The Martha Trust

Kerry Rubins, the fundraising officer for the Martha Trust, spoke to the club at the end of January about the work done by the Trust for profoundly disabled people. The club subsequently made a donation. As a result of Kerry’s visit the club was invited to visit Mary House on The Ridge, the Trust’s Hastings home; six of us visited on 19th May. Kerry introduced us to a senior care worker who showed us some of the living areas for the twelve current residents. 

The whole building is purposely designed and very light and airy; bedrooms are individually furnished by the resident and their family to keep that home from home touch and all have direct outside access. The recreation areas have specialist equipment and facilities to help them get the most from life – one resident loves to play the piano. We visited on Royal Wedding Day and all the residents, bar one who preferred to watch a DVD, were sat comfortably watching the TV. With a carer ratio of nearly one to one the residents are encouraged to be as independent as possible. Owen Nolan, the house manager, showed us the rest of the premises. 

Like the interior the outside is designed to be totally accessible and has a garden with sensation planting, recreation, sitting areas and a trampoline used for physiotherapy. The Trust is currently raising money for a canopy so the trampoline can be used in more unsettled weather conditions. 

Back within the building is a hydrotherapy pool with high tech lighting and sound which can be controlled by whoever is in the pool. One resident was in the pool when we were there and the smile on his face showed just what pleasure he got from it! Owen then showed us the new build, phase 3, which includes two new bedrooms and a shared high specification bathrooms – all bathrooms are shared between two bedrooms. Also in the build is a new technology and communication room which will be equipped with computers and screens and also introduce the latest “Eyegaze” technology. The Eyegaze Edge is an eye-operated communication and control system that empowers people with disabilities to communicate and interact by looking at control keys or cells displayed on a screen; a user can generate speech either by typing a message or selecting pre-programmed phrases. Owen told us of a profoundly disabled person who by using this technology was able to speak to her father for the first time in 30 years. 

Kerry explained that whilst the Trust receives money from the NHS through the Clinical Commissioning Group that money cannot pay for the technology, such as a Magic Mat, the sensory equipment in the pool and the EyeGaze equipment. To provide the level of care and give the residents the best life styles they can the Trust has to rely heavily on donations and sponsors.

Overall, a really interesting and informative visit which opened my eyes to how the lifestyles of profoundly disabled persons can be improved so much by dedicated organisations.