Media and news
June 2008
Hislop shows a caring side
Satirist Ian Hislop told a South London audience he was consdiering converting to Judaism. The Have I Got News for You star joked that he was so impressed by the faciltiies at Nightingale tht at he would change religiou to secure his place there in his old age!
5th June 2008
Nightingale's New Film Stars
If you thought Sex in the City and Indiana Jones were the only films to see this weekend, think again. Jewish care home Nightingale House - and some of its residnets - will make their silver screen debut tomorrow with the release of a new picture by Oscar-nominated director Roger Goldby.
The Clapham-based home hosted scenes from The Waiting Room starring Royal Family actor Ralf Little, comedienne Daisy Donovan, Anne-Marie Duff and Frink Finlay. It chronicles the tale of a complete strangers Anna and Stephen who are brought togehter by chance by an elderly man as he waits for his wife on a station platform. Sam Abrahams, one of the residents who appears as an extra in the film said: I just did what i was asked, nothing to it. I was pleased to meet Frank Finlay because I'd seen him many years ago at the Old Vic.
Rebecca Nathan who also makes a brief appearance said it was "nice to be involved" but added: "It was not as glamorous as I thought - there was a lot of waiting around. In one scene I was sbsent-mindedly looking at the camera - I got told off. When I saw the film one of the scenes had been cut".
The care home left a lasting impression on Goldby, who vowed to return to visit resdients. He told the Jewish News: Filming at Nightingale House was an absolute joy. It was the pefect location as it has a real sense of warmth to it, a place where the residents are obviously really well cared for, not just physically but in mind and spirit.
The fun part owas using the residents as extras in a number of hte scenes, they seemed to really enjoy it.
Since we filmed i have been able to go back a few times to chat with residents and we have had two private showings of the film.
05.06.08 - The Jewish News
Ho Ho! Tarbuck judges talent
Entertainer Jimmy Tarbuck will lead the judging in a talent content at Nightingale care home in Clapham.
Youngsters aged bwteen 5 and 16 are invited to enter "Nightingale's Got Talent" on Sunday 22nd JUne.
Both individuals and groups can enter and all tents are welcome from singing to dancing and from magic to comedy.
The winning act will scoop £200 in prize money and if the talent is singing the chance to record a demo in a professional recording studio.
Mr Tarbuck will be joined on the panel by music impressario Merbyn Conn and writer/cartoonist and musician Barry Fantoni.
The clsoing date for entreis is Friday 6th June. Auditions for the final performance iwll take place on 8th June.
To enter contact Ruby Fernandes on 020 8673 3495
Wandsworth Borough News - 4th Jun 2008
May 2008
Care for the old and disabled
It comes as no surprise that the prime minster has announced today that the government is to review the social care funding regime in order to make it "fairer". This worthy objective is long overdue.
As our population lives longer there will be more and more of us in need of support and care in our advancing years. The present system is unfair, not transparent, inconsistent, difficult to understand and relatively easy to abuse.
It is clear that the goalposts are constantly being moved in order to ensure that only the very frailest are eligbile for funding to go into a care home. As a consequence there are now many people struggling at home with a poor quality of life because they have no funds and the local authority is not prepared to fund them.
Leon Smith - letter to The Guardian 13.05.08
Wii is knock-out success in home
It's a computer gaming sensation you'd expect their great grandchildren to enjoy. But pensioners at a retirement home in Wandsworth are relishing the chance to play virtual sports on a Nintendo Wii.
At the Nightingale care home for Jewish poeple where the average age is 89, reisdents use the technology to indulge in bowling, golf, tennis and boxing from the comfort of their living room.
The Wii uses a controller which has to be moved like a racket or club to produce a similar stroke in the game without requiring the players to work up a sweat running across the room.
Staff at the care home hit on the idea of buying a Wii because it provides so many health and social benefits.
Chief Executive Leon Smith said: We put a huge emphasis on stimulation for our residents and the Wii hits all the right spots. It promotes and encourages communication, friendship, fun, laughter, a sense of group belonging and teamwork, all of which improve our residents' wellbeing.
