University students enter care homes to help people with dementia

Students from Kingston University have been helping support care home residents with dementia to ensure that they can see the person and ‘not just their diagnosis’.

Kingston University launched its Special Interest Group (SIG), led by Maria Brent, a senior lecturer in social work,, to raise awareness of dementia and also help care home workers.

Powerful: 'Watching care staff with my mother’

Students studying social care spend time with people living with dementia in care settings and Mrs Brent is passionate that her students understand more about the person behind the diagnosis.

Maria Brent said: "On placements, students are often focused on their clinical or assessment skills.

"Although these are important, for me the volunteering opportunities are about how students can develop their person-centred skills and wider learning opportunities with our partners and build relationships so they can spend time with a person living with dementia, looking behind the diagnosis to hear their voice."

The lecturer is now hoping to eventually offer volunteering opportunities to all staff and students at Kingston and she has already had interest from students studying business, nursing and social work.

The academic decided to make Kingston University a dementia-friendly community after caring for her mother, who had dementia.

"It was powerful for me watching care staff with my mother, who took some time to ask how she was.

"They didn't rush her and let her find her words so they could find out more about her and her story. This really had a positive impact on her mood and behaviour.

Asking if someone enjoyed their breakfast ‘is better than quizzing them’

"Dementia doesn't discriminate and can affect anyone. It's all about learning those little tips that make such a difference – like asking someone if they enjoyed their breakfast instead of quizzing them on what they had, because these specific questions can be stressful for people living with dementia.

"It's all about using simple, basic tools to help support those living with this challenging condition the as best we can.”

As a result of Mrs Brent's efforts, Kingston University is authorised to use the logo ‘working towards a dementia friendly community' - a recognition given by the Alzheimer's Society to acknowledge work she has achieved in raising awareness about the condition.

Mrs Brent now wants to go further to create a more dementia-friendly community.

"Local care homes really want to work with us and provide volunteering opportunities for our students and we want to develop these further to raise the profile and awareness of dementia.

"Kingston Hospital is also on board and the local library service runs dementia singing groups which would be great for our students and staff to get involved with.

"It's all about supporting people with dementia and building a supportive dementia friendly community."

The lecturer's project is a culmination of five years of dementia-friendly work, which include University events such as a theatre production called ‘Grandma, Remember Me?'. An Elf Day hosted before Christmas, involved staff dressing up as elves, raising more than £1,000 for the Alzheimer's Society.