Namaste | Care International

Namaste Care has also had to adapt to the current context of care. Some people can receive Namaste within a social bubble of their care home or the care home floor. Other people have continued to practice Namaste on a one-to-one basis provided care on the bedside. We are passionate about sharing our important message with the rest of the world and for people to still be ‘touched’ and for connections to be made and continued.
Carers are the fabric of our society; they are just as important as doctors and lawyers and many others. We need to recognise and understand the amazing work that they do. In western culture the older you get the more people try to hide this or express shame at their advancing in age.Older people are often undervalued. In other cultures around the world the older you get the more you celebrate being older in age is seen as an achievement and a mark of wisdom. In the fast-paced world in which we live in today, older people can often be overlooked and sometimes forgotten.

The real heroes are those people who have put themselves and their families on the line to care for others during the pandemic.

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When a loved one is diagnosed with dementia or it is decided that a palliative care pathway will be the most appropriate course of action, can we find the right words to start a conversation? Perhaps the ability to communicate may no longer be there? In these difficult times we still need to touch people and connect.

The word ‘Namaste’ means ‘to honour the spirit within’ and Namaste Care honours the individual receiving its services.

“From this process three aspects came out as being important to the Namaste Care Intervention UK:

Creating the right atmosphere for the session. Lighting, aroma, background sounds and visual stimulation, and having a clear beginning and end to a session all add to the overall ambience
Considering what goes on in a session. Giving people the chance to explore different tastes, textures and sensations by considering physical comfort, engaging with nature, and using expressive touch, food and drink, and tactile stimulation
The additional components for engaging individuals where appropriate. Using individual music or aromas, sort toys or dolls, involving families, significant items for residents, and using existing sensory rooms or equipment if available”

Namaste Care Intervention UK – Celebration Event

The Namaste Care Intervention UK Community of Practice

Namaste Care International launched officially on 5th October 2018, with a one-day conference and celebration at Oatlands & Oatleigh Care Village in London, UK. Our second conference was held at the state of the art Ortus Centre which is associated with the Maudsley Trust. Delegates heard founder and honorary chair Professor Simard and practitioners from the UK and around the world speak of their experiences in delivering Namaste Care in a variety of healthcare settings. They also had the opportunity to take part in workshops targeted to specific healthcare settings.

The word ‘Namaste’ means ‘to honour the spirit within’ and Namaste Care honours the individual receiving its services. Developed and pioneered in the USA by Professor Joyce Simard, Namaste Care has two basic principles: a loving touch approach to all client interactions, and a calm environment.

Namaste Care International founder and honorary chair Professor Simard, comments: “Namaste Care helps people with advanced illness to live, not simply exist, for as long as possible. It improves the end-of-life experience for the person with a terminal disease, their families and carers. When I created Namaste Care in a Vermont veterans’ home in 2003, I had no idea to would be adopted around the world, so it’s very exciting to be in at the start of this new organisation.

- Namaste Care International founder and honorary chair Professor Simard

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We are proud to announce that Care UK have become founder members of Namaste Care International and Suzanne Mumford and NCI are working together to take Namaste across all 120 homes within the group. Care UK is one of the biggest providers and they recognise the importance of the healing power of touch and other benefits that introducing Namaste into your service can bring. With more homes and services joining us, the Namaste community is flourishing worldwide.

NCI is growing fast and spreading all around the world. We have recently had Hong Kong join our international community and look forward to adding further regions to our global family. Find out more on the Namaste worldwide tab.

When I deliver Namaste I find that the intervention brings residents out of themselves as it creates a space for different conversations. I think its because you connect with each other on a different level, through the medium of touch. The intervention is both beneficial to the resident and myself, as I have found an inner confidence with the training and the new skills I have learnt.

I have also tried a group session and was surprised by the sense of community and togetherness in created, which is sometime difficult to achieve on my suite. This training has really given me a sense of purpose and I love that I have a specific role in my team that I take pride and ownership over.

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