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Monthly Archives: June 2020

June

Overcoming the Stigma of Dementia

By 19th June, 2020 Dementia, Family Related Matters, Help Comments Off

Perhaps it’s the lack of awareness and understanding around dementia in the UK that creates the stigma or the public perception of people with dementia.

 

Dementia is an ever-increasing disease currently affecting 850,000 people in the UK, which is set to increase to around one million by 2025.

 

Currently there is no cure for dementia. It’s often misunderstood as just part of growing old when in fact it’s a disease of the brain. In our previous article we talked about why there is stigma around dementia, so how do we overcome this?

 

Having cared for people with dementia for over 36 years in our care homes, our team works hard with friends and families to do this. Our advice:

  • Be open
    Try to be open about the diagnosis with friends and family. Make sure you’re clear and direct. This also applies to your care givers, don’t feel ashamed about your diagnosis, it’s not your fault. The more information they have the better they will be able to treat and care for you.

 

  • Facts
    One of the key things to dispel the stigma around the disease is helping people to understand, so be factual when you talk to people. You could point them to the Dementia UK website or offer a pamphlet to help explain about the disease.

 

  • Support
    Make sure you have a strong support system around you, whether that’s friends and family, a support group or network. Sharing experiences with other people in the same situation can help with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

 

  • Connection and communication
    Staying connected with friends and family is vital at this time, keep up as many of your daily activities as you can. Ask for help if you need it and make sure you talk about how you’re feeling and how people can help. Often people want to help but are unsure of how, if you communicate it will help you and them.

 

At Grosvenor Lodge we understand more than most the difficulties having a family member with dementia can cause emotionally and socially. We’re here to support and advise you and your family at every stage. Please do get in contact if you have any questions or need support. We’re here to help.

 

The Art of Technology in Uncertain Times

By 5th June, 2020 Care Home Comments Off

The lockdown has been longer and much tougher than any of us could have anticipated. For some the uncertainty of whether they might ever get to hug their loved ones again must be unbearable, however we have tried to overcome our social distance using technology.

 

Here at Grosvenor, we have arranged facetime calls, Skype, Zoom, telephone. We have used technology and more old-fashioned methods of communication too, writing letters and postcards to our loved ones.

 

We can tell how much this communication means to our residents’ friends and family with all the lovely comments we receive on Facebook when we post photos of the many activities we have been enjoying. To see your loved one having a nice time lifts the spirits and for that reason we have been posting more than ever on social media.

 

Although video calling can be harder if you are talking with someone with dementia it is important for both our residents and their loved ones to stay in touch and see each other in whatever way they can.

 

On special days such as Mother’s Day and Easter we were inundated with gifts and cards for the residents and it was so lovely to watch them opening their gifts and smiling with their friends here at Grosvenor. In order to share this moment, we took video clips and photos to share with their loved ones outside of the home.

 

Technology really has become a tool to rely on in these uncertain times. Our only form of contact with the outside world and we are extremely grateful for the link it gives us with all our residents’ friends and families. We hope to be able to come together a bit more in the future, however for now we will continue in the virtual world.