know the facts examine our attitudes face our fears come together
TRANSCRIPT
Building Dementia Confidence
Steps towards dementia confidence
Know the facts
Examine our attitudes
Face our fears
Come together
Dementia Friends
A new Alzheimer’s Society initiative Create Dementia Friendly Communities
by recruiting 1 million Dementia Friends by March 2015
A Dementia Friend needs to know 5 key facts
And make a commitment as to how they can turn that understanding into action
No action is too small
Key Fact 1:Dementia is not the same as normal ageing
As you grow older do you find: You forget people’s names more easily? Words won’t come as easily? Getting to the top of the stairs and
thinking ‘what did I come up here for?’ Your brain generally does not seem
quite as ‘whizzy’ as it used to be? If so, DON’T WORRY – THIS IS NORMAL!
Key Fact 2:Dementia is caused by brain disease
See the GP if:
Not just forgetting names and details but whole events or conversations
Memories do not come back even with prompting
Getting lost in familiar, rather than new, places Finding it difficult to keep up with events and
becoming disorientated Frequently repeating conversations Signs of progression in terms of frequency and
severity of problems
Healthwatch
If you are not happy with the response of your GP please get in touch with Healthwatch
New organisation to help people find the health and social care services they need and make their voices heard
Causes of dementia
%
AlzheimerVascularLewy bodyOther
Things that may get confused with dementia
Depression
Delirium
Vitamin B deficiency
Hypothyroidism
Dr Elizabeth Milwain: [email protected]
Number of cases rises with age
Age 60 - 69
1 in 50
Age 70 - 79
1 in 20
Age 80 - 89
1 in 5
Key Fact 3:Dementia is more than just memory loss
Symptoms of dementia
Core features: Memory – new learning Thinking – drawing everything together Planning and decision-making
Specific difficulties: Language Knowledge – old learning Spatial awareness Visual perception
Key Fact 4:There is more to a person than just their dementia
The Brain
15
Brains within brains
Cortex
Limbic system
Brain stem
Vital functionsAutomatic behaviours
Understanding me
Understanding of the wider world
The contracting bubble
The world beyond what I can see (memory)The world I can see (vision)
My body(feeling)
18
Adaptation is the key
‘Normal life’
• Information• Thinking• Goals• Complex• Remembered• Fast
‘Life in the moment’
• Emotion• Sensing• Experiences• Simple• Enjoyed• Slow
Key Fact 5:It is possible to live well with dementia
What causes suffering?
Isolated
Worthless
Failing
What do people with dementia need?
To feel safe
To feel they have control
To feel valued Personhood I-Thou versus I-It
What is dignity?
Looks?
Independence?
Meeting between persons
Standard
Effect of dementia
Therapeutic relationship
Support: too much for one person
Person
Carer
Others
25
Easy to say, but hard to do
Grief
Hurt
Guilt
Tired‘Normal
life’
‘Life in the
moment’
Why are others so reluctant?
Affected families often do not welcome offers of help – stigma and denial are big problems
Most of us experience disabling emotions in the face of dementia: Fear Distaste Grief Guilt
Natural movements of care
“Aaahh!”
“Aaahh”?Or
“Eeww”?
Coming together:Ideas for Dementia Friends Action
Understand more about it Change your own attitude – learn to stand against the
difficult emotions Challenge (but with sensitivity please) the attitudes
of others Get alongside someone you know who is affected:
be willing to try be willing to feel uncomfortable be willing to get it wrong
Volunteer in your local community: Support groups Befriending of couples in which one has dementia
Resources
Look at the books on the table Gaynor Hammond’s books are especially
good Resource lists, details of helpful organisations
and other useful guides are available on the Diocese of Bradford website – or get in touch with Jacqui Hand if you would like hard copies
Please fill out the interest form if you would like me to keep you informed of events and developments
If you want to be counted as a Dementia Friend please put your hand up now
When I get the badges I will provide a supply to Jacqui Hand – if you would like a badge please put your name and contact details on the sign up sheet on the resources table
If you are on the internet visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk to sign up as a Dementia Friend and register your action (helpful for the Alzheimer’s Society if you do this)