Local lady Jackie McMahon has recently won an award from Dementia Scotland for ‘Best Hospital Care Initiative’.
Jackie, who lives in Blantyre is a hairdressing lecturer and has been involved in helping the Hospital set up its own hair salon for dementia patients. It’s been so busy it has queues out the door!
Her story is one of kindness and consideration.
Jackie got involved when the mother of a friend at work was in hospital for an extended time. During her stay the lady said it would be nice if she could have had her hair done whilst in hospital. This prompted Jackie to approach the hospital about providing this kind of facility, helping long stay patients feel better about themselves and a learning opportunity for students. Once it was up and running they were approached and asked if they would be interested in the dementia awards and it grew from there!
She has worked closely with nursing and facilities staff at the hospital to make the idea a reality since January this year.
So it was that , “Styles and Smiles” opened in April 2019 and now provides a free hair styling and barbering service to people with dementia offering them the opportunity for social interaction and the ability to maintain a routine that incorporates dates, days and times.
Jackie said, “It’s extraordinary to see the faces of the patients after they’ve had their hair done. Being on a ward, you don’t have the opportunity to make yourself feel good. We’ve been really busy and some days we’ve even had queues. It’s hard work but it’s so rewarding.”
Henry Simmons, Alzheimer Scotland’s Chief Executive, said: “Scotland’s Dementia Awards celebrate the people and projects working tirelessly to improve care and support for people living with dementia and their families throughout our communities and across the health, social care and education sectors.”
In November this year, Jackie pictured in the middle, also celebrates 30 years in business in Blantyre, based at Hair Connection on Craig Street.
More Information:
Dementia is one of the biggest health and social care challenges faced by society, with around 90,000 people living with it in Scotland. It is forecast, an estimated 20,000 people will be diagnosed with the condition by 2020.
