Dementia Action Week 2019
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Zibiah Loakthar, our Cuimhne Coordinator writes:
Dementia Action (20–26 May) week is an opportunity to galvanise everyone into learning more about memory loss and dementia. At Irish in Britain we promote taking action on dementia all 52 weeks of the year. So this Dementia Action Week, think up ways of taking action and then try out these actions throughout the year! Those of us already taking action can use the week to raise awareness amongst others or to take the opportunity to step back and reflect on what we may already be doing and then step forward again to share and learn from each other.
Garden tiles saying welcome in Irish
Anyone wondering what community groups could do to take effective action on dementia is welcome to get in touch with our Cuimhne team to discuss ideas. If taking action on dementia is new to you, we would be pleased to help you arrange to visit and learn from one of our Irish member groups across Britain with experience in this field.
Please do get in touch too if you would like to support a community group to host a Cuimhne workshop on Understanding Memory Loss and Dementia.
Our training is very accessible and suitable for staff and volunteers, carers and community members. We can tailor our training to your group’s needs and can come and deliver training in community settings both within and beyond London, free of charge to our Irish in Britain members.
Recently, Dr Mary Tilki and I had the pleasure of meeting members of Irish Network Stevenage and Sandwell Irish Community Association for Cuimhne workshops.
volunteer at whiteboard
Our Cuimhne workshops take a positive approach to dementia, enabling people to talk openly and practically about dementia rather than keep fearful silence. Cuimhne workshop participation changes views of memory loss and dementia, expanding people’s understanding, opening minds, offering practical suggestions for improving inclusion of people living with dementia. Facilitating reflection, group discussion and exchange, everyone learns from each other, Mary and me included.
If your groups need inspiration to take up this training offer have a look at the feedback we collected at our last session with Irish Network Stevenage below:
“I really enjoyed it. Brilliant course. Thank you”
“It has given me the confidence to help people.”
“It has given me a better understanding – when you are a carer you are too busy sometimes to think about being understanding.”
“It has helped me understand how scary it is for people”, “
“The course was delivered in a very professional and understanding nature”
“I have gained understanding about DEEP (Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project) guidelines and strategies to cope”
Workshops prompt actions with participants suggesting a range of things they plan to use their new understanding of memory loss/dementia influence to do such as:
“make our environment more dementia friendly”
show “more patience”
“listen more”
“talk about dementia more”
“improve the way people judge different people”.
“talk to more people about dementia.”
“open people’s minds”
“be more understanding”
“be more sensitive”
Would you like to find out about our training workshops? Email champions@irishinbritain.org