleep pattern
• Becoming increasingly emotional - anger, tearfulness, anxiety or depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Becoming negative and lacking confidence
• Headaches, general aches and pains
• Loss of appetite
• Becoming overly-focused on work to the exclusion of other activities
• Forgetfulness
• A need to check and double check things
• Shutting out friends and family
• Feeling unable to cope
• Missing breaks
• Taking work home


It is quite natural to feel slightly worried or anxious if you are experiencing a particularly busy time at work or involved in an important project.

In fact, this can help people become more focused and more alert as the natural response of adrenaline kicks in.

However, it is when this escalates into acute anxiety that it can start hindering a worker’s ability to cope, have an adverse impact on their health and affect their ability to do a good job.

Job insecurity, which is rife in the current economic climate, is another trigger for work-related stress.

There are a variety of factors that can make people feel overly stressed at work:

A poor working environment
• Long hours
• How someone gets on with colleagues
• Job insecurity
• The management style of the company
• An imbalance between the requirements of the job and an employee’s capabilities
• inflexible working hours
• Too much or too little responsibility

Stress is the second biggest occupational health issue in the UK after back problems. It is estimated* that 11.4 million working days were lost in 2008/9 through stress-related illnesses.

If the warning signs of work stress are ignored, they can lead to bigger problems. This can go beyond interfering with job performance, but lead to physical and emotional health problems.”


Here's a guide to avoiding work-related stress.
• Prioritise your work-load and make sure you have a good work-life balance.
• Don’t over commit yourself. Delegate or drop things that are not absolutely necessary.
• Make sure your work environment is comfortable.
• Have regular breaks during the day – even a few minutes can help.
• Talk to someone about how you are feeling.
• Keep physically fit through regular exercise and healthy eating.
• Be aware of excessive smoking or drinking alcohol as this will only make matters worse.

If you are suffering from stress at work you should not suffer in silence but seek help at an early stage. Concerns should be raised with your manager or HR department.

There are cases where it becomes advisable to seek medical help via your GP who can refer you to experts such as the Priory.

Dr Ian Drever, Priory hospital Woking

Priory sponsors important report

Last night at The House of Commons, Norman Lamb MP kindly hosted the launch of the innvoative Depression, Disability and Employment report.

For the first time a mental health charity and a disability charity have come together, supported by the private sector, to collaborate on a report to explore whether viewing depression in terms of disability had the potential to improve people's opportunities for employment and other forms of social participation.

A staggering 97% of the people who took part in the research said that depression/anxiety had a substantial effect on their day to day activites; and 79% viewed their depression as a disability.

The report makes recommendations to policy makers, commissioners, front-line health and social service providers, employers, voluntary sector organisations and people living with depression.

Visiting our new homes

I visited Cairnmartin last week and it's looking great. The gardens and landscaping are progressing really well and we're looking forward to getting the home registered and welcoming our first clients.

I emt with the community lead at Westwinds Estate, Newtownards and we're getting a lot of support there for our new home. Hopefully a lot of local people will apply for jobs. Thanks Jimmy for all your support.

Sharon Butler
MD Priory Care Homes

Congratulations to Dr Dan!!

Everyone at Priory Group is very proud of our Driector of Dementia Services, Dr Daniel Nightingale, who has been nominated for two major awards. He is on the shortlist for a lifetime achievement award at the National Dementia Care Awards. These awards recognise and reward those who have dome most to help and care for people with dementia. Dr Dan has also been nominated in the Northern Ireland ICHP Awards for Training Initiative. Well done and fingers crossed for a big win!

I'd also like to welcome Lindsey Price to our progressive team. Lindsey will be managing our Cooper House care home in Bradford.

Sharom Butler
MD Priory Care Homes

Busy time at Priory Care Homes

It is a really busy time at Priory Care Homes. Priory Group has sponsored the Northern Ireland Care Awards with IHCP and we are looking forward to a great night and I really hope some of our team win an award - they certainly deserve it!

Dan Nightingale, Peter Gathercole, Diana Milner and I attended the first conference held by SJB Associates - it was a great day in the North East and we look forward to participating and hopefully speaking at the conference again next year. Thank you Diana, Peter, and Dan for your input.

