Training helps make thousands of Friends

We all need a little help from our friends, and at East Kent Hospitals there are now more than 3,000 Dementia Friends.

More than 2,000 of those have been trained by dementia associate practitioner Ann McGovern, and the training is part of the induction process for all new healthcare assistants joining the Trust.

It means staff have a greater understanding of how to support the people living with dementia who are admitted to the wards or attend outpatient appointments across the Trust each month.

Ann, who works at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital, said: “Every additional person who understands how to help someone living with dementia and their loved ones is a bonus, so it’s fantastic to have reached this milestone.

“The training encourages people to see the person, not the diagnosis, and to understand the small things we can all do to help them feel safe and settled when they are with us.

“It can be something really small, like giving them more time to answer or reducing background noise on a ward, or more significant like making sure someone is with them to help at mealtimes.”

The Trust’s dementia team also encourage families to fill in a ‘This is me’ document, to help staff caring for a patient living with dementia understand more about them. It includes information on any hobbies or interests, previous jobs and favourite places to help spark conversations.

Ann said: “Our patients are not admitted because of their dementia; it will be after a fall, a stroke, or an illness.

“Sometimes we can be to focussed on treating that rather than seeing the whole person, and the ‘This is me’ form helps us find out more about someone if they aren’t able to tell us verbally.

“We’re seeing much more use of it on our wards as a result of the Dementia Friends training which has real benefits in terms of our patients’ experiences.”

Dementia specialist occupational therapist Jessica Peterson is trialling a new project for patients living with dementia who attend the Trust’s emergency departments but are not admitted to the wards, so are not usually seen by the dementia team.

She is sending a special carers’ pack to their homes, including the ‘This is me’ document, to ensure they and their families are aware of the support available to them.

The team also recognise colleagues across the Trust who go the extra mile to support people living with dementia, by presenting certificates each month. They also offer enhanced training including a virtual dementia tour to give people some insight into what living with dementia can be like.

Ann is taking part in the Suffolk Coastal Trek on Saturday, August 3 with colleague Pat Woods, to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, and is hoping to raise £2,000. To add to their sponsorship visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/ann-mcgovern-bem-1705588500605