More dementia-friendly communities needed, according to owners of specialist care home

Training a ‘Dementia Friends’ Champion can have a significant impact on the lives of adults with memory loss, according to owners of Surrey care home the .

The home for retired seafarers wants to see the issue highlighted this Dementia Awareness Week (19–24 May), having seen first-hand the benefits of specialist training from the Alzheimer’s Society on one of its volunteers.

Achieving the status of Dementia Friends Champion, volunteer Mrs Ellis undertakes one-on-one sessions with residents in the home’s dementia unit, offers advice and guidance to family members and is now also trained to spot early signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s, with early diagnosis being crucial for a more effective treatment.

Chief executive, Commander Brian Boxhall-Hunt, wants to see not just care homes but communities themselves take up such initiatives. He says: “Dementia Awareness Week is hugely important not only to sufferers of the disease but also their loved ones. Highlighting the need for support, guidance and information is something we are passionate about here.”

He continues: “We have witnessed first-hand the positive impact early diagnosis and dementia therapies can have on sufferers. We would encourage anyone working with elderly people to get involved in the Dementia Friends Champion scheme to help spread the word and offer support to those affected by this terrible disease.”

Mrs Ellis herself also commented: “Through becoming a dementia champion, I use the skills I have learnt to help support patients and their families and am able to pass knowledge gained to other volunteers at the home and in the wider community. With this disease set to affect one in every three people, it is vital to spread awareness of the symptoms and the care that is available.”

Other approaches promoted by the home include providing access to a range of interesting activities and pursuits, such as reflexology and music therapy, while the home also has its own sensory garden that residents find help them to feel relaxed.