Dementia Action Week takes place on 21-27 May and the Alzheimer’s Society are asking everyone to take actions big and small to improve the lives of people affected by dementia.
In the UK, one person develops dementia every three minutes. Yet too many people living with dementia face the condition alone and excluded from society.
Alzheimer’s Society is leading the movement for change and are determined to create a dementia-friendly UK where people with dementia are included and supported to live the lives they want. But they can’t achieve this alone.
Every year in May, Dying Matters and coalition members host an Awareness Week, which gives an unparalleled opportunity to place the importance of talking about dying, death and bereavement firmly on the national agenda.
This year, the focus is “What Can You Do… in your community?”
Leeds has a specific website but I would love to hear about what is happening outside of Leeds in our other deaneries.
Join Leeds Older People’s Forum in the gorgeous Brodrick Hall, at Leeds City Musuem, to celebrate three years of Time to Shine, look back at what has been achieved to date, and look forward to the new projects.
This is your chance to meet and mingle with their delivery partners and find out about the great work they do to improve the lives of older people in Leeds.
Rachel Walker from Growing Old Grace-fully, will be running a short Dementia Friends session at 10.30am-11.30am on Saturday 12th May in the Hall at St Paul of the Cross, to help give a better understanding of dementia and the small things we can all do that make a difference in our parish.
The impact of an ageing population is beginning to be felt not just in our communities but in our churches. We need a Christian response to deal with this growing challenge. Why not join us in 2018 to learn more about the issues affecting older people and how you and/or your church can play a part in tackling these issues.
The conference will cover a range of topics opening up a biblical view of God’s purposes in later life, including sharing the gospel in later life, biblical basis for retirement, practical and spiritual support for those affected by dementia etc.
Keynote Bible Speaker:Roger Carswell (Evangelist, writer and the author of many Christian books and booklets)
Other speakers include:
• Dr Jennifer Bute (retired Christian GP & FRCGP living with dementia and Founder of www.gloriousopportunity.org)
• Rev Canon Ian Knox (theologian, evangelist and author)
• Louise Morse (Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Speaker and writer/author on issues of Old Age and dementia)
• Rev Roger Hitchings (Christian Speaker & Theologian)
and more….
Registration Fee: £5.00, including Lunch and Free Car parking
FREE to Registered Supporters of the PFS Family and Subscribers to Pilgrims Magazine.
This event is for third sector organisations who are currently working with frail people and people at end of life in Leeds and who will get involved in engaging with their members/service users on the development of the outcomes.
Find out about current plans to commission on an outcomes basis to support people who are living with frailty and at end of life in Leeds.
Find out about frailty as a long-term condition, and how it is defined and diagnosed.
Get involved in defining the frailty outcomes for Leeds.
Please RSVP to: sean.tunnicliffe@forumcentral.org.uk
The Getting Along programme addresses the change in relationships between couples where one partner has been diagnosed with a dementia. Through 4 group seminars over 2 days, some of the difficulties that arise (tensions, silly, draining arguments – or even blazing rows!) will be addressed. Often they are caused by the presence of a dementia and they are nobody’s fault, but when you have perhaps lived with each other for decades it must be hard to get used to!
Leeds Dementia Action Alliance are very excited to share their plans. Below you will find a general summary for the day.
The last item: ‘Dementia Awareness Session’ is for people who are not dementia friends or would like a refresher. If you are a dementia friend already, the event will end after 3:40pm.
1. Sketch
For the first item on the agenda, Leeds Arts Centre are presenting first hand stories by people with dementia of their experiences of being out and about in Leeds.
2. Reflection/taking action
After the sketch, time has been set aside to reflect with colleagues and other businesses / organisations, on how can to make practical changes to services provided to be more inclusive of clients living with dementia?
3. Sharing learning
Leeds Admiral Nurses will share a perspective on dementia, followed by Leeds Dementia Action Alliance (LDAA) members sharing their actions to become more dementia friendly, and what this meant for their business/organisation.
Note: if you would like to share with others your actions and achievements, please contact maria@opforum.org.uk
4. Networking
Time to have a chat with others, sign up to Leeds DAA, update your actions, book a dementia friends session for your staff or volunteers.
5. Dementia Awareness session
To book for this reply to leedsdaa@opforum.org.uk .The last 45 minutes of our event will be dedicated to a Dementia Friends session. You will learn a bit more about dementia and the everyday ways you can help. You will become a dementia friend and get your badge.
This seminar is an opportunity to share current or recent research in areas relating to ageing, faith and spirituality, and aims to bring together researchers and reflective practitioners. It will be of interest to academic researchers, chaplains, health professionals, and any others who are interested in learning more about faith development and spirituality amongst older people.
If you would like to offer a paper or contribution, please contact Revd Dr Jan Berry – 0161 249 2503
Please note that these sessions are aimed at professionals, to improve their awareness and practice around the subjects covered. They are not appropriate for members of the public.
Scams, Frauds and Doorstep crime are fast becoming the crime of the 21st Century, with many isolated and vulnerable older people being the main target of mass marketing scams, nuisance callers, cowboy builders and distraction burglaries.
The SAFER Project works to educate and empower older and vulnerable people to spot scams and deal confidently with doorstep callers to protect themselves from becoming victims.
The course will cover:
SAFER Project overview
Scams and frauds: facts and examples
Doorstep crime: facts and examples
SAFER toolkit information
Moving forward together: turning your learning into one key action
Contact information
This information session will be delivered by Jo Mackman, Safer Team Community Project Officer
Please note that these sessions are aimed at professionals, to improve their awareness and practice around the subjects covered. They are not appropriate for members of the public.
To book a place, please contact Public Health Resource Centre on (0113) 378 6200 or email: phrc@leeds.gov.uk
The sessions are free of charge and are presented in an engaging manner by friendly and knowledgeable facilitators.
If you would like to discuss how Growing Old Grace-fully might help support older people in your parish then please visit our contact page here and get in touch.
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