Dementia friends gather at Teesside care home

DEMENTIA friends gathered at Teesside care home for training to support those with the condition.

Dementia champion and crime prevention officer at Cleveland Police, Peter Ridley facilitated the session at The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Stockton on Tees.

There were more than a dozen attendees, including staff from the home, family of residents, members of the Carlton WI and others from the community.

WI member Ann Swinbank said: “I wanted to learn more as a family member has been showing dementia-like symptoms and I felt it would help if I knew how to assist them going forward.”

The Beeches Care Home manager, Jess Brown, met session facilitator Pete during their dementia friends training at the Dementia Hub in Thornaby.

Pete has since helped ensure Cleveland Police is completely dementia friendly, with all new cohorts receiving dementia friends training.

He said: “I was delighted to be asked to present the dementia friends session at The Beeches.

“I became a dementia champion to help build awareness in the community of the challenges that people who live with dementia face.

“If we can create awareness, it will help people be more understanding when they interact with a person who has dementia.”

Jess said: “We had a great turnout with 14 for our dementia friends session.

“As a care home looking after those with dementia, we wanted to do our bit to help others understand the condition better, so they can support their friends and loved ones.

“These sessions are aimed at raising awareness and understanding, so that people living with dementia can continue to live the way they want.

“We’re planning to run sessions at local schools to give children an understanding of what it’s like to live with dementia and how to help those who have it.

“We’re also organising further sessions at the home and we’ll make the dates available to those wishing to know more as soon as possible.”