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| AQuA Staff with Dementia Friends pledge cards. |
The Advancing Quality Alliance (AQuA) was delighted to welcome volunteers from the Alzheimer’s Society, to deliver a series of Dementia Friends Information Sessions to increase staff awareness of the disease.
Taking
place ahead of Dementia Awareness Week 2016, these sessions form part of the
Alzheimer’s Society national campaign to create dementia-friendly communities
and confront misconceptions. Leading the training was Sheelagh Machin, one of
AQuA’s Lived Experience Affiliates and volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Society.
During the
sessions, staff took part in talks and discussions about the disease to help
understand the condition better, and dispel some of the stigma and myths
associated with dementia. Staff were also encouraged to become Dementia Friends
by pledging to raise awareness amongst friends, family and other colleagues.
Sheelagh also spoke about her own personal experience of caring for both of her parents
who were diagnosed with dementia.
AQuA
Director Elizabeth Bradbury said: “Our session was an hour well spent. We
really connected with the topic of dementia, and what this means for each one
of us personally, particularly with many staff touching on their own
experiences of the condition.”
“It also
gave us the chance to think about our professional roles supporting dementia,
and reflect on the implications for some of our work with AQuA members.”
With 35
staff now trained as Dementia Friends, all staff thoroughly enjoyed taking part
in the training and learning more about dementia. AQuA also welcomed the
chance to take our first step towards becoming a dementia friendly
organisation.
