Health board plea to talk about dementia
Press release from Hywel Dda Health Board:
Hywel Dda Health Board is encouraging staff, patients and the general public to continue to talk about dementia beyond Dementia Awareness Week (19-26 May).
The theme of this year’s campaign, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society, was talking – ‘worrying changes nothing, talking changes everything’. Various events took place as part of the awareness drive including information events held in Carmarthenshire last week and promotion through social media using the hashtag #talkdementia.Hywel Dda Health Board is encouraging staff, patients and the general public to continue to talk about dementia beyond Dementia Awareness Week (19-26 May).
The Health Board is also picking up the conversation with staff across all disciplines with conferences being put on June 18th at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest, and September 24th at the Halfway House, Nantgaredig, Carmarthen.
The events will cover issues such as the signs and symptoms in dementia, nutrition and managing pain.
Dementia co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire Tom Alexander explained: “We are hoping staff from both the community and hospital setting will attend in order to find out more about dementia, how it affects their patients and what we can all do as healthcare professionals to support people affected by the condition.”
There are an increasing number of people living with dementia in our population. In the Hywel Dda Health Board area alone, the figure is expected to rise by 38% between 2010 and 2021.
Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, difficulties with thinking, reasoning or language, and sometimes changes in mood or behaviour. But dementia affects everyone differently. Some things to look out for are:
• struggling to remember recent events or people’s names
• finding it hard to follow conversations or TV programmes
• repeating yourself or losing the thread of what you’re saying
• difficulty concentrating, thinking things through or following instructions
• feeling confused even when in a well-known place
• becoming unusually anxious, depressed or agitated
The health board has pledged that wherever possible, no one with a long term condition, such as dementia, should be admitted unexpectedly to hospital with that condition. As part of this, the board is developing more closely integrated services, more comprehensive programmes of care and a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of people with dementia and those close to them.
For example, in the last year the bilingual Butterfly Scheme has been introduced across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire hospitals. The scheme increases staff awareness of the needs of patients with dementia by providing them with education and basic interaction skills.
If you’re worried that you, or someone close to you, may have dementia, it’s important to talk about it, whether it be with family and friends, your GP or the Alzheimer’s Society.
You can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 333 1122, email helpline@alzheimers.org.uk or visit the website www.alzheimers.org.uk/localinfo to find a group near you.
Any healthcare professionals wishing to have more information about the conference and training day at Withybush Hospital should email lisa.marshall@wales.nhs.uk or thomas.alexander@wales.nhs.uk
Hywel Dda Health Board and the Alzheimer’s Society have been talking about dementia with staff, patients and visitors at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen, and Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli.
Dementia co-ordinators from the health board and support workers from the local Alzheimer’s Society were able to talk to dozens of people who attended information stands at the hospitals, during Dementia Awareness Week (19-26 May).
Dementia co-ordinator for Carmarthen Rose Harries said: “The theme this year was very apt because talking is exactly what we were doing on the stands. It was great to use the opportunity of dementia awareness week to put a spotlight on the condition and raise awareness of the support that is available to people affected by dementia.”
Clinical Lead Nurse at PPH Denise Charlton added: “It was really important for us to talk to staff, patients and visitors as we are all living longer, which means we face a higher risk of one day developing dementia or caring for someone who has the condition. We were really pleased with the response we’ve had from people, many of whom have requested contact information about services in the locality, which is what we hoped for."
There are an increasing number of people living with dementia in our population. In the Hywel Dda Health Board area alone, the figure is expected to rise by 38% between 2010 and 2021.
Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, difficulties with thinking, reasoning or language, and sometimes changes in mood or behaviour. But dementia affects everyone differently. Some things to look out for are:
• struggling to remember recent events or people’s names
• finding it hard to follow conversations or TV programmes
• repeating yourself or losing the thread of what you’re saying
• difficulty concentrating, thinking things through or following instructions
• feeling confused even when in a well-known place
• becoming unusually anxious, depressed or agitated
The health board has pledged that wherever possible, no one with a long term condition, such as dementia, should be admitted unexpectedly to hospital with that condition. As part of this, the board is developing more closely integrated services, more comprehensive programmes of care and a greater awareness and understanding of the needs of people with dementia and those close to them.
For example, in the last year the bilingual Butterfly Scheme has been introduced across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire hospitals. The scheme increases staff awareness of the needs of patients with dementia by providing them with education and basic interaction skills.
If you’re worried that you, or someone close to you, may have dementia, it’s important to talk about it, whether it be with family and friends, your GP or the Alzheimer’s Society.
You can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 333 1122, email helpline@alzheimers.org.uk or visit the website www.alzheimers.org.uk/localinfo to find a group near you.
Any healthcare professionals wishing to have more information about the conference and training day at Withybush Hospital should email lisa.marshall@wales.nhs.uk or thomas.alexander@wales.nhs.uk
Dementia co-ordinators from the health board and support workers from the local Alzheimer’s Society were able to talk to dozens of people who attended information stands at the hospitals, during Dementia Awareness Week (19-26 May).
Dementia co-ordinator for Carmarthen Rose Harries said: “The theme this year was very apt because talking is exactly what we were doing on the stands. It was great to use the opportunity of dementia awareness week to put a spotlight on the condition and raise awareness of the support that is available to people affected by dementia.”
Clinical Lead Nurse at PPH Denise Charlton added: “It was really important for us to talk to staff, patients and visitors as we are all living longer, which means we face a higher risk of one day developing dementia or caring for someone who has the condition. We were really pleased with the response we’ve had from people, many of whom have requested contact information about services in the locality, which is what we hoped for."
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