Dementia is close to our hearts at TLC…
This week is Dementia Action Week (from 20 – 26 May 2019) and so we thought we would share with you, exactly why Dementia is a condition so close to our hearts.
We are passionate about Dementia having personal connections with family members developing the condition and so, we want to support others managing this challenging condition. We have created an educational website that we have just begun work on – www.DementiaTLC.co.uk – that provides simple advice, knowledge, hints, tips and support for those diagnosed with Dementia and in the early stages and their caregivers to provide them with confidence and ideas to support them in what can be a difficult time in navigating their dementia journey.
We are running a project in Care Homes using Rubik’s Cubes; researching whether learning to solve the Rubik’s can improve short-term memory, hand-eye coordination, dexterity and improve self esteem. We genuinely love this part of our job and it is an honour to work with the residents and see the positive impact we are making.
Total Legacy Care (TLC) is so named as we genuinely care, and are passionate, about our clients and protecting them and their families for later life; we are only too aware that conversations surrounding Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney, Moving into Care, Inheritance and the like are always difficult, often put off, and can cause tension amongst family members. We are here to make these conversations as simple and relaxed as possible, giving our clients as much information and time as they require to go through everything, ask questions and consider their options to ensure the best planning is put into place for their specific and individual circumstances.
Dementia affects many people, with so many of us having experience with the condition impacting our lives in a variety of ways.
Both Neil and I have first-hand experience of how Dementia can impact not only those diagnosed but their loved ones, their support system, professionals and the wider community,with both of us having seen our grandmother’s live with the condition.
I was very young (pre-teenage years) when my grandmother developed Dementia, specifically Parkinson’s but Neil’s experience was much more recent.
My grandmother was diagnosed with Dementia and as the condition progressed, she was unable to continue living in her own home and she moved in with the family so that we could provide 24-hour care and support for her. After several years, and as her condition deteriorated, it was apparent that 24-hour professional care was required and so nanna had to move into full-time care.
We can both relate to the similarities and variations of the condition and having now developed our knowledge much more, we are keen to help and support others on their Dementia journeys.
We are passionate about providing support for those recently diagnosed with Dementia, their caregivers and their loved ones and ensuring that they are able to put valid legal documentation in place (primarily Lasting Powers of Attorney) to enable them to continue living their life in the way they want to for as long as is possible whilst still being safe.
By helping those with Dementia to put plans in place, we ensure they have choice, control and influence over the decisions that affect them; putting valid Lasting Powers of Attorney in place allows the person living with Dementia to appoint an Attorney that they know and trust to make decisions that they would make themselves, if they could, and to take into account their wishes, acting in their best interest.
Becoming Dementia Friendly
Here at TLC we have made the following commitments to becoming Dementia Friendly…
o All staff to undertake NVQ Level 2 in Dementia Care
It is important that as our organisation grows they have an understanding of Dementia and how to understand, communicate and care (on even a basic level) for those with Dementia and the different types of dementia and potential symptoms.
Both Neil and I have completed this course and we will require all staff to have commenced this within 12 weeks of starting employment with us.
o Directors to become Dementia Friend Champions
Both Neil and I have undertaken the training to become Dementia Friends and complete the Dementia Friends programme. This is an Alzheimer’s Society initiative that aims to teach about Dementia, raise awareness and help the wider community to understand Dementia and how they can help. We will next take on the training to become Dementia Friend Champions so that we are able to deliver Dementia Friends training across the Home Counties.
o To use social media to continue to raise awareness of Dementia, educate and help the wider community understand Dementia.
We have started an Instagram Account and Facebook Page to raise awareness and provide support and education for those recently diagnosed with Dementia and their caregivers.
We will continue to provide posts on these platforms on a regular basis.
We know that everyone can benefit from a little extra support and knowledge and so the aim of this website, and the social media accounts, is to provide knowledge and information as research continues to give easy-to-read hints & tips to help navigate, what can be, a tricky path through dementia. This website will also provide awareness to bring Dementia, and the variety of forms of the condition, to the forefront of people’s mind and support those in need, whether that be those finding out they have dementia, caregivers, loved ones of those diagnosed, professionals or the wider community. Our aim for the website is to give information in the same style that we do for TLC; colourful, fun and engaging. Those going to our site and using the website are looking for guidance and support and therefore we want to display a colourful, positive message rather than negative, dark and dreary which is the approach that is often taken. Although there is no cure for Dementia (YET!) it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom and there are so many things that can still be done and positive steps and actions that can be taken and should be encouraged – this is our aim.
Leah Waller &
Neil Barras-Smith