Dementia Friends challenge for Warwickshire

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challenge, Dementia, Dementia Action Alliance, Dementia Friendly Communities, Dementia Friends, dementia friends challenge, Warwickshire, warwickshire county council

Warwickshire County Council and partners are encouraging Warwickshire residents to become a Dementia Friend to pledge their support to people with dementia, and taking the number of Dementia Friends across the county to 30,000.

In Warwickshire, according to latest estimates, there are 7,500 people living with dementia and this is likely to rise to over 11,000 people in the next ten years. The fact is that most people in Warwickshire will be affected in some way by dementia during their lifetimes.

Dementia Friends is a national initiative led by the Alzheimer’s Society based on the principle that people with dementia can live well with a little help from other people. Becoming a Dementia Friend is about understanding a bit more about dementia and the small things that can help people with the condition. You don’t need to already know someone with dementia to become a Dementia Friend.

Become a Dementia Friend in the following ways:

• Watch a short video to become a dementia friend dementiafriends.org.uk
• Are you part of a community group? Contact us to arrange a Dementia Friends Information Session Keeley.Waldron@alzheimers.org.uk
• Go along to a Dementia Friends session in your local area – you can find the nearest sessions on the Dementia Friends website: dementiafriends.org.uk

Employers are also encouraged to share this message with their employees as the Alzheimer’s Society can help employers who are looking to have their workforce signed up as Dementia Friends.

Monica Fogarty, Joint Managing Director of Warwickshire County Council, and a Dementia Friend, said: “The creation of almost two million Dementia Friends across the country by the Alzheimer’s Society is a wonderful achievement. Now we look to Warwickshire and our own mission to support the creation of 30,000 Dementia Friends across our county.

“I would urge everyone to attend one of the face-to-face sessions if they can, where they will gain a broader understanding of the issues associated with dementia and discover the small things they can do to make a big difference to people living with the condition. If you can’t attend a face-to-face session, you can still get involved and help us towards our target by visiting the Dementia Friends website and becoming a Dementia Friend.”

Anyone wishing to become a Dementia Friend can visit: dementiafriends.org.uk

For more information and support on living well with dementia and Warwickshire’s Living Well with Dementia Strategy, visit: warwickshire.gov.uk/dementia

If you are an employer in Warwickshire or wish to request a Dementia Friends information Session for your group, please contact keeley.waldron@alzheimers.org.uk for further information.

North Warwickshire Borough is on the way to becoming dementia friendly

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North Warwickshire Dementia Friendly Community held their inaugural meeting on 17th March to launch their approach and share commitment to becoming a dementia friendly community. The meeting was well attended and proved to be very successful. Partners included, for example, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Arley Community Centre, Guideposts carers support service and Age UK.

The dementia friendly communities programme focuses on improving the inclusion and quality of life of people with dementia so they could remain valued, connected and involved members of their local community. The programme was launched in line with the Prime Ministers challenge on dementia in July 2012.

North Warwickshire Dementia Friendly Community have already proved they are progressing the initiative locally, and managed to achieve the following:

• Atherstone Leisure Complex are offering free swim vouchers for people living with dementia and their carers during Dementia Awareness Week. This entitles the person with dementia and their carer to go swimming for free at the centre, during the week commencing 16^th May;
• Following a premises environment check from the Alzheimer’s Society, a number of changes have taken place at the Atherstone Leisure Complex centre. These changes have included new flooring, removal of clutter, new signage, staff training and improved lighting;
• A North Warwickshire event is being held on Wednesday 18th May at the Volunteers Centre in Atherstone to promote the range of activities being offered to people with dementia living in North Warwickshire. There will be an opportunity for community groups/organisations to attend to promote their service and offer activities. Activities will include, for example, musical sing-a-long, memory boxes or oomph session (a gentle seated exercise session). Please contact Martin Horner on 01827 717073  if you wish to book a space to promote your services;
• A Dementia Friends session is being held on Thursday 19th May at Atherstone Leisure Complex. People can sign up to the course at https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/ or contact Becky Evans via details provided at the bottom of this article. If any groups or organisations would like to organise a Dementia Friends Session, please contact Keeley on Waldron@alzheimers.org.uk;
• There are plans to start a number of dementia cafés in the community and local care homes, for example, a dementia café is due to start on May 6 (afternoon) in Water Orton.

On another note, the Aviva Women’s Tour (a prestigious world cycle race) is coming to North Warwickshire in June. Stage 2 of the event is actually starting in Atherstone on Thursday 16th June. To help create a carnival atmosphere we are asking all community groups/organisation, schools, nurseries, and children centres from across North Warwickshire borough, to decorate some bunting. We will provide the fabric, and we are asking everyone to decorate an individual piece of bunting which we will collect and join together. This will be used to decorate the route.

For more details please contact:

Becky Evans

Community Development Officer, North Warwickshire Borough

Tel: 01827 719346

Email: BeckyEvans@northwarks.gov.uk