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Pamela Holmes
I am a facilitator for My Home Life England, supporting social care leaders to develop their skills and confidence. I am also a novelist www.pamela-holmes.com
Location London
Activity
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I have learnt things about the health and care sector. Thought I knew about them. Always more to learn!
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I found the comparative figures with European countries on the number of doctors and nurses fascinating. Also how diverse is the NHS workforce particularly doctors, and just how large an employer is the NHS. Fewerbfigures on the social care work force.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Interesting to see that there are different ways to see the use of the private sector. In the media, the term is used broadly and not defined. Also to learn of the implications of the new Health and Care act that ICB board membership can include the private sector. That seems a risk.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
A fantastic national resource run by hard-working skilled staff who provide amazing care
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And also how cost effective GP telephone calls can be.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
That was really interesting and shocking too. I knew that NHS treatments and other services were expensive but the quiz showed me what that meant in cash.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
How enormous the sector is, how complicated, how it's under constant change; why we need to fight for an integrated health and social care sector.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I was reminded of how many people are employed in social care but also the vast number of carers who if course are not. The importance of integration but the frustration that it's been talked about for years as essential yet we're still struggling to make it a reality.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
The three stories illustrated to me how timely and flexible mental health service provision needs to be to meet fully the needs of a population and how broad the skills of health and social care staff have to be
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Fascinating. I found the summary of how the focus of public health has changed over the years particularly informative. The presentation pulled together the wide determinants of health in a interesting way that broadened my understanding and appreciation of public health.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
It's a story of constant change and the drive to integration has been there, in different guises, for a long time. But it never quite seems to become a reality. Why is this? No one can actually oppose the idea. But systems seem to mitigate against it. Resources are important but not the only factor.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
We are so lucky to have the NHS and should value more what it offers the people of this country. But much of it was designed for a society that has moved on. Medicine and surgery can achieve more than ever, there are more drug treatments, we live longer and health is being affected by environmental and social pressures. The NHS has to integrate with social...
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Pamela Holmes replied to Ruth Ogbuokiri
I have found reading others' comments really useful. This piece of advice stuck with me. Set aside a time to study, probably 20 mins is thought to be the optimum amount of time when concentration can be maintained and most learning achieved. But then have a break; step away from the screen. Reflect on what you have learned. Maybe write down key words.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I work in social care for My Home Life England, facilitating sessions for leaders working in care homes and in domiciliary care. I need to understand how the NHS is changing, developing and succeeding to be the best facilitator I can be. It's a complex situation so I appreciate the opportunity.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Loved, complicated, attacked
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I have decided to upgrade so I can return to the course and the learning when I want and to deepen my appreciate. I appreciate being part of a group of like-minded people. I can also add it to my cv that I've completed the course.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I'm sure initially I would feel a bit tense. Am I going to say something that might be perceived as stupid or missing the point or whatever? But if the situation made me feel comfortable, I would enjoy it the freedom of the question and the ones that follow. I've joined a group that meets at a library and this sort of approach was taken by the facilitator who...
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I'm familiar with DEEP and worked with people living with dementia. It can lead one to assume that everyone understands the important of language. But of course they don't! So this work is valuable and needs to be widely disseminated. I wonder what plans are for that?
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When I was working for SCIE, we made a film called Dementia from the Inside. The content of the film and the way it was put together resulted from the input of a group of people living with dementia near Swindon. The film attempted to portray, from inside a woman's head, what a day felt like for her, someone living with dementia. The viewer hears her voice...
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I'm really enjoying this course. I have told so many people about it. It's stimulating, moving, revelatory. I'm part of a small group that meets to discuss the arts, a very loose conversation often facilitated by one of us. I have offered to talk about dementia and the arts - it will also help me to gather my thoughts and to articulate what I've begun to...
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I'm just not sure how this links to dementia or supporting someone with dementia. How does this create common ground - beyond revealing that all/most of us have minds which chatter away? Sorry if I'm being dim.....!
