The Big Lottery funded Dementia Friendly New Moston campaign is gearing up to deliver much needed information and support sessions for people living with dementia, their carers, businesses and groups in the area and the team is waiting for your call.
Many people with dementia report feeling trapped in their own homes and let down by their communities, with just one in three getting out once a week and one in ten only once a month.
A Project Steering Group will be recruited to meet quarterly, attracting members from local businesses, service organisations, carers and people living with dementia to guide this programme. People will be invited to join this group at the forthcoming Open Event consultation which takes place on Tuesday 3 February at 1.30-3.30 in the New Moston Club, 64 Parkfield Road North, New Moston M40 3RQ. Anyone connected with or affected by dementia is invited and encouraged to attend this event and help to fashion the priorities for the Dementia Friendly Communities team.
Challenging stigma and building awareness
The team is already prepared to run one hour Dementia Friends sessions for any local groups and businesses. These are highly interactive, making it easy to grasp the challenges of dementia and how to help. There are also some neat pocket booklets to tuck in a wallet which hold hints and tips on helping people living with dementia to enjoy regular social interaction, so important for a good quality of life.
Contact the DFCGM team for further information on 0161 962 4788, or email: [email protected].
There are two programmes designed to help carers and one for people living with dementia and both have dates set for 2015.
The Carer Information and Support Programme runs over 5 consecutive week with 2.5 hour sessions providing information and advice so carers can understand more about the condition and how best to manage any challenges it creates.
The SHARED (Support, Help to Access Resources and Engaging well with Dementia) programme runs over 6 consecutive weeks with 4.5 hour sessions providing ideas and information for people living with dementia and their carers, with additional opportunities to enjoy social activities and chat to people in a similar situation.
Contact the DFCGM team for further information on 0161 962 4788, or email: [email protected].
Helping businesses and services to respond to customers with dementia
The volunteers will deliver a campaign to neighbourhood businesses starting this year. They will be calling on local businesses with an information pack and details of how they can become part of a Dementia Friendly Community. This involves staff awareness training, an environment check and supporting the campaign with material.
Contact the DFCGM team for further information on 0161 962 4788, or email: [email protected].