Introduction
The Beaconsfield & Chepping Wye (BCW) Community Board that was formed in April 2020 has already established a number of sub groups including one aimed at making the area Dementia Friendly. This is potentially a huge undertaking and so it has been decided that this project will be led by the Chepping Wycombe Parish Council and initially will be focussed on Flackwell Heath.
Ambition & Achievements To Date
The BCW sub group has met a number of times since August 2020 and has agreed that its ambition should be:
“To raise awareness about dementia in the community and to engage local businesses and community groups with the aim of getting them actively involved with helping the older generation day to day and, in particular, making the area “Dementia Friendly.”.
Additionally, as dementia action groups have already been formed in Marlow and High Wycombe, this sub group has agreed to learn from the experiences of those groups and has received briefings from them.
As a result, the sub group has initiated a number of immediate actions as follows:
- The production of a leaflet to be distributed via the Parish magazine.
- The creation of a training programme both for volunteers and businesses.
- The hire of the Virtual Dementia Bus in the summer of 2021.
The Community Board and the Chepping Wycombe Parish Council have agreed to match-fund this work and monies have already been allocated accordingly.
The CWPC Dementia Friendly Website Page
This website will provide information on Dementia and the sub group’s activities. It will be updated on a regular basis.
If you would like more information or would like to volunteer your help with this project, please contact the Parish Clerk on 01494 814600 or by e-mail at wendy@cwpc.org.uk
Dementia
Here are a few facts about Dementia:
- Dementia is a leading cause of death in the UK and there is no cure.
- Dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing. The term is used to describe the symptoms associated with a number of brain diseases. These include Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewey Bodies, Parkinson’s dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.
- Over 850,000 people in the UK are affected by dementia. Most are over 65 but it is estimated that over 40,000 people under 65 are affected by early-onset dementia including some people in their late 20s and 30s.
- The number of deaths from dementia has increased steadily since 2006, and in 2018 dementia overtook heart disease as UK’s biggest killer.
- Statistics compiled by the Office of National Statistics reveal that in 2018 70,366 people died from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia as opposed to 66,076 deaths from heart disease.
- Every 3 minutes someone in the UK develops dementia.
- 1 in 3 children today will go on to develop dementia.
- Without a cure the projection is that 1.2m people will have dementia by 2040.
- The progress of the disease can be long and slow and with support many people live well with dementia until the later stages. This places an onus on our society to recognise the impact of these devastating brain diseases, not only on those diagnosed with dementia but on their families and carers, and to support them within our communities.
Although this all sounds rather gloomy, the fact is that there is a lot that can be done to help and that’s the positive that the sub group will pursue.
Dementia Friendly Sub Group
Over the coming year, the Dementia Friendly sub group will:
- Raise awareness about dementia
- Encouraging people with concerns to visit their GP – the current diagnosis rate in Bucks is approximately 67%, not dissimilar to much of the country but clearly there are people, including carers, who are not yet receiving the support that might help them.
- Engage with local businesses in Flackwell Heath so that they understand the subject much better and are able to offer support when needed.
- Recruit and train the volunteers.
Awareness raising
The original intention was to make use of the Virtual Dementia Bus that can be hired from Training 2 Care UK which provides an immersive experience that gives participants an insight into what living with dementia can feel like. It has proved a successful way of engaging with local organisations and service providers when it has been used several times to good effect across the county. Unfortunately, given the COVID situation at the moment, they are currently only able to train Council staff.
It is hoped that we will be able to take advantage of the Virtual Dementia Bus in the spring.
Training
We shall also be offering training to potential volunteers, local business people, and those who are members of local community groups such as the church, our volunteer library and Age Concern.
There will be an introductory session to explain more about dementia, the work of WDDA and CWDA, and the opportunities for further training and involvement.
Because of the COVID pandemic, the initial training will be held on-line using 2 of our sub group members including Sue Granshaw who is an Ambassador for Alzheimer’s Research UK. Both she and Hilda Stearn from WDDA are well versed in the subject and have successfully given presentations like this before.
Although we would have preferred to have delivered this training face to face, one of the advantages of doing it virtually is that we can record the session and people unable to come to the event in November can watch it later at their leisure.
The next stage will be Dementia Friends training sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Society which will enhance your knowledge of dementia and enable you to be registered as a Dementia Friend.
Finally, Sue and Hilda of WDDA have devised a training session for businesses and services who deal directly with the general public. This focusses on how to recognise the possible signs that someone is living with dementia and how to address any problems this might pose in a pragmatic and sympathetic manner.
The date and precise details for these sessions will be publicised as soon as possible. You can register your interest now by emailing wendy@cwpc.org.uk