Located in Crowborough, East Sussex, The Vines is a person-centred neurorehabilitation service for adults with an acquired brain injury (ABI) or a progressive neurological condition (PNC).
The Vines provides a step-down service that offers support for individuals who have had their initial post-acute rehabilitation in hospital services. For individuals with a PNC, we offer a flexible and responsive approach to their care. We celebrate and support what they are able to do, when they are able to do so, whilst preparing for ways they can continue to excel as their condition progresses.
The Vines aims to promote independence and help each resident to return back into the community, where possible. The Vines is an outcome-based service, which works within the UK Rehabilitation Outcomes Collaborate (ROC) based guidelines.
Individuals with a PNC are supported to live independently for as long as possible, whilst early interventions are put into place to support them as their conditions progress. The interventions include the use of communication books and teaching of gestures and signs before a person is unable to speak, so that they are supported and prepared for the effects of their conditions.
At The Vines we strive to ensure that individuals are connected with the local communities and individuals facing the same conditions. For example, the Memory Moments Café and Choir. This ensures that the individual has a support group beyond those who care for them and their families.
Our services
The specialist residential and rehabilitation service offers a tranquil environment, with a wide range of spacious communal areas and gardens. The facilities and services include:
• 17 bedrooms with well-equipped bathrooms
• A range of communal areas, including a lounge, dining room, kitchen, computer area and quiet room
• A large well-maintained garden offering a tranquil environment
• Facilities and equipment to further support the needs of residents, including specialised baths, wet rooms and a lift
• An experienced multidisciplinary staff team
• Innovative person-centred support programmes
• A focus on developing independence and daily living skills
• Planned in-house and external community activities for residents to enjoy
• Access to music therapy and pet therapy, as well as attending Headway
The multidisciplinary team
At The Vines, our expert team’s aim is to empower individuals to take control of their lives and where possible, work towards a level of independence which fits with their confidence and aspirations.
The multidisciplinary team at The Vines have regular meetings to establish the goals for each resident, working closely alongside the residents and families, who are invited to attend the meetings. This ensures a person-centred approach and valuable input from all of the stakeholders are the key elements to the residents’ rehabilitation.
With support from a psychologist and occupational therapist, the team at The Vines consists of:
• A neuropsychologist
• Support staff
• An activities coordinator
We also have strong links with a variety of external supporting services. This includes:
• Local GPs
• Headway
• Speech and language therapy
• Chiropodist
• Diabetes clinics
• Dentists
• Dieticians
• Physiotherapy
Developing daily living skills
At The Vines, we promote independence and further development of daily living skills through person-centred daily activities plans, based on individual interests and abilities.
Our individualised activities plans are based on prior interests and work history, prior to a person’s brain injury. In addition, as part of creating the personalised activities plan, we will incorporate multidisciplinary team (MDT) goals and actions into the timetables to ensure that all of the individuals are progressing with their own rehabilitation.
As an example, a residents’ goal might be to help prepare meals and actively be involved in meal preparation. This will be incorporated into their timetable and small achievable goals will be set. A first goal might be to cut and prepare the vegetables, the second goal would be to then add the vegetables to the meal and monitor how this is cooking.
Throughout the year, we will also be undertaking new housing projects at The Vines with the involvement of residents. This further enhances their skills, such as developing and maintaining vegetable patches.
The daily living skills we develop at The Vines includes:
• Cooking
• Gardening
• Food shopping
• Personal care
• Accessing the local community
A range of planned activities
The Vines is situated in an ideal location with easy access to amenities, as well as close to peaceful and tranquil countryside walks through Ashdown Forest.
Incorporated into the residents personalised activities plans are also external trips and activities based upon the individuals’ diagnosis and subsequent conditions. This can include attending:
• Memory Moments Dementia Café
• Musical Dementia Moments
• Boccia Parasport
Alongside external activities based on the needs of the people that we support, The Vines has regular discos and activities to celebrate key annual events and charities, as well as a range of external organisations visiting the service. This includes:
• Music therapy
• Pet therapy
• Local theatre productions
• Fitness sessions designed for individuals with ABI and TBI
Achieving positive outcomes
By encouraging people to take control and have belief in their potential at The Vines, we can make positive outcomes a reality for everyone, regardless of age or presumed ability.
We create pathways that support individuals through residential to community living, delivering measurable results for both local authorities and the people who use our services. This, paired with our personalisation agenda, enables us to help the people we support to lead fulfilled, independent lives. By working together, we can make a real and lasting difference for everyone we support, enhancing their lives and helping them reconnect with the community, families and friends.
At The Vines, we also celebrate the achievements of the people that we support with PNC and continue to celebrate their achievements as their conditions adapt. Although these may be different, they are just as important. We aim to support and empower them to be ready for the nature of their progressive and often rapidly changing condition.
