Driving positive change - RaH Franchise Owners steer critical dementia awareness initiatives
Care teams and local communities across the country are gaining a better understanding of what it’s like to live with dementia and how to better support those with the condition
Published: 25/04/2024
Right at Home franchises up and down the country are working hard to raise awareness around the daily challenges faced by people living with dementia.
It is estimated that there are around 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this figure is projected to climb to 1 million by 2025*.
Several Right at Home Franchise Owners have therefore committed to engaging with their workforce and local communities, to help them understand the symptoms of dementia and better support those affected by the condition.
In the South of the country, Ulrica Delaney, Owner of Right at Home Eastbourne and Bexhill, invited renowned dementia campaigner Chris Maddocks to visit her care team last month.
Chris was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia in 2016 at the age of 60, and later with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia.
She is an ambassador for several charities, including Alzheimer’s Society, and is a founding member of Sea DEEP, the Eastbourne arm of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project, which helps connect those living with dementia in the community.
Chris spoke to the care team about her journey through the health care system, the symptoms she experiences and how her diagnosis has affected her life and relationships.
Ulrica said the visit proved to be invaluable for her staff, who regularly care for Clients with various types of dementia, presenting at different stages.
“Chris’s humour and empathy, both with people in her situation and healthcare professionals, made a lasting impression on the team and deepened their understanding of what it’s like to live with dementia. This will have a really positive impact on our CareGivers, as well as their Clients,” she said.
CareGivers and office staff at Right at Home Eastbourne were also given insights into the challenges facing members of the LGBTQ+ community who live with dementia during the talk.
Chris co-produced the Alzheimer’s Society’s Bring Dementia Out initiative, which received a People Award for helping LGBTQ+ people access and benefit from dementia services.
Ulrica added: “Meeting Chris was an invaluable experience for us. A clear and articulate communicator, she described the frustrations and limitations caused by her dementia and answered the long list of questions we had.”
Meanwhile, up North, Right at Home Leeds North is preparing to host a special event – the Living Well Showcase – to support those in the community affected by dementia.
The event, organised in collaboration with local charity Dementia Friendly Horsforth, will feature a Virtual Dementia Tour Bus, which is scientifically proven to stimulate the symptoms of dementia, giving those with healthy brains a glimpse of what it could be like to live with the condition, encouraging empathy and awareness.
Through its partnership with the charity, RaH Leeds North received £1,000 from the local council to bring the bus to Horsforth on May 23.
Rachel Critchley, Owner of Right at Home Leeds North, said: “By enabling participants to step into the shoes of individuals with dementia, the tour facilitates a deeper understanding of the necessary adjustments in behaviour and environment that could be made to truly enhance the lives of those affected.
“Receiving the funding from the committee through our partnership with Dementia Friendly Horsforth was incredible. It validated the importance of our initiative and the positive impact it could have on local communities.”
The Living Well Showcase will also feature information stalls to help signpost attendees to dementia services in Horsforth and the surrounding areas, as well as refreshments an entertainment, including live musical performances and a range of activities, from pampering sessions to seated exercise.
Elsewhere across the Right at Home network, franchise offices are planning fundraising events to support local and national dementia charities over the coming months.
Staff members from RaH Derby and RaH East Staffs are preparing for a mammoth 26-mile trek up Snowdonia on June 29. The teams haven’t even pulled on their walking boots yet, and they’ve already raised £1,634 for Alzheimer’s Society, smashing their target of £1,500.
And in Petersfield, the RaH team is holding a football tournament in aid of Dementia Friendly Petersfield next week.
Revisit our news page for further updates.
*Source – Alzheimer’s Society: How many people have dementia in the UK? | Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk)
