East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership is backing the Scottish Government and COSLA’s campaign to challenge the stigma surrounding dementia.
The Rethink Dementia campaign drive encourages people to continue doing the things they always did with friends or relatives diagnosed with dementia, highlighting that these everyday activities can help them stay well for longer.
Created in collaboration with a National Dementia Lived Experience Panel, the campaign emphasises the importance of maintaining relationships with those living with dementia. Research has shown that making this effort to stay in contact with individuals and include them in social activities can help alleviate symptoms of depression, agitation, sleep disturbance, anxiety and apathy that can often come with dementia.
Such activities include things like going shopping together so they can choose things for themselves. Maintaining regular activities such as going for walks, playing weekly golf games, or going to the football. Listening to music, having a dance, reminiscing, or having them round for dinner or a family get-together. Spending time in the garden together, looking back through photograph albums, sharing memories, or enjoying board games that you’ve always played like dominoes, card games and jigsaws.
Dementia affects an estimated 90,000 people in Scotland; 3,000 of whom are under the age of 65. Insight informing the campaign found that many people associate dementia with the later stage of the illness and therefore change their behaviour towards a friend or family member who has been diagnosed.
Dementia Support in East Lothian
In East Lothian, the Health and Social Care Partnership has provided investment support to increase social connections through group and peer support groups for people living with the dementia and their partners, families and/or carers through the Musselburgh Meeting Centre, Dementia Cafes, Post Diagnostic Support Groups and Friendship Groups.
The Musselburgh Meeting Centre, which is lead by Demetia Friendly East Lothian, is a social club which offers on going warm and friendly, expert support to people with mild to moderate dementia. They help people adjust to living with the symptoms and changes that dementia brings. Developments are currently ongoing to expand a network of mini meeting centres in communities across East Lothian.
Dementia Cafes are for people living with dementia and their families. They are an opportunity to meet others in a similar situation, to make connections and develop friendships, and to support and learn from one another as well as Alzheimer Scotland staff and volunteers. In East Lothian the Dementia Cafes meet monthly in Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans and Dunbar. Further information is available on the Alzheimer Scotland website: www.alzscot.org
Diagnostic Support Groups, as an introduction to the individuals one year post diagnostic support people will be offered the chance to attend a series of post diagnostic support information sessions, these give the chance to ask questions, find out about living well with dementia and make connections with people who may have similar experiences.
Friendship Groups operate on the meeting centre model but are organised on a more informal drop in / open-to-all approach. They too offer peer support and chance to be part of a social group. Groups take part in activities for people with dementia and offer support to carers, family members and friends.”
East Lothian’s Adult Day Centres also offer a supportive environment for people with dementia to spend time with others when they need a little more support.
Irene, 61, was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s at 53 and was surprised by the reaction of some of her friends. “When I was first diagnosed my friends weren’t being themselves. Some friends just walked away but others stayed, and some were behaving differently. I had to remind them that I was still the same person that loves going to the gym, having fun, and gossiping about the things we always did. Being able to still do these things together really helps me.”
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “When a friend or relative is diagnosed with dementia it’s natural not to know what to do. It can be an upsetting and daunting time, but it’s important for all of us to play a supportive role in helping our friends and family.
“One of the key elements in the Rethink Dementia campaign is asking us to think differently about a dementia diagnosis. There are many practical steps we can take to help the people closest to us to lead fulfilling lives and stay well for longer.”
COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Paul Kelly said: “This new campaign is a clear call to us all to think differently about dementia and those with a diagnosis. It highlights very clearly the simple ways that we can support people with dementia to stay connected to their local communities.”
Dr Tom Russ, an NHS Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist and Researcher at The University of Edinburgh, said, "Over the past 20 years, I've engaged with hundreds of people who have been diagnosed with dementia, and it’s often the case that those individuals will withdraw from social activities, which can negatively impact their overall wellbeing.
“If you know of a friend or relative who has been diagnosed with dementia, it's really important to stay in touch and help your loved one to maintain their usual social activities, or even try something new together.
“The Rethink Dementia campaign is sharing such a crucial message around the importance of social connection, and I hope it provides positive action steps for family and friends of those living with dementia."
Further information on Dementia Support in East Lothian
Partner Links
For more information around supporting someone with a dementia diagnosis, please visit www.NHSInform.scot/RethinkDementia.