MP for Cheltenham joins Whittington House for Dementia Awareness Event
9th October 2017
MP for Cheltenham Alex Chalk joined businesses, relatives and members of the public at Whittington House Nursing Home to share knowledge of dementia through two special events held recently.Two dementia awareness events took place at the home, one aimed at family members of those living with dementia and the other at local businesses and organisations.
Mr Chalk – who attended the afternoon event– said he found the session at the home very worthwhile. “The dementia awareness session was extremely informative. The talk broke down many of the misgivings about dementia and provided some invaluable advice on how to give appropriate and respectful care,” he said.One attendee said: “A very informative session which will hopefully enable our family to be positive about the future and not be scared about dementia.”Another added “This was a brilliant session, well-structured and highly informative – a real eye opener.”
Whittington House Nursing Home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire is a modern, purpose-built home and provides residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for up to 66 people. The home is situated in a residential location and backs onto private woodland.The dementia awareness events aimed to give participants an in-depth understanding about, and empathy for, the psychological needs of a person with dementia. The events are based on Caring Homes' in-house dementia training programme, Living in My World, which has won a prestigious Princess Royal Training Award and is accredited by City and Guilds.There were hints and tips to improve communication and a practical session to understand some of the day-to-day frustrations that affect a person living with dementia.Caring Homes' Dementia Training Lead Michele Saunders, says: “These events enable participants to learn about dementia and help them to challenge the way people think, act and talk about the condition. "We want to actively promote a dementia friendly community through sharing our knowledge and expertise. These sessions increase awareness of dementia which can be useful to all sorts of businesses and organisations, and help people understand what life is like for those living with dementia.”
If you would like to find out more about life at Whittington House or to arrange a visit, please call 0808 223 5396 or email [email protected].Background information about dementia- Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to lots of different types of conditions
- There are more than 200 different forms of dementia; the four most common are Alzheimer’s Disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal dementia
- One in 14 people aged 65 and over have dementia*
- Many people with dementia dislike the term ‘dementia residents’ as it implies that they are nothing more than this.
- Please avoid using the word sufferer or victim in relation to dementia. It is preferable to use ‘person with dementia’ ‘person living with dementia’ or ‘person living well with dementia’.