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I like Carlos's comment about the mutual contribution of all participants.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Yes old memories surfaced and had their usual horrible affect; intense anxiety, inability to settle, the seeking of amelioration with the recognition somewhere insider that I had 'been here' before and the feelings would gradually pass. Which they did. Going to choir and enjoying a conversation with someone much older than me and making a connection.
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I loved the focus on the process rather than the outcome or product. This is a perspective we could all advisedly take in life. It's about being in the moment. Working with people who live with dementia teaches the value of that.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Giving carers, paid and family, the confidence in their own creativity is something that came our of the discussion in this film. I've developed a course on that and taken it into care homes with frontline staff. How many say 'I haven't a creative bone in my body' and I think that is a shame. People - we - are inherently creative, in my view - and can draw on...
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
A great interview which meant that Kate was able to share (so generously) her feelings about music, her husband and and the link between them via music. What it meant to her to be involved in the Wigmore Hall concerts and other musical activities were also raised. I found it moving and inspiring. I wish more people were doing this course so they knew too!
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I went to the launch of this report and didn't realise quite how much impact it would turn out to have. A long-lasting effect on how we talk about the arts and health - it's earned a place in history for drawing together the evidence and making the case, clearly and powerfully.
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Fascinating interview. I was particularly caught by Susan's point that it's not only about seeing the person with dementia as they were, for example, when they were younger, working or raising children or whatever - but also as they are now, the way they feel or respond. To be aware of that, too. That is a good point.
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A fantastic contribution from the woman from Jewish Care. Hearing the very different ways that people in care home respond to arts and engage with the activities. Yes!
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I also Group A because of the oddly sequenced numbers but also the freer interpretation of showing the objects in relation to each other and the space.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
This week's course has been fascinating and also upsetting. Gill's experiences of living with her husband who has dementia with Lewy BOdies brings home how difficult caring for someone with dementia can be. I manage SCIE's Dementia resources www.scie.org.uk/dementia, working with experts and people living with dementia to make sure the content is realistic and...
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
No cost-benefit analysis would prove the value of the FTD support group. But Shaheen makes a persuasive case that should convince any sceptic or person managing budgets!
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Put more simply! is there a link between motor neurone disease and bvFTD?
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Motor neurone disease was mentioned in passing as linked or was it in some way similar to the progression of bvFTD. Can anyone explain more? My friend died of motor neurone disease and there were some changes in her behaviour which remind me of the symptoms discussed.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Getting a diagnosis was helpful to Hosna's daughter (who communicates so well) but we do not know what Hosna thought and the impact of a diagnosis on her. It may be she was not able to communicate this but my point is, we cannot make assumptions about the benefit of a diagnosis for the person affected from this story. It was beneficial for the family certainly.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Another fascinating film. I was left wondering how what insight if any her mother had when she first went to see the GP. DId her mother agree to go and see the GP for example and how did she react to her behaviour being discussed.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Learning about bvFTD is fascinating. The delivery of information is well paced and leaves me keen to find out more. The films about Hosna really illustrate why you need to know as much as possible about the person as a way of understanding what is happening.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I found the course very interesting and straightforward. I have sent the link to others who are likely to be interested in taking it. Thanks.
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Stories in the media may be negative and of course people living with dementia and those who care for them find thsi upsetting, annoying, frustrating, limiting and so on. What is also true is that say, 10 or 15 years ago, it was very difficult to get the media to cover the issue of dementia. The disease concerned 'old' people and old people were not a subject...
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
I agree that the video didn't tell us about the changes that Stuart noticed. And is it disturbing that, despite Alzheimers being 'in the family', it took so long to get the drugs prescribed?
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Pamela Holmes made a comment
Is this the dementia in the film' Still Alice'? I'd no idea the inheritance risk was so strong. Does it present with similar problems as 'regular' Alzheimers if that term can be used?
