I was delighted to take part in this training:
READING Borough Council is supporting the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends campaign as part its ongoing commitment to making Reading a dementia friendly town.
With the goal of creating a million Dementia Friends across England by 2015, the initiative aims to give people a better understanding of the condition and suggest ways in which we can all support people with dementia.
Two councillors joined 31 staff – from departments including highways and transport, libraries, environmental health, and finance as well as social care – for voluntary Dementia Friends training. They learnt how dementia is not part of the natural ageing process but is caused by diseases of the brain; that it is not just about losing your memory and that there is more to the person than just the dementia; and that it is possible to live well with dementia.
Attendees were encouraged to sign up to individual actions by registering on the Dementia Friends website www.dementiafriends.org.uk.
Dementia actions can include:
• behaving patiently with someone showing the signs of dementia
• spending more time with, helping or supporting a friend or relative affected by dementia
• signposting people affected by dementia to more information and support
• volunteering with an organisation to support people with dementia
• fundraising for a dementia-related cause
• helping your workplace to be more dementia friendly
• spreading the word about Dementia Friends
Actions can range from helping someone with dementia to get on the right bus to sharing the Dementia Friends link on Facebook.
Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Rachel Eden said:
“Reading Borough Council is committed to supporting people with dementia to live fulfilling lives. Dementia has the potential to affect us all, and everyone can play a part in helping people with dementia to feel safe and supported.
“I attended the informative and incredibly useful Dementia Friends training, and I was very impressed by the number of Council staff who also volunteered their time to learn more about dementia’s causes and impact. Being a Dementia Friend is a great way to help make Reading a better place, for those with dementia and for all of us.”
For more information on Dementia Friends training or to run your own session, please visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
Reading Borough Council Press Releases can be found online at http://www.reading.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/
Media Contact: Anna Fowler
Tel: 0118 937 3957
Follow us
