Bluebird Care Colchester and Tendring recently sponsored a Dementia Awareness Day to mark World Alzheimer’s Month, which takes place from August to September.
The event featured a Virtual Dementia Experience and Dementia Friends sessions, providing a unique opportunity for participants to gain insight into the daily challenges faced by those living with dementia.
The interactive training experience known as ‘The Dementia Bus’ was attended by members of the public and a variety of organisations including the Alzheimer’s Society, Colchester Institute’s Health and Social Care department, Prime Appointments, HCRG Care Group and other NHS practitioners.
Provided by Training2Care, the dementia simulator offers participants with healthy brains a chance to experience what living with dementia might feel like by simulating different symptoms and challenges associated with the condition. This immersive experience aims to foster greater empathy and understanding of the difficulties faced by those with dementia.
Multiple ‘Dementia Friends’ sessions, (an Alzheimer’s Society initiative), were run throughout the day. Each session, lasting one hour, provided practical advice and support strategies to help individuals better assist those living with dementia. By the end of the day, 24 new Dementia Friends were made, bringing the total number of Dementia Friends created by Bluebird Care to over 1,300; a number they are committed to growing.
Bluebird Care Colchester and Tendring is dedicated to supporting customers and their families in the local area, helping them stay safe and well at home for as long as possible, including those living with dementia. In partnership with Dementia Friends, Bluebird Care regularly runs dementia sessions that are open to both the public and local businesses, promoting a community-wide understanding of the condition.
Melvyn Plum, Director of Bluebird Care Colchester and Tendring, emphasized the importance of these initiatives:
“Our Care Experts support people with dementia to live well at home every day. This training provides invaluable insights into the various symptoms that individuals with dementia might experience, allowing us to enhance the support we offer. Our Dementia Friends sessions also provide an in-depth look at how family members and friends can best support someone living with dementia.”
“We are proud to host and sponsor the mobile dementia simulator, as it significantly boosts understanding and empathy for people living with the condition both in our community and across the UK.”
Peter Holmes of Prime Appointments, who participated in the training experience, shared his thoughts:
“The visit to the Mobile Dementia Virtual Tour and the Dementia Friends session was extremely worthwhile. I now feel that I have a deeper understanding of the many different feelings and experiences a person with dementia might go through.”
“I’m extremely grateful to Bluebird Care Colchester and Tendring for organizing the mobile dementia simulator experience and allowing me to gain this valuable insight into dementia.”
