Trinity Hospice and Dementia UK have teamed up to provide the hospice with its first Admiral nurse to offer one-to-one support to families affected by dementia, on the Fylde coast.
“I am here to provide support, help and advice to local families”
Lorna Webber
Lorna Webber, who has been a nurse in general practice and mental health services for 34 years, said she had “exciting” plans to develop dementia care in the area.
According to the hospice, although there are 261 Admiral nurses in the country, Ms Webber would be one of only 14 who work from hospices.
She said: “My passion is mental health, so when I heard about this job I knew I would be able to use the skills I have developed over the years to support people living with dementia and their carers and families.”
Admiral nurses are specialist dementia nurses who can offer one-to-one support and guidance to help families live more positively with dementia and to face the challenges the condition may bring with more confidence and less fear, noted Trinity.
“I am here to provide support, help and advice to local families, and will start working out in the community to educate those people who are caring for someone with dementia, while providing holistic support for patients at the same time,” Ms Webber added.
“This role means that Trinity’s doors are opened even wider to our community”
David Houston
The new Admiral nurse also explained that she will be providing education and gold standard training for other staff at the hospice, “so it can be even more dementia friendly than it already is”. “As an organisation, Trinity is very passionate about its care for people living with dementia,” she said.
As part of her plans to develop dementia care on the Fylde coast, Ms Webber said she wanted to involve more community groups and provide education for district nurses and other community health care professionals.
She said: “There are a lot of third-sector organisations trying to help, with dementia cafes and support events, but it’s just about bringing them together and co-ordinating them.”
Speaking on Ms Webber’s appointment, Trinity’s chief executive officer, David Houston, said: “We are very pleased to have Lorna on board as our very first Admiral nurse.
“This role means that Trinity’s doors are opened even wider to our community, helping to support everyone who is living with dementia, whether they have a diagnosis themselves, their loved one has the condition or they are caring for someone with it,” he said.
“Here at Trinity Hospice we pride ourselves on how dementia-friendly we are, and having an admiral nurse strengthens the support we offer to those on the Fylde coast who are living with dementia,” he added.
Hilda Hayo
Hilda Hayo
Dr Hilda Hayo, chief executive of Dementia UK and chief Admiral nurse, said: “Lorna’s appointment means that more families will be able to have the emotional and practical lifeline of an Admiral Nurse.
“We know that end of life care in cases of dementia can be particularly challenging for families. This is why Lorna’s role is key in educating staff at Trinity Hospice so they can better navigate this issue for families as well as themselves,” she added.
“At Dementia UK we will support Lorna to be the best admiral nurse she can be and we are delighted to welcome her to our ever-growing fold,” said Dr Hayo.
https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/older-people/hospice-appoints-first-admiral-nurse-to-boost-dementia-care-in-lancashire/7027368.article