16 August 2018
Two-and-a-half million people in the UK have united against dementia by taking part in the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends initiative. That’s one in every 30 people in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.
At Guinness we’ve been playing our part. We now have 1,400 Dementia Friends and 13 Dementia Friends Champions to run awareness sessions for colleagues and customers.
Last month, over 150 staff in our Customer Service Centre took part in face-to-face dementia awareness sessions so they’re better able to support customers and provide them with a tailored service.
Our Guinness Homes sales team in the Gloucester office have also just completed a Dementia Friends session. They recognised the need for better awareness of the condition, especially as they are involved in selling homes in our new dementia-friendly Extra Care scheme in Totnes.
Our Independent Living teams across the country have also been busy raising awareness and enhancing the lives of our customers with dementia.
Jacky Blackshaw, Guinness Care Independent Living Advisor at Primrose Court in Derbyshire, regularly runs a Desert Island Discs session – which her customers love! Music is so important for people living with dementia and through Jacky’s sessions the memories come flooding back. She also runs a reminiscence hour, every Friday, with a different theme and time.
Jacky says: “One of my residents has dementia and activities like these are really comfortable for her to attend. Everyone loves music and has a favourite tune.”
Have you ever thought about becoming a Dementia Friend? Find out more and see how you can volunteer, be a champion or get involved.