Been to Amberley House in Stoke on Trent today. The Sensory room looks really good - the team has developed a themed Halloween room which looks great - well done to everyone.

We had a lovely visit, spending time in the gardens with some clients and having tea with them. It's great just to relax for a short time!

Sharon Butler
MD Priory Care Homes

Going back to my roots for latest care homes

I am very excited about the upcoming developments in Northern Ireland. Our new home in Banbridge will open later this month. Deborah Campbell, the new manager is raring to go and looking forward to welcoming the first clients into our lovely new home.

Cairnmartin will also be opening soon on Ballygomartin Road, Belfast. Fiona Gray is our manager here. I am particularly excited about this home as I attended the local Cairnmartin Second School and nursed at Ards Hospital so I know the area and the people very well.

By the end of 2010 we hope to have 17 homes in Northern Ireland, providing around 1200 beds.

Sharon Butler
MD Priory Care Homes

Details announced on new Sheridan School in Norfolk

Sheridan School, part of Priory Education Services, has appointed a new principal to consolidate its expansion and the implementation of new services in Norfolk.

The specialist school unveiled its new purpose-built facilities in December 2009, based on the site of the former Comfort Inn in Northwold. The school relocated to this new larger facility from its former home in Southburgh.

Sheridan School now provides education and care for both boys and girls, with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and associated Iearning difficulties including autistic spectrum disorders. A lack of suitable provision, particularly for girls, of this type of service has been identified in the region.

Andy Clark, who has spent over 25 years working with challenging young people in a variety of settings, is Sheridan School’s new principal. He has experience in residential homes with education facilities, secure units, youth offending teams and local authority specialist education provision. Andy has also established and managed pupil referral units and external provision for students with complex needs as part of a support service for mainstream schools.

When not working Andy is kept busy with his chickens, three dogs and riding his unique custom-built motor cycle, a project which took him three years to complete.

Helen Sharpe, managing director of Priory Education Services said: “The new purpose-built school has allowed us to broaden our intake to offer care and education to children and young people on the autistic spectrum, who are in need of a safe and supportive environment, and also to admit girls and day pupils. These developments have been prompted by discussions with local authorities, which identified a lack of appropriate provision within the area.

“We are pleased to welcome Andy to Sheridan School at a very exciting time as we build on the success of the school in providing high quality care and education to an increasing number of students.”

Andy Clark said: “This is an important school providing much needed specialist education for the region. I am delighted to be joining Priory, which is a company with an excellent reputation in this field.

“I am looking forward to working with the team at Sheridan School, and particularly with the fantastic young people who attend the school.”

Priory links up with Coleg Gwent

Priory Education Services has formed an innovative partnership with Coleg Gwent to provide specialist educational facilities for students with Asperger’s syndrome and tackle the long-term employment issues associated with the condition.

In 2007, the National Autistic Society launched a report calling for better support and services for young people during the crucial transition stages between school, higher education, training and employment.

The ‘Don’t write me off’ campaign found that only 15% of adults with autism in England were in full-time paid employment, which could be greatly increased if the right planning, support and service is offered to people with autism during the transition stage.
NAS Head of Policy Amanda Batten said at the time: "Young people with autism can find change particularly hard to deal with, so the transition from school to adulthood can be very difficult. Many are failing to fulfil their potential due to a lack of appropriate support at this vital stage in their lives. It is imperative that there is early and effective transition planning for every young person with autism. Many have a great deal to offer and should have access to appropriate support.

"If transition fails, young people can find themselves embedded more firmly than ever in the family home, increasing stress on the family and resulting in more isolated lives. Making transition work benefits everyone.”

Research* in 2007 found that only 15% of adults with autism are in full-time paid employment, which could be greatly increased if the right planning, support and services is offered during the transition stage between education and work. Priory Education has colleges in England, which students from Wales have in the past attended. Outstanding outcomes were achieved at the Swindon centre in 2008/2009. 100 per cent of students progressed to employment, supported employment, further or higher education or independent living destinations.

