Sound Therapy

Here’s the Music Gym team, delighted after winning the award for Innovative Health and Social Care Technology at a dinner in the Grand Hotel, Brighton, on Tuesday evening.

As described in the last post, the Decodamaze was developed from the feedback of service users at the Music Gym. It’s taken longer to finalise than was originally thought but it’s now almost ready to sell.

Despite strong opposition the judges apparently liked the fact that we’ve produced equipment to improve the lives of people with profound disabilities.

Our main website is currently being updated but there’s some information there about the maze. Alternatively you can call us on 01424 439192 or email us on maze@decoda.org

We heard last week that Decoda’s reached the regional finals of the NHS Health and Social Care Awards, in the category of innovative technology.

Our inflatable, interactive maze  grew out of the weekly sessions at the Music Gym. We were aware that not all the members could access the bouncy castle that plays music and looked for something that would be as much fun and interactive AND could be accessed by wheelchair users. Someone who brings students from a local special needs school asserted that they need an adrenalin rush as much as the next young person and outlined her ideas. Many months and headaches later the Decodamaze appeared.

We know how much benefit and pleasure people get from attending the Music Gym and it’s satisfying when the work is recognised in this way.

If you’d like to know more about the Music Gym or the maze you can phone us on 01424-439192 or email us at maze@decoda.org

Angela Lane is the local Intensive Interaction Project Manager and last Friday she visited the Music Gym to see how it fits into what she’s doing.

If someone with severe learning disabilities and/or autism is still at an early stage of communication this is a valuable approach to passing on the pre-speech fundamentals of communication. It’s what we see happening all the time with many very good support staff who bring members to the Music Gym who may not use that term for what they’re doing.

These fundamentals would include such things as

• learning to give attention to another person
• developing shared attention into activities
• taking turns
• having fun, playing together
• using and understanding facial expressions
• using and understanding eye contact
• using and understanding non-verbal communication such as body language

Increasingly we’ve come to realise that the growing relationship between carer and member is the most important aspect of the Music Gym. We’re there to make sure the equipment works and to encourage people to get the most out of it but it’s the opportunity for those who come to have fun together that’s crucial.

It was encouraging that Angela agreed with this. If the funding for her post continues then we hope she’ll be on hand sometimes to talk to staff about Intensive Interaction. In the meantime you can contact her about the East Sussex network she’s setting up on angelslake@btinternet.com

If you’d like to know more about the Music Gym you can contact Decoda by phoning 01424 439192, by emailing enquiries@decoda.org or by filling in the contact form.

I only discovered this publication recently and it’s a mine of useful information. It describes itself as “the bulletin of news and information for everyone working with people with profound and multiple learning difficulties”. It’s an informal journal aimed at carers and practitioners working with people with PMLD of all ages and in all situations.

It includes a wide range of articles depending on the theme of the issue, incorporating academic research, the work of organisations and the experience of families. It aims to cover topics that are of interest and also practical use in the day-to-day work of practitioners, parents and carers, whatever their setting. There’s also a news section, listing of upcoming conferences and workshops, a summary of what people have been discussing on the PMLD forum and finally extensive reviews of new publications.

PMLD link is produced three times a year and if you’d like to find out how to get a copy you can contact Carol Ouvry at 31, Birdwell Road, Bristol BS41 9BD. Telephone 01275 394621

or email carol.ouvry@talktalk.net

There’s also more information at the website http://www2.northampton.ac.uk/education/home1/cesner/pmld-link

The spring issue is due out in a few weeks on the theme of the arts. It includes an article about Decoda, outlining the Music Gym: how we came up with the idea, what benefits we’ve seen, and how other organisations can now install some or all of the fun equipment we use.

If you’d like to talk to us about that please call us on 01424 439192 or fill in the contact form.

It’s only a few weeks now until Voice 09, the conference and exhibition for the social enterprise sector. This year for the first time it’s being held in Birmingham at the ICC on February 10th and 11th.

The beauty of the Voice conference is that you can make of it what you want. If you like to listen to politicians then there’ll be a spattering of those; if however you prefer to meet other social entrepreneurs there’ll be many opportunities for that - in the exhibition, at the Tuesday evening reception, or through the Make a Meeting facility. There’s also an interesting programme of seminars ranging from Social Enterprise 101 for those who want to know the basics through to ones on co-operation and how to approach the challenge of an economic downturn. If you need even more input then you can book a free surgery with some very impressive experts including Bates, Wells and Braithwaite dispensing legal advice and Red Ochre offering business support.

