1,000 milestone for Dementia Friends

The Trust’s team of Dementia Champion trainers have delivered Dementia Friends information sessions to educate colleagues at the Trust’s five NHS hospitals and community facilities about some of the ways they can help people living with dementia.

Lead Dementia Nurse Sandra Nuttall said: “We’re creating a dementia-friendly generation of healthcare professionals to care for people living with dementia as part of their everyday duties.”

Now, 1,057 staff are Dementia Friends which is part of a national initiative by The Alzheimer’s Society to recruit four million volunteers to change people’s perceptions of dementia. Dementia Friends education is also taught by Training Managers Carl Dearden, Gemma Byrom, Julie Rigby and Karen Mainwaring. Dementia Lead Nurse Caroline Otieno: “Having staff learn the five key messages about dementia is a great start, which they will build on as they learn more about dementia. Our aim is to see every ward and department have at least one Dementia Friend.”