A report by the National Assembly Specialist Provision for Young People with Autism in Further Education in May 2010 concluded that ‘the gap between strategy and policy for provision for young people with autism within further education, and delivery and implementation must be closed if Wales is truly to meet its objective of putting the citizen at the centre of its public services system.’ Priory Coleg Wales will provide a solution to that delivery and implementation.

Priory Coleg Wales is a co-educational college for students aged 16 to 25 designed to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of its students. The Coleg will accept its first students in September 2010.

Priory Coleg Wales is set within the grounds of Coleg Gwent, the largest further education college in Wales with 5 separate campuses. The learning centre is located on the Pontypool campus and comprises of classrooms, IT facilities, a therapy room, learning kitchen and dining room.

The learning centre is a safe area within a mainstream setting providing retreat when students feel challenged by social situations. It is also the base for the College’s in-house programme of support. Local buses and transport are used to travel between the campuses with the help of support workers where required, but with the overall aim of increasing independent travel skills for the future.

A number of therapies are also offered to students to help with their on-going personal development including art therapy, speech and language therapy and counselling.

The Priory Coleg Wales will initially create 10 jobs in the area, potentially reaching 50 plus jobs in the next couple of years.

Simon Coles, School Principal of Priory Coleg Wales said: “The philosophy of Priory Coleg Wales is based on providing as many learning opportunities within mainstream educational settings as possible to provide students with choice, equality and diversity.

“Our young people will benefit from successful partnership agreements with local colleges and have access to over 150 academic and vocational courses including A levels and GCSEs. We aim to meet individual needs through tailored programmes of education and care with additional support for literacy, numeracy and independent living skills if required.

“Work-based learning, work experience and employability skills are embedded into the study programmes to help with transition and preparation for further study or employment. The ultimate outcome is for students to be prepared for a fulfilling adulthood, to feel empowered to make choices and to optimise their independent living skills.”

Fiona Rawlings, Deputy Director of Coleg Gwent’s Pontypool Campus said: “We are delighted to be working with the Priory Group on this exciting project. It will provide a wonderful educational opportunity for these learners and we are looking forward to welcoming the first cohort in September.”

Priory set to help A Level students

Priory research is being used in 'Issues' - a study guide for A Level students. The research looked at people's knowledge of and attitude towards the recommended safe drinking guidelines. It includes advice from Dr Mark Collins on alcohol consumption.

Hopefully the advice will not only help with exams but also guide the teenagers towards healthy attitudes towards drinking.

Louisa celebrates 107th birthday

How amazing! Louisa Watts, a resident at Bentley Court care home in Wolverhampton, is celebrating her 107th birthday on 18th July.

Louisa has had a difficult year. The home she previously lived in was closed by the local Council but thankfully she is now happy and content at Bentley Court. She will be surrounded by friends and family on Sunday and I'm sure will have a wonderful day, including a greeting from The Queen.

Imagine a world without colour...

Can you imagine a world without colour? It wouldn’t just be drab
and dreary. In fact, you would be entering a world that was very
unpredictable and extremely frightening.

Additionally, colour can play a huge impact on an individual’s diet
and nutrition. To demonstrate this, let us consider the Colour
Museum in Bradford: there I saw an advertising leaflet which
showed a plate of attractive-looking food in one half, and in the other half a monochrome version of the same plate. Now the peas were grey, the broccoli almost black and the off white potatoes marked with grey patches.

Imagine what that must be like – to perceive food like that day after day?

I invited some friends to dinner after seeing this just to do a little experiment (they never complain, just as long as I don’t make them go in to my laboratory!!).

I boiled some potatoes and separated them into 4 batches, dyeing them red, orange, green and blue with food colouring and then putting them in the oven for a few minutes to toughen the outsides a little and disguise their origin (just for the record, I am not a great chef and don’t cook very often so there’s no point anybody expecting me to cook a meal at any time, ever!).

At dinner, my friends were told that the vegetables had been bought at a range of ethnic shops. The red and orange potatoes were much enjoyed, the green were not all that popular and nobody touched the blue ones.