Finally, there’s the exhibition - and in the heart of that, in one of the “inspirational igloos” you’ll find Decoda. We’ll be offering delegates the opportunity to take a few minutes out from thinking and talking to play instead by changing the images on the walls of the igloo. We’ll also have details of the Futurebuilders-backed maze for people with profound disabilities, which will soon be available. So, if you’re at Voice 09 please come along and find us.

All details of the exhibition are on the Voice 09 website. To contact Decoda please use the form or phone us, either on 0424 439192 or 0845 2938354.

Here’s Gary, back in the office the day after the Hastings centenary marathon, holding his medal to prove that he really did run the 26+ miles on a shiveringly-cold day in December.

He was disappointed with his time - over 5 hours - but delighted to have finished when so many fell (literally) by the roadside. He chose to start at the back of the field and passed many casualties, some being taken away by ambulance!

The best part for Gary was the response of the people on the route. The runners appreciated that in the middle of the countryside residents had turned out to hand out drinks or simply applaud the effort being made. From the five mile mark, into Battle, they also had an escort of motorbikes ridden by Santas shaking bells.

As a result of Gary’s efforts there’ll be an extra bursary fund next year for people who might want to attend the Music Gym but can’t on the grounds of cost. So, a huge thank you to Gary and to all those who sponsored him.

Thank you to everyone who visited the Arts Zone last week at Learning Disability Today. Our aim was to provide fun activities and I think we achieved that. We could only take elements of the Music Gym - the Soundbeam linked to vibrating seats and the dancing squares. These were a huge success and we had so many requests from people wanting to buy them that we’re now looking into making them available. Some very talented dancers visited the stand, I just wish we’d had the camera ready to put the film on youtube. One young man had the staff of the nearby coffee stall  mesmerised and table-clearing came to a complete halt while he was performing.

If you weren’t able to visit the exhibition or you were too exhausted to step across to us then you can find out more about us on our website www.decoda.org or by calling us on 0845-2938354 or 01424 439192.

If you’d like to find out more about us at Decoda there’ll be an opportunity to visit us at the Learning Disability Today exhibition later this month.

If you’ve never been to the Learning Disability Today exhibition then you’re missing a treat -it’s an action packed day of seminars, stands and zones visited by about 2,500 people.

The seminars cover topics such as Living Safely in Your Community and Access to Health. The zones this year look particularly interesting  and include Heavy Load in the Media Zone, a Film Zone highlighting the Oska festival in Brighton and the Rix Centre demonstrating new assistive equipment in the Smart Technology Zone. Plus of course ourselves in the Art Zone.

We’ll be using the space to show how we use sound and imagery to engage people with profound disabilities. Please drop in and have a play.

Learning Disability Today is on Thursday November 27th, at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London. I know from my experience as a visitor that it’s a good idea to register in advance. You’ll find all the details on the Pavilion website.

We’ve just heard that we’re to get funding for a hoist and changing table for the Music Gym. This is wonderful news as it will mean that new members will be able to visit the activity in Hastings and some current ones will be able to stay longer.

Apart from carers, people don’t always appreciate the problems involved in taking out individuals with profound disabilities who can’t use a standard accessible toilet. They need support from one or two carers to use the toilet, or a height adjustable changing bench where a carer can safely change their continence pad. They also need a hoisting system so they can be helped to transfer safely from their wheelchair to the toilet or changing bench.

Mencap has been highlighting the problem for some time through their Changing Places campaign. We were aware this could be an issue for people who wanted to come to the Music Gym but didn’t have the money for the equipment. It’s now become possible thanks to the Hastings Round Table and the funds they distribute from the Hastings Beer and Music Festival. It seems very fitting that those enjoying the festival in the summer are now in turn enabling others to come out and enjoy the Music Gym.

If you’d like to know when the equipment’s installed so that you can bring someone along to try out the Music Gym then please contact us. You can also phone us on 0845 2938354 or 01424 439192  or email gary@decoda.org

Decoda has moved. The Music Gym is still at Horntye Park, as usual but if you need to write to us the address is now

Theaklen House

Theaklen Drive

St. Leonards on Sea

TN38 9AZ

The phone number has also changed - it’s now 0845 2938354 but if you get free or cheap calls you can phone the landline on 01424 439192.

For any enquiries about the Music Gym you can also email  gary@decoda.org.