AS part of Dementia Awareness Week, Basildon University Hospital is hosting a special session inviting members of the public to become dementia friends.
Dementia Awareness Week takes place Sunday 15 through to Saturday 21 May and the public dementia friends’ session is just one of the many events taking place, aimed to raise awareness of this illness.
The Alzheimer’s Society launched the Dementia Friend programme to change people’s perceptions of dementia, educate people and explain the small changes you can make which could impact on someone living with dementia.
Jane Gilby, the Trust’s lead dementia nurse, will be hosting the session. She said: “The whole initiative is about increasing awareness and what better time to open a session up to the public, than dementia awareness week.
“I have run numerous sessions in the hospital, local police stations and local schools.
This is a condition which affects a lot of people and their families, so we need to talk about it, break down the barriers and destroy the myths surrounding it.”
The session starts promptly at 1.30pm on Friday 20 May at the Education Centre of Basildon University Hospital, and lasts for about 45 minutes to one hour.
To book your place, please email jane.gilby@btuh.nhs.uk.
There will also be a special ‘Meet the Team’ event on Wednesday 18 May, where consultants, specialist nurses, social services and charities will be on hand to meet members of the public and staff. They can explain what services are on offer to those with dementia, their carers and families.
This is an open event taking place in the main restaurant of Basildon University Hospital between 11am and 2pm.
