Mental health trust encourages people to try something new for Dementia Awareness Week | News and Events

Mental health trust encourages people to try something new for Dementia Awareness Week

This year, the Alzheimer’s Society are running the “Do something different for Dementia” campaign for Dementia Awareness Week which runs from 17-23 May 2015. The campaign promotes that life doesn’t end when dementia begins, and that having dementia doesn’t mean stopping doing the things you love and trying new things.

To mark Dementia Awareness Week 2015, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMW) will be hosting and promoting events across the Trust in partnership with CCG’s, Councils, Alzheimer’s Society, and other NHS Trusts around Bolton, Salford and Trafford, as well as running free courses for people affected by dementia.

There will be information stands hosted by dementia support workers, numerous Dementia Friends sessions, Singing for the Brain groups, afternoon teas as well as “Denim for Dementia” days where members of staff will wear denim and donate to the Alzheimer’s Society.

The Trust will also be sharing information about what is happening in Greater Manchester and Lancashire and what services are available for people affected by dementia during the week on Twitter and Facebook.

GMW run a number of specialist courses aimed at people affected by dementia, their carers, healthcare staff and the public in order to raise awareness about dementia and what everyone can do to help support those with dementia.

Dementia Friends free information sessions are 1 hour 30 minutes long and are held on 20 May 2015, 17 June 2015 and 8 July 2015 in venues across Greater Manchester. The sessions are run by Dementia Friends Champions and are fully endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Society.

Dementia Friends is an Alzheimer’s Society initiative to help members of the public to understand what it might be like to live with dementia and then turn that understanding into action. Anyone can become a Dementia Friend and help to make a difference.

People with a recent diagnosis of dementia and carers of people with dementia can attend the Trust’s free Living Well with Dementia course, which take place from 9.30am – 3.30pm on the 22 May 2015 in Bolton and the 18 September 2015 in Prestwich.

The aim of the course is to provide people affected by dementia with facts about dementia, common symptoms, treatments available, and techniques that will help them to cope with the effects of dementia.

All courses are run by the Trust’s Recovery Academy, which provides a range of free educational courses and resources for people with mental health and substance misuse problems, their families and carers as well as healthcare professionals.

The next Dementia Friends information session is on the 20 May 2015 at Achieve Salford Recovery Services, Salford and the next Living Well with Dementia course is on 22 May 2015 at Linden Ward, Royal Bolton Hospital.

To book your place or to find out more about the upcoming courses, log on to www.gmmh.nhs.uk/recovery . Alternatively you can email recoveryacademy@gmmh.nhs.uk or Tel: 0161 772 3782.

Gill Drummond, Dementia Quality Lead for Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Being diagnosed with dementia doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you love and trying new things. We are encouraging people to come along to one of our events during Dementia Awareness Week and try something new.

“We want to raise as much awareness about dementia as possible and help spread the word that life doesn’t end when dementia begins. Early signs of dementia can include memory loss, confusion, mood changes and problems with speech. If you are worried or concerned about your memory or the memory of a loved one, speak to your GP so you can access the help that you need.

A calendar of events across Bolton, Salford and Trafford for Dementia Awareness Week 2015 is available here  Dementia Awareness Week Events Table 2015.pdf [pdf] 220KB.  Events include information stands, dementia support groups, afternoon tea celebrations and more.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

1. Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMW) provides district mental health services in Bolton, Salford and Trafford. GMW also provides substance misuse services in Salford, Wigan and Leigh, Blackburn with Darwen, Central Lancashire and Cumbria. GMW delivers specialist mental health and substance misuse inpatient services throughout Greater Manchester and the wider North.
2. Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Recovery Academy provides a range of free educational courses and resources for people with mental health and substance misuse problems, their families and carers as well as health care professionals. All of the courses focus on supporting people with their recovery and promote good health and wellbeing. The courses are useful if you’re looking to increase your knowledge and understanding of mental health, improve your mental wellbeing, or simply want to meet new people while learning something new.
3. The calendar of events supporting DAW 2015 can be found at www.gmmh.nhs.uk.

For media enquiries, contact the press office on 0161 772 4313 or email katie.dolan@gmmh.nhs.uk.

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