Living well with dementia

The borough’s second annual event about dementia was held at Middleton Arena, where over 140 dementia sufferers, carers and health and social care professionals attended.

The theme for this years event was ‘living well with dementia,’ which looked at how people having an awareness and understanding of dementia can make a difference to those suffering and living with the condition.

Attendees listened to key speakers deliver presentations on improving the quality of life for those with dementia and how important it is for sufferers to retain connections with family, friends, carers and the community.

One presentation looked at Life Story Work, which is an activity to enhance the care provided to those with dementia by reviewing an individuals’ past life events and developing an individual biography of that person.

Life Story Work can help a dementia sufferers retain something of themselves and it can help the people around them to care for them.

This was followed by an emotional talk by a carer, whose wife suffers with dementia and he explained how Life Story Work has helped them connect again with each other.

Across the borough there are an estimated 2159 people with dementia. Of those, approximately 979 remain undiagnosed and so are missing out on access to the treatment and support that would help them to live well.

Other presentations on the day included ‘dance for dementia,’ by Dr Richard Coaten, which demonstrated how the use of dance and movement along with other activities can be used to support people with dementia.

As well as dancing, there was also singing at the event with The Carers Choir opening the event and performing to attendees.

The Alzheimer’s Society gave an overview of some of the new work that is starting to take place with local communities to improve daily life for dementia sufferers and their carers.