This may seem logically irrational, but actually it makes immensely good biological sense. We have millions of years of evolutionary experience to help us spot the foods that are good to eat – the ripe red apples for example. Similarly, we are able to spot the bad stuff: the meat that is green in colour, or the potatoes with blue-black patches on the outside. Without colour, those tasks would not be possible and we would have survived less well. It is therefore hardly surprising that we have innate responses to colour, and that these are often difficult to verbalise. Nevertheless, that does not make them any less real or any less important.

In a world where orientation to time and place may be deficient, where immediate memory may be impaired and where visual acuity is likely to be present, colour psychology has a very important role to play in the lives of people living with the everyday challenges of dementia.

It is paramount that we make use of the research and resources available to us when planning the design of both interior living environments and exterior leisure areas for people living in our facilities.

The book Designing Interiors for people with Dementia is a valuable resource and can be purchased from the Dementia Services Development Centre at the University of Stirling for approximately £15. The back cover consists of a piece of yellow Perspex which, when viewed through, will give you a rough indication of what the world looks like for many older people with dementia. Couple this with something like macular degeneration or glaucoma and the experience will change your perception and challenge current belief systems and personal biases.

So, whenever you are in the process of creating specific environments for people living with dementia, consider the impact that colour has not only on their visual system, but also their personality, character and behaviour as a whole. Include colour psychology as part of our holistic approach to care.

Dr Dan Nightingale

It's time for uniforms to go!

It seems to me that the true meaning of person centred care (PCC) has been lost amongst all the beaurocratic nonsense that now dominates care of the older person.


Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that policy and procedure and the safeguards in place are not necessary. What I am saying is that local, in-house policy based on personal bias and misconceptions of the professionals must stop. Not an inquiry. Not an observation and recommendation exercise. Let’s simply just stop.

John Major once famously uttered that the UK needs to go back to basics. What I am arguing here is that we need to go back to basics. The basics of true person centred care. What better way to start than removing the barriers we really don’t need? The barriers that separate those with the power and those that are regularly disempowered by those with the power!



We all use the phrase ‘person centred.’ It has become a buzzword. It is written in documents and care plans. I am using it here. Sadly, the meaning has been diluted somewhat. We can all make it stronger by implementing it fully.


Barriers in care homes! Why do we need them? Does it make the nurses, carers and doctors feel safe? Feel protected? Are we using our own inherent coping strategies through the building of barriers? For example, I’m in uniform so I will never get dementia. That will never be me?


The uniform; this must be one of the biggest barriers ever to grace those care home corridors of power – why on earth are we so hung up about wearing a damned uniform?

Dr Dan Nightingale

Dr Dan and Shylo to raise funds for Action on Elder Abuse

Me and my trusty steed Shylo will be undertaking a two day 70 mile endurance ride across the Leicestershire/Derbyshire countryside at the end of August.

I will be accompanied by riding novice Priory Care Homes Regional Manager Elizabeth McConnell. We will take it in turns to ride Shylo, a nine-year-old Welsh Cob, for an hour at a time while the other walks alongside.

The aim is to raise at least £5,000 for Action on Elder Abuse, a charity that aims to prevent the abuse of older people by raising awareness; encouraging education; promoting research; and collecting and circulating information.

Protecting vulnerable members of society is crucial and the charity Action on Elder Abuse does sterling work to ensure that older people are treated with dignity, respect and kindness

I thought an endurance ride was an unusual way to raise money for what is a worthy cause.


Dr Dan Nightingale, the Priory Group’s Head of Dementia Services

Parental advice to help children cope with exam stress

Here's a checklist to help parents prevent their children falling victim to exam stress.

Youngsters all over the country are currently gearing up for a taxing time as they sit tests in their chosen subjects in the coming weeks.

The telltale signs of exam stress that parents should look out for in their children include:

1 Disrupted sleep pattern
2 Becoming increasingly emotional - anger, tearfulness, anxiety or depression
3 Difficulty concentrating
4 Becoming negative and lacking confidence
5 Headaches, general aches and pains
6 Loss of appetite
7 Becoming overly-focused on revision to the exclusion of other activities

Feeling a bit nervous about exams and adrenaline kicking in is a natural response which can in fact help make people more focused and more alert.

