Interview with Phillipa Troutman

Phillipa Troutman

Pioneer Projects, The looking Well, Bentham

Thursday 22^nd November 2012

I met Phillipa who is the Programme Manager for the ‘Own Now’ dementia care programme which operates in Skipton, Settle and Bentham.

 http://www.pioneerprojects.org.uk/our-approach/healthy-communities.php

Phillipa’s art specialism lies in printmaking. She has a Social Science Degree and is Group Work  trained. She has worked as a  Social Worker and has experience of working with homeless people, in the addictions field and with mental illness.

The ‘Own  Now’ Project grew out of the recognition of need within the local communities. Phillipa has personal family experience of dementia and a very deep and insightful knowledge. An encounter at conference with Carey McGee from Moma linked in well with the inception of the programme and a pilot project established in Settle was very positive and made a great difference to the community.

Phillipa explained that dementia sufferers begin to loose cognitive function and experience cognitive blocks. This causes them to begin to mistrust their knowledge. Processing information and sequencing information becomes very difficult and dialogue becomes internal. The ‘Own Now’ group operates as a safe protected environment in which the trained volunteers and staff are happy to work with emotions, understanding that there are no right or wrong responses and to follow carefully what is said. The staff are full of care and integrity and create a powerful environment through which the veils of difficult communication can be lifted and individuals find space to thrive.

I asked how they establish how they are effectively communicating and working with individuals. The team follow a process of outcome measurement and record changes in a Group Work Summary that is completed by each delivery team. As the culture of the groups is so full of care the atmosphere is one which engenders relaxation and agitation dissipates.experienced in adapting and learn how to manage distress. All observable change is noted and reflected on and Causation is considered with sensitive judgement looking at positive and negative indicators.

Phillipa supports the voluntary groups and artists involved, trains them and links in with all adult agencies, sorts out venues for delivery and links in with referrals and handles waiting lists.

It was both inspiring and encouraging to encounter Phillipa’s obvious passion and integrity for this hugely valued service.