Educating the nation – local care homes launch guide to create dementia-friendly community

Two local care homes are launching a free guide to support people whose loved ones have been diagnosed with dementia ahead of Dementia Action Week.

A poll of 2,000 adults carried out by Care UK, which operates Newbury Grove, on London Road, and Winchcombe Place, on Maple Crescent, 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, Winchcombe Place will be hosting a Dementia Friends Session on 15th June.

Adarsh Kurian, General Manager at Newbury Grove, said: “Dementia Action Week is just around the corner, so we’re exciting to be releasing our brand-new guide, ‘Let’s talk about dementia’, to help our community understand what it’s like to live with dementia.

“As our survey has shown, dementia remains a largely misunderstood condition, meaning a diagnosis is often a worrying and uncertain time for those involved. We designed our guide with this in mind, ensuring it provides answers to all the real-life questions we’ve been asked over the years.
Kerry Thompson, Home Manager at Winchcombe Place, added: “We’d like to encourage local people to download a copy of the guide or reach out to us directly if they need any support, so together we can create a more dementia-friendly community.”

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.’

“We’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 Home Admissions Advisor at Newbury Grove, Coral Elvin, on newbury.HAA@gracewell.co.uk or contact Customer Relations Manager at Winchcombe Place, Vicki Lambourne, on vicki.lambourne@careuk.com

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

Newbury Grove and Winchcombe Place have been designed to deliver the very best standards of care and to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives. The homes provide full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The care homes incorporate space for hobby and leisure activities and includes its own cinema, hair salon and café.