Proud to support Dementia Action Awareness Week

We are proud to support Dementia Action Awareness Week, a campaign led by the Alzheimer's Society which aims to raise awareness and unite people together to support individuals living with dementia.

The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss, difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language, and often changes in mood, perception or behaviour. The condition is not a natural part of aging; it is a syndrome associated with an ongoing decline of brain function, caused when abnormal proteins to accumulate around brain cells which causes the cells themselves to die.

As part of Dementia Action Awareness Week - which runs from 21 to 27 May - the Alzheimer's Society are asking people to take small actions to help people with demnetia to live well; even a simple chat can have a big impact on people affected by the condition. The 'actions' the campaign urges people to undertake are:

• I will be there for carers and loved ones too
• I will talk to people
• I will make time to listen
• I will invite people out
• I will be patient
• I will ask questions and learn about dementia
• I will ask if someone needs help if they look confused

Here at St Andrew’s we care for around 50 people with complex dementia at our Northampton site. Our patients are with us because they are presenting challenging behaviour, cognitive decline and limited or inappropriate social interaction. In addition, many patients have additional physical and mental health needs that require management. We provide safe, stimulating and highly specialised care to help support these patients and manage their conditions.

We are committed to understanding each individual’s needs in order to provide them with the best possible care, personalised to them. Within our specialist Dementia and Huntington's Disease unit, we provide a variety of therapies which help our dementia patients to enjoy life, while managing their symptoms.

We encourage the use of positive strategies, and try to engage patients in morale-boosting activities and positive discussions. We also use a variety of technology to comfort, challenge and relax our patients – in fact, a visit last year from the Care Quality Commission led inspectors to describe us as ‘Outstanding’ in this area.

> Click here to find out more about our care for people with Complex Dementia

The Alzheimer’s Society has published a wealth of information regarding the types of dementia, support available and advice on how to support and care for someone with dementia.