Person Centred Software reveals recent philanthropic efforts with nearly £20,000 donated

Published in Care Home Professional

One of the UK’s leading providers of digital care systems to the social care sector has revealed the results of its recent philanthropic efforts, having donated nearly £20,000 to good causes it cares about in the last 12 months.

An organisation that cares deeply about people and improving the lives of those working in and receiving care, Person Centred Software has chosen to support 3 charities that share these values including the Sporting Memories Foundation, the Care Workers Charity and Adopt a Grandparent.

Chosen as Person Centred Software’s Charity of the Year for 2019/2020, The Sporting Memories Foundation has been receiving fundraising support since June 2019 with this set to continue until October 2020.

Using the power of sports reminiscence and gentle physical activity, the charity tackles loneliness, low mood and dementia. Sporting Memories Clubs bring older people together to talk about and remember sport, have fun and find companionship. The Clubs increase general wellbeing among participants, and for those living with dementia help to increase cognitive resilience. The organisation has also developed the Sporting Memories Care Settings Package, which offers care settings the opportunity to incorporate Sporting Memories into day-to-day practice. The package includes support and training materials as well as a variety of resources.

With The Sporting Memories Foundation forced to temporarily suspend all in-person Clubs and meetings in light of COVID-19, the charity will use the generous donation received from Person Centred Software to help with its continuing work to engage with its Club members as well as with the wider public, including through its #TalkAboutSport campaign.

Kelly Hart, Funding Manager at The Sporting Memories Foundation said: “We have been working hard to provide resources and inspiration to enable everyone, no matter where they are, to talk about sport with someone they know – including over the telephone or online; whether that person is a neighbour or relative, living at home or in a care setting.

We have also been working hard to bring together Club participants online, wherever they are based. Bringing the structured one-to-one reminiscence, fun and companionship online, and providing guidance and training to support partners and volunteers in this.

The generous donation from Person Centred Software will be a wonderful contribution to our work in the face of COVID-19 and as we look to both the resumption of Sporting Memories Clubs and further innovation. It will help us to reach out further to older people who are living with dementia, loneliness or depression. We thank everyone involved for their generosity and look forward to sharing news of further developments.”

Taking over as Person Centred Software’s chosen Charity of the Year for 2020/2021 will be The Care Workers Charity, which was founded in 2009 with the objective of supporting current and former care workers with one-off crisis grants.

The Care Workers Charity’s vision is that no care worker will ever face financial hardship alone. They give grants to anyone working in care who is struggling financially through the ‘Rainy Day Fund for Everyday Heroes’. For people working in a sector where the work is demanding, looking after some of the most vulnerable people, The Care Workers Charity looks after them when they need it.

Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director of the Care Workers Charity said: “We are pleased that Person Centred Software have chosen the Care Workers Charity as their Charity of the Year.

We both share the values which centre around improving the lives of those involved in social care. The Care Workers Charity focuses on supporting care professionals and Person Centred Software champions the sector with its use of innovative technology.

Throughout the year we will collaborate to increase the reach of the charity and funds raised from Person Centred Software will go towards improving our contribution to social care”.

On top of their partnerships with the Sporting Memories Foundation and the Care Workers Charity, Person Centred Software has this year thrown its support behind a digital Adopt a Grandparent initiative, which combats loneliness across care homes.

Devised by care home group CHD Living, the initiative matches volunteers with care home residents based on shared interests, and encourages them to regularly communicate by video call to form meaningful friendships.

Following a surge of interest in the initiative, which saw 80,000 people sign up during lockdown, Adopt a Grandparent has been fundraising to develop an app designed to speed up the pairing process and to facilitate safe discussion between participants.

Appreciating the sentiment behind the campaign and fully appreciating the positive impact that it has had on the lives of residents and volunteers alike, Person Centred Software kickstarted Adopt a Grandparent’s fundraising with an initial donation of five thousand pounds.

Co-founder and Director Jonathan Papworth explains: “At Person Centred Software, we feel it’s our corporate responsibility to give back wherever we can. The charities that we have chosen to support this year all have people at their heart, so they felt a natural fit for us to work with. We are delighted to be helping them in raising awareness and funds for their individual causes and we look forward to seeing them achieving their goals.”