Congleton Dementia Steering Group has had its first meeting. The aim of the group is to make Congleton a dementia friendly town. The full meeting minutes HERE. 

 

Highlights include:

1 Welcome & Apologies

 

Meeting was chaired by Sara Rathbone

 

Round Robin of introductions for new members and guests.  Link to DF ‘get involved’ DFC communities.  Guidance for becoming a Dementia Friendly Community to follow from Jessica McFall of Alzheimer’s Society (Dementia Coordinator for Cheshire East).

 

 

 

Apologies were received from :

Sandy Duffy, Jess Shore, Debbie Callow, Joanne Fishwick, Matt Steele

2. Minutes / Matters Arising from the last meeting.

 

There had been no previous meeting of the steering group only an Awareness Meeting held on 26th July which 40+ people attended, a number indicated their willingness to get involved with this steering group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. In the general preamble :- Sara suggested that small changes can make a big difference and it is not all about large projects

Margaret Butcher raised the issue of how we support the carers particularly out of hours.

Lisa Alcock advised all of a new Live Well Website that is being launched in October by Cheshire East. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/livewell/livewell

Jo Hawkins also mentioned www.alzheimers.org.uk/local-information/dementia-connect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Open Forum / Ideas / Activities.

Table Tennis

SR is now an Ambassador for Bat for Alzheimer’s charity (not part of Alzheimer’s Society).  This aims to bring table tennis into more settings to increase health and wellbeing for those living with dementia and also more widely within any care setting. They are looking for places to site and sponsor the tables. Included in any costs would be support to train volunteers to host table tennis sessions.

Claire Halsey from East Cheshire Hospice outlined their work with Carers and course available and also their new Dementia services. https://www.eastcheshirehospice.org.uk/dementia-care.

Memory Walks.

https://www.memorywalk.org.uk/find-a-walk/cheshire/

https://www.memorywalk.org.uk/organiseyourown/

Here is a link to the Cheshire Memory Walk for 2017.  We thought it might be good to organise a Congleton walk for 2018.  Here is the link.  Suggest putting on the agenda in early 2018 to gain support.  Or liaise with AS to have the Cheshire walk in Congleton?

Link to Dementia Friends sessions that people can book onto using their location to find them https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/WEBSession#.WdIllEyZOb8

Link to upcoming Dementia Champion session in Crewe that provide training to become a Champion and then able to offer Dementia Friends sessions within the community https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/WEBTrainingDetails?id=a050J00000UmBI2QAN&user_type=#.WdIm3kyZOb8

 

Next Meeting:-

Wednesday 4th October, 2.00pm, Old Saw Mill.