Educating the nation – local care home launches guide to create dementia-friendly community

A care home in Stroud is launching a free guide to support people whose loved ones have been diagnosed with dementia ahead of Dementia Action Week. 

A poll of 2,000 adults carried out by Care UK, which operates Scarlet House, on Westward Road, found over a third of British adults (35%) have many questions about dementia – but do not know how to get the answers. 

The guide, titled Let’s talk about dementia, follows an easy-to-read Q&A format. Tapping into more than 40 years of experience of providing care for people living with dementia, it has been designed by Care UK’s experts, including Head of Nursing, Care and Dementia, Suzanne Mumford, as well as Home Managers and team members across more than 150 care homes. 

Aimed at those caring for a loved one living with dementia, the one-of-a-kind guide is filled with answers to the questions care home teams across the country have been asked by relatives or members of the community – from identifying the signs of the condition, and interacting with a person living with dementia, to everyday questions regarding diet changes and sleep patterns. 

It also addresses topics rarely covered in other guides, including behaviour changes such as swearing and loss of inhibitions, making it a unique toolkit for families and friends of people living with dementia, whether they live at home or in a care home. 

To mark Dementia Action Week, Scarlet House is also hosting its first Carer’s Cafe on Thursday 19^th May from 10am-11.30am, offering tea and cake, and the opportunity for family carers to get help and advice. The café will then be hosted on the third Thursday of every month.

Sharon Morgan, Home Manager at Scarlet House, said: ““Many families can find themselves feeling powerless when their loved one is diagnosed with dementia, and it can be a very uncertain time for those involved – but we are here to help. 

“Our guide has been designed to reassure those caring for a loved one by providing answers to many of the questions they might have, but also to help educate others so we may create a more dementia-friendly community together. 

“We’d like to invite others in the community to get involved by downloading their copy of the guide to learn more about dementia.”

As part of the launch, Care UK has also teamed up with Alzheimer’s Society ambassador, award-winning journalist and TV presenter Angela Rippon. She commented: “I know first-hand just how families feel when a loved one is diagnosed with dementia. It’s often a confusing time and it’s easy to feel powerless and alone.

“There are so many common misconceptions when it comes to dementia, and getting a diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean the end is in sight – it’s simply the beginning of a different journey. I strongly believe educating the nation on the signs of dementia and what it’s like to live with the condition is essential, which is why I’m delighted to be working with Care UK to launch their new guide, ‘Let’s talk about dementia.’

“I’d like to encourage everyone to download a copy, so we can create a more dementia-friendly community together.”

To pick up your free copy of the guide, contact Customer Relations Manager at Scarlet House, Katerina Pippi, on katerina.pippi@careuk.com or call 0333 210 932. 

You can also download a digital copy here: careuk.com/letstalkdementia.

Scarlet House is a state-of-the-art care home and provides full-time residential, nursing, dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care home, which features 86 en-suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable its residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The care home incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.