Ripley care home becomes one of only 16 recognised for specialist Huntington’s disease care
“Huntington’s disease affects everyone differently and changes over time, so we have to really know each person, from how they communicate to what they enjoy and what they find hard.”
Yarningdale, an Exemplar Health Care complex care home in Codnor, Ripley, has achieved the Quality Assured accreditation from the Huntington’s Disease Association after meeting all nine of the charity’s standards of care.
Just 16 care homes across England and Wales currently hold the accreditation, and seven of them, including Yarningdale, are run by Exemplar Health Care, more than any other single provider.
Huntington’s disease is an inherited condition that gradually affects a person’s movement, thinking and behaviour. Each child of a parent with the condition has a 50% chance of inheriting it, so it often affects several generations of the same family.
The standards cover how the home is run and how well colleagues understand the condition, including how they respond to changes in thinking and behaviour. They also look at eating, drinking and swallowing, as well as equipment and activities, and how the home involves families and works with GPs and other health professionals.
Alison Walvin, Home Manager at Yarningdale, credited the whole team with the achievement: “I’m so proud of the team. Huntington’s disease affects everyone differently and changes over time, so we have to really know each person, from how they communicate to what they enjoy and what they find hard.
“That’s what lets us adapt their care as their needs change. This accreditation reflects the hard work of everyone at Yarningdale, from our nurses and care colleagues to our catering and activities teams, and to be recognised by the Huntington’s Disease Association means a great deal to all of us.”