It also has cognitive benefits by providing stimulaton, increasing alertness, improving concentration, giving increased self-esteem and sense of achievement as well as improving mood, motivation, confidence, and independence.
Wandsworth Borough News - 07.05.08
April 2008
Potter About
Care home resident Rebecca Nathan takes time out from her pottery class to cosy up to police community support officer Harold Martinez.
Officer Martinez who was on a vist of the care home last week with other Nightingale ward officers said: This is such a positive way for us to build bridges by getting to know the residents - it's also great fun.
Leon Smith Chief Executive of Nightingale added: Officers regular visits make a huge difference to the residents peace of mind and of ocurse it's a good opportunity for officers to brush up on their pottery sklls at the same time!
Wandsworth Borough News - 30.04.08
AJEX leaders visited Nightingale
AJEX leaders visited Nightingale to present a cheque for nearly £10,000 which will be used to refurbish 250 chairs at the Home. The AJEX represenatives wre new national chairman Peter Wagerman, his predecessor Harold Newman and Aline Levine. Also present at the celebratory tea were residents Kenneth Berg and Leslie Solomon, both ex-servicemen and AJEX members
Jewish Chronicle 25.04.08
Nightingale celebrates staff achievement on dementia care training
Clapham care home Nightingale is celebrating after 35 members of staff successfully completed a training programme on dementia care. The staff were presented with their certificates at an awards ceremony in recognition of their level of motivation, compassion, commmitment and dedication to provide person-centred care.
Due to the size of Nightingale - the home has 250 beds - it is able to provide a sophisticated training programme for care staff, through a modular porgramme leading to a certificate and also runs an "awareness programme" for all other staff, in order for them to gain a better understanding of dementia, some of the behaviour associated with it and how to respond.
Nightingale has seen positive changes in the care it provides.
Healthcare Bi-Weekly 23.04.08
March 2008
Care Boss marks 35 years
Nightingale Chief Executive Leon Smith is celebrating this week as he marks his 35th year working at the South London care home - making him one of the longest serving professionals in the community.
Mr Smith joined the staff at the Clapham care home in 1973 as a member of the junior management team. He became involved in the transformation of the Home from one where residents were living in large open dormitories to today's home where there are en suite prviate rooms.
He worked his way up through the management team and was appointed chief executive in January 1998, making him one of the longest serving chief executives in tje Jewish community voluntary sector with responsibility for Nightingale's £13M annual budget, alongside the care of its 250 residents and 370 staff.
Harvey Rosenblatt, Nightingale Chairman, said: The Trustees join me in congratulating Leon upon reaching this amazing milestone. Nightingale would not be the centre of excellence it is today without him".
Mr Smith told the JC: I have been fortunate to be part of an incredible success story and I am extremely proud that Nightingale this year was awarded the top 3-star ranking from the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
Jewish Chronicle - 28.03.08
The Silver Screen arrives at Nightingale
Residents at the Nightingale care home in Clapham were treated to an exclusive screening of an award winning film from the comfort of their armchairs.
Starring Christopher Plummer, Man in the Chair was only released in the UK a week before this viewing.
The film follows Plummer's character, Flash, a curmudgeonly care home resident with a love of classic movies, cigars and booze.
He befriends volatile teenage, Cameron, due to a mutual appreciation of both rebellion and cinema.
When Cameron has to make a film for a school project he enlists the help of Flash and his fellow care home residents and in doing so it changes the lives of all who are involved including young Cameron who learns valuable life lessons from his mentor along the way.
Wandsworth Borough News - 6th February 2008
Exclusive Screening
The silver screen was brought to Nightingale House care home when 25 residen film fans attended an exclusive screening of the award winning movie "Man in the Chair".
South London's senior film buffs settled in to watch the film which focuses on the story of Christopher Plummer's character Flash, a resident in the motion picture residence for the elderly, and the quirky friendship that develops between him and volatile teen Cameron as they work together through their mutual love of film.
