The lockdown prevented us all from taking part in the usual village community activities, bringing a feeling of being left out of normal life. Living with dementia can exclude people and affect families. It makes it more difficult for them to feel part of the community by limiting what they are able to do and where they feel at ease to go.
There are people living with dementia who are managing well, with the help of family and friends. But there are also more who manage, but only just, and others who are without support. That’s why we need to understand its effects and to recognise how we can help and support those living with dementia and those who care for them.
That’s why we are working towards a Dementia Friendly Riding Mill
We aim to:
Raise awareness levels so that, by learning and understanding more, our community will be better able to help people with dementia remain active and engaged
Encourage clubs, societies and premises to find ways to become increasingly more accessible for people with dementia
Develop Riding Mill as a community known for being Dementia Friendly.
Our initial objectives are simple and achievable:
To create a significant number of new Dementia Friends.
To support and help our leisure services, faith groups, and organisations to make small changes so that they are more accessible for people living with dementia.
Become a Dementia Friend
To achieve our aims in working towards a Dementia Friendly Riding Mill our first objective is to encourage the members of our village clubs, organisations and faith groups to become Dementia Friends.
You can do this simply by viewing a video or taking part in a group information session. Understanding and learning more about dementia can turn into action and we can make small changes that will help people living with dementia and those who care for them. You can play your part in the community- wide effort working towards Riding Mill becoming a Dementia Friendly village.
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Dementia Friends become involved in many ways. There are larger actions like ours – community efforts where the main aim is to raise awareness and understanding so that people who live with dementia feel able to live in the way they want and remain actively involved. There are personal actions we can all take like being more patient or by joining in activities in the open access Drop-In where visitors are always very welcome. There are many ways you can offer your support.
If you would like to know more about what it means to be a Dementia Friend, please pick up a leaflet from the Parish Hall or simply use this link to the Alzheimer’s Society website: https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk More information is also available from Drop-in regulars, Suzanne Barker, Judy Wilthew,
Jan or Graham Walmsley, all of whom are Dementia Friends, as are many others.
One small request, when you become a Dementia Friend, please keep in touch with us - contact names and numbers below.
If we can help in any way or provide you with information or contact details please telephone
Jan Walmsley tel: 01434682168 or 0795630802 jwalmsley.bb@gmail.com or
Suzanne Baker tel: 07587068210 suzanne.barkerrmvht@btinternet.com
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