Testimonials

Swallowcourt

Dear Barry
At Poldhu we have been using your DVD's and CD's for a while now and have found them very useful for a number of resident's needs in the following areas:-

Group Activities
We watch the DVD'S as a group and imagine we are travelling along the river and through woodlands, after we have watched the film we talk together about the memories it brings back and it encourages residents to talk to each other and also gives them confidence to do this.

Dementia
Our residents with Dementia like to watch the films in our sensory room one to one where there are no distractions they find this very calming.

Lounge & Visitors
We also have a lounge area where people sit and chat but find the DVD'S are good for background use to just look up from what they are doing and watch. Also our visitors enjoy watching them.

Sundowners
We use them for the people we have who suffer from sundowners, It gives them a distraction and find it helps them settle before having supper and going to bed which can be a very difficult time for them and the staff.

Anxiety
We have a lady who has very severe anxiety we use the CD for her and it relaxes her to the stage that she calms right down and even relaxes and goes to sleep listening to it.

Staff Benefit
The Staff also benefit from them as they sometimes have stressful times in the day and find if they can sit in our sensory room for 5 to 10 mins just watching a bit of the DVD they feel relaxed and calmer to continue with their work. In fact I have even taken one home with me after a very busy and stressful day sat down with a glass of wine put my feet up and put the DVD on and completely relaxed........ Bliss thank you.

Regards
Sue

Sue Giles
Activities Co-ordinator
The Poldhu
Poldhu Cove
Mullion
Helston
Cornwall
TR12 7JB

I can't remember how I found the Calmer by Nature website, but it was a great a day when I did. The first step was to ask Barry for a 10 day trial of his products and then I used them in the Nursing and care home that I work in. It worked well at 'sundown' time for a number of the residents who have cognitive impairment (dementia, mental health issues) and these residents had previously been restless and agitated at sundown. They were able to sit and concentrate on watching the DVD, giving them peace and enjoyment, plus freeing staff up from having to constantly think of strategies to keep the residents from pacing.

The management team at the Nursing and care home have purchased a licence to use the 3 DVDs and the CD and now I've bought them too for our family to use, as I found them so beautiful.

Since then I've recommended them to others who work in nursing and care homes, but I think that they could be useful in many other settings. I used to work in an Emergency Department, so perhaps they would be good to play in the waiting room for all ages to watch. I think I'll suggest it to the colleagues that I know who still work in Emergency Care settings.

Thanks Barry for creating these.

Kind regards
Claire ( Nurse Consultant)

Somerset Care

Group Activities

We used two of the three DVDs successfully with groups on a number of occasions (the other had a deer bellowing which upset one of the residents) the overall effect was calming and for many absorbing.

Reminiscence

The DVDs seem to be well received as a natural reminiscence therapy helped by the fact that there is no plot to follow and everyone instinctively understands nature.

Anxiety 
This really helped reduced anxiety with the lady on residential that becomes distressed in the latter part of the afternoon and she became very engaged (I was using the DVD as part of my emergency first aid kit!)

Reception
I was aware that reception being a central pivot in our home was often quite a noisy and potentially stressful area. I had the idea of playing a DVD and it definitely had the effect I wanted- the whole area seemed calmer and more relaxed.

Dementia (Sundowning)
All the trials we conducted were with Dementia residents. Mainly offering the films in a lounge as an alternative to ordinary TV in another Lounge. We trialled them during times associated with increased anxiety around sundowning times. We found that residents preferred the lounge playing the Calmer By Nature DVDs and staff observed that residents were more calm and settled.

Creating Atmosphere

We had a resident who was calling out a lot in a distressing manor which was having a depressing affect in that area of the home. So I decided to play a DVD. It improved definitely the atmosphere as it blanked out the distressing sounds with lovely calming sounds

Day Care

We played the DVDs in the Day Care Visitors lounge and they had a noticeable effect of enabling new visitors to settle in quicker

Staff Benefits

Staff benefits – the background of the DVDs created a calming atmosphere which meant there was more effective engagement with residents and made the time well spent with residents which meant it boosted the morale of the team and was less stressful on the staff – shifts were positive.

Vicki Mitchell
Manager of Frith House
Somerset Care Group

Carers

"I love your DVDs and I'm sure they have a role in calming and comforting people with dementia." 

Min 
Nurse researcher

From the carers' standpoint, Judy said:

"The sound was lovely as background with the birdsongs whilst working in the room and made for a lovely, quiet, peaceful environment."