Good Support Group

The Good Support Group provide a range of services for children and adults.
Services for older people are based at the Community Resource Centre, 200
Chargeable Lane, Plaistow, London E13 8DW. From this fully accessible building we
provide person centered support catered to individual needs. Our work is all about
supporting people to access and participate in activities that are purposeful and
meaningful in the context of their lives. Using a framework known as ‘active support’
we help people to learn new skills and discover new talents, practice those that
might be rusty and relearn those that might have become lost. Activities range from
practical, domestic and everyday life skills through to arts, crafts, performance,
recreational activities and maintenance of fitness and wellbeing. Our qualified,
enthusiastic and enormously experienced staff team speak over 10 languages
between them.

What is available?

We provide a wide range of activities to help people maintain their health, well-being
and independence. Our activities are designed to help people stay well and remain
in control of their lives. A small example list of our activities includes:

 Arts and crafts

 Cookery – with access to a wide range of aids and adaptations helping to
ensure that anyone can learn to cook, get back into cooking and/or learn new
recipes and skills, in a fun group setting or on a more individual basis.
 Advice and guidance on healthy eating and special diets
 Music and singing
 Dancing
 Using computers
 Gardening
 Getting out and about – from practically accessing the local area through to
recreational theatre and sports trips and days out in the city, countryside and
seaside.
 Health and fitness activities – from supported use of our specialist gym
facilities through to chair based exercises and games
 Discussion and reminiscence groups
 Puzzles and games
 Maintaining personal hygiene - from hair and nail care through to support with
washing and bathing.

Specialist Dementia Service

We support people with dementia to achieve the best possible quality of life,
irrespective of illness or disability. We facilitate and promote maximum involvement
in life, choice, dignity and respect. Our services are inclusive, celebrating
individuality while respecting diversity.
Our vision

Our vision is for people affected by dementia to continue to live purposeful and
contented lives within the community. We remain innovative by continuously looking
at ways to improve the service we offer and keep it fresh. We understand that no two
people are the same and treat each person as an autonomous individual. Customer
participation and empowerment is highly valued and encouraged. Customers and
their carers have input into the individual care plans which form the basis of our
work, providing us all with an accountable framework to plan and measure
achievement. Providing people with choices empowers them: it promotes
confidence to try new activities and encourages self determination, autonomy, well-
being and respect.

The team

Our team prides itself on providing a high quality service to customers, families and
carers living with dementia. People we support come from a wide variety of cultural,
linguistic, ethnic and social backgrounds and so do our staff.

Our staff have over 200 years of collective experience in working alongside people
affected by cognitive issues in their later years, between us, we speak 10 languages
and have received significant training in dementia care, awareness and support as
well as in a wide range of related topics.

Accessing the service

Once a diagnosis of dementia is established an individual can request social care

funding for support, both at home and in the community. Once the type of support
they need is identified, the amount of money it will cost is calculated and set aside
into a Personal Budget. Our service may be accessed by using part of the personal
budget .

It is also possible to buy into the service independently or to top up the personal
budgeted amount from private resources .

What we offer

COGNITIVE STIMULATION THERAPY . This evidence based programme offers

cognitive stimulation therapy to people with dementia and helps people with milder
dementia to maintain their every day skills, independence and involvement in life.

We offer a wide range of services tailored to individual requirements. Below are just
some examples of group activities:

 Reminiscence groups that stimulate memory, encouraging conversation,

helping customers suffering with word finding difficulty. Giving customers
opportunities to share valuable experiences and helping boost confidence.
 For example, we hold planned discussion around working life/childhood
memories/wedding day/the local area/food and drink/TV and cinema etc.
 Music groups where customers listen to, sing and (where able) play music
which is recognisable and meaningful to them. Music is used as a form of
therapy to enhance customers feeling of well being, help people to remember
words and phrases, prompt social involvement, develop musical ability and
awareness and stay fit and healthy (singing or playing musical instruments
can promote posture, breathing, dexterity, memory, relaxation and an overall
sense of wellbeing).
 Exercise . For people of all abilities. Activities can be chair based, can cater
for people who mobilise with Zimmer frames and walking sticks right through
to people who might want to access our gym equipment.
 Dancing. As above, for people of all abilities. Dancing to music from bygone
eras. Develops and maintains fitness, strength and dexterity whilst promoting
a sense of social involvement and wellbeing.
 Themed Days. A programme of workshop and themed days, for example
Valentine’s Day/Christmas/Diwali/Eid. We respect cultures and beliefs and
provide customers with opportunities to share customs. This also offers
people some reality orientation as these events relate to the rituals of certain
times of the year.
 Art Groups. Tutor lead groups. Customers enjoy painting, photography and
sculpture. Whilst some of our customers’ art works have been exhibited
nationally and/or locally others participate purely for the sense of therapeutic
activity and personal achievement. We maintain an ongoing display of works
throughout the building.
 Discussion Groups. Offering customers opportunities to talk about the topics
they are passionate about e.g. current affairs, politics, changes in society,
family, television, hobbies and interests, sports etc.
 Outings. We arrange outings as often as possible to local places as well as
further afield. The trips are designed with customers in mind – their
preferences/choice their interests, and their support needs.

Contact details:
Service Manager - Junia Andrews 0203 373 32872 Junia.Andrews@newham.gov.uk

Referrals – Zubayer Ahmed 0203 373 32614 Zubayer.Ahmed@newham.gov.uk

General: 0203 37 32211