Ahead of May’s Dementia Awareness Week, Jane Kemp, Regional Independent Sector Adviser at the Royal College of Nursing and Claire Chatterton, Lecturer from the Open University visited the Island this week to facilitate a dementia workshop for the Island’s healthcare staff.
 
Dementia describes a set of symptoms that may include memory loss or difficulties with thinking, problem solving and language.  Changes are often small to start with but can increase over time. 
 
The workshop focussed on gaining a better understanding of what helps and hinders communication in people affected by dementia and provided healthcare workers with practical tools and ideas on what they can do to assist.
 
Debbie Quaye, Transfer of Care Co-ordinator who helped to organise the event, said: “Communication is vital to everyone; it enables us to express our needs, feelings and wishes.  But for people with dementia, the condition can have a profound effect on their ability to communicate.  This can cause confusion and frustration as well as creating a real sense of vulnerability. 
 
“Communication problems can result in people with dementia behaving in a way that those caring for them find difficult.  Healthcare professionals need to be able to recognise, and act on, the various communication methods when someone with dementia has problems with words.”
 
The workshop, which was delivered to healthcare staff from across the Island, examined the barriers to communication and explored the use of non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions, which could show that someone is feeling pain or emotional distress. 
 
The session was part of a series of initiatives in the Department of Health and Social Care to continue to raise awareness and enhance the care of those affected by dementia on the Island.
 
Minister for Health and Social Care, Howard Quayle MHK, said: “Dementia is a global challenge and the Island’s health and social care professionals continue to be proactive, seeking opportunities to learn from best practice and emerging thought in the field of dementia care.  In 2013 the Island held its first ever Dementia Care Conference and initiatives such as the new RemPods introduced last year demonstrate the Department’s ongoing determination to support people with dementia and their families.”
 
Photo -  left to right: Blake Spellar, Student Nurse and Royal College of Nursing Student Representative; Claire Chatterton, Lecturer with the Open University; and Jane Kemp, Regional Independent Sector Adviser at the Royal College of Nursing.