Arts and craft with Michelle
We are delighted to announce the latest addition to our care team here at Avon Lee Lodge – our new ‘pastoral carer’ Michelle.
‘Pastoral care’ in it’s modern sense is very much promoted here at Avon Lee Lodge. We have taken from it’s role in the independent education sector where it can best be defined as follows:
“…help with personal needs and problems given by a teacher”.
Our research on the subject showed that effective pastoral care of a schools pupils promoted a better sense of well being around a school, which in turn not only provided a better working environment for teachers,but also a better learning environment for the more settled pupils.
We have adapted this ethos to suit the care sector. It goes without saying that all care homes would like their management and care staff to provide this function, but in reality there are too many day to day variables to provide and deliver pastoral care consistently and effectively.
Our pastoral carer Michelle’s primary duties here include providing ring fenced time to provide one to one social care for individual residents should they wish it, ensuring our residents’ pastoral needs are supported.
This is especially important for incumbent residents, as seeing the same friendly face daily to ensure their needs and requirements are being met during the settling in period, can be crucial.
Similarly with our long term residents Michelle provides and adapts her time to include social and group activities, or one to one games and companionship in line with our residents wishes.
With her masters degree in pastoral theology and extensive experience in a pastoral role, Michelle’s work is being widely appreciated already.