An organisation which supports people affected by dementia is running online courses for carers next month.
Dignity in Dementia provides a range of support for people living with dementia, including one-to-one and group walks to transmitting a weekly reminiscence radio show via Candofm, based in Barrow.
Over the last 18 months, the pandemic has spurred Dignity in Dementia to move many of its activities online, with it conducting singing, poetry and even gardening groups over Zoom.
It said it had seen a surge in interest for some of its services during the pandemic.
Lesley Gill, who co-founded the organisation alongside fellow director Diane Smilie, says despite the initial challenge of moving its operations online there have been a number of advantages.
Lesley said: “Our focus is always on maintaining the dignity of people with dementia and their carers.
“The pandemic gave us an impetus to do things in a new way, which we embraced, and I think we’ve done it very successfully.
“Some of those things we’re going to continue to do. For example, when we did our family carers courses, we always went to a specific location to deliver them.
“During the pandemic we’ve been running those online. We’re having loads more people sign up to them than we ever did before because they’re happening in the evenings and people don’t have to leave home to travel somewhere.”
Although it is based in Arnside, Dignity in Dementia – which employs six staff and has around 16 volunteers – also delivers services in West Cumbria, Carlisle and Penrith.
As part of World Alzheimer’s Month in September, Lesley and Diane are encouraging the families of those with dementia to sign up for its free family carers Zoom course.
The courses are made up of four one-hour sessions covering everything from the basics of what dementia is to how to communicate with people with the condition and deal with challenging behaviour.
“It’s all focused on doing things for the emotional well-being of the person with dementia,” says Lesley.
Dignity in Dementia has been supported in its work over the last two years by a £60,000 donation from The Cumberland building society, which will also help fund its work in 2022.
Dignity in Dementia’s next Zoom course for family carers will begin on Thursday October 7, running from 7pm until 8pm for the following three Thursdays.
To book a place or find out more information email [email protected] or ring Diane on 07771 682378.
