Culture, Wellness & Community Events

Between Monday 19th and Saturday 24th 185 residents of Kensington, Chelsea & Wesminster attended 10 different dementia-friendly events at places like Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the V&A Musuem, Opera Holland Park and the Royal Albert Hall.

These events were offered by the institutions at the suggestion of the Dementia Action Alliance – a voluntary grouping of organisations from cultural, health and social care, including public, private and third sector bodies.

Home Instead has always been a key member and with strong contributions from the Royal Hospital Chelsea, AgeUK, Resonate Arts and Imperial College HNS Trust there were offerings to support people and their families living with dementia have a very special day out.

On Friday there was a Dementia Information Fair held at Kensington Town Hall. 22 organisations had information stands including Pathways Through Dementia, RBKC and City of Westminster Social Services, Loveday, HCL, Admiral Nurses and others. The whole event was supported the K&C Forum for Older People who provided volunteers to offer tea and coffee and soft drinks and who organised the facilities with the support the Royal Borough Council. Councillor Josh Rendall, lead member for social care and public health, attended and made the opening remarks showing that the work of RBKC and City of Westminster to be ‘dementia-friendly’ boroughs continues to be high on the agenda of both councils.

As the number of people living with dementia continues to rise, and is predicted to do so for many years to come, it is vital that groups like the Dementia Action Alliance continue to keep this very challenging condition in the public conciousness and support those and their families having to adapt to it. Home Instead has always based its care model on relationship-led care and taking time on each visit to make sure needs are met rather than just focusing on tasks. This approach is well suited to those living with dementia so we always want to engage and support all the other organisations which do so much to help our local communities.