Hilda goes from strength to strength

As part of CAPA, Forthbank Care Home in Stirling has worked with a small group of their residents to improve their mood, self-esteem, confidence and mobility. In fact one eighty year old resident made such remarkable improvements that she was able to move out of long term care and back into her own home.

One of the service’s Plan, Do, Study, Act improvement plans (PDSA) was to support a small group of ladies who were interested in makeup and their personal appearance to walk to the hairdressing room to apply their makeup instead of doing so by themselves, in their own rooms. The long term goal was for the group to walk to the local college where students had offered to give the residents a free makeover.

Hilda Rutherford (aged 80) was admitted to the care home in January. Hilda could not walk and need the support of three staff to turn her in her bed. Hilda’s mood was very low. She had no confidence and had low self-esteem.

Anne Brown, Activity Coordinator at Forthbank explained: “We realised that Hilda had low self-esteem and we wanted to work with her to build her confidence and self-image. She got her hair cut, bought some new clothes and had a manicure and makeover.

“Hilda was determined to improve her mobility and so we encouraged her to join the ladies’ exercise group, which she did, initially using her wheelchair. She enjoyed it so much that she began to attend every day.”

Hilda told staff that she felt she would like to try to walk again and so staff worked with her to support this. Her mobility went from strength to strength. She is now able to walk and can get in and out of bed and go to the toilet independently.