Dynamic duo highlight Dementia Action Week
This week, our Enhanced Care team will be at West Heath and Moseley Hall Hospital to highlight Dementia Action Week, setting up information stalls and planning fun activities for patients.
Gemima McGuinness and Tracy Jones are two inspiring professionals who spend their time working with patients across the wards of both hospitals.
While the pair engage with all our patients, they mostly work with those living with dementia or learning disabilities.
Dementia is not only about memory loss, it can also affect the way people speak, think, feel and behave. However, having a dementia diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you enjoy.
In a bid to ensure they stay socially, mentally and physically active, Gemima and Tracy empower patients with dementia by engaging in enrichment activities such as throwing soft balls, bowling, bingo, board games, colouring, tea parties or even interacting with Dementia dolls or toy therapy dogs, kindly funded by BCHC Charity.
Gemima said:
“We love our job and that’s why we do it. We are here to care for our patients as individuals. Ensuring they receive outstanding care is so important to us.”
More than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, it is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with dementia in the UK will be more than one million. It's normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, certain illnesses and medicines. But if you're becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you're over the age of 65, it's a good idea to talk to a GP about the early signs of dementia.
A dementia diagnosis is vital to give people access to care, treatment and support. Yet at least one in three people with dementia in the UK do not have a diagnosis.
The cost of not getting a diagnosis is hundreds of thousands of people not getting the help and support they need.
97 per cent of people affected by dementia saw the benefit of getting a diagnosis.
If you’re worried about yourself or someone close to you, use our symptoms checklist to help you discuss your concerns with a GP or health professional. Visit alzheimers.org.uk/checklist.
For Support call 0333 150 3456.
