Stockport residents living with dementia are set to benefit from improved care environments thanks to a funding boost.
Stockport Council in partnership with Stockport Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been awarded £755,000 from the Department of Health’s Dementia Grant.
Councillor Keith Holloway, Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Adult Care Services, said:
“This dedicated fund will be used to create care environments for people with dementia that help reduce anxiety, distress and help them feel safe which will greatly improve the quality of the lives.”
18 Care homes and one day centre are participating in Stockport. Research shows that well designed care environment can help with the management of dementia. People with dementia are calmer and less likely to get lost or become distressed in an environment designed with their needs in mind.
Some care homes have used the funding to make changes such as bold and tactile directional signage, colour coded floor zones and the creation of spaces that clearly indicate the functional purpose of those spaces.
The Grant funded Dementia Reminiscence Therapy units in the care homes, using software called My Life – including local Stockport images, music, videos, historical information – it allows residents to upload their own life stories. This all helps to reduce anxiety, improve quality of life and improve relationships with staff and relatives.
Left: A photo of Mr and Mrs Chadwick on their wedding day 60 years ago and a photo of the couple as they are now at Lynwood Rest Home, Heaton Mersey.
At Lynwood Rest Home in Heaton Mersey, Mr and Mrs Chadwick pictured left have just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and are benefiting from the unit.
Anne Munif (Officer-in-Charge) explains:
“Bessie has been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia, when Gordon comes to visit they sit together and listen to the old songs from the 1950’s holding hands – she knows all the words. With the help of the unit she enjoys reminiscing about life as it used to be – encouraging her to be less anxious and more independent on the couple of afternoons her husband isn’t able to visit.”
Dr Nij Hussain, Stockport CCG Clinical Lead for Mental Health and local GP, said:
“This is fantastic news. Already a lot of good work is happening in Stockport to make care homes dementia-friendly. This grant will help to innovate further and share good practice across the borough to improve the quality of life for people who have dementia.”
For more information on Dementia care information and support in Stockport visit www.stockport.gov.uk/dementia
Visit www.dementiafriends.org.uk to sign up as a Dementia Friend or to find more information about becoming a dementia champion and the information sessions available in your area.