Nightingale Chief Executive Leon Smith said: "We were absolutely thrilled when we were offered a special screening of "Man in the Chair". It gave the residents a chance to not only watch a film that had just been released but something they could relate to. They enjoyed every minute and we feel very honoured to have taken part in such an exclusive event"
Caring Times
March 2008
February 2008
100th birthday at Nightingale
Community Life's congratulations to Flora Moss, honorary Life President of Kingston Synagogue Ladies Guild and a founder member of the shul, who celebrated her 100th birthday on Shabbat. She was joined by friends and family members at a party on Sunday at Nightingale where she now lives
Jewish Chronicle - 8th February 2008
Man in the Chair
Some 25 residents at Nightingale House in Wandsworth saw an advance screening of the film: "Man in the Chair" starring Christopher Plummer. The film, release by Transmedia, tells the story of an elderly resident who lives in a home for former Hollywood industry professionals.
Jewish Chronicle - 8th February 2008
January 2008
Nightingale's new video
We've recently uploaded a promotional video to the Google Video site. You can view it below:
December 2007
Welcome to Nightingale's book lovers
Best selling author Morag Joss dropped by Nightingale Care Home in Clapham last week to talk to the book club.
Scottish born Morag discussed her hit novel Puccini’s Ghosts and also took part in Chanukah, the Jewish festival.
She helped light the chanukiah and enjoyed a doughnut with the ladies of Nightingale.
The Nightingale Book Club is now in its seventh year and is chaired by former Health Minister Edwina Currie. The average age of the 20-strong group of lady readers is 89.
Other authors who have discussed their book at the club in recent years include Gloria Hunniford, Ruth Rendell, PD James, Penny Vincenzi, Julian Fellowes, and Bernard Cornwell.
Wandsworth Borough News, 19.12.07
Nightingale's quality rating
Nightingale has been given its first quality rating by the Commission for Social Care Inspection. The South West London home has been awarded an "excellent" classifiation which will result in the highest 3-star rating. Leon Smith, Chief Executive of Nightingale, said: "We are delighted that CSCI has recognised our achievements and the benefit the attention we give has on all of those who call Nightingale their home".
Jewish Chronicle 14.12.07
Giving old people a care budget should extend to a residential option
Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, announced new personal care budgets which will give millions of pensioners the power to decide what kind of care they want and where they buy it. I wonder whether it really will?
One of the long standing issues in the care sector is that many older people do not have true choice because, if that were available they would, in many cases, opt not to be at home at all but in a care home. In many cases, the reason that this choice has not been available is that local authorities and/or other commissioners perceive that the cost of keeping somebody at home is cheaper than that of residential care. Wouldn’t it be better if, as well as elderly people being given money to pay for their own care, they also had the choice of where they receive that care?
We are all aware of the dramatic increase in the number of people suffering with dementia, and many of these people are being forced to stay in their own homes putting pressure not only on them but also on their carers because local authorities are unprepared to fund residential care. Might we expect that such a radical change could be “phase two” of Mr Johnson’s plans. One can only hope.
Leon Smith – Chief Executive, Nightingale
Daily Telegraph - 12.12.07
Nightingale's highest rating of care
A Wandsworth nursing home has been given the highest possible rating for its care, just days after an Alzheimer’s Society report suggested thousands of patients nationwide were facing neglect.
The report said people with dementia were suffering appalling physical and mental neglect in care homes. But Nightingale House in Nightingale Lane achieved an excellent classification from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) which will result in a three-star mark when ratings are collated and published.
Two-thirds of Nightingale’s 250 residents have dementia and, unlike some other care homes in the country, all of its 220 nursing staff receive ongoing training in dementia care.
The Home prioritises training to ensure its staff are suitably familiar with the needs of its clients suffering with this complex condition.
Leon Smith, Chief Executive of Nightingale House, said: “What sets Nightingale apart from other homes is the enormous emphasis we place on stimulation. This manifests itself in the form of an extensive and sophisticated activities programme including discussion groups, language groups, pottery classes, computer classes, drama therapy and musical entertainment.
This is crucial in the care of residents with dementia and we are delighted that CSCI has recognised our achievements and the benefit the attention we give has on all of those who call Nightingale their home”.
Wandsworth Guardian 5.12.2007
 For further information contact Leon Smith, Executive Director on 020 8673 3495 or email LeonSmith@nightingalehouse.org.uk
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