Prader Willi Syndrome

On Monday of this week (27th July 2009), the day services cabin in the grounds of Bishops Corner was opened and ready for use. 

The new building was commissioned so that the old facility can be converted into a  suite for staff training, as the old room is now too small.  Since the new home at Bishops Way has opened, we have 75 staff, all of whom need regular training and up-dates on mandatory, specific and in-house training.  All staff are offered around 12 different courses.  Training certificates normally last for three years, but we re-fresh on a regular basis.  Further news to follow on this training suite once it is up and running.

Day Services is now ‘off-site’ from the home, as this new building is in the grounds of Bishops Corner.  This is of benefit to the service users and staff as it minimises distractions from the house during the working day.  For details on activities undertaken in day services, please refer to the page specific to Bishops Corner.

As posted earlier, David Palmer and Gayle Benet from New Directions attended the International PWS Conference in Herne, Germany earlier this month.  This was attended by delegates form 17 different countries and as far afield as New Zealand, India and USA.

The aim of the conference is to publish an international Guidelines and Standards for supporting people with PWS.  It was evident that the behaviours associated with PWS is universal and multi cultural.    The next international conference will be held in Taiwan next year.

In Herne the conference format was one of main lectures and workshops.  The workshops were designed to bring ideas and experiences from all delegates together to assist with the international Guidelines and Standards.

The workshops included : Environmental Structures of Living; Interpersonal Relationships; Self-determination and PWS and Behaviour Management.  All delegates were able to choose from two workshops in which they could participate.  David was on Behaviour Management and Interpersonal Relationships, whilst Gayle was a facilitator in the Environmental Structures of Living.  The other facilitators were from Germany and USA.

Apart from the useful and educational aspects of the conference, we were also able to make many new friends who work specifically with people with PWS.  The UK was represented by Professor Tony Holland, Cambridge University Hospital and a renowned world-wide expert in the syndrome; Jackie Walters from the PWSA (UK) and David and Gayle.

We were fortunate to have been reacquainted with Linda Thornton from New Zealand, who visited Bishops Croft way back in 1999, which was included in her publication with regard to Residential Care Models from her visits to Australia, USA and UK which was to look into how New Zealand could benefit from the knowledge amassed by these other countries.

Apart from all the hard work, there was also leisure time enjoyed by all the delegates.  We were treated to a barbeque at a nearby pub and a tour around local industry, although it has to be pointed out that the working days were from 0800 to 1830 each day!

The experience was excellent, and there is now much discussion about the possibilities of representatives from New Directions going to Taiwan in 2010.

The second International PWS Caregivers’ Conference is taking place in Herne, Germany between 6th-8th July. Gayle Benet, Company Director of New Directions is giving a presentation on specific PWS residential accommodation that New Directions provide. David Palmer,Development Manager, New Directions is also attending.

The conference will continue to build on  the work started in 2008 developing strategies, guidlines and standards of practice of care for those with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Gayle attended this conference and is pleased to give a presentation on how New Directions support our residents.