However, it is when this escalates into acute fear and anxiety that it can start hindering a child’s ability to cope, have an adverse impact on their health and affect their ability to revise.

Parents can assist by adopting a range of approaches to help their children handle the pressures of studying for exams.”


1 Help their children plan a weekly revision schedule in advance so that everything doesn't build up at the last minute. Advise them to include plenty of contingency time in case subjects take longer to revise than initially planned. It is important they avoid last minute 'cramming', as this creates particularly high levels of stress, anxiety and even panic attacks.
2 Make sure their children schedule in time for themselves. They should make specific “appointments' within their revision timetables when they leave their books and study to one side and concentrate on their well-being. They should switch off for a while by meeting with friends, doing some exercise or some other pastime or hobby they particularly enjoy.
3 Having enough sleep is one of the most vital elements of staying physically and psychologically sharp. Youngsters studying for exams should aim for regular bed times and wake-up times. Parents should be vigilant for any disruption in sleep, particularly early-morning wakening or difficulty getting off to sleep. This could be a warning sign of stress building up.
4 Encourage their children to share their thoughts. Revising for exams can be difficult for anyone. If they’re finding things tough, opening up and talking it through with family, friends, or teachers can help.
5 Spur their children on to believe in themselves. Performance coaches for top athletes have long-known that in order to achieve success, we have to believe in our own abilities. Suggest that your children imagine getting the marks they want, in the subjects they want. This includes imagining how good that feels. They should hold on to that feeling of success and accomplishment and keep it with them as they revise.
6 Get help early. If parents think their children are starting to feel that the process of exams and revision is too much to cope with and this is affecting their health, then seek help sooner rather than later. The family GP or their school/college should be able to put parents in touch with counsellors or specialist providers who can rapidly get their children back on the road to recovery.

Dr Ian Drever, Priory Woking

Do you remember when, as youngsters, we listened to proper records? They were produced on vinyl and span around on a record player. None of these rickety CD’s whose box breaks upon opening the damned thing for the first time!
Can you remember your very first record? I can – it was called Swing Low Sweet Chariot and I think it was by Dolly Parton. I can just hear the voice of the youth of today ‘Swing what? Dolly who?’
Can you remember going in to cafes and choosing a record on the Juke Box? Again, I can remember this, and I believe they still exist in some public houses (those who know me will support my claim that I never frequent such places!).
So, if I’m writing about the care and support of older members of our society, why am I harping on about records, vinyl, juke boxes and good old Dolly Parton?
The answer is quite simple. I am trying to explain why there is an obvious lack of respect, dignity and value directed to such elders. I mean, let’s think about it for a moment:
How did we make the transition from listening to music through a box we call a record player to a box we call a computer?
Well, it didn’t happen overnight, though to some of us it may well appear that way. In fact the transition was gradual, and it just happens to be that the same can be said about the way we treat the most vulnerable yet most valuable members of our society.
We can start by considering the family – values, traditions and lifestyles. I was a 60’s child and, unlike all my childhood friends and peers, I was an only one, as were my parents. So, even as an exception to the extended family, my nuclear upbringing still involved respecting my elders, my teachers, the village bobby and, of course my parents.
I think about what I did for amusement and entertainment, and it inevitably involved playing outside and mainly with a football. Television was something of a luxury and toys weren’t half as advanced as they are today. I remember having a Macano set, and not knowing what the Hell to do with it. Well, I wouldn’t would I? Even today, at the grand old age of 45, those around me get very nervous if I so much as look at a hammer or lift the bonnet of my car!
My point here is that I had to play out. The alternative was to stay inside and read a book or write a story, or poem. Things I loved, and still love, to do. I would always help the old lady across the road and remember one time being asked by someone to climb through her window so I could open her door and let her in – she had forgotten her key. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there are some youngsters out there today that would do the very same.
My point is that modern day technology is taking people away from society. In the modern age, we can survive without even leaving the house! We can shop online; we can do our banking on line; we can work from home; we can use machines to solve problems from spelling a word to working out pi – not only do we not have to think much anymore, but we don’t have to interact with other human beings much either. So, what impact does this have on caring for older people?
It appears that, not only are we a society of ‘techno reliants’ we are also much more of a nuclear family these days. I believe this is one factor that leads to the lack of respect for older people; I believe another to be the fact our younger generation have no respect for themselves, or each other. We can see this from the behaviour of many school pupils, and the lack of respect for their teachers. I am sure there are numerous other factors too, but, for the sake of this paper and its limitations, I shall focus on respect.
If the younger generation is deprived of vital socialization in mainstream community, respect for the older generation cannot possibly develop outside the family circle. Youngsters are kept indoors more than they have ever been before. Some parents fear for the safety of their young ones, others may find it easier to provide kids with a computer, play station, X box and other solitary interactive gadgets – let’s face it, we adults are overworked, over-stretched and, quite frankly, knackered at the end of a long day!
So, whatever the reasons, we are where we are. Despite campaigns by the Department of Health, Age UK, Action on Elder Abuse, the Alzheimer’s Society and many other pressure groups, attitudes towards older members of society in the UK remains unacceptable.
The challenge to society is quite simple: change those attitudes to encourage respect. By facilitating relationships between youngsters and older members of society, we can achieve just that.
A very simple and straight forward strategy is to work with schools and local colleges; to establish befriending schemes, to have a real community presence and to participate in that community. By bringing together people of all ages we can close the generation gap, encourage mutual respect, help facilitate human interaction and pull youngsters away from their goggle boxes.
Give it a go. See what happens. Hopefully, the juke box will make a dramatic reappearance!

Dr Daniel J Nightingale
Head of Dementia Services
Care Homes for Older People

Priory doctor goes for Gold at 2012

Psychiatry registrar Tamsin Lewis has put her medical career on hold to follow her dreams of becoming a triathlon contender in the London 2012 Olympic games.

She has left her post at the Priory Roehampton Hospital in London to train full-time for the Olympic selection process, which takes place later this year.

Tamsin will move into sport professionally with sponsorship from the Priory Group, which will be helping to cover some of the training costs involved.

Tamsin blogs: This has been a massive step for me; I have trained in the medical field for over ten years and have enjoyed my time as a psychiatrist immensely. When I started training for triathlons and winning races I realised that I could become a serious contender in the sport, but if I was going to follow my dreams, I would have to give it 100% of my time and commitment.

I am not saying I won't return to medicine in the future, and I will certainly be studying the links between sport and mental health further, but in order to consider the Olympic selection process I need to train full-time and in countries around the world.

My friends and family have been really supportive, and I'm really looking forward to the future, but most of all I am so grateful to the Priory Group for all the support everyone has given me.

Warning - the World Cup can seriously damage your health!

While most of us are sitting back enjoying the football there are those who take things to extremes.

Becoming obsessed with the football to the detriment of a normal life is one potential snag, as is the temptation to use the tournament as an excust te binge-drink.

Dr Wayne Kampers, consultant at the Priory Altrincham blogs: Many fans will wathc the match at the pub with friends, or at home with a constant supply of cans and bottles. Alcohol consumption is sure to rocket during the World Cup and while most supporters will drink responsibly there will be those that go too far.

Binge drinking is a very serious health and social issue, which could have far reaching consequences if not controlled.

Some studies show that drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time may be significantly worse for your health then drinking small amounts frequently.

Priory Group's own research has found that 23% of adults have a drink to 'cheer up' when they fell a bit low so as well as celebrating victory fans will be drowing their sorrows following a defeat.

New care home in Norfolk

Priory has announced that it will be opening a new care home for older people, in Watton, Norfolk. There will be 60 or so jobs created in the area, which is brilliant news for local people.

Priory Group blog

Experts from the Priory Group, the UK’s leading independent provider of acute mental health services, secure and step down services, specialist education, complex care and neuro-rehabilitation will be blogging here on a wide range of subjects.

These will include mental health, addicitions, eating disorders, specialist education including autism and Asperger's syndrome and related topics.

www.priorygroup.com