World Alzheimer's Day - Surrey Lieutenancy

21st September 2023 | Lieutenancy News

World Alzheimer’s Day

Each September 21st, people unite from all corners of the world to raise awareness, to challenge the stigma that persists around Alzheimer’s disease and all types of dementia. This is going to be my 17^th year taking part in World Alzheimer’s day in all that time I have worked on the Lifestyle team at MMCG’s Cedar Court care home in Cranleigh . I have met some truly amazing people from all walks of life over those years many suffering from dementia.

What are your plans for today, me am gonna spend it at a care home having Fun.

Yes fun, in the morning I’ll join my friend Kathryn for a craft session as part of our “arts in care homes week” then we will dress up in 1960’’s gear (I’ll be Sgt Pepper) for the Cedar Court Residents Glee Clubs World Alzheimer’s Day Concert, The Sound of the Sixties. We will have a lot of fun today and we try to have fun and do interesting things every day.

Since last years Alzheimer’s day we’ve sung every week, put on Glee concerts most months, twice weekly exercises classes, Newspaper talks, arts & Crafts sessions, reminiscence groups, quizzes, music based activity including School concerts, entertainers and churches. We have, with the help of our friends in the community, celebrated the Coronation (with The High Sheriff Of Surrey), the Launch of the Poppy Appeal for our village, (with the Royal British Legion, HMS Collingwood and The Princes of Wales Royal regiment). We have put on a Classic car show with The Cranleigh Lions, and the Mayor of Waverley in aid of Macmillan and have also had a Hawaiian BBQ. People suffering with dementia took part in all activities.

Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form. Cedar Court doesn’t label people, we support them, promoting their well-being and meeting their needs. Treating them as individuals, giving them the opportunity to do every at the own pace and focusing on short-term pleasure or living for the moment, focusing on positive aspects of their abilities.

It’s important to focus on what the person can still do, not on what they may have lost and concentrate on what the person feels. We have a person-centred care approach using knowledge of their life history to help us understand the best way to help them

More than half of UK adults know someone who has been diagnosed with dementia.