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

A care home in Stratford-upon-Avon has launched a free guide to support people whose loved ones have been diagnosed with dementia to mark Dementia Action Week. 

A poll of 2,000 adults carried out by Care UK, which operates Ambleside, on Evesham 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, Ambleside also hosted a memory games challenge, as well as planting ‘forget me not’ flowers, baking cakes and holding a Denim for Dementia afternoon tea where they decorated the home with yellow and purple flowers. 

Julia Joy, Home Manager at Ambleside, said: “Here at Ambleside, we are committed to encouraging others to learn about dementia – which is why we’re thrilled to be unveiling our latest guide, ‘Let’s talk about dementia’.

 

“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 encourage local people to download a copy of the guide or reach out to their local care home if they have any questions.”

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 Ambleside, Staci Reeson, on staci.reeson@careuk.com or call 01789 868 298. 

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

Ambleside is a state-of-the-art care home which provides full-time residential, dementia and nursing care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable its residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its very own cinema, café and hair salon, and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.