Willow the donkey at The Aldbury from left, Sarah Ingram, Colten Care Activities Organiser, resident Pam Legg and donkey sanctuary representatives Wendy Small and Georgina Perryman
Improving the awareness and understanding of dementia is the focus of free public information sessions at Colten Care homes.
The ‘Dementia Friends’ meetings feature among a range of activities the family-owned provider is staging in support of Dementia Awareness Week (Monday 18 May to Friday 22 May).
GENTLE TOUCH – Ruth Taylor, a resident at The Aldbury, strokes Willow the donkey on his walkabout
“As a care home provider, we support the message of the Alzheimer’s Society that life doesn’t end when dementia begins and it shouldn’t stop you doing the things you love,” said Tim Wookey, Colten Care’s Marketing Director and a Dementia Friends Champion. “The sessions we are hosting, across both our general and dementia-specific homes, will help people in the community raise their awareness and understanding of the condition.”
Ahead of Dementia Awareness Week, Colten Care’s Poole dementia care home The Aldbury welcomed a visit from The Donkey Sanctuary in Devon highlighting the therapeutic effect of animal encounters for people with memory loss.
Willow, a 14-year-old miniature donkey, prompted smiles all round as he toured lounges and corridors in the home under the supervision of two Sanctuary representatives.
One of them, volunteer Wendy Small, said: “You can see recognition in people’s eyes. They remember donkey rides from years ago and it can be an emotional experience to see such a beautiful animal close up. People very much relate to it and it’s always worth coming if we can see we have reached someone emotionally.”
On the same day, Willow visited Colten Care’s Ferndown nursing and residential home, Amberwood House, where he also proved a hit.
Amberwood Activities Organiser Jan Burns said: “The residents were thrilled as he walked round to greet everybody. He also went to visit people in their rooms. Lots of questions were asked about the sanctuary and where Willow had come from.”
Tim Wookey added: “Colten Care’s overall focus for Dementia Awareness Week is to join up with others to promote dementia awareness and help our homes’ communities to better understand how they can help people with dementia.”
The Dementia Friends sessions, run by volunteers, will take place in homes across Dorset at different times during the week.
There will also be coffee mornings, wine and cheese evenings, raffles and other events to raise money for charities working in dementia care. Among them:
- Canford Chase in Poole is holding a dementia talk and wine and cheese on Tuesday, May 19, from 6pm to 7pm.
- Amberwood House in Ferndown will welcome members of the music group Melodies for Memories on Friday May 22, at 1.30pm.
- Fernhill at Longham near Ferndown is staging a dog show and cream tea on Saturday May 23, from 12.15pm.
For more information on all Dementia Awareness Week activities at Colten Care homes, visit www.coltencare.co